Wednesday, March 25, 2009

The Empire State Building

Some places are just absolutely amazing to visit such as the Empire State Building http://www.esbnyc.com/ in New York City. With its unbelievable view of the city of New York, the Empire State Building is definitely a “must-see” when visiting New York. The construction of the Empire State Building began in March of 1930 on the site of the old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel at 350 Fifth Avenue at 34th Street. It was completed 14 months later in May, 1931. Designed by the architectural firm of Shreve, Lamb, & Harmon Associates, the Empire State Building, at 102 stories, was the tallest building in the world until the completion of the first tower of the World Trade Center in Lower Manhattan in 1972. The total cost to construct the skyscraper was $40,948,000, including the cost of the land. The building alone was constructed with a little over $24,000,000. The onset of the depression significantly reduced the amount needed to construct the building. The total height of the building is 1,454 feet. The 86th floor observatory, where visitors can overlook the Chrysler Building, Harlem River and other scenes of New York City, is 1,050 feet above ground. There are 102 floors and 6,500 windows. Since it was first built, the Empire State Building has lit up the New York City skyline in a diverse array of colors and designs, with an appeal like no other building could have. Since 1931 taller buildings have been erected, but perhaps none remain as famous as the Empire State Building. There is also deep the history of the building, which includes the mishap, when in 1945 at the end of WWII, an Army Air Corps bomber plane crashed into the 79th floor in a dense fog. Since 1931, the building has also acted as the official welcoming landmark of New York to many of the world's most renown political and entertainment figures, like Prince Charles, Queen Elizabeth and Nikita Khrushchev. The Empire State Building is has amazing sight scenes to view. I would advise for someone to explore the Empire State Building as one of the first things one visits when arriving in New York.

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Top Restaurant In New York

Ever been to New York? Well, if you have make sure you go to The Spotted Pig http://www.thespottedpig.com/ . The Gastro-Pub offers quality food. I have to say that i haven't tasted something this good in a very long time. The food is rich and the taste is savoring. Some of the specialities one must try are deviled eggs, devils on a horseback, and the apple walnut and cheddar salad. According to Robin Raisfield, "Mario Batali, a chef recommended by Jamie Oliver, and a cadre of high-profile music-business investors, A&R executive Ken Friedman opened The Spotted Pig in the 100-seat West Village premises formerly occupied by Le Zoo. But don’t call it a restaurant: The Pig, despite an Italian-accented menu crafted by English expat April Bloomfield, late of London’s esteemed River Cafe and fresh on the heels of a stint last summer at Chez Panisse, belongs to that British subgenre called the "gastro-pub," a bar serving simple, straightforward food. Bloomfield’s interpretation transcends the steak-and-kidney-pie norm with char-grilled calf's liver with onions, crispy pancetta and argula, or slow-roasted king salmon with organic Italian zucchini, basil and mint. Friedman, a Los Angeles native who says he’s enthralled by atmospheric New York taverns, justifies the "pub" part of the equation with a 100-bottle wine list, two cask-conditioned beers, and the compulsory Irish stout—an offering, no doubt, for bands that prefer to drink their dinner". This i thought was the perfect defintion of the Spotted Pig, the experience is amazing and the relaxed pub vibe makes ten times more enjoyable.

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

How to Start Your Own Restaurant Business

According to the National Restaurant Association, the restaurant industry reached a record of $537 billion in 2007 and there are approximately 935,000 restaurant-and-food service outlets. Things slowed down in 2008 but the industry is still very much alive. With 12.8 million employees the industry is the largest employer. Owning a restaurant can be very rewarding, but don't think you can open one and hire a manager and then forget about it. You need to be on top of training your manager and employees so that you don't lose your profits and/or your business. You also need to keep up with federal, state and local regulations. There are lots of pros and cons when starting your own restaurant business. First, you have to create a business plan for your restaurant business to have a chance to succeed. You have to ask yourself what kind of restaurant am i constructing, a seafood place, steakplace, all of the above, etc...One of the most important factors that one must consider when building his/her restaurant is location. If the restaurant is located in a good location such as a downtown area, most likely a lot of traffic is going to come there. After you have chosen the location, the next step is building your own restaurant. At this point, choosing a good contractor, buying or leasing the location also laying out the space and design of the restaurant for example: your entrance, bar area, patio, restrooms, kitchen and more. There are four types of licenses when starting your own business. Most of them include business insurance, equipment and supplies. When the restaurant is built it is important to keep in mind that developing effective systems to successfully run your business is critical.
Developing a menu that makes money, setting menu prices, hiring the right people such as cooks, managers, waitresses, bartenders, hostesses, food runners are some of the important aspect of what an owner must think of. Last but not least, the owner and manager must think of unconventional ways to market the restaurant and attract customers. Financial management of how to budget, keep track of sales, calculate costs of sales and inventory, reducing cost but mostly how to build wealth. Starting your own business in any industry is tough, hopefully these tips can help if you are in search of answers on "how to start your own restaurant business".

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Waitressing Until Restaurant Close

Being a waitress is a full time job, working day or nights can be challenging but the rewards are greater. I interviewed Jackie Schwarzhaupt, a current waitress at Tarpon bend. Jackie is well known at Tarpon, she has been working there for over one year and is very familiar with most of the customers that come in to eat. "As a waitress, i have to be quick on my feet as well as being extremely "customer service" oriented when customers enter the restaurant" stated Jackie. Rude customers, not being tipped well and drunk individuals ordering more drinks are some of the downfalls a waitress has to deal with. Jackie has a lot of experiences dealing with these pitfalls, her motives is that it's bound to happen but tomorrow is another day, and everyone is different. Jackie has dealed with friday nights at Tarpon bend closing at 4:00 am and this has been some of the worst nights to work. "When everyone wants to have a good time at the same time being so drunk that they cannot stand straight, i have the right to tell them they cannot drink anymore. I am allowed to call a cab for them to go home. Some appreciate my concerns and service, and some want to start confronting and sometimes fight. At this point, i would call my manager to resolve the situation and if this does not work security would have to interevene" mentioned jackie. Being a waitress has positive features, meeting great people and making really good tips allows you to have your rent money for the month in two or three nights of working. After a while, people start to get familiar with the waitresses working there and are more and more generous with their tips, it seems as if it becomes a family buisness. The most rewarding aspect of waitressing is the tips that come along with the job and also the positive comments that customers give a waitress. "One night, i made about 300 dollars on tips, i was extremely happy and the customers were so nice giving me so many compliments. This is the most rewarding thing about the job, there is nothing like someone saying "you did a great job" and "thank you for everything". Compliments are always the most pleasing things to hear" said Jackie. Now that i have covered all aspects of the restaurant buisness, hostess, cook, and waitress, it is your turn to pick which one you would prefer to work as!! Looking forward to responses!