YELP!

This is a rant about the website "YELP." For those of you who don't know, YELP is a website that allows average people to review restaurants, nightclubs, retail outlets and other establishments. For the most part, the reviews are impartial, honest, fair and accurate. Since I used to write reviews for the newspaper and also do TV reviews for KRON TV, I understand the nuances of the whole process. But, for the record anyone and I mean ANYONE can review any place, any time. Your granny, your stalker and even your dog. Hell, it could even be the drunk at your bar. So, they can't be taken seriously all of the time. Sadly, many employers and owners take these literally and it can really affect someone's status on the employee food chain. Things like "oh the bartender had a nice ass." Gee, thanks, while that helps one's ego immensely, it does nothing for the standing of the place. Another example, someone mentioned that Izzy's recieved a 42 on a SF Department of Health inspection...(as did several OTHER Marina restaurants.) What this A-hole blogger FORGOT to mention is two-fold.

First, we were inspected several times over the last few years and received scores in the 90's. Then all of the sudden, we drop to a 42. That simply means that the department had some serious malfunctions......... Secondly, we were told what to improve upon, worked our asses off to engage in such improvements and then got a 94! A hard-earned 94. No one bothered to mention this for quite some time and I think someone that works for us had to do it which compermises the integrity of YELP all-together.

On a personal note, some douche....oops, I mean dude named "Allan B." recently complained about the two "female bartenders" at Izzy's because we were discussing a tipping situation in front of other guests. While I would like to say that Mr. B. is absolutely correct in being offended and it is unprofessional to mention these matters aloud, what he failed to understand was that we weren't really complaining about the tippers but the SYSTEM which taxes us based on what we sell. So I have to pay the government every time someone buys something from me. In essence, if you buy $100 worth of food and drink from me, and don't tip, I pay 8% anyway, then I have to tip out, so I looooooooooooooose money. Furthermore "Allan" a bar is a different place than a table. We talk, and that is why people sit there. So, "Allan," the next time you want to complain, get your facts straight. And, "Allan," on behalf of all the "female bartenders" at Izzy's, you are MORE THAN WELCOME to only sit at the bar when ERIC is working. BE MY GUEST! DO IT! I BEG YOU! laters............

Alexis Van Gelder

Pronounced... "AH-LEX-EE." Van Gelder. Mom is British. Dad is French, with a Dutch last name. He was born in France and moved to the USA when he was a youngster.

This is my new roommate. I love him. He is the little brother I never had. Alexis is an Air Force pilot, and his rank is Major. He flies air tankers and re-fuels fighter jets. We are going to find him a wife and then I can be an auntie. Yippie!

Misogyny

Misogyny: /mɪˈsɒdʒəni, maɪ-/Pronunciation[mi-soj-uh-nee, mahy-] –noun, hatred, dislike, or mistrust of women.

Well, I suppose hatred could be a little too strong, and dislike...well. But mistrust! AAACK! The blatant disregard and objectification thereof and general apathy towards...yes, that is it! I love my job and most of my co-workers and adore 95% of my adoring public but I tell you some of the men/bosses/guests and work for make me want to bleed through my eyeballs! If I am silent and just work it's "gina, why are you so quiet?" If I engage in what I deem to be meaningful conversation, I am ignored and feel like Charlie Brown's teacher. If I fight for what is right, or try to convince the powers that be of something I deem to be important to the business I am dismissed as "uptight." Well let me tell you brothers that while I will never get credit for my insight I KNOW I AM RIGHT! Of course I signed up for a Steak House gig, full of testosterone and chest beating, so I knew what I was in for. I'll just turn to this little blog as my ultimate catharsis so I can keep some semblance of sanity, and continue working hard, making beautiful drinks, charming my guests and looking hot in my lululemon yoga pants! Whew. I feel better already! (I really do look hot in those pants...)

Sleepy 4th..

Ugh, I'm exhausted. We've had a little shake-up at work so I am pulling double-duty/10 hour days and still working at the wine bar this Saturday and Sunday. No worries, it's still relatively profitable even though everyone has left town for the hills or some such thing. I think I might have to close tonight again, after opening of course, but if I get out on time I can scoot to the top of Vallejo Street and watch the fireworks over the Ferry Building. If not, I will crawl into bed and sleep until I have to be at work tomorrow morning for my 14-hour Saturday. Sunday morning will probably be dead, but then again most people that stayed here in town will be hungover and in need of some serious soakage. I'm going to hang on to the Ottimista job for a few months so I can pack away some money for travel. I'm going to open a second account strictly for savings, so I have the travel one that I can see building and then the second one for a nest egg. Anyway, so as not to go completely mad I am also going to take every-other Sunday off starting this fall so I can enjoy a 3-day weekend twice a month. I want to enjoy my time and money as well, and living in this amazing apartment in this beautiful city it's practically mandatory.

The decorating is slow-going, mainly because Alexi and I are still getting through the basics of cleaning and organizing. We also want to have a big housewarming/BBQ soon but not until we get the place in order. I really want to paint, but I'm not sure that is allowed. I can't see why the landlord would hate free home-improving, but who knows. Also still need to start planning for Burning Man.

I've scheduled a facial for this morning and trying out a new place called Rosewater on Union Street. That should at least get me through the weekend and help me relax for a couple of hours. Have a safe weekend and don't even THINK about getting in your car after drinking!

Today...

Today. What a great day! It was my second day off in a row, which most Tuesdays are. Nothing really that special to report. Only a minor frustration which, as they should, prompted me to think outside the box.

See, I have to wear a tie to work, which I hate. I'm sorry, but women are not meant to wear ties! But, it is a part of the Steakhouse tradition, so I comply. Only the skinny ties look normal on me because I am not that big and I have no Adam's apple to contend with. So, I went to H & M to buy ties and was going to take them to a tailor to fix. Long story very short, Andres Georges the French tailor on Sutter street was not too keen to shorten my tie, even though he said he would on the phone. I went back to H & M to find some skinny ties and instead, some skinny guy said they had no skinny ties. Frustrated, I went outside and decided to catch the cable car from Union Square to my house. When the cable car approached outside of Saks, the conductor told all of us to return to the Powell Street turnstile and wait in line. "I just wanna go home," I announced. "Get on the back honey," said the conductor. And off I went.

On the back I met Ben, a 20-year veteran cable car operator, who not only let me ride for free, but informed me that if I got a $45 MUNI fast-pass, I could ride the buses and cable car anytime for the entire month! Jeez, that is awesome, because the cable car stops right outside of my apartment and goes all the way to Union Square through Chinatown. I can hop aboard anytime I want and be downtown in minutes! Plus, I can ride the bus anytime to work, downtown, to North Beach, Ocean Beach, Richmond, Golden Gate park, etc! I reckon I will make up for it in about 2 weeks, since the bus is $1.50 and the cable car is $5 one-way. It's $10 for a cab just one-way downtown! So, while I make this short story incredibly and arduously long, going through the tie debacle inspired this entire lesson in SF public transport! I promptly went to Cole's Hardware today and bought myself a MUNI fast-pass and now I'm set until August... Oh, and as for the tie situation. I went on-line and bought 5 ties at $7.95 each, and they will be delivered to my door next week. I guess I will have to take the cable car to H & M and return those big, fat ties! HA! I win!

Rooms with a View

This first photo is of what I see every morning when I wake up. Of course, it varies based on the amount of fog that is hanging over the city, but that's what I love. I literally open my eyes, pop-up and smile. I still keep pinching myself. I can't believe this is where I actually live. OMG! Yesterday, I woke up and took my laundry around the corner to the Missing Sock laundry mat, practically in my pajamas, and did 5 loads in one hour. I walked to Union Square and bought some new ties for work. I hopped on the cable car, stopped at a market and bought dinner. Came home, bleached my Chuck Taylors, watched VH-1's top 1oo songs of the 90's...(that was a great trip down memory lane...) then I walked to another market to get salad supplies, and made a beautiful bone-in pork chop on my George Foreman grill. Finished the laundry while I watched the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge from my living room (and if I look to the right I can see Koit Tower) did the dishes looking over the Presidio, walked over to Swenson's for a cup of chocolate chip cookie dough, took a long hot bath to the sounds of the cable car passing-by, said goodnight to my fish Ace and Gary then went to bed looking out at Sutro Tower. What a difference a year makes....