Some food trends are seasonal. At the moment every restaurant special is likely to feature salmon, asparagus, or strawberries. In the fall months we will be treated to 101 ways to cook butternut squash.
Some food trends are cyclical. Are carbs good or bad at the moment? How about dairy? Coffee? Is red wine actually better than grapes or do we just all want to feel justified in pouring that third glass? Food studies come and go and contradict each other and new diet fads rise up to meet each new study, and there's a sort of rhythm to it, if you care to pay attention.
Some food trends are personal. The thing about working at hotel restaurants, is that you deal with a lot of groups. Hotels play host to tour groups, and expos and conventions. My previous restaurant was located across the street from the Convention Center, which amplified things. And its amazing the way certain groups of people eat certain things. When the Penny Arcade was in town we ran out of hamburger buns. Burgers are always a popular order, and any restaurant that serves them keeps a good supply on hand. But when you are overrun with groups of twenty something vintage gamers who apparently survive on an exclusive diet of hamburgers and coke, even a well stocked kitchen will find itself taxed beyond capacity. Any convention that caters to middle aged women will find you serving salads with dressing on the side, and bringing separate checks. Always separate checks, a table of fifteen women dining together will all want separate checks and will all pay with $20's. Men don't seem to have this problem, at least not with the same frequency. Male colleagues who regularly dine together have developed a system of alternating treating each other, rather than most women's the need to split the check down the middle every single time.
And some food tends defy explanation. I have no logic for why I won't sell a single order of french toast all week, and then serve fifteen of them on a random Wednesday. Or the equation for a sudden run on fish and chips. I do know that there is almost a trend to these trends, chances are at any given meal period, something will be in favor, you just never know what it will be.
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Crazy Things that Actors Do
Last Saturday was closing night of my play, The Cat's Meow. Its been a fun run, for the most part. We had a great cast, and lovely costumes, and normally at the end of the run of a show I indulge in a little time feeling listless and bittersweet before hunting down the next cast to bond with. This time, however, I do not have that luxury, because my next show opens in two weeks, and I have to get off book.
This is one of the crazy things that actors do. They overlap productions. You can manage to start rehearsals for one production, while still in performance for the next one. You can manage this because most plays rehearse during the week, and perform on the weekends. So it is completely possible, but it is also, I have discovered, completely insane. And in honor of my own insanity, I have decided to take a little time away from memorizing, and explore some of the other crazy things that actors do.
They commute twice as far for a show as they would for a paying job.
I have a cut off for theaters I will even audition for: Renton is as far South as I will travel, and Edmonds is as far North. Both of these destinations are about half an hour from my home in Seattle, at least in good traffic. I have done two shows in Tacoma, but both had limited rehearsal and performance commitments, and even so, that is not an experience I care to repeat. There are actors, however, who will travel from much, much farther. Actors who live in Seattle and do shows in Olympia, for instance. Or actors who live in Olympia and do shows in Renton, I have known actors who will drive from Everett to Tacoma, or take a ferry out to Bambridge, or in from Vashon Island.
And forget about the commuting time commitment once you land a job, I know actors who will fly to other cities, on their own dime, just to attend an audition.
They will compromise their personal appearance
A frequent question on audition forms is: are you willing to cut/color your hair? I always say yes to cut, no to color. I have never, in my almost thirty years, colored my hair, and it it would take more than being cast in a show to make me start now, that's what wigs are for. But I will cut it, I will also spend an hour and a half every night curling or straightening my hair, securing the look with massive amounts of hairspray and bobby pins, only to wash it all out when I get home, and repeat the process the next night. Also, every time I do a show, my skin freaks out, because it is unused to being subjected to massive amounts of makeup. Small price to pay for a little applause. And oddly enough this is one area where men actually have it worse. While their prep time to get is costume is usually a fraction of the womens, when men change their look for a part, they have to wear it around in the real world, not just on stage. I know actors that have grown mutton chops, or spent months apologizing to their bar patrons for a porn star mustache. They also shave, I know an actor who shaved a mustache he'd had for nearly forty years for the sake of supporting role.
They will adhere to superstitions they don't believe in
Everyone knows not to say Macbeth in a theater. Doesn't matter if you believe in the curse, you just don't do it. If you slip up for any reason, you must immediately go outside the theater, turn in a circle three times and spit. There are variations on the antidote, some say you have to run around the theater three times, and I've never had the logic of the antidote explained to me, but I have done it. Actors are, as a group, very superstitious. They love their rituals. The whole experience of being in a play is full of little rituals and traditions, and most actors have individual ones they layer on top of the group ones. Lucky underwear is a common one. Actors, unlike musicians, will never drink before a performance, they will get completely shitfaced afterwords, opening and closing night parties are legendary, sometimes they will begin drinking backstage once their big scene is over, but never before a show, not even a glass of wine with dinner. They give cards and presents to the entire cast on either opening or closing night, but never on both, and never on any intermediate performance. They have warm up routines. When I was in the Vagina Monologues, we did Kegels as part of our group warm up. At Redwood Theater, every performance, regardless of the director, or who's involved, starts with a back stage cheer of "Doooon't Suck!"
They will stay in contact with people they hate
Theater, like so many things in life, is all about who you know. And, as I have already detailed, actors will do almost anything to get on stage. There are a couple people I've sworn I'll never work with again, but we are still friends on Facebook, and if they dangled the right part of front of me, I'd probably bite. And I'm not alone, in an industry they relies so heavily on networking, personal issues often take a back seat. A person's value is measured by how likely they are to be able to get you a job, anything else is gravy.
I'm sure their are quite a few actor quirks missing form my list, but I've tried to keep it limited to the farthest reaching insanities, also, I have lines to learn.
This is one of the crazy things that actors do. They overlap productions. You can manage to start rehearsals for one production, while still in performance for the next one. You can manage this because most plays rehearse during the week, and perform on the weekends. So it is completely possible, but it is also, I have discovered, completely insane. And in honor of my own insanity, I have decided to take a little time away from memorizing, and explore some of the other crazy things that actors do.
They commute twice as far for a show as they would for a paying job.
I have a cut off for theaters I will even audition for: Renton is as far South as I will travel, and Edmonds is as far North. Both of these destinations are about half an hour from my home in Seattle, at least in good traffic. I have done two shows in Tacoma, but both had limited rehearsal and performance commitments, and even so, that is not an experience I care to repeat. There are actors, however, who will travel from much, much farther. Actors who live in Seattle and do shows in Olympia, for instance. Or actors who live in Olympia and do shows in Renton, I have known actors who will drive from Everett to Tacoma, or take a ferry out to Bambridge, or in from Vashon Island.
And forget about the commuting time commitment once you land a job, I know actors who will fly to other cities, on their own dime, just to attend an audition.
They will compromise their personal appearance
A frequent question on audition forms is: are you willing to cut/color your hair? I always say yes to cut, no to color. I have never, in my almost thirty years, colored my hair, and it it would take more than being cast in a show to make me start now, that's what wigs are for. But I will cut it, I will also spend an hour and a half every night curling or straightening my hair, securing the look with massive amounts of hairspray and bobby pins, only to wash it all out when I get home, and repeat the process the next night. Also, every time I do a show, my skin freaks out, because it is unused to being subjected to massive amounts of makeup. Small price to pay for a little applause. And oddly enough this is one area where men actually have it worse. While their prep time to get is costume is usually a fraction of the womens, when men change their look for a part, they have to wear it around in the real world, not just on stage. I know actors that have grown mutton chops, or spent months apologizing to their bar patrons for a porn star mustache. They also shave, I know an actor who shaved a mustache he'd had for nearly forty years for the sake of supporting role.
They will adhere to superstitions they don't believe in
Everyone knows not to say Macbeth in a theater. Doesn't matter if you believe in the curse, you just don't do it. If you slip up for any reason, you must immediately go outside the theater, turn in a circle three times and spit. There are variations on the antidote, some say you have to run around the theater three times, and I've never had the logic of the antidote explained to me, but I have done it. Actors are, as a group, very superstitious. They love their rituals. The whole experience of being in a play is full of little rituals and traditions, and most actors have individual ones they layer on top of the group ones. Lucky underwear is a common one. Actors, unlike musicians, will never drink before a performance, they will get completely shitfaced afterwords, opening and closing night parties are legendary, sometimes they will begin drinking backstage once their big scene is over, but never before a show, not even a glass of wine with dinner. They give cards and presents to the entire cast on either opening or closing night, but never on both, and never on any intermediate performance. They have warm up routines. When I was in the Vagina Monologues, we did Kegels as part of our group warm up. At Redwood Theater, every performance, regardless of the director, or who's involved, starts with a back stage cheer of "Doooon't Suck!"
They will stay in contact with people they hate
Theater, like so many things in life, is all about who you know. And, as I have already detailed, actors will do almost anything to get on stage. There are a couple people I've sworn I'll never work with again, but we are still friends on Facebook, and if they dangled the right part of front of me, I'd probably bite. And I'm not alone, in an industry they relies so heavily on networking, personal issues often take a back seat. A person's value is measured by how likely they are to be able to get you a job, anything else is gravy.
I'm sure their are quite a few actor quirks missing form my list, but I've tried to keep it limited to the farthest reaching insanities, also, I have lines to learn.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
How to pick up your Server
All right, everybody, hands up if you've ever found your server attractive. Good. Everyone put their hands down. Now, for those of you that have waited tables, hands up if you've ever wanted to get with a customer. Good, that's everyone again.
Now, who has actually made it happen?
Its a tricky equation. The balance of power is off, and not too many people dine alone, so you've got friends, family and co-workers complicating things. I've been on both sides of the table, and I'm sorry to say that I don't have a magic formula. There really is no surefire way to make this work.
There are a few things that I know don't work, though. First thing that is guaranteed not to get you that server's number: asking if you can take them "to go". This has happened to me. I was working in an Indian Restaurant, during my college years, and an elderly gentlemen, who was hooked up to an oxygen tank was dining with us. I wasn't waiting on him, but it was a small restaurant, so I was present, and very capable of overhearing, when his server asked him if there was anything else he could bring him, and he pointed at me and said, "put her in a box, I want to take her home."
Another thing that doesn't work: little hand written notes. This is a weird one, you'd think that written communication would be subtle and solve the whole 'other people dining with me' dilemma. But I have never seen note passing go well. For one thing, its not subtle. I know this because, while I have never received one of these notes personally, I have read a couple that were given to other servers at restaurants where I worked. For another, they seem to be the method of people who haven't taken the time to lay a little ground work, do a little flirting, ascertain if the server they have their eye on is even available. Both the notes that I read were given to servers who were in serious relationships.
If you simply must communicate your interest in writing, use the check. This doesn't work very often, but, unlike the handwritten notes, which are just creepy, writing your number on the check is kind of cute. I don't know why. It also has the advantage of working both ways. Once when I was visiting a friend in North Carolina, we had our server write his name and number in our check. We were both eighteen, and only in town for the night, and had no idea which one of us the number was intended for, but it was thrilling non the less. Writing your number on the check is not likely to get you results, but it probably won't get you laughed at. So, if you have a good base of flirting, and your not a regular at the establishment, its worth a shot. Servers sometimes flirt because they find you attractive, then again, sometimes it's just to get your money.
The best way to secure a date with a server, is the same as the best way to secure a date with anyone. Just Ask. Be polite, be direct, be a little bit charming if you're any good at it, and ask them out already. I have only been on one date with a customer, and it was because he asked me directly, and I like to reward that kind of thing, provided I'm single, and don't find the person asking repulsive.
Of course I made a mistake with accepting that date, so here's a follow up tip: If you manage to secure a date with a server, don't go to the restaurant where they work the next day and leave a two page handwritten letter for them detailing your hopes and dreams for your future together. Just text them and say you had a nice time. The boy I went on the date with was British, and in town for a convention, and staying in the hotel where my restaurant was located. He may also have been mentally unbalanced.
The date was just fine. We walked around, had dinner, talked about the usual first date stuff. I let him kiss me, then I went home. Then next day at work, the hostess gives me this letter. It is filled with lines like;
"I was the happiest I have been in ages when I was with you tonight, I never wanted it to end!"
"The way you made me feel tonight has made me even think about different things like maybe staying here for longer so I could see you again, or even staying here completely."
"I would do anything to see you again, absolutely anything in the world!"
"Do you believe in things like being attracted to and wanting to be with someone after just one time?"
He signed off "I love you and will never forget you!!" and included his email, phone, and room number.
I did not take advantage of any of them, instead I returned to the restaurant where we'd had dinner, and left a tip for the server, something I'd noticed he'd failed to do the night before.
Which brings me to my final point. If you manage to secure a date with a server, make sure you treat any restaurant staff you encounter on this date, very, very well.
Now, who has actually made it happen?
Its a tricky equation. The balance of power is off, and not too many people dine alone, so you've got friends, family and co-workers complicating things. I've been on both sides of the table, and I'm sorry to say that I don't have a magic formula. There really is no surefire way to make this work.
There are a few things that I know don't work, though. First thing that is guaranteed not to get you that server's number: asking if you can take them "to go". This has happened to me. I was working in an Indian Restaurant, during my college years, and an elderly gentlemen, who was hooked up to an oxygen tank was dining with us. I wasn't waiting on him, but it was a small restaurant, so I was present, and very capable of overhearing, when his server asked him if there was anything else he could bring him, and he pointed at me and said, "put her in a box, I want to take her home."
Another thing that doesn't work: little hand written notes. This is a weird one, you'd think that written communication would be subtle and solve the whole 'other people dining with me' dilemma. But I have never seen note passing go well. For one thing, its not subtle. I know this because, while I have never received one of these notes personally, I have read a couple that were given to other servers at restaurants where I worked. For another, they seem to be the method of people who haven't taken the time to lay a little ground work, do a little flirting, ascertain if the server they have their eye on is even available. Both the notes that I read were given to servers who were in serious relationships.
If you simply must communicate your interest in writing, use the check. This doesn't work very often, but, unlike the handwritten notes, which are just creepy, writing your number on the check is kind of cute. I don't know why. It also has the advantage of working both ways. Once when I was visiting a friend in North Carolina, we had our server write his name and number in our check. We were both eighteen, and only in town for the night, and had no idea which one of us the number was intended for, but it was thrilling non the less. Writing your number on the check is not likely to get you results, but it probably won't get you laughed at. So, if you have a good base of flirting, and your not a regular at the establishment, its worth a shot. Servers sometimes flirt because they find you attractive, then again, sometimes it's just to get your money.
The best way to secure a date with a server, is the same as the best way to secure a date with anyone. Just Ask. Be polite, be direct, be a little bit charming if you're any good at it, and ask them out already. I have only been on one date with a customer, and it was because he asked me directly, and I like to reward that kind of thing, provided I'm single, and don't find the person asking repulsive.
Of course I made a mistake with accepting that date, so here's a follow up tip: If you manage to secure a date with a server, don't go to the restaurant where they work the next day and leave a two page handwritten letter for them detailing your hopes and dreams for your future together. Just text them and say you had a nice time. The boy I went on the date with was British, and in town for a convention, and staying in the hotel where my restaurant was located. He may also have been mentally unbalanced.
The date was just fine. We walked around, had dinner, talked about the usual first date stuff. I let him kiss me, then I went home. Then next day at work, the hostess gives me this letter. It is filled with lines like;
"I was the happiest I have been in ages when I was with you tonight, I never wanted it to end!"
"The way you made me feel tonight has made me even think about different things like maybe staying here for longer so I could see you again, or even staying here completely."
"I would do anything to see you again, absolutely anything in the world!"
"Do you believe in things like being attracted to and wanting to be with someone after just one time?"
He signed off "I love you and will never forget you!!" and included his email, phone, and room number.
I did not take advantage of any of them, instead I returned to the restaurant where we'd had dinner, and left a tip for the server, something I'd noticed he'd failed to do the night before.
Which brings me to my final point. If you manage to secure a date with a server, make sure you treat any restaurant staff you encounter on this date, very, very well.
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