Closed on Sundays during the summer

Go ahead and cut back on dining out if you need to, but don't cut it out of your budget altogether. Restaurants need your dollars, especially small family-owned restaurants. And since the cutbacks, we've discovered it's makes sense to close on Sundays during the summer. It wasn't like that in late 2007 and early 2008....but that was then and this is now.

We've done lots to weather the current economy. We've streamlined the menu, cut back on restaurant and employee hours, increased our learning about social media marketing, passed out flyers, encouraged our vendors to provide best and competitive prices, changed from Verizon to Brighthouse for our phones and internet because the service and prices are better, discovered other providers with better prices for sometimes better services, etc. Despite all that, you can rest assured that we still use quality ingredients in all our sauces and dishes and we continue to provide you with the best in customer service. Also, we make our own garlic bread and rolls. We used to use three different bakeries for our bread and rolls.

I recently did the unthinkable. I paid close to $500.00 to have my plasma TV repaired. I know, for another $1000.00 I could have purchased a new LCD-LED TV. During the course of conversation with the in-home TV repair tech, it turns out he is the son of the owner and that the TV repair place is a small struggling family business. You know what? I know the small struggling family business woes and I no longer feel bad about this expenditure. The work is under warranty for 90 days. 10 capacitors were blown, and if within the next 90 days, ANY capacitor blows, it will be repaired free of charge. I feel confident I'll get another 3-4 years out of this TV, plus I helped another business owner. Action Electronics provides in-home TV repair. Their customer service is the best and I highly recommend this repair service. I know we live in a 'throw away society', but next time something breaks, see if it can be salvaged and if you can help a struggling small business owner. If you happen to need TV repair, their local number is (941) 926-6350.

Since we are all off from the restaurant today, I'm taking Ralph, Deborah, and Tim out for a bite to eat. I know, it's like a 'busman's holiday'. Anyway, we are going to try the new Tarpon Pointe Grill & Tiki Bar that opened recently across the river from Manatee Memorial Hospital. One of my colleagues went there last Thursday and recommends it. I'll let you know how it was! I recently took the family to O'Leary's in Sarasota near Marina Jacks. That was loads of fun! The food was good and those pitchers of Shock-top went down really easy!

I was in Pennsylvania for 9 days in May visiting family. Things are the same everywhere, when we were hungry and not in the mood to cook, we sent out for pizza and sandwiches. Now, as the owner of an Italian restaurant, that is a real 'bus man's holiday'. Anyway, we from the north who live in the south are arrogant and like to think the pizza and pasta is better in the north. NOT SO! Carmella's Casa Italiana has much better food, and I'm not just saying that because I'm the owner. Weird thing is, my son, Lester, thinks the food from that particular restaurant is outstanding. We actually got in an argument and I had to leave the room. Imagine the surprise he's going to get when he comes to visit and has the opportunity to eat at my restaurant. Of course, he'll never be happy again with the food from that restaurant, but that's the price he has to pay for living in Pennsylvania! *LOL* Plus, perhaps he'll come to visit more often after he tastes some really good food. (His wife, Ani, is an outstanding cook. We are not including her cooking in this comparison.)

Well, that's it for now. Off for a 15 mile bike ride, then it will be time to get ready for the tiki bar experience. Visit us soon. http://casa-italiana.info/