O-Day Approaches...Rapidly

Finally, finally we can see the light at the end of the tunnel...we are moving in, even as we speak. Last week the electricians were finishing up with the lights - although the track lights are not all up yet, and the dimmers are backordered - and Mr.Jacobs came in to put the counter tops on. Randy is also moving in, against all odds. We get regular visits from our neighbors as we all try to "git 'er done". It's exciting, if stressful. You can tell that from the state of Kevin's hair as he poses with Andrew from Delaware Business Systems - installing the POS system...

The DR is shaping up, and the "Bin Room" has a substitute table while we wait before we bring Roy's in. Meanwhile the kitchen is filling up with all the paraphernalia it takes to put out the plates that Kevin and Holly will be putting on the menu. Menu? what menu?

On Saturday we had a little birthday party for the Mom - she's 83 BTW - and checked out the tables and seats personally. We had a fabulous view of the College's graduation fireworks from the banquette by the bar, that was an added bonus! And last of all, there is that Kitchen Table, as shown with Kevin and his friend Tina in the seats of honor. The last pic is the view from said Kitchen Table, a view of the Line. That table should be pretty popular with friends and relatives, but I'm not sure how the kitchen crew will feel about it!!

I hope to get at least one more post in, before we get too crazy with setting up. Meanwhile, we still haven't set any sort of fixed opening date, since we still have to get through the Fire Marshall's final inspection and, of course, the Health Department. But at least we have an office and soon we'll even be able to use the stoves. That's when Kevin and Holly will start practicing their trade and letting us in on the food that's only in the mental stage so far. Can't wait!!

Lights, We Have Lights! And Tables...and Shrubs.

They continued in the DR, hanging lights today. The electricians worked on Saturday as well, something of a rarity I gather, but it had to be done, with a Tuesday deadline hanging over their heads. More landscaping went in last week, as well as a final on the Electric Box.

I can't wait to see the landscaping by the "pond" behind the building...there are always a ton of little frogs popping up through the algae, and we've seen some big bullfrogs, and a snake swimming in search of those little froggies too. This morning there was a pair of mallards napping on the so-called "shore", plus the bonus of a green heron, doing his hunting there as well. Quite a little nature preserve, eh? I'll try to get a photo of it on here soon.

Here's a couple pictures of people at work trying to make a restaurant happen in a timely fashion...You have first a shot of Jeff Tomsic (the third fellow on the right) trying to make sense of the kitchen with the guys who are going to be helping him with that project. Jeff has been an absolutely invaluable help with this kitchen set-up, and we will be indebted to him forever for his advice and help. He definitely can talk the talk and get the job done.

The next two pictures are of Roy and Kevin putting the tables together...Roy being another invaluable individual whom we could not do without. The last picture shows Holly - Kevin's soon-to-be Sous Chef - putting in a little extra duty as a painter. She's applying a couple coats of polyurethane on the bar and seemingly loving it. We can't wait til she is able to start her real job though!!

Tomorrow it is possible that Jay Jacobs will be putting in the counter tops and the bar top,which will be very exciting. Everything else that should be happening in the building should be happening this week and we should ALL be able to move in this weekend...but how many times have we said that? I feel so naive in thinking we could open in March, in April...oh how silly. But who ever would have thought it would be...Memorial Day Weekend??? Aaaaaaaggghh...can that be true? Well it won't be any earlier, that is certain, and one day is as good as the next, as far as we are concerned. Early June, by any account, is looking more and more realistic...Didn't I say late spring at one point? or was that early winter? Anyway, my new favorite saying - "It is what it is". What ever happens, we have a boatload of things to do before we can open our doors to the dining public, regardless of when the electricians get finished or the HVAC gets tested...like, where are we going to put the glassware for the bar? How are we going to pick up the food? What is the best way to arrange the tables? Who is going to process the credit cards and pick up the trash and hook up the phone lines? And the biggest question? what's going to be on the menu, Kevin?? We all want to know.

Radcliffe Mill is on the Grid!

Our new best friend, Delmarva Power, came to the RM yesterday and hooked up with us!

Git 'er done!

Randy and Kevin are seen admiring the work of the Delmarva Crew in the above left photo;
above right we have the Installation of the Cabinets by Roy and Alec. Tomorrow, maybe, the bar top will go on.

The building was going to be inspected tomorrow as well, with a positive report resulting in an occupancy permit...this may or may not happen, judging from what was going on down there this morning. Seems there's still a lot to on the electrical front...regardless, Randy and Company are moving in this weekend and hopefully we won't be far behind!

Brooks Tavern Inches into Being

Does that title make sense? My sister surmised - correctly - that the reason I haven't posted too many pictures of the current state of affairs at the BT is because there hasn't been a whole lot of new events to report. I am going to put up a couple pictures now, but until the electric gets hooked up, not a whole lot is going to happen. At least that's the current story. I postponed Delaware Business System's scheduled installation of the POS system for the fifth? and what I hope is the LAST time today. And of course our phone line is in place - you can call and it will ring...and ring...and ring - but since it is only installed on the outside, the part we pay the bill for, no one can answer your call. Randy and his crew are moving in on Friday, if all goes according to plan, and so we hope that bodes well for us too. I'll keep you "posted" as usual.

On the roof with the HVAC.


The HVAC as it appear on the kitchen ceiling.


And the same HVAC as it will come out into the DR.


This is the Bin Room, being finished finally.

Our big window gets a big red door.


The bar is plumbed...and soon we'll be taking that blue plastic off and getting started with the martinis!


Finally, here's Kevin and Miles chuckling over some such thing. Miles Barnard is the person behind the landscape scheme at the Radcliffe Mill, a scheme we look forward to enjoying as Spring moves into Summer.

It's Asparagus Season...

...and here in Kennedyville we're growin' some awesome spears!!! and purple to boot, eh?

Where were we?

Tom Sietsema - of the Washington Post - recently published a golden glow review of the relatively local restaurant, Restaurant Local, which is found within the Tidewater in Easton. His experience there was a little shinier than ours, but not by much. This is great publicity for a restaurant, especially here on the ES; they will be SWAMPED with extra business for a few weeks, I would bet. All of which serves to bring employees to the Shore as well, I would hope. The region needs recognized places of employment in order to attract top workers. If someone thinks that working at such and such place would advance his/her career, they'd be banging at the door to work there. We need this in Kent County. I realize this is true for many types of businesses, but within the restaurant industry, there has been a sore lack of qualified employees for at least 20 years, going from our experience. We have felt extremely fortunate to have attracted as many successful employees as we have, past and present, but there never seems to be enough. So, it is a welcome write-up, this publicity for an Eastern Shore restaurant. The spotlight can be good for all restaurants. "Local" trade comes first and foremost, but a little foreign traffic can be a tonic for the blood, as well as a blip in the bank account. As long as they don't want to move here, let them discover our cooking, eh?

And as far as our own project goes, I'd say it would be safe to say "Slowly but surely". We are down there at "the building" every day (much to the crew's dismay, I reckon), and everyday something more gets done. Who would've predicted that this procedure would last so long? Obviously not us...but, live and learn, and finally we've pretty much adjusted back into the Eastern Shore pace of things. We simply look forward to the day when we are once again gainfully employed, but continue to enjoy these final days while we're not.

Oh, and one last note. We encountered our first $42 menu item (Forty Two Dollar Entree) this past weekend. Oh, you say, were you in Manhattan? or visiting friends in San Francisco or Chicago? No, we were in Annapolis. Enough said. And no, it was not Lobster. And no, we didn't order it.

Just a Couple More Pictures

Top left is the DR window with it's new door. Next is the DR floor just after its last buff - it doesn't look like that anymore, because the construction traffic hasn't stopped just because the floor is lookin' good...one guy yesterday was patching drywall and left a trail of drywall powder from the kitchen entrance all the way to the lobby. But it'll get cleaned up again and it's really going to look great. Lower left is the walk-in, currently electrical storage unit. And lastly, that fellow in the white shirt, obviously a mucky-muck, is Warfel's CFO, checking out their project here in Chestertown. Sorry I couldn't wangle an interview.

We had our second staff meeting last night, and I promised them I'd take a picture for this Blog, but I forgot (and I think they counted on that) so we'll have to do that next time. It promises to be a great crew though, we couldn't be happier. Lots of experience and energy and enthusiasm coming on board, a very, very welcome thing.

This and That, with a few Pictures

We spent the past weekend up in the wilds of PA, camping at a couple of State Parks and forgetting everything we could about our real lives for a bit. It was wonderful. We ate some great food at the campsite, had some quality time with the Ruby, entertained a Turkey for a moment, and generally agreed that camping in the van is the best.

Meanwhile, back at ground level, not much has changed. We had heard, before we left town, that Randy and Company would be moving into their offices this Friday, the 27th. We were ecstatic - we took that to mean that things were going to be moving chop chop now that the Landlord was on the case. Sadly, this is no longer true - we stopped by his offices today and they say they were in "stop" mode...Hey, maybe we'll get one more camping weekend in!

And finally, here is an article from the NYT food section that explains a little better about the veal phenomenon, for those who are a little squeamish about devouring those cute little babies.

Just a couple pictures, including some food shots.

The Ladies have Mirrors in their Room now.

And the Men have their Thing.

Not the best shot, but Roy and Mark are finishing the back of the bar. I'll have a better shot of their work next time.

Here's a fairly "clean" shot of two of the most important places in the Restaurant Kitchen.

And, lastly, the pictures you've most wanted to see - meals at the campsite.
What could be better than Guac on a Stump, or Ribs on the Grill? WeFeast!