Alice02/01 09:05 AM
Thought I might throw in my $0.02, for what they’re worth…
K and A, thank you for your kind words. I hope you find another place where your two seats at the end of the bar will be waiting and welcoming. We were so grateful and thankful for you and so many of our customers and friends.
Maybe I’ll start by telling you a little bit about us. Funny how we all get lumped together in the “servers” category and cease to be individuals or even people just like you, our collective performance summed up in a single derisive and thoughtless statement. I’ve always thought it would be appropriate if the powers that be required each of us to straddle some life hurdle that was the equivalent of working in the service industry before we were able to move on to the next stage of personal progression or gain. While I’m at it and even though Sunday brunch has ceased to exist at Vin, for the love of God and Dear Jesus, can’t you just remind folks, with all your compassionate compassion, to just say “please” and “thanks” and never, ever “I want.”
So forgive me fellow Vinners for exposing my current version of your secret selves in just a line or two to the populous, but here goes:
Mark is shy and definitely a musical genius and perhaps just a genius. I think Spence hit the nail on the head when he described him as a true renaissance man. And he’s hands-on, hands-down capable.
Desta has read a trillion books and her own personal history begs to be written. She is probably a genius too. She’s contemplating the soul-staggering weight of a future career in social work.
Paul is handsome and funny and careless and young and makes me think of a naughty but devilishly cute and clever puppy. He’s moving forward with his degree in residential design in horticulture, in case anyone needs some creative advice in the expansion of their landscape dreams.
Spencer is on the right path. What can I say about Spencer? He’s good and he’s real. His staggering knowledge about food and wine and philosophy and pretty much everything made me realize immediately how little I knew and how much I wanted to learn. I love Spencer for just these reasons and a trillion more.
Silas is dashing and super smart and a little nervous and secretly tender.
Alexis G., aka, Electra, is ultra cool. From among our bunch, she is definitely the bravest and the strongest. I remember Brian saying how Alexis was working three jobs while not feeling good at all. I can’t even begin to imagine balancing the pettiness and stickiness that is Sunday brunch with the nausea and anxiety of the second round of chemo treatments post-surgery and the energy and money and goodwill-toward-man eviscerator that is cancer treatment in our current healthcare system.
Alexis P. is a fierce little beautiful dancer whose efficiency and grace of movement is surely matched by efficiency and grace of mind.
Jaclyn has already described herself to you. I will concur. She’s a mad hard worker and very smart and funny and sweet and kind and gorgeous. My most favorite glimpses of Jaclyn were when she was chatting with Karina.
Haley is a zoologist. She was mistakenly but playfully named by Spencer, but every little time she smiles, yep, she is beautiful and has a wry, quiet, wacky humor and a creative and carefree style.
Lewis is clever and young and coy and his capable engineering mind will for certain move him on to bigger and better things.
Erica is exquisite.
Elizabeth is kind and sweet and good and determined and giggles so easily.
So that’s a brief glimpse of my version of the front-of-the-house staff for now. I should also say something about Sherri, Joy, Brad, Jon, Tim and Liam. I love them too for so many reasons and smile always when I remember them.
I came to Vin at a time when I’d decided that all my life choices needed to be toward a dedicated effort at leading a more conscious and aware life. I wanted to work at a place that had values that matched my own. Even though I missed out on Ashley’s genius, I believe I made the right choice. Aaron and Brian and their co-workers (Katie, Ashley, Ashley, Derick, Jason, Dwayne, Jess, Will, Kyle, Rob, Sarah, Nicolas, Karina, forgive me if I’m missing someone), amazed me with their food. I’ve never worked in a restaurant that cared so much and put so much thought and effort into every detail of it’s food selection, preparation and presentation. Farmer’s market, local harvest and production, organic, humanely raised animals, slow food, and without exception the highest quality ingredients available… Our wine opportunities were also tremendous. It was exciting and fun to learn and experience all the wine choices available and our cruvinet system made these wide-world selections available to you. I also wanted to work at Vin because of its activities in the community, through benefit dinners and by supporting the Iocal food economy’s hardest working contributors. I wonder if many of our customers realized the enormous consideration our chefs and management put toward this restaurant. This is what set Vin apart from so many other restaurants in the triangle: the devoted care and conscious effort.
So, to those of you who are saddened by Vin’s closing for personal reasons or, given a broader vision, regard it as a loss to the community of Raleigh, I am sad with you. It was my favorite restaurant too, and yes, a tremendous loss.
To those of you who are angry over the 11th-hour goings on at CWC that ultimately were to Vin’s detriment, I agree there are honorable ways to proceed, but perhaps the hugeness and chaos and fear that are intrinsic to failure for whatever reason must sometimes overwhelm even the biggest and best among us. Charity of thought and consideration of feeling and at least an allowance of time might be very generously bestowed.
For those of you who are name-calling or just plain being mean at the worst and saddest possible moment, you’re certainly right, we were better than you.
Alice
We have word that the fabulous restaurant on Glenwood South Enoteca Vin has closed for business. Employees knew it was coming but didn’t know it would be so soon. It was thought that the restaurant would close in the next month but surprisingly today was their final day of serving food. Enoteca Vin could not be contacted for comment.
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