When I was 17, I started working at the flower store with my mom. It started out as me just stopping by to say hi, and ending up helping with projects, and evolved into a paycheck and love of all things floral.
Since then, it seems like I have always had a part-time job. The reasons for getting the jobs have varied as my life has changed throughout the years. Some jobs were sought out of boredom, some out of being dirt broke, some out of wanting a killer employee discount. Regardless, you name it – I have worked there.
Floral shop (which will go unnamed, as I now hate them)
Pepsi (Pepsi One vs. Diet Coke blind taste tests. no joke.)
Denison mailroom (favorite job ever)
Pier One (two locations)
Summer Camp Counselor
Old Navy (worst job ever)
Futon Factory (financial desperation)
The Jif Freeze (gained 20 lbs.)
Sea Vista Motel (best summer of my life, despite being a hotel maid)
The Gap (two locations, and at least five different time periods)
Anthropologie (ooohh that discount…)
(what am i forgetting??)
And now – Crate and Barrel! Today is the big Grand Opening in Kenwood – hurrah! But last night was really the opening. There was an invite-only-pay-$25-for-a-ticket preview party from 6-9, and proceeds from the tickets and sales went to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. I was lucky enough to be working this fancy soiree, and it was actually quite fun! For $25 a ticket, guests had three hours to shop their C&B hearts out, eat fabulous looking passed hors’ deourves, and partake in an open bar! Not a bad deal if you ask me, especially considering the money goes to charity.
We were given very specific instructions that we were hosting the party, not attending it, therefore no fancy food or drinks for the suckers wearing C&B nametags. However, the did have a fancy schmance party planned for us afterwards…
I have to tell you, of all the places I have worked, C&B is definitely the coolest. We were each allowed invite one guest to come at 9pm for the staff party, which they had professionally catered with an open bar in the middle of the store. They even cleared out an entire accessories room to create a dance floor, and brought in a DJ. No joke. At one point I looked at Casey and said, “Sorry for making you come to Kenwood for this weird lame work party.” His response, “It is definitely weird, but it’s actually not lame at all!” And he was right!
Had I actually known anyone there, it would have been very fun. I’m not a very social co-worker. I do my thing, and I think I’m pretty good at it, but I’ve never been one of those my-coworkers-are-my-best-friends types. And having only worked there a few weeks, I know about two people’s names. So basically Casey and I stood by the ornaments, and I ate 5 plates of food, and we drank free wine and premium beer, and we didn’t talk to a single other person. All in all – fabulous!
Aaaaaaand, if you’re still with me through all my ramblings, this was the best part. As we stood there drinking beer and wine, eating small plates of appetizer-type food, listening to the DJ, and watching drunk people dance among a lot of glitter and sparkle, I realized it was just like our wedding! And I loved it!
We are going the non-traditional route for food. We’re thinking of it as more of a cocktail party than a “wedding.” Clearly it is a wedding, but we’re not doing the giant smorgasborg that has become the expectation in today’s wedding world. No seating arrangements, no place settings, no three-course meal. No waiting for your plate, or waiting in line at the buffet, just heaps of delicious small-bite type foods set out and passed throughout the night. I’ve loved this concept in my head and in conversation, but it was fun for me to experience it as a guest, and visualize how well it will work for our guests and our space.
Now if I could only finalize that damn catering contract…
