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As of Dec. 24, 2009, I am officially changing the name of this blog to @PRluna in the City...
 PEI WEI…coming to a street near you…I got so excited when I saw this while walking down Ontario today. I think it will do very well.
 This just made me smile. On the left you have Jayson’s version of a taco salad, on the right you have mine. I think food presentation is half the fun of cooking. The Inspiration for My Haircut The video that inspired my haircut. I actually like the way it turned out! I told TJ & Dewayne that “we’re famous!” and they disagree completely. It was definitely a fun experience. I try really hard to keep from appearing self-absorbed through my blog content, easier said then done, right? Seriously though, I try and stay away from posts that imply my life is way more awesome than yours, because everyone should be happy and proud of the life they lead. Every once in a while however, I have weekends, like this past one that combine happiness with awesomeness and I feel obliged to share. It was truthfully the happiest I remember feeling in a long time. Enjoy the photos with my minimal captions: #1 Jayson and I representing the store at the Concierge Day Awards celebration #2 My delicious pork shoulder benedict at Waffles with Maria #3 Jayson and I cheering for different teams at the Bucks/Lakers Game #4 Just thought it was a cool shot of the BC (Bradley Center) #5 Jayson and I again, aren’t we so cute? #6 Jayson at Cafe Hollander for delicious brunch featuring the best bloody mary I’ve ever had- a Caesar Bloody…that’s right! #7 A shot of one the best brunch meals I’ve ever had…chorizo hash…that’s right again! #8 Saw this brand of Dang! rootbeer while shopping at the Mars Cheese Castle and I had to snap a pic #9 Our shopping cart at Woodmans, which we stopped at to get four things on the way home…we had to force ourselves to leave I hope everyone else had an equally awesome and happy weekend!
 Representing the store at #conciergeday celebration at hard rock hotel. If you look closely you can see Garmin’s name on the screen.
Restaurant Week Strategy
Oh boy, here it comes, Restaurant Week 2012. Do I dare declare it the Best Week Ever? Even though it doesn’t start until February 17, at this point you should be familiarizing yourself with the restaurants participating, just about 250 this year, and narrowing down your choices. To do this you need to ask yourself some questions: Let’s start with question #1 as it’s often the most difficult. Last year Jayson I got to Japanais, Ditkas and Cafe Ba Ba Reeba; two restaurants we had never been to and one we had, respectively. In summary, Japanais was not a good experience due to our server, Ditkas blew us out of the water with service and the amount of food and Cafe Ba Ba Reeba, a long-time favorite, actually exceeded our expectations. I have a point…if you go somewhere familiar you will probably be satisfied, but if you go somewhere new, you could potentially find yourself either incredibly pleased or disappointed. However, Chicago has way too many delicious spots to not expand your horizons. My recommendation: go somewhere new! Moving on to question #2. This really comes down to an honest assessment of your financial situation. You can very easily spend your entire savings during this one week without even realizing it, and I know people who have. My recommendation: try one lunch, try one dinner without drinks and set aside your top choice for an all-out dinner. Finally question #3. Restaurant week is really a marketing tool and some restaurants just don’t belong. Once you narrow down your choices, compare the menus. It’ll be easy to see the clear option. My recommendation: Ask yourself if you could enjoy a full meal for less than $33 at your restaurant pick, if the answer is yes, then the deal may not be worth it. *Bonus tip* I like the restaurants that offer a glass of wine in place of dessert. Well, there ya go. Whether it’s your first Restaurant Week or your a seasoned professional, it’s always good to have a strategy with this event. As a slave to the service industry, this post wouldn’t be complete without a few etiquette tips. Tip #1: Tip your server!!! The majority of these restaurants are offering severe discounts, which lowers the average ticket price. For servers and bartenders, this means less tips. Sure they may make it up on volume, but the bargain seekers are not necessarily the best tippers. Tip #2: Understand that the portion sizes may be smaller. Like I said, the majority of restaurants consider this a marketing investment, but they still need to try and make money. Tip #3: Don’t try and double up on coupons, groupons or discounts. The fine print usually says limit one offer per table per visit. Don’t be cheap and try and swindle the system. In most cases you’re getting a pretty fantastic meal for a reasonable price. Oh, and if anyone wants to buy me a ticket to the First Bites Bash, I hear they’re still available. I would also make a very charming sidekick for the evening. Just saying…http://firstbitesbash2012.eventbrite.com/
I’m Really a Good Person
In 2011, I worked extremely hard. I dedicated myself to my job, my boyfriend and it seems like making everyone else happy but myself. Believe me, I’m not by any means upset that my career is taking me places that I never dreamed of or that I have the most perfect and wonderful boyfriend in the world, but sometimes in the midst of it all, you forget that who you are is important to. My 2012 resolution, ultimately, is not to comprise who I am for anyone. I can define myself in many ways, but words that come to mind are; writer, dreamer, creative, rebel, explorer, chef, emotional, drinker, lover and good. Today I want to talk about the good. I want to make a difference in the world. I want to be someone who inspires and leads and sets the example. I find myself challenging “the system” rather than accepting it, and thus I have more motivation to be the change. I am very much a believer in anticipation, being proactive and that we all need to realize the long-term effect of our actions. This can be something small, like using an eco-shopping bag instead of plastic bags every time you go to the grocery store. The long-term benefit to the environment seems obvious. Another good change is shopping at local stores and markets, again the long-term benefit to small businesses seems obvious. Little things like turning off faucets, lights and tvs, not just to save on electric bills, but because it’s the best thing for the environment. Now we’re starting to dig deeper. I don’t shop at Wal-mart because I don’t support their business practices. At work, I enlist and support the “human side” as one of my favorite blogs, Switch and Shift describes it. I say please and thank you. I don’t say “give me” or “I need”, which I find are incredibly rude terms that are accepted by our society. And I believe in pushing people to find their good side and true potential. I don’t think everyone has the patience nor the ability to do that, and sometimes I even struggle, but it’s a challenge that I’ve embraced and want to see it through to the end. I hope that maybe at least you’ll think about your own good and how you can make changes in your own life. Of course, I will continue my mission to be the change and spread good. As always, stay tuned for more! Jayson walked in on me while I was typing this and insisted I include the following: “My boyfriend has been the greatest addition to my life since the invention of Cheese!!!!!!” True that J. I love you with all my heart. I am very much not immune to the spreading fire known better as The Hunger Games. In fact, I am so incredibly obsessed with the story that even though I just finished the trilogy in under a week, I want to read the entire thing again. I’ve bookmarked the trailer, I’m writing, talking and thinking about it non-stop and Taylor Swift’s contribution to the soundtrack is like icing on the cake. I think it’s unfair that so many critics are comparing this series to something like Twilight or even Harry Potter. This series is incredibly unique in that although the world Suzanne Collins created is incredibly unique and beautiful, it is also very possible. I submersed myself into this story and saw so many parallels with my own life and how the world works today. I have never felt more connected to any character in fiction, then Katniss Everdeen. Her rebellious spirit and emotional instincts are two characteristics that reside deep within me. The Capitol is the 1%, yea, I went ahead and said it, and the districts are everyone else. The Hunger Games is representing the fact that there’s not much we can do about it, but what does Katniss do when she gets there…well I guess I shouldn’t take all the fun out of it for you. I hope everyone can see past the craze and find something deeper and more meaningful, like I have.
 A new haircut for a new year…I actually love it! It kinda of sucks though when people you see everyday don’t notice or say anything. It’s not my fault my hair looks better than yours…(just kidding, sort of).
When…
…when did we stop believing that anything is possible so long as we dream it? …when did we start sacrificing the little things in life that really do matter? …when do we just stop making excuses and be the people (person) we really want to be? (now substitute the we with I)
The Ultimate Dilema!
Do I want a Barnes & Nobles Nook tablet or a Whole Foods gift card equal to the dollar amount of a nook tablet? I feel like this is the ultimate dilema. I love both.
I am the 99%
The American dream is dead. Corporate greed has won. The wealth in this country will forever stay in the same one percent circle. I am the hardest working person I know, but no matter how hard I try, there is no middle class for me to advance to. I will forever be burdened by debt accumulated in college when I was encouraged to spend and worry about it later. What a foolish idea! Had I known the job market woudl be this way, I would have driven myself into debt by fulfillling my passion for traveling, which would have left me with a much deep appreciation for life. Instead I have to work two jobs to barely make ends meet. I am subject to customer demands and am constantly asked to do more without any compensation. How much more can I give? I am tired, I have no hope and I despise the greed that surrounds me. I am the future of a country with no future. My elected officials make no progress in finding a solution, but they continue to receive campaign funds that are collected through my paycheck and purchases. How dare they take what little money I have? There are programs for homeowners, car owners, families and the eledery- which I am a part of none. Where’s the program for the college grad up to ears in debt with no way to turn? My first Chipotle Burrito. You know when you’re a kid and you hate broccoli, but then you grow up and realize that broccoli isn’t all that bad? Such has been my relationship with Chipotle burritos. For one I never had any interest in eating anything bigger than my hand, but also I never really liked rice or beans, so I usually stuck to tacos. In recent years, I’ve come to LOVE black beans and through Jayson’s influence, I now like rice. Still, I never really wanted a Chipotle burrito. I would eat burrito bowls or tacos, just not the burrito itself. So when Jayson won free lunch from Chipotle, I filled out the sheet, circled burrito bowl with my usual rice, black beans, medium salsa, chicken, cheese and sour cream, but…it came as a burrito not a bowl. I bet you’re thinking I threw a fit, cursed the heavens and swore never to eat Chipotle again, but I didn’t. I shrugged my shoulders, sighed a little “eh” and dug in. And well, although difficult to admit, it was awesome. So, the point of this post really is to share some of the graphics on the Chipotle delivery box that I found entertaining while stuffing my face. Also, just wanted to give a shout-out to Chipotle for being so awesome to provide lunch for our staff. It’s amazing how such a simple act can have such a big impact on a day.
 Beautiful flowers from my love…what a wonderful surprise!
#Occupy
To start, let me say thank you to all who have found time to be a part of this movement. At the very least you are capturing people’s attention. Next let me say that taxing the rich is not the solution to our problems. We need to reform the way big business is structured and while this inlcudes the rich, simply taxing them will not get us anywhere. Eventually they will run out of money and you will receive little to no ROI. We need to raise the minimum wage and require businesses to invest in their employees. Unfortunately, captialism has led us down a path that allows business to sacrifice thier employees well being. How about instead, employees are paid the compensation they deserve so that they can in turn support themselves, contribute to the economy and perhaps one day themselves, “get rich.” We all love “getting a deal” or discount shopping, but did you ever stop to think that the reasons these discounts exist, is because big businesses can pay their employees so little? The worst part is that selfish Americans still expect a high-level of service from these discount purchase, thus the age of complaining to managers. Do you really think that employee you’re complaing about cares? They are paid the lowest of lowest wages and then have to deal with rude, demanding customers. Ok, this point is obviously a little too familiar. In the middle of the dinner shift while working at Fridays, management forced a bartender to punch out because he would be in overtime. Nevermind that we were slammed and customers needed to be helped. He was forced to punch out. Corporate is so concerned about saving the $2.50 they would have to pay in overtime, that they fail to see cutting service will ultimately hurt the company more. And when I say $2.50, I mean $2.50, because servers/bartenders are paid less than $5/hour. Customers don’t care about your overtime costs they expect to be served and to be served well. This takes me back to my original point. First, Fridays eliminated the resource of an extra bartender while in the middle of the dinner rush. The reamining staff still needs to handle the crowds, now one less person, and service will be slower and probably not as good. Furthermore, customers will remember the slow, not-so-great service and remember that the next time they think about eating out. So ultimately, instead of investing just a couple dollars in their staff, Fridays could potentially loose business. Also, for me, one of the remaining bartenders, I loose my interest in serving Fridays corporate. You’re asking me to provide A+ service, but then you take away my resource and you expect me to just accept this? Well, I don’t accept it and in fact it makes me less willing to want to do a good job, because I know that you don’t care at all about my well-being. At the end of the day, corporate executives make their millions at the expense of entry-level, poorly paid and underappreciated staff. How, if ever, will this change? Again I say, we need to create regulations for the American-business model. I’m definitely not suggesting more unions, but rather a reformation of capitalsim. Let’s invest in the most important part of business, people. Let’s honestly look at minimum wages and benefits and face the ugly truth that people can’t survive the way it is now. If you remember anything from this post, I hope it is this. You can blame republicans or democrats or even the rich, but at the end of the day, WE let this happen and only WE can fix it. Playing the blame game will get us no where. Let’s work towards a solution and fix this country before it’s too late. |
