34 thoughts on “October 13, 2021: They Sox”

  1. Man if the Dodgers win tomorrow there will be literally no teams that I even want to slightly root for in the rest of the playoffs.

    1. On the other hand, I can feel better about not paying attention to/not turning on the games while I play the incredible back log of video games I have accumulated.

      1. I thought of that too. They rank 10th in 2021 payroll ($100m less than the Dodgers) and have generally been around that ranking for a while so I think that's part of it. Generally they are cool team and don't have a stick up their ass like the Cardinals or Braves. Fans aren't insufferable like Yankees, Red Sox, Cardinals. Not cheaters like the Astros and Red Sox.

          1. Well, my son is a Los Gigantes fan. Some might find him insufferable. But, despite living in LA, he's not yet been beaten into permanent brain damage.

          2. I probably should have added that they are a west coast team so we don’t hear much about them.

  2. Some updates regarding the joint: Key milestone today, as I hired an office manager. She will manage the dining room 2 days a week and take care of most of my accounting, payroll, etc 2 days a week. She has lots of experience and started out awesome today. I have been looking to fill this position for 3+ years. If she works out I will finally get on a 5 day per week schedule and hopefully get under 50 hours most week. Bookwork is my least favorite part of my job and tends to get pushed aside, so this will be epic if it works out.

    I now have 4 salaried chefs on payroll, which is also HUGE. I am no longer having to spend a lot of time in my kitchen, cooking or expediting a meal period. I love that part of the job, but my efforts need to be more about ensuring great service out front and handling marketing/community relations. My kitchen staff as a whole is as strong as any group I have ever seen.

    The local fish wrap does an annual poll each year in which the public nominates, then votes for, their favorite businesses in a multitude of categories. The joint was #1 in the voting for Best Restaurant, Best Outdoor Dining, Best Dinner Restaurant and Best Appetizer. We have rarely won even a single category in the past, as I refuse to leverage our social media reach to beg for votes and I refuse to encourage my staff to vote. Can't quite say other businesses approach it the same way. So, to win some major categories organically feels pretty darn good and validating.

    Also today, at the prompting of my insurance agent, I had to do some forecasting for how 2021 and 2022 will shape up in sales. 2021 looks like it will finish about 60-65% higher in total sales than our previous best year. I am projecting another 30% above that for 2021. It is surreal. We thought we would slow down once school started, but we are still full every night of the week. We are doing numbers that my previous employer would only see in the Twin Cities market. I am heading to the metro area next week with my Chef to scout out how other restaurants do with outdoor kitchens, as I am considering adding one next spring. So, despite my battle with Covid in mid-September, despite losing a manager that same week, and despite just getting my butt kicked the past 4 months... life is good and my stress level is lower than it's been in quite a while.

      1. Thanks! The offer is still out there for any of you who want to show off their culinary chops in a commercial kitchen! πŸ˜‰

    1. when do we see you on TVFN trying out your signature phrase or look, and what's it going to be?

      BAM! and "I gawwwraannnteee!" are taken. Orange clogs and an orange ponytail are probably not gonna fly for at least another decade.

      1. Still working on my signature look. Blue steel? During Covid shutdowns/take out only, I did revert to blue jeans with my chef coat. I am so tempted to take that look out front solely for my comfort. Back in the day I made the pony tail pulled through the back of a baseball cap a "thing" in St. Cloud kitchens, but my wife would never approve. I wanted to try the crew neck white T-shirt, sunglasses and dropping salt off my elbow, but some dude stole that idea from me already.

        1. β€œ2Pikes, 2Pints”
          May I (again!) suggest the CR101,CR116 corridor over in this neck of the woods. So many houses going up over here 😳

          1. Speaking of Chanhassen... do you get The Villager? If so, would you be able to check this week's legal notices for me?

    2. Great to hear, zoom, but how are you feeling? Did you get to a doctor about your shortness of breath and if so what did they say?

      1. I am pretty sure the shortness of breath was lingering covid effects on lungs and my fall allergies. I started sleeping with the head of my side of the bed raised about 8-10 inches and have slept very well every night since. I will be going in for an overdue physical in a few weeks. Right now my only issues are sore feet. I need new shoes

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