New friendships are always fun in the beginning. You meet new people, discover you both enjoy food and alcohol, and a new number goes in the cell phone for those after work vent sessions.
If you know me personally, outside this blog, you know I am always up for witty banter. Until recentley, I could only rely on my friend Nicole for this on Nantucket, but now I have broadened my circle a tad and found a new cousin on this tiny rock. Ancestory.com would be proud. Below is the email I receieved from my new cousin this morning...
A couple life lessons learned last night...
1. The Devil went down to Georgia lookin for souls to steal cause...ALL WOMEN FROM THERE ARE FROM HELL anyway...
2. 99% of all female masseurs are hot....It's just a fact.
3. Anyone who spends more than a week in Thailand is my hero. Double points if they did it on a motorcycle and date 19 year olds...
4. Never trust anyone who offers you a glass of from a previously open bottle of wine...Why are there so many open bottles of wine at the BPG?!?!?!? Not even a glass poured from them...just enough missing to slip in a rohipnol, then the cork goes back in???
5. Don't bother going to the Galley...The Galley will come to you.
6. Rebel Fiddle isn't just good music...It's a way of life.
7. 6 Tylenol in the morning doesn't make up for 6 bottles of water I should have drunk last night.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Friday, June 6, 2008
Running a bar (or in my case, two).
I was cleaning up my email when I found some emails that cracked me up (only because they are from a season that is now over and done with). I have altered names for privacy.
Overserved Regular, Mr. G
Good Evening all,
I wanted to tell you all about an incident (to put it lightly) that occurred this evening with a bar guest.
Around 7:15, I was walking thru the outside bar when a gentleman (Mr. G), who was standing beside R., asked me if I worked here. He told me that I had 30 seconds to “get this guy out of my face” (referencing R.). R. is standing 2 feet away and smiling, so I assume that this is a guest getting ready to tell me how great R. is or something along those lines, as the guest did not have an agitated look at all on his face. I ask Mr. G. what R. did to upset him and try to coax him into the breezeway beside the white wine coolers (didn’t work) and he began screaming at me, counting down from 30 and tossed a check presenter at me, telling me that he “wasn’t paying for it”.
By now I am very alarmed and open the check presenter to find Mr. G.’s credit card receipt inside. I remove the copy and try to give it to him. At this point, he is so irate, he is threatening me with “I’ll see you in court” in front of a half full bar. I once again try to coax him to the breezeway (again, unsuccessful) to discuss whatever had him so upset. He then turned around, threatened more litigation, asked me if I worked for Mr. K., and told me if was a “f#$%ing idiot” and would be out of a job soon. I told him that our guests do not use that language in this restaurant or our bars and that he was to leave immediately. I explained to him that if would like to communicate without threats in private, that I was more than happy to discuss what happened to upset him so much. More threats, getting progressively louder in the bar (all patrons staring); “f#$%ing idiot”, “dumba$$”, “stop crowding me” (because I was standing behind him and he whipped around to walk back towards me and ran right into me). I was also trying to seat 3 nice ladies at a high top, who he turned around and yelled “she’s a f#$%ing genius girls” to.
So, I dash thru the breezeway to catch him at the podium before further incident could occur and prevent him from reeking havoc at the inside bar. Instead, he slipped out thru the lawn and around towards Children’s Beach.
I spoke with R. and K., and neither of them have any idea what happened. K. describes him as a “great regular”, while H. does not care for him at all. He bothers T. because he “interrogates bar guests” and T. also cut him off in the last week.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he had too much to drink prior to his Heineken at the BPG. I wanted everyone to be aware of he situation, as it would appear that Mr. G. is a somewhat of a BPG bar fly.
It is my recommendation that we do not allow Mr. G. back in the bars.
[footnote: It was later discovered that Mr. G called R. the "n word" and K. a hooker. He also came back int he next night and was removed from the property]
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Email Titled: Bar Hell
R. has stepped up to the plate like no other. In fact, I just may promote him to head bartender. He will be staying into the evenings several nights cocktailing the deck in order to provide some relief to J. and K.
R2. is helping out in room service as well. A reminder that unless he is asleep, he is working either here or at the Golf Club.
J. is still doing 5 breakfasts a week at the Hen House.
And the bartenders are just flat out harassed and will burst into tears if you look at them funny these days.
Speaking of tears, I think we may have lost J2.
For the sake of my mental health, please tread lightly with the staff. I understand completely that everyone is a little punchy after the summer, and we should be a little gentle with everyone these days (including each other).
Happy September to all!!!
Melissa
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The party never stops....even if you are 60.
Email 1 sent at 11:33 pm
Maybe I sent my report out a bit prematurely.
There is a group of guests staying with us here at the WE, and about 30 minutes after I asked T. to close the bar down 4 of them came in the bar. We explained that the bar was closed, but that we would be happy to serve them a round of beverages.
H. called from the front desk, and told me that there was a gentleman looking for a manager (I answered the phone from J.’s office during paperwork). I meet him in the library, and he explained how angry he was that the bar was in fact closed. I explained to him that we rarely keep it open after 11pm without patrons, but that since he and his friends were here we would be happy to open it back up for them. I think he had already had a few drinks at this point, because he kept reiterating that they were house guests and “do you want my money or not” sort of a thing, even after I had obliged to his request. His name is Mr. E. I believe. It was not an abrasive angry Mr. G.-like conversation at all, more of a slurred voice etc… I did hear him mutter the F word when I was leading him back into the bar though (and he may have called me a bitch, but it wouldn’t be a first).
I asked T. to reopen the bar for the guests and as I type this there are maybe 10 of them in there. Just wanted to make managers A and B aware of this, should it be brought up at any point during the rest of their stay with us. E., they may be your group so I wanted you in the loop as well.
Yep, that’s all. Should I date this email August 78th?
It continues....
Email 2 sent at 12:51 am
Wow….
I was working on the room service paperwork and could hear some uncharacteristically loud music (Elton John) coming from the bar. The aforementioned house guests brought their iPod docking station into the bar and had it set up (T. was too stunned to react I think) and it was playing quite loudly. I walked over and asked the lady beside it to turn it down, as it was a bit inappropriate for the bar and we had rooms upstairs. She hesitated and obliged.
I left and went next door to drop the room service paperwork, and walked around down the patio and thru the dining room to find the Ipod back on in the bar. I walked over and asked them if they would mind if we turned off the ipod and one of the gentlemen became irate with me. He said they do mind, and I was not to touch it. I told him that the noise level in the bar was excessive, as we have rooms above the bar and it is nearing midnight. He asked me “what I was going to do about it?” and I told him that if we could not keep the noise to an acceptable level for the time of evening that we be forced to close the bar. He told me that the music would stay on and there was nothing I would do about it. I told him (and the captive audience of his friends) that the bar was closed and they should finish their beverages and be on their way. After a round of “bitch” was muttered, one of the gentlemen (I use that term loosely) stormed up to me and asked for my name “so I can tell them who to f-ing fire tomorrow” because “we are paying more for these rooms than you make in a year!” I told him my name and that I am the bar manager, and explained to him that he is more than welcome to speak with the GM of the hotel about the incident tonight, that she would be in first thing in the morning. Some blonde lady called me an “uptight asshole” as well, and several of the men remarked that “she needs to get laid” and “wanna loosen her up?” or something along those lines.
HOWEVER, I did have a conversation with one of the guest, whose name I can’t recall (my adrenaline is way out whack right now). He is tall and on the thin side, and he asked me to not punish everyone because of a few bad apples in the group (we walked over to the Ivory room for this discussion). I listen to him talk about why I should let them stay, and apologize on the behalf of the entire group for the names they called me. I told him that I respected him for being concerned about my feelings, and that I would be happy to buy him and his wife a cocktail to take back to their room but that I was going to keep the bar closed for the rest of the evening.
One (different) gentleman (Mr. H.?) paid the entire tab for the group, tipped T. well, and apologized again.
I am actually really proud of T. for not losing his cool with these folks. He was initially excited to open the bar back up for what could have been a great crowd. He said it was difficult to stay behind the bar while the stand off was going on and the verbal assassination began, but he knew it would only get worse if he intervened. Tim also said that while the tab was under $100 (For 20 people) several of them were not drinking at our bar as they were already very intoxicated.
I will be in at noon tomorrow.
Overserved Regular, Mr. G
Good Evening all,
I wanted to tell you all about an incident (to put it lightly) that occurred this evening with a bar guest.
Around 7:15, I was walking thru the outside bar when a gentleman (Mr. G), who was standing beside R., asked me if I worked here. He told me that I had 30 seconds to “get this guy out of my face” (referencing R.). R. is standing 2 feet away and smiling, so I assume that this is a guest getting ready to tell me how great R. is or something along those lines, as the guest did not have an agitated look at all on his face. I ask Mr. G. what R. did to upset him and try to coax him into the breezeway beside the white wine coolers (didn’t work) and he began screaming at me, counting down from 30 and tossed a check presenter at me, telling me that he “wasn’t paying for it”.
By now I am very alarmed and open the check presenter to find Mr. G.’s credit card receipt inside. I remove the copy and try to give it to him. At this point, he is so irate, he is threatening me with “I’ll see you in court” in front of a half full bar. I once again try to coax him to the breezeway (again, unsuccessful) to discuss whatever had him so upset. He then turned around, threatened more litigation, asked me if I worked for Mr. K., and told me if was a “f#$%ing idiot” and would be out of a job soon. I told him that our guests do not use that language in this restaurant or our bars and that he was to leave immediately. I explained to him that if would like to communicate without threats in private, that I was more than happy to discuss what happened to upset him so much. More threats, getting progressively louder in the bar (all patrons staring); “f#$%ing idiot”, “dumba$$”, “stop crowding me” (because I was standing behind him and he whipped around to walk back towards me and ran right into me). I was also trying to seat 3 nice ladies at a high top, who he turned around and yelled “she’s a f#$%ing genius girls” to.
So, I dash thru the breezeway to catch him at the podium before further incident could occur and prevent him from reeking havoc at the inside bar. Instead, he slipped out thru the lawn and around towards Children’s Beach.
I spoke with R. and K., and neither of them have any idea what happened. K. describes him as a “great regular”, while H. does not care for him at all. He bothers T. because he “interrogates bar guests” and T. also cut him off in the last week.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he had too much to drink prior to his Heineken at the BPG. I wanted everyone to be aware of he situation, as it would appear that Mr. G. is a somewhat of a BPG bar fly.
It is my recommendation that we do not allow Mr. G. back in the bars.
[footnote: It was later discovered that Mr. G called R. the "n word" and K. a hooker. He also came back int he next night and was removed from the property]
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Email Titled: Bar Hell
R. has stepped up to the plate like no other. In fact, I just may promote him to head bartender. He will be staying into the evenings several nights cocktailing the deck in order to provide some relief to J. and K.
R2. is helping out in room service as well. A reminder that unless he is asleep, he is working either here or at the Golf Club.
J. is still doing 5 breakfasts a week at the Hen House.
And the bartenders are just flat out harassed and will burst into tears if you look at them funny these days.
Speaking of tears, I think we may have lost J2.
For the sake of my mental health, please tread lightly with the staff. I understand completely that everyone is a little punchy after the summer, and we should be a little gentle with everyone these days (including each other).
Happy September to all!!!
Melissa
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The party never stops....even if you are 60.
Email 1 sent at 11:33 pm
Maybe I sent my report out a bit prematurely.
There is a group of guests staying with us here at the WE, and about 30 minutes after I asked T. to close the bar down 4 of them came in the bar. We explained that the bar was closed, but that we would be happy to serve them a round of beverages.
H. called from the front desk, and told me that there was a gentleman looking for a manager (I answered the phone from J.’s office during paperwork). I meet him in the library, and he explained how angry he was that the bar was in fact closed. I explained to him that we rarely keep it open after 11pm without patrons, but that since he and his friends were here we would be happy to open it back up for them. I think he had already had a few drinks at this point, because he kept reiterating that they were house guests and “do you want my money or not” sort of a thing, even after I had obliged to his request. His name is Mr. E. I believe. It was not an abrasive angry Mr. G.-like conversation at all, more of a slurred voice etc… I did hear him mutter the F word when I was leading him back into the bar though (and he may have called me a bitch, but it wouldn’t be a first).
I asked T. to reopen the bar for the guests and as I type this there are maybe 10 of them in there. Just wanted to make managers A and B aware of this, should it be brought up at any point during the rest of their stay with us. E., they may be your group so I wanted you in the loop as well.
Yep, that’s all. Should I date this email August 78th?
It continues....
Email 2 sent at 12:51 am
Wow….
I was working on the room service paperwork and could hear some uncharacteristically loud music (Elton John) coming from the bar. The aforementioned house guests brought their iPod docking station into the bar and had it set up (T. was too stunned to react I think) and it was playing quite loudly. I walked over and asked the lady beside it to turn it down, as it was a bit inappropriate for the bar and we had rooms upstairs. She hesitated and obliged.
I left and went next door to drop the room service paperwork, and walked around down the patio and thru the dining room to find the Ipod back on in the bar. I walked over and asked them if they would mind if we turned off the ipod and one of the gentlemen became irate with me. He said they do mind, and I was not to touch it. I told him that the noise level in the bar was excessive, as we have rooms above the bar and it is nearing midnight. He asked me “what I was going to do about it?” and I told him that if we could not keep the noise to an acceptable level for the time of evening that we be forced to close the bar. He told me that the music would stay on and there was nothing I would do about it. I told him (and the captive audience of his friends) that the bar was closed and they should finish their beverages and be on their way. After a round of “bitch” was muttered, one of the gentlemen (I use that term loosely) stormed up to me and asked for my name “so I can tell them who to f-ing fire tomorrow” because “we are paying more for these rooms than you make in a year!” I told him my name and that I am the bar manager, and explained to him that he is more than welcome to speak with the GM of the hotel about the incident tonight, that she would be in first thing in the morning. Some blonde lady called me an “uptight asshole” as well, and several of the men remarked that “she needs to get laid” and “wanna loosen her up?” or something along those lines.
HOWEVER, I did have a conversation with one of the guest, whose name I can’t recall (my adrenaline is way out whack right now). He is tall and on the thin side, and he asked me to not punish everyone because of a few bad apples in the group (we walked over to the Ivory room for this discussion). I listen to him talk about why I should let them stay, and apologize on the behalf of the entire group for the names they called me. I told him that I respected him for being concerned about my feelings, and that I would be happy to buy him and his wife a cocktail to take back to their room but that I was going to keep the bar closed for the rest of the evening.
One (different) gentleman (Mr. H.?) paid the entire tab for the group, tipped T. well, and apologized again.
I am actually really proud of T. for not losing his cool with these folks. He was initially excited to open the bar back up for what could have been a great crowd. He said it was difficult to stay behind the bar while the stand off was going on and the verbal assassination began, but he knew it would only get worse if he intervened. Tim also said that while the tab was under $100 (For 20 people) several of them were not drinking at our bar as they were already very intoxicated.
I will be in at noon tomorrow.
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