Where the Wild Things...
The past 8 months have been quite a whirlwind for Das Bus! We put the pedal to the metal, forging full speed ahead at a daring 55 mph, and started getting out to as many public events in the Bay Area as possible. We began with Jack of All Trades and Treasure Island Flea Market, both organized by one of the chillest, funniest families we’ve ever met, The Ansanellis. They took a chance and whole-heartedly embraced the concept and operation of Das Bus, allowing us to become a regular addition to their markets. They also didn’t kick us out when John grew a mustache and started to show up dressed like a sailor and a cowboy. THANK YOU ANSANELLIS!
Ahoy! Das Bus!
We also contacted and got involved with First Fridays in Oakland, Urban Air Market, Off the Grid, Desert Daze Musical Festival in Palm Springs, What the Truck, SoMa Streatfood Park, Uncorked Wine Festival, Huichica Music Festival, Phono del Sol, 20th Street Block Party, and the Gay Rodeo in Guerneville, to name a few. We have had an amazing experience at each of these events and are so grateful to these organizers for bringing Das Bus to the people, in all her grammatically incorrect German glory.
Ah, the Germans. How we wholeheartedly underestimated your sense of humor when it came to playing with your definite articles. Yes, we do know the correct term is “der Bus”. And yes, we did it on purpose. Das Truth. We’re sorry, but mostly not sorry. We derived Das Bus from the Volkswagen slogan “Das Auto”. Both words capitalized, both sliding so nicely off the tongue, and both being German, but not that German. Das how we roll. Der Bus sounds kind of derpy and, to be frank with the Frankfurters, completely totally awful in an American accent. So, really we’re doing you all a service by being so completely incorrect with the unmistakable mistake that you don’t even notice how horrible Americans sound speaking German, because it’s not even German anymore! This is a two way sprechen street and we are in the right lane, going 18 mph (28.968 kph) with a semi on our tailgate, singing Dr. John with gas pedal raging in a vehicle built by you. Danke schön.
But seriously, thank you Germans for your beautiful no-fuss attitudes, both in design and in person. There’s something so intuitive about the curves of a VW Bus, the simplicity in its size and stature, that makes you want to get inside of it and then get out, put as much stuff as you can inside and then take it out, take it a part and put it all back together again. This opening and closing that’s so child-like, so filled with amazement as you think “Oh I can open this now and it makes this sound, and this fits so perfectly in this spot and let’s close the hatch and open this window and turn this knob.” We see children who can barely walk or talk reach out for the bus as it comes into their sight. They MUST touch it! Most people must. This is the heart of why we started this little business venture.
We had a man recently ask us what we thought would be the next “VW Bus of our generation”. We honestly could not think of one modern vehicle that could compare with the classic VW Bus. Whether it’s the wide-eyed face, the curves, the colors, the symbolism, the time – all of these elements really came together to call on something wild in humanity, and the wild things answered. And here we are. Still breathless and fighting back tears every time we drive Bonnie over the Bay Bridge looking out at the glorious city by the bay- a kingdom of water, sky, hills, and architecture. All of these elements coming together to call on something wild in humanity, and we'll continue to show up, and we thank everyone who has shown up with us so far. And to those who have yet to join us, there's ALWAYS room for more. #DASBUS #GETWILD
We didn't start the fire.