Sunday, November 28, 2010

I actually had no work at all this weekend, no parties or weddings or anything else booked. Which was fine. A few days off from both jobs was in order..

And despite our intelligence, my wife and I did go to eat at Olive Garden. The server told us on Thanksgiving Eve he walked out of the restaurant with nearly $200 .. Not bad. Hopefully anyone else out there that did work made boat loads of cash.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Two funerals and a wedding--all running together, with only minutes to spare while cleaning up a funeral dinner with an angry bride waiting for her wedding to begin in the same room..

It was a tough one.. And as funerals go, the estimate of 72 was way under the 130 that showed up. Ironically funeral 2 was estimated at 80 but only had 72.. funny how things work out..

But as the funeral dinner plates clanged away in the kitchen, another bride and groom started their life--on time thanks to an overworked and tired staff that just wanted to go home..

I began wearing a pedometer at work a few weeks back. Today I walked 12.6 miles.. Not bad for a 10:30am to 10:00pm shift I'd suppose..

But now at the age of 30..with a child on the way..and weekends lost every week I am starting to truly believe I'm getting too old for this gig..
But I love it.
Why?
Why do people who work in the food business hate it, but yet love it? Why do they complain constantly about people and their sore feet.. but yet they are on time for work every week? Even when the tips are bad, they laugh and complain, and put in a day's work..

I left tonight probably not making as much money as one would think after so many things in one day, but it's alright. Because I also felt like I put in an honest day of work..
And I was really glad I wasn't working in the downstairs club for the Saturday night crowd.

I'm just too old for that......

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Let me begin by saying, without question, if I was propositioned by a woman or man, I would deny them the chance to be with me.. I have a wife and child on the way.. I am not about to ruin that with a one night stand on the whim with a customer in the restaurant I work in.. But that's not saying being hit on isn't a character builder.

Not that I would really know. The female wait staff doesn't seem to have any issues.. Any given wedding, and 4 hours of an open bar later, and they can hardly walk by the customers without a whistle or a sweaty-toothed-madman asking a waitress to go home with him..

But then I saw the congo creepin' through the black..
Cutting through the forest with a golden track.

I was hit on last night. First time ever (that I know of) besides the occasional priest that always seems to have his eye on the only male wait staffperson. But I digress.

The 'hit on' wasn't nearly what I would have wanted it to be.

The woman looked like a wild wolf, with black puffy hair standing up and bouncing around. Giant thick glasses. She was pale white..whiter than me in January.. and she was celebrating a class reunion from the early 1980s.

The moment came right before that magic drunken moment when the room begins to spin.. She looked at me, caressed my chin, and said "you have the most beautiful eyes. You're beautiful. I'm sorry. I'm drunk."

That was it.. Years of working, and this is the one hit on moment that comes my way..

Later she had some fun dancing to the band, spinning around ferociously to the music.
I'm sure when the night was finished, if she made it home without falling asleep in the parking lot. From the appearance, she was caressing a porcelain god only a little later..

Saturday, October 16, 2010

I love working in the food business--there are times we all complain of course..
But for the most part, it's me. It's what I like..

But I think I just don't like working for other people's food businesses..

I would love the chance to have my own restaurant..

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Saturday, October 9, 2010

That's all.



Sunday, October 3, 2010

1) Friendly's for breakfast.. chocolate, unhealthy pancakes along with lackluster eggs and toast.

2) KFC for lunch. Even if it's grilled.

3) Buttery dinner.

4) Ending it with raw radishes.

I pity da fool that does this. Me. I pity my stomach.

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Something was wrong with the air tonight, my face was redder than an apple..

But the best was the last cork screw becoming lost and the owner and bartender making a contraption out of a hammer and a screw to open wine bottles.

That's ingenuity at its finest.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

I remember ordering pizzas from this little (I'll keep it unnamed, I don't want to be accused of slander) Italian eatery in my hometown of Ashland, PA .. I recall how the taste was different from other places.. it was a bustling little restaurant that was converted into one from a former movie theater. The building has a lot of history ..

And now, it's nearly dead.

It's been slowly going downhill for a few years.. There were ups and downs.. former owners wanted out. But the new owners, who I think wanted in, aren't really concerned about the demise!

I went there tonight.. I ordered a large pizza with sweet sauce and mushrooms. I got called back within minutes. They were out of mushrooms.. I still went ahead with the order.

I walk into the establishment, once busy now empty, and the soda machine was out of order.. TVs were turned off.. credit machine was "out of order" .. cooler was empty besides good old Coal Region Guers Iced Tea.. and my pizza was the only order waiting to be picked up.

It made me sad.. but angry, too!
Give me the restaurant!
Let me go "hell's kitchen" on it!
Let me go "Kitchen Nightmares" on it!
Give me a few weeks.. Something has to bring this place back.

Even if they lie and say "under new management" maybe it would at least make someone come back in..

I don't want my little former favorite pizza place to die away. I long for the taste of the traditional sauce.. Long for the days when they delivered it.. long for the days when people went in there.

It's a lonely world when you own an empty restaurant. But for God's sake! do something to get people back in! Don't just let your pride and joy slip and slide away into the black hole of tasteless memory..

Thursday, September 16, 2010

I went to see Lady Gaga the Tuesday night in Philadelphia with my wife, her sister, and a friend. Before the sexual show, we were striving to eat somewhere else besides the former Wachovia arena, now Wells Fargo Center. I am just not happy paying $7 for a hot dog, or pizza, and $8 for a beer..

We ended up at Popi's Restaurant in South Philly.. and it wasn't bad at all.

I was worried.. I was decked out in a white T-shirt along with cammo shorts.. The others in my party were a bit better dressed than the casual me. But it was all fine.. they accepted us, and actually the staff was quite happy that they met some folks going to see the Lady Gaga show.

I had the chicken marsala, my wife and her sister had crab cakes, and our friend had some chicken dish (name escapes me) .. The food was very reasonably priced for South Philly and it was quite good for a quick meal .. Drinks? .. ehhh a little higher priced--but $5 for a beer instead of $8 is fine with me for city standards.

So .. I guess the bottom line: If you're going to see anything at the Wells Fargo arena, give yourself some extra time and Mapquest Popi's to eat a nicer dinner that will be good and reasonable as opposed to expensive and sloppy ..
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