We had a lovely Christmas Eve at the Red Barn, our first since we’ve been open.
Some of our favorite friends came to share the evening and the buffet including our neighbors Saad and Michael and their dear friend Grace, loyalists Al and Donna Knoll, a big family of Santa enthusiasts whose names we don’t know yet, but will ,we hope, in the future. Beth and Judy and Bob and Richard finished out the evening sharing a great conversation and a wonderful bottle of dessert wine with us that had traveled back with them from a trip to Italy.
Normally, the week between Christmas and New Year's Eve is time I spend with our family and getting my thoughts organized for the year ahead. This year, our family is celebrating the holidays elsewhere and I'm not that organized. But, Bert will be appearing on WNYT 13 on Thursday December 30th at 12:15 on a "Let's Eat" segment. This is the fourth time they have asked him to appear, and he'll be making the famous Red Barn Onion Soup. If you're in the area, be sure to tune in to channel 13 and catch him on TV. Do I hear Bam?
So, I have finally convinced Bert that our New Year's resoulution should include the word REST. We've been at this business for four years now, and also doing our day jobs in two locations. It's taking a toll. Bert's standard answer, at this point, to almost anything I tell him is "how can that be?" with a certain tinge of attitude. It get's different emphasis, depending on what I'm telling him, but it's a sign, to me, that he's "overtired". I have also convinced him that he better get started with this resolution in January, when everyone else is starting. So, we're going to be closed after dinner on January 1st for January and Feburary.
The weather is usually cold and unpredictable, and we are a BARN after all, so it’s cold in the building no matter how high we crank up the heat. We will be doing some of the ongoing repairs to the barn during that time and doing a little research by going out to dinner in NYC and Massachusetts and Columbia County. I’ll be going to the dentist and getting Hannah ready for graduation from High School in June. You can visit the blog to follow the resting.
We’re open for New Year’s Eve at 5-7pm with a limited menu and then special menu from 7pm on, so if you're plans for the evening have changed or your wondering what to do, join us. Just give us a call. We will also open on Januay 1st for a lunchie-brunchie kind of thing at 12 noon until you're ready for dinner which we'll be serving until 10pm, as usual.
We thoroughly appreciate all of our loyal and devoted customers. You've been there when we got rid of the frozen fish and replaced it with oysters, mussels, and real lobsters(what are fake lobsters?). You came back time after time for Grandma's roast chicken, roast duck and the mighty veal chop. Some of you(you know who you are) love the liver with mashed potatoes and and bacon, and we also salute the rib and fried chicken lovers. And, we're grateful to know when the bathroom isn't "right", the lights are too low, or the music too loud. Remarkably, some of you were in the dining room on labor day weekend when I was missing and so was the service, and you still keep coming back. Mostly, we've learned from each of you that the food and experience are one, and we will continue to strive for the best of both in the new year.
So, we wish you all a very healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Chris & Bert, Hannah, Roxanne and Louis
ps; i don't get what's going on with the typeface. will resolve to get that right in '05
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