I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

Tonight was opening night.

Friends and family.

And it was all friends.

All family.

But that didn’t stop Suzy from popping in and insisting I seat her.

She got mad when I said we were not open for the public. That it was friends and family.

She insisted she was a friend. M

She knew people who were invited.

But it took them 10 minutes to remember who she was.

I had never seen her before.

So not really a friend or family.

My favorite???

The woman who popped in 30 seconds before Adam arrived.

She steps in the front door and stands in front of me.

And berates me because no one is answering the phone. The email. The website. Social media.

Why have we not returned her calls?

She continues.

Absolutely pissy.

I’m about ten seconds from telling her to ….

I say of course I can take your reservation.

She gives me her number.

No one wants your land line.

She gives me her cell.

And tells me her name.

Oh.

Yes.

I know who they are.

Your husband has sent 79 emails.

54 voice mails.

I wish I’d said we were full.

She’s still complaining when Adam arrives.

I finally say, m’am our reservation system went live about 37 minutes before you arrived.

Calm the fuck down.

I paraphrase.

I make her reservation.

I say thank you.

Then I hug my boyfriend, and friends.

And go back to work.

PS. Chef let me sit and have dinner. It was fucking delicious.

I’d like to speak to the manager!!!

First.

The photo does not even come close to showing the beauty of our new restaurant.

Not. Even. Close.

However.

We opened today!!!

And it was smooth by any measure.

But it was not without hiccups.

First.

My bartender scheduled for tonight, called at 2:00 to say he and his host girlfriend would not be starting after all. They were moving to Colorado.

I smiled, congratulated them, and wished them well.

What else can you say.

Luckily, a bartender from our other restaurant covered tonight.

Whew.

Pray for rain.

I need the patio closed to cover my shifts.

And.

No matter how much you plan you forget things.

Like.

A bank for the bar drawer. Whoops. Thank god I had mondays deposit.

We didn’t have check presenters.

We pour wine from a small carafe to a wine glass on the table. We didn’t have carafes.

The highlight of my day was a food runner calling to tell me they couldn’t find crab in the fridge at the other restaurant.

I laughed and said.

Carafe. Carafe. Carafe.

Upstairs.

In the hallway.

Definitely not in the walk-in.

We all had a good laugh.

They arrived 6 minutes later.

Sugar caddies.

Water glasses.

Trays.

Coffee spoons.

We had everything but the check presenters.

Upstairs.

At the other restaurant.

In storage.

Tonight. Was a rousing success.

Because of all the support I had.

My new AGM Jackie.

Adam.

Jen.

Sam.

Mark.

Ian.

Cari.

And the entire opening team.

So thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

It’s now 2:00 am. I got to work at 10:15.

I got home at 12:45.

Sleep is calling.