Car Shows In Ione

          It is with great sadness that we are forced to pass along that the 2013 IBCA Car Show has been cancelled.  This is truly sad but also reality.    

          Since many of us were kids this has been an event that we looked forward to all year long and along with Homcecoming was the indication that Summer was almost here.  Summer will be here no matter what and Homecoming is only a little more than a week away with all of the festivities and family we have all come to expect.

          I know that the parade is a go and so is 30 years after for Saturday from 6-9 here at Clarks.  Also this year we are having a special Prime Rib dinner here at Clarks in conjunction with the Pride of Ione Foundation and we are donating 20% of the dinner sales back to the Pride of Ione so they can can further thier work and while you are enjoying our signature Prime Rib you will see the unveiling of the Ione Documentary.  Please join us for some food and history.

        If you have questions please call us at the cafe.  209-274-2233

Normal Returns To Clark’s Corner

          With Thanksgiving safely in our rear view mirror Clark’s Corner has returned to normal.  That is as long as you consider normal a Christmas Tree, planning for a possible visit from Santa Claus and maybe even a night of caroling here at Clark’s.  I guess that means that what we had as normal is no longer the norm!

            We all had a great Thanksgiving with our family and friends and even survived Black Friday intact for the most part.  We spelt in, overate and we were generally quite lazy in the pursuit of slowing down, at least for a day and smelling the roses.  We opened early on Black Friday and we were stunned by the number of you that made the trek to the malls and participated in the madness.  We took role call and we know you made it back alive and judging from some of the stories on the news, some from near here in Roseville, getting home in one piece was no small task.

            It bears repeating that we are so fortunate that we live in a place where that just does not happen… And we live near a prison!  Some of the people that were caught on video need to be aware that you are almost never not on camera anywhere you go anymore.  When we get you on camera you can end in the newsletter in our Clark’s Family section and then the jealousy sets in from the ones that didn’t make the newsletter.

            We have lots of things going on here at Clarks and in Amador County in the next month or so.  Please look at our newsletter this weekend and see for yourself and if you are not a subscriber (it’s free!) why not?  Log on to www.clarkscornerione.com and we will send you your very own this weekend.  Welcome to the best month of the year!

This Weeks Blog Is A Simple Thank You!

           As we are rapidly approaching the time of the year we refer to as “The Holidays” we want to stop for just a moment and say thank you.  With every guest we have we say thank you and, at times, you may not really hear it or know that when we say it we mean it.  We want you to know why we are appreciative of you and what you mean to each of us at Clark’s Corner.

            The other morning someone tapped on the door at 5:45 am and Jessica was here getting ready for the day and you needed coffee for the drive into Sacramento.  You tapped on the door and she was able to get you the coffee you needed and a pastry and you got on your way.  We can do this because we get to serve our friends and not a group of nameless and faceless people.  We serve the people that allow us to live and work in an atmosphere most can only dream about.  We get to work in a place that provides an actual sense of community.

            When someone chooses to have lunch inside we go out of our way to get their name instead of giving them a number.  This is one of the ways we learn who you are, what you want and how we can better serve you.  Andrea says that people should only be a stranger here once and that is why you see the hugging and caring that goes on here between customers and guests.  We would hug you in our home after all.

            At the end of the day this community matters.  As we prepare for Thanksgiving, Christmas and the hallmark of a New Year we want to stop and say thank you.  We know you make our lives better and we strive to do the same thing for you.  Let us know.

            If you need anything in the coming weeks that we can do please let us know.  Ask  Andrea, Jessica or any of us for that matter.  You can also call us at 209-274-2233 or visit us at www.clarkscornerione.com  Thank you!

Food Critics In Amador County?

            I had a friend who lives in Southern California visit recently and she asked if we ever had a professional food critic into Clark’s Corner and if so what did they have to say?  My initial response was that I don’t think there are any professional food critics in Amador County and then it struck me that there are.  How about each and every person that comes through the door at Clarks on a daily basis?   Not only are they professionals but they know what they like!

            I guess that the definition of professional is where the actual conversation begins.  We have more than one customer that comes in 2 or 3 times a week and orders the exact same thing every time.  You can certainly call them a professional food critic because they are voting in the best manner possible… Their wallet.  When people return because they want to that is the best of the democratic system.  What about you?  How do you vote for what you like?

            There is a rating system on the internet called Yelp.  While it has it’s flaws, it’s one of the best systems we have for rating.  People are typically anonymous and they can say what they want.  At Clark’s we have great and not completely great ratings and we love them both.  The great ratings make you smile and the not so great make you stay at it a bit longer and try a bit harder.  The best part is that you have no way of knowing who is rating you.   I love it when we get a 5 out of 5.  I wouldn’t care what a professional food critic had to say because they don’t sign our checks…  You do!

            As I have said and my staff knows, this is your place and we will never forget that and as far a food critic goes… Forget them!  Have a great day!

How Different The World Looks Today

       What a difference a day makes.  Actually, in this case a night.  When we left for the evening yesterday there was a snap in the air with clear skies and a light wind.  We all woke this morning to the sounds of raindrops and even the occasional puddle.  What a pleasant change.

       We are in for even better changes today at Clarks Corner.  As a result of the rain people are just in a better mood.  Some will complain about the rain already and most will welcome the change of scenery.  We like the fact that most people have a little extra time  and this allows them to slow down a little bit and allows us to get to known them a little better and take some pressure off of their day.  That is why we do what we do.

       Coffee and scones just taste better when you have the time to savor them.  Our bakers are bust creating treats that are best enjoyed on a rainy day when you can slow down for a moment.  Come by and spend a few extra minutes with us.  Find out what has changed here at Clarks!

How The Community At Large Benefits From The Clarks Corner Cycling Challenge

        People sometimes wonder why we do the things we do. Many of us learned when we were young that when you do something to help someone else with no hope of compensation you are doing it for all of the right reasons.  It gets even better when you can mold together doing something you love while doing something for others.  This is what the 3rd annual Clark’s Corner Cycling Challenge has become.

        On October 5th and 6th, right here at Clarks we had Chris Horner, one of the true greats in Professional Cycling here to help us with our ride and our charity goals.  We had a semi- formal dinner Friday night for about 70 people.  On Saturday we followed with a 10, 30 and 50 mile ride for around 200 riders literally from around the world that were here specifically for our event.  These events were to help generate cash donation’s to the Interfaith Food Bank and the World Cycling Alliance.  Both of these groups attended each event.

        The result of this was that the Interfaith Food Bank was given a check in the amount of $1,200 and the World Cycling Alliance was given a check in the amount of $1,000.  This money was as a direct result of the efforts of the people who attended and the staff here at Clarks Corner.  My staff did it all and I could not be more proud of their work.  They were paid for their work and they freely gave thier heart and soul. 

        I want to thank the Community of Ione for their patience, help and understanding.  We realize that with traffic disruptions they had the change what they do and how they got there.  We also realize that a lot of people will eat a meal and that is because the people who live here are the best around.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Kraig Clark, Owner Clarks Corner

Small Town Feel With Big City Touch

            When the weekends get here we see an interesting change here at Clark’s.  The weekday crowd that we have is much like working with a group of close friends that all do different things but have the time to stop for a minute and say hello.  They also take a moment to ask how you are and they know you well enough to know when you aren’t doing so well.

            That changes a little on the weekends when our adopted family shows up.  They live in Galt, Lodi, Elk Grove and some of them even ride their bikes here from Folsom and Rancho Murieta and join us for coffee or even a bite of lunch.  We see many of the same faces week after week and because we are where we are there is a great deal of familiarity.  We are also blessed because we get to take a minute and learn a little about them, why they come here and other things about them.

            This means that we have special people here at Clark’s.  If you are not a people person you won’t last long here.  We share and we want to know about you.  When we ask about how your day is we are asking because we want to know, not due to a corporate policy manual.  We actually want you to return because you want to be here and you like how you feel when you are here.  We are more of a gathering place than anything else.  We have free wi-fi because you should have a comfortable place to catch up on work or school.  Kids come here after school to do homework and wait for parents.  Retired folks arrive here for leisurely lunches and to create new memories.  The local police and fire departments show up for a quick cup of coffee.  Heck, even the local police dog drops by for a dish of water and a biscuit.

            If you are looking for a slightly out of the way place where you are the reason we came in and not an interruption will you please give us a try.  You will have the small town feel with the big city touch.  Lattes’, Mocha’s, Panninis, Lunch, Salads, Dinners and best of all new friends.

            Call us at 209-274-2233 or visit us at www.clarkscornerione.com