Chicana on the Edge

Nick and Tony's is owned by Restaurants America, which owns many restaurants and chains across the country. Last week, to get a lot of Effen Vodka sold, the area manager announced a contest between the three main downtown Chicago restaurants, which are Nick and...

Tonight I served a table of two gentlemen who were out for dinner. One was quite good-looking and he gave me a lot of attention. All I did was greet them and start describing our dinner specials and he acted like he couldn't keep his eyes off me. By the time I had...

Although I finally stopped believing there's something wrong with me because I've never been married, I still feel deeply disappointed and discouraged that, at the age of 39, I've never fallen in love or found someone to share my life with. It's a discouragement that...

According to TiVo: • Many manufacturers have halted production on VCRs permanently. • 2006 will be the last year for VHS movie releases.Sad. I still prefer using a VCR to watch rented movies because I don't have a DVD player and have to watch DVDs on my Apple laptop....

More reasons why my new job serving at Nick and Tony's Restaurant is so much better than my old job:1. Better tips.2. Parties of 5 or more have the gratuity (tip) automatically added on.3. Fairer system to determine who gets to serve those parties of 5 or more. We...

I’m part of a writing group that has given itself the assignment to write our best autobiographical story that takes place in a bar. I’ve never been able to stomach alcohol so I’ve spent shockingly little of my 39 years in bars, but this story at least ends in a...

Tomorrow is the Chicago Marathon and the general manager at Nick and Tony's says we'll be packed tonight, all reservations full. It's because we're an Italian restaurant and all the runners will want to eat pasta tonight to "carbo load" for tomorrow's race. I heard on...

It’s beginning again. Another one. This must be roughly the 324th since the process started when I was twelve. Month after month after month and never for any good reason. The lining becomes plush and thick, “ready to receive an egg,” it said in the Modess pamphlet I...

It's cold outside! I'm so excited. Finally, the damn summer is over!

Damn it. Can't sleep. Spent last hour reading Fatty McBlog which is a very interesting and often funny blog. At least feel like I've been productive. Check it out, especially if you're at all food-obsessed like me. Their blog reads, "We're not here to lose the weight,...

My first weeks at Nick and Tony's are going well, but my feet aren't used to this much wear. Being off work for a month really killed my stamina. Trying to build up again.Just about every shift there's competition: a bottle of wine for whoever sells the most glasses...

One thing I am very grateful for is never really suffering from “baby fever.” There was a short period around age 30 when I thought I wanted to bear and raise a child, but three years of doing childcare took care of that craving. I know a lot of women like me (coming...