Monday, January 21, 2013
The cure for Crabs
I started this blog to show the importance of letting it all go and to tell a story of what its like to go from caring about the hustle and bustle of everyday life to living a life of serving tables carefreely on the beach. Did I actually get to live that beach bum life? In many ways yes. I mean who gets to get off work with their friends at 3 pm and go have oysters overlooking the gulf? I know I was blessed enough to say that I got to. Or what about your biggest worry of the day being "Beach or pool?" yep... I had to suffer through that dilema more than once.
Destin is a beautiful place. Full of beautiful people. If you only vacation here you dont know what this world in a beach town really is. When I say "A Beach Town" I really mean "THE beach town." You should go have Sushi at Harbor Docks, dance like a mad man at AJ's, have Irish Wakes at McGuires ( and the steak wow or salmon.. Ill never know which is better and I hate salmon usually) stuff your face with Helen Back Pizza. Have Burgers at Anglers and watch football on Sundays.. And above all you should walk waist deep out into the waters of the Gulf in Destin with a drink in hand and exhale knowing your life is beautiful and in this moment you are at peace... and very small on the food chain. I know I have loved every minute of it. Nothing beats a day on a boat at Crab Island and nothing ever will. Want crab legs? I am going to say The Crab Trap because I know first hand they are so good. ( What you should also know is that Crab Legs in Destin are the same as what you get frozen from any fish monger... crab legs are crab legs.)
I have been very busy lately becaue I gave up being a She Jimmy Buffett and went back to real world work.. now I only see the Gulf when Im driving from Fort Walton to home after a day of babysitting grown ups again. Isnt that sad? I guess being in your 30's you have a need to be a grown up and to live an 8-5 life no matter what your enviornment. I have decided to start a new blog but dont know what direction I want to go in yet. I think Im an OK story teller and if I entertain those that know me and even those that dont I feel like Ive provided myself some cheap therapy and a laugh for everyone else.
So when I start purging online again Ill let you know. For now Im content with the bingeing.
Monday, May 14, 2012
White Lies...
Date: 05/14/2012
Shift = Lunch
Weather = perfection. surf- perfection. temp- 85degrees of perfection. and me at work. tsk tsk tsk
So lately its been pretty steady. Ive had 110.00 days plus my hourly at The Cage.. we have had days that are already leaving me sweaty, makeupless, and almost asleep on my feet. I have 2 weeks until the tourist shit storm hits. I seriously grow a little more afraid every single day. I realize to make the kind of money I will need to sustain me through the winter I am going to have to work nights. I have been requesting one here and there and even though Im ready to walk out with 300.00 per shift in cash I dont know if I can endure working while I see a 2 hours worth of wait time out in the lobby, bars, and playground. When I say its madness, I mean it, I got a taste over springbreak and it was just enough to make this wide eyed former corporate drone shake in her Reebok Shape Ups ( its all about the ass you know...)
My only issue facing me is that I like working days.. I cant make but maybe a 100.00 ish a day on a lunch shift and this simply will not do. The reason I cant make as much during the day is because we share a large parking lot with a public beach... that fills up at 10:00 am... and so people wanting to just come have lunch cannot park.. and therefore do not come in to eat... you see my point? I have begun to look here and there down on the Harborwalk where people stay at the Emerald Grand and Shop all the posh little beach shops. There is unlimited parking and all kinds of festivals that make your winter work days profitable as well. I was offered a job at a place called Tightlines ( the real name ) and I was hired to bar tend upstairs in the resturant portion during the day and maybe serve a little too. The day they hired me I called Kat and had her apply because we are now a smashing tag team duo and I had visions of us tossing bottles "Cocktail" style and they hired her on the spot as well. I was told I am allowed to wear whatever Id like and so therefore they opened the door to advertise my Hog gear in all colors and shorts. Why is this post titled "White Lies" you may ask... Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll What had happened was... I told them I had bartenders experience... 10 years ago.... and just hadnt done it in a really long time. This is KIND of true. My bartending skills involve pitcher pouring from Big Daddys bar and grill when I was 21. That was... never mind how long ago that was. Bottomline.. I want bar tending experience here. If you are in this industry here in Destin.. bar tending is the way to go. Dont believe me? Ask the guys at AJ's making 200k a year.
Anyhow, Im supposed to go in tomorrow and start training to day bar tend ONE day a week during the day and I am a bit nervous. Yes its on the Harborwalk. Yes its SEC and fishing themed which I happen to love. BUT... for the past ten years my bar tending experience has been limited to my throwing stuff in a glass at home or at tailgates and calling it a masterpiece. The other problem is that they dont yet have a POS system and its all done the old fashioned way. Carbon tickets. Also there are no assigned sections. People come in and sit down and there are no servers on the floor you take them and run it all. Make drinks for people at the bar and then run food. This seems like a cluster fuck in the making so, of course, who signed up for it? This girl. Im going to go try it on though. Whats the worst that can happen?? ( you see right there... I cursed myself )
The bottom of Tightlines holds a club called The Deep in that bumps until 0400 and I want NO part of that. Id rather be tied up and whipped with a wet rope than have to endure a club job. I have been reassured that I dont have to deal with it and so there fore I have agreed to one day or night a week at Tightlines. If tomorrow is awful then I will be just a Lobster Cager... So lets just see what happens. Hey I get to wear Hog stuff every day in Fl and so therefore thats worth one day a week of randomness. I hope. Kat trained last night and said it was disorganized chaos so ... pray. Pray that no one comes in and orders something difficult to make.. if bad comes to worse Ill just pull out the trusty Iphone and google recipes. Can you just picture the bewilderment on a customers face? Ill try to grab a pic of it while I have the phone out googling something gay like "Baybreeze" Ill practice the bottle tossing at a later date. Baby Steps.
I hope you vacationers have already booked your condos and planned to come see me at either establishment. The area is booking up for the Summer and I am easily the sweetest and the most personable waitress here. Just dont hit on me or bitch about stupid stuff. Or ask me to fetch you mustard for your cheesesticks ( this happened today and it made me gag) Come in, tell me you love my work, order alot of stuff, and leave a 20% tip. My charm and the view are worth the trip alone. Just eat drink and get up.. I have other tables to tend to. :)
Love to you all and in closing I am enclosing todays drink of choice; The Fluffy Screwdriver... Its whipped cream vodka and OJ. It will take you back to the days of the Flinstones Push up Pop Ice Cream. Its not as good as the Ginger-Ale and whipped cream vodka... but is a nice wind me down while I sit on my balcony and watch the Destin sunset.
Cheers to you all. xx
Shift = Lunch
Weather = perfection. surf- perfection. temp- 85degrees of perfection. and me at work. tsk tsk tsk
So lately its been pretty steady. Ive had 110.00 days plus my hourly at The Cage.. we have had days that are already leaving me sweaty, makeupless, and almost asleep on my feet. I have 2 weeks until the tourist shit storm hits. I seriously grow a little more afraid every single day. I realize to make the kind of money I will need to sustain me through the winter I am going to have to work nights. I have been requesting one here and there and even though Im ready to walk out with 300.00 per shift in cash I dont know if I can endure working while I see a 2 hours worth of wait time out in the lobby, bars, and playground. When I say its madness, I mean it, I got a taste over springbreak and it was just enough to make this wide eyed former corporate drone shake in her Reebok Shape Ups ( its all about the ass you know...)
My only issue facing me is that I like working days.. I cant make but maybe a 100.00 ish a day on a lunch shift and this simply will not do. The reason I cant make as much during the day is because we share a large parking lot with a public beach... that fills up at 10:00 am... and so people wanting to just come have lunch cannot park.. and therefore do not come in to eat... you see my point? I have begun to look here and there down on the Harborwalk where people stay at the Emerald Grand and Shop all the posh little beach shops. There is unlimited parking and all kinds of festivals that make your winter work days profitable as well. I was offered a job at a place called Tightlines ( the real name ) and I was hired to bar tend upstairs in the resturant portion during the day and maybe serve a little too. The day they hired me I called Kat and had her apply because we are now a smashing tag team duo and I had visions of us tossing bottles "Cocktail" style and they hired her on the spot as well. I was told I am allowed to wear whatever Id like and so therefore they opened the door to advertise my Hog gear in all colors and shorts. Why is this post titled "White Lies" you may ask... Wellllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll What had happened was... I told them I had bartenders experience... 10 years ago.... and just hadnt done it in a really long time. This is KIND of true. My bartending skills involve pitcher pouring from Big Daddys bar and grill when I was 21. That was... never mind how long ago that was. Bottomline.. I want bar tending experience here. If you are in this industry here in Destin.. bar tending is the way to go. Dont believe me? Ask the guys at AJ's making 200k a year.
Anyhow, Im supposed to go in tomorrow and start training to day bar tend ONE day a week during the day and I am a bit nervous. Yes its on the Harborwalk. Yes its SEC and fishing themed which I happen to love. BUT... for the past ten years my bar tending experience has been limited to my throwing stuff in a glass at home or at tailgates and calling it a masterpiece. The other problem is that they dont yet have a POS system and its all done the old fashioned way. Carbon tickets. Also there are no assigned sections. People come in and sit down and there are no servers on the floor you take them and run it all. Make drinks for people at the bar and then run food. This seems like a cluster fuck in the making so, of course, who signed up for it? This girl. Im going to go try it on though. Whats the worst that can happen?? ( you see right there... I cursed myself )
The bottom of Tightlines holds a club called The Deep in that bumps until 0400 and I want NO part of that. Id rather be tied up and whipped with a wet rope than have to endure a club job. I have been reassured that I dont have to deal with it and so there fore I have agreed to one day or night a week at Tightlines. If tomorrow is awful then I will be just a Lobster Cager... So lets just see what happens. Hey I get to wear Hog stuff every day in Fl and so therefore thats worth one day a week of randomness. I hope. Kat trained last night and said it was disorganized chaos so ... pray. Pray that no one comes in and orders something difficult to make.. if bad comes to worse Ill just pull out the trusty Iphone and google recipes. Can you just picture the bewilderment on a customers face? Ill try to grab a pic of it while I have the phone out googling something gay like "Baybreeze" Ill practice the bottle tossing at a later date. Baby Steps.
I hope you vacationers have already booked your condos and planned to come see me at either establishment. The area is booking up for the Summer and I am easily the sweetest and the most personable waitress here. Just dont hit on me or bitch about stupid stuff. Or ask me to fetch you mustard for your cheesesticks ( this happened today and it made me gag) Come in, tell me you love my work, order alot of stuff, and leave a 20% tip. My charm and the view are worth the trip alone. Just eat drink and get up.. I have other tables to tend to. :)
Love to you all and in closing I am enclosing todays drink of choice; The Fluffy Screwdriver... Its whipped cream vodka and OJ. It will take you back to the days of the Flinstones Push up Pop Ice Cream. Its not as good as the Ginger-Ale and whipped cream vodka... but is a nice wind me down while I sit on my balcony and watch the Destin sunset.
Cheers to you all. xx
Monday, April 23, 2012
The Lull...
Date: April 23, 2012
Shift : Am Lunch
Weather : Strangely cool. Or at least it seems strange to me.. The high was 65 and thats cold to me since I spent last Friday in the sand and surf of Destin as well as having been able to enjoy the light painful sting of a sunburn at least once a week here lately.
I hope you have enjoyed the additional photos lately, I uploaded the Blogger feature to my phone so that I may now just send photos directly. Its a huge time saver and when I get bored at work it proves to be resourceful. As for being bored I have been that way alot the last week or so. We have hit whats called " Our Lull" between Spring Break and Summer that causes our slow down time. I dont mind it so much because I realize in a couple of weeks Ill be praying for some relief. In my idea a beach side eating establishment should be steady. Not slow, not madhouse crazy like we get, but maybe give the server a 3 min break before table seating. During springbreak it was BAM BAM BAM, people got up, people were waiting to sit down. I have been warned that its so much worse in the summer and I am slightly terrified. However, waiting 30 mins or more in between tables makes the day drag on. Oh well, I guess we cant have everything we want can we? If I could I would be one of these bartenders at AJs making six figures a year. No lie, that is what they pull. Insane.
Today began with me working section 16-19 ( I will take a pic tomorrow of how we schedule the sections so you will be able to follow what Im talking about ) I had all window seats but all my views of the gulf are obstructed by the roof of the beach bar. People are always asking the hostess if they can move and so there fore I miss out on about an average of 4 tables that go to other areas of the resturant with a better view. This sucks. Our management will argue that there is NO bad section of our establishment. This is a ridiculous and borderline insulting lie. When the place is jam packed and people have been seriously waiting for 1.5 hours for a seat, yes! they will GLADLY sit anywhere. When other areas have open view seating and yours doesnt... then they move, costing you money, and making your day crazy because as soon as the other seats fill up, it causes you to be double if not triple sat.. which always makes me a frazzled mess. I hate to have patrons waiting. It bothers me like you cant imagine.
After watching my first two potential tables ask for a different table before I could approach them I was finally sat with a one top. ( This means one person at the table) It was an elderly man who was there for a quick lunch and to read his news paper. I approach him flashing what I imagine to be my "100 Watt" smile and go through my usual opening " Hi there, my name is Shannon, -" and Im cut off right there. He cuts in with " Ice water, extra lemon" never looking up at me. My cheeks flush a tad pink because Im used to people smiling back and then at least waiting for me to ask them what they would like to drink. I nod to him ( not that he is looking ) and run to get his drink. When I come back I place his drink on the table and then silently pull out my notepad and paper to take his order. He all but barks " Fried Oyster Sandwhich with fries" I nod again. Place the order in, wait for it to come up, add on his tarter on the side and fresh lemon and place it infront of him while asking " Is there anything else I may bring you at the moment?" He looks up at me with a blank expression and says, " Well I certainly hope not." WOW! I sort of suck in my breath and say " Well alright then, enjoy your lunch, I be by to check on you periodically" As I walk away I see him bow his head to begin his pre meal prayer. I watch him complete his prayer from a safe distance, shake his head, and then dig into his meal. The entree I brought him looked completely perfect. I dont know what he was expecting an open faced fried oyster po boy to look like when it comes in a basket sitting on top of fries but I just assume he expected more than what he got. Even portion wise it was huge so who knows, I know when people come in with a sour attitude there is nothing I can do to improve it. He took 45 minuets to eat his sandwhich and pay his bill. He tipped me 20% and walked out alone. I have thought about him all day. Is he just lonely? Or just a mean old man? Did something set him off before he came in to eat? People and their stories always intrigue me so I always wonder about the quirky ones.
I have also noticed something else about waiting tables today. People that tip you 20% or more will always leave the ticket in the book where it can be seen. ( if its an open face book ) Its almost as if they are proud that they know how to tip ( and YES you should be!!) The others that arent.. will always fold up their ticket and tuck it so that you cant see it until you physically take the ticket off the table so apply the tip to your statement. They dont want you or anyone else at the table seeing their cheapness before they are gone.. seriously.. watch next time you go to dinner and someone else picks up the check. If they have tipped correctly they will leave it out there for the world to see.. if not.. they fold it up where no one, not even the server can see it. It happens this way everytime. I know im getting the shaft if they fill it out, pick it up, fold it, and place it back in the book. When it comes to cash, they will do something much more obvious. They will take the ticket out of the open face book and keep it, and then place a stupidly insufficient amount of cash in the book. OR you will go to collect the cash and they will hand it up to you and say no change in a hurry with a sour face. If you are smiling big and hand me your ticket with cash I know you are not going to cheap skate me. If you are hurry and wave me away... then I know you want it out of eyesight of those you are dining with.. And lets get one thing straight... VERY STRAIGHT. If I am your waitress you are getting EXCELLENT service. You will never get to the bottom of your glass, Your food never runs behind without and reason that I update you on, and you never go with out what ever add on or condiment you need. EVER. So when I blame crap tips on cheap people.. you can bet thats EXACTLY the issue.
I also managed to pull aside Jerry and explain to him how to fill out a schedule for me today. I was pretty proud of it. I wasnt rude or smart assed I just explained to him that when I asked for a PM shift that I wasnt saying that I cant work and AM.. I would just like to be included in nights that pull 250-300 instead of just days that seem to top out at 100.00. I think he gets it now and we will see hows good his memory is when I get my schedule for next week, this Friday night.
That about covers the days excitement. I have a full week ahead of me. Gym and workday tomorrow.Workday on Wed. Evening shift on Thurs and then Workday on Friday. Ill be uploading pictures and plan to do some candid interviews with servers on how they like working there, etc this week. So stay tuned.
Its book and wine time for me on the balcony so I will raise my glass to all of you out there. Dont do anything I wouldnt.. or would do for that matter.
Clinkie!
Shift : Am Lunch
Weather : Strangely cool. Or at least it seems strange to me.. The high was 65 and thats cold to me since I spent last Friday in the sand and surf of Destin as well as having been able to enjoy the light painful sting of a sunburn at least once a week here lately.
I hope you have enjoyed the additional photos lately, I uploaded the Blogger feature to my phone so that I may now just send photos directly. Its a huge time saver and when I get bored at work it proves to be resourceful. As for being bored I have been that way alot the last week or so. We have hit whats called " Our Lull" between Spring Break and Summer that causes our slow down time. I dont mind it so much because I realize in a couple of weeks Ill be praying for some relief. In my idea a beach side eating establishment should be steady. Not slow, not madhouse crazy like we get, but maybe give the server a 3 min break before table seating. During springbreak it was BAM BAM BAM, people got up, people were waiting to sit down. I have been warned that its so much worse in the summer and I am slightly terrified. However, waiting 30 mins or more in between tables makes the day drag on. Oh well, I guess we cant have everything we want can we? If I could I would be one of these bartenders at AJs making six figures a year. No lie, that is what they pull. Insane.
Today began with me working section 16-19 ( I will take a pic tomorrow of how we schedule the sections so you will be able to follow what Im talking about ) I had all window seats but all my views of the gulf are obstructed by the roof of the beach bar. People are always asking the hostess if they can move and so there fore I miss out on about an average of 4 tables that go to other areas of the resturant with a better view. This sucks. Our management will argue that there is NO bad section of our establishment. This is a ridiculous and borderline insulting lie. When the place is jam packed and people have been seriously waiting for 1.5 hours for a seat, yes! they will GLADLY sit anywhere. When other areas have open view seating and yours doesnt... then they move, costing you money, and making your day crazy because as soon as the other seats fill up, it causes you to be double if not triple sat.. which always makes me a frazzled mess. I hate to have patrons waiting. It bothers me like you cant imagine.
After watching my first two potential tables ask for a different table before I could approach them I was finally sat with a one top. ( This means one person at the table) It was an elderly man who was there for a quick lunch and to read his news paper. I approach him flashing what I imagine to be my "100 Watt" smile and go through my usual opening " Hi there, my name is Shannon, -" and Im cut off right there. He cuts in with " Ice water, extra lemon" never looking up at me. My cheeks flush a tad pink because Im used to people smiling back and then at least waiting for me to ask them what they would like to drink. I nod to him ( not that he is looking ) and run to get his drink. When I come back I place his drink on the table and then silently pull out my notepad and paper to take his order. He all but barks " Fried Oyster Sandwhich with fries" I nod again. Place the order in, wait for it to come up, add on his tarter on the side and fresh lemon and place it infront of him while asking " Is there anything else I may bring you at the moment?" He looks up at me with a blank expression and says, " Well I certainly hope not." WOW! I sort of suck in my breath and say " Well alright then, enjoy your lunch, I be by to check on you periodically" As I walk away I see him bow his head to begin his pre meal prayer. I watch him complete his prayer from a safe distance, shake his head, and then dig into his meal. The entree I brought him looked completely perfect. I dont know what he was expecting an open faced fried oyster po boy to look like when it comes in a basket sitting on top of fries but I just assume he expected more than what he got. Even portion wise it was huge so who knows, I know when people come in with a sour attitude there is nothing I can do to improve it. He took 45 minuets to eat his sandwhich and pay his bill. He tipped me 20% and walked out alone. I have thought about him all day. Is he just lonely? Or just a mean old man? Did something set him off before he came in to eat? People and their stories always intrigue me so I always wonder about the quirky ones.
I have also noticed something else about waiting tables today. People that tip you 20% or more will always leave the ticket in the book where it can be seen. ( if its an open face book ) Its almost as if they are proud that they know how to tip ( and YES you should be!!) The others that arent.. will always fold up their ticket and tuck it so that you cant see it until you physically take the ticket off the table so apply the tip to your statement. They dont want you or anyone else at the table seeing their cheapness before they are gone.. seriously.. watch next time you go to dinner and someone else picks up the check. If they have tipped correctly they will leave it out there for the world to see.. if not.. they fold it up where no one, not even the server can see it. It happens this way everytime. I know im getting the shaft if they fill it out, pick it up, fold it, and place it back in the book. When it comes to cash, they will do something much more obvious. They will take the ticket out of the open face book and keep it, and then place a stupidly insufficient amount of cash in the book. OR you will go to collect the cash and they will hand it up to you and say no change in a hurry with a sour face. If you are smiling big and hand me your ticket with cash I know you are not going to cheap skate me. If you are hurry and wave me away... then I know you want it out of eyesight of those you are dining with.. And lets get one thing straight... VERY STRAIGHT. If I am your waitress you are getting EXCELLENT service. You will never get to the bottom of your glass, Your food never runs behind without and reason that I update you on, and you never go with out what ever add on or condiment you need. EVER. So when I blame crap tips on cheap people.. you can bet thats EXACTLY the issue.
I also managed to pull aside Jerry and explain to him how to fill out a schedule for me today. I was pretty proud of it. I wasnt rude or smart assed I just explained to him that when I asked for a PM shift that I wasnt saying that I cant work and AM.. I would just like to be included in nights that pull 250-300 instead of just days that seem to top out at 100.00. I think he gets it now and we will see hows good his memory is when I get my schedule for next week, this Friday night.
That about covers the days excitement. I have a full week ahead of me. Gym and workday tomorrow.Workday on Wed. Evening shift on Thurs and then Workday on Friday. Ill be uploading pictures and plan to do some candid interviews with servers on how they like working there, etc this week. So stay tuned.
Its book and wine time for me on the balcony so I will raise my glass to all of you out there. Dont do anything I wouldnt.. or would do for that matter.
Clinkie!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Monday, April 16, 2012
Example of morning work.
I cleaned all these windows today.. Well the bottom, middle, and eye level sections of each .... An then we open them. I so don't get it
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