Sunday Funday?

Having a part-time job is frustrating and often backwards in schedule, at least in my book. On the weekends, when most people are taking a much needed hiatus from their 9-5 weekday work schedule, yours truly...along with many other students and young adults spend their time working. I don't see this as wrong or unjustified, I just like to complain about it. Working in the restaurant industry does not make it any easier.

Growing up, Saturday or Sunday brunch was part of the way I spent time on weekends with family. In fact, it's one of the only times we would all devote to spend together without complaint. Austin Java, Trudy's, Central Market, Magnolia Cafe and Kerbey Lane, just to name a few, were the places we'd go to at our leisure to have a midday brunch. Now, as a student, working at a restaurant part-time Saturday and Sunday brunch has become an entertaining and hilarious experience in which I clock most of my hours. Every weekend, in preparation for the hundreds of people that come into South Congress Cafe for brunch I'm up at 8AM. The mornings are rough, and usually fueled by a lot of caffeine, but hung over or not my co-workers and I are all on our feet for seven hours strait, serving up mimosas, bloody marys, eggs benedict and ever-famous migas to guests ranging from just rolled out of bed at 2PM for breakfast to those entire families who've already dedicated a full hour of their day to God by 9AM.

Before the rush, the mornings usually include:

Preparing veggies, polishing glasses, cutting fruit...

Protecting our plants from the Texas climate...

Confirming reservations, picking up the chronicle, preparing Sangria,

AND being alert and spunky as possible by 9 AM to serve the hungry, hung-over, even eager parents with screaming children.

It's amazing that people will wait up to an hour and a half for a good brunch. It's also amazing how many beautiful people live in this city. People watching is the best part of my job. This city is so diverse.