Ode to Globe, Where I Grew Up

Alright dear reader, full disclosure. The post you are about to read about The Globe is being written by someone who technically no longer works there.

It's true. After 2 years at The Globe, I moved to Baltimore yesterday. (Insert lots of emotions.) But I thought anyone who's reading this knows how I feel about eating at The Globe (swoon), or going to see the artwork, or listening to some music on a weekend night, but what about working there? So hey I'll tell ya. I would say I'm qualified.

It's not easy. Working at The Globe is not for those who want to get comfortable, or turn their brain off for a shift. It is not a place where you can throw your hands up and say, "Whatever, good enough." Everybody working at The Globe is working hard. For instance, the reservation book is airtight. The front desk staff has been trained to get the most detailed reservations they possibly can. They strive to pinpoint exactly what table would best suit the needs of the guest on the phone (stairs/no stairs, high chair/booster seat, upstairs or downstairs, etc.), and then they make sure that even if the restaurant is packed to the gills with people that table will be available at the correct time. The waitstaff can describe anything on the menu (which is huge) and anything on the specials sheet (which changes daily). They have been drilled on which items are gluten-free, the spiceyness factor of each dish, how each cheese on the cheese plate tastes and what country it is from, you name it. That's not to mention the drink menu - the servers can tell you which beers on tap are hoppy, citrusy, nutty, heavy, light, summery, etc. and probably a little bit about the brewery each beer is from. And the beers on tap change almost weekly. The bartenders have an encyclopedic knowledge of every drink ever - how an Old Fashioned is traditionally made, what fruit garnish each drink usually takes, the body of each glass of wine. I asked Hilari how the new Pinot Noir tastes (as a plebe, I was looking for descriptors like "dark red," "dry," or "really winey," and I got a run down on where Bridlewood Pinot Noir is made, a little bit about the grape itself, and what food it best pairs with.

You get the idea. A lot of knowledge and hard labor goes on in that building. But here's the thing:  you'd think we all stay on our toes to avoid getting in trouble - that's how it goes with jobs, right? You do your job right so you get a pat on the back from your boss and your weekly paycheck. But at The Globe, people work hard to know their stuff so that they can do their jobs well and best accomodate the guest. It's true! They care! Not to say they're the only restaurant that does - Berlin is blessed with an array of awesome places to eat - but I was blown away almost daily by the lengths our staff would go to to accommodate folks that joined us for a meal.

So, I'll miss it. I would not be amiss to say that The Globe is one of the places where I grew up. If you work somewhere that continually encourages betterment you can't help but improve a little as a person. Thanks, Globe staff and Globe guests. You all reading better go get a margarita and a seafood burrito so I can live vicariously through you.