Tonight a couple ordered a filet.

They wanted it cold medium rare. And medium well.

They wanted the chef to cut the filet in Taos and then cook it to two different temperatures.

The chef cooked the steak medium rare and and sent it out.

The cut half the steak off and then had the steak cook it more.

But who thinks a restaurant will cook one steak to two different temperatures?

Table 27.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Fun Fact: If. You are going to give your number to your server so that she may be able to contact you and your husband for fun…it would be a good idea to leave more than 15% on your $140 check.

Thanks for coming to my Ted talk!

Every night I sit on the right side of the sofa. Adam sits on the left. Eventually he ends up lying on the left side with his feet in my lap.

As he falls asleep I sit there watching tv. 99% of the time I gave a soda water and a bourbon on the sofa table behind us.

Almost three years ago I reached for the bourbon with my left hand and as I picked it up I noticed my hand trembling.

I chalked it up to being tired.

But it continued.

After a few weeks I became concerned. What if it were Parkinson’s disease?

I finally mentioned it to my doctor at my next physical. He assured me it was no tParkinson’s but did refer me to a neurologist.

She too assured me it was not Parkinson’s. She thought it was a famial tremor, but to make sure scheduled an MRI.

The MRI was normal.

She let me know the cause, the treatment, etc.

I started taking medicine that seemed to be working.

Until about 6 months ago.

The symptoms are worse.

I have a follow up appointment in a month but until then the tremors continue.

For the most part it’s not an issue. It’s really only noticeable when I drink bourbon sitting on the couch. I don’t notice it much otherwise.

Except tonight.

Tonight a server asked for help. He was busy and needed to cappuccinos made and taken to table 25.

I made the coffees.

Put them on a tray.

And picked them up.

Only I couldn’t carry them. My hand was shaking so badly I was terrified I was going to drop them.

I made it from the kitchen to the wait station.

The server saw me struggling, which was embarrassing, and took the coffees from me.

It’s really hard knowing that I can’t do what I used to do.

In 1987, I could carry three glasses in one hand with a fourth glass balanced on top of the three.

Today I couldn’t carry two coffees without being terrified I was going to drop one.

It’s hard acknowledging your weaknesses.

But.

I do try and own it.

As the server took the coffees from me I explained that I had a tremor in my left hand and was doing the best I could.

I don’t care what they thought.

Own your limitations.

Be who you are.

But.

Getting old sucks.

It’s been a long two days.

Yesterday I got to work with about 4 hours of sleep under my belt as we’d had to leave for the airport at 5:00 am.

Last night I saw Adam for the first time in a week. So it was close to 3:00 before I was in bed.

We had a wine tasting at work today so I had to be there at 10:00. So another 5 hour night of sleep.

Today went smoothly but it was long. I left close to 11:00.

However, as tired as I am the night ended on a positive note.

For the second time in two days someone complimented me on the changes I’d made at the restaurant and how smoothly things seemed to be running.

I see the progress but it’s nice to hear it from the outside. It made me feel less tired and very appreciated.

Hope everyone else had a great ending to their day.

We got to Florida around 11:00. Rented a car and headed south.

It was too early to check in to our hotel. So we did a bit of a tour of the main areas. Then we decided it was time for a beverage and a snack.

We decided to check out lunch at the restaurant we were having dinner at. Essentially, what’s the day time vibe.

We get seated at the bar. Order three Aperol spritzes. And some snacks.

We chat about the restaurant. The food. The trip.

At one point the bartender asks where we are from. We tell him. He tells us he’s never heard of it.

We share some facts. That we are a summer tourist town.

He shared that we are currently in a winter tourist town, and that the season is winding down.

We order another drink. Continue to chat.

We ask for the check and I say to the bartender, if you want to come north for the summer, give me a call. We can always use more help. And then hand him my business card.

We leave.

An hour later, my boss gets a call from our bartender at home who says he’s just gotten off the phone with a regular.

Seems he had gone into the same restaurant and sat at the bar. Upon being asked where he was from he shared the same location we shared.

The bartender pulls out my business card and says, do you know these people. And of course he did.

We all think what are the odds.

Fast forward to dinner.

We are being served by Sergio. Think GQ model. Perfect skin. Perfect biceps. Hello effect, dark beard. Perfect 30 inch waste. He was perfect. Exotic looking.

The service was spot on. He was very good at his job.

We order drinks.

Five minutes later he delivers them and says they are compliments of our regular from home.

It was awesome, and such a surprise!

We loved it.

Dinner was great. Food was spectacular. Service excellent.

It was a great first day!

We had a business owner in tonight who owns a restaurant just over the state line.

The arrived at 5:00.

They are seated immediately. Well sort of. They weren’t happy with their table and it took a second to get them a table they approved of.

Two of the four.

The other two arrive at 5:30.

And they sit. And sit. And sit.

At 6:30 they still haven’t ordered.

It’s approaching 7:00 when they order.

Then they sit and sit and sit.

They are still at the table at 8:00. The server has missed her second turn.

And they sit.

They finally pay their check.

And one of their credit cards is declined.

So they sit and sit.

They finally leave.

The out did themselves.

They tipped a nice 20% in their check.

After 3+ hours.

But the story doesn’t end there.

Turns out they were impressed with the server. And the business they own is a restaurant. And they try to poach the server. Asking her if she’d like to come work for them.

So.

They sit 3+ hours.

Tip like a normal person.

Then try to poach my employee.

Not cool folks. Not cool.

The phone rings yesterday.

I answer.

Hello. Thanks for calling. How may I help you?

Do I really need to give a credit card number to make a reservation?

Yes. You do.

So I have to make a deposit before I even order. What if I don’t spend that much?

No. You are not putting down a deposit. You are required to give us a credit card to ensure you show up.

What does that even mean. Of course we’ll show up.

We’ll actually, many people make reservations and they don’t show up for them.

So because of them you are going to charge me?

No. We only charge you if you don’t show up!

We’ll why do you charge me before I eat.

This conversation goes on for ten minutes.

Finally.

She exclaims she is from Boston and eats at the finest restaurants and no one has ever charged her a deposit to eat in their restaurant.

……..

……..

I don’t have it in me to explain a tenth time.

…….

……….

She hangs up.

Seriously!!!

This was a first.

Tonight a server approaches to let me know the I table brought their own beer. They poured it into a glass on the table.

Seriously. WTF?

I approach the table.

They know why I am there.

I explain that they can’t bring In their own beer.

They explain it’s non alcoholic. So it’s okay.

I explain that according to state law it’s absolutely not.

I pick up the glass and the woman begins to explain our non alcoholic beer is awful so she brought her own.

I tell her I appreciate that but I can’t allow her to bring her own.

We continue to chat.

By the end of the exchange we are best friends.

Last summer, at my first job, we had an incredibly angry guest at the bar. I approach them and in the end they were eating out of my hand. My bartender commented on how good I was at turning things around.

She was working tonight, so I approached her to tell her about tonight. And to quote her, when you’re on. You’re on.

They even stopped by to say goodbye on their way out!!!

Around 6:45 a server approaches to let me know table 31 has a refire. Their steak was a little under cooked for their liking.

I thank her for letting me know. Then approach the kitchen so that I can run the plate. When possible I run every recook.

By this time the server has let me know the women sharing the steak aren’t happy, saying they said having to send the steak back was a buzz kill.

The steak comes up, I take it to the table. I check in with them. And leave. They seem okay but not great.

Fast forward to the end of their meal. I meet them in the lobby. The host asks how their meal was.

They say, we’ll we are glad you ask, and then launch in to their rant. If we are going to do steak we should do it perfectly every time. And the least we could have done is bought their drinks for ruining their meal.

I stand in the corner and listen. I don’t engage. They said at least four times they shouldn’t have had to pay for their drinks.

They leave.

I did not see the steak they sent back. So I have no idea if it was truly under. But after almost a year of being at the restaurant it’s really more about people not understanding medium rare.

But they definitely were not going to get free drinks.

Fun fact: Do you know what absolutely no one in the history of the world appreciates?

You. And your friends. FaceTiming on speaker phone in public.

Not me. Not my friends. Not anyone.

Last night around 7:15 five women gather on the sofa in the lobby to FaceTime with their friend who couldn’t join them. This went on for about 15 minutes.

It’s really not fun to try and talk on the phone and greet guests when you can’t hear yourself think.

So do everyone a favor and go outside. It was warm last night. Everyone will be grateful.

Thank you!