Part two of an extremely good set of Longreads articles this Friday. --Enjoying a day off to read them.
- For all of North Brooklyn’s book groups and websites and meet-ups dedicated to alternative monetary systems, the solidarity economy is, for the time being, at its best in the service sector. I can barely remember paying full price for anything. Checks for Negronis, artisanal spicy pickles, hand-roasted coffee beans, and sometimes entire locally sourced meals disappeared with a wink and a nudge reminiscent of Fight Club’s ominous waiter scene. At the very least, it allowed us to participate in a culture we couldn’t really afford. At its vilest it felt like a neighborhood of people working for slightly more than minimum wage in exchange for a chance to play-act at brunching in a nice neighborhood.
This really reminded me of when I worked in a bar, but you know, replace the hipster stuff with . . . different stuff I guess.I can barely remember paying full price for anything. Checks for Negronis, artisanal spicy pickles, hand-roasted coffee beans, and sometimes entire locally sourced meals disappeared with a wink and a nudge reminiscent of Fight Club’s ominous waiter scene. At the very least, it allowed us to participate in a culture we couldn’t really afford. At its vilest it felt like a neighborhood of people working for slightly more than minimum wage in exchange for a chance to play-act at brunching in a nice neighborhood.
From years of doing a job that requires going to concerts: it's so easy to see free shows it would blow your mind. Unless you're looking to get into an arena-type show where the security is out in force, it's entirely a matter of just looking like you know what you're doing. Nobody ever checks badges if you just pick up a road case and walk backstage with purpose. Ditto shining a flashlight on the ground with an intent look on your face. Or anything with gaffer's tape. Who needs job leverage when you've got good bullshitting on your side? I highly recommend that everybody try this at least once.
It was a bar really close to Fenway Park, so a whole lot of pre-game customers sucking down Bud Light. I'd have to have 3-5 cases on ice just to keep things stocked and I once had to call in a favor to get 50 lbs of cheese during a game rush because everyone and their mother wanted nachos. I still remember running the 10 blocks or whatever with the 100 lbs of cheese the dude lent me (he didn't want me to have to come back) slung on my shoulders. It was dirty and gross, but a whole lot of fun for a guy in his early 20's. Yeah, there was a whole lot of drinking, especially in the winter time. Working in a bar or a restaurant where favors are done for nearby bars and restaurants (like the cheese loan I mentioned) is like a pass into a semi-secret world where suddenly food and drink one couldn't afford, then become accessible. I mean, through that job my roommates and I were able to make friends with the guys at the ice company, which meant heavy discounts on beer luges. We were also able to arrange a weekly delivery of booze from a liquor distributor and once, when the bar across the way switched from bottles to a tap system, we were told that we could have as much beer as we could carry for $10 a case, of really good beer. So of course, we showed up with a truck, even though we lived down the street and cleaned that place out. If you ever have that much access to good beer, chill. Don't be like us and try to figure out which ones funnel the easiest in the interest of clearing out the hallway.
No way, which bar was it if you don't mind me asking? (Side note: What's your favorite in that area? I just went to a sweet bar in the Fenway area last weekend.) Those sound like some good perks for working at a bar and dealing with all the bullshit and baggage that come with the job. Not to mention the stories that come out of it.