25 Comments
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Mazza's avatar

A year!! Flipping heck

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Vanilla Black's avatar

Yea I know.

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Felicity Jones's avatar

A year of this!

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Vanilla Black's avatar

And there’s more….

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Felicity Jones's avatar

You may have to explain the concept of CDs to some of the readers …

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Vanilla Black's avatar

I didn’t think about that.

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Felicity Jones's avatar

Are the chapter headings your not at all Spotify playlist?

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Vanilla Black's avatar

Ah you noticed.

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Matt Inwood's avatar

My daughter’s proudest moment at the restaurant she works at was being given control of the Sonos system. I think it was wall-to-wall Lana del Rey for the afternoon shift! Great post. And congratulations on selling your restaurant: what could possibly go wrong from here?!

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Vanilla Black's avatar

And isn’t it those little things which matter. Thanks Matt, but just wait…..

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Shell Plant's avatar

Happy 1 yr Substack anniversary!

Great post, made me giggle. And what's wrong with the Pixies? I love the Pixies. But then, I'm an Essex girl who isn't particularly posh.

Looking forward to next week's post already!

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Vanilla Black's avatar

Thanks Shell. And yes, Posh Pixies are excellent.

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Caroline Osella's avatar

A Denon in the wheelie bin - you utter bastards. Great piece again. Music? We go by the specific energy for that evening. Afrobeats, moodie indie, ska n reggae, hippy trippy, RnB dinner-before-bed, Americana. We've even been known to indulge in a Friday yacht rock moment or an Eagles sing-along while we cook. That'd get your customers complaining. No way you can do that "read the room, feel the mood" thing for more than ten people.

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Vanilla Black's avatar

When it comes to temperamental stereo systems, no mercy.

I like your music tastes, respect.

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Andy Lynes's avatar

Sorry, didn't mean to bring back bad memories!

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Vanilla Black's avatar

Ha. No problem. As always, it just made us busier and busier.

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Andy Lynes's avatar

I've just remembered that critic Andy Hayler used to carry a decible meter around with him and publish the noise level in restaurant in his reviews. Bloody good idea.

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Vanilla Black's avatar

I’ve just remembered that he slated us.

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Shawn Hennessey's avatar

I’d always prefer to be annoyed by lack of music (unlikely) than music l don’t like.

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Vanilla Black's avatar

Fair point.

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Andy Lynes's avatar

Please also spare a thought for us deaf old gits, noise in restaurants has

become an increasing issue for me. Because restaurants are generally run by young people they probably don't think twice about it.

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Claire Ivins's avatar

I am with you. For anyone with tinnitus, background music in restaurants can make it impossible to hold a conversation. Then you don’t go back.

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Vanilla Black's avatar

Good point. But as you may have seen in the Post, what if Table 8 wants music. It’s difficult for the restaurant.

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Vanilla Black's avatar

But after reading the Post do you realise how tricky it is?

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Andy Lynes's avatar

I do, yes.

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