What a dumbass I am. Daniel and I took the San Antonio managers to lunch. At the end of lunch I was returning an email on my phone and caught the tail end of their conversation which was marsha saying ” my goal is 20″ I then said ” oh 20 lbs?” ” no lil 20 grand” Daniel shot me the look that said ” oh my god you are a dumbass.” thank god marsha is cool she started laughing! San Antonio anniversary today
Today I am flying Southwest Airlines. If anyone has flown Southwest they know that there is no assigned seating. While I was boarding the plane I noticed an aisle seat relatively close to the front which people kept on passing by. I immediately grabbed it and noticed the window seat was occupied by an elderly nun whose appearance mirrored a half Asian mother Theresa . It shocked me that people were avoiding her like the plaque! I quickly made friends with her knowing that I was establishing a quickpass through the gates of heaven if we took a dive. Score!!!
I finally went through all my logs from last week. The bars Rocked last week! I love when I open the logs and one after another is incredible. I opened the Denver log from Sunday night and couldn’t believe it was not Saturday night’s log!!
That makes me so happy. Lauderdale started a new promotion which involves customers paying to play pool against one of the girls. I am not sure this promotion is going to work. If it’s busy how is one of the girls going to make their drink and play pool. We will have to see how this one goes!
Off to San Antonio for the anniversary. Hot damn!!!
I had the most scarey experience of my life yesterday. Jackson and I went white water rafting down the Gallitin River in Montana. The first part was slow but fun. Jackson was excited. There is an area called the mad mile where it is rough rapids. We were doing fing but all of a sudden we hit a rock and the boat tipped over. Immediately my body was rushing down the river. I couldn’t find Jackson I didn’t know what was going on because I was crashing forward . Finally I was rescued by another boat . When I got on I asked if Jackson was alright and they said yes. I was so relieved. When I finally saw my original boat Jackson had a smile on his face from ear to ear. When I reboarded my boat I found out that the guide grabbed Jackson immediately so he only spent less then a minute in the water. Jackson was so excited , it was the greatest adventure of his life. At this point we still had half the river left to raft. It actually started hailing and raining. The whole experienec was very scarey. I was so afraid that I couldn’t save Jackson. I was emotional the rest of the night.
Celebrities are dropping like flies!! First Farrah Fawcett then Michael Jackson and now Billy Mays. I felt sorrow when I heard about farrah dying. Cancer is so fast and painful. Even though I have some reservations about how Michael may have led his life I can’t deny how his music has effected my life. The children are so young to lose their father. I watched 1 episode of Billy May’s show” The Pitchmen” . Yes I bought Shamwow which should be renamed just Sham. ( I am also facinated with that pen that cures scratches on your car) Regardless, life can be very short. They were all older then me but 10 or 20 years goes so quickly.
Is it me or Did Janet Jackson look about 20 years old? She has got to be in her late 40s. Even 20 year olds have some movement in their faces when they talk.
posted by Liliana @ 11:41 AM
I am freaking exhausted~!!! The opening week of Oklahoma City was fantastic. The bar did freaking phenomenal!! I am bringing in a few veterans in next week and the week after that as well to ensure success for these girls.
Today I am going home and people keep saying ” You don’t like our city Oklahoma?” It’s not that I don’t like Oklahoma but I have been away from home for two weeks. My clothes are so dirty that I swear my jeans can stand up on their own. Also, It truly has been the kind of hot that erodes your insides. I need to take a shower in my own home, sleep in my own bed, and eat something that is not friend or BBQ’d.
Tomorrow night Jackson gets home from sleep away camp! I can’t wait to see him.
Go Oklahoma!!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:16 PM
Definitely a bad sign that I don’t remember getting back to my hotel room last night. Jacqui and I drank 3 bottles of wine at Mickey Mantles in Bricktown, OK last night. Daniel came by for a little bit last evening but the rest is a blur. This morning Jacqui met me for breakfast and she asked me ” Lil how did we get home?” ” I was just about to ask you the same question”
I am not a tweeter person but if I was the mass tweet this morning would of read ” sorry if I offended you in any way” . Hopefully I was charming and nothing eventful happened but since I can’t remember there is a chance I made a jackass of myself.
Big all staff employee meeting today for the Oklahoma City crew!! I think the opening should go very well!!!!
posted by Liliana @ 12:09 PM
It’s Sunday in Oklahoma City! It is fucking hot here!! Everyday the 5 block walk to the bar makes me envision the cowboys and native americans working the land in the scorching heat. How the fuck did they do that wearing so much crap? It is so freaking hot!!!
WE are 5 days ahead of schedule here. We have the liquor license. We have passed all the important inspections and the bar only needs a few touch ups to truly become a Coyote Ugly.
The girls have trained everyday. I have noticed a sort of evenness that I can only attribute to learned behavior. I see very few highs and lows. That evenness plays off as low energy with the choreographed dances. Truly an interesting social phenomenon.
Ok bartending class today
posted by Liliana @ 2:32 PM
I was just about to say how well Oklahoma is going I just saw the fire inspector come in. I thought we passed yesterday? Hopefully he is just coming in for something simple!! Pressure cooker the other day. We had failed a few inspections. That is normal the problem becomes why you failed? Normally it is simple issues. One city may be stricter with one thing then another. Kevin traditionally has the issue resolved in one day. So far anything we have failed we have passed the following day.
Jackson is away at sleep away camp and I am very emotional over it. I hope he is doing well!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:28 PM
I can’t tell a lie I ROCKED TODAY! I have been up since the crack of dawn doing radio interviews for KAT rock radio, The Sports Animal radio, and Bob radio in Oklahoma City. I nailed it. I managed to be charming, intelligent, and funny on all the shows! That’s rare to be able to pull all of those traits together at one time! Thank god that it was radio because I look like crap today!
Yesterday we finished the girl search in Oklahoma City. We ran 3 hours over because so many girls showed up to try out! We have a killer staff here. I am very pleased. I have no doubt that the next week with Jacqui a few girls will start dropping like flies but I factored that into my final calculations. There are two sisters who I chose that are breathtakingly beautiful but so meek. I actually called them out on their meekness yesterday and asked them if they have the inner strength to truly pursue this. Of course they said yes. This morning Lee said to me ” hey lets get a pool together on how long the sisters will last.” I figure we can set it up like a football pool for corporate.
I hope they find some inner courage because they are stunning.
posted by Liliana @ 10:57 AM
I am laughing so hard after reading the Denver manager’s log. Katie, the GM, wrote about the girls making excuses about not being able to upsell a certain liquor. ” If my fat ass can sell a $35 shot of patron then it will be a mystery until the day I die why you can’t!” I am on the hotel computer roaring with laughter because I have said that exact thing many a time!
Bars are rocking this weekend.
The Oklahoma girl search went very well yesterday. There are 3 girls that stood out in my mind. One girl sang Led Zepplin ” whole lotta love” . It was awesome. All of us were mesmerized by this. I asked another girl what was the busiest night she ever worked. Her response was at an event called ” The calf run”. I told her I had never heard of the calf run she then said ” You know the Testicle Festival. ” Sorry that doesn’t ring a bell. Well the tag line is No Nuts No Guts. I was laughing so hard.
Another girl had written on her application that she was currently bartending at a famous hotel chain. When I asked her about it she told me that she had never been trained. She is left behind the bar to make drinks without anyone teaching her how to count or any basics about bartending. She told me that when someone asks her for something she has never heard of she runs to her cellphone and googles it. Freaking funny.
posted by Liliana @ 10:59 AM
AUSTIN rocked last night!!!! We are rocking rot rally!!!! So proud of the Austin staff!!!
Nashville is doing well for Fanfare but not what we used to do. The economy has definitely effected that event. The staff is told during these hardcore big events that they can not call in sick. They can’t be late etc. Of course on the manager’s log one of the new girls showed up 45 minutes late so Kyle canned her! For fuck’s sake show up and make some money. It’s not just my pocket that should fill fuller but the staff should make big bucks as well. Screw her. Her loss!!!
I am in the Oklahoma’s bar right now. A line is forming outside for the girl search! Awesome!! Kevin did an unbelievable job with the booths here. They look phenomenal!
Let’s go
posted by Liliana @ 12:49 PM
The countdown starts!!! Hope to see a ton of girls applying for the job in Oklahoma!
The alarm went off at the new orleans bar after hours and the fire department broke the door down to get in! Yet another bill! Of course it was a false alarm
posted by Liliana @ 3:30 PM
Go Denver!! The denver bar kicked ass last night!! Awesome. San Antonio didn’t do to shabby either.
Busy week for the bars. This week Nashville has Fanfare. Austin has Rot Rally. And I am holding the girl search in Oklahoma City!! I am feeling very strong this week!
I may be on a morning show in Oklahoma on Monday. I will keep everyone informed!
posted by Liliana @ 3:35 PM
This morning I received 15 pictures of the gross San Antonio bathrooms from Daniel. Obviously he wants approval on fixing them ! Yes you made your point!
posted by Liliana @ 11:50 AM
Jackson and I just watched the reality show about ” celebrities” being in the jungles of Costa Rica. I don’t mean any disrespect but I have no idea who half these people are. As hard as I am in so many aspects of my life I would freak the fuck out if I had mice biting me.
So excited to open another bar!!!
posted by Liliana @ 9:00 PM
Over a week ago a company from the Netherlands asked if they could hire our girl group. I thought it would be a nice trip for them. A free trip to another country. They would be treated like princesses. I had Kyle leave messages for the girls and I told Kyle I needed to know their various schedules by Monday morning. Monday morning came with only 2 girls getting back to Kyle, so I canceled the trip. By the end of monday ( 6 days after they were contacted) all the girls finally called in but I still canceled the booking fearing a lack of commitment would dampen the event. They may not be on the road to becoming the next Spice Girls but life is short. It would of been a nice memory to tell their kids. Too Bad.
I am getting excited for the girl search in Oklahoma!!! Fun to get back to work.
posted by Liliana @ 11:22 AM
Is slut red inappropriate for a baptism? It’s Chantel’s baby’s baptism today. It’s as per usual hot as hell and my church clothes were given to the Salvation Army about twenty years ago.
Jackson has a project due tomorrow. It’s a contest with the other students on who can design the school’s new school flag. It needs to incorporate a few sysmbols that you identify with the school. Jackson’s symbols A SWORD: Because it takes courage to go to grueling school every day. A MEDAL OF HONOR Because you should be awarded a medal after everyday of the hardest school ever. A DOVE Because a dove represents hope and every student hopes for the end of school. Yup!! that will be his presentation.
posted by Liliana @ 11:40 AM
My opinion: Guns and bars DO NOT MIX!!!
There is a small sign hanging on the smudgy glass door of the P&H Cafe, an eclectic watering hole in the heart of Midtown. Printed on Coors Light stationery, its message is clear: “I don’t care what the State says — YOU CAN NOT BRING A GUN ONTO P&H CAFE PROPERTY!”
chris davis
P&H proprietor Bob Heaton was among the first restaurant owners to publicly condemn legislation allowing carry-permit holders to pack heat in places where liquor is served. (Note to Heaton: If Governor Phil Bredesen affixes his signature to House Bill 0233, your sign won’t mean much. Legally, it’s got to be bigger, and it’s got to contain specific language.)
There are a lot of things bar and restaurant owners still don’t understand about the bill. And, in its current form, there’s a lot they’re not comfortable with.
“I had no idea that you couldn’t just put up a sign that says ‘No Guns Allowed,'” says Murphy’s owner Benny Carter. Like most of the bar owners contacted for this story, he doesn’t have a firm grip on the details of the bill. “It’s like something they decided to fast-track in Nashville. Not one person asked my opinion,” says Carter, who started playing music in bars before he was old enough to drink and who has worked in the hospitality industry most of his adult life.
“I haven’t decided if I’m going to put up a sign or not,” he adds cautiously, before voicing a complaint that’s been echoed by bar and restaurant owners across the state: “Why is it that nobody who works in the hospitality industry is ever consulted when they make these laws. … We — the owners — end up being responsible for everything.”
John Elkington, CEO of Performa, the real-estate company that leases Beale Street, agrees with Carter’s assessment and gives it a folksy spin. “My mama always said that nothing good ever happens after midnight,” he says, adding that, in his experience, concealed guns and late-night clubs where alcohol is served don’t mix. “After all my years of working on Beale Street, I completely agree with my mama, and I strongly oppose this legislation.”
Elkington says he can imagine plenty of compromises, such as creating exemptions for historic districts like Beale or including a curfew. He’s confident that if Bredesen vetoes the legislation, bar and restaurant interests will have enough time and leverage to get the bill amended.
“If the governor vetoes the bill, I’m going to Nashville and I’m going to push,” says Elkington, quoting recent headlines regarding gun crimes committed by trained and licensed carriers. “I know Curry Todd, the [Collierville] representative who introduced this legislation, and I think he’s an intelligent man — above the norm for the state legislature. I don’t know what he was thinking.”
Preston Lamm of River City Management (Rum Boogie Cafe, Pig on Beale, and other Memphis restaurants) describes HB 0233 in two simple words: “really crazy.”
“I am going to post notice that there are no guns allowed. I believe we will probably do that with all the Beale merchants very soon,” Lamm told Flyer senior editor John Branston.
Bud Chittom, owner of Blues City Café and other downtown businesses, agreed with Lamm’s assessment but also says he understood the desire to prevent “a “Columbine-style shooting.”
“I have a gun permit,” Chittom says. “I don’t want to be a victim. But in a bar it’s going to be hard to keep [customers] from mixing alcohol and marksmanship.”
“It’s like somebody said recently: Even in the Wild West, they knew enough to check their guns at the door,” Elkington says.
Newby’s owner Todd Adams, like Chittom, is an advocate of self-defense and the Second Amendment, but he fears what may happen when mixing guns and alcohol.
“It’s hard enough dealing with an intoxicated person,” Adams says. “I would hate to have a confrontation with a drunk carrying a gun.”
To be clear, it’s still a crime to drink and carry a gun, and HB 0233 doesn’t make it legal. In addition, anyone who waves a gun in a drinking establishment for any reason other than to stop a violent crime faces time in jail. If they’ve been drinking, they could lose the right to own and carry a concealed weapon.
That’s cold comfort for opponents of the legislation, like state senator Beverly Marrero (D-Memphis), who’s mocked the legislation with a deadpan observation: “Bars exist to facilitate drinking.”
Memphis police director Larry Godwin is only a little less acerbic, scolding Tennessee’s legislative body for worrying about “letting guns into bars” instead of “putting crooks behind bars.”
“Drinking affects your decision-making,” Godwin says. “I don’t think you can ever safely mix guns and alcohol.”
Blue Monkey owner Mike Johnson also is perplexed. “I don’t see the point in any of this,” he says. “I can’t figure out what problem the bill is fixing.”
He understands that support for HB 0233 probably extends beyond the 3 percent of Tennesseans who hold carry permits but says he has never heard any public demand for allowing guns in bars.
“I can’t figure out where all of this is coming from,” he says.
Not everybody in the bar business gets white-knuckled over the prospect of having a few more shooters at their bar. Memphis Restaurant Association president Mike Miller was sharply criticized by an MRA member for sending an e-mail blast informing restaurant owners about HB 0233.
However, the only bar owner the Flyer could find who strongly favors the legislation as it currently exists would only agree to be quoted under the condition of anonymity. He calls the Flyer’s reporting on the subject “not good” and based on a “false premise.” He then blasted The Commercial Appeal for publishing a series of articles about permit holders who were less than responsible with their guns. He says the CA’s flagging of “nine out of 30,000 permit holders in their vetting process” only confirmed his belief that legally armed citizens are an exceptionally law-abiding demographic.
click to enlarge
chris davis
Nancy and Bob Heaton of the P&H Cafe
“I’m only talking to you because the media has blown everything out of proportion, and I want people to have some facts,” he says. “You can describe me as a bar owner and as a handgun instructor but don’t use my name. I don’t want a target painted on my back in a city where there are 15,000 gang-bangers.”
The bar owner reiterates that HB 0233 is for civilized people who only want to eat lunch at Applebee’s.
“There’s been no increase in shootings in states that have the same laws,” he notes, describing the handwringing by local bar owners as “ridiculous,” because it assumes that gun owners who’ve gone to the trouble of obtaining a legal carry permit will turn around and break the law by drinking while carrying.
“I’m not worried about the guy legally carrying a gun sitting a couple of tables down from me,” he says. “I’m worried about that guy I run into in the parking lot.”
He says he won’t be hanging a “No Guns” sign in his establishment, because he thinks letting gang-bangers know you’re a “gun-free zone” is an invitation to trouble.
Elkington, Carter, Johnson, and Adams have heard arguments for the legislation and have mixed sympathies, but they still think the policy is problematic and worry that they’ll be forced to deal with patrons who are loaded in every sense of the word.
“Our security people don’t even carry guns,” Elkington says. “I can’t imagine that [bar operators] won’t see an increase in insurance costs if guns are permitted in places where alcohol is served.”
“I don’t understand why this is being done,” Elkington says. “There is no compelling reason to change the law. It makes no sense.”
Carter is concerned about a lose/lose situation for bar owners, whether they post a no-gun sign or not.
“You’re not supposed to carry and drink, but how do I know whether or not you have a weapon, if that weapon is concealed? Do I have to pat down everybody who walks in the bar? Or incur the expense of a metal detector to be fair to everybody? There’s always the possibility of lawsuits that result from people who drive away from my place drunk and get into trouble. I don’t see how this will be any different.”
Says Johnson: “We don’t have bouncers at the Blue Monkey. We train our people to decelerate situations, not accelerate them.”
The Opposing View
A few weeks back, Flyer senior editor Michael Finger wrote a first-person story on obtaining a Tennessee gun-carry permit. He was trained for his certification at Rangemaster of Memphis. Recently, he conducted a follow-up interview with instructor John Parker and Rangemaster owner Tom Givens regarding Tennessee’s proposed less restrictive gun-carry laws.
Tom Givens
Michael Finger: Is it true in Tennessee that the gun does not have to be concealed?
John Parker: That’s correct. There’s no requirement for it to be concealed. The reason Tennessee did that is not so you can wear it openly; it’s so that if your garment is blown back by the wind or something, technically you are not breaking the law.
What is the problem with someone wearing a gun openly?
It could cause problems if you ran into a policeman, and there are a lot of people who don’t like the idea of this, so you get into a situation where you might disturb some people.
I don’t understand why they are passing these laws about guns in bars and parks, because it seems there is an exception to these laws: Even if you take a gun into a place where it’s prohibited, if you use it in self-defense you are okay.
Legally speaking, yes. If you wear one in a place you’re not allowed to, and you use it in self-defense, then legally you’re not going to be charged with it.
Let me ask you, Tom Givens, the same question: Since you’re already protected if you use your gun in self-defense, aren’t these new laws really pointless?
Tom Givens: Well, not really. Let me give you some historical background. When the permit statute was passed in 1996, the prohibition that prevents carrying a gun into a place that sells alcohol was not a part of that statute. It predates that statute by a number of years.
At the time that law was passed, in 1996, there was no way for a private citizen to carry a gun legally in this state. The law against carrying a gun into a place that sells alcohol was one of the enhanced penalties for carrying a pistol illegally. After the Stockton school shooting, they put in a separate statute that made it a higher penalty to carry a gun into a place that sold alcohol and a higher penalty into a school and other places.
So it wasn’t that the permit law said you can’t carry a gun into these places, it said that nobody can carry a gun into these places. In fact, it’s illegal for a police office who’s off-duty to carry a gun into those places, because of the enhanced penalty laws that came into being in the ’80s.
They simply left that language out of the carry-permit law, and they are trying to put that language back in. So this permit would exempt people from the enhanced penalties.
Thirty-seven other states allow permit holders to carry guns into places that sell alcohol, so this is not some unique thing that Tennessee is attempting. It’s legal in Mississippi, in Georgia. In most places, if you have a permit, it’s legal to go into a place that sells alcohol, as long as you are not drinking.
But doesn’t that put a burden on the bar or restaurant to “card” everyone to determine if they’re carrying and trying to drink?
No. The carry statute says it very plainly: They have to put a sign up by the door that says “No Guns Allowed.”
I understand the sign has to be a certain size with very specific language.
Yep, but all you have to do is go to Kinko’s and have one made. It has to say the right thing. But they have the option of doing that if they don’t want people with gun permits to bring guns into their places.
What if they do want permit-holders in their places?
Then, they just do nothing.
But those people still aren’t allowed to drink alcohol?
There’s a separate statute in this state. Again, it’s not a part of the carry-permit statute. It’s a Class A misdemeanor to drink and carry a gun. It’s been that way for a few years.
It’s not part of the carry-permit statute, because it’s illegal for anybody to drink and carry a gun — a policman, federal agent, or private citizen. All these people who are upset about the law don’t even know what it says now.
Why are so many restaurant owners opposed to this?
People are trying to make it sound like this is about carrying a gun into a bar. It’s not about carrying a gun into a bar. It’s about carrying a gun into a restaurant.
John Elkington
There are 99 counties in Tennessee. Only four of them have anything that you could remotely call a city. The other 95 are rural. And the people in the legislature consider Memphis to be a small, impoverished Third World country. It’s not even in Tennessee, it’s not a part of the state, as far as they are concerned. They don’t realize that nearly every restaurant in Memphis serves alcohol.
So what the current law says, basically, is that you can’t carry a gun into a restaurant in Memphis. And that’s silly. If I’m having dinner and some guy four tables over is having a glass of wine, how in the hell does that rob me of my right to defend myself in the parking lot?
Why not just leave your gun in your car for a few hours?
Do you have any idea how many guns are stolen from parked cars in the city of Memphis?
Last year the number was close to 600, and, by definition, every one of them ends up in a criminal’s hands. I go into a restaurant, leave my gun in the car, come back out, and the asshole is standing by my car with my gun. That’s a pretty lousy situation to be in. Just because some silly law says somebody is going to have a beer, I can’t carry my pistol. It’s just assinine.
Another misconception is, people think just because someone is carrying a gun, they’re looking for somebody to shoot. That’s the last thing anybody wants to be involved in. Actually, it’s the next-to-last thing. The last thing is to stand there and watch a loved one killed or crippled because you can’t do anything about it.
The Word from Law Enforcement
by Jackson Baker
In the debate leading up to the passage of legislation permitting carriers of gun permits to take their weapons into bars and restaurants, the opposition from law enforcement agencies and restaurant associations was virtually unanimous.
Guns and alcohol are “not a good combination,” said deputy District Attorney James Challen, echoing sentiments expressed last week by his boss, District Attorney Bill Gibbons. Both officials cited numerous recent cases, including those of Chris Jones, the ex-sheriff’s deputy just convicted of second-degree murder as a result of a 2008 shooting death at the Windjammer Restaurant, and the fatal shooting earlier this year resulting from an argument between two men over a space in a suburban parking lot.
Given that background, why did members of the Tennessee legislature vote so overwhelmingly for the enabling legislation?
Republican Paul Stanley, a senator who represents parts of East Memphis and Germantown, said, to him, it was a matter of enabling law-abiding people to protect themselves. Stanley noted, “Only 2.3 percent of Shelby Countians have a handgun permit, and I’ll bet you half of those don’t even carry.”
He noted further that bars and restaurants have the option to post signs banning the carrying of weapons on their premises. And Stanley asked, “What’s the difference between being in a restaurant with someone who has a weapon legally and standing in a grocery line with somebody who does? That’s already been the case.”
Even so, he acknowledged the fact of the recent shootings and said, “I can’t guarantee that nobody else won’t do something stupid.”
Democrat Roy Herron of Dresden, who, like Gibbons, is a declared candidate for governor in 2010, was an original sponsor of the legislation.
“It’s a matter of how it’s posed,” Herron said. “It’s one thing to talk of ‘bars and honky-tonks.’ It’s another if you see it as allowing law-abiding citizens who have passed strict background checks to defend their families. I wish it wasn’t necessary, but it is.”
The Fine Print
After listing all the places where handguns are not allowed, Tennessee state law currently has this exception to the no-carry rules:
“A person shall not be charged with or convicted of a violation under this part if the person possessed, displayed or employed a handgun in justifiable self-defense or in justifiable defense of another during the commission of a crime in which that person or the other person defended was a victim.”
In other words, even if you legally carry your gun into a place where it’s illegal, if you use it in “self-defense,” you can’t be prosecuted. For restaurant and bar owners, it’s not just a simple matter of putting up a sign that says “NO GUNS.” Here is the requirement for a sign to be displayed in a public park:
“Each chief administrator of public recreational property shall display in prominent locations about the public recreational property a sign, at least six inches (6″) high and fourteen inches (14”) wide, stating:
“MISDEMEANOR. STATE LAW PRESCRIBES A MAXIMUM PENALTY OF ELEVEN (11) MONTHS AND TWENTY-NINE (29) DAYS AND A FINE NOT TO EXCEED TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS ($2,500) FOR CARRYING WEAPONS ON OR IN PUBLIC RECREATIONAL PROPERTY.
“As used in this subsection (c), ‘prominent locations about public recreational property’ includes, but is not limited to, all entrances to the property, any building or structure located on the property, such as restrooms, picnic areas, sports facilities, welcome centers, gift shops, playgrounds, swimming pools, restaurants and parking lots.”
In other words, P&H proprietor Bob Heaton’s sign isn’t legally binding.
posted by Liliana @ 4:31 PM
Bank of America bought Country Wide Mortgage Company recently. I am so pissed because my mortgage payment just went up. How is that possible?
A bouncer in Denver got drunk, on his off hours, and proceeded to get into a scuffle with mall security. He broke something and now I am responsible for paying for it. What the fuck !!! A former bartender was off for the night. She went out with friends and DID NOT come to the bar that evening. In fact we provided video tape of the whole day and night to prove she did not come into our bar. That night she got into a car accident . Months later we received a letter from a lawyer placing us in a lawsuit about this. It was dismissed obviously but it still cost me money to defend myself. Why am I responsible for how people act off the clock? Fucking ridiculous!
posted by Liliana @ 3:45 PM
Very positive day at work!!! San Antonio rocked last night!!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:37 PM
I just read my emails from the weekend. Holy crap! Judith is incensed about something in Memphis. I backtracked through all the emails but have no true idea what she is incensed about. Then I get a bill from the denver mall because of some supposed incident with my Denver head of security. Now I am looking at specs from the Meadowlands! I haven’t yet read the managers logs from the weekend. Busy busy. I love that
posted by Liliana @ 9:41 PM
Long week. Jackson has been home from school all week. Between him and the constant construction in my house, I am going a bit nuts. We planted a lemon tree and an orange tree. We tried to recreate a painting that I saw in Architectural Digest. We played board games. The game we like best is called ” Worst Case Scenario” The object is moving forward across the board by getting trivia questions right. The trivia is all related to survival skills. ” How do you turn sea water to drinkable water?” ( bleach and time) ” How to treat a shock victim?” ( Cover the victim and elevate the extremities) and my favorite ” How to prepare a tropical pig for dinner?” ( Remove the musk gland located near the tail or the meat will be tainted with poison)
Can’t wait to get back to work!!!!
3 bars listed essentially the same employee problems but the way they stated it is so indicative of the manager’s personality. Lyzette, from Lauderdale, ” we could of done better if the girls worked as a team” ( Very corporate)
Kyle, from Nashville, ” Great work ethic!” ( very dry and sarcastic)
Katie, from Denver ” I will ride their asses every day if I have to” ( trash mouth, just like me)
Lol
posted by Liliana @ 3:46 PM
Nashville and San Antonio rocking this week! Hot dog.
I am exhausted. My son has been waking me up a million times during the night. He is definitely feeling better but is very congested. I am so fucking cranky I could spit!!!
I am thinking of creating a message board for the GM’s to blog on. They have the funny stories now. That will be a project. Women’s motorcross starts this weekend. Soon we will be in the mix with that!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:52 PM
I just did a radio commercial to promote the girl search in Oklahoma City. I SUCKED!!!! I called in off of a land line. My son was laughing so hard because when I got off I said ” Jackson , mommy stunk!!!” Man I am out of practice. Well regardless come down to bricktown on June 13th and 14th. I am picking the girls personally!!!!
posted by Liliana @ 6:05 PM
Really busy week. A lot of new spots seem to be surfacing. Unfortunately the demise of others is a possible windfall for us.
Jackson is really sick. He has been home from school. Last night he spiked a very high fever so we took him to the doctor. The doctor said its the early stages of pneumonia. I feel o bad for him. He is so miserable. The doctor said a week at home with antibiotics should make everything alright.
posted by Liliana @ 3:25 PM
Wednesday night a bar down the street from the Nashville bar had a shooting. Our video surveillance for the street actually caught the shooter on film. We gave it to the Nashville PD hopefully it will help.
I feel a bit out of the loop with the bars I think perhaps a few no notice drop ins by me might be just what the doctor ordered.
This morning before school Jackson said ” Oh great another barf day at school where one week seems like a month and a month seems like eternity!” I remember feeling that way about school. Especially at the end of the school year. It just drags and drags.
posted by Liliana @ 10:55 AM
A few days after we open Oklahoma City in late June is the H.O.G. ( Harley Owner’s Group, which I am a member) Bike rally. Awesome we are opening right in time for it!!!
A bunch of crap going on at the bars.
Tonight I have been trying to do DNA research with Jackson. This is not for school, he is just interested in it. Cool. I love his active mind!
posted by Liliana @ 9:32 PM
What a freaking day. We Let go one of the new managers. I already had made the decision to let this guy go when I started getting harsh letters from Jeff Wiseman about this same manager fucking some insurance up. I keep getting calls from the water company about the New Orleans bar. Bar won’t run well without water!!!!!
Went on Trey’s boat. I told him I had never driven a boat but he kept prodding me. So I drove it. The first half hour was great . I drove down canals off of Marapac Lake. We saw alligators. Awesome . This whole time I had the depth finder on. It would read anywhere from 4 feet to 30 feet. When we were in shallow water I would raise the trim. Well the depth finder read 7 feet but we still got stuck in the mud. I thought Trey was going to have a coronary. But he kept making me drive. Then he asked me to drive the boat on to the trailer when we were ready to leave. I begged him to let me just drive the trailer . ” No littlin no. You need to know how to do this.” Well I fucking hit the side of the trailer. The prop is all fucked up from the mud. I knicked the side of the boat too. I give up. I swear there is a hex on me this week. Two days ago I fell down my porch stairs. Today my legs are all black and blue. I wish I could go to sleep and wake up in a week.
posted by Liliana @ 8:09 PM
This is hysterical. The article was in a newspaper called ” The Onion” that creates fake news. So funny!!
Vindictive Movie Studio Threatens To Make ‘Coyote Ugly’ Sequel
MAY 8, 2009 | ISSUE 45•19
03.02.09
BURBANK, CA—Telling the movie-going public that it had “better start falling in line,” executives at Touchstone Pictures announced Monday that if they do not immediately see a significant increase in box-office receipts they will not hesitate to produce a sequel to the 2000 film Coyote Ugly.
ENLARGE IMAGE
Unless ticket sales climb, producers say they’ll redirect the funding from 16 indie films into Coyote Ugly II.
The original movie—which follows a small-town girl who supports her songwriting dreams by taking a job as one of many scantily clad barmaids at a New York City hot spot—was widely considered by critics to be a vapid cultural travesty. According to Touchstone Pictures president Peter Zaiff, however, if the nation doesn’t continue to blindly accept all products distributed by the entertainment industry, he’ll produce a sequel to the film that “makes the first Coyote Ugly look like On The fucking Waterfront.”
“We are dead serious, you assholes,” Zaiff said. “You’re going to like what we tell you to like, end-of-fucking-story. Now fill up those seats, or so help me God, it’s Coyote Ugly II: Get Uglier.”
posted by Liliana @ 2:40 PM
Lee sent me this yesterday. It is hysterical http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=5CY_mDbrY35P9jXtfQEaszEwODE1OTk2&referred_by=15474968-4vFN6ux&p=moveon
posted by Liliana @ 9:52 AM
Congrats to the Memphis bar. They rocked out The Beale Street Music Festival!
posted by Liliana @ 5:46 PM
San Antonio and Nashville putting up the high numbers.
Went to gulf shores this weekend. ( beginning of redneck riviera). We went to a bar called Floribama. The name comes from the idea that half the bar sits in Florida and the other half sits in Alabama. We had a blast. Bikers young and old. They had a band. 3 floors right on the beach. I always thought I would own a place like that. I drank their specialty frozen drink. Holy shit that was strong as hell.
Feeling strong and productive today.
Jackson and I had a special mommy son night . I let him stay up late and we went to see X men. I know it got mediocre reviews but I loved it. Hugh Jackson is now my new hollywood crush!
posted by Liliana @ 1:03 PM
Like clockwork. Kevin called me up yesterday having been to the doctor. ” Kevin the swine flu is still a ” flu”. You have had the flu a million times. The reason people are dieing is because they live in third world countries and don’t have the ability to hydrate themselves properly and get adequate medical help.” Oh my god. I went to Mexico and feel perfectly fine!
I read this article and was moved by this bartender’s intelligence , motivation, and charity.
BLOWING ROCK, North Carolina (CNN) — Behind the bar at a local restaurant, Doc Hendley leans in to hear his customer over the band. “You like the pinot? Cool,” he says.
Bartender Doc Hendley has tapped his regular customers to help provide funds for clean water around the world.
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It’s a seemingly average interaction, but Hendley is not your average bartender. As he pours wine in the United States, he’s also helping to save thousands of lives on the other side of the world — and he’s tapped into his regulars to help.
“[They] sit on the same stool, drink the same drink, pay the same tab every day. I felt like they really did want to be a part of something,” Hendley says. “They just were waiting for somebody to bring that something to them.”
That something is Wine to Water, Hendley’s organization that provides clean water to people in developing countries through funds raised at wine tasting events.
Since 2004, Hendley has traveled to Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda and Cambodia, working with local communities to build clean water wells and sanitation systems.
The 30-year-old first learned about the world’s water crisis when he took a break from college, and his job as a bar-keep, to travel the world; he hoped it would ground his education and provide some direction. It did.
“I began seeing the figures [of] people that don’t have access to clean water — and it absolutely floored me,” he recalls.
At least one in six people worldwide lack access to adequate amounts of safe water for drinking and hygiene, according to the UN. This contributes to diarrhea, the leading cause of illness and death, and translates to 1.5 million preventable deaths each year.
After returning to school, Hendley realized that just by using his ability to bartend and create relationships with people, he might be able to help the problem. At the bars where he worked, he solicited evenings to host wine tastings and provide information about the global crisis. By graduation, Hendley’s “Wine to Water” events had yielded enough funding to implement water projects in the developing world. Do you know someone who should be a CNN Hero? Nominations are open at CNN.com/Heroes
Don’t Miss
Get involved: Wine to Water
In Depth: CNN Heroes
He approached a local contact, Kenny Isaacs of Samaritan’s Purse, with the intention of handing over the funds for their international charitable water projects. Instead, Hendley found himself in Sudan in the spring of 2004, training to oversee water projects and developing and installing water systems in zones deemed too dangerous for United Nations aide workers — all in the midst of civil war.
“[I was] seeing these people living in conflicts, bullets whizzing by their ears — yet their biggest concern was the huge loss of life because of the unclean water,” he recalls. “That’s when water changed from being my passion to the burden of my life.” Watch Hendley describe how the experience in Darfur affected him »
After a year of service in Darfur, Hendley returned to the States and continued his fundraising events while focusing on ways his group could improve upon other water project models.
“Throughout the desert there were bore holes [for wells] all over the place, they just weren’t working,” says Hendley. “Organizations would put a brand new, $15,000 bore hole in a village that already had one; [they] didn’t stop to think that maybe that one is broken or just needs some parts.”
Wine to Water is dedicated to achieving sustainability through education and empowerment of local community members, training them to install, maintain and repair their own water systems. Watch Hendley help a Cambodia community build a well for its school »
Hendley has found this approach reduces overhead costs, leaving more for investment in water initiatives and local economies. Because his operation is small, Hendley says he’s less deterred by the instability of areas in dire need and is able to access pockets of the world that larger organizations may have to avoid.
To date, Hendley’s group has worked in five developing countries, including India, bringing safe drinking water to more than 25,000 individuals in refugee camps, orphanages, schools, hospitals and a leper colony, as well as directly into hundreds of homes through the installation of bio-sand filters. Watch how Hendley is changing lives around the world »
In the face of the overwhelming global crisis, Hendley says his work may be a drop in the bucket, but to him it’s nothing short of a miracle.
“You can be a bartender in Raleigh, North Carolina; you can be just a regular anybody. And you really, really can change the world,” he says. “You can touch thousands of lives. I’m walking truth of that.”
posted by Liliana @ 9:31 AM
My two corporate hypochondriacs are probably very scared with this swine flu. I already heard from Daniel that he will not be going to any events or promotions that involve a large group of people.
Kevin and I just got back from mexico! There is no doubt in my mind that he will start experiencing symptoms of swine flu. He may have already gone to the doctor knowing him! I feel fine!
I have to be at Jackson’s school at 6:30 in the morning to help put up the new playground. Urgh. The worst part of that is making Jackson get up that early with me! Urgh!
Supposedly I will have a functioning kitchen tomorrow. Please!!! I want to cook!
posted by Liliana @ 8:49 PM
Freaking two days in to a 3 day cleanse. I am starving, mean, and extremely agitated!
Interviewing two people for Oklahoma GM position. I spoke with both of them yesterday and both o them interviewed very positively for the position. Each of them definitely had their strong points and seemed quite qualified for the job. What is interesting is that they both have the same negative issue which has bothered me. They are both above 30. Each with one child. Both of them voluntarily quit their previous jobs ( no correlation to interviewing with Coyote) without having another job lined up. That seems very odd and irresponsible to me. I will delve into this further with each of them on our next interview.
Everyone has a story so we will see where their various stories lead us. Good Luck!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:35 PM
I love the special events weekends! I was surprised to see that San Antonio did better on Friday night then Saturday night during fiesta! But great job! Austin awesome check average last night. Very pleased!
I have been told that my kitchen will be in working order at the end of the week. Please!!! It’s been a month since I have been able to use my kitchen. I am definitely tired of eating out with Jackson. I don’t even know the last time he ate a vegetable! But It’s going to look beautiful and I can’t wait to use my new oven.
posted by Liliana @ 10:27 PM
As usual Memphis anniversary party was awesome. The theme was Disco. They put down a disco floor and played disco all night. Jacqui and I danced for hours. The girls looked fun. They were very colorful. I was very young when the disco era was happening but I don’t remember the dress being so colorful. The girls were very sparkly but all their outfits were multicolored. A combination of the 60’s and the 70’s. Kudos to the Memphis staff for always throwing a great party!
Went to the New Orleans bar yesterday. The new girl needs some work. Someone dared me to bark like the bouncers did. I did it but I have to admit that it must be hard barking witty remarks for 8 hours.
Unfortunately for us Jazzfest does not help us with sales. Most people spend all day at the fairgrounds eating , drinking, and watching bands. By the time they get back to the french quarter they are spent. It actually hurts us more then it helps us.
posted by Liliana @ 10:50 AM
Got back yesterday from Cancun. Kevin and I met the architects down there and we have some killer ideas to resurrect the space. Plus we will definitely have a Coyote Ugly Drunk bus where we pick people up at their hotels and drop them off!!! Kevin was in rare form. We went out with the architects and scouted our area to see how many people walked by in an hour. While doing this we imbibed many tequilas! It always seems like a good idea while your doing it, but the next day you know you were an idiot!
My boyfriend was supposed to meet me in Cancun on Friday night. He spent 6 hours at the New Orleans airport waiting for a plane to Houston. Houston had severe weather and he had to spend the night at a hotel. The next day he ended up spending the whole day at the Houston airport waiting for a flight to Cancun but again the severe weather grounded most planes. He had paid a $100 upgrade fee to go first class. That upgrade gave him the right to go into The Continental Airlines
president’s Club. Free drinks, free food and showers. Let’s just say he took full advantage of all those privileges. To end the story, he ended up going back o New Orleans and never seeing Cancun.
Haven’t heard from Travis about French Quarterfest yet?
posted by Liliana @ 8:31 PM
Cancun is beautiful. On the flight down here I sat next to a Navy Seal, I know this because he showed me his ID. He started with ” I bet you are a Leo , so smart and comfortable in your own skin” . Then ” I like to try and gage people . Your toes tell me that you are a natural born leader. You take care of yourself but you don’t need makeup because you are naturally beautiful.” “what is throwing me off is that your nail color is different on your hAnds then your toes. ” I countered these lines with giggles and some insights if my own. But my final words to him were ” do you think you can use those pathetic pick up lines on the flight attendent so I can get a pen ?”
Is it weird to not match your toenail color to your fingernail color?
posted by Liliana @ 8:04 AM
Last year we had a female manager quit claiming that she needed to move home to take care of the legalities surrounding her mom’s death. Yesterday chantel just ran into her and her mom whom looked very much alive!!! LOL
I had Jackson tested by an English specialist . I have been worried that he wAs falling behind. The teacher told me today that he tested 2 years ahead!! She also told me that all the students from his school have tested very high!!!
posted by Liliana @ 7:20 PM
Oh my god my friend just told me that her 70 year old mother just asked her what “teabagging” was? I am laughing so hard!!!
Back from Easter. Off to see Cancun space and meeting the architects. Very close to setting date for Oklahoma City!!
I may have said this before but how wonderful is my son? A few more months and he will have the 9 inches of hair to donate to Locks of Love. What a great kid!!!
posted by Liliana @ 11:03 PM
I had a bad dream last night and I woke upset. I was set to write a blog that got a lot of angry feelings off my chest. But I won’t because the good of the day definitely outways the bad. My son is still sleeping. He and his cousin created a fort and slept in their last night. I just went in and watched them both sleeping. So precious.
posted by Liliana @ 9:40 AM
Good day at work today. I am feeling strong and productive. Kevin called me up and told me that there was a GM applicant that practiced Wicca. ” Lil do you know anything about Wicca?” All I know about Wicca is that 25% of the storylines on the show ” The Haunting” revolve around people practicing Wicca. Maybe we can have a Wicca Night. People can pay to watch Wiccans conjure up spirits at the various bars. Maybe we can conjure up some spirits that haunt the lazy girls!!. That would be awesome! Only kidding. To each his own. I am sure there are some very wonderful Wiccans. . I truly know nothing about Wicca.
I asked Kevin to stain the OKlahoma city bar Walnut and paint the walls red. I just received samples of the bar and the walls. The bar looks black and not walnut and the walls look orange not red. Thinking positive, I hated the mustard color in Memphis but now it has grown on me so maybe the orange will grow on me to. DON”T SLOW THE PROCESS!!!
Wicca (IPA: /ˈwɪkÉ™/) is a neopagan, nature-based religion. It was popularised in 1954 by Gerald Gardner, a retired British civil servant, who at the time called it Witchcraft and its adherents “the Wica”. [Wikipedia]
posted by Liliana @ 1:34 PM
Working on a overseas deal today. Interesting. I had a meeting with these people a couple of weeks ago. They were very nice and we spoke strict business during the meeting , with the help of a translator. At the end of the meeting I went to shake and give the standard side kiss to the female partner and she froze like a popsicle. I said I am sorry, I was raised in a latin family I was taught to kiss hello and goodbye.
I am having my kitchen remodeled. For the last week. I have had no stove, fridge, cutlery. Jackson and I have to eat out for every meal. It’s going to be beautiful when it’s done but I am definitely tired of not having my space back or food here.
posted by Liliana @ 11:11 AM
Holy Crap, way to go Austin and San Antonio!I love opening up such incredible logs. Unfortunately Memphis did not have quite the same type of night as some of the other bars!
I love reading the logs sometimes. Nashville’s log said that the convention in town is a Chess Comvention. Well judging by the fair numbers , it seems that the chess club doesn’t drink as much as I would like.
These lawyers have me so concerned about every word I say. I reread the line ” the chess club doesn’t drink as much as I would like.” and the first thing that comes to my mind is ” what lawyer is going to use my words against me? When I started the Lil Spill years ago I was definitely more free to speak my mind. I miss those days. Funny things happen all the time but I am so cautious about what I write. Is it against some health code that years ago when I was working so much at the NY bar I may have had a quickie in the walk in? Now even though I haven’t run the NY bar for 10 years , I wouldn’t doubt I will hear some shit from the GM’s, ” Lil the staff gets a mixed signal about our rules when you write that.” What is the mixed message? I am the owner I can do what I want!”
Right now I am thinking about how I loved BBQ ing in the back of the NY bar. Again over 10 years ago but is some residential group going to use that against me?
It will all come out if I ever write a book.
posted by Liliana @ 1:27 PM
Having problems with my computer and I can’t read the logs.
What exactly is twitter? Is is a mix between myspace and IMing? I don’t get it. I don’t even have a facebook page. I am old
posted by Liliana @ 11:36 AM
Yesterday I had to attend a class at Jackson’s school ” so you think you are smarter then a 4th grader”. I am glad I went because the french system of long division is written out completely differently then the american way. It was funny to see all the parents looking at each other with that ” holy shit” look on their faces.
I just read this. People are nuts:
CNN) — A Maryland woman involved with a group described as a religious cult pleaded guilty in the starvation death of her son, but insisted that the charges be dropped when he is resurrected.
Under terms of her plea agreement, Ria Ramkissoon’s charges will be dropped if her son rises from the dead.
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The condition was made a part of Ria Ramkissoon’s plea agreement, officials said. She entered the plea Monday in Baltimore, Maryland, to a first-degree felony count of child abuse resulting in death, her attorney, Steven Silverman, said Tuesday.
Ramkissoon, a member of a group called One Mind Ministries, believes Javon Thompson, her year-old son, will rise again, and as part of her plea agreement, authorities agreed to the clause.
“She certainly recognizes that her omissions caused the death of her son,” Silverman said. “To this day, she believes it was God’s will and he will be resurrected and this will all take care of itself. She realizes if she’s wrong, then everyone has to take responsibility … and if she’s wrong, then she’s a failure as a mother and the worst thing imaginable has happened. I don’t think that, mentally, she’s ready to accept that.”
Under the plea agreement, Ramkissoon, 22, must testify against four other One Mind Ministries members who are also facing charges, including first-degree murder, in Javon’s death. At her sentencing, set for August, she will receive a 20-year sentence, which will be suspended except for the time she has already served behind bars, Silverman said. She must also undergo deprogramming and psychiatric counseling.
In court Monday, it was clarified that the “resurrection clause” would apply only in the case of Javon’s actual resurrection — not a perceived reincarnation, Silverman said.
posted by Liliana @ 6:34 PM
Busy day at work. Can’t wait to head to Cancun and view the space! Toronto seems to be moving along. This year is definitely on an upswing.
For the cancun bar I want to incorporate more salsa. Jacqui is going to take technical lessons and I want to take some lessons as well. So fun.
Lee’s birthday today. He’s getting up there.
The New orleans bar had no electricity or water this weekend. From what I understand the city blew a transformer in our neighborhood. Travis opened the bar with no AC and no cold drinks. Why does this always happen on a Friday and saturday night? Can’t this happen on the slowest day of the week?
Nashville great Monday!!
posted by Liliana @ 4:01 PM
Of course I go to denver during the worst snow storm of the season. Last week I had asked the managers how the weather was and received replies of 70 degrees and beautiful. Let’s just say that I was unprepared for 18 inches of snow.
Yesterday jacqui and I went to lunch at the hotel. Our waitress came to us discreetly and said ” I recognized you guys the minute you came in.” Both Jacqui and I were tickled by the waitresses obvious delight. She then said ” I flew down to Dallas to try out for your show. I always wanted to be a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader.” LOL I always say this ” just when you think your a big shot someone says something to knock you back down to the ground!” Later that evening we walked into the bar for the anniversary party and was greeted by a new bouncer. ” So nice to meet you Liz.” Jacqui turned to me and said “that bouncer just called me Jenn. ” I said “don’t worry Jenn I am now known as Liz “.
We had a ball at the Denver anniversary party. I really laughed all night. The girls looked gorgeous. I can say without hesitation that Denver has the girls with the best bodies in the system. They are crazy good looking. Two girls sang the star spangled banner and it almost made me cry. They sounded so beautiful. I always thought our old bartender from Lauderdale wiggins was the best dancer in Coyote world but Denver has a new girl Angela who is bar none the best dancer we have at all the bars. I was definitely happy with the staff last night. The snow storm had a negative effect on the outcome of the party but they did an incredible job . We really had a great time.
I met with a Korean company today . Very interesting
posted by Liliana @ 9:38 PM
Hot damn a lot going on today. My damn printer won’t work!! Looks like Toronto is getting closer to starting construction. We are very close to signing in Cancun. Hoping Oklahoma opens in the next 3 months.
Bristol was great. Drank beer mixed with Wide Open Energy drink. It was really good. the whole nascar phenomenom is very cult like. theses people live, eat , and breathe nascar. They camp out next to the racetrack. They spend all there money on one weekend at the races. Crazy. The only downside is the traffic. We had to drive 80 miles to our hotel. WE left at 7:15pm. At 9:15pm we had only driven 8 miles. I had severe road rage. It took us 5 hours to go 80 miles! Takes the fun out of the race. Next time I either camp out the night ( ya right) or I leave the track with 100 laps to go.
posted by Liliana @ 12:14 PM
San Antonio and Ft Lauderdale doing great last night! Busy week next week. Saturday is my son’s school fair so I will be working the beverage booth. saturday night I have to fly to Asheville, NC. Sunday morning I have to drive to Bristol, TN for a nascar race. It should be a great day. A lot of meets and greets but also a lot of fun. Monday night I head to nashville for two days. Spending time at the Coyote but mainly focusing on Coyote Ugly Racing. Wednesday I leave nashville and fly to Denver. thursday is the Denver anniversary. ( Awesome!!) Finally home on Friday.
Jacqui ordered me a new cleansing program called Isagenixs. It showed up today in a huge box. It was filled with powders, liquids, wafer snacks and vitamins. I looked inside to find an instruction manual and came out with a 10 page selling pamphlet. These products are set up like a pyramid money scheme. How to sell the product? How to make money selling the product? etc. Finally I found a tiny leaflet that generally describes the diet. I was definitely annoyed. I had to call Jacqui’s friend who sells this to explain what I am supposed to take? How often? What time of day? how many days? Let’s see if this stuff works. If it works maybe I will sell it!
posted by Liliana @ 4:58 PM
Chantel and I were just speaking today about the warnings that the government are giving to americans who are visiting Mexico. According to the news , the drug cartels are taking over the country.Many people are getting kidnapped and killed. Of course we just spoke about this morning and today I received an email from Jeff saying that we are close to signing a lease in Cancun. I have been to Cancun many times, let’s just hope Cancun is in a safer area!
I am shocked at the death of Natasha Richardson. Supposedly she went skiing and had a minor fall. Right after the fall she was joking and walking around. About an hour later she complained of head pain. Now she is dead. Scarey. I am interested to hear about the autopsy. I wonder if there was anything else going on?
posted by Liliana @ 10:26 PM
I went to get Jackson at school today. When I arrived I found Jackson with tissue stuffed up both nostils. Of course my first thought was nose bleed. ” Mom during my dicte I realized that I had snot bubbles coming out of my nose. I couldn’t concentrate on my Dicte so I asked the teacher if I could get a tissue. I knew the only way to stop the snot bubbles was to shove tissues up my nose and it worked. Unfortunately this took time away from my test so I didn’t finish. So it isn’t my fault that I did poorly on this test mom. ” (Dicte: In french the teacher dictates a story and the kids must write it out. They get graded for this.)
The bars are doing much better. I had to laugh yesterday when I started getting work emails on a Sunday from Jeff W. I called him on the phone to discus some work issues and just ask why he was working on Sunday? Well of course he had been given a free pass from his wife to have a weekend to do whatever he wanted but he needed to finish some paperwork and hadn’t done anything fun! Oh well it’s for a good cause.
posted by Liliana @ 8:16 PM
Congrats to Michelle , GM Austin, she had a beautiful baby boy!!! Everyone’s popping them out it seems! Michelle called me this week and told me about a homeopathic procedure to induce labor called “stripping the membrane”. I have never heard of this but it must work because she had that procedure done yesterday and today she has a beautiful child!
Also congrats go to Kevin a BMF from Lauderdale. From what I understand , his wife had their baby at 7 in the morning and he still came to work. ” I need to work to feed the kid!” That’s dedication.
This Oklahoma liquor license is unbelievable. I have to remember dates for things going back 10 years. Man I can barely remember yesterday. I told Jacqui that I felt I was loosing my memory. ” No your not Lil! You just do what I do and don’t remember things you think aren’t important!” With age I truly feel that my brain is completely full and I have no space for anything insignificant! Is that age or just laziness?
Going to Bristol next week to be part of the Nascar event. Should be exciting.
posted by Liliana @ 10:04 PM
The news is crazy. Democrats say one thing. Republicans say another thing. For the last week we have been hearing about spending earmarks that have been bashed by the republicans now today we hear that 40% of those earmarks are for republican interests. As a citizen all I know is that this economic crisis has not just arrived because of a new president but because of 8 years of poor money management. I truely don’t know what the answer is! All I know is that something needs to drastically change. I have not had to sell my house or go on unemployment, I am grateful for everything I have. But the bars have definitely been affected. I would say that we are now hitting an upswing but the last quarter of last year was down. And we made employee cuts and salary cuts accordingly.
It’s a scarey time .
posted by Liliana @ 1:06 PM
The bars rocked last night!!! Every single bar did well. I was worried about a month ago with the low numbers but I feel that everything is coming around! People may be out of jobs but they still drink! Very strange phenomenom.
posted by Liliana @ 6:38 PM
Finally! I have been viewing emails between Kyle and Lee. After weeks Lee finally described some marketing strategies in clear terms without being mean!!! Hallaluhah! 5 years something finally clicked. Good work Lee I’m proud of you!
I went to pick Jackson up from school the other day. One of the mothers asked me to look at something. In my mind I was thinking, I don’t know anything about electrical or plumbing things! It ends up that the school has an old kegolator. This is a machine that is used to both refrigerate beer and serve it through a tap. Hell yeah I know about kegolators! Let’s preface this by saying that my son’s school changed locations a few months ago so they have acquired through their new lease an old kegolator. That being said my first question was ” why does a school have a kegolator!” But I have purpose now! I texted Travis. He texted back to me about cleaning coils. I realized that he, like me, did not understand that the school truly had a kegolator. I called him back. we need to get this cleaned . It’s old but it works. I laughed because the school actually needed a professional for this job and that professional happened to be me!!! I may not know a lot but I do know about beer. I am on the job!
posted by Liliana @ 10:24 PM
I am very sorry. I will retract my last spill, it is The San Luis Band Of Mission Indians. Again my apologies!
I went to PS 30 in Yonkers , NY from K – 5th grade. I obviously did not excel in History!
Denver!! Awesome numbers
posted by Liliana @ 12:35 PM
I love technology. Jackson’s teacher has the kids set up on a website that tests math and reading. Tonight he had fun running through the tests on the computer.
Considering some female motorcross people to sponsor.
We have been negotiating with the seminole indians to put a Coyote in one of their sites. Jeff got the contracts back and they were totally unacceptable. Now the contracts came back with much better terms but they have all this legal wording specific to the tribe so Jeff had to hire an Indian lawyer to handle it. Never easy.
I was supposed to head to Oklahoma tomorrow but Kevin told me that it was premature. I decided to change the stain for the bar in oklahoma. I normally choose a cherry, mahogany. This time I am choosing a dark walnut accent color a bright red. Kevin was so overjoyed by my pick you would of thought I cured cancer. I do enjoy picking the colors. I let Kevin do Memphis and he made a two toned bar and colored everything mustard. It was horrifying so I changed some of that before opening. Now I like the way Memphis looks!
Back to work.
posted by Liliana @ 10:51 PM
The bars did great! Monday mornings I don’t open the logs expecting to be so happy but I am really pleased. Nice to see the numbers picking back up. Oklahoma has been pushed back again. At the beginning of this project we expect a quick opening but the liquor license application has been brutal. We have quite a few investors whom haven’t handed in the documents we need to proceed. So frustrating. We really may be pushed back another few months!
Let’s see what today unfolds!
posted by Liliana @ 11:31 AM
Chantel had her baby. It’s a girl! So beautiful with a full head of black hair! Brings back memories.
Jackson had his first wrestling match. I thought it was his team against another school. When we got there it was a madhouse with schools from all over the state. It was insane. These kids were incredible. Most of them had been wrestling since they were 3 or 4. Jackson’s first match he lost. But I think he was confused about the rules of the match. He spent a lot of time looking over trying to understand what the ref said and what the coach was telling him. Once he got that out of his system, he was awesome. His next match he crushed his competitor. He pinned him pretty quickly. The match I was most proud of was his last match. His competitor was a kid that had been wrestling for years. He obviously had a lot more skills then Jackson. But Jackson would not let him pin him and he would turn the tables on this kid. By the 3rd round the kid was up on points by 7-3 . Jackson all of a sudden picked him up and slammed him down. I think Jackson pinned him but the ref didn’t call it. Jackson lost but for his first match ever having only enrolled in wrestling a few months ago, he rocked. When he starts adding more moves to his repertoire he will be a force to be reckoned with. The kids who would lose would cry their eyes out. Jackson has the best attitude. He wasn’t nervous at all. Between matches he was joking with his teammates. He wasn’t mad that he lost. He chalked it up to experience. I wish I had that. Today I was that insane parent cheering louder then anyone.
On a side note. My son has long hair. Out of the 1000 kids he was the only competitor with long hair. All the judges kept calling him a girl. I get more angry then he does. Right now we are actually thinking of comebacks when people say that to him. Jackson just came up with a good one. ” You think I’m a girl? I thought your son was a girl when he went crying to his momma!” LOl My son would never say that he’s too nice and kind. But we are having a ball pretending. I told him after the match. ” If we lived in California all your male friends would have long hair so don’t worry about it.”
posted by Liliana @ 2:19 PM
My son asked me the other day” mom what does spiritual enlightenment mean?” My answer to him was that spiritual enlightenment is when you finally understand “something” and by understanding that “something” you finally achieve peace and happiness. He then responded ” I am definitely spiritually enlightened!” That made my day. Then as all proud moms do I started thinking that my son is very astute to even ask that question. He must be on another plane then ordinary kids!!!
Then the bubble bursts when a day later he tells me that the Air nation of the show “Avatar” are spiritually enlightened. That’s the only reason he asked me that question. Perhaps the trip to Tibet where my son and I were to bond with our own special yogi is a bit premature. LOL
The bars are rocking this week. Nashville rocked last night!!!! New Orleans rocked this week!!! Very nice to see great numbers.
posted by Liliana @ 11:13 AM
Chantel is scheduled to get induced tomorrow night and we are still talking business. She said it keeps her mind busy.
Jackson has off of school this week because of Mardi Gras. I took him and his friend to gulf shores this week. It’s too cold to stay on the beach so we have been hanging inside at the indoor pool. ( They did go in the ocean for about 2 minutes just to prove they could). My god they are getting on my nerves. They disagree about everything. One eats a lot . The other barely eats. One likes chocolate the other likes strawberry. They can’t even agree on a movie to watch. They are like brothers. Its quite annoying. I had a conference call today and it was virtually impossible to get them to stop speaking so loudly while I was on the call. A few off the radar projects seem to be coming closer into view! Awesome!
posted by Liliana @ 11:12 PM
The managers will get bonuses when they are completely current on all their bills and when I see no downward movement in the numbers per location.” Have you read the paper? Do you know how many people have lost their jobs? Do you realize that most of coyote corporate cut their salaries so that we can weather this economic crisis?” Makes me so angry when I hear people bitching. Have some patience. Before we spend more money let’s make sure we are in an upward motion financially. Urgh!
posted by Liliana @ 9:04 PM
I am Mardi Grased out! I helped Travis for a a little while both Friday and Saturday. Nice to see the New Orleans bar busy. Although in general I feel that there are not as many people in town, we are still up a tiny bit from last year. Jackson told me today that he is sick of the parades. I think he is just frustrated that he didn’t catch that many beads yesterday. No you don’t have to flash to get beads. Friday night we went to Beans and Jeans. That was fun. We saw Kid Rock up close. He really does look exactly the same. Last night I left the bar and had to get all dolled up for the Endymion ball. Trey invited me months ago. The first prerequisite was to buy a full length dress. Then two weeks later I was told to make sure it was cheap because it will probably get ruined. Then I was told to bring a cooler because we have to bring our own drinks. Pretty funny . Trey had on a tux I had on a beautiful yet cheap long dress . Because of all the parades we had to walk to the Superdome, where the event was held. What a sight we were in black tie outfits walking miles with these huge flashing Mardi Gras mugs filed with vodka drinks. They had an awesome cover band to start out the night. No joke they rocked. They did everything from pink floyd to 50 cent. Kid Rock was awesome. I would love to see him in a regular concert arena.
Trey is the guy everyone loves. He is the happy guy at parties that everyone is drawn to. At the ball, we were squished in with people trying to watch the parade enter the superdome. I was on my tiptoes trying to see the Marine Corp band when I turn around Trey is standing on these college kids’ cooler. ” Littlin’ these are my new friends they told me to stand on their cooler so I can watch the parade.” So the rest of us stood on our tiptoes trying to see the parade while trey was treated like a king by these kids. I can’t lie their is a part of me that is jealous of that charisma he has. Oh well I will just have to enjoy the perks of his popularity . ” Trey can I stand on the cooler ?” ” Littlin I was a marine so they want me to see the marine corp band. You weren’t a marine littlin” sorry but I will take pictures” ( littlin’ is his nickname for me. I swear he hasn’t used my real name ever)) LOL I am exaggerating just a tad. After a trip to the rest room ( port a potty) I became very lost. It took me over an hour to find our table. This morning we woke up without the cameras and without my shoes! Damn !
posted by Liliana @ 7:28 PM
Hot damn. All the bars did great last night. Finally a good sign! Getting ready for Mardi Gras. I am managing the New Orleans bar Friday noon- 5 pm and Saturday the same. I love when the girls come in from the other bars and work together. Remember if you are in New Orleans during the next week, Friday through Wednesday we stay open 24 hours a day!
posted by Liliana @ 9:40 AM
Just got back from the NY 16 year anniversary party. ( we haven’t held the anniversary party for NY on it’s actual anniversary date in years) So fun. Theme was Sweet 16. WE had the bouncers bartend part of the night. It was so funny. The girls paid for bodyshots off of them. I have a feeling they have a little more empathy for the girls now. I always get a little emotional when I go to the NY bar because I have so much history there. I love seeing the old regulars come in. We tell war stories of course. One day I need to make copies of some of the pictures on the wall from when we were so young.
There is a guy who opened a bar diagonally across the street that serves very cheap drinks. He said something really nice to me. I had never met him before but he told me that in the few years he has been opened and getting to know the neighborhood the various store owners have told him really nice things about me and how when Iived in NY I was a big part of the neighborhood. That really meant a lot to me. For a small moment I missed the day to day life of managing the NY bar. But now I am back at home with Jackson and I know my path in life has changed for the better.
One of the old regulars found an invitation for the NY 2 year anniversary. wow! Awesome party!
posted by Liliana @ 7:51 PM
A lot going on this week with our racing team! Wide open is at Daytona this weekend. Unfortunately I won’t be there but it should be fun. I am trying to change things up for myself and delve into new things. Fast cars and fast bikes. Who doesn’t love that?
Thank you San Antonio for being my shining star!! New York is staying pretty steady too ( No jinx)
Mardi Gras is coming up. I can already feel Travis’s stress! Comne on New Orleans. Show me the money!!!
Chantel is about to pop. Everyday that I see her I say ” this may be the last day I see you before the baby is born. I am ready to meet your child!”
New York anniversary party on Sunday.
posted by Liliana @ 7:14 PM
Austin staff great as always. I had a meeting the morning of the AUSTIN anniversary party and the people had spent the night before at the Austin bar. I was so pleased at how much they raved about the staff. Not just the girls but the managers, bouncers, barbacks and everyone working that night. I love to hear that.
The night went very smoothly. The bar was packed. I did my little bit to help by selling a few shots . ( I still got it)
Before the party we went out to dinner . Kellor ( Austin GM) was so annoyed with Daniel ( regional manager). Before he was promoted Kellor worked under Daniel in Austin so they have a very close report. ( kellor is 8 months pregnant now). Daniel said ” I think that baby is sucking your brain cells out. ” In one second flat Kellor’s response was ” Funny how I am still smarter then you!” Everyone at the table was like ” Daniel you have to admit she got you that time!” You don’t fuck with someone who is 8 months pregnant!
I am always amused to see how many former employees come into these events. These bars become like family for so many. ( Call it ego but if I was fired from somewhere, I would never set foot in those places) But people do and I am proud how important the bars are to people.
posted by Liliana @ 11:49 PM
Off to Austin for the 5 year anniversary. ( I think 5 years) Time flies!
When you throw a party that you know will be busy you try to hold it on a slow night. The idea behind that is to increase sales on a mediocre shift. I like the parties to be either Wednesday nights or Sunday days. Two so/so shifts. Personally Sunday day is my favorite time for a party. You get there at 2pm. Usually there is some food. You see all the regulars you haven’t seen for a while and everyone stays for 5 or 6 hours. At night time, people have to work the next day so they will have fun but usually be home at a reasonable time. I was ready for the Austin anniversary to begin at 2 pm tomorrow but Jeff Wiseman told me that it started at 7pm. What a waste of 5 great afternoon hours!
Looking for some new traveling Coyotes. I have been told there are a few girls in Austin I should check out!!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:59 PM
I read an article in Men’s health magazine about how you can lure a woman to bed by the state of your bathroom. I want to break down their numbered suggestions .
1. Bathroom should be clean ( make sure the shower liner is clean not crusty). That is 100% correct . A woman wants a man not a frat boy.
2. Have a robe hung up in the bathroom. ( Completely false unless you are in your later years) A robe indicates high maintenance man, metro, effeminate. But for an older couple could be cute.
3. 1 simple candle. No !! A candle is only placed out after a few dates. The candle implies that you get lucky all the time. Buy the candle and set it out for her when it’s supposed to be a night just for her. A special date
4. Bath oils. NO way!! High mainetnance Metro etc.
Yes the bathroom is very telling but women think on two levels:
1. Are you a man or a boy? A woman wants a man to lean on not be saddled with like a child.
2 Are you a player or do you really like just her? Hide anything that might imply that you take home a lot of girls. Bring on the candles and bath oils when you can make it seem that you bought those things just for her!
That’s all I have!
posted by Liliana @ 9:56 PM
Thank god for the San Antonio bar. Right now it’s the only bar producing solid non weekend numbers!!!
On superbowl sunday they promoted a special at Denny’s. ” Everyone gets a free Grand Slam Breakfast from the hours or 6am- 2 pm” I forgot about it but just got a text from Trey saying that it’s a 25 minute wait for breakfast at Denny’s. So funny.
My son’s dad has been asked to help chair the ” annual giving fund” for Jackson’s school. He told me the other day that he wanted to throw a fancy party to get new and old parents into the spirit of giving. He then said ” by the way it’s going to be at your house.” That involves a whole lot of cleaning, organizing, and shoving things in closets!
posted by Liliana @ 10:50 AM
Way to go Tampa coyote!!! I was just speaking with Chantel and we were curious how the Tampa bar did with the superbowl in town. Awesome numbers!!!
A lot of stuff going on this week!
posted by Liliana @ 12:41 PM
My son just stumped me. If you spell Hawk ( bird) this way, how do you spell the hawk a luggie? I have no idea how to spell hawk a luggie. ( hock?) ( luggie or loogie?)
Yesterday’s meeting in NY went very well. A lot in the works. A good start to the year.
In the whole process of building the Coyote brand we have made a few mistakes. After all these years Jeff still tries to suggest the same mistakes we made years ago. Urgh. Sometimes easy ends up being hard at the end.
posted by Liliana @ 8:18 PM
Off to NY today for an afternoon meeting. I land at 220pm and have to be at this meeting at 4pm. If you know NY traffic you will know that it’s going to be the rush of my life to get there.
I fell asleep in Jackson’s bed while he read to me a book called ” Pirateology. I kept waking up worried that I would miss my flight or be late for the meeting.
I was planning on heading to the NY bar Tuesday night but I am exhausted. I need a little caffeine to get me on my game.
posted by Liliana @ 6:32 AM
New Orleans anniversary party tonight! Travis did a great job. There were two bands and he made the theme a casino night. There was a craps table, a roulette table and a black jack table. It was all free, no real gambling but it was fun. The girls looked great and the bar was packed. Unfortunately there was one downside to the night. Yup the big breakup! Now that a few hours have passed and I am calm, I realize that he was wanting to do this. Before we came to the party he kept telling me how he wished he was a good person. I know that people believe that I am hard and cold but in truth I am a very loving girlfriend, mother , and friend. He made a choice tonight and that choice was to party in a way not appropriate when you have a relationship. If there is fault on my side, I will freely admit to saying mean things and being very angry. But hours have passed. Anger has turned to calm. And desperation has turned to sadness. Another one bites the dust.
I wonder who the next one will be?
posted by Liliana @ 4:07 AM
Jacqui is working with the New Orleans girls on the dances. She announced today that Travis has been named ” Dance captain” for this bar. How freakin’ funny . The first male GM to be named ” dance captain.” She leaned over to me and said ” pretty sad but Travis is a better dancer then 90% of the girls in all the bars!” Hysterical. The New Orleans bouncers may be performing a routine to ” sex bomb” at the New Orleans anniversary party. That should be funny considering all the bouncers in New orleans are active marines.
posted by Liliana @ 12:58 PM
Hot damn yesterday was a great day to be an american. ( not the best day to be a bar owner, except in DC). Jackson and I watched the inauguration all day. I just hope that he remembers how important this election was and the profound impact on our nation that President Obama has made.
Employee meeting at the New Orleans bar today. Quite a few new girls. So many people RSVPing to come to the New Orleans anniversary party. Should be a good time.
A girl who worked for only one month in New Orleans is now doing porn, from what the rumor mill says. This girl had absolutly no personality and was attractive but nothing special. We refer to a girl like her as a filler girl. When you are short handed with staff you would call her in. How the fuck with no personality can she be doing porn? For god sakes if you’re going to sell your soul like that you better be a star. So sad to come to Coyote a place that empowers women and then go do that. But to be fair she wasn’t a real employee and we didn’t know her well.
Somedays you love gossip. An old bouncer has impregnanted a former assistant manager. Another old bouncer has moved to Texas to court a former coyote. And an assistant manager was fired for secretly sleeping with one of the girls.
posted by Liliana @ 12:24 PM
I am so excited to watch the inauguration tomorrow. We are truly part of history. This is a great period in my life, my son’s life. I hope that this new presidency can help this country.
Spanking came up at work today. Who knew that in my professional life I would be dealing with topics like spanking?
Last night I went to the New Orleans bar. I saw a group sitting and just watching. I went up to the group and convinced the women to dance on the bar. They had a great time. One of the women came up to me and told me that she can now officially cross one thing off her bucket list. I found out that she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and is going out and and trying to do all the things she has always wanted to do. I was very moved that part of her bucket list involved coming to Coyote. I always think about the song ” Live like you were dieing.” I am sure the knowledge of your impending death changes your whole perspective. I ( knock on wood) am not dieing anytime soon but I do want to start doing some things that I have dreamed of. I don’t want to wake up and regret not enjoying my life. It might seem silly but high on my list is visiting the Grand canyon. There is something I find so joyful about the wonders of natural beauty in nature.
Jacqui is coming to New Orleans this week. I have a feeling will be drinking a lot of wine.
posted by Liliana @ 7:40 PM
Who is Chip Foose? In the San Antonio manager’s log there is a mention about being starstruck by Chip Foose. With a name like Chip he has to be a sports person.
Bar’s sucked last night. I haven’t received Nashville’s log so I am hoping that at least one bar had a spectacular night. Trey invited me to the Endymion Ball hosted by Kid Rock. I had to buy a gown. I have only worn 1 gown in my life and that was my wedding. So I went to Saks. I saw a dress I liked, not loved, for $1200. I then went to BCBG saw a dress for $117. That made the decision quite easy.
Anyone want a beagle. My freaking dog keeps on escaping. I will have to get on my hands and knees and beg my mom to take her. She ended up at a strange vet’s office the other day. I just don’t want her to be hit by a car. Urgh
The new tattoo was excruciatingly painful to get and it’s not finished. I only had a 3 hour pain threshold that day. The tattoo is on my lower calf going down to the top of my foot. It’s of the buddhist goddess Tara. I wanted a symbol of protection and prosperity. Her likeness in different colors means different things. I had ideas of the various colors. Now I realize that I need to make those colors match my nail polish preferences. Deep heartfelt meaning or kick ass way to excentuate your toes? LOL
posted by Liliana @ 10:55 AM
Finally a heart warming news story. I keep thinking about being a person in NYC looking out my window and watching a US Airways plane landing on the Hudson River. Truly unbelievable story. Kudos to the Pilot and copilot. All of the training in the world still doesn’t make a landing so perfect. I fly at least twice a month. Which means 4 flights if it is a direct flight, roundtrip. But most likely there are connecting flights, so that would be 8 flights. How well have I really memorized the emergency procedures? How well has my son listened to the emergency procedures? What if I get hurt , can he mange to lead himself to safety? What is the perfect outfit ? Pants? Boots? If it is a water landing would the heavy clothes weigh you down in the water? If the waters are freezing is it more important to be layered to protect from the freezing elements or more free to swim in the water? Are there clothes that are more buoyant?
A lot to think about!
posted by Liliana @ 10:54 AM
Jackson is growing up so fast. I need to get a portrait of us done. I am so scared of losing this moment in time with him. That closeness seems to change. I am happy for him growing up but I am sad to lose that pure love from him to me.
A lot going on. Oklahoma was pushed back. You would think after so many bars it would become easier but no it does not. My mind is racing today!
posted by Liliana @ 9:17 AM
We fucked up on the city for Erika in the calendar. “Erika I know you are from Denver, I just didn’t recheck the work. Sorry” Calendars came out very well. They should be at all the bars available for sale!!!
In Lauderdale we have an acting assistant manager named Voodoo. Voodoo is a believer in the religion, Santeria. ” For god sakes can’t you do some voodoo dolls for our enemies?” I have no idea about Santeria other then what I have seen in the movies.
New haircut. New tattoo. Only one person has noticed and she is a former employee of my son’s school whom I only met two times!!
I am volunteering a few hours a day for manager duty at the New Orleans bar during mardi gras. Chantel is trying to steer me clear of that duty but too fucking bad I’m doing it. I am sure they hate when the big boss is hovering over their shoulder but too freaking bad!!!
posted by Liliana @ 6:40 AM
80 degrees and beautiful in Ft. Lauderdale. So many new faces with the Lauderdale staff. The whole staff has been battling a flu bug, so the girls were definitely tired. I am going to head down again. I want them to get a more hands on approach in Coyote 101. The anniversary party was fun. I swear it was like a dance off between the customers. The staff gave me a huge Pimp goblet. So funny bringing that through security. I have a good feeling about Lauderdale. I think there will be a new beginning there.
Most of america has felt an economic crunch. Driving through the beach area of Ft. Lauderdale and seeing all the yachts made you wonder where the money is coming from. There is some crazy money there!
Fun night.
posted by Liliana @ 7:41 PM
The plot thickens. So Kid A told kid B that if he stole Jackson’s Bakugon he would give him $50 class dollars ( the kids earn class dollars in school redeemable for pizza and other things). So Kid B admitted taking them but only had 4 out of 17 because they had already been given to Kid A. When kid A was confronted he only had 1 left because he had already traded them all. Freaking hoodlums!!
Jackson has a test next week on the capitals of 11 states. Well I asked him what the capital of New York was and I embarrassed to say his response. Well I then quized myself on the capitals, I only got 2 right out of the 11. I remember having to study for this. Obviously , it went into the useless information vault of my brain.
Busy day at work today!
posted by Liliana @ 8:13 PM
Ft. Lauderdale has done so much better in the last few weeks!! I am very pleased. this weekend is the ft. lauderdale anniversary. Either 3 or 4 years. There is a new GM Lyzette! I am excited to go there.
A call out to Daniel. Daniel is one of the regional managers. He was probably away last year more then he was home. ” Daniel , you are doing a good job.”
We have quite a few new bars in the pipeline! Oklahoma, Toronto, Indianapolis, Milwaukee ( no freaking clue how to spell), Cancun, and a possible Harrah’s deal in San Diego!
Kyle and I are going to do a little research into women’s motorcross. Who knows you may see a Coyote Ugly women’s motorcross team.
We have decided to sponsor Kristin Bumbera in the Nascar Drive to Diversity Driver’s search. Lee created a new trading card for her. I will have him post it.
Very exciting stuff!
Yesterday I picked Jackson up from school. When I arrived Jackson told me that someone had stolen his Bakugon ( magnetic weird balls that seem to be the craze) out of his bag. One of his friends claimed to have seen a younger kid riffling through Jackson’s knapsack while jackson was in class. I decided to leave a note for the principle about this, with the disclaimer that it was all hearsay but I would like her to look into it. I just received a call from his principle who had done a little investigation of her own. It seems that jackson’s friend fabricated the story and stole the backugon himself from Jackson’s bag. ” What tangled web we weave when we practice to deceive!”
posted by Liliana @ 10:29 AM
OK I am back at work.
The tentative date for the Oklahoma City Girl search is February 28th and march 1st. The opening date , fingers crossed, will be march 11th. ( Jacqui’s and my sister’s birthday).
I was very pleased with New year’s eve at the bars. Thank god we had one good night because the two weeks prior to that were god awful at most of the bars.
Very scary world events going on.
I feel so bad for John Travolta and kelly Preston. The idea of losing a child is so incredibly horrible. The holidays will never be the same for them.
Looks like Toronto is back in the picture
posted by Liliana @ 8:36 PM
Painful! All the bars have been doing horribly!! No big incidents other then catching some fake IDs.
One of the girl’s mom’s died in Denver. She was so young. Life is short. It would be nice to die happy and at peace.
I am obsessed with the Caylee Anthony case. I’m still unsure of the timeline. If Casey, the mom, lived with her parents, how did she hide the disappearance of her daughter for 1 month? So sad for the grandparents as well. I am sure they doubt their daughter’s innocence but they still must hold out some faith that she was not capable of killing her own daughter.
posted by Liliana @ 10:43 AM
I am so freaked out. My next door neighbor’s house was broken into today. What creeps me out is that the person seemed to lauder around the house. Whoever this was actually ate food and riffled through his stuff. I hate that. I called my security company and did a test. So at least I know my alarm is working well. There are sometimes that I miss apartment living. Some spaces seem more secure.
Now I am hearing my son screaming to his friend ” You are a grubby candy stealer” He is livid about his friend taking a reeces cup. I said to Jackson ” You don’t even like chocolate.” ” Mom he is a grubby candy stealer!!!!” ( I didn’t tell him about robbery next door) The punishment imposed by my son is a wedgey! Wouldn’t that be great if a wedgey was a true detterent.
posted by Liliana @ 7:39 PM
What a slow few days for the bars. It’s painful.
I know other parents can empathize with this. Jackson has been home the last few days with a fever and congestion. NO SCHOOL. Painful. He has been up in my bedroom watching movies and playing on the computer. My son is 9 , hence we are limited to children’s shows. The code for being sick is that Mom let’s you watch TV all day. Painful to watch kids’ shows all day. I went downstairs to cook dinner and sneak a peak at ” House” the only adult show I DVR . About 5 minutes into the episode, my son comes down to see a patient with a bloody rag in his mouth. ” Mom that scares me change it!” ” How about we watch ” The Grinch who stole Christmas for the 3rd time today!!! Awesome!”
I know I will miss these times but there is part of me that can’t wait for a few adult moments.
I am laying the groundwork to hit the road running come January. Think Nascar. Think Motorcross and think Ultimate fighting. In the next year when I am old and grey I would like to forget about 2008. Bad year!! I am excited for 2009!.
My boyfriend can’t keep presents a secret so I found out yesterday, without asking that he got me a cruise for Christmas. I almost cried! So sweet!!! I really dig this guy. Cross my fingers!!! No Jinx
posted by Liliana @ 8:08 PM
The Nashville Anniversary was awesome. The theme of the party was ” a night at the oscars”. When you walked in they had a red carpet and lined the red carpet with posters from famous movies with our staff posing for the various shots. Jacqui and I did not know the theme and when we walked down the red carpet they all had flash cameras taking out picture. Very funny. Then the girls performed a couple vignets. The first one was a replication of a Beyonce video. So cute. The next was a choreographed number from the play Chicago. I woke up with the song in my head ” He had it coming. He had it coming.” So well done. The next item on the agenda was a mock awards ceremony where we won the Coyote Ugly ” Drunky” Award. They even created video images of us against mock competitors. It was such a fun idea. The whole staff did an excellent job. ( The bouncers wore pink).
Thanks Nashville. You raised the bar for anniversary parties!!!!
posted by Liliana @ 11:17 AM
One of the cooks in Nashville recently quit. The reason that he quit was because one of the managers left him a note and was offended by the “tone” of the note. Kyle read the note . The note was ” You need to do this…every week and this…. every week. That was it. Kyle, Jimbo , and I have been laughing so hard about the supposed harsh tone . My god, I had a boss throw a knife at me and I didn’t quit my job. Fucking prissy jackass.
Jeff has been trying to deal with one of the employee’s child support deductions. 5 kids !!!!! ( 4 different woman)
Big anniversary party in Nashville tonight. I can’t believe it’s snowing in New Orleans!
posted by Liliana @ 1:28 PM
The news is fascinating. I am mesmerized by the situation with the Illinois Governor. CNN is my home page and the only other story that caught my eye was ” First pictures of Ricky Martin’s twins”. Yes of course I had to read and see the pictures for one reason ” Isn’t he gay?” In reading the article I found out that he used a surragate to have the twins. OK now I get it. And no I don’t think he is officially “out”. The kids are cute and he looks happy that is all that matters.
Back to work
posted by Liliana @ 11:23 AM
It’s time to tighten those purse strings!! The concept ” save for a rainy day” seems a very difficult concept to teach some of the managers. The rain is here!
The stress level today is off the charts. Man we have got ti get more organized with the calendar. I still don’t have a copy yet.
I could very easily blow up today. Just a cautious reminder to everyone. On a good note, Jackson is doing great in school and is the love of my life. I think I am going to ask my boyfriend for tango lessons as my christmas present. The hard part about this is that he must attend!!
I am boarding my dogs at the vet for the next 3 days!! ( Nashville anniversary!) I have had dogs my whole life and never was told that I didn’t express their anal glands enough. I have no idea how to express anal glands so this will now be left to a professional.
posted by Liliana @ 1:22 PM
What a freaking day!!! It’s been a rough week. We are doing across the board budget cuts in anticipation of the depressed economy. Everyone is stressed out. Jeff and I have spoken a dozen times today about various things. You either cry or laugh. I haven’t figured out which direction I will go in. At about 1:30 this afternoon I needed to get my assistant Judy a check. Well her and her husband were at the fairgrounds. I had only been to the Fairgrounds once for Jazzfest so I went to meet her there and conduct my business. I stayed for 1 hour and only lost $25. Judy bets according to the color of the horse or the color of their silks. I tried to actually use some reason and read the program. B= bleeder B1= bleeder that is on medication for the first time. That sounds so horrible. Then I would look at the odds. Needless to say that neither one of us fared well.
At least a bit of a distraction from the day.
posted by Liliana @ 4:38 PM
This story has fascinated my son and myself for days:
Woman sat on toilet for two years
POSTED BY DAVID PESCOVITZ, MARCH 12, 2008 2:18 PM | PERMALINK
A Ness City, Kansas woman apparently sat on the toilet at her boyfriend’s house for two years. Her boyfriend claims he brought her food and water and encouraged her to come out of the bathroom. She refused and finally, after two years, he called police. The woman was brought to a hospital where the toilet seat had to be removed from her skin. She is in fair condition and authorities are investigating the strange situation. From the Associated Press:
“She was not glued. She was not tied. She was just physically stuck by her body,” (Ness County sheriff Bryan) Whipple said. “It is hard to imagine. … I still have a hard time imagining it myself.”
Police found the clothed woman sitting on the toilet, her sweat pants down to her mid-thigh. She was “somewhat disoriented,” and her legs looked like they had atrophied, Whipple said.
posted by Liliana @ 6:44 PM
Things are crazy the last few days. I made some salary cuts yesterday. These are hard times and I am trying to be proactive not reactive. So many people out of work. Sometimes you have to make hard decisions.
an old friend’s mom died yesterday . A stomach ulcer ruptered then it went septic and she passed away. Life is short.
I am trying to arrange the January’s month long anniversary parties for several of the bars. I wish I could pull it together and have NY’s this month. I am waiting for Kevin to give me a preliminary opening date for Oklahoma City.
posted by Liliana @ 12:51 PM
Just got home from my family’s house. I have tons of emails to go through. I wished that the depressed economy didn’t effect us but it has. There definitely needs to be changes made.
Of course they lost our bags.
Jackson was singing a song today. I wasn’t listening at first just moving around the kitchen. Then I heard the lyrics. ” Ssh shut your lips. Do the Hellen Kellor and talk with your hips” “Jackson oh my god you can not sing that!” ” Mom who is Hellen Kellor?”
posted by Liliana @ 7:51 PM
Kyle just called me about firing one girl then another one quitting. I actually liked these girls but I have to stand by Kyle my general manager.
I am fascinated by two cases. Firstly the Natalee Holloway case and secondly the Caylee Anthony case.
The prime suspect in the disappearance of Natalee now claims that he sold her to some man. I can’t stop reading all of this!! He is now involved in human trafficking. He must have some very proud parents. ( lol) The big issue to the story’s veracity is that he gave his interview to Greta Can Sustern and I have not seen any stories other then that singular interview to corroborate his admission.
The Caylee Anthony case is so sad to me. Unless we as regular citizens are not hearing the major evidence of the case, it would appear that the mom Casey Anthony killed her daughter Caylee. That alone is sad but to see the grandparents continually bounce between concern over their granddaughter and blind faith in their daughter is torturous.
A lot of “fucked up ” shit happening in the world!
posted by Liliana @ 10:02 PM
Fucking bars are killing me. I got an early wake up call from Daniel telling me that we had issues with two bouncers from two seperate bars, Austin and Denver. I laughed when daniel told me that Champ , head of security in Denver, tried to save the bouncer’s job. Hell No, you’ve got to be kidding me.
Now I am pissed off!!!
posted by Liliana @ 10:51 AM
Hopefully we can open in Oklahoma City in February. I will probably go see the site in the next two weeks. We also have a Letter of intent on a space in Cancun. That’s going to be a really fun one to open. We also have a possible site in one of the Harrah’s casinos in a different city. Because it is in a casino they need to do a full backround check on us. They found something in my credit report from 8 years ago . I had to get a release form to prove it had been taking care of. If there is one thing I can tell young people : Take care of your credit!! Pay your bills on time and watch frivolous spending. Mistakes on your credit can haunt you for very long periods of time!
posted by Liliana @ 11:23 AM
Hot damn some good news today!!! The truth shall prevail!!!
We have our first ever pregnant manager who does not want to quit!!! That alone is cause for celebration. Today I am tracking down maternity laws so we can work out a schedule for her. Kellor is one of our best managers and I want to make sure the transition goes very smoothly with her time off.
Trey’s mom is better. It was a scarey week. Life has it’s highs and it has it’s lows. Hopefully this will turn into a high at the end of this journey.
posted by Liliana @ 11:07 AM
Just got back home today. Jackson and I watched a Christmas show and now we are just chatting and laughing. Since we put the hammer down in school he is getting straight A’s!!! I am waiting to hear an approximation for an opening date in Oklahoma City! I am very excited for that. All these lawyers and it has definitely made me weary of writing certain things. Believe me if I thought it wouldn’t be an issue legally, I would love to vent on my blog!!!!
I am going to decide my traveling crew for oklahoma in the next few weeks. I am going to use a lot of girls I have never used before. Tired of bringing the same girls!!
posted by Liliana @ 7:47 PM
Wednesday I flew to NY ready to have fun , go shopping and head to the bar. I had only been there 2 hours when I get a call that trey ‘s mom had emergency quadruple bypass. I turned around and flew to north Carolina . It’s so important to care for your body and learn the cues yourbody tells you. Today she seems better. I have been thinking a lot about the idea of praying. I normally don’t pray. My idea of prayer involves focusing oneself and letting your own intuition and positive thought guide you to happiness. If their is a god is it correct to pray only when you need something? I am realizing in myself that it’s very hard to process situations that are completely out of your control.
On a happy note, wearing jeans 3 days in a row stretches the pants out so much that it creates the illusion that you lost weight !!!!
posted by Liliana @ 11:39 AM
I am really excited what a jump in numbers the Denver bar has done in the last year. We are on the third floor of a mall that doesn’t have much of an entertainment area and we are just killing it. Makes me very happy. Denver had 3 girls make the 2009 calendar, they breed some pretty ones out there!
The other day Trey took my son, his friend and myself to Cece’s for a pizza buffet. In that short few hours I watched Trey teach the boys how to get the best bang for your buck at a pizza buffet by not eating the crust. Jackson went up 4 times for new food. Usually I am either begging him to eat or forcing him to eat. But it took a man’s finesse to get Jackson eating. Now the biggest thing Trey taught them that night has resonated in my mind ever since that evening. ( This has to be sung while pointing to the appropriate body parts) Milk milk lemonade. Around the corner chocolate’s made. That was hours of entertainment!
I need to get back on the road!!
posted by Liliana @ 10:18 AM
I just watched the most heartwrenching clip on cnn.com about a boy last wish. This 11 year old boy is dieing of leukemia and wanted to help give food to the homeless. There is a colony of homeless on the way to his doctor’s office and he was moved by them. He asked if he could make both peanutbutter and jelly sandwiches and turkey and cheese sandwiches. He was concerned about peanut butter being an allergen to some. I wept watching this clip. He wants to be an angel when he dies. I think he has been an angel all along.
I think I need to visit NY soon I am feeling a bit homesick.
posted by Liliana @ 11:16 PM
Great week to be an american!!! I don’t think I received the denver manager’s log last night? Going boating across the lake today. Really pretty day in New Orleans.
Jackson told Chantel’s belly jokes this morning. It was funny.
posted by Liliana @ 12:41 PM
I went with my son to vote this morning at 9:30 am and there was no line. We were in and out in less then 10 minutes. Go Vote! Everyone’s vote counts.
I laughed so hard today when I saw an email from Jeff W. He told me that his son, like mine , was getting very excited about the election. He came home the other day from school, he is 6, and said ” dad my teacher is voting for Ralph Nader.” So so funny.
Good job Ft. Lauderdale on halloween!!!
posted by Liliana @ 11:22 AM
I am so excited about voting tomorrow. I am taking Jackson with me. He is definitely interested in this. He came home today and said that he was confused because his friend’s family was voting for Mccain . I said to him “that is the beauty about a democracy we can have our different opinions. Now the important part is that we get out and vote our opinion.” When I grew up my family was republican. I grew up hearing the one side and at eighteen I became a registered republican. After going to NYU I started questioning that and I don’t believe I have ever officially voted for a republican. (Interesting to know that my dad, who is 80 years old, has officially crossed over to the democratic party. ) I know my son is surrounded by liberal parents so he will be surrounded by liberal ideals. But I hope just like tonight, he questions people and things and makes his own decisions.
In the next 26 hours history will be made , so exciting.
posted by Liliana @ 11:53 PM
The diarama is finished!
Jackson did a depiction of the Tickfaw River after Hurricane Gustov. I learned that the Tickfaw river is a fresh water river. I learned what brackish means which is a mix of salt water and fresh water. Very interesting!
I believe someone hacked into my email. I have a very good idea who it is. Whatever!
posted by Liliana @ 8:39 PM
We finished the 2009 calendar shoot yesterday. I have to pat myself on the back I picked some very beautiful girls. This one is going to be a bikini calendar so I was worried about not having seen the girls in some time but they all came in looking great. Not one girl with cellulite, varicose veins or even a pudgy stomach. Chantel turned around to me yesterday and said ” thank god I am pregnant because otherwise I would feel bad about myself.” My response ” I’m not pregnant what is my excuse?” I told my boyfriend it will be about two weeks before I feel good about myself. I figure in the next two weeks I will either get motivated to work out more or I will forget about it.
By the way, to the normal women in the world: I have been around women all of my life and most women have varicose veins, cellulite, and a bunch of other normal things. So this year’s girls were a fluke in my mind. Good genes and spray tanning seems to do the trick for these young women.
(Strippers always tell me that it’s the lighting in strip clubs that make them look so flawless, because most of them are not.” Good to know.
Back to work today!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:40 PM
Today is Jackson’s 9th birthday. 9 years old. My baby is growing up. He had a ball at his birthday party. He chose lasertag for his party destination. The kids had such a great time. I love my little boy. I was so pleased that he loved the present I gave him, an ipod nano. He said it was the most awesome gift ever!! That made me so happy!
A shout out to the New Orleans bouncer , Sweet on Saturday night. Awesome. Great job!!
posted by Liliana @ 10:34 PM
Started the calendar shoot yesterday. The girls look so hot. We are having fun with it this year. Very campy. We were given bikinis from a company called Betty Bangs. These bikinis are rock star hot. I love them. I just wish they made them a tiny bit bigger. Yesterday Lyndsey from Denver had to wear a medium. Lyndsey has 0% bodyfat and no hips , so that tells me I would have to get the Extra large.
It’s going very very well. Romney our photographer always does an awesome job. He makes miracles happen!!
posted by Liliana @ 12:38 PM
The bars did alright last night. Interesting to me that liquor companies are now selling Absinthe. I do not truly understand the properties of absinthe. I need to do some research on it. Interesting that there are so many drinking and driving laws but yet the companies are trying to market beers and liquors with higher alchohol content. It’s curious.
So proud of my boyfriend Trey. He just passed his motorcycle license test. Most bikers I know , ride for years and never get their motorcycle endorsement. The women giving him the road test thought I was nuts because I was taking pictures. So proud!
posted by Liliana @ 9:49 AM
I have a lot of very new ideas for the direction of the company. Not in relationship to the bars but to branding. Now the hard part is finding money. I was speaking to a business acquaintance recently and he told me something very interesting ” it is easier to raise 100,000,000 then 10,000,000″ I find raising $100 has become hard. LOL
The boytoy ( I wish it was that easy) is studying to take the LSAT. He has decided to follow his dreams. I applaud that. Tonight as Jackson is decompressing from school, I have been doing some sample LSAT questions. There was one set of questions that I did quite well on. There were another set of questions that I am not sure how I did because I eclipsed the allotted time. It’s all about your mindset. I have not been challenged with this type of thinking in many years, so I need to get myself back into that mindframe to perform on this level. I have no interest what so ever of going to Law School. But I may take the LSAT just to see how I do. Jeff W: How did you do?
posted by Liliana @ 9:00 PM
Jesus beat out bikini girls. In Miami a once girl driven bikini car wash has changed hands and is now a car wash done by Jesus lovers. Supposedly sales are up at the Jesus car wash. Jesus drank! Maybe we should do Jesus night at the bars.
Yes I know I am going to hell. Look if Buddha night would work, I would actually show up for that. Maybe Abraham night! Shalom !
My motorcycle teacher, who I have only had one lesson with, is a devoted christian. I admire that he takes his son every single day to church. I will say this, and I say this with no bias, my son who has never been in a religious household has faired very well. His teacher has told me, even when mad about grades, that he admires Jackson because he never lies. Jackson is a good soul. He knows right and wrong. He loves animals. He said something to me so wonderful the other day, I was so proud. And truly proud that his dad and I have created a good soul. We were talking about the election and I was telling him that we are watching history happen because there may be the first ever African American President. My son is so pure of heart, he said , ” what’s the big deal? The civil war was years ago. It shouldn’t matter if the president is black , white or whatever.” My son is the best!! I have made my son watch a few debates. Afterwards he will say ” I know we are voting for Obama but what does the other guy stand for?” I love that!! He is a little boy and he hears me speak my opinions but I have no doubt he will have his own. He has listened to some of the commentary and if he could vote he would vote Obama as well but he has a totally different take. My son is becoming a real thinker. Thank you god, Jesus, allah, mohammad!! I would thank the scientologists as well but I have no freaking idea who I would thank. Maybe Hubbard!!
posted by Liliana @ 1:15 PM
Pretty mediocre night for the bars. NY did great last week. keep it up!! Reading the news is killing me. Mothers killing their children, Politics , stocks plunging. Holy crap it’s depressing.
I am very lucky. Health for myself and my child. Plenty of love and I can pay my mortgage!
All the women in corporate seem to be nuts. Jacqui and chantel are nuts. And I am leading the pack. I think Jacqui has programmed a standard email reply to be ” I am crazy and chubby.” Move over my friend because I went on a two week cleanse and gained weight.
Chantel is nuts but she seems very happy. Nuts and happy is always better.
Ok off to carve pumpkins. My son wants me to make a pumpkin that has blood ouzing from it’s eyes.
posted by Liliana @ 4:31 PM
In the memphis manager’s log Judith wrote ” 1 year ago today my daughter was in the hospital for brain trauma. Now 1 year later she just got straight A’s on her college exams.” Such a beautiful story. Congrats to Trisha and Judith.
On the subject of A’s my son got an A on an exam last week!! It’s a miracle!!!!!
Today we are studying ” the louisiana wetlands”.
I am exited about today. I am thankful that the bars are doing well. Life is pretty good.
Can’t wait for the debate tonight!!
posted by Liliana @ 10:36 AM
Finally doing the 2009 calendar shoot. A lot is going on today. I definitely feel pulled in a few directions. I will write later with some funny stories
posted by Liliana @ 12:47 PM
I was putting my son’s lunch in his school bag today when I spotted a crumpled paper on the bottom. Low and behold it was his science test. F. A fucking F. I was quite upset. I started with the “you will lose all computer privileges. No wrestling if you ever do this again.” I even told him that he would not be living at home when he was older because he couldn’t find a job without an education. One always thinks they will never say the same things they have heard in their youth but it just comes out of your mouth when you are upset. What upset me even more was his excuse ” mom I was too busy daydreaming to finish my test.” URGH!! I know my son will always have to be prodded with school. I am aware of who he is as a human being. But damn if he is going to fail the 3rd grade. I called the principle and told her that I want him to be moved to the front of the class so they can limit the “daydreaming”. urgh!!
posted by Liliana @ 10:31 AM
On Friday night, last week, while we were at the Bike Rally we went to Crocodile Rocks. It is a dueling piano bar. We had a ton of fun but I saw first hand a big difference between how northerners and southerners think in this great country. There were two men playing pianos. On one side he was playing a southern song ( I know it, I just can’t remember the name) . On the other side there was a man playing ” I’m a yankee doodle dandy” on the piano. They were trying to engage the customers in a rivalry, south versus north. The southerners were really getting rowdy . ( I was in a group of 4. Myself being the only northerner.) My boyfriend was leading the bandwagon of ” the south really won the war.. blah blah blah” I said to him I was taught american history and I did not receive the impression from my education that ” my side won.” The impression I received from my schooling was that the victory was a victory against racism, which in turn means we all won as human beings on this planet. After this statement, he looked at me for a second and said ” the south is still better.” I had no reply to this. In hindsight I should of said words that any redblooded southern man would have to understand and accept, ” Well if the south is so great why did the Ny Giants win the superbowl and the Boston Redsox win the world series?”
This election is bringing out a lot of ugliness in people I am close with. Jeff Wiseman and I were talking about how much racism exists even with close friends and family. I grew up with a mother who was not born in the United States. Her place of birth was Colombia. When my parents moved here my mother waited a certain number of years and then applied for citizenship. She study all the time for her citizens examination. We all took the day off of school and work to celebrate her induction as a US citizen. She was so proud. The United States of America that I believe in was and still should be a true melting pot of cultures and religions. Anyone no matter race , gender, or religious affliation should have the ability in this great country to be anything they aspire to be.
Off my soap box.
posted by Liliana @ 3:22 PM
Finally home. What a blast we had at the Myrtle Beach Bike Rally. Thursday night was quite eventful. Kevin and Lee had shown up to do some investigation into our possible sites. After that we all decided to head to a huge bar called ” Suck Bang Blow.” Let me describe this place. It is a huge space very much like an open warehouse with a lot of property around it. Inside there were many bars set up. Most of the employees were women. All of them quite scantily clad. This may sound typical but it wasn’t. Half the place had young girls in their early 20s bartending. The other half were women close to 50 ( possibly older) also wearing chaps, mini skirts etc. There were cages set up for the women to dance. I have a picture of Trey in a cage dancing with a women in her late 40s early 50s with the biggest breasts I have ever seen. When I lived in NY the strip clubs would publicize a women with size JJ breasts. When the woman would show up she was usually a little older then the rest of the girls but her drawing card was her enormous mammary glands. I liken this place to that without them actually stripping. What a ball we had there on Thursday. They had a burnout pit and of course like complete idiots we lined up to do burnouts. Our friend Greg burned his clutch doing this. There is always one in the crowd. But his mishap seemed small in comparison to Kevin laying his bike down in the parking lot.
Tomorrow I will tell more stories.
posted by Liliana @ 8:54 PM
There is a large subculture of dancing in South Carolina. This dancing is called shagging. Last night Trey’s dad taught me the basics of shagging. I love it! So fun.
Jeff W has been working his butt off. The whole weekend I was receiving emails from him. Even Sunday night I had gotten emails. He is stressed out!! Big picture Jeff Big Picture
There is the expression ” you can’t judge a book by it’s cover.” I know someone named Greg S. This guy is a big mother fucker. Some people might even be scared of him because of how big he is. But as the old expression goes you truly can’t judge a book by it’s cover because this big guy is really afraid of coming to the Myrtle Beach Bike Rally. I even promised to hold his hand!!
For some reason I can’t open the manager’s logs. No calls so the bars haven’t burnt down.
posted by Liliana @ 9:48 AM
16 hours to drive to Myrtle Beach. We took the Coyote truck and hauled a trailer with bikes. ( Myrtle Beach bike rally). I swear my SUV could of done a better job hauling the trailer. We would have to build momentum before we would hit an incline otherwise the truck would get down to 40 mph. The testament to a relationship is lasting that long on a trip. The last hour was so painful! But we are here now and it’s beautiful. I hope this bar works out. Unfortunately the city is stopping the bike rallies and changing closing time back down to 2am. We’ll figure it out!
posted by Liliana @ 10:57 AM
The bars rocked last night. Memphis nice to see these big numbers. Awesome!!! Nick and Judith I am very proud!!!
OK I got my bike lowered and I am feeling a lot more confident. The years of being a mommy have taken an “uncool” toll on me. Kevin and Lee have said to me in the past ” Lil you have an image to uphold at least get some cool rims on your SUV.” Jackson loves me just the way I am. In fact in the mom world , kids are more embarrassed with mom’s that wear cool fashions or do cool things. I am cool in my own way now. Life changes, wants change.
My son has a new favorite son called ” Life Is Beautiful” by Six AM. I was listening to this song this morning with Jackson and it really has a valid message. ” Nothing like a funeral to make you feel alive. Open your eyes and see that life is beautiful.”
I love everyone today even myself, that’s big!!!
posted by Liliana @ 11:54 AM
I received a call from Daniel yesterday regarding a previous manager who called to ask for his job back. This particular manager was sleeping with one of the girls ( we obviously did not know) . His method of giving notice was to call Chantel and say ” I am in my car 200 miles away from the bar and I quit.” Leaving us to scramble to secure that location. The reason for his expeditious departure was because the employee he was screwing didn’t want him working there. ” Thank you for applying your application will be put on the bottom of the pile”. When I told chantel last night that he asked for his job back she was floored. Kudos to him for having the nerve to call. That kind of nerve with the right motivation might actually get him somewhere. LOL
Jim from nashville wrote something very funny in his manager’s log. ” I am getting really good at firing people, I think it is a gift of mine,I had to fire 2 employees today for, you guessed it …. fraternization ” LOL
Jackson has been playing soccer for the last year and a half. He never liked it but he had recently been asked to be on an elite team that travels. On Saturday I went to his game and I sat their stunned at how unhappy he was to play. I turned to his dad and said ” let’s find him another sport that he likes versus this one which we force him to partake in.” After the game I told Jackson that he no longer had to play soccer but that in the next year we would try a lot of different sports but by the end of the year he had to play something. Knowing my son, I realized that he is better with one on one competition versus a team and he enjoys goofing around with rough play. ” Wrestling” So his dad found a wrestling league and he went to his first practice yesterday. He loved it!! I am so happy. Also Jackson is not going to be a big man ( my short gene) and wrestling is geared for all different sizes and you compete in your own weight class. So nice to hear him happy about something. He also joined African drum class, hopefully he will like that as well.
posted by Liliana @ 9:28 AM
Cross my fingers hopefully we will open in Oklahoma before Christmas. Have a very good chance at a space in Cancun. Interesting opportunity in San Diego. We are cruzing!!
posted by Liliana @ 2:31 PM
I have just acknowledged to myself that I am in a full blown mid life crisis. I am nuts and nuts people do nuts things. When I was 18 I used to go up to the country ( upstate NY) with my friends and that’s where I learned how to ride a motorcycle. Well one day I was driving a friends bike with a friend on the back and I got into an accident. That totally freaked me out. Not the idea of riding a bike but the idea of driving a bike. Well low and behold I own a ton of biker bars but I have always been content to ride on the back of my boyfriends bike. Yesterday I look at my boyfriend and say ” I am going down to ” Harley Davidson of New Orleans and buying a Nightster.” So that is what I did yesterday. We then took my beautiful new bike to Zypher stadium parking lot to test drive it. Let’s just say I suck and no it is not like riding a bicycle. The bike is too tall so now it’s in the shop getting lowered. I bought a helmet that could withstand a nuclear holocaust but for some weird reason I hate the ugly boots with the rubber heels. My boyfriend who was so psyched to help me said yesterday after our first training session ” honey, maybe its best to go train with someone else.” I am laughing so hard at myself. I have now become that stereotypical mid life crisis person that they depict in pathetic tv shows!!! So funny
posted by Liliana @ 1:17 PM
Just was told on a heated conference call that Coyote Ugly is not a biker bar. I don’t know what bar you have been going to but Coyote Ugly is most definitely a biker bar. We welcome all kinds of Bikers even crotch rockets bikers. Maybe he is upset because we don’t have Vespa night
posted by Liliana @ 2:06 PM
Very busy day already. I am looking for a positive thinking seminar. I want to enroll myself and the New Orleans staff to see how that effects work on many levels. I figure they can be the guinea pigs plus I have been a jerk to them lately so I thought it could be a nice bonding experience. I know after writing this there will be two people I am acquainted with that will email me with offers of their services. These two people call themselves ” life coaches”. One is in the process of a bad divorce ( which I think she created the negative) and the other has had several businesses go bust. I don’t think I will be using their services.
Some nasty emails coming to me today and some nasty emails going back as well.
My blood pressure is rising with these emails. Jeff w is in the middle trying to calm things down. If I wasn’t getting so mad it would be comical. Fuck you!
posted by Liliana @ 10:50 AM
Jackson and I are lying in my bed. I am on the computer and he is watching a show called ” chowder”. I can not believe what the storyline is; ” women have something in their bodies called ” expectations”. It’s not until they lower their expectations that they can be happy.” I had to laugh because god knows in life one lowers their expectations. A LOT
Daniel and few girls just went to the Vegas bar t work for a few days. Daniel said the girls were quite nice and beautiful. It is a strange scenario there because they hire bartenders and dancers. We have always made the bartenders be the dancers. Daniel was very impressed with some of the dancers. Hopefully I will get to meet them in the next few months.
posted by Liliana @ 8:18 AM
A mother in the midwest posed as her daughter and tried to return to high school. She claims she was trying to recapture something she lost. ” I don’t know if you’ll find your “mind” back in high school.” That’s nuts.
GM’s cut your spending!!!!
I started the foot detox pads last night. This morning when I woke up the pad was completely brown. So gross yet I feel so good. New Day today.
posted by Liliana @ 1:27 PM
Last week one of the moms in Jackson’s class invited us over for what I thought was a little get together. Their house had been ruined in Katrina and after 3 years they finally rebuilt it . I thought it was going to be kids and parents having a nice night out. Jackson, his friend and I headed over there at around 7:30. When we arrived at their house we were in a crowd of a 100 people , none of whom I recognized and they were all dressed in black tie formal attire. Thank god I wore a dress because normally I would just wear jeans or yoga pants. ( Even the kids were dressed very formally. Not my kids. I had dressed Jackson and Gabe in Hawaiian shirts and shorts thinking they would be running around with their friends. ) We walked inside and Jackson and Gabe took off at the sight of their friends so I was left alone.
Deja Vu !!I grew up in Yonkers NY. I had a very close friend who I cared for dearly . Her name is Monica. As we grew up I moved away and we went to different schools. We kept up sporadically . Speaking once or twice a year knowing that our paths did not cross unless we planned an outting. When we were 21 I received a call from Monica inviting me to her wedding. Tonight I had the same feeling as I did the night of her wedding. I knew nobody. I had no date. So I had to figure out a way to mix and mingle without looking or feeling out of place. So tonight, very much like Monica’s wedding, and after a few uncomfortable glances, I decided to sit right next to the food table and eat all night. What a spread. There was lamb, oysters, avocado and crabmeat. It was a smorgasbord of deliciousness. If I wasn’t with my kid my station would of been by the bar but that seemed inappropriate given the circumstances. After about an hour and 30 different hor d’ouvres Jackson ran up to me and said he felt a bit dizzy. I love my son and god knows I hate when he is not feeling well but he just gave me an exit strategy!!! So funny. We were out of there in ten minutes!! What an evening.
I saw my first taffeta mini dress tonight. Now that’s a fashion statement!
posted by Liliana @ 11:24 PM
My boyfriend called and told me that his friend’s brother died and there were 400+ people at his funeral. So sad when a young person dies. I think we are not mentally prepared for those losses. I thought it was so great that so many people showed up to give the family support. then of course Trey and I wondered, as all people do, how many people would show up at our funerals? From what his mother tells me he was president of his class in high school. Highly respected as a Marine. Some very long and deep friendships that I have witnessed. So he will have quite a few people, god forbid the unthinkable happens. Trey then said to me ” you’ll have thousands go to your funeral.” Maybe yesterday but not today. I had to make a few unpleasant decisions today regarding employees! I would say my popularity today has fallen dramatically. Well let’s just hope I don’t die anytime soon!!
San Antonio!!! You guys rock!!!
posted by Liliana @ 3:51 PM
Pleased with all the bars last night! San Antonio kicking some butt last night! I am super pleased. I am trying to arrange to fly to Vegas next week to have a special training session with the Vegas girls. I hope that happens.
I feel for the people who have been hit or are going to be hit by hurricane Ike but I am damn glad that it is not headed our way. I am definitely not in the mood to evacuate again.
posted by Liliana @ 3:54 PM
I fired someone in corporate recently. There are a lot of rumors going on but the truth is simple, excessive spending . This issue was brooched weeks earlier and it continued. When someone is hired to corporate I expect them to protect me and the company. This excessive spending was a direct contradiction to that. I said to him a week prior ” you are supposed to have my back!” If the rumor mill is accurate, he doesn’t truly understand. In our world, Coyote Ugly Development, there is no clock to punch. There is no one leaning over your shoulder watching every move you make. Interesting to see that some people truly need that. We all live in different parts of the country. We all specialize in different areas. It’s not about the hours you put in but about job performance. I hired someone just today to revamp our company expenses. She said to me ” you need to have a true corporate head quarters.” But that does not resolve the problems. My corporate staff is always traveling. They are traveling to our various locations, looking for new locations, working bike rallies, working the TV show, meeting architects etc. We do have a corporate office that we use for big meetings and seminars but it is unrealistic to think everyone should move to New Orleans when 80% of their time is on site at the various places. Regardless, I am pulling in the reigns.
It’s looking like Ike will not hit us in New Orleans!!! Awesome
posted by Liliana @ 3:37 PM
I feel good today. We watched football in my house. I did normal chores. So nice to be home. Jackson finally starts school tomorrow. Believe me no one is happier then me!! He is even ready to start school.
Denver is rocking!!! ( Denver may be my hurricane evacuation city. I should make that decision relatively soon since it looks like we will have a hard season this year.)
I have had multiple nightmares since Mccain announced Palin as his running mate. I am aware that it is not right to dislike someone you don’t even know but I am disgusted by her.
I went out with a friend the other night who has two grown children and has been a republican most of her adult life. She turned to me and with tears welling in her eyes she expressed such negative emotion about Palin. She said ” I was that girl who got pregnant too young and then was pushed into marrying the father. I am so scared that she is making early pregnancy seem normal. I am even more upset that they are probably pushing this young girl into marriage because of politics. “
Life is hard. Life as a woman in this country is still hard. So scary to think of this woman as vice president.
In her speech she called out Obama and said ( as my memory serves) ” while he’s cleaning up the planet, we’ll be …”
For someone who seems to be propagating so rapidly you would think she would care about the planet.
Enough for one day. Off to read with my son.
posted by Liliana @ 7:52 PM
I am so happy!!! Our power just went on 5 minutes ago!! What a day yesterday was. The airlines had canceled our flight 2 days in a row. Yesterday we checked in and were waiting at the gate for our flight. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 8:10 pm. At 8 pm they announced that it was canceled because the crew had nowhere to sleep in New Orleans. ( WE were in Charlotte airport). Across from our gate was a flight heading to Gulfport that left at 8:20. We ran over to the gate and got on the flight, knowing our luggage wouldn’t come to Gulfport. When we landed in Gulfport we had to rent a car. We drove back to the city. I didn’t have electricty nor did my boyfriend. His company had the forsight to rent rooms in a hotel for their managers so we finally checked into the hotel at 2am. ( Trey had to head straight for work, no sleep) Jackson and I slept till 8 and headed home. We have been cleaning up. No damage, just a stinky house. The last 2 courses of business are retrieving our bags from the airport and retrieving my car. ( like an idiot I checked the bag that had my car keys inside). I am a happy camper today!!! Bonnie and Cheeto get home tonight!!!
Home sweet home!!!
posted by Liliana @ 12:06 PM
A lot going on in the news today. So sad that we have this woman running as the vice presidential candidate that has no grasp on the needs of women or this planet.
I haven’t read the manager’s logs all week. I am going home today. Hopefully there will be no damage to my house or building and we will have electricity.
WE officially signed the lease in Oklahoma City. Bricktown here we come!!!
posted by Liliana @ 9:36 AM
Still in North Carolina. My flight back to New Orleans has been canceled two times. I know I had no flooding but I am hoping no wind damage. This is really getting old. Jackson’s school is canceled till Monday. Urgh!!!
There is a part of me that knows I need to pick an alternate city to live in but I can’t put my brain around that. I do not want to move back to NY. I love NY but I hated raising Jackson there. I can only imagine that a french school there must be around 30g. That is ridiculous.
Too much to think about today
posted by Liliana @ 10:41 AM
Jackson and I just left New Orleans and we are in Raleigh with my family. We had planned this trip about a month ago because I am going to be in Charlotte this weekend and it is a short drive. This morning with the hurricane warnings I packed a lot of extra clothes and a laptop computer. I am not hysterical. Since I have lived in New Orleans we have braved quite a few hurricanes only one having a real devasting effect on the city. But there is a part of me that hates leaving my house. I am more afraid of looters ( sp) then anything. ( I am a bit afraid that my boyfriend’s motorcycle is parked at my house . I didn’t have the key to move it)
Hopefully this time next week I will be in my house, happy as a clam.
posted by Liliana @ 5:21 PM
Travis just texted me saying that an old college friend was going to be in town next week. This particular friend I have not seen in many years. After college I ran into him and he had become a heroin addict. A few years passed and he showed up at the bar to say hello. On that visit I was waiting for the plea for money and after ten minutes of small talk he pulled out a used calculater and asked if I would buy it. Again a few years pass, and he shows up at the bar with his cousin who had just arrived from Ireland that day. He asked me if I would speak with her while he went to the store to buy cigarettes. Of course I said yes trying not to be rude. Ten minutes went by, then half an hour, then 3hours. He never showed back up and I had to help his poor cousin. Sorry Travis but I won’t be in the bar those days.
posted by Liliana @ 6:17 PM
Very stressful day.
I just got served with a lawsuit for a bar I didn’t own. Always something.
Very impressed with some work that Nick from Memphis is doing. Keep up the good work.
I’ll be in Charlotte on Saturday night.
I definitely need a week off of traveling!
posted by Liliana @ 5:48 PM
The girls performed in Toronto at the Harley Davidson 105 anniversary celebration. Wow they were incredible and they were treated like real celebrities. They really are so beautiful and so gracious. We had an issue at the end of the night last night. It ended with me sticking my neck out and Jeff M making me look like an idiot.
I will have to deal with that situation this week.
posted by Liliana @ 11:57 PM
I have heard it all. A girl in New Orleans just quit yesteday. Her reason was that she had been committed to a mental institution by her mother a little while back and had to quickly leave the area so that she doesn’t get committed again. Ok , good luck.
posted by Liliana @ 10:11 AM
This is killing me! No camp no school. I love my son but he is driving me crazy and I him. I can’t wait for school to start!!!
The bars are doing well.
I was very moved by the olympics. It is so impressive to see the greatest atheletes in the world compete. Yesterday Jackson and I watched the women’s triathalon. I can’t run 1 mile yet they are swimming, biking , then jogging. I have watched all the tribute shows to Michael Phelps. There is a great feeling of pride to be an american. There have been 2 competitions I have watched where I was routing for another country. 1. The 10,000 meter run. I wanted the Ethiopian runners to win. and 2. Women’s beach volleyball. I routed for China. When did China become such a powerhouse in the olympics?
I went out on Saturday night with Trey, Travis, and a few regulars. Let’s just say I did not feel too sporty on Sunday.
I’ve got nothing!!!
posted by Liliana @ 10:40 PM
What a pain in the ass, our flight got canceled. Now I have to figure out when I can go with or without Jackson. Urgh!!!
A few of the bouncers tried to steal some memorabilia from the Memphis bar. So sad to go out that way. Now any good they did will be erased and they will be thought of as theives. I love that the staff and the regulars of all the bars consider the bars home, but the reality is that these bars are not home. I remember going to a party in NY and seeing about a dozen glasses at a regular’s apartment that were stolen from my bar. In New Orleans we had an area of the back wall signed by Indian Larry. Some regulars then grifittied the whole area. I wouldn’t go into someone’s home and do those things. I know that some of these people want a peice of the various bars as if that will symbolize some kinship with that time of their lives. As romantic as that sounds, it’s stealing. It’s vandalism. In the bars we take pictures and put them up all over the bar. I hoped that regulars and staff would feel like that was their special moment immortalized in a photo put on the wall. But instead they just want to take the pictures. It’s just so sad.
posted by Liliana @ 1:52 PM
Nashville and Denver. love the numbers!!!
Heading to Myrtle Beach this week to check out our ( hopefully) new spot. I am taking Jackson with me.
Jeff W workin a bit late tonight.
Tonight Jackson went to his dad’s house. When he gave me a kiss goodbye, I got this overwhelming feeling of love. So beautiful looking into your child’s eyes and seeing such happiness. He’s so happy and so funny. Perfect.
posted by Liliana @ 11:12 PM
Very interesting day at work so far. let’s see if anything pans out!
Chris B wrote a letter to some of the managers talking about reconfiguring some marketing to hit the younger demographic for better merch sales. I laughed when I saw his example about coke using polar bears. Very cute.
Life is good today. My son doesn’t start school till September. All the other schools in New orleans start next week, so there are no more camps available. It is going to be a long month. This past weekend we went to the beach and Jackson and I went on a jetski for the first time in both of our lives. Yesterday he said to me ” Mom I got to drive a jetski. Some people spend their lives never getting to jetski. It was a once in a lifetime experience!” I love that. He is living a life I never imagined living. But he is still a grounded kid. ” Live it up kid cause school starts in september and I have a feeling life won’t seem so happy then.”
posted by Liliana @ 12:51 PM
Holy crap I have to run out and get this week’s edition of Hello magazine and see pictures of Brad and Angelina’s twins. What has the world come to?
I found the Nashville’s manager’s log hysterical this morning. Zombie was the manager on duty last night. In his report he talked about a man running out on a $5 tab then crashing his car down the street. He talked about two street people outside having a knife fight. But what made me laugh is that he was afraid of a spider that he spotted in the office. All of that and it was the spider that truly freaked him. Funny
posted by Liliana @ 9:38 AM
The new lyrics Jackson has been practicing reading on are for the song “Love Me Dead”. Not traditional reading but it is the only thing he really enjoys reading.
Denver rocks!!!!
This week I had arranged for myself and 3 girls to go to Vegas to help with the training of the Vegas girls. I just found out yesterday that it was canceled for a later date. I am disappointed. I wanted to get to know the staff there. Hopefully we will be there in september. The las Vegas bar is a franchise so it will be fun to get to know another staff!!!
posted by Liliana @ 6:33 PM
These anniversaries are killing me!! The San Antonio staff looked awesome. So many new employees, I felt bad that I did not know a lot of names. The staff gave me a collage that was shaped like the Texas star, awesome. They also gave me an engraved wine decanter and an engraved bottle of bourbon. Really beautiful. They know I love my wine. Thank you guys so much!!!!
Kind of a slow week. I am excited because we are starting to move on the Oklahoma project. Jeff M even found us a spot in Milwaukee !!
The first part of this year was horrible for me but I am starting to sense a new energy. I think the year will end well!
This morning at the airport I was very early for my plane. The gate that I was scheduled to fly out of was packed with a ton of people so I found a gate close by that had no flights and was empty. I sat in a chair in the back and read my book. This man comes and sits 2 chairs from me. Now the seats for this gate were completely empty , had about 100 seats to choose from but he walked all the way to the back and sat close to me. Then of course he started talking. He spoke for 1 hour about his life. The whole time I am trying to look at my book so he gets the hint that I don’t want to listen to him. My flight finally boarded and I was not seated next to him. After the flight, I exited the plane and went to the restroom. When I came out he was right there waiting for me. I hate guys like that. He was the type of guy who speaks about his family having every intention to cheat on his wife. And really just plain creepy!
posted by Liliana @ 5:46 PM