Lessons from the Floor (Part II)

Table 51.  It was Sunday brunch and my section seemed to keep expanding like a bagpiper’s lungs.  I like being busy.  I don’t like making mistakes.  Everything was going along seemingly well when I realized that one table in my section didn’t have food and those around them who ordered later, did.  My stomach sank.  Was it the kitchen or was it me?  I hustled off to the kitchen and didn’t see a ticket.  My stomach sank again.  It was my fault.  I knew that I had to come clean and just break the news.  A lump formed in my throat.  I went back to the table and just laid it out on the line.  I told them I messed up.  Not the kitchen.  It was me.  I would buy their breakfast if they had time for me to actually send it in this time.  They were peeved only a little bit, they were hungry after all, AND they were sympathetic.  At the end of the meal, one woman told me that she appreciated me owning the mistake and they still tipped me generously.

Table 61.  Ms. Melvin (90 years old) and her daughter (in her early 60’s).  I would never in a million years have guessed that but they told me.  It is no secret that I have a soft spot for senior citizens, I always have.  Now that my dearest grandparents are no longer with me, I’m even more of a softy.  These two darlings joined us for Sunday brunch after seeing the exhibit.  They were keen on including me in their discussion of the Gauguin works and had no shortage of things to discuss.  They were vibrant, beautiful ladies that clearly enjoyed themselves.  Brunch started with a mezzo of red wine and a side of our amazing bacon (this was the appetizer).  They took their time, they talked, they smiled, and they dined.  The next two courses followed with another mezzo of red wine.  The two closed us down being the last guests to leave the restaurant.  Their visit warms a part of my heart that almost makes me verklempt.  What an inspiration.

These stories are all around us if we choose to see them.  I hope my sight for spotting them reaches beyond the walls of the restaurant. 

Penny Profiler #13

Ryan & Jen Mrazik.  Homemade pickles, relish, jam, and pennies?  This is just how they roll and I consider myself one lucky girl.  I met these crazy kids from their devoted time in The Tasting Room.  They are a couple that you can’t help but love.  Our paths crossed just after they arrived in Seattle and we quickly moved from acquaintances to friends.  Having relocated to Seattle from the east coast, this area definitely fits them and the PNW is better off as a result.  They have just expanded the Mrazik clan to welcome their first baby boy, Harlan.  I am so thrilled to witness their new chapters unfold too.  It certainly makes this journey all worthwhile.    

Jen’s mom Janet holds a special place in my heart as an exuberant, fill the room personality, that tickles me pink every time I see her.  She deserves a shout out for the relish in the photo.  I just opened this sweet & tangy concoction to try with cheese and can’t wait to explore schmearing it on other goodies.  Janet, I adore you and can’t wait for the next Seattle visit!

Penny Profiler #12

Kristin Doll, or K-Doll as she’s so affectionately referred to.  We are the single ladies within our friendly tribe.  The two of us are often compared to the ornery old men in the Muppets.  She’s Statler and I’m Waldorf and we sit in our proverbial balcony seats casting commentary on much of life that passes us by.  We’ve become fast friends over such memorable activities like camping, Rummikub, Mexican Train, drinking, eating, strategizing new places to eat and drink, and pondering places we can travel to do more eating and drinking. 

Kristin is a straight shooting, no nonsense kind of gal with a wicked funny sense of humor, and one of the sweetest dogs in town, Louis.  Louis also happens to have his own website www.skepticallou.com.

Upon mentioning the penny project K-Doll broke it down for me.  “Listen, here’s 20 bucks.  I never have cash on me so I certainly won’t have pennies.  Go buy your own.”  Someone recently told me that it will take a $2.25 per square foot to build my penny floor.  If that’s true, I just amassed almost nine feet!  Thank you is an understatement! 

Penny Profiler #11

Sue Stronk.  Sue is my mom’s sister’s husband’s sister.  I don’t get to see her as often as I would like and when we do, something good is brewing with the family, usually centered around the dining room table.

 

Her laugh and warmth fills a room.  The impressive home she’s created is a lovely extension of her personality. Her adoration of golden retrievers, the warm sun and her garden make me happy. 

My earliest memories date back to when kids actually went door to door selling things.  My merchandise ranged from candy bars, Christmas wrapping paper, canned food drive, etc.  Sue always hooked me up and single handedly helped increase my sales by a large margin.  Her recent penny donation gives me nostalgic flash backs to yesteryear even though I’m not trying to make a sales quota or compete with my classmates for the most raised this go around.  This penny collection mission is far more personal.  Heartfelt thank you Aunt Sue.

Penny Profiler #10

Katherine and Jeffrey Bergman.  Katherine (aka Kathy Reinys) grew up about 15 feet away from me.  Neighbor to the south with two other siblings and lovely parents in the aforementioned Newport Woods.  We were far enough apart in age as kids that we didn’t spend much time together.  We are close enough now to have wonderful life parallels and things in common.

Our social lives have collided with our mutual interests in great food and beverages.  Katherine and her husband Jeffrey are two of the most gracious hosts I’ve ever met.   Their pups Max & Lola did their part too (their enthusiasm was such I couldn’t even snap a shot without them wiggling).  On a recent dining adventure and storytelling evening we burst at the seams both from the A-M-A-Z-I-N-G food coming out of their kitchen, to the stories they have from their travels.  Look out Jane and Michael Stern!  Katherine and Jeffrey are the West Coast versions and I could listen to their stories all night long.  Delighted to reconnect as adults. 

Penny Profiler #9

Kevin Kato.  I grew up in what is now called Newcastle.  Back in the day it was unincorporated King County.  Back then an inordinate part of the area was undeveloped and it was a great place to be a kid.  My neighborhood specifically, Newport Woods, had gaggles of kids fairly close in age, growing up together.  Kevin and his family lived eight houses away.  My first memories of Kevin date back to Kindergarten and we’re still close today. Separated by only eight houses, there are many memories of childhood antics, turned teenage, then collegiate, and now adult are a loving testament to our friendship.  There are countless stories I’d love to tell you about Kevin, some of which would thoroughly embarrass my dear friend.  I’ll just give him a virtual “wink, wink, nudge, nudge” on this one.  He did contribute pennies after all.  

Penny Profiler #8

Anne Nisbet, her husband Mark Cooley and their adorable, hunk of a pup Wilson. 

Anne and I met when I debuted at the Wine Commission way back in 1997.  Anne is an event planner/facilitator extraordinaire.  She is the Culinary Director to IPNC (International Pinot Noir Celebration: http://www.ipnc.org/) and owner of the Cookie Box (http://www.cookieboxseattle.com/).  She knows how to juggle a lot, and well!  Her background is impressive to say the least and I’ve appreciated being witness to her professional trail blazing.  Mark and Wilson are the two men in her life that while I don’t know very well, I adore.  On a recent field trip to their home to collect their generous penny collection, Mark had his beautiful homemade cheeses ripening on various counters.  I would turn into a wheel of cheese if I had that kind of gourmet distraction within reach.  I hope Malcolm isn’t reading this, but I must proclaim my crush on Wilson.  Big time.  Wilson is 160 lbs. of drooling, mush face, love.  I know he didn’t have anything to do with their lovely penny donation but he’s so cute I had to give him a shout out.

Lessons from the Floor

I have been mostly working lunches at Taste these days during the Gauguin exhibit.  To be expected, I’ve overheard a few stories and been a part of a few memorable ones.  So far some of the things that will stick with me from these walls include:

Table 31.  A two top, one elderly woman and man.  They paid separately and she stayed a little longer than he did.  As I was checking back on her to refill her coffee she inquired if I was single or dating or married.  I let her know that I was single and taking applications. She told me the man she was with is her ex and what a pain the ass he is.  She encouraged me to take my time and really know what I was getting into.  I thanked her for the advice, it certainly made me smile.

Table 32.  Three generations of women sit down in my section and the hostess has already rolled her eyes at their commentary as she seats them and gives me a “good luck” as I approach.  I try to ignore those comments and form my own thoughts.  Seated is the granddaughter, her mother (I come to find out is born and raised in NYC) and her mother born in Ireland.  They fussed over trying to understand the menu and picking out something they might enjoy.  They weren’t mean, maybe a touch snarky but pretty funny and certainly direct.  I just kept my cool, smiling and explaining the menu and coming back to check on them.  They liked me.  I liked them.  The daughter explained that despite her mother’s tough exterior, she’s a softy at heart.  We joked, the grandmother told me a few stories and her daughter often interrupted.  The granddaughter looked on with mild curiosity.  In the end, the daughter expressed that she just wished people were okay being direct, happy, sad, pissed off, whatever they needed to be and that others wouldn’t be so caught up in it.  Everything passes she says and if people weren’t so worried about having to be “this or that”, I think we’d all get along just fine.  I can’t argue.  I happen to like knowing where I stand with people, where ever that might be.

My time is limited in this restaurant due to the show wrapping up at the end of April and I’m looking for the next learning opportunity.  I am thinking of another restaurant or a beer focus, any ideas?

Penny Profiler #7

Elizabeth Galla.  The Tasting Room was an amazing vessel for meeting incredible people. I can point to a handful of you that came directly or by association.  Elizabeth is one of them who I happen to call one of my closest friends.  We’ve laughed over countless things and shed a few tears together.  She is funny as hell and one of the most capable and humble human beings I’ve ever met. 

Much to the chagrin of her Seattle fan base, she moved to Arizona for “the winter” or longer.  On a Seattle visit not too long ago she infused a few dozen pennies into the collection and the first real monetary investment of my business. 

These few little paragraphs could never summarize my appreciation.  Thank you for the pennies and believing in me Elizabeth, with or without signing on the dotted line.

Construction Speak

I am in the process of interviewing contractors right now, assembling my dream team for erecting my first bar.  Contractors or builders come in all shapes and sizes, literally and figuratively.  Normally I wouldn’t endorse a triangulated relationship but as one builder fondly referred to it as a three-legged stool, and this makes perfect sense.

In one corner we have Jen Doak (that’s me), the one with only a few absolutes in this design process.  There are several ideas and “feelings” in my head/heart that I anxiously await to bounce off the professionals. 

In another corner is the architect Shed Built (www.shedbuilt.com) and lastly the builder (unknown at this point). 

There is a new vocabulary to learn, spreadsheets to analyze, and questions to ask.  Here are the questions I have so far:

·         Are you licensed?

·         Do you carry general liability insurance?

·         Do you have workers comp insurance?

·         Do you guarantee your work?

·         Will you provide me with written lien waivers?

·         Will you be in charge once the project starts?

·         Do you pull all the required bldg permits?

·         What professional organizations are you a member of?

·         Request references from several suppliers 

·         Request references from several subs 

·         Have a detailed conversation on how billing & verification of invoices, hours, etc. will be worked

·         How will you perform quality checks, re-do's (get this in writing)

·         Make sure I am the one who picks out the materials. Let them know I want to be very involved in picking out hardware and paint and flooring and everything else. 

·         Make sure they won’t be taking any vacations mid-job 

·         What type of deposit do you require?

·         How do you stay on schedule or to a specific timeline?

I am excited and nervous for this component.  It will complete the design team and I know how important it is.  Not to mention, it makes this dream more of a reality.  I bet the food and drinks will taste better when I’m not just thinking about them but seeing them and experiencing in a real space, with real smells, and real people.