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We will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 19th….unless the travel bug stays in our system. Interesting business model we have.
Lisa…
Please don’t be discouraged from what I wrote! I really think the most important factor determining success is true passion for what you do. Sorry for the cheese, but if you are driven, know what you want and are determined to not let anything (or anyone in many cases!) get in your way you will be successful. A sense of humor helps a lot too! And, to be honest, opening in China has been easier in a lot of ways compared to our own country. Without having such well defined laws on how to do business or what is needed can actually help you. I am happy to talk with you at any point and encourage you not discourage you! Much luck.
Brendan…I agree with you, however, we were broken hearted when we named a burger after you and you disappeared for months!
Doing business in China…
Danny and I can tell endless stories as the owners of a restaurant. We will share some of them with Chengdu Living when we return from our MUCH needed six week break. Charlie…sorry it has taken us so long to answer your questions. Lets just put it this way to give other expats an idea of just how difficult it is, when we leave Chengdu we do have to close and take the loss! This is far from ideal but the financial loss of closing (we still obviously pay rent and our staff) is less than keeping it open while not there. Frequently getting out of China helps us stay positive and focused while in Chengdu.
Check out the Ease of Doing Business Index:
A Chinese can do this very easily for you! Sascha…can’t your wife go to just about any bank? If it is over a few thousand you have to make an appointment the day before to make sure thay have the right amount. Very easy. We just did this. Good luck!
Mr. Loggins will most definitely get some play time. Footloose. Nothing like dancing to that song without a care in the world.
Ray please do join us!
The Pug will be closing from January 1st until Feb. 18th. We will re-open on the 19th. We will miss Chengdu, Piano Tuna and Rick in China.
Happy 2013 and, once again, thank you to those that made our 2012 fun and successful! We do appreciate the support. And to those of you with constant criticisms and undeserved comments…we love you too!
The Pugs
Here is the Lazy Pug Thanksgiving Menu
Option A:
Spiced Rum Eggnog Martini dusted with fresh nutmeg
Lazy Pug House Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
Traditional Thanksgiving Plate includes: Tender sliced turkey with gravy, savory mushroom and Cognac stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes topped with melted brown sugar and cinnamon, garlic green beans and sweet cranberry sauce.
Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake OR Homemade Apple Pie.
All-you-can drink Spanish red OR white wine for two hours!
288 rmb
Option B:
Same as Option A with no alcohol!
Soda or Iced/Hot Tea Included.
208 rmb
Please call 13881782604 for reservations or questions.
Two seatings:
5:00 pm-7:30 pm
8:00 pm-10:30 pm
Thank you!
The Pugs
Here is the Lazy Pug Thanksgiving Menu
Option A:
Spiced Rum Eggnog Martini dusted with fresh nutmeg
Lazy Pug House Salad with Homemade Ranch Dressing
Traditional Thanksgiving Plate includes: Tender sliced turkey with gravy, savory mushroom and Cognac stuffing, mashed sweet potatoes topped with melted brown sugar and cinnamon, garlic green beans and sweet cranberry sauce.
Homemade Pumpkin Cheesecake OR Homemade Apple Pie.
All-you-can drink Spanish red OR white wine for two hours!
288 rmb
Option B:
Same as Option A with no alcohol!
Soda or Iced/Hot Tea Included.
208 rmb
Please call 13881782604 for reservations or questions.
Two seatings:
5:00 pm-7:30 pm
8:00 pm-10:30 pm
Thank you!
The Pugs
I think if you explain exactly what you want from the beginning you should not have a problem. Show the potential Ayi your apartment CLEAN before they actually come to clean it, so they have some idea of what you want. Also, give them time so you build some kind of relationship with them. Just point out, in a funny way, what you don’t like or do like….sounds more like a guide to finding a “suitable” (one of the most overused words here!) sex partner not a cleaner!
Pay them a bit over the “going rate” (I think it is about 30/hour). Of course, they will charge you based on how money they THINK you have! If your apartment is super modern, expect to pay more. Not fair, maybe, but if the goal is a clean place pay the price!
Our Ayi is hilarous…she always brings her family and friends to see the foreigner apartment! We love it and never know who she will show up with! They LOVE to attack the blinds by swatting at them for 20 minutes. And hand wash the large rugs.
Oh, don’t have them wash wine glasses or ANYTHING fragile! Our Ayi always hides what she breaks thinking we will take it out of her pay!
Good luck and be patient!
Elias,
As the Pug owners, YES there are many things we would have done differently in retrospect. We don’t make the food cheaper because we always want the same quality and believe us our food profit is LOW! We had no idea of the volume of people since the previous week was slowing down A LOT due to lots of people leaving town. Bad planning on our part. We thought it would be more of a family turnout as it started for lunch.
Anyways, point taken and we learn from each holiday! As another note, the California beer (you had one of them the Red Seal) we have was marked up by our supplier and cost us 27.5 a bottle! It was just dropped off to us and billed to us since the supplier knew we wanted it for an American holiday! We had 10 kuai proper shots and always pour very heavy. However, we do understand AND expected the criticism!
Enjoy the summer and hope to see you when we re-open in August..stronger and smarter. In the future, we will offer cheaper options as we do appreciate and respect all of our customers.
Thank you,
Dana and Danny
Gotta love China! When I go home or leave to travel I miss people staring at me and narrating my life for me. It is a great place to be to boost your self-esteem! Haha…I am convinced that is why 90% of foreigners live here. Living a “normal” life in any other country including their own would be a hell of a lot harder! Very unattractive foreigners here thinking they are HOT because they have blonde hair and blue eyes! Everything else is off, but they are still told how gorgeous they are! Can be a good thing, right?
Asia in general is well comical…grown men photographing Hello Kitty displays with $8,000 lens at a Hong Kong mall! Grown men pulling out Winnie-the-Pooh tissue packets to take a shit. Sexy. Men with full out perms. Sexy. Wearing a three piece suit to mow the lawn. Amazing houses equipped with imported furniture and appliances, but refusal to heat the place. Insisting on driving a few blocks to show you own a car. Waiting to get in an elevator to light a cigarette. Frantically pushing the close door button when clearly seeing people trying to get on the elevator. The giggling. Insisting a bloody mary is made with granadine syrup like they make at the Chinese clubs. Insisting a drink isn’t good unless it is served in a “fancy” glass with a twisty straw in the shape of a heart…or like they do in the movies.
I have two tiny pugs who make my neighbors scream for their lives on a daily basis! I try to explain to them that they are more scared of them. Women and men have gone running in pure horror at the sight of them. Pugs don’t even have proper jaws to bite.
Oh, I LOVE the proud grandparents out in their pj’s with a VERY bundled up grandchild explaining to the kid about the foreigners drinking coffee! Poor thing can’t even put down their arms, but has an air crack in the back. I would think that would make one a bit cold???
Our neighbors always ask us how many times a week we wash our pugs????
I love China for all of its quirkiness! Without it, it would be just a bunch of pretty drab cities. Plus, it gives expats so much to talk about. Nobody can argue it is a comical place! There are far worse places….and I can tell you those later!
Gotta love China! When I go home or leave to travel I miss people staring at me and narrating my life for me. It is a great place to be to boost your self-esteem! Haha…I am convinced that is why 90% of foreigners live here. Living a “normal” life in any other country including their own would be a hell of a lot harder! Very unattractive foreigners here thinking they are HOT because they have blonde hair and blue eyes! Everything else is off, but they are still told how gorgeous they are! Can be a good thing, right?
Asia in general is well comical…grown men photographing Hello Kitty displays with $8,000 lens at a Hong Kong mall! Grown men pulling out Winnie-the-Pooh tissue packets to take a shit. Sexy. Men with full out perms. Sexy. Wearing a three piece suit to mow the lawn. Amazing houses equipped with imported furniture and appliances, but refusal to heat the place. Insisting on driving a few blocks to show you own a car. Waiting to get in an elevator to light a cigarette. Frantically pushing the close door button when clearly seeing people trying to get on the elevator. The giggling. Insisting a bloody mary is made with granadine syrup like they make at the Chinese clubs. Insisting a drink isn’t good unless it is served in a “fancy” glass with a twisty straw in the shape of a heart…or like they do in the movies.
I have two tiny pugs who make my neighbors scream for their lives on a daily basis! I try to explain to them that they are more scared of them. Women and men have gone running in pure horror at the sight of them. Pugs don’t even have proper jaws to bite.
Oh, I LOVE the proud grandparents out in their pj’s with a VERY bundled up grandchild explaining to the kid about the foreigners drinking coffee! Poor thing can’t even put down their arms, but has an air crack in the back. I would think that would make one a bit cold???
Our neighbors always ask us how many times a week we wash our pugs????
I love China for all of its quirkiness! Without it, it would be just a bunch of pretty drab cities. Plus, it gives expats so much to talk about. Nobody can argue it is a comical place! There are far worse places….and I can tell you those later!
Hello! We apologize for sometimes running out of food! With business very unstable (but getting much better and easier to predict) it is virtually impossible to plan appropiately! One night we are slammed and then another have only a few tables! Our goal is to have fresh food everyday and not let things sit in the fridge sacrificing taste. Our place is small. We will be increasing the amount we make though. We truly appreciate all the support and our food is and will continue to improve. Do let us know at the time of any problems. We will correct them or get you drunk to forget about them!
Hello! We apologize for sometimes running out of food! With business very unstable (but getting much better and easier to predict) it is virtually impossible to plan appropiately! One night we are slammed and then another have only a few tables! Our goal is to have fresh food everyday and not let things sit in the fridge sacrificing taste. Our place is small. We will be increasing the amount we make though. We truly appreciate all the support and our food is and will continue to improve. Do let us know at the time of any problems. We will correct them or get you drunk to forget about them!
Brendan,
Yes, you are safe assuming a cash donation is very acceptable and appreciated. The people running this particular charity will be here and any cash can be directly handed to them.
Thank you in advance to all helping us make this a success! The weather is decent so….
Dana
Tandoor all the way! Indian food outside of India is usually a bit expensive and, of course, never as good. All the ingredients are imported and they have a decent size menu. They are also never out of anything. The service is also pretty good.
The only thing I would advise against is the mango lassi. Actually better at Peter’s Tex Mex! Haha… You can stuff your face and your stomach will fell full NOT sick! Think twice about cheap Indian (or any food food for that matter!) food here. Lots of cream, unique spices and yogurt used in Indian food. We know first hand the costs of quality and that usually means imported!
Hummm…Aloo Gobi, Navratan Korma, Malai Kofta….
Hello!
Sorry for the delay in answering questions about Wednesday’s charity event…thank you Charlie for doing it for us!
Yes, old clothes are very much appreciated. For those who do not have old kids clothes, it is very inexpensive to buy gloves, hats, sweaters, etc. For 40rmb or less you can buy something nice. It is the holiday season (not like we shouldn’t do these things all year!)so come have some bourbon spiked eggnog and help children in Sichuan Province. I will apologize in advance for the Christmas tunes! I LOVE Christmas music and Danny (my husband) and I fight every year about it! If you have any rockin’ Christmas songs PLEASE do bring and I will make sure your drink is heavily poured….
Happy Holidays!
The Pugs
