just another day at the zoo...

so last weekend we decided to take a rainy day trip to the zoo to visit the small animal building.. we do a quick walk by of the animals on our way to the s.a.b., and then head in.. we hear the most god-awful moans and graons.. almost human-like.. so, since it's such a mellow day at the zoo (we were literally one of maybe 15 families there..) matt and i just assume it's some zoo workers being funny over the loudspeaker.. so while we are unloading isaac from his stroller, a woman kinda rushes by with her daughter.. so we ask her, "what's that noise?" and she briskly replies "it's the tortoises".. well, matt and i don't exactly "get" what she means until we walk into the atrium and see basically the picture above... oh dear lord, it was the closest i've ever been to nature, that's for sure! it went on for another minute or so, but when it was over, the dude tortoise dismounted and then they totally went their seperate ways.. it was craazzy!!
well, anyhow.. it's been almost a week, and isaac just can not seem to stop talking about "tortoise make a big sound" and "tortoise being loud.." he even dug through his books to find one he has about a tortoise and a hippo that are bff, he found his stuffed animal turtle, and that is now his "tortoise".. kiddo is officially obsessed with tortoises now!

dodo no mo mo.....

well, the end of an era is dawning.. the dodo restaurant at the gateway is closing..

I have worked at the dodo since 2005.. first as a server for almost two years, then I left in april 2007 because I was about to pop with Isaac! then I returned in july of 2008 and was promoted to assistant manager in october.. it has been a great place to work with a very fun (and funny!) foh-that's "front of house"- staff, a super-hardworking and friendly boh-"back" and two awesomely generous owners, they always have a fun christmas party for us and i've never walked away from one empty-handed.

unfortunately, I can't say I didn't have my suspicions.. the restaurant has struggled in that location for a while now..we have been plagued by dripping dishwater floods from the restaurant above us (samba grill-at the time it was happening,now tucano's-no problems with them..)that forced us to close early on more than one occasion, costing us who knows what in sales.. and,well, i'm just tellin y'all right now: the gateway has cockroaches. I haven't seen any at the dodo since late '06, but there was a period of like 4-5 months where all employees were on serious patrol so no customers would see them.. icky, i know.. but like i said it's the whole hateway,i still see em all the time in the back hall behind california pizza kitchen..( the entire dodo staff hates that place! at least twice a day someone comes in thinking we are them..)

business there is unlike any other restaurant i've ever worked in..it's across from the Energy Solutions Arena(formerly Delta Center) so when there are events such as jazz games or concerts, it can get crazy busy!! it's also very close to many office buildings, so when I worked there the first time, i worked mostly lunches because that was where the money was.. i would walk with at least 60 bucks a day(a 3-4 hour day, can't beat that!) then, just as i was about to burst with le bebe, the UTA was beginning construction for the TRAX line, right in front of the restaurant!! from what i understand, it was basically all downhill from there..

this past wednesday, our sales for the dinner period(4-close) were $358.00... that is with four servers on, meaning each server didn't even sell one hundred each.. also, take into account that each server ordered their own dinner, and that's about 4o bucks of the night's sales.. so with each one selling about 70-80 bucks and (at best) getting tipped 20% on their sales, they would make 16 dollars, minus about 5 for dinner, and after a shift like that most will be needing a shift beer (2 bucks each)or two, and we are looking at an 8 dollar night for these hardworkers who make 2.13 an hour!! maybe we are all better off..

we have been told that "some of us" will have an opportunity to move up to the shiny new sugarhouse location which would make me happy since it is two minutes from my house, and i would gladly take a demotion back to server, i'd probably make more than i do now as an ass. man. working only 12-15 hours a week.. so, hopefully all will work out...

we are shutting our doors on saturday may 2nd 2009.. it was good knowing you downtown dodo.. thanks for all the good times and tasty turkey sandwiches..