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There I was at a happy hour get together tonight of the local press, a great number of them from The Sun. It has been a rough week at The Sun with approximately 100 layoffs and buyouts. No one is really feeling secure about their jobs-not a good week there. Talking about having a bad week, let’s take a look at Mayor Dixon – not a good week there either. Now put them all together.Talk about a strong, savvy politico, Mayor Dixon walked into the proverbial lion's den of a bar full of reporters who are drinking at a media happy hour gathering. This was truly a Kodak moment and I got it.
I got to chat a little bit with her honor, the Mayor. Being the non-politico and the Dining Examiner, I asked her about favorite foods and restaurants. I can say that the mayor enjoys grilled fish, seems to have a penchant for Italian food, and enjoys a good mojito though she was sipping white wine.
It Left a Sour Taste
The gathering was at Ixia and I would think that some arrangements would have been made for discounts on the drinks for this group of about 30 but no, and no one behind the bar or hosting was savvy to put discounts together. I had two cocktails and with tip was $30. It’s a beautiful venue, and my yuzu based cocktail was delicious but it soured when I got the bill.
4 comments:
Actually, I called a month in advance to ask if any specials could be arranged -- I was assured the prices would be reasonable, even after the happy hour (as publicized on the event invitation) ended. I agree, $30 for two drinks is a bit steep. I asked the General Manager if he'd be willing to extend the happy hour a bit longer and he flatly refused. There wasn't much else I could do!
They did have some cheaper options -- bottled beer and such. I got two sangrias, a Coke and a $12 app for $30, so yours may have been an extra-special special.
Obviously the savvy ones WERE the people at Sotto Sopra. The one who was not "savvy" was the one who organized it. Business is down; so why would a bar unnecessarily give out discounts when it doesn't have to? Bars and restaurants have a tough time staying in business. If I was negotiating, I would have gotten discounts, Mykel, or moved it to another venue that would have accomodated..
Dear Anonymous:
Let me address two of your comments.
1. This was at Ixia, not Sotto Sopra. At Sotto Sopra they would have put out some food, created drink specials/discounts. (Which they did for me when I set us a similar gathering - they were happy for us to be there).
2. Whether good times or bad times, most places will extend discounts to groups. I'm not telling anyone to give the ship away but in the industry when you bring in a large party there should be some perks.
Unfortunately, Ixia's staff should have been as savvy as the Mayor but they weren't.
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