House Spa

I have this silly little dream that isn't congruent with any other plan I have in mind.

I have this idea that I'd like to buy one of the big, old houses downtown in Richmond... and turn it into a spa.

Wouldn't this just be such a charming place to spend a day away?

I would renovate it, have all hardwood flooring, maybe some exposed brick walls (maybe), and lots of rich, deep color on the walls. Each room would be a different sort of spa activity. There would be rooms for manicures and pedicures, rooms for massages (all different kinds- deep tissue, hot stone, Swedish, Thai...), rooms for facials and hair masks...  I would have a sauna, a yoga room, and a room where you can eat all kinds of delicious (and healthy) foods and beverages. In the back I might have a garden, a hot tub, a place to sit and enjoy the sounds of nature. Basically, everything you might want to do with your bridesmaids if you were getting married and wanted to spend a day at the spa- all found in one centralized, affordable, (and lovely) location.  

I really think there is a market for this in the Richmond area. There isn't really anything like this anywhere in this part of the state. I think it would do remarkably well. 

Unfortunately, I am not business-savvy enough for this type of commitment, nor do I want to be settled permanently anywhere right now. I still want to travel and spend time overseas, I want the chance to audition (and maybe travel with) a nationally-touring Shakespeare company, I want the opportunity to say yes to some big thing that might come my way.

So this dream might be a future endeavor. It could just be a dream, and nothing more.  But I think it would be fun, and lovely- an opportunity to make women feel special and beautiful. To give them a day away from everyday life. An escape to somewhere extraordinary- to bring a destination resort to a hometown.

Maybe one day.

Resolution July: The Month Without Resolutions

I know what you must be thinking. But wait! This is her Year of Resolutions! She can't miss a month! She'll be...MISSING a month! And then it won't be a year!

Fear not, loyal readers and supporters of my Year of Resolutions. Not all mandates should be absolute. My challenge this month is to continue making wise choices, complete my 78 ongoing-but-never-finished projects, and simply enjoy life without restrictions. Next month we will have another resolution, but this month is my reminder that life is not lived in black and white lines. It's messy and blurry and flexible and...wonderful. I'll let you know how it goes!

Resolution June: Conclusion

My month without fast food went really well, in general. It became more of a financial-awareness-and-also-healthy-eating type ordeal, without actually officially calling itself that. There was only really one time I actually got food from a fast-food joint, and I felt extremely guilty about it. So much so that I didn't eat all my food. Which then made me feel wasteful. Ha! Vicious cycle.

Overall, it was a great exercise in financial awareness and management. On top of not buying meals from restaurants, I worked much more than I have been AND I dog/house sat all month. At the end of the month I literally paid over twice as many bills as I normally do in one month. It was incredible! I felt, maybe for the first time, truly like an adult. Work hard, pay tons of bills, reap the benefits of living responsibly and maturely.  This is definitely an exercise to continue with.

Andi's Server Soap Box Vol. 8

To every person who thinks a restaurant is a drive-thru:

If you want fast food, go to a fast food joint, a diner, or even stay in your car and run through a drive-thru. Or go to the grocery and make food at home for yourself.  If you are in a rush, if you have to get somewhere quickly, it's probably not the best idea to go to a sit-down restaurant, particularly on a weekend night when the rest of the city is at the same restaurant. I'm sorry if your movie starts in 20 minutes, or if you have a doctor's visit in half an hour, but most restaurants (particularly of the fine-dining variety) do not offer 20-minute dining sessions. 

The solution: you should show up to a restaurant at least an hour and a half prior to any obligations you might have, and if it's a weekend (day OR night) it would be best to call ahead for reservations or, if no reservations are accepted, call ahead to find out if there is a wait. That'll give you a much better idea of what time to show up in order to get wherever you need to go whenever you need to get there. Or, you can simply not go to a sit-down restaurant before you HAVE to be somewhere. That way- you won't be stressed out, your server won't be stressed out, and no one will get mad or sad.  Sounds like a great plan to me!

This rant is based on past personal experience and/or past experience of other servers in various restaurants. If you think this is about you, you should remember that any resemblance or similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. And you should also probably take a good, long look in the mirror before you go out to eat again. 

Just in case.

Andi's Server Soap Box Vol. 7

To the person who walks in on his/her cellphone and continues talking/ignoring the server as the server approaches for a greet/order, etc...

Did you want service? Did you want to order? GET OFF YOUR PHONE BECAUSE THE PERSON ON THE OTHER END WON'T BE BRINGING YOUR FOOD.

This rant is based on past personal experience and/or past experience of other servers in various restaurants. If you think this is about you, you should remember that any resemblance or similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. And you should also probably take a good, long look in the mirror before you go out to eat again. 

Just in case.

Andi's Server Soap Box Vol. 6

To the table who fights over who's going to pay the check:

We don't care! It is not our responsibility to make the ultimate decision about who's going to pay the check. It is awkward, uncomfortable, and rude. We aren't going to fight with you...or for you. When we drop the check off and four pairs of hands reach for it, accompanied by a chorus of "IIII got it" or "It's miiiiine," servers cringe as if you've just dropped your recently-presented steaming-hot plate of well-done steak and lobster (which takes twenty minutes at LEAST to re-cook). It's just AWFUL. Especially when your friends get up from the table one by one, track us down at other tables, and attempt to persuade us that THEY are the one who gets the check.  OR if you (while at the table surrounded by all your friends) say something akin to, "If you don't give me the check, you ain't gittin' paid." That's the best.  So...if we don't give YOU the check, the bill is not getting paid? Or is it just me that isn't getting paid? Because either result ends poorly for us.

The solution: Decide amongst yourselves, before your server arrives, who will be paying. It really helps us not want to run away from your table, crying. Which is one of the goals of serving.

This rant is based on past personal experience and/or past experience of other servers in various restaurants. If you think this is about you, you should remember that any resemblance or similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. And you should also probably take a good, long look in the mirror before you go out to eat again. 

Just in case.

Andi's Server Soap Box Vol. 5

To anyone, for that matter, who stiffs a server for any reason other than not having one:

You have no idea what you're doing, or how it makes a server feel to literally wait hand and foot on you, only to be stiffed. Are you forgetting that your server is a human being?? Fully capable of having a life and all sorts of normal, everyday human feelings. You have come into his workplace and SPAT in his face. You have basically said, with your neglecting a tip (or perhaps your intentional lack of tipping), that he is dirt, that he is worthless, and that you could care less about whether or not you completely dissolve his entire concept of self-worth.  I'm sure you don't really care, or never really think about the affects of not tipping, but I guarantee you your server does. Nothing takes the wind out of your sails the way seeing $0 on the tip line after spending an hour of your life catering to every need and whim of the next faceless garbage disposal at your table. Which, of course, is not how we see you.

Seriously if you can't, or won't, tip your server, don't go into a place that requires someone to SERVE YOU. Unless you're super-cool with modern-day slavery, of course. Ya jerk.

This rant is based on past personal experience and/or past experience of other servers in various restaurants. If you think this is about you, you should remember that any resemblance or similarity to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. And you should also probably take a good, long look in the mirror before you go out to eat again. 

Just in case.