Opening Oct 1st!

Last week was hectic, simply hectic. We completed all our inspections, and many thanks to all who assisted. Jose who made all the arrangements and then guided a lot of the inspectors around the facilities, and the inspectors for turning up on time and doing a great job. Paul (the architect mastermind) and I walked the certificate of occupancy application over to Vienna Town Hall on Friday, once that is completed we can serve the wonderful public.

So that means we are shooting for our first day of trading on Friday October 1st!

Our aim is to serve you lunch to go, so the doors will open at 11:00.

We will apply for permission for some seating but that change will come after we have obtained the certificate of occupancy. One thing at a time is the best way forward. After all the pasty is ultimate 'food to go' item.

Josh has been a star all around the place last week, and on Friday we capped off the day by baking some of our recipes. Our neighbor John (Bikes@Vienna) kept popping in to help with taste testing and was mumbling approval with a mouth full of 'Traditional Style - beef, potato, onion.

We had a few nervous moments as Vulcan ovens gave us a few teething problems. Miriam at Yas Bakery sprang into action referring a couple of great technicians who have sorted out those problems. However, that was a real scare and threatened our live date of October 1st.

Now we are fingers crossed that the gremlins are out of the system and we can just get on with what we love - cooking great food.

Our launch will probably be a soft launch, limiting our menu slightly at first, so we can give our full attention to a smaller number of our pasty options. Then the others will be added, giving people a growing choice, and nobody will get bored. Actually it's really difficult to get bored of pasties, ask all people in UP Michigan. One friend we spoke recently said that they out sell pizza up there. So I'm sure the wonderful people of Virginia will take to them really easily.

Must go there are 101 things to do today so we can hit that date!

See you all soon.

And the inspections roll on.

I took some snaps while we were waiting for some of the inspections to show how things are looking. On the left here we have the lovely retail area, and where the lovely pasties will be baked. The infamous warm display unit is now in place and I'm getting to like it now. Paul the architect likes it, but is still complaining about my acquisition of an old Quiznos open air merchandiser. I had to save money for that superb Vulcan oven in the corner, they don't come better than that beast. The hood above the oven and now all the air conditioning mechanicals have passed the final inspections so we breath a big sigh of relief.

Also you can see the drinking fountains are in place,

these were delaying the final plumbing inspection

but that is now all completed.

Then we are now hung up on the electrical inspection. We had been calling for final inspection all last week with no response. On Tuesday they came, but it appears we have to change some sockets to contain their own circuit breakers. That work was done immediately, we had to sit it out through Wednesday, and then today we got the little signed sticker.

Just as the electrics were all signed off, the Health Dept person arrived. Annette is great to work with, and all our work met with her approval :-) So today was a very good day.

It's not all over yet though, we have the buildings inspector to come tomorrow (Friday) and then the Fire Marshall. Both vital and important.

Anyway, on the right is the beautiful open kitchen, may it always stay in this wonderful state.

Except full of pasties being stuffed with gorgeous organic goodies.

The Final Countdown

Oh look at the nice new signs! We now have the shop front all neatly decorated with new signs and I think it looks good. So when you all come to find me I should stand out a little. Let's tick that one off the list.

As many of you would have gathered, back in early August we set a target date of September 10th for opening, but we are a long way behind in getting all our sign-offs. Thankfully there are no problems in the work that has been this far, but the sign-off schedule keeps on extending.

We have been ready for electrical sign-off since Thursday last week and we await the inspector.

Paul added some more detail on the drawings for the Mechanical people and today we are requesting that they sign-off.

Plumbing is delayed by the late delivery of our water fountains, then the wrong one arrived, that should be sorted out by this Friday.

Once those 3 are finished we can have the buildings inspector in to check the construction work for one last time.

Then it's the Fire Marshall, and the Health Dept.

We are going to resist setting another date until we have have the green light from the Health Dept. We think we have got everything right and bang on to the original plan, but it's fingers crossed and hope it's all smooth running.

Meanwhile we are pushing for the internet and telephone connectivity to be completed, so we can talk to the outside world.

We have fired up most of the equipment, and after a few nervous moments with the freezer, all seems to be OK.

So the BIG question everybody is asking is WHEN WILL IT OPEN?

As soon as we have the go ahead with the Health people, you will be the first to know.

Of course PARTY invites will be sent to all for the evening before the first official day.