End of season review 2008!

Well the post we've all been waiting for, well not all but my 2 readers have been waiting for, its here the end of season review.

What can i say my second season was better than that first kiss i ever had (sorry Belinda), better than peanut butter and jam, even better (dare i say it) than black pudding and fruit & fibre. The customers that came in through my door were as lovely as Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins and they drank as much as George Best (god rest his soul) on a wine tasting trip. The music was changed slightly this year but seemed to give the bar a good vibe and the new sofa's were a hit. I had many many nights where i run out of seats and instead of turning customers away i went to my good friends Veronica and Derek at The Lighthouse restaurant and borrowed more chairs to seat everybody and they stayed even without having a table for their drinks and i thank them for that and also apologies for that but i had no idea i was going to be as busy as i was all season what with the island and resort having its worst season for tourists.

My cocktails were voted the best that my customers had tasted within the resort and all came back for more, as i said in a previous post its all about taking the time to make properly, use the correct ingredients, using the original spirits and using the correct measure for each spirit used in the drink, the pomp and frills that decorate the drink mean nothing if the drink in side tastes like a chemical cocktail.

As i tell all my customers "its just a bar being a bar again taking it back to basics having a chat, a laugh and socialising which is being lost in alot of bars at home and abroad".

But once again without you i couldn't be in the position i am with a healthy business that my customers enjoy for what it is which is "just a bar" as my sign says outside, "No TV's, No Gimmicks, No Hassle, No Stress" and i've been very lucky to have you as my customers and can't thank you enough.

I've worked very hard to get where i am today and sometimes been pushed to the limit with the amount of customers i've had in and also been pushed by some people who have never drank in my bar but i wouldn't change any of it as i thrive on being busy and spiteful silly people push me on to prove them wrong which i think now i have with 2 great seasons under my belt.

Just to be serious for one moment i'd like to say i feel very sorry for the businesses that have gone bust this year and its been alot, some new, some well established for years, i would not wish it on anyone as its the worst thing to see someones dreams and livelyhood close up for good, the pound to the euro didn't help nor did the credit crunch but i'd like to wish these people all the best in whatever they decide to do next and hope maybe some day they can re-live that dream they once had and remain on the island as there is no point in being bitter with the island as its a beautiful place and it hasn't been the islands fault for the business closure.

So where do i go from here? Well we look forward to 2009, Bar is having some new features but the bars heart will still be the same and definately NO TV's! also there are plans for a second business, the business plans are all drawn up, its all been fine tuned so now its just putting my plans in to practice so look out for the update around april.

Please keep reading my blog as it will still be going through the winter with whats going on in my boring life but for now we say to Zakynthos "see you soon" not "goodbye".

P.S Don't forget the Oceanic Awards in January, you never know you may be a winner or even defend your award with success.