On hiatus

  

On hiatus.  If you’d like to be notified when we resume, email me at alisonatbluebell@mindspring.com and write “blog” in the subject line.

Sick of Soffits

Are you sick of soffits? I am. But, it is all part of the process. If opening a restaurant were all about food, it would be easy. But, this is hard stuff. It gets harder everyday – just when I think I have it figured out, I get a curveball. Like the ventilation system for the oven or the acoustic material for the ceiling. It’s non-stop.

                                                                                                                                                               

Speaking of ventilation systems, I am busy trying to choose an oven hood. I am concerned about the people who have offices above the restaurant site and I’m working to make sure that they don’t smell food all day. The people who work at the bank next to Alison at Blue Bell  sometimes complain that they can smell food coming through the wall. I reply that I can smell their money. But, I’m just joking. It’s nice to smell food cooking when you walk into a restaurant. But, any smell – even a good smell – isn’t so great all day long if you’re sitting at your desk. At the restaurant, I thought we were immune to it. But about halfway into our “30 days of cookies” holiday promotion at Alison at Blue Bell , even we got sick of the smell of baking cookies. Sorry,Amelia.                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                             

 

One option is to have a regular ventilation system with ductwork running up to the top of the building releasing smells high into the air. But that means we’ll have ductwork running up the side of the historic building. Another option is running the ductwork through the building. But, that eats up potential office space. A third option is getting an ultraviolet hood. It uses ultraviolet light to pulverize the air particles that carry food smells. Since it minimizes smells even before they’re vented, there’s no need to run ductwork inside or up the building. Sounds good, but UV hoods run 30 to 40 thousand dollars more than a regular hood. None the less, it looks like that’s the way we’ll be going…unless something else comes up – which I’m sure it will.

   

That leaves us with the acoustic situation. As the Los Angeles Times  so eloquently put it, I’m striving for “a comfortable sound level (somewhere between bedlam and the grave).” I spent two hours meeting with Steven Schultheis at S&S Resources. It was a great meeting and I learned a lot. Their acoustic material will absorb 80% of the noise in the main dining room. Now, here’s the tricky part…we want to put the acoustic panels in the recessed areas in-between the soffits. But, we can’t penetrate the ceiling in the main dining room because it is fire rated. So, we’ll have to clip the material to the soffits. And of course, all this impacts the lighting design that we’d already settled on. The panels are 1 to 2 inches thick so they’ll limit the bounce we get from the lights. You need something for the light to bounce off to get a nice glow. It’s always something!  

Enough of ventilation and acoustic material. I have some cooking to do. I just picked up some kosher gelatin. I’m using ideas from Eileen Talanian’s new cookbook Marshmallows: Homemade Gourmet Treats  to create a kosher marshmallow dessert for my upcoming class in NYC . Then, in a few weeks, I’m helping Eileen launch her new cookbook with a reception featuring sweet and savory marshmallow dishes . When things get bad there’s always my marshmallow blaster. It shoots mini-marshmallows at high power. A great, non-violent way of dealing with aggression. I’ve been using it non-stop for the past 2 weeks. Go ahead…make my day!

Two steps forward and a step backwards

I’ve opened more restaurants than I care to admit. Some on my own and others as the debut chef. And now, Alison two.

 

It’s always two steps forward and a step backwards. We decided to carpet the bar instead of using hardwood floors. It’s a little unusual but we thought it would absorb some of the noise. We want the restaurant to have a buzz – but the noise level shouldn’t be uncomfortable. We want a place that’s comfortable to hang out.

 

It turns out that a new employee’s sister is the foremost acoustic expert in the area. What luck! She wrote me an email explaining that carpet helps with low and high frequencies but it can also make a room boomy. Okay, so if that’s not the answer, what is? She sent me links to information about acoustical materials.

 

So here’s my idea for the acoustic materials. What if we can put them on the ceiling instead of the floor? We have to build soffits in the ceiling to house electrical wiring (it’s a fire code issue – don’t ask). So now I’m wondering if we can use some of those acoustic materials (instead of drywall) to make the soffits. I just spoke to my general contractor about it and he’s checking it out. Those soffits, by the way, are like lemons that we’re making into lemonade. Since we have to have them, we’re making them design elements and figuring out how to use them to actually enhance the lighting. Instead of shining straight down from can lights, the lights will bounce off the soffits — creating a glow.

 

So, if the acoustic material can go on the ceiling — instead of the floor — then we don’t need carpet and can consider going back to hardwood floors. I asked Bob Himmelreich, our flooring specialist from Pro-Tech Floors for quotes both ways. As I said, two steps forward and a step back.

 

It’s enough to drive you to drink. Fortunately, a beer dinner is on tap at Alison at Blue Bell on Monday. Tom Kehoe, Brewmaster from Yards Brewing Company, will be joining us for a special 4-course beer dinner. Should be fun. More fun than doing the two-step over carpeting or hardwood or carpeting or hardwood or carpeting…

  

 

Full of Flavor & Personality

I suppose it would be easy to walk into an interior design store and buy new things for Alison two -  just like it is easier to open a can, dump it into a bowl and microwave it. But, that’s just not the way we do things.

 

The other day we went to an architectural salvage yard. The salvage yard was just overflowing in cool things – a real feast for the eyes. Chairs hanging from the ceiling, old bureaus, doorknobs, cigarette machines, European style coat racks, window frames, tin ceilings, tiles, light fixtures, antique tables and more. We spent hours sloshing through the mud, rooting around for hidden gems – like a pig searching for truffles.

 

My favorite find was a pair of mirrors that used to hang above the mantels in The Plaza Hotel. Imagine what they might have seen!

  

 

 

Then we stumbled across some cool iron garden doors from a big, old iron gate. We’ll need to strip and finish them, but they’ll be interesting for dividing the bar and private dining room from the main dining room. The iron gates will add lots of texture, interesting detail and, once we add curtains, sound absorbency. And we’re using a design element from the grates in the sconces and the foot rail around the bar that we’re having custom-made.

Some things we find — or have custom made — for the restaurant. Other things find me and just end up in the restaurant. I collect things along the way. My friends know that when you open up the gate to my backyard, the theme song from Sanford and Son comes on. Long before I even thought of opening a second restaurant, I was walking through the Marais district in Paris enjoying all the great little shops. They’re filled with unique items that aren’t mass produced. I found these two scrolls with a really interesting print on them. I didn’t have anywhere to put them, at that time, so they’ve stayed rolled up in the corner of my apartment. I finally found a home for them — they will flank the fireplace in the living room at Alison two. It is the perfect place for them.

I’d much rather find things I love and then find a place for them than have an empty space and have to look for things to love. The space will be newly renovated but it will be filled with things I’ve collected over the years in different parts of the world – giving it flavor and personality. Just like our food and wine.

I’m off sample some of the Yards beers we’re pairing with foods for our Beer Dinner next week and then I have to play around with a marshmallow recipe to see how it works with kosher gelatin, for the cooking class coming up in New York. Until next week…

    

A Taste for Interior Decorating

I love to read cookbooks. I can read a recipe and taste it. I can put flavors, textures and tastes together in my head. I can taste things without actually tasting them.

I wish that ability translated into being able to visualize interior design. But, it doesn’t. I just can’t look at a 3” by 3” paint chip, square of carpeting and picture of a light and get a feel for how it will all come together.

 

Here’s the dilemma. At the hotel show in November, I found a chair that I love. It is awesome! I don’t feel that the chairs need to be unique – but they should be comfortable and have a sense of style. Plus, the fabric and stitching can be customized. So, we fell in love with a lush ultrasuede fabric. It is blue - not blueberry, not royal, not Duke blue (sorry, Blue Devil fans!), not too much red – a deep blue. We took it to the restaurant and looked at it in lunchtime light and dinnertime light. We spilled wine, chocolate and ketchup on it to make sure it was hearty. Perfect!

  

Then, we found out that this perfect fabric had to be custom made-great. In Japan-fine. Then shipped to China, where the chairs are made-okay. Then shipped to the U.S., which could take a while, even if things go well with customs - Ooops! That means there is a possibility they may not be here in time for the opening.

That was bad enough. Then we found out the price. It didn’t seem too bad by the square foot – until you multiplied it by 120 chairs. Whoa! The fabric for the chairs ends up costing more than the chairs. I’m still trying to wrap my head around that one.

 

 Needed a moment to think about that. Are these chairs so important? Is this fabric the only option? How much would it cost to rent chairs while we wait for ours to arrive? To figure that out, I took that paint swatch to Loew’s and had them make a can of paint. I painted a wall in my apartment, laid down the carpet sample and the chair fabric and lived with it for a few days. Then, I tried a second, similar fabric that Lee McGillin found. That helped me decide whether to hold out for the chair fabric we originally chose OR to order something else.

I decided to go with the original fabric we chose. After badgering the companies, Lee found out that the lead-time is less than originally anticipated. It’s just a better fabric  - it has more give to it and is a better final product. I feel that I need to be as respectful of the design as I am to the food in the kitchen.

The fabric will be a world traveler – from Japan to China to Ft. Washington. A bit like me.

 

Wish my iphone could do this!

My days are hectic. I spent the morning making bread pudding on NBC-10’s 10! Show  and the afternoon thinking about Point of Sale (POS) systems. That’s the computer system we’ll use for taking customers’ orders, tracking sales, inventory, etc. at the restaurant.

 

At Alison at Blue Bell everything is done by hand. We use a laptop at the restaurant for seating charts and printing menus. We have QuickBooks at the office. Everything else is manual. But, it’s easy since I can see the whole restaurant from the kitchen-another reason I love open kitchens. Alison two (A2) will be much bigger and have different rooms. We need a POS system. It will tell me how many people are in each section, what course each diner is on, if there are special orders, how many covers a server has, keep track of sales. It lets me stay on top of things. 

Anyone who knows me well knows that I’m a MAC person. I have four macs and an iphone (that I love!). Most POS systems are windows-based but I’ve been looking for a MAC-based POS system. It’s been a long saga…and I’m about to give up.

 

First, I signed up to be a beta-tester (testing a product before it goes to market in a real life situation and giving feedback to the company) on a MAC-based system. I never heard back. 

 

There is a MAC-based system by Xsilva. But, it is designed for retail, not restaurants. My system has to have the capability to send one order to the salad station, bar, entrée station and dessert station – not to one guy in the back who stocks orders. Plus, I need tech support when the restaurant is open – even if it is a Saturday night at 8 p.m. Because you just know that’s when it’ll go down!

 

The next company I called didn’t answer their phone. I found and met with a New York-based company. They were sure they had the right system for me but I never heard back. I didn’t take it personally. Then I found a company in Doylestown, but I’ve left two messages and nothing. Another company’s website said they could design anything – but when I talked to them they said they’d never done this kind of system before. Then I re-connected with a guy in Australia who I knew had a mac-based POS system. I felt that I’d FINALLY found the answer. But when I asked where I could see one in action, he suddenly disappeared into the Outback. I think he’s on a POS walkabout .

I even emailed Walter Mossberg. Yes, the one who writes “Mossberg’s Mailbox” in the Wall Street Journal.  I actually got a response – I was psyched. Except that he wrote to tell me that he only addresses consumer issues – not commercial. Still, it was really nice of him to write.

Although I don’t like to admit…I give up. It’s not for lack of trying. People say, “it’s YOUR restaurant you can do what you want.” HA! It doesn’t quite work that way. Looks like the MAC based POS system is going the way of the open kitchen – I just can’t do it.

Well, it is Valentine’s Day so there’s a lot to be done. Then we’ll start thinking about our upcoming Beer Dinner and launching this great marshmallow cookbook . And wait until I tell you about the chairs. You better be sitting down for that one!

 

 

The Sound of People Enjoying Themselves

Did you see Betsy’s comment about noise levels in restaurants? She says, in part, “…big groups go out for fun and laughter and it’s great - unless you and your friend or husband or date went out for a quiet evening and quiet talk. I want them to enjoy themselves - just not next to us when we are two!”  

Betsy, I agree. It is certainly something we’re trying to be sensitive to as we design Alison two. But, it can be a thin line. If a restaurant is too quiet, it feels a bit uncomfortable. We don’t want a library. We want to hear the sound of people enjoying the food and company. The sound of people enjoying themselves is a great sound! It creates a great vibe.

It is very hard to anticipate how loud things are going to be. We’re not really going to know until the restaurant is full. The time of day and night of week make a difference too. On Valentine’s Day we’re full but – not surprisingly — it is a quiet night. Other nights we might not be full, but one loud person or table can change the whole atmosphere. It is particularly tough at Alison at Blue Bell, which is one big room. It’ll be easier at Alison two, because it is divided into several different spaces.

We evaluate each design element both by how it looks and by whether it will absorb sound. We’re considering the noise levels in each space and how it will flow into adjoining areas. The other day, we looked at a divider that would separate the bar from the dining room. It was really interesting – sleek. But, we nixed it because we felt that sound would bounce off of it instead of being absorbed. To further absorb noise, we’re looking for ways to use fabric – like carpeting the bar rather than putting down the typical hardwood floors. In the entrance area, I wanted to hang a framed photo across from the windows. That got nixed because we thought it would encourage sound to bounce between the windows and glass. And, on the enclosed porch, which has a wall of windows, we’re limiting the seating to 2-tops and 4-tops with just one 6-top. Next, we’re considering how to separate the private dining rooms. We want something that provides privacy and sound absorption.

In our weekly meetings, noise levels come up repeatedly. It is a balancing act – it starts now and will probably continue even after the doors open.

Well, I’m going to quietly sneak off to work on those copy changes for the Alison at Blue Bell website, create tips about cooking with chocolate for my appearance on NBC-10’s 10! Show next week and meet with Yard’s about our upcoming Philly Beer Week dinner…

Setting our Sights on the Website

Now that we’re opening a second restaurant, I am looking at everything with fresh eyes. I love the website for Alison at Blue Bell! I especially love the way it reflects the personality of Alison at Blue Bell. When people go to a restaurant – their experience should be consistent with the expectations set by viewing the website. I think our website does that. It’s not overly slick or promotional. I think it reflects the experience you’ll have in the restaurant.

When we first opened, we didn’t have a website. That’s unthinkable now. And in the years since we designed it, the way people use the web has changed. Our needs have changed and I notice that new customers have different needs than our regulars. So, our website it going to be updated too.

Our regulars are willing to book holiday dinners (New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, Beer Dinner) before we even publish the menu. We’ve earned their trust over the years and they know we’ll try our hardest to “wow” them. One customer often complains that I make her want to lick her plate clean! I cherish the trusting relationship we’ve built and work hard to continually nurture it.

Newer customers, understandably, want a little more information before they commit. Maybe they are linking from foobooz, Zagat, Gayot, Food & Drinq, aroundphilly.com or read about us in Philly Mag  and they visit our site for more information. Right now we’re not putting special event details and menus on the site. We don’t want the homepage to look like a strip shopping center full of signs. But we need to find an attractive way to publish special event information on the site.  

Another issue is that special events are promoted first in our email newsletter. Sometimes regulars (who get the email newsletter every 6-8 weeks or so) are booking up events before newbies even hear about them. Events will soon be listed on the website too. (And newbies that want to sign up for the email newsletter can click here  to sign up.)

Our website isn’t a simple kit where you just CLICK and add a special events page. It is beautifully designed by Elizabeth Kilroy. Elizabeth originally designed the site so that we could put special events on the homepage linked to the “What’s Going On” section. At the time, we didn’t have many special events – so that section became a repository for our newsletter. To make our site more effective, we’ll be returning to her original idea, of putting events on a somewhat redesigned homepage with links to more information about special events and changing “What’s Going On” to “Newsletter.” That’ll make it easier for everyone to know exactly what is going on. Elizabeth will ensure that we don’t want to lose that quality, that it flows well and is easy to navigate.

 

Opening a new restaurant is a journey. Updating our website is one more step. Other steps we’re taking this week are interviewing new staff, finally nailing down a date for Beer Week  and cooking up some Valentine’s Day surprises….

 

Naming the Restaurant

Lots of restaurants use ingredient names – like Salt or Branzino, in Philadelphia or Butter, Aquivit or Drink in NYC. I thought about that but I don’t feel connected to any one ingredient. Lots of restaurants use a location – like Ouest, on the Upper West Side, 333 Belrose or Alison at Blue Bell. I thought people would want to know where we are. I thought about that but “Ft. Washington” just doesn’t sing. Don’t get me wrong - Ft. Washington is a lovely neighborhood but I couldn’t see incorporating the name into the name of the restaurant.

We picked Alison two. And, like any good name, once we decided, it just felt right. The name reflects our ideal that the second restaurant be part of the same family as Alison at Blue Bell, yet have its own distinct personality too. Likewise, the logo is an extension of the original brand – Alison at Blue Bell.

I know there is no “ta da” but I think the name makes sense. The colors work, the graphics work. I think the names work well together as a family. It works for us. We weren’t looking for a cutesy and trendy name– because we’re not cutesy and trendy. It’s my food – which you’ve come to know – at my second place. We’re happy with the first restaurant. It is working. We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel. We’re opening the second restaurant because we want to grow and do more. The name reflects that.

Some people like the name. Some don’t. Some bloggers think I’m egotistical. (Check out opinions at  foobooz, chowhound, shallowcenter and foodandrinq.) But, no matter how much you dislike the name, you can’t be as disappointed as Tom Pittakas, our manager. He felt strongly about it and launched a whole campaign to name the restaurant “Tom.” He had customers rallying for him and everything. I think he was disappointed – but not surprised.

One of the beauties of a name like Alison (unlike Tom) is that the name of the restaurant comes up near the top of every alphabetical listing. I don’t think my folks planned it that way – but it was a good move. Perhaps if Mr. and Mrs. Pittakas had named him Alvin we’d have considered it. I like being an “A” and I just love our “A” logo.

My friend, Ellen Diamant, designed the logo. She also designed the logo for Alison Café, the tiny restaurant I opened in Skippack when I returned to Philadelphia, and Alison at Blue Bell. Since developing those logos, Ellen’s business, Skip*Hop, has really taken off. She designs and sells hip accessories for new parents. Check it out. I was worried that she wouldn’t have time to design our new logo and was relieved that she agreed to do it. I’m so happy with the final logo. It feels classy and upscale to me.

Ellen also introduced me to our web designer extraordinaire, Elizabeth Kilroy. My cool website design has attracted national attention, thanks to her. She designs my email newsletters too. If you’re not getting the email newsletter and want to sign up, click here and hit “sign up for newsletter.” Pretty soon she’ll start working on the site for Alison two. We’ve acquired  alisontwo.com, alison2.com and alisonII.com.

 

Don’t bother to go to the new website yet – there’s nothing to see. Designing that website is on the “to do” list, along with picking out furniture, creating our Beer Week menu and preparing for Valentine’s Day. I’ll keep you posted….

          

Designing Women (& Men)

I met with the architect again today. I’m really happy. I like the design and think we’re getting there. It is exciting! It looks like everything will flow well. Next, to ensure that traffic flow will be efficient, the architects will make the blueprint into a 3-d model. That will also help us determine if a few tables need curtains or other types of barriers for privacy.

Chris, Kevin and a potential restaurant manager were all at the meeting with me. We all left smiling. Then, I emailed the blueprint to a friend who has lots of restaurant experience, tons of common sense and strong opinions. Naturally, he had some questions about the layout. So there’s another discussion…

 

 

One thing I am really excited about is the flexibility of the space. We have one area that can be a large private dining room (PDR) for 40 or 50 people or divided into two smaller rooms. I envision hosting bridal and baby showers, birthday parties and family events. We’re even planning to have Wi-Fi so the rooms can be used for corporate presentations and meetings. On days the room isn’t being used, it can be opened up and used as part of the restaurant – increasing the seating capacity.  

There was still one awkward space that was small and dark. I thought it was crying out to be a wine cellar. But, as the design evolved, the space opened up and it is now going to be a living room. Picture a relaxing, room with a fireplace, small bar and maybe a TV – almost like home only someone else brings your snacks so you don’t have to run into the kitchen during the commercials, refills your drink and even cleans up after you. What could be better? It will also be an unusual and inviting space for greeting guests before private parties. It’s just a warm and welcoming place to hang out in. I’m sure we’ll find a million ways to use it. I may just move in!

 

The other space we spent a lot of time talking about was the lobby. Sometimes people don’t want to be seated until their whole party arrives. That usually means waiting in a bar – but I know that I don’t always feel comfortable waiting in a bar. The lobby is designed to feel like an extension of the bar, where guests can relax, have a drink and visit with friends as they’re coming and going without actually being in the bar. And, if there is a short wait for a table, it would be a comfortable place to be.

 

 

Well, everyone loved the wine pairings we offered at Alison at Blue Bell on New Year’s Eve. We got to try new wines and unexpected food/wine pairings. It was fun! So, for Valentine’s Day we’re offering a flight of three glasses of wine matched to the menu. Having a liquor license adds a whole new dimension. So glad we’ll have a full bar at the new place! But, that’s a post for another day…