Smokin

Thursday is generally one of my most productive/laid back days of the week in the restaurant world. I get caught up with everything on my desk (there are usually stacks) and even have time to run a few errands outside of the Village. In fact, today as I drove off into the sunshine to the bank, I realized "this is the first time I have left all week." 

Anyway, today like any other Thursday, started out relaxed and basically agenda-less. But that doesn't fool me anymore! I hit the day running before I even walked up the 23 stairs to my office. The kitchen was awhirl with food deliveries everywhere & kitchen staff scrambling to get it all put away before the lunch shift. The storage room had a few stacks of wine cases which were also delivered and needing a home. The servers were cleaning & folding & polishing & cutting & organizing... The cooler was busted. We had no towels. Something smells like sulfur. Where do we get more scrap paper? Are we running a beer special today? Are we running a food special today? Who am I training with today? Are you coming to the meeting? And then....

I walk out of the kitchen and up to my desk.... 

...oh, welcome Thursday! Soooooo today, in its simplest form, consisted of:

• A meeting about our website. I am really getting into this social media thing! I love all the avenues it provides for a small business like ours! Let's link Twitter & Facebook & a reservation system! The world of technology is endless. I also had the minor realization that I am the Public Relations Manager for the restaurant. Cool, another hat to wear! Let's add that to my resume (as if I would ever do anything else)!!
• Arranging, organizing, and re-arranging a schedule where 10 of my 28 staff members are gone. That was fun. 
• Giving a beer test to the lunch servers in which they proved a lack of knowledge & I will now have to make them re-take. But on the upside, gave the same beer test to the dinner servers & they passed with flying colors! 
• Putting away those cases of wine.
• Planning a new wine & beer special for the weekend- Chateau Bonnet Sauv Blanc & 2 Brothers Wit Beer!
• Polishing, rolling, & tying catering silverware for 31.
• Responding to a crazy amount of emails. (sadly, reading a two week notice)
• Setting up an interview.
• Running to the bank for more petty cash. 
• Booking a Bridal Shower for July.
• Planning to get new booth cushions installed. 
• Clearing out the expired beer (ew!)
• Memorizing a new sushi special.
• Mailing gift cards & wine tasting tickets.
• Coffee with a friend.
• Walking the dog
• AND, the list could go on & on....

This got me to about 4.30pm.... And then this was brought out...

There was a lid on it for presentation. As I took the lid off, smoke swirled out for about 2 minutes. What was compacted in this tiny jar??? Bourbon, bacon, maple, ice, smoke. The craziest concocted cocktail I've ever seen... wow...

... then we move on to dinner service...

Thank you restaurant world, there is never a dull day. : )