Nutcases and comfort food

WOW! I haven't blogged in a very long time. I miss it and so today I'm going to blog. I'll blog about what's going on and about things I hope will be going on.



For starters, there have been many new faces at Carmella's Casa Italiana. The turn over in servers has been amazing...considering nobody really wants to work in this town. Of course, that could contribute to the turn over. Whatever! It's still amazing that many individuals showed up to start...even if they only lasted three days. After awhile, I learned to give it a few weeks before I generated all the new- hire paperwork that is time consuming and burdensome.



I have to tell you, craigslist.org is not the best place to advertise. Yet it reaches so many people, so I'm torn. The hookers are there. They contact me to go to their website and look at their pictures. Since I don't check it out, I'm guessing these are porn pictures. On another note, people have contacted me directly through our restaurant website, and even they don't show up. Or when they do, they are nut cases!



Before I scare you off from visiting the restaurant, let me say we hired a new cook and another server. Both of these individuals are crackerjacks at their jobs and I'm sure you will be as impressed as I am...and I'm not easily impressed. And yes, Paige is still there.



On another note, someone, and I don't know who, let the cat out of the bag that I am selling the restaurant. That deal fell through. We're still here. We want your business, so c'mon in!



 

 



Lastly, Deb fills in here and there. If you want to see her, well then, stop in. We have comfort food, Italian music, alcohol, and a welcoming ambiance...you know, smiling faces!

 





Food, facts, and other paraphernalia

I don't know where the time goes......all I know is that my head is spinning, and that's a good thing. Both the hospital and restaurant are busy, so once again, let me say I'm blessed.

All that aside, due to our conflicting schedules, Ralph and I rarely share a meal, so we have a Sunday morning ritual of having a late breakfast together. I make Finnish pancakes or he makes chocolate chip pancakes. This year we missed a record number of Sundays because I was on-call at Manatee Memorial Hospital (MMH) and I was called in.

 



A few weeks ago the phone rang just as we finally sat down to enjoy the Finnish Pancakes together.....they were topped with honey, fruit, whipped cream. I love my son....I think you get that this breakfast is to die for so I might love this food a little more (just kidding).....I really love this breakfast.....OK.... ringing phone, and thanks to the miracle of caller ID, I see it's my mother.

 



My mother doesn't call often. Most of her calls are related to falls and visits to the ER. Anyway, I briefly thought of letting it go to voice mail before my common sense overruled my stomach. Of course, I was also torn because Ralph and I were trying to bond. I digress.....I answered. She asked if I was on call. I said no. I established she was OK and not in the hospital. Then nothing. She wasn't talking. Could it be she only called to find out if I was on call?

I'm a quiet eater, so I thought I could stay on the phone and quietly eat since she wasn't talking.....but then I wouldn't be able to talk with Ralph. I said to her, "Ralph and I just sat down to breakfast. I'll call you back." And guess what she said? You won't guess. She said, "No, that's OK."

So, that seals the deal. I am truly the black sheep of the family. And no, that is not a racist comment. Most of my friends are white.

 

 

See you soon........or not, if we're related and you live in Florida! 



If this were a movie...

I would be naked, have long hair, and be tall....however, it's not a movie and that would be the wrong movie anyway!



This is about real life and a table for four. Actually, it's about seven tables for four and a counter that also seats four and the three people involved who are making it happen and the one person who makes it possible.





I am talking about Carmella's Casa Italiana, a cozy Italian restaurant and pizzeria in Bradenton. There's Ralph, my son. He is an amazing and creative cook who also does double duty as a server on Wednesdays and Sundays. When he was a teenager, he could tell you everything there was to know about music, groups, and singers. He had a memory that was astounding and strong. Today, he still has the music information; however, he uses his memory to recall customers, what they order, how they want it cooked, and how often they come in. He knows what products sell and how to cook and sell them. As quick as his mind is, he's that quick on his feet and with his hands. He's like lightening when the restaurant is busy and he moves from tossing a pizza at the prep table to the stove where he sautes a remarkable veal Marsala or shrimp scampi. During his down time, Ralph makes the tiramisu and cannoli cream that are the staples of our dessert menu. This season, there isn't much down time, yet Ralph manages to do all that and so much more.

Then there's Tim. He's been with us since the very beginning. He's the calm and level-headed prong in this equation. OK, he's not Italian, so that's the only reason I can give for his marvelous composure! Given that he's not Italian, we discovered that one doesn't need to be Italian to be a talented Italian cook.  Among all the other menu dishes he creates and cooks, Tim is responsible for making the lasagna and the meatballs. A customer came in the other day and wanted to discuss a catering order that involved meatballs. The customer went on to say that he wanted to sample the meatballs to ensure they are still as awesome as they used to be. Really? We still have Tim making the meatballs. They are still awesome. We have customers who are travel here and abroad. We consistently hear that our meatballs and lasagna are the best they ever tasted, even better than the lasagna and meatballs they had in Italy. That is high praise indeed!

Tina is the newest member of our team. She is a true people-lover and she brings high energy and a customer following. She has incite into the customers and makes them feel instantly comfortable. She was originally hired to work 4-6 hours a week. I hired her over the phone. One hour after she arrived on that Friday to fill out the application, I met her in person and offered her the full time position. She's been with us a little less than two months and has already proven herself to be invaluable. We implemented some of her ideas; and the best thing is, she always thinking and coming up with more new ideas and better ways of doing things. You might say I found and hired her by accident when the person I really wanted to hire backed out. That being said, I'm keeping her on purpose!

Ralph, Tim, and Tina are making it happen. Last night we were slammed through the roof. Only one delivery was lost.....after all, our delivery service is "hit or miss" and only one wine glass was broken. No one got cut. All the customers left smiling, full, and happy.

So, that only leaves me. I make it possible and I consider myself honored and blessed to have such an incredible team. I mostly work at Manatee Memorial Hospital in the cardiac cath lab and on the restaurant and do things like the website, marketing, payroll, taxes, this blog, and other back of the house jobs.



Lately, though, I've also been working in the restaurant. You will find me there some Friday and Saturday evenings....Wednesday and Thursday evenings...Monday nights. I prefer to stay behind the scenes because the real stars are Ralph, Tim, and Tina. As I said, I am honored and blessed...and thankful. Feel free to stop in and see what I mean. You won't be disappointed. Now go find out!

In all honesty, our deliveries are hit or miss

The last blog was written from the heart, with honesty. Given that honesty is as well received as change, it's no surprise that it got mixed reviews. No problem, I can deal with mixed reviews. Can you deal with more honesty?

We had a full house on Valentine's Day. I was on-call, so I didn't arrive until around 7:00pm to help. I answer phones, clear tables, wash dishes, do deliveries, and just about anything else to keep things running smoothly. At 8:00pm, there was a call for a delivery. I hesitated and then I said there were no deliveries. The customer agreed to come in for a take-out, so I took his order. I questioned myself and started to berate myself for telling him no deliveries. Just as those thoughts were going around in my head, the pager went off.

I have to believe it was the voices in my head that told me to tell the customer no deliveries. No, not THOSE voices, the voice of my intuition. The Dalai Lama says to attain inner peace we must ignore those around us who cause turmoil so that was can hear our inner voice, our intuition. This has to be true, because I read it on Facebook.

 



It must have been the inner voice of my intuition that told me not to accept deliveries because I was on-call that night and could, and in fact was, called in at the drop of a dime. Anyway, it all worked out. The customer got his food and I went off to MMH and saved a life.





The next night was Friday, so of course, I was at the Casa again. I was not on-call. The phone rang. I answered it and the customer asked if there were deliveries. I said no. He said he was new to the area and he sounded like a freak.  More intuition? I like to think so.

Another phone call and question about a delivery. I happily said yes. Well, after that, it all went downhill. The customer described in lengthy detail about his difficulties in getting food delivered and how deliveries at the restaurant are "hit or miss." Remember, it was Friday. We are always busy on Fridays. I was trying really hard to take the food order, not engage in his negativity, and move on to my next task.

I'm a trained professional....with those inner voices....of intuition....and Tina was standing nearby and I didn't want to give her any bad examples. Too late, he wouldn't give it up. I replied, "Sir, we are a small family owned restaurant and I am so so so so so so so so so so so so so sorry that we can't afford to hire a dedicated delivery driver for that one delivery that may or not come in." I guess he got the message. I gave him his total. He asked if that included the delivery fee. I said, "Yes, it does. It doesn't include a tip." Palease, I wasn't expecting any tip!

Well, I delivered the food. He had Italian music blasting out of his home. He was sporting a pony-tail. He was happy to see me....he raved about how great our food is and how sad he feels when it can't be delivered. I encouraged him to tell all his friends and loved ones about our restaurant and our fantastic food. He said he does. And after all that, he included a large tip. OK, so sometimes my intuition is off; however, and best of all, I plan to use his terminology in our ads:

Dine in  -Take out - Hit or Miss Delivery - CATERING

 

 



 

Business is booming at Carmella's Casa Italiana.  I hope to see you there soon. Hopefully, you won't depend too much on our "Hit or Miss Delivery." There's never an issue with dine in, take out, or catering. Stop in and you'll see what I mean!



Can't clean on sunny days!

It's a beautiful sunny day in Florida....blue skies, gentle breezes, pony-tail palm fronds swaying softly. It's not a day for the beach or Universal, unless you're from Canada, the Northeast, or the West. OK. I'm originally from the Northeast, and since I've been here since 1988, I can say with much conviction that this is not a beach or theme park day.



That said, it is three days before Christmas and I'm expecting Christmas company for dinner. So the question arises, "Is it a cleaning day?" Really, is any day in Florida a good cleaning day? By the looks of the dust, I'd have to say, "No, no day is a good cleaning day in Florida."

Right, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking, "Why doesn't she just hire a house cleaner to clean her house and be done with it? She can certainly afford it." And I would say, "Yes, of course I can afford it."



As all of you know......or don't know.....hiring a house cleaner has nothing to do with money. It's that dust. I don't want the house cleaner to see the dust and dirt. When I've had house cleaners in the past, there was always a mad cleaning frenzy the night before she arrived.

So, as you can guess, I'm waiting for that rainy, ugly Florida day...and the energy and motivation, to clean my house so that I can hire a housekeeper.

Yes, I know it rained the other day. Sadly, I was at work so I couldn't clean. Tip to house cleaners: gear your ads to neurotic people like myself who don't want you to see the dust and dirt. Say something like: we don't judge your dust and dirt, we thrive on it!

Anyway, it's three days till Christmas. Carmella's Casa Italiana is closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and will reopen on December 26th at 4:00pm. Be sure to stop in after you return all those unwanted Christmas gifts. Did I say that? Sorry!

Have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy your family, friends, food, and pets...and whatever else brings you joy! 'Tis the season!!



Random Acts

The earth is filled with random acts and I've decided to create another. Let's trade places. You be the nurse/entrepreneur/restaurateur and I'll be the patient/customer/diner. When put like that, those are a lot of hats to be exchanging, so let's concentrate on the restaurateur and diner. You be the restaurateur and I'll be the diner. So, let's get started!

As a diner, I would Google the words Carmella's Casa Italiana Bradenton. Because the restaurant also goes by the name Casa Italiana, I would also Google the words Casa Italiana Bradenton. I would see how many pages came up and I would go through the first three or four pages or more, depending on how interesting they are. I would look for the address, telephone number, web site, and reviews. I would pay particular attention to the reviews and I would read all of them. During my net search, I would come across the link Bundle Score. Last, I would visit the web site, Carmella's Casa Italiana.

As a diner in tough times during an election year with once again sky rocketing gas prices, I don't spend my money foolishly. If I'm going out to eat, I prepare for the venture and go where I will enjoy my time out the most.



I feel the net search is positive after weighing all the information I gleaned on Carmella's Casa Italiana. I go there for a calzone, baked ziti special, and cannoli. Well, I'm not that big of an eater. I wouldn't be by myself and we would share those menu offerings. I rave about the web site to the server and ask who created it. I  ask to meet the cook since I find the food remarkably flavorful and outstanding. The restaurant is cozy and tastefully decorated. Italian music plays softly in the background. I join the Loyalty Program, pay the bill, and leave a 20% tip. I'm impressed.



As I depart, I think about their Bundle Score and wonder why they are not more popular. All things considered, they seem like Bradenton's best kept secret that should no longer be secret!

This should be Carmella's Casa Italiana Bundle Score!

I told you what I would do as a diner at Carmella's Casa Italiana. You're the restaurateur, so you tell me: What would you do as the restaurant owner and what steps would you take to make Carmella's Casa Italiana more popular?

CCI, where something good is always cooking!

OMG! It's exhausting being a nurse! There's work time, on-call time, late time, and on and on. Throw owning an Italian restaurant and restaurateur, as well as cyclist, home owner, pet owner, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and who knows what else in the mix, and the energy dial moves from exhaustion to persistent chronic fatigue. Can something be persistent and chronic? I don't know....I just know how I feel. Anway, it certainly isn't my goal to argue semantics at this point, I'm too tired!

Recently at Carmella's Casa Italiana, Deb received a phone call from an irate customer (ex-customer?) who thought we went out of business. He was extremely distraught about the name of our restaurant website. Honestly, so were we. It used to be http://enterinpeace.sharepoint.com. Hmmmm, surely you can see my, as well as everyone else's, frustration. It's a long story about how it got to be that, and it was largely due to that previously mentioned chronic fatigue.

Part of the story is that earlier in the year, I let our web address lapse because it was going to be hosted in Australia. Let the record show that I have nothing against Australia or Australians. I just don't want my web site hosted there.

Once an address lapses, it has to sit idle for awhile. I got various answers, so I don't know for how long "awhile" actually is. What I know right now is that the original address is back on the shelf, so I bought it. It's hosted in the USA. Deb, Ralph, Tim, and I no longer have to say the long mouthful that became our website address. Ralph and Tim can go back to cooking the best Italian food and pizza in Bradenton and Deborah can go back to serving it!



As for the irate customer, I don't know. He never came into the restaurant nor did he order food. He offered to get us an easier website, blah blah blah, so we're thinking he made a cold call and was looking for business. No problem, sir, I got this and thanks so much for snapping me out of my stupor!!

Carmella's Casa Italiana

In my own defense, I did purchase http://casaitaliana.info as well as a template. Frankly, I'm having difficulty learning to work within wordpress, probably once again due to all the fatigue. Not making excuses, that site has promise....I just have to take some free time and learn the wordpress basics and beyond. Please stop over there and see what you think. If you do a comparison, you're going to like the look and feel of http://casa-italiana.info better, at least for now.

I'd be lying if I said I don't ever have free time. Of course I have free time. The problem arises with what I decide to do with my free time. Biking recharges my batteries, so yes, I elect to go on 18, 23, and sometimes longer bike rides. I haven't found the cycle shorts that make 18 or 23 miles or longer comfortable in the saddle, so I have the blisters in unmentionable places to prove it.



So, what thoughts am I leaving you with today: solving problems while suffering from persistent chronic fatigue or blisters in unmentionable places? Well, that's up to you and whether problem solving or fun is your main agenda! You tell me!