New Bartender for the Evenings

I finally got rid of our evening bartender. Man she was the worst. When I had to go behind the bar when the place was busy she even would get in my way more often than not. If I needed to ring up the register she stood in front of it and I had move her away every freakin time. I shouldn't have hired her to begin with. When I was in the restaurant before I took it over she would NOT give me change assuming it was a tip which it would have been but I don't like when people take anything for granted. I was just very needy of help at the time when I did hire her. Big mistake but rectified now. . Dominique started yesterday at 4 pm. I am usually not in the restaurant at 4 pm but taking my siesta. I came in to train her. Man it didn't take much. She is not only good looking but works on her own. The other I had to tell her to wipe the bar down and to do everything every day. Yahoooo, finally got rid of the dead wood. Only reason I hired her was her boyfriend made an appeal to me privately in email. When he was in town her mother got real sick and she took off from work:) Man some of these people think the rest of the world is completely stupid. . This gal kept guys in the bar all night. I thought a couple of guys had their arses glued to the seats:) . Day by day things are getting better here. Business is holding up even after the 4th of July Holiday travelers returned to where they came. More people are arriving daily to Sosua. . Stop in and say hi to Dominique when you are in town.

Happy 50th Anniversary

Say hello to the infamous "KEN" and his lovely wife Barbara. They have lived in the Dominican Republic for 14 years or more.

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They made a point of telling me that they came here specifically for their 50th Anniversary dinner which was a big compliment.

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It was our pleasure to have them here and they are the 1st couple to celebrate their 50th with us. They are now charter members of the QuiXote's 50th Anniversary Club! Their 55th, 60th, 65th, 70th, 75th, 80th, 85th, 90th, 95th and 100 year anniversary dinners are now on the house!

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I hope we are able to buy for them every one of them!

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Hasta Pronto!

Good morning world from QuiXote's Restaurant located by the beach in Sunny Beautiful Sosua, Dominican Republic. . These are pictures of folks having dinner here last night. Yesterday was a busy day ALL DAY and it was probably one of the top 5 days of all time here. Great people and friends both old and new coming though all day long. Some folks have had 2-3 meals a day here for many days already. . The first picture started out as 4 or 5 people and grew to about 11 or 12 before the seating was finished. Good friends here for good food and good talk. . What I like most is that everyone in these pictures do NOT stay in the hotel but come here to eat and hang out. I am shooting for a only 1 out of every 3 customers here to come from the hotel or less. That is the way it is working although this morning it was mostly hotel people. . People are even asking to get their pictures taken for here now and I am happy to do this. . The picture of the light fixture is one of 6 that was custom made to look like a suit of armour. People who look at the fixtures actually think I disassembled a old suit to make the fixtures instead of it being made from scratch by an artisan who lives locally. . Last night I closed at midnight and was busy the total day. This morning for the first time I woke up late. I have an internal clock that has never failed but but it did fail me my shower this morning. I am usually up early enough to get some reading in before coming to work but alas that wasn't to happen today. Perhaps it is because I went to Lou's Sharkbar after closing and hung out with the people that were here earlier. I thoroughly enjoyed myself yesterday and last night albeit I paid for it a little. After my mid day siesta I will be recovered I hope! .

It is 12pm and have a half dozen people eating now. This is usually the slow time of the day for us and the time I take off for my pool and bed. Heck I am here from before 8 am till midnight and you can't do it all. . We are going to be closed tomorrow. No doubt a lot of unhappy folks who will have to go other places for food. Still need the one day to regenerate to be able come back and fight another day. . Hasta Pronto!

ShoeShines

This morning at breakfast there were 7 different laptops on the network at one time. It is cool having so many people enjoying the internet and the food here! It is just what I figured it would be when I was planning the place.

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There are a bunch of Europeans starting to show up here. Have 3 Germans at the bar now. This is the first time I have had that many here.

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I understand that the Hotel will fill up with them soon at the Soccer games are done. I was also told that they won't leave home when the World Cup is being held.

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I am not sure how the Germans, Italians and French are going to enjoy the restaurant. The American, Canadians and English have been here in force and appear to like it. I will keep an eye on the comings and goings of these Germans who have just arrived today. Interesting to see if they keep coming back into the restaurant. If they eat 2 meals a day here over and over again I will think that they like what we are doing here as well as the others.

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This is Pat and Bob. They are here for only 1 week but are moving here shortly. Very cool people who I can't wait to have close by intstead of every once in a while. They are planning and arranging the building of their new home this week while in town. It is a working vacation. Next time they are here is the time it becomes permanent! Way to go guys!

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Today I got my shoes shined by the only kid I ever let shine my shoes. He is a young Haitian kid and a very respectful kid. Most of these shoe shine kids are real pieces of crap. So far I have aided the police catch 2 of them and take their boxes away from them. Too bad they never learned how to be polite. I will teach a few more of them the lesson that they are NOT to molest my customers.

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Anyway the reason I bring up that I got my shoes shined today is because I get shoes shined here about 3-5 times a week. When I lived in the states I don't think I got my shoes shined 3-5 times in a year for some reason or I just can't remember having my shoes shined. I know there are a few Army brats here who must be thinking "3-5 times a year, I wonder if he showers" and I can assure you that when I was in the service I had spit shined shoes ALWAYS!

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So my question is, do you have your shoes shined in the states or Europe as often as you have them shined here? I know for sure that I didn't!

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Edd Rellosk just stopped in to tell me that a crew of people are coming in for dinner tonight here at the restaurant. It will be great to have them here for sure. I hung out with a group of friends last night after closing at the Merange Bar and had a nice time.

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Okey dokey, I am going back to work now. The Bartender called in with an excuse about her mother not feeling well and not coming to work. Her American boyfriend is in town and I would bet my bottom dollar she is with him tonight instead of working. I will fire her as soon as I have another gal to replace her. She isn't a good worker at all and she doesn't listen to the people. I just don't have another to replace her yet but looking.

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Hasta Pronto!

Another Happy Couple

This is a picture of a happy couple at the Bar last night in QuiXote's Restaurante in Sosua, Dominican Republic.

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Man this is a lucky guy. You don't see many sweeter looking Dominicanas here than her. I think today he meets his future mother in law:)

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Business is picking up as we gear up for the 4th of July invasion of Tourists and regulars that come down here several times a year.

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We have now been in business just over a month at QuiXote's and we turned a profit the first month which I didn't expect. This is the slowest time of the year here and we haven't had time to build a business yet but a profit in the restaurant business the first month no matter how small is monumental. The location is what did it in my opinion. Being in a hotel makes doing business a whole lot easier. Having Club Residential and other places close by is also a great help.

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This week we added a whole bunch of new liquors to our list. 2 new Vodkas Grey Goose Le Citron and Sex Vodka and 2 new Scotches, Johnny Walker Green 15 y.o and 21 year old Balvenie lead the charge.

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Tom Wonder just walked in and sitting at the bar. Cool! Town is filling up with great people.

Hasta Pronto!

Good morning world! It is a sunny beautiful hot morning in Sosua, Dominican Republic.

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Yesterday a bunch of my favorite people came into town for the holiday weekend. Sosua has been DEAD in the heart of the slow season and business has held up here at QuiXotes despite the lack of people in town.

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Yesterday was kind of a turning point in town as people started to arrive for the Canada Day holiday and the 4th of July holiday. I picked up my buddy Herbert at POP Airport on the Continental Flight from Newark and shortly after I got a call from my buddy Jackie Quontree who happened to be on the same flight. A little later during the day my buddy Edd Rellosk walks in with a bottle of SEX for me. Some of you may wonder what sex from Rellosk may mean and if I didn't already know I would be wondering myself since he is a man of many interesting facets. It was a bottle of Vodka. It looks great on the shelf! I now offer SEX at QuiXotes:)

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Herbert also bore some pleasant surprises which included a 21 year old Scotch Balvenie which is at this time the top of my Scotch shelf. He also brought me the Grey Goose Le Cintron and a large Bombay Saffire which has been selling real well. I am not a gin drinker but the Saffire out sells the Tanqueray by far.

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I just got a email from another friend who is coming tomorrow night at 6 with 2 bottles of Patron Silver which I have none of at the moment because one guy bought the entire bottle a couple of weeks ago in one evening. Heck he even bought 10 shots of a bottle of Patron Gold after that:)

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Rellosk also brought a 15 year old Johnny Walker for me along with a new printer. My last one crapped out last week. No biggie, it got me through. I only paid 500 Pesos at a street fair. Dori fell off a table while changing bulbs and of course he broke a table and the printer went flying. Guess it 220 lbs of Dori took its toll on the poor printers. For all of you in the future, "Friends don't let Dori change light bulbs". I am going to keep him in the kitchen from now on and not allow him to leave.

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With more people coming into town today business is looking up from a very slow week last week. Wasn't losing money but certainly wasn't making any although I am still renovating and starting to get places. Bought and finally paid for the Granite counter top. My nightmare is over although my second storefront to make the A/C dining room is starting to look like it is going to turn into a nightmare but we will see.

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I look forward to hanging out with my assortment of friends today and for the next 2 weeks. This is what the good life is all about. I can't wait till these guys live here permanently. That would bring up the real estate values here:)

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I am sitting here waiting for more friends to hit town. Linda Love and Doug Hicks are coming shortly along with a bunch of other good people. Makes for nice times!

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When these friends leave town I will also! I am going to New York for a week in the middle of July. I planned this trip to coinside with my friends leaving. I will be getting a divorce this trip if my wife and I can see eye to eye on a few minor issues which I am confident we will. In the eight years since we split we haven't seen a Attorney so things have worked out well compared to all my friends with Horror Stories and BAD Tales. I think I will miss being married to my wife believe it or not even though we really haven't had a relationship in many years.

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When I return I am bring back a 45 year old Scotch I have had for 25 years that was casked in 1918. This should be a very rare Scotch. I will also bring back a 29 year old and a 22 year old. Along with my collection of Tequillas returning with me this should put my liquor selection over the top and maybe even the best in the entire country.

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Last night someone ordered Dewers. I only had the 12 year old and didn't even have the regular Dewers. I don't even have a Johnny Walker Red. Hmm... Ah the heck with it. I won't buy them. Let em drink my house Scotch or my premium Scotch.

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Hasta Pronto!

Yesterday at QuiXote's

Now that I have been in the Restaurant business for just over one month I think I finally found some enjoyment out of the dumbest thing I have ever done in my adult life which was opening a restaurant to begin with.

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I am enjoying having the people I know and like come into the restaurant to eat and chat. Believe it or not it has taken me a whole month to find this redeeming tidbit in the mess of opening and operating a restaurant.

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Below is Richard and his dad. Richard is a property manager here on the North Coast and manages a few condo complexes. I am sure some of you deal with him on a day to day basis.

These folks below have a place here and are back and forth to the states. It is real nice to see them when they are in town. I enjoy chatting with them and they have taken part in the fund raising we do here in the Dominican Republic to benefit the poor children. Matter of fact they bid and purchased at our last auction a Plane Ride in Maine amoung other things and the person that donated it was also in the restaurant at the same time and pictured below their picture. Say hi to Mainegirl and her daughter. You will never meet two nicer and more beautiful women anywhere in the world! This is the second time I have seen her this year which thrills me to no end. I have had a crush on her since the first day I met her and she becomes more beautiful every time I have the pleasure to look at her. My Gawd, look at her daughter. She is going to be a heart breaker and everyone that had the pleasure of looking at her last night said the same thing. She has dimples that are as big as the Grand Canyon when she smiles which is a "LOT", thank the heavens!

While having dinner a friend of ours Shad was brought up. Shad, his wife Felicia and two children live in Cabrera. So, we of course call him to say hello. Amity and her daughter are off to Samana today and are going to hopefully stop at Cabrera to get the quarter tour of Shad Ponderosa which is a lovely place to visit. I stop there very often and actually every time I am in that area.

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If Shad makes the mistake of NOT being there when I drop in unannounced I steal his vegetables to punish him for the slight:) Great guy, great farm and all around great stop on the Escott North Coast Tour! .

It was a pleasure to finally find some redeeming value to opening a restaurant. Yesterday was a very pleasant day and I had a smile on my face after seeing many people I enjoy in the restaurant. Another great family was also in and are regulars. Lee and Joanne along with their beautiful daughter. I keep forgetting to grab a picture of them but I will next week when they come in again.

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Yesterday on http://www.lifeinthedr.com/forum there was a thread that had a reference to another thread on DR1. When I followed that link to see the reference I saw a mention of AZB talking about some guy that flashes a big wad of bills to pay a 20 peso bill. He didn't mention my name but he has before and I can only assume that he is talking about me again. Seems to be the passtime of some people to take shots at people that won't respond.

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Only time I would see AZB was in Santiago. This moron couldn't ever understand that the only reason I would leave the seaside to go to a smelly hot dirty city in the middle of the country was to shop. That is the only redeemable feature of Santiago other than a stop at the Hillbilly Estate which is a favorite of all visitors to the City. He actually knows that I hate Santiago and everything about it and understands the only reason I am there is for construction materials. Of course I carry a WAD of money with me. You have to actually "PAY" for the stuff you buy. I was never the type of person to pound out what I wanted with credit cards I had no intention of paying off and being a dirtbag like some other people here. Perhaps one day people won't take free shots that are NOT free in the end but I doubt that they will ever have the sense to realize it isn't right.

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I guess he is just jealous that he has to work there at Dominican Wages even for a professional. He tried to do business in Puerto Plata but failed and had to move to a city so he could find more people that would come to him. I don't know why he was a failure as there are other Chiropractors here on the North Coast who are successful but alas he went broke and had to move to the interior to make a few dollars. Poor guy is jealous of others who didn't come to the Caribbean to live in a dirty hot city and since he is stuck in Santiago talks about it like it is the second coming of Jesus to make himself feel better about his poor living situation. Poor guy also has to make himself feel better by conquering poor bario gals who are impressed with his 15 year old Corolla:) Next time I am going to bring a wad of pesos that will be big enough to choke a horse just to piss him off further!

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Hasta Pronto!

Look of our new menu

This is the new menu cover albeit in the wrong size but this is the design. It will be a hard cover with inserts of 8 pages. Breakfast menu, lunch/dinner menu, wine list and drink selection menu plus maybe a will come up with a introduction of how it all came about and why, where and the howabouts. . Just another one of the things needed to make a nice restaurant falling into place. Carina of PocoLoco Design in Puerto Plata did the artwork and design which follows what we have been doing and fits in just right!

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Actually I think the horse/rider should be bigger. I am going to call her now. Ok, horsie is 4x bigger now. I love it.

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Hasta Pronto!

Appearing shortly

Say hello to Donny and Sancho. This is a sculpture finished in Bronze Dawn was commissioned to do for a family. The head of the family was the first president of the National Bar Association. His daughter was the first woman admitted.

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She was allowed to make three. One for the family private collection, one for the Huntington Library which is a museum in California that has so many wealthy patrons that every donation has to be judged and approved before they take the donation. This piece is in their permanent collection.

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The third piece is going into the Permanent Collection of QuiXote's Restaurante in Sosua. I just spoke with a friend who is bringing down a container and he is going to let me add this to it. I will make this the centerpiece of the Restaurante.

This piece is very large. I was only able to move it by bear hugging it. I can't lift it off of the floor and hardly can walk in a straight line. Look for #3 of 3 to be on display sometime this year.

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I got a call from the guy in Santiago about the Granite Bar Top yesterday. When he was here doing a pattern he tried to step me up 30,000 pesos on my pick. I said NO, AIN'T POSSIBLE. WHERE IS THE CHEAPER ONE. He points to it and I say I will take it. He called me yesterday and said it was 50,000 more than he quoted me. I hung up on him and won't ever deal with that dope again.

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I am still waiting for the woman that was here the other day to give the quote on HER measurement for granite. She will get my business if she is able to do business like a human which is entirely way too difficult.

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I got the rest of the light fixtures installed recently in the main dining room. Looks great and especially at night when the lights are on and outside is dark.

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Hasta Pronto!

Disnalda Passes 2nd Grade!

This is the scene of Garden Kids School Commencement which took place and is still taking place today. Dawn called me from there and I got there just in time to be able to take a picture of Disnalda receiving her certificate for completing 2nd grade.

I had to take this on Telephoto and was just walking in when I heard her name being called up to receive her certificate.

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She is now finished with school for the summer but we are getting her tutoring from her math teacher over the summer to help her along a bit more. Although she has finally gotten in stride I want to help her take a few steps ahead now so she won't have it as hard in the future.

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Dawn is going to bring her to QuiXote's so I can take some more pictures of her before she brings her back to her home in Charamico.

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She is now looking forward to her birthday party this summer which will be held at QuiXote's Restaurante in Beautiful Downtown Sosua:)

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Ok back to work for me and it is real quiet again in town. Only served a half dozen breakfasts so it is real slow compared to the 25 to 35 we have been serving on a daily basis. Couple of more folks just wondered in so maybe although it is 11:20am already breakfast isn't over for us yet.

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I just got off the phone with my buddy Herbert from NY. He has a new condo about to close here in Sosua Gawd willing and I have to contact Guido Perdomo to see if it is ready for me to get done. If so I will close it today for him. He is bringing down some booze for me next week when he returns home to the Dominican Republic. He picked up a 28 year old Scotch for me and will bring another Grey Goose unflavored for me. Man it kills me to buy the French Vodka:)

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I had another friend from Canada bring me a Crown Royal and a 12 year old Canadian Club this week also so the list is growing and will grow further next week when I have 4-6 people bringing me Booze's that I don't have.

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I have to redo the Booze list and post it so you all can comment on what I am missing.

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Yahoo mail has been down all morning and I haven't been able to retrieve my mail yet today so if you are expecting a reply I will do so as soon as it is possible.

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Hasta Pronto!

My Day off and a Granite top again...

Well different day and same crap. . I have to admit I am getting a little bit smarter with my work here in the DR. This is the second choice of Granite that I picked out which was supposed to be the same price as the first piece but the guy decides when I am ready to give him a deposit that he has to recalculate the price of the damn thing and I never got one since he hasn't called me back since he made a pattern on Thursday.

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This time instead of going to Santiago I went to a place in Puerto Plata. This way I was able to combine the trip with my shopping for the tile I need to rebuild the front of the restaurant which of course they didn't have the freakin tile either for the 3rd week in a row:).

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So, today the woman from the shop in Puerto Plata is supposed to show up to measure and perhaps make a pattern for the Granite if we can agree on price. Of course that is IF she shows up. I called the fellow from Induca who gave me a price on a storefront for the inside of the restaurant so I can make an air conditioned dining room who also hasn't shown up for two weeks last night and he said he WILL be here today by 11am. Hah, think I will hold my breath?

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Don't fret people, they don't just treat gringos like this. I stopped off at a friends store and she was waiting for Verizon to show up for the telephone. She was complaining to me that they don't show up on time thinking that SHE is Dominican and will be late anyway. She complained to me about this yesterday. Poor gal thinks she is being discriminated against:) These people all do business in this manner and to me it is a surprise that they are able to stay in business but alas, different culture and different expectations.

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Well both the Granite woman along with 2 helpers and the StoreFront guy showed up today. Man am I lucky or what? Not only that but the guy making my light fixtures showed up also and said he is returning at 1pm to hang lights. Can you imagine me getting everything done I wanted to get done today? Wonders will never cease here in the Dominican Republic.

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Today I am going to try to go to Taco Tuesday. Haven't been there in a while and would love to chill out with my friends there. Whoo hoo!

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Hasta Pronto!

The Gentleman sitting on the right celebrated his birthday last night with 7 of his friends and family in QuiXotes.

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I put them in the back room and they had it all to themselves and hung out here for about 3-4 hours. Great to have them here and glad that they enjoyed themselves. We made a make shift last minute birthday cake.

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Yesterday was one of our busier days and although I had one person working the floor and another in the bar at the end of the night I was exhausted. Today is Sunday and tomorrow we are closed again for a day off. Tomorrow I go on the search for a Granite Top for the Bar AGAIN. The guy finally came on Thursday to make a pattern and we picked out another piece of granite and he tells me it was 31000 Pesos more than the original one I picked out which I couldn't have because he said it broke too easy after I made a special trip to Santiago to pick it out. I told the guy NO WAY. Show me something for the same price. He did and I was going to give him a deposit and he said no he has to recalculate. Well if he doesn't come back to me by end of business today I buy from someone else. I don't have enough time for people that waste my time and hold me up which by the way constantly happens here. Business is very hard to do here. . . Starting to get finished with the outside renovations. Some day I will actually finish:)

. This is the new look of the outside of the restaurant at night. We put out 8 outside lights not including the floresant lights behind the QuiXotes Sign.

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The restaurant was pretty crowded last night. Had a lot of people from outside the hotel and that pleased me to no end. I have not promoted a thing yet as I am still wanting to complete the work I started first.

Hasta Pronto!

Monday was my day off. I left to Santiago on Monday morning at 7am with Dori who was going to get his residency in Santo Domingo and getting there from Santiago with his attorney. .

I took a cab to the place where I am/was going to buy a Granite counter for the bar which is pictured below the piece of granite stone.

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I then took a bus to Puerto Plata and a motoconcho to Alberto's office because I needed to cash a 5000 dollar check. They stamped the check and told me to go to RUSA the change house and they would give me the Dollars for it. Turns out they were going to take 50 US dollars from me for this service so I said NO THANKS. I called my buddy Alberto when I left there to go to Sosua and he told me he was sorry and he will deliver the money to Sosua on Wednesday.

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Alberto had recommended the Granite guy to me and he ended up calling a woman that works for Alberto telling her that the piece I picked out wasn't good for what I wanted. Now I am thinking that all these people are complete morons. On my only day off I waste it going to pick out a rock that I was only told wasn't good the next day. How freakin stupid can people be?

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I told the woman that called me that I wouldn't deal with the idiot who wasted my time and was asking me to return to Santiago again tomorrow and all of a sudden he is going to bring the samples. When I tell people that doing business here is tough I mean it. These morons think nothing about wasting your time and thinking you will do business with them again. This guy is coming here with samples and to cut a pattern for the slab but if he doesn't bring anything I like as well he will have wasted HIS time also.

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The weather is still beautiful here so I am not going anywhere but you have to have a person in EVERY field you will know well in order to have a decent simple life. I hate stupid and I hate people who cause me to work stupid. Feel sorry for this dope when he gets here for running my tail around on my day off for no reason!

Hasta Pronto!

Say hello to Diego and a group of his friends who had dinner in QuiXote's. I was reading on his message board http://www.lifeinthedr.com where he was making fun of me saying that he would be in for dinner to see if I was still working. He also had breakfast there and was making fun that I was there at both times.

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I like to give people entertainment at my expense. Hell I will return the favor and that you can take to the bank but I thank him for his business though and appreciate the business I have gained already from a new site. I have also enjoyed posting and reading on the site. Funny how all the personalities jump right on and make a scene. My buddy Brian Wales was in yesterday and said I have 30 something posts and no one has kicked me off yet which is a record for me! Hilarious... Don't know what happened but I had to go back in here and add this last 2 sentences. Thanks Brian.

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Business has really picked up again. Yesterday we had 5 times as many sales as we did a few days last week and today already we have as many sales in by 10am as we did on a few different days last week in total. Nice to be a bit busy again. Had a nice rest:)

. This gal was at the bar last night. She was a little Gorda, but she certainlywas a pretty gal with a pleasant smile. Man don't they all have a nice smile?

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Look at Simon in the background. If I had a mean streak I would start telling stories about how drunk he is but I can't do it. He came in with his neighbor who actually just moved to town on Wednesday. They had dinner and drinks and was just hanging out for a while. Dawn was in for a while and hung out with them at their table.

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It is nice seeing friends come in and hang out here at QuiXotes. Seems that everyone is comfortable and enjoying hanging out here.

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Got the lights up in the street in front of the restaurant yesterday and now people who drive by are looking in to see what the place is all about. Slowly by slowly the place is coming together. I have a gal coming in on Tuesday to train with my day people as a bartender. She has worked in other places and recently Bologna Bar.

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I just got a call from my buddy Jackie Quontree who is coming down in a few more weeks. Poor bastard just got back from a geaneology conference in Chicago. That sounded to be as much fun as watching paint dry on the walls.

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I picked up a oil painting from a wandering Haitian guy. I like some of his stuff and this is the first piece I bought from him. Perhaps he will have other pieces I like and stop back in. It looks nice on the wall but it is not in the right place here yet. I will bring some artwork from home to hang on the walls till I receive Photographs to put up by a local Photographer who's work I admire. I will sell his stuff here along with Dawns Sculptures of which I have two at the bar now.

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Still waiting for more light fixtures and havent even paid for the ones that were custom made to look like parts of a suit of armour yet because the guy never comes around. Tough to get stuff done here.

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Okey dokey we have an empty restaurant now at 11:07 am. did more sales than we did on many days so it is a good day already. .

It is Saturday and I am already looking forward to my day off on Monday. Have no idea what the hell I am going to do other than go to Santiago in the Early to pic out a slab of Granite for the new bar top. I am catching a ride with Dori and taking the bus back to Sosua after instead of killing myself on the drive back and forth. It will be Nap time for me on the bus.

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Nothing much else to speak about as I am in QuiXotes Restaurant most of the day every day but the weather is still HOT and the town is now getting busy again in the buildup to the July 4th weekend.

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Hasta Pronto!

Debbie and Brian from Debbies Pantry in Sosua along with their lovely daughter and friend Tommy and lovely wife came in for dinner tonight.

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If you haven't been there for a dinner you have missed one of the better places to eat in town. I have eaten there a few times already and will certainly return again.

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To start with Tommy tried our Jamison 18 year old Irish Whiskey which he was very impressed with. I had it myself for the first time a week ago with my friend and mule Herbert and I was very very pleased with it. Smooth and as fine as any decent Scotch I have had. I could turn into an Irish Whiskey drinker if I tried hard enough. . I stepped out today to run some errands of some sort and returned to find some folks dancing to the music here. After a late breakfast they danced the day away in each others arms which was quite charming to watch. Dori had already grabbed my camera from behind the bar and snapped off these two pictures. Thanks Dori!

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Business is real slow and the Hotel is still empty but people look like they are checking in now. Hopefully it will get a little more busy before the Hotel fills up on the 16th of June till after the 4th of July.

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I promise to sweat a lot when we get busy as it seems to amuse my friends to watch me work and run around like a chicken without a head. I am glad to provide you all with the entertainment you so justly deserve.

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Since the first day we opened there has been an unrelenting heat spell here. I also wish that would change at least for a few days so I can cool off before the summer weather lands.

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Monday I had my first day off. Whoopie... Seems like a day off I guess. I went to Puerto Plata for some clay tile that they didn't have and then off to Cabrera to make a construction inspection before more money was advanced on a construction mortgage which was on Tuesday. I got home and hung out in bed for a few hours reading and then went out. Town was absolutely dead. I even got a stool down at the Merange Bar and had the choice of many. NO ONE was in the disco at 1am when I went home. Guess it will be another week of quiet before the storm.

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This was kind of the soft opening I wanted when I opened to get the kinks out but I am now ready to work again:)

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Just got off the phone with my daughter. It was nice to hear from her. She is stressing over the last few days of school and tests. She will do just fine like she always does. High Honor Student every year with special awards for getting over 98 in several subjects. She is looking forward to the summer when she performs on Disney Cruise Lines. This is her third year with her acting and dancing troope performing on Cruise Lines although this is the first time she did the Disney Ships.

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My buddie Jackie Quontree comes back to town soon. I am looking forward to seeing him again. It has been a while and I am getting use to his ugly puss! I bet he also wants to see what is like for me to work:) I can't wait to hear his comments!

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My other friend Herbert is coming back this month also. He called me when he got back to NY and told me. "I walked into my office and decided I wanted to be in the Dominican Republic more than I want to be here so I have decided to move in December 2008 after my office lease runs out.

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Now that is great news. If I can get some of the other people I really enjoy to move their fat arses here my neighborhood will improve exponentially.

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Ok, I guess that is enough of my ranting. .

Final things...

Checkout http://www.lifeinthedr.com where I moderate a business and a real estate forum although I don't plan on moderating anyone.

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Also check out http://www.dominicankids.com where we are raising money for the benefit of Children on the North Coast of the Dominican Republic.

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Hasta Pronto!

Central Bank to hold international bidding for tourism project MONTELLANO, Puerto Plata.- Central Bank (CB) governor Hector Valdez Albizu affirmed that land in Bergantin, Los Cocos and Boca Nueva in this province will be subject to an international bidding contest, with a view to developing a tourism development project that will generate jobs and will have a multiplying effect for the Northern region. http://www.dominicantoday.com/app/article.aspx?id=14226 Good news for the North Coast. This can be way bigger than Playa Dorada. I just hope it is a bit upscale over Play Dorada. Hasta Pronto! PS> Check out http://www.lifeinthedr.com/forum for a fun time!

Life in the Dominican Republic

There is a new message board that deals with the Dominican Republic that has just started. Only 26 members last time I looked but the person who has set it up is very well connected with the internet and the Dominican Republic so I am confident that once it goes public it will rocket.

http://lifeinthedr.com/forum/ . This person came into the restaurant and told me he was also fed up with the Pasty White Boy and his ego so he decided to do it himself. Unlike another board that came to life for the same reasons the people behind this one are serious people who plan on making it a premier message board site. . I was happy to see it come to life and plan on contributing to it when time allows. Check it out and let me know what you think. Log on and post a message! If you have a blog put it on your blog so others know about it.

Hasta Pronto! .

I forgot to post this picture...

This fellow was in last night and had dinner. I said to him after he was done and ready to leave, "Please come back again". His reply was, "You have wireless internet and Miles Davis playing, of course I am coming back". Great response for me for sure. He really made me feel like I was doing something right here. Today we had a nice steady breakfast crowd which included at least half of the people who had dinner here last night which is another piece that give you confidence that you are doing a goodjob. Difference was that this morning everyone was on computers while eating breakfast. Cool.

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I have just been exchanging emails with Carina and Helmut about the Dominicankids website. Last night I spoke with Dawn about me paying 100% of my concentration on the Restaurant and needing to spend some effort on the charity again as I have neglected it. So we are all back on track from our busy lives and going to put some more effort into the good work again.

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If you have anything such as goods and or services that you can donate please log onto http://www.dominicankids.com

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We are currently under construction a Dental Clinic which will offer free dental care to children primarily and to adults time permitting. I will soon have pictures to show and put together some infomation about where the money is going to. So far individuals have picked up all the expenses of the building, renovations and dental equipment but we will have at least one full time dentist and a assistant working full time once construction is finished. Please check us out and if you are traveling here bring something down we can auction off in our weekly auctions. Together we can do great things!

Hasta Pronto!

Ok, now this is starting to become fun!

Today for the first time since opening the restaurant I enjoyed being there. We now have such a good staff building up that it isn't nearly as tiring as it was just a few days ago. I got to meet and greet a whole bunch of customers and enjoyed myself thoroughly.

My buddy Herbert was in along with Camden Tom who just got in from Minnesota. Some fun conversations!

Earlier tonight Lee and Joanne came in to Quixotes for dinner. I didnt get their pictures because I am a dope. From now on I am going to take pictures of customers and friends who come in. Dawn was in the restaurant and we all hung out at their table while they ate and chatted. It is always a pleasure to spend time with these nice people. I hope they come back to the restaurant often so I can see a lot more of them than I have in the last year or so. We spent New Years Eve together at their home and had a great time with them.

Dawn is already talking about writing a sitcom about QuiXote's Restaurante. She says that there is so much material that she absorbs that she can write forever and she also says this will make more money than the restaurant. Some of the stories I can tell are just "TOO GOOD TO MAKE UP".

This is a customer I chatted with tonight pictured below. He is in the Construction Industry and is living and working in Tortola. I don't think I have ever met anyone that lived there!

Hey, say hello to Dr. Bruce and his friend from Florida. I don't see DR. Bruce nearly enough and that was even before I opened the restaurant. It was great to see him and hangout with him for a while. This is my ex wife who stopped by to have dinner with another guy. Doesn't she know I get very jealous when I see her with another man? Ah I love her anyway but she is now out of the will. This is John and his boyfriend in law and the two sisters. Hmmm... I should of cropped out their heads since the gals are so much better looking!

Over all I had a nice time tonight and Dori didn't even bitch too much today:) Yesterday was very quiet and tonight was pretty busy. No big rushes but we were busy all day long and right till closing. Got to go to sleep as I have to be at work in 6 hours:( We are closed Mondays btw so you don't waste your time. Hasta Pronto!

Another day at the salt mines...

Yesterday we moved into new territory. The Hotel emptied out and our captured audience left to return to where they came from. .

I thought that with the hotel at 25% occupancy till Friday that we would have a break which is needed since Dori and I have been working from 7am till as late as 1am every day.

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We started off slow with about half the breakfasts we did the day before but we got real busy in the evening for dinner after doing a decent lunch.

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It wasn't our biggest day but we did more dinners last night than before and had people waiting at the bar for tables. Had a new waiter name of Greg start yesterday evening who did a great job. He had experience at La Roca and other places. He worked real well with the bartender and I only had to wait on about 3-4 tables all night and just mainly was the cashier and host. Certainly easier than being the Waiter, bartender and Cashier like I was for the last 9 days with very little help. We let go of one gal that was working with me in the evenings who just got in my way and slowed me down. She couldn't even get an order right from other Dominicans. UGH that was tough.

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During the day I have Nelson working. He previously worked at the German Restaurant by the Bakery and speaks English very well also. He is doing a great job along with the bartender and is able to carry the whole restaurant also with little help from me.

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People are liking the food and giving great feedback. We are instituting changes starting today with the way we are doing things thanks to our customers feedback. Food will come out better because of it and I thank you for it. If you eat here and there is anything that isn't right that isn't 100% obvious PLEASE say something as it is a tremendous help to us. We cant taste every dish that comes out so we need your help.

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We have decided to close on Mondays so we can keep up. It also helps with the schedualing of personel and for the time being it is what we are going to do although it means a loss of 15% of the sales most likely. I need to complete the construction and I can't do it with people here during the process. We had fixtures installed with people eating and it was horrible.

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Ok folks, just remember this Escottism...

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"Friends don't let Friends go into the Restaurant Business" LOL

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This has been a great learning experience for me and I actually enjoy it but working from 7 am to as late as 1 am every day gets old quickly. Can't keep this

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Hasta Pronto!

This is the new look of our breakfast menu designed by Carina. Only change is that I am going to add a Spanish translation for the Hispanic people to enjoy. . Business is booming for a business open for only 5 days and way more than I expected to do. We have most of the kinks ironed out and hiring staff every day. They don't work out they get the boot and we hire someone else to take their place fast. I am not determined to get the place up to handle maximum as quickly as possible. . We had our busiest day ever (Heh, only out of 5 so far) last night and some guys bought a whole bottle in shots of Patrone Tequilla. . I need some people who can work. . Back to work, have a full house already. . Hasta Pronto

Restaurant is OPEN

Ok folks, opening a restaurant before it is ready to appease the owner of the hotel just sucks.

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While hoping for a soft opening to ease through the difficulties was my dream it wasn't my reality.

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First day open we served about 45 meals. Today I think I served that many breakfasts and at noon I was exhausted beyond belief.

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First day the Stove blew up in Doris face. He got a inexpensive haircut which he needed but didn't want. Next night we had a guy here till 2:30 in the AM fixing or maybe rebuilding it. Come to find out that the stove guy was familiar with our stove and he said it hasn't worked in 10 years. Live and learn. Cost a little over 200 dollars so not so bad.

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Today I had a bunch of Dopes ordering 10 things and changing 10 times. They will get their first lesson in civility tomorrow when I take no substitutes in anything from them. Boohoo if they don't come back.

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Maybe tomorrow will be an easier day. We had a new chef start today and he is great! Dori the pessimist even liked him. Real good cook and worker. Hot dog, he even knew a bunch of my customers and asked to go out and great several which was fine with me.

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I hope to have the lights installed today and hope to get more stuff complete. I don't have time for anything now because we turned out to be terribly understaffed with 8 people working now. Never thought I would do so much business in the slow season as we are doing in our first week. Yuk this will take some getting use to but I will I guess.

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Hasta Pronto!

PS>How about the new logo?

Yesterday was Dori's birthday and we had a few people over for a surprise cake. The cake said Happy 65 th Birthday Doris. Hey, we still have a sense of humor after trying to open a restaurant here in the DR.

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I was supposed to pick up the cushions for the chairs and barstools yesterday afternoon. Needless to say I was busier than a one armed wallpaper hanger all day so I was putting it off until today.

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I got a call at 7pm while I was still at the restaurant and the woman said they didn't have enough of the fabric. Man how low class can you be? Here when you do business with Dominicans for a large part of what you need they are completely untrustworthy and in addition they honestly can't understand why doing business like a complete ass is not appreciated. They lie and lie. Imagine if you gave someone a few days notice if there wasn't enough fabric to do a job that was ordered 2.5 weeks earlier?

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I went there today and explained that I am opening the restaurant tomorrow and what am I to do for chairs? They just give you a stupid look with a complete absense of any feeling in their face.

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Why are my people such asses?

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Today when we were doing the food prep and trying to get the Chocolate Cake done the oven blew up and took a bunch of Dori's hair with it. He needed a haircut anywho so the guy is coming tomorrow to fix the thing and in time to still cook the cake for dinner.

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Ok, so I am bitching a lot but YOU try to do business here with my fellow countrymen!

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Oh, the guy that built the storefront in the rear of the restaurant came in to finally get paid. I asked where my price was for the second storefront so I can air condition the place and he tells me tomorrow. I say to this JERK you told me that 2 weeks ago. He babbles some crap in Spanish I don't even have any understanding of so I tell him Manana in what year? He gives me this hurt look like I am doing the wrong thing.

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Don't do business with Double Hache for windows and doors. Unreliable and just a plain pain in the ASS. More of my fellow countrymen who couldn't find their own asses with two hands and a freakin road map! People ask me why I drink. I need to drink to deal with my people thats why!

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Ok I am REALLY finished bitching now! Ah don't let me get started on the menus... Nah aint gonna do it.

This is how the place looks from the back to the front. Not too shabby huh? Notice the lack of seat cushions!

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Hey I had the guy in that is trimming out the bar in Metal and he did half a job. He is also doing the light fixtures but they aint here either. Who the hell needs light?

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I guess this is what soft openings is all about I guess. You don't tell too many people till you get it all together. I have no problem with that.

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The next picture is of the place from the side entrance to the Bar.

. The place is really looking real nice and I am happy with the way it is turning out. Frustration levels are real high and my temper is short. I will get through this and go back to sleep for a month.

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Ok, so did you hear enough bitching yet or should I continue?

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Nah, I am tired of writing and bitching.

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Hasta Pronto!

Great News and tidbits

This is one of the Logos we were working with last year when brain storming on QuiXotes. The original plan is down the drain and I am going to sell the property and close on it this month. I made money on the real estate so alls well that ends well and I have moved on to the New QuiXote's Restaurant which is located inside the Europa Hotel on Pedro Clisante in Sosua, Dominican Republic.

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There is actually a window between the Hotel Lobby and the restaurant and I made a plastic graphic of the guy on the horse below and put it in the window or at least it is something similar to the one below. Yesterday I had the pleasure of welcoming a new member to the Escott Family. My goats of which I had 3 Billy, Goat and son of these two Butthead. Well Butthead now has a brother born yesterday and unlike Butthead who looks exactly like his momma Goat the brother looks exactly like his daddy Billy.

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Now we need to have a baby naming and I am looking for suggestions for brother of Butthead so please make your comments and suggestions.

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Today is Election Day in the Dominican Republic. Yesterday they closed down bars in town at 7pm and they cant reopen till 7pm today. FUnny that they didn't close all of them down, only ones on one side of town. Perhaps payoffs were smaller?

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Being in this country from Good Friday to election day is something I don't enjoy. You have these maniacs with the loudspeakers on everything from 4 wheelers to Mack Trucks blasting NOISE at you constantly. Then you have political rallys where they drive in one direction with over 100 cars and trucks taking over 4 lanes on a two lane road forcing all oncoming traffic off the road. I have never seen anything as disrespectful as this before and I refused to pull over. Matter of fact I wouldn't even slow down and you had to see their faces when I was coming at them fast and NOT YIELDING to their stupidity!

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I think I will try and avoid being here during that period of time next year and highly recommend that everyone else does.

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This morning when I was coming into the restaurant some disrespectful IDIOT in a large SUV stops to chat with some other dope in the middle of the road. He doesn't care about anyone around him only his dumb ass self. When he finally moved on the guy he was talking to tried to walk in front of my car to the street. I think I gave him a few grey hairs when I wouldn't let the SOB cross in front of me.

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I am the kind of driver that stops to let people cross the street. You have to see the look on a Dominicans face when this happens. I am not sure that they don't think I am setting them up and going to run them over as soon as they get in front of me they are in such disbelief that anyone would extend common courtesy to them. I guess courtesy is just not in the culture of most of the Dominicans I see driving. I don't know why.

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Ok, I have just ranted. Maybe it is the stress of opening up a restaurant? Go figger!

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Back to work as I only have 3 more days to go!

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Hasta Pronto!

This is the start of the outside sign coming from the beach in Sosua, Dominican Republic for the all new QuiXotes Restaurant. This picture doesn't do it justice. I uploaded the wrong pic to the computer, my bad!

Below is the drawing in the window between the hotel and the restaurant. I love it! I may use this for the big sign in the street although I am not sure yet. Going to do a soft opening next Friday. No promotions or fanfare just going to try to work the kinks out of the place before we hit the promotions hard. This way if there are small problems that need to be worked out we will get fix them before people hate us:)

I am trimming out the Top of the bar where the liquor selection is with Black Steel instead of wood like I originally planned. This will go along with the light fixtures which are being custom made to look like body parts of Armour. So far I am thrilled with how the Restaurant is taking shape.

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More pictures tomorrow!

Hasta Pronto!