The timing seemed perfect. Myself and a gaggle of girls had planned a celebratory night on the town, and Yia Yia’s was advertising $5 martinis. Even Mother Nature was cooperating, and we looked forward to enjoying one of the first patio friendly nights of the year.
Except when we pulled up to the Bradley Fair restaurant, the entrance was roped off, and it quickly became evident the lovely white tablecloths on the patio weren’t there for us.
Yia Yia’s was closed for a private party.
How dare they! Don’t they know who we are, we scoffed, perhaps only partly in jest. (Our group included a restaurant critic, an editor, a business columnist and several well-known ladies about town.)
After many phone calls back and forth to the various parties who were on their way, the new plan was to meet at Chester’s Chophouse at the Waterfront, which was packed. (Love that patio fireplace, by the way.) It’s not clear if every Wednesday is this hopping or if Chester’s benefited from Yia Yia’s being closed.
A week or so later, Oeno, the Old Town wine bar, was closed for a private function. This time, we didn’t mind since we were the ones invited inside. It was kind of funny to watch people walk to the door, throw up their hands and leave. For a business owner, though, that has to be excruciating. Then again, who can turn down the guaranteed money from a private function? You just can’t win.
It’s one more reason, at least in my book, not to own a restaurant.