Mountain Life in Colorado: February 2012

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Waiting on Idiots

If I could I would.  I would tell my "guests" what I really feel about them, at my job. 
Tonight was just plain frustrating.  People don't get it.  This is why EVERYONE needs to work as a waiter just for a portion of their lives to figure out life. 
Take note. 
When going out to dinner and your table is not ready, RELAX.  Especially when you have cocktails in front of you and a fire in the fireplace that you are sitting in front of.  20-30 minutes on a Saturday night is not that bad of a wait. 
If you are told not to throw anymore logs on the fire because we are having issues with the back draft because of the wind DON'T TAKE OFFENSE AND LET IT RUIN YOUR EVENING.
Again, relax.  it's not the end of the world that you can't show your friends how you can stoke a fire.  
Once you get to your table, let go of the fire thing.  For one, it's super annoying that you keep bringing up the fact that you couldn't stoke the fire.   I'm sorry your ego was hurt.  And the Elk we saved for you that you weren't to psyched about well, it was a great product and you were just looking for something to bitch about since your ego was deflated. 
Also, the d'Arenberg, The Love Grass, Shiraz that you ordered is an EXCELLENT wine and for you to snub your nose at it shows that you know nothing about wine.   Again, you were just offended and had to look for something to complain about. 
When you order the Bavarian, instead of the signature Blueberry Cobbler, or the Chocolate Mousse, or the homemade Ice Cream on Red Velvet cake and throw the "F" bomb when you get your not so talked about Bavarian, you need to realize that you are a complete idiot. 

Clearly, I had a bad table tonight that took out a not so perfect night, in one guy's mind, on me.  Everyone else gave me HUGE verbal tips.  The monetary tip I received from them was terrible and the service they received was exceptional.  They even told me so. 
Except the guy with the huge ego. 
He was just a complete ass hole. 

Friday, February 24, 2012

My Menopaus

A day in the life of me goes something like this. 

We got home late last night for a last minute trip to Taos, New Mexico for a little skiing.  The skiing  is amazing and we love it there.  We didn't get home until around midnight and by the time lights were out it was well after 1.  Of course, I had appointments scheduled for today.  The first one being at 9 am at my dermatologist.  I had the where-with-all to get in the bathtub last night so I felt fresh, at least.   But, me being me I got out of bed at 8:10, brushed my teeth and since we didn't have any coffee in the house I got in my car right smack dab at 8:14.  The weather was terrible and the interstate was closed, the dam road was closed and it made for some slow driving.  But, I did get to my appointment on time and felt good about that.
Now, let me back up a minute.  I last saw my dermatologist a year ago for just a face check.  I secretly have a little crush on him after that appointment.   He is funny, nice, and I just felt comfortable around him.  He gave me the time of day, we joked around about stuff.  Not typical for a Doc.  Bottom line, he made me laugh, hence the small crush.  So, before I left for that appointment, a year ago, I made another appointment with him to get a yearly check up.  I got to the office today and checked in and was brought to a room.  She told me to get undressed and leave my bra and underwear on and put on the gown, back side open.  I was kind of confused and she told me that I had made an appointment for a full body check.  Oh, right, I remember now. 
So I get in my gown and immediately think to myself how I haven't shaved my legs.  No problem, I'll just keep my red knee high socks on. 
Now I'm sitting in the chair, on the paper, with my gown on, back side open, my red knee high socks on to hide my extremely hairy legs, reading a magazine feeling all confident.  Doc comes in and we make small chit chat and I am feeling a little insecure in my hospital gown and ugly socks and shabby bra.  He does his normal face check on me and I'm asking questions about my adult acne and he has a solution and I'm feeling super confident. 
He has me stand up so he can check my back so I do and I'm having a hot flash, because I'm menopausal and all of that stupid paper that they have on the chair I'm sitting on is stuck to my backside and it's all wet with my sweat.  I apologize and start picking pieces of sweaty paper off of me and he's a doctor so he could give a shit but I'm horrified.  I pull out more paper from the roll because I've completely ruined the paper I'm sitting on and need more.  It's like cheap toilet paper and trying to wipe up something with cheap toilet paper.  It just disintegrates before your very eyes. 
Now, he's done with my check up but I don't want to sit down again because I'm just going to repeat the same sweat on the paper thing again.  So I just stand there while he is talking to me, wrapping up the check up.
UGH. 
I am over the menopaus thing. 

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Not It, but, it Depends

OK.  After calling "NOT IT" last night for tonight I went to work all smug and snarky.  I looked at my set up number and being number 2, that means, I am in charge of the seating chart.  That means I can assign tables to whomever I want and I can either marter myself or not.  Usually I play fair but tonight I knew I was not going to wait on the family with the baby.  I left out much of the story from last night and now wish I would have gone into detail. 
Read on and all I have to say is, enough said. 
I started vacuuming the dining room and checking tables for the correct settings.  I was about 45 minutes early which I like because I can get a jump start on the night and be all set up and ready to go.  I'm weird that way.  I'm annoyingly early for stuff. 
I walked out of the kitchen and here she comes around the corner.  Nana.  Now, Nana is a pretty women, nice and sweet, but a little off.  She has this waste basket in her hands and comes up to me while holding the "waste" out to me and says,
"I don't know what to do with this.  As you can see it's very full because my husband wears depends and of course my grandson is in diapers."  
She hands me the 30lb "waste" basket, which is lined with a plastic bag but the plastic bag isn't tied up all nice a few times.   Nope, it was wide open with the stench of her husbands depends and baby grandson's diapers for everyone to smell. 
Lucky me for being there early.  I walked to the dumpster with her "waste" basket and dumped it in the dumpster and relined it and brought it up to her room and rather then knock on her door I just left in out in the hall.  I certainly didn't want to hand that back to her husband and act all polite-like. 
I immediately went and scrubbed my hands all the way up to my shoulders like an ER doctor and followed that by a good dousing of hand sanitiser which was now hand, arm, body sanitizer. 
I have seen it all now. 
Being in the restaurant business sure does have it's downs and downs.  Ooops, I mean ups and downs.

A few hours later I'm waiting on a couple from Florida.  They order a $300 bottle of wine and can't say enough about the ambiance and food and, of course, the service.  They left me a $100 tip.
I'll deal with the "shit" for that.  And we do, too. 
What a weird night. 

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

NOT IT !!!!!

We used to call "Not It" when we were kids when we didn't want to be "it"
Remember that? 
Well, I still say that at work when I don't want to wait on someone or I don't want to do a particular job.  And usually it works out well in my favor.  Tonight I called "not it" for tomorrow. 
I do not want to wait on the same table two nights in a row.  As, I'm sure, they don't want me to be their server two nights in a row.  
First of all, they have a baby.  I love babies but not in our restaurant.  Our restaurant is no place for babies.  No one likes a loud baby in a restaurant and when you are paying $70/person for just dinner one really does not need a baby screaming and throwing food AND they have the table by the fireplace.  But, that is was the best place for them considering we are a very small dining room and they had their own corner to themselves. 
So,
NOT IT!!