Category: First course

Two things: Parents’ Weekend. My birthday. Much more excited about the first than the second. But how cool that I am off for the first time in too many years to see my baby (Restaurant Gal Daughter) on my actual birthday. Can’t wait to get on the plane to Colorado and feel cramped amongst the…

To observe that the past few days have been a roller-coaster experience would be the understatement of the week. Will I be “talked to” about something else I’ve done wrong or not enough of? Will I have to keep begging for private party menus and details to send to people so I can really sell…

I brought in a lot of revenue to the restaurant this evening, on what would otherwise have been a dead Monday. It’s all relative. No one else is happy about it. Chef thinks I spend too much time on private events–you know, the actual bottom-line money makers. Fine. Say all you want that you don’t…

My no-good-very-bad-day at work. Doesn’t matter. My upset about anything work related. Doesn’t matter. My having made a new friend. Matters. My very dear friend’s son arriving home from Iraq, after seven months. Really matters. Some days, you only have to look at one degree of separation to get it. Welcome Home, Pat! You have…

I know, I know. Enough of the angst, the doubts, the chaos. The moods. Give us stories! I hear ya. I just don’t have them, yet, because I am trapped on a treadmill of battling the other assistant manager and sous chefs for computer time, doing payroll, trying to put together private event information, and…

You can tell a lot from your credit card receipts–where you’ve been, what you bought, what was fun, what was a necessity. I log all of our receipts into Quicken. Have done that for years. Sometimes, these records provide a brief glimpse into a painful moment in history. On 9/10/2001, for example, I know Mr.…

Not so very long ago, The Gal considered a late night as one that involved going to a hockey game and grabbing drinks afterward. You know, home by midnight–and that felt REALLY late. Now that I keep more “varied” hours, I am noticing a few things I’ve missed over the years. The past seven days…

A year ago today, I ditched my first career and embarked on my second. A year ago today, Restaurant Gal Daughter began college at a school with which she would never fit, and was simultaneously diagnosed with a nasty mono virus. Then she got better and looked for another home away from home. A year…

I got a phone message from my best sister-friend today. The girl who lives in Montana. The girl I grew up with and love and miss all the time and never see as much as close friends should. The girl I meet in Vegas every year. I think she called yesterday. Maybe in the morning?…

Once, I thought greeting, seating, and dealing with 750 guests during the lunch rush was tiring. Was that only three-and-a-half weeks ago? It feels like a lifetime away from today. Once, I pitied the poor managers (well, the managers I liked) who worked 10-hour days. Once, I swore I would never work nights. Never say…