So many tourists this summer. Just a simple walk to the beach normally a ten minute jaunt from our backdoor to Cove Beach,has turned into a thirty minute ordeal. Owners of vacant lots are raking it in , renting space as parking lots. Jean Paul has taken to taking Katie home to her parents at night. She takes the bus in the morning. She insisted that it wasn't necessary but was overruled by both men , Jean Paul and Henri.
Lots of tourists at the Farmer's Market. I suspect that many have rented hotel rooms with microwaves and fridges. But we're busy . The women seemed charmed by both Jean Paul and Henri, more by the older and somewhat less the younger. He smoozes less than his father, not having the patience for it. But Cheffie is redeemed by the fact that once you have his attention, you have all of his attention. I have seen more than one tourist woman melt not only under the humid heat that we have been experiancing this month but the intensity of his gaze. I am surprised we haven't had to get the mop out to clean up melted female tourist or at least the dripping from their tongues as they hang out. The husbands don't seem to get it. Look away , Ladies, I don't mind a bit. He is a sweet piece of something as he moves while cooking. Its almost a dance. (Hint: there is a radio on near his work station ). Lots of energy in that man , with a mind to match.
Two women almost got into a fight over a well positioned table that gave a full view of the kitchen . Katie and I got that solved and the woman who lost the table to the cutie in the bikini top and jean shorts (coin toss) called him over and had him tell her what kind of tomatoes (Roma) and cukes (pickling ) he had used in her salad. It put his back to Bikini Top. Was she ever angry! Short of taking her top off, standing on the table and whistling, which she didn't do, she was sadly lacking in how to get his attention.
This was complicated by Lola , an older woman of indeterminate age and residence , bringing in her stash of hand made jewelry and hair fobs to trade for a meal. He sat with her for about ten minutes while they negotiated . Lola is about 4'11" , is muscular and if she has nothing to trade, she washes the outside windows and the glass door. She is dependable and honest. I hear that her husband is disabled. She buys up broken jewelry and findings , and works at turning them into something better.
She has the most beautiful coil of long white hair that compliments her wrinkled freckled face. Life's dealt her hard , she is active in her church , she is almost always happy. She is one of the few that we allow to hug us, as we are not really touchy feely with strangers unless we initate. We let her use the bathroom when she is hustling her wares on the beach , she is clean. If we are too busy , she has been known to bus tables and expect nothing for it. .
I see her during the holidays ringing the bell for Salvation Army outside of Walmart. Last holiday season , she gave us a present, home made cookies, holiday pencils and some Nestle chocolate minis. Henri told her to be careful because the teen boys are sometimes a problem up there, We watch out for her if we are out and about at night.
Anyway, I ended up with the prettiest rainbow jeweled ponytail holder , which is lovely with a pair of dangling earrings to match. He gave her double portions on almost everything as it was the end of the day , then added more when he packed up her leftovers to go.
Pissed Bikini Top off , as Henri put the ponytail holder into my hair. Katie reported that she sulked when she paid her bill. Henri shrugged, and told me that Bikini Top tried too hard which set off alarm bells in his head. She was too desperate for his attention. So he did what he always does in these situations, ignore her.
I heard him run the ice crusher , placing about half a cup of crushed ice into a mixer container, he matched that with almost a cup of blood orange juice and orange sherbert which he blended , I watched as he poured the concoction into pair of soda glasses, filling the glasses the rest of the way with club soda which fizzed it, raising the creamy contents to the top. He handed me one of the glasses garnished with a cherry and whipped cream. Bikini top couldn't get out the door fast enough. I looked at the glass , the colors in the glass matched her top . So much for being immortalized.
We found out about the men who sit with the notebooks. They work for a cosmetic company called PTY which is a subsidiary of Remlov Chemical LLC. They have been working on an antiaging formula among other things. I saw the ads for a new product of theirs to be released before the holidays. They are intending to take on Avon to start. Blessed with good genes, I won't be needing their formula. Still they are a little too clinical in their observations of us . The last time that they came in , the men waited on them as Katie was off. I was ordered back to the office. They are the only ones that I have been prevented from serving. One of them tried to talk to me in the office, only to find my husband in his path. He was directed to return to his table. At 5'8" , my solidly built husband can be a formidable unspoken threat.
We have a new salad dressing that I love to death Its a cross between buffalo wing sauce and bleu cheese dressing. Its running neck and neck in popularity with the bacon ranch that was introduced after Memorial Day. And to finish it off, Cheffie has been making turtle cheesecake. I am going to weigh a ton if he continues making that.
We are going to do the evening session of Taste of Sothwold on the beach on the 4th. Jean Paul signed us up so we are committed to being there after sunset. All of the area restaurants are splitting the take from presold tickets ($15.00 per adult, $5 per kid) . Its an all you can eat buffet on the beach. The vendors switch off throughout the festival. We have to check handstamps before giving them a tray. Its a loss leader but will drum up business, we hope, in the form of increased business and catering contracts. I hear that the bands are supposed to be great . A huge party. Beer and alcoholic beverages are available from other vendors but not included in the price.
Hope to see you all on Cove Beach on the 4th.
Bon Soir et bon apetite,
Arina Copain
Office Manager
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