We all eat out…who doesn’t like going out for a nice meal. For those who know me, or regularly read my writings on Facebook, you know that my honey and I prefer going out for Happy Hour instead of a full sit down meal. It’s not only that happy hour, depending on where you go, can save you 50% on your entire bill, but it’s also because when you order food, it’s a small plate, that doesn’t come with that massive side of mashed potatoes or pasta, rice, or any other multitude of things that are just not part of my regular eating and which I have no desire to put in my body. I’ll list some of my favorite Happy Hour in Palm Beach locations at the end of this post.

One of the many vantage or rather disadvantage points of sitting at the bar is the up close view of what goes on both behind the bar and in some cases during food prep. OK, I will admit that I probably pay way more attention to things than others do, in fact probably too much and I fully admit that I am a bit OCD. This recent article in Huffington Post will make you want to skip the fruit and garnish in your drinks and on your plates: This Will Make You Never, Ever Want To Put A Lemon Wedge In Your Water Again

Sitting at what I call the “wrong end of the bar” is not a good thing, at least for me when visiting on of our favorite spots in West Palm Beach, City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill. If I sit on the end where all of the wait staff comes up to collect the drinks that the customers sitting at the tables, I can’t help but watch was one after one, they stick their hands into the containers of lemon wedges, lime, orange, cherries, olives, etc. And, I can’t help but backtrack to where there hands have been. They’ve been touching the menus that their customers just handed back to them, they’ve been touching the computer screen to enter the orders, they’ve been removing plates from other customers and do they wash their hands in between all of this, or do they use tongs to pick up the fruit and put in on the edge of the glasses or into the drink? No! Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t something I spend a long time thinking about, it’s just kind of automatic, like the computer in my head that goes “blip, dink, click and out come the results.” So here’s what my analytical brain just did as I see them put their hands into the fruit and place the fruit just right on the sides of the glasses.  Brain talking “Did you see he just used his bare hand and stuck it in that jar of lemon wedges?” ” I wonder where his hand has been?” My brain continues. Now, going backwards to their movements of what that particular wait person was just doing? My Brain “They were just using the computer touch screen to enter the orders, the same screen that every other wait person in this restaurant uses and before that, they were taking the menus from the customers who just placed the orders.” It get’s even worse here. My Brain “Do you know what is on those menus? They’re filthy! Dozens of other people have been touching them and who knows where their hands have been! Many people use the rest room and don’t want their hands when they leave, so I can only imagine what is on those menus!” Now, this is not a lengthy observation or conversation going on in my head, and in that split second where my brain is going through all this analyzing, I tell my bartender “skip the fruit.” In other words, no fruit on or in my drink, I’ll skip the bacteria, thank you!

There’s another restaurant that we frequent where and enjoy Happy Hour over a long drawn out dinner. It’s probably the best Happy Hour in all of Palm Beach County. Echo Palm Beach, where everything is 50% off. Unlike City Cellar where only the drinks are 50% off, but the menu is full price. At Echo, the Sushi Chefs are very busy at the front of the bar, just as you walk in the door. I choose to sit as far away as possible. I LOVE their sushi, but it’s best that my over hyper-analytical, OCD brain to not watch them in action.

When I learned many years ago to pay attention to everything in my life, I went from being oblivious to so many things and paid the price for it, but having people in my life who were not genuine and had no integrity or honor, but rather were just using me. I also didn’t pay attention to the things going on around me. Now, I pay attention to absolutely EVERYTHING! If I had to pick one, I’d pick where I am now, I’d rather be aware and yes, even OCD than to be oblivious.

What do you think? Is there one better or worse? Do you have the same challenges? I’d love to know how you handle them!

xoxo
Robbyn