42 Degrees South: August 2011

...And into double digits we go - who'd have thought? I can't quite believe it but it's nearly been 4 months since my last update. That time has really flown and I decided that a posting was well overdue. Especially since we are very shortly to take a break from the restaurant and head back to the UK to spend some time with friends and family - and we're very excited!!

I've had a little think about how it might feel to be so far from the restaurant for the 3 weeks that we'll be away. And I imagine that it will feel a little odd as up until now, we haven't left the country or had a break for more than 3 consecutive nights. On the one hand, it will be incredible to have such a lengthy break but on the other I expect that we'll miss the place, the team and we'll certainly miss our furry baby!! It's a little bit odd but the restaurant still doesn't feel like "work" from my perspective. I can only imagine that's because it's such a huge departure from my previous career and lifestyle.

I don't intend on boring the most generous (with their time) readers of this update with a mind-numbingly tedious dissertation - instead I thought I'd succinctly (hopefully!) share a few "highlights" and some "lowlights" (perhaps 3 of each to balance it out) from our last four months of Tassie life...

HIGHLIGHTS (in no particular order)

1. The Drunken Admiral remains afloat

In the 307 days of operating since we were handed the helm on October 1st 2010, we have looked after very nearly 39,000 paying customers. I am pleased to say that the vast majority of those seem to have genuinely enjoyed their dining experience with us and a good many have become regular and loyal customers. In fact, we inadvertently scooped the "Hobart's Best Restaurant" category following a local radio station listener poll last month! And together with the accolade came $3,000 worth of advertising spend with the station and so we have a radio ad running at at the moment which can't be a bad thing from a return on investment perspective. We have also the benefit of a fantastic team around us that we're very proud of and would be in serious trouble without.

No expense spared on presentation ;-)

2. Friends' visits

A major and fortunately recurring highlight has been to have some very good friends and family come and visit us here in Tassie - and long may this continue! Since my last update, we had the pleasure of a visit from Justin and Gill which we thoroughly enjoyed and then more recently a fleeting visit from Tom - which was a pleasure. We have plenty of pictures to share from the Justin and Gill visit but unfortunately not so after Tom's on account of two reasons: (1) the weather was shocking - the "Roaring 40's" lived up to their name and (2) a couple of photos I did take on my iPhone have been lost to the data junkyard after another seriously frustrating telecommunications glitch we've endured with our telecom provider (and was very nearly a proud recipient of a podium position on my "Lowlights" list if I didn't want to simply blank this episode from my consciousness).

Me, Brierlie, Justin, Rich, Eriko & Gill (Russell Falls)

The obligatory DA Fish Stew shot

3. Green Fingers & Muddy Paws

Don't ask me how or why but for some unaccountable reason, I seem to have developed a growing and deeply unnerving interest in our garden that seems to have germinated out of nowhere (like a seedless grape). It's early days and in truth I have probably been responsible for developing more of a disaster zone than anything aesthetically pleasing so far, but I have really enjoyed the weeding, digging, planting, sewing, composting, pruning, chopping, painting, building, leveling and landscaping activities that my gardening journey has introduced me to so far. And to say that Wiki enjoys the time we spend outside in the garden (generally with him helpfully un-doing whatever I've just done - which he displays a natural flair for) would be an understatement. Together with the gardening, I have also created a suburban wild bird haven in the back garden which is the talk of the avian community round these parts. And before anyone may be concerned that I am threatening to become an ornithologist (hiding in the garden shed with a pair of binoculars, a flat cap and pipe), fear not as Brierlie has already beaten you in raising such a concern. Anyway, I will include a "before" shot of the back garden so that in time I may be able to share an "after" shot if indeed there are to be any fruits from my labours... We're told that Rome was not built in a day and I can certainly empathise with that sentiment currently.

On the hunt for something to obliterate into 342 individual pieces

Rosellas - like giant budgies dipped in an artist's colour wheel

LOWLIGHTS (in no particular order)

1. Wiki versus vehicle

Probably the single most prominent lowlight for me over the last few months was to helplessly watch Wiki charging down the road in hot pursuit of another dog's barking (with me desperately sprinting behind futilely attempting to catch up) as he ran straight in front of a moving car and came flying out the other side yelping and spinning on the spot like he was pinned to the road. The next 60 minutes remain a bit of a blur for me but I vaguely remember picking him up off the road and flagging down a driver to race us to the animal hospital. I am very pleased to say that despite the unfavourable odds of Wiki taking on a moving car, he actually came out absolutely fine and after a couple of puppy Ibuprofen's, he was home the same day and without even a limp within 24 hours! Anyone who has ever met Wiki will comment on how floppy he is when he's held (just like a rag doll without the slightest hint of any musculature) and I assume that this must have been a saving grace when he was hit by the car.

Wicket Hunter Godfrey-Kemp (after being presented with his latest playmate)

2. Restroom nightmare

Undoubtedly my lowest moment in the restaurant so far... It's a busy weekend night and the restaurant is full and we probably don't have enough staff on as it is. A customer informs me that there must be a blockage somewhere as the men's toilets are flooding. Being the only male on the floor that evening and probably the person that the buck would have fallen to anyway, this became my issue. Without going into gory detail, picture this: the urinals have clearly been blocked for some time (who knows whether through deliberate act or an unlucky set of circumstances) but male diners have continued to use the facilities regardless until the issue was pointed out to me. The flooding (now seeping out onto the carpeted restaurant floor) is obviously an unpleasant mix of urine and the incessant flow of water to wash the urinals clean every couple of minutes. My next hour is spent resolving this situation (in an unfortunately hands on manner) whilst a certain biker gang in for dinner insists on using the urinals literally adding to the problem at hand. Not one of the most enjoyable hours from my perspective - but a character building one I'm certain.

3. Head versus structural beam

To set the scene, it was about 6.30pm on a Saturday night - probably the single most critical period in our hospitality week from both a customer numbers point of view as well as making sure we're on track for the second sitting of the Saturday night. The restaurant is full to the brim and the team is stretched to the max already. I have a mental "to do" list as long as the bar and the kitchen bell (signalling that hot meals need to be run out to tables) is ringing off the hook. I race back to the bar in order to complete two more tasks before responding to the frenzied bell and "BANG". My forehead smacks a very solid wooden beam at full force as I'm airborne between two steps. I don't have a great recollection of the sequence of events that followed but I'm told that as I picked myself off the floor and stood upright I had blood pouring down my face whilst telling everyone in the vicinity that I was absolutely fine. Once I'd been convinced that I was not absolutely fine I was ushered out back where I was met by a paramedic team that had been called to the restaurant. Suffice to say, I was treated in the restaurant's stock room out back and as I wasn't feeling too bad, I actually went back to work as I am only too aware of just how much difference even one extra person can make on the floor when we're flat out. And if anyone picked up on a strangely swaying waiter that night with an odd looking bandage across his forehead, they were too polite to say anything...

You can probably just make out remnants of the work place injury on my forehead

And whilst there are of course many more stories to tell from the last few months of Tassie and restaurant life, I will draw an end to this account of some of the High's and Low's as hopefully I will see many of you in the flesh very shortly...! To round things off nicely, I will include a few headlines and some pic's taken recently.

30 second newsflash:

1. Congratulations to my sister who is now engaged to be married to Chris in April 2012!
2. Brierlie (and her baking) have been awarded their very own stand at the renowned Salamanca Market;
3. Oliver is now a fully qualified Pilates instructor! Bookings advised...