So, these are in no specific order.  They are just the photos I can find of the restaurant before our renovation.  That seems ages ago - but it was only a few months ago.  We've come a long way to personalize what was once Danny's, and to make it Hot & Soul.  Of course, it's always a work in progress - as all great projects are!

So... it's been a long time coming to update this blog.  My sis took a bunch of photos the last time she was down for the soft opening.  I had wanted to post before and after photos... but I'm going to do it backwards.  So here's the after pics.  

Well... I've been meaning to blog, but at the same time, I've been holding off. I don't like to reveal things until the whole project is complete.  It makes it more dramatic to see the before and after.  Although, it helps if you have a good before photo... which sadly, I do not.  But, let me show you a bit of what we've been working on...

So, here is some before photos of part of the bar area.

And here are some work in progress photos:

Here is a photo of the men's bathroom.  It was painted a dark green on the bottom, and a yellow green on top.  Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of the women's bathroom, but it's the same colors and paper towel dispenser.  Mike is working on the men's bathroom, and I did the women's bathroom.  Below are some photos of the women's bathroom as of today!

So, the mirror was there before, but the frame was black.  I painted it hammered silver.

The ceiling tiles were white, and I painted them silver.  This project sucked.  Not fun at all!

There was the blue paper towel dispenser before.  I changed it to the plumbing pipes.  Maybe it's not as practical, but I thought it looked neat.

There was a regular commercial plastic toilet paper dispenser, and I changed it to plumbing pipes.  I got some wood samples from a lumber company.  I used one of the planks and painted it silver and used it as a TP shelf.

I found an unfinished IKEA wood shelf and painted it a darker shade of purple.  I had this can of purple in the house for months and had not used it, so I broke it out for the shelf.  I plan on stocking with the shelf with some "feminine protection" and maybe some mouthwash, besides the saline solution.  I always appreciated it when restaurant bathrooms had tampons, because sometimes you get caught without any in your purse - or you forget to bring your purse to the restroom.  I also made sure there were plenty of hooks.  Besides artwork, I was also thinking of painting a chair the same shade of purple as the IKEA shelf.  Because, you know, some purses don't have straps that are good for hanging on hooks....

Well, this might not seem like a whole lot of progress, but it's nice to pretty much have one room completed - better than none!

So, I have been trying to post blogs, and by the time I get back to finishing a post, it's not relevant anymore.  So, this is not the ideal virgin voyage for this blog as I always pictured it as being more meaningful, dewey-eyed and roman... but let's just pop this cherry and get it over with already!

On the left, you have a country style pate that Mike made with pork and chicken and applewood smoked bacon.  

We can't really use our kitchen in the restaurant yet, so we still have to cook at home.  So, we've been eating pate for dinner a few nights in a row.  Such a light healthy snack after a vigorous 5 mile run, you know? 

Sorry, I think I'm getting into the wrong blog persona...  

The mustard colored smear on the side of the plate is..... mustard!  The FP (lol, I mean... Mike) made the mustard with Brooklyn lager beer and honey.  It was really effing good!  I hope he can recreate that again in a couple months!

Whelp, let's end this first blog post so we can begin a new one tomorrow!  Goodnight all!  Sweet and savory dreams!