February 9th!!!!

Okay.. *big giant inhale of breath* I think we have an opening date! *hands shaking* We are going to TRY to be open on February 9th!!! That's not this Monday..but NEXT MONDAY!!!!!! I can't believe we are finally here! Joe and I were over at the restaurant until very late last night. We sat at a table, exhausted. We were saying that we wished we would have taken lots and lots of pictures to document what the place looked like when we first took it over, compared to what it looks like now. Nobody can know what we went through, not only to get this place, but what we endured to bring it to where it is now. Only, and I do mean only, by the Grace of God, are we here. The Lord has watched over us, protected us and guided us. We have kept our eyes and hearts focused on Him. When we found out the restaurant needed a grease trap..the Lord was there. In times of economic hardship, when it's next to impossible to get a loan..the Lord was there. When we found out electrical boxes were bad..the Lord was there. When we found out we needed a new fire suppression system..the Lord was there. When two pipes burst, and a third at our home in New Castle..the Lord was there. Ice, snow, frigid temperatures..the Lord was there. When we realized almost all of the kitchen equipment needed replaced..the Lord was there. Living for over two months with no income..the Lord was there. Selling our restaurant in Volant..the Lord was there. Finding the perfect team to help realize our dreams.. the Lord was there.
Honestly my friends, I sit here, with tears in my eyes, and my hands really are shaking. My family has witnessed the Lord's provisions and grace and love these past months. We let go and let God, and He has provided for us.
Joe hopes and prays that we will make this restaurant successful, that people will come and eat and enjoy themselves, even in this time of recession.
With a heart full of Joy.. I say, The Lord is here. Amen.

Just a note..

Below is our basic menu. We are going to have different specials every single day. We have so many recipes we've been collecting and can't wait to try out! Everything from appetizers to soups to wraps to new dinners. We had to start with a basic menu first. We have to get used to this restaurant, used to the new kitchen, used to the new bakery.used to the new team....before we can do to many new things. Much of this menu is what made the Neshannock Creek Inn so popular. It's good food. We really did build up a great business there and made a lot of friends. We hope to keep those old friends and make a lot more new ones!

One more point! ACKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!!! We were supposed to have our new phone number 946-2020 two weeks ago! It was a NIGHTMARE dealing with VERIZON! BUT..they called today and we are supposed to have it Tuesday. I apologize for the inconvenience we've caused many people. WE've had so many people track us down through so many various resources! A restaurant shouldn't be that difficult to get a hold of. WE realize that. Thank you to all those that did track us down and make reservations! We can't wait to meet you.

Also.. if you need to call before Thursday, the number you can call is 724-901-0001. After Tuesday it will be 946-2020 Thanks! I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!!
(I'm so excited I can't catch my breath!) It really is getting close!

Our menu in a very basic form! : ) Just a tease of what's to come!

Tavern Starters
$5.95 each or pick any two for $8.95
Great for sharing!

Deep Fried Pickles!- Get Pickled with our Famous Deep Fried Battered Pickle Spears! Served with Ranch Dip, you’ve got to try them at least once!

Fried Green Beans-Have you ever had a fried green bean? They are amazing! Battered and deep fried to a golden brown then served with a side of ranch dip!

Ny Style Pretzels- Jumbo size pretzel deep -fried and sprinkled with kosher salt. Served with a side of cheese sauce, honey mustard, or hot fudge sauce! (2.95 for a single, 5.95 for a basket of three !)
Mozzarella Cheese Stix- Breaded and deep fried cheese sticks served with our homemade marinara sauce!

Battered Onion Rings- A Basket of delicious Thick Cut Onion Rings, battered and deep-fried to a golden brown. Served with a choice of spicy petal sauce or ranch dip!
Homemade Potato Chips- A basket of homemade potato chips piled high and served with a side of malt vinegar or ranch dip!
Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip-hot and bubbling artichoke & spinach dip served in a deep dish surrounded by a plate of nachos. (Small order is 5.95, Large order is 8.95)
Bacon Cheddar Fries- A pile of French fries with real bacon and cheddar cheese smothered on top! Served with spicy petal sauce or ranch dip.

Tavern Soups
(Soup is served by the cup or bowl.
Cup is 2.95 and Bowl is 3.95)
Wedding Soup -A Western Pennsylvania favorite! It’s made with chicken and greens, little meatballs and topped with provolone cheese.
French Onion Soup-Delicious French onion soup, with French bread croutons topped with melted provolone cheese .
Soup of the day - Ask your server for today’s homemade soup selection!
Joe’s Award Winning Chili-Joe won a chili cook off with this recipe. It’s served in a big ole’ bowl surrounded by nacho chips and topped with cheddar cheese, sour cream and chives. 4.95

Tavern House Salads
The Garden Salad-A fresh mixed- greens salad with cucumbers, tomato wedges and croutons. Served with your choice of dressing. 3.95

The Spinach Salad- with egg and cheese dressing- A Tavern tradition... a bed of fresh spinach leaves topped with Cora’s famous egg-n-cheese dressing.
small : 4.95 Large: 7.95

house salads cont….

The Cobb Salad- A bed of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles, hard-boiled egg wedges, and fresh crisp bacon crumbles. Served with a side of warm sweet & sour dressing or the traditional French dressing. small: 4.95 Large:7.95

The Harvest Salad –fresh spinach leaves, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled bleu cheese, tomatoes and red onion slices served with a side of warm sweet & sour dressing.
small: 4.95 Large: 7.95

Soup & Salad Combo- Choose any small house salad, a cup of homemade soup and a fresh baked breadstick or Tavern sticky bun . 7.95

Tavern Specialty Salads
(All specialty salads are served with a fresh baked bread stick or Tavern sticky bun!)

The Awesome Chicken Garden Salad- Our delicious blend of diced chicken breast, green peppers, onion, cubed cheddar cheese, green peas and sunflower seeds all mixed together in a mayonnaise dressing and served on a bed of mixed greens with cucumber and tomato wedges. 7.95
The Fresh Tuna Salad Supreme- A scoop of tuna salad, surrounded by tomatoes, cucumbers and egg wedges, topped with shredded Swiss cheese served with your choice of dressing on the side.
7.95

The Spicy Fiesta Salad- Joe’s homemade chili, tomatoes, onions, black olives ,mild pepper rings, shredded cheddar cheese and nacho chips top a bed of mixed greens. Served with a side of sour cream and taco sauce 7.95

The Amazing Chicken Salad Supreme-Fresh grilled tender strips of chicken breast served on a bed of lettuce with cucumber, tomato and egg wedges, topped with French fries and shredded Swiss cheese. 8.95

The Favorite Bacon and Swiss Chicken Salad-. Fresh grilled chicken breast strips, crispy bacon, shredded Swiss cheese, cucumbers, tomatoes and sunflower seeds all piled high on top of a bed of mixed greens. We recommend the warm sweet and sour dressing! 8.95

The Wonderful Chicken Cobb Salad- Fresh grilled chicken breast strips on a bed of mixed greens, cucumbers, tomatoes, blue cheese crumbles, hard-boiled egg wedges, and fresh crisp bacon crumbles. Served with a side of warm sweet & sour dressing or the traditional French dressing. 9.95



The Delightful Chicken Harvest Salad - Fresh grilled chicken breast strips served on a bed of fresh spinach leaves, chopped pecans, dried cranberries, crumbled bleu cheese, tomatoes and red onion slices served with a side of warm sweet & sour dressing. 9.95
The Tender Grilled Sirloin Steak Salad- Delicious tender sirloin steak, filleted and served on a bed of fresh mixed greens, with cucumber, tomato and egg wedges, red onion slices and topped with French fries and bleu cheese crumbles. Served with your choice of dressing.
10.95

Tavern Specialty Croissants
Our fresh baked croissants are served with a cup of homemade soup 8.25

Chicken Salad Croissant- our homemade blend of chicken breast, green peppers, onion, cheddar cheese, green peas, sunflower seeds and mayo with lettuce and tomato.

Fresh Tuna Salad Croissant-fresh tuna salad made with mayonnaise, celery and onion. Served with lettuce and tomato.
Country Club Croissant -thin slices of smoked turkey breast, crisp bacon, American cheese, lettuce and tomato with mayo on the side.
Egg Salad Croissant- It’s Cora’s famous egg salad made with egg, onion, celery and cheddar cheese and mayo. Served with lettuce and tomato.
The BLT Croissant-Crispy bacon, fresh lettuce and tomato on a toasted croissant with a side of mayo.





On the lighter side…
Oven Roasted Turkey breast or Fresh Tuna Salad Sandwich-served on whole wheat toast with lettuce, tomato and a side of mayo
Served with a cup of homemade soup
7.95
Char-grilled Chicken Breast -covered with sweet roasted red peppers and melted provolone cheese.
Served with a fresh garden salad or cup of soup. 7.95

Homemade Pierogies-Three homemade pierogies (ask your server for today’s selection) served on a platter with a crisp garden salad and a fresh breadstick. 8.95

The Tavern Platters
Fish & Chips-Our delicious cold water cod, hand cut and battered, served with a pile of homemade potato chips, coleslaw and a side of malt vinegar! 9.25

Chicken Tenders-A basket of chicken tenders, french fries and coleslaw
served with a side ranch dip! 8.25

Hot tenders-Chicken tenders kicked up a notch, served with a side of french fries, coleslaw and bleu cheese or ranch dressing! 8.25

The Hearty Tavern Sandwiches
All sandwiches served with choice of fries, potato chips, coleslaw or a cup of homemade soup * For an additional charge, you may substitute onion rings, or a fresh garden salad.

The Tuna Melt-our fresh delicious tuna salad topped with tomato slices, banana pepper rings and provolone cheese on a ciabatta roll toasted in the oven and served open faced! It’s a Tavern favorite!
7.95
The Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich-A delicious char-grilled chicken breast served on a toasted Kaiser roll with lettuce and tomato and mayo or honey mustard. (add .50 cents each for cheese, or bacon or both! ) 7.95

The Meatball Hoagie-four meatballs packed into an Italian roll and covered with spaghetti sauce and provolone cheese then toasted in the oven! 7.95
The Hot Sausage Deluxe-A delicious hot sausage patty grilled with peppers and onions topped with homemade spaghetti sauce and melted provolone cheese and served on a toasted Italian roll 8.25

The Hand-Pulled BBQ Pork Sandwich-
oh so good! Hand pulled hickory smoked pork in a sweet and tangy bbq sauce on a fresh ciabatta roll! 8.25
*add a slice of cheddar cheese for .50 cents.
The Reuben-Fresh, thin sliced corned beef, topped with sauerkraut, 1000 island dressing, and Swiss cheese served on grilled Jewish rye. 8.25



The Rachael- Just like a reuben, only served with thin sliced Turkey breast instead of corned beef. 8.25
The Five Star Steak Sandwich-Tender slices of filleted sirloin on a toasted ciabatta roll topped with melted provolone cheese, grilled onions, roasted red peppers and a side of horseradish sauce. 8.75

The Giant Cod Fish Sandwich- We’ve had newspaper articles written about this fish sandwich! Yes it’s that incredible! Cold- water COD hand-battered and deep- fried to a golden brown. Served on a toasted Italian Roll.
8.75
*add a slice of provolone or American cheese for .50 cents
The Westminster Titan- A fan favorite! A thick and juicy chopped sirloin patty grilled and topped with melted provolone cheese. Served with onion slices, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise on a toasted Italian Roll. 8.75

The Hot Pot Roast Sandwich- Our delicious home-cooked pot roast sits atop a thick slice of Italian bread and is smothered in homemade gravy. 8.75
Create Your Own Burger! 7.95
Served with fries, chips or coleslaw
Start out with a 1/3 lb all beef flame broiled patty on a toasted Kaiser roll. From there it’s made the way YOU like it!
Your choice of lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, mustard, mayo and ketchup!
Add any additional toppings for just .50 cents each! Toppings include American, cheddar, Swiss or Bleu cheese. Bacon, Grilled onions, Grilled mushrooms, Grilled banana pepper rings, Roasted red peppers, chili, or Bleu cheese crumbles.



The Tavern Kid’s Menu
12 and under please

(served with a beverage and choice of one side)
($4.95)
Chicken Nuggets (4)
Grilled cheese
Cheeseburger
Macaroni & cheese
Pasta & Meatball
Chicken tenders (2)
Hamloaf
Chicken-n-biscuit
Homemade pepperoni roll
(served with a side of spaghetti sauce)

Sides include French fries, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable of the day, applesauce, kid’s salad or fresh breadstick.

Sides & Fries
Single Bread Stick .95
Basket of Bread Stix 2.75
Single Sticky Bun .95
Basket of Sticky Buns 2.75
Baked Potato 2.95
Side of mashed potatoes 2.95
Baked Sweet Potato 3.25
Side of scalloped potatoes 3.25
Side of macaroni & cheese 3.25
Single order of fries 2.75
Basket of fries 4.95
Single order of chips 2.75
Applesauce 2.25
Coleslaw 2.25
Vegetable of the day 2.25

THE TAVERN’S
HOMEMADE DESSERTS
These are just some of our homemade desserts. Please ask your server for today’s selection!

Blackberry Cobbler- warmed up and served with vanilla ice cream 4.95
Hot Apple Dumpling –warmed up and served with vanilla ice cream 4.95
Bread Pudding –Old-fashioned bread pudding with raisins and cinnamon. 4.25.
Pie of the Day 3.75
Pecan Ball- vanilla ice cream rolled in pecans and topped with caramel or hot fudge 4.25
Molten Lava Chocolate Cake-not your ordinary chocolate cake! We serve ours hot and gooey with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream! Mmm! 4.25
Heath Bar Ice Cream Pie with hot caramel Sauce- 4.25

The Tavern Beverages
Iced Tea 1.95
Pink Lemonade 1.95
Soft Drink 1.95
Coffee 1.95
Hot Tea 1.95
Hot Chocolate 2.25
Milk: sm. 1.75 Lg. 2.25

Old fashioned rootbeer or cherry float 3.25




The Tavern on the Square
Dinner Fare
All dinners are served with a crisp garden salad or cup of soup, and your choice of our homemade parker-house rolls or our famous Tavern Sticky Buns!

Homemade Pierogies-Five potato and cheese filled pierogies grilled with onions in a delicious butter sauce and served with a fresh vegetable. 10.95

Chicken-n-Biscuits Chicken and vegetables smothered in gravy and served over two home-made biscuits with a side of mashed potatoes. 11.95

Old-fashioned Hamloaf-Another tradition! The Tavern’s favorite hamloaf served with a side of pineapple sauce, your choice of potato and fresh green beans. 11.95 Chicken Divan- This is a traditional Tavern dish. It’s chicken, broccoli and cheddar cheese baked in a creamy sauce and served with your choice of potato. 11.95
Home style Pot Roast- Tender slow cooked pot roast served with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy and fresh green beans. 12.95

Chopped Sirloin-An 8 oz chopped sirloin patty char-grilled to your liking and served with either grilled peppers & onions or our delicious beef gravy and a choice of potato. 10.95

Roasted Red Pepper Chicken
Two chicken breasts char-grilled and topped with provolone cheese and grilled roasted red peppers. Served over a bed of wild rice with a fresh vegetable. 11.95




½ Roasted Chicken- Our oven roasted chicken rubbed with our special seasoning and baked in the oven. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy and fresh green beans. 11.95

Penne Pasta- a heaping plate of Penne Pasta covered with Joe’s homemade spaghetti sauce and topped with two meatballs or hot sausage. 9.95
Chicken Parmesan-Breaded Chicken breast covered in provolone and parmesan cheeses and served atop a heaping plate of Penne Pasta. 11.95

Hand-Battered Cod Dinner
Our delicious Icelandic cod, hand battered and fried to a golden brown! It’s served with a choice of potato. 12.95

Baked Cod Dinner- The same Icelandic cod baked with a lemon-pepper seasoning and served over a bed of wild rice. If you like a little zing try it Cajun style! 12.95
Honey Dijon Salmon Filet-
A delicious salmon filet encrusted with a honey Dijon pecan coating and baked to perfection. Served over a bed of rice with a fresh vegetable. 13.95
French Cut Pork Chop-An incredible thick and juicy seasoned double French cut pork chop grilled to perfection and served with choice of potato and a side of hot cinnamon apple sauce. 14.95
28 day aged Sirloin Steak-our mouth watering 10 oz sirloin steak seasoned with our house steak rub and then served to your liking with a choice of potato and a side of fresh vegetable. 15.95


.

Learning the new computer system today. A picture says a thousand words.
Hope your day is better! : ) Susan

Teamwork!

Right now I am going through the many applications that we have received. There are almost 100 of them! I am praying that the Lord shows us just the right team members to choose. It takes a team of people all working together to make a restaurant successful. I am very particular when it comes to who I hire. Job experience is not that important to me. Neither Joe, nor I, mind teaching someone how to do a job in the restaurant.
Most important to me, is personality and character.
You see, when you walk through the doors of the Tavern, I want you to experience something special. I want you to feel comfortable and relaxed, but I also want you to be "wowed!" From the colors on the walls, to the decor, to the window treatments, to the old cash register sitting on the table in the lobby.. I want you to say wow.
I want you to feel happy and excited to be there. (see..you've heard me say this before, it's so much more than just a place to eat..I want you to make memories here!)
So first you are wowed, and then I want you to be greeted by a friendly, smiling hostess. I want them to ask you if you'd like to hang your coat up. I want it to feel like you are going to a good friends house. Then I want the hostess to seat you at a comfortable table. Perhaps get you a glass of water, if you're thirsty, or immediately bring you sticky bun or a cup of coffee.
Next, your server will come to your table and introduce himself or herself to you. I think it's important to know your servers name. It makes you feel more comfortable to request something..instead of saying "miss, or excuse me" etc. Remember, I want you to feel like you're at home..or at a good friends house. I want you to get to know your server, and I want them (if you're going to be a frequent diner in our home) to get to know you! I want friendliness, and attentiveness and respectfulness from my servers. I want them to pretend you are their grandma or grandfather or best friend, or even a celebrity! How would you treat your grandma if she came to your house? Wait on her..make her feel important, make her happy. Treat her with respect and kindess. Honor her requests. Make sure her coffee or tea is hot and kept filled. Make sure she has water. Smile..be kind..be nice..be friendly. Don't go overboard!! Don't bother your customer. There is a line a server must draw.
Joe wants his cooks to make sure that every dish that leaves the kitchen is perfect. He wants the plates to look nice and the food to be at just the right temperature. He wants the cook to be able to work quickly, efficiantly and he wants them to care about the food they are serving.
So, once again, I am praying over these job applications. I wish we could choose everyone, because many kids need a job and many adults do too. I feel badly to deny anyone a chance. But I will look them over carefully and ask God to help me find the right team members to work here. Tommorow I will make my phone calls and next week we will begin training!
My team! We are going to love working together. We are going to have fun together. We are going to rock New Wilmington! The Tavern is going to be a fun and loving environment to work at! We are going to make friends here. You will be loved here. You will feel comfortable and secure.
I can't wait to get you all together! Your teammate, Susan

Had to share this with you. Dancing eyebrows!

An amazing day!

Wow! Joe and I both woke up really early today. Linda came in this morning @ 8:00 and we were ready to begin baking! We tried out the sticky buns, pecan rolls, apple jacks, apple dumplings, pepperoni rolls, cheese bread, and plain ole' bread! Linda is really a wonderful baker. I think our bakery is going to be really wonderful! The baked goods that we serve are going to be unique. They will be made fresh daily with all homemade ingredients. Did you know that the bakery is going to be a coffee shop too? We are going to sell espressos, lattes, gourmet coffees etc.. also! On Sundays you will be able to come in and buy a dozen of homemade donuts, or cinnamon rolls, or sticky buns and the Sunday Paper and a good coffee! My husband Joe, LOVES coffee so he's very picky about serving good coffee!
We think the bakery/coffee shop will open at 7:00 am and close at 5:00 pm.
My brother Alan has been working on building the counters and shelving units for the bakery. They look so wonderful! He is a very good carpenter!
At 10:00 three of my girlfriends came and we had a tea party! It was so much fun taste testing Linda's baked goods. It was more fun talking! These women are wonderful Christian women who share a love for Jesus Christ with me! Brenda, Anne, Amy.. I love you! Thank you for sharing your morning with me!
Then Wendy and Shirley came in and we ordered all of the gifts for the gift shop! That was so much fun. Wendy used to work at tole n trinkets and she's going to help run our gift shop for us and also hostess! Yeah Wendy! Her mom Shirley is so much fun and such a sweet woman! You can't help but to love her!
Then another friend Nadine came to visit and check out the place! But that wasn't all.. our friends Dick and Jean came to see us and spent some time talking with us! Dick is an inventor and an entrepreneur who I admire tremendously! I learn so much from him! He has so many great ideas!
We got two wonderful notes of encouragement in the mail today! I just can't wait to meet all of you who have written to us! You just don't even know how much we have loved and appreciated all of your letters and emails!
That all happened before 3:00 pm. When my girls got home today, Lauren told me that We've been working too much and she missed me. : ( So..we walked over to Mugsies coffee house and we sat and played brain games! We had so much fun. Ally came over and soon Joe came over! Haha! It was a good family night. We needed that!
After Mugsies, Joe and I came back to the Tavern and cleaned and put things away! It really is almost ready to go! It's getting scarey! We hope and pray we don't disappoint anyone. We are going to do our best, and try to serve Hot, Delicious, homecooked meals at a reasonable price in a place that is filled with love and kindness.
Well, it's 1:45 am as I write this and I am ready for bed! Thank you for following this blog and reading about our adventures! Honestly, everyday has been amazing for us! Whether the days have been good or bad, they truly have been an adventure! May God fill your day with warmth! Susan

Tea Party!

Today we're baking muffins : ) I invited a few close friends over for a tea party and we are trying out muffin recipes. Yesterday Linda, the EXTRAORDINARY baker, made cinnamon rolls, bunkerhouse rolls, sticky buns, sandwich rolls, and our parkerhouse rolls! They were phenomenal. The bakery is being remodeled and soon it will be filled with homemade baked goods! The whole restaurant smelled like a big cinnamon bun yesterday! MMMMM!
I pray that God fills you with His love and joy today. May your heart feel like springtime on this cold and snowy day. Blessings, Susan

The Tavern on the Square

is almost ready to open : ) We are coming down to our final weeks of preparations! The menu is finished! The two main dining rooms are now ready to receive visitors! The kitchen is almost complete, the basement kitchen is ready, and the upstairs just need to be decorated! WOOOHOOO!!! The girls from James Creek are coming on February 2nd to put up all window treatments and finish the decorating. This week we are going to choose our staff and order uniforms. We are going to take the menu to the printers. We are going to have a taste testing party with our baker, Linda Bruha. We are going to pick up a church pew which will be located in the first lobby. Hopefully the bakery will be ready to go, and we will have the items for the gift shop ordered! We will also order a big sign for the front yard that says "now open" because our real sign will not be ready until the end of the month!
We have an inspection tommorow and then the BIG inspector will come next week. Next week we will begin training our team members, and order the food and supplies!
Friends, I feel like I have so much to share with you. I spent all morning talking and listening to God. He reaffirmed to me, that He will take care of this building and He will take care of my family. I ran downstairs this morning after I spent time with God, and said "Joe, you don't need to worry about anything. God is going to do miracles here in this building. I just know it. It's going to be so much more than a restaurant. We are going to bring love and joy to this community. We are going to build this community into something even more wonderful then it already is! God is going to do a work here! I know it!!" That's what I told him.
God has so many things planned. I'm just following ..He's leading! Friends..I can't wait! I just can't wait for you to come here and feel and see something wonderful! I wish I had more pictures. Perhaps I will try to take some on Monday to show you. It's coming together!
I do ask that you please keep praying for us. Pray for guidance and wisdom and strength. Pray for my girls. They are not having an easy time. Pray for endurance. Pray for our leaky roof and gutters which need replaced. Pray for this building. There is so much history here. Pray that God uses this place for mighty, mighty things! Thank you! I will let you know of any news, as it happens! February 7th! We think that might be our opening date. Please bear with us though if it doesn't work out..but we are shooting for February 7th!
With much love, Susan L. Hougelman

what's your favorite pie?

What kind of pie is your favorite? We're going to sell pies at the bakeshop, and we are also going to take orders for over 30 different kinds of pies! At the restaurant we will have at least one kind of homemade pie each day. So what is your favorite pie? Leave a comment in the comment section and let me know!
P.S Mine's peanut butter pie : )

TODAY'S HAPPENINGS!

Good morning friends of the Tavern!
*stretch* *yawn* This morning is going to be a busy day! At 7:30 am the Fire Supression people knocked on our door and are now here installing our new system. I have finally finished the menu and we are going to try to get it to the printers later today. I have a wonderful friend named Amy who is coming today to help me decide on Table decor for the upper rooms and other decor. We are going to do a run to Pat Catans and some other little stores to see what we can find. Folks..we are getting closer! It seems like it is taking forever, but we must be patient and make sure everything is just right before we open. One of the biggest mistakes made with new restaurants is that they open before they are ready. We want everything to be just right, so when you walk through these doors, you will have the best experience possible! Next week we are going to start hiring our employees, so if you put an application, you may get a phone call next week. We have to order uniforms and learn the new computer system next week too. Joe and I went to Sam's club last night and bought a lot of food items for the restaurant. Salt and Peppers, sugar, flour..things like that. Our Baker, Linda, is coming next Tuesday to begin baking. We are going to sample lots of baked goods and decide what we want to sell in the bakery! She is going to make the sticky buns and parkerhouse rolls too.
I hope all is well in your life. I hope you are filled with joy and peace and love. I pray that God pours blessings upon you today. Let it be a GREAT day today.
Thanks for praying for us too! Susan

A little bit of politics, family dinners and American Pride!

Yesterday, we witnessed an historical event. The first African American president was inaugurated. I heard many people say that they were proud to be an American today. Now, I'm going to share with you, some feelings from my heart, and you may not agree with my opinions..but they are what I believe.
I didn't vote for Obama. I want a president that shares my values, my morals and my beliefts. This president is very liberal and I am very conservative. Now..I think it is incredible that an African American man has become president! I am proud of our country for that. We have come a long way. I would have voted for a man with any color of skin if he shared my same values. I didn't vote for him because he was African-American, I didn't not vote for him because he was African American. I base my opinion not on the color of a man's skin. Isn't that what real equal rights is?
SO..let me continue. It has bothered me that people are so excited and think that this new president is going to change the country around! Because America is not America because of our president and government! WE are AMERICA!! WE THE PEOPLE.. Make up America! It's US who need to change this country around..the government works for us! It's not the other way around.
So, I sat last night and I thought about it..deeply. Then something hit me.
I think people are so proud to be American right now..because the country is coming together. We haven't come together for so very long! Our country has been so divided. young vs. old, black vs. white, rich vs. poor. It's like we all hate each other. It seems that people think about themselves instead of each other. So we're all out to gain what we can for ourselves..to better our lives. I think that is what has been so wrong with our country lately! It's us..not the president. As I said before, We the people are America! So when we're not proud of our country, it's ourselves we're not proud of!

So that got me thinking about the Tavern. You see, if you have read my past blog posts..you know that I want this restaurant to be a community loved place. I want this community to be so proud to be the home of the Tavern. I want it to be filled with local people and families. I want eating here to be like having a family dinner.
I don't want it to be just a touristy kind of place. I would so much rather it be a family restaurant. I love family. I love that sense of family.. of people bonding together. In my family, we gathered together at meal time. That is where most of our family memories come from. Dinners..holiday meals.. My parents were such great cooks. My dad was right along in the kitchen with my mom, preparing delcious meals.
Right before my dad passed away, he was sent home from the hospital with Cancer. There was nothing more they could do for him. All of his children were there at their home. And we all sat around the table and shared a meal together. My dad sat at a chair in the dining room, away from the table. He watched us. He watched us talk and laugh and eat. That's what we did. That was our family. I wondered then and I wonder now, what must have been going through his mind. I'm sure it was that pride and love and joy that family brings.
In today's busy world, it is not always easy to sit down and have dinner together. Mom's work now..I know..I do too, it's hard.
So I want to be able to create that family environment here. I want to Tavern to become your dinner table.
The downstairs of the Tavern is going to be very homey feeling. It's beautiful..it's really beautiful, but it's also so very warm, and inviting, and comfortable! You don't have to get dressed up to come here.
The upstairs will be a little more formal. There will be candlelit tables with linen tablecloths. You can have a special birthday dinner or anniversary dinner here. You can have a quiet romantic dinner here. Plus there are rooms for showers and rehearsal dinners etc...
Joe and I say there's two different personalities to the Tavern. It has a down home country feel, but it also has a tasteful, classy kind of feel to it. We are going to try to show both personalities.
What I'm trying to say is.. we want to be like the America that we were so proud of yesterday! We want to all come together..one community! All different people..from different walks of life.. different ages..genders..races..etc. We want to open our doors and hearts to this entire community. Come on in! Take you coat off. Stay awhile! : )
That's what makes us proud to be American. It's each other...it's all of us..coming together. It's community! United we stand, divided we fall!
That's America and that's what makes me proud to be an American!

Reservations Now Being Accepted!

Today we got a wonderful Blessing! Joe and I have tried to get the Old Tavern Phone number but it had been released and was being used by a resident. Yesterday, Becky came to our door and told us that because she's started getting many telephone calls again, that we can have the number! So this morning we called Verizon and we got the phone number again! 946-2020 is our official phone number!
HOORAY!!

We've started taking reservations and have already booked events beginning in February. So if you are interested, or know of anyone that has a special event coming up please pass along our phone number! We have a special event menu already printed up and we would love to get it out to you!
It's getting closer..... HOORAY!! AGAIN!!! heeheheh
With so much excitement and anticipation,
Susan

How great is our God!

Chris Tomlin is one of my favorite worship leaders. I love his lyrics and music! Enjoy : )

New friends!

I just wanted to pass on a small little blog post about two new friends that Joe and I got to meet this weekend. It was a little bit of light in the darkness. Dick and Jean stopped by and brought us wonderful stories and words of wisdom. They also brought us some pumpkin seed oil from AUSTRIA to try on our salads, and a bag full of devotional books that Dick wrote. YOU FOLKS are what keep us encouraged. It is that kindness that we've been receiving from this community. We are in awe. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, to all those that have sent a letter, a card, an email or have stopped by. We had friends last week who brought us a pizza for dinner! Those little acts of kindness, mean so much to us, I can't even express it properly! Once again..THANK-YOU! Your new friend, Susan

A Rough weekend!

Oh my.. Two burst pipes despite us doing everything we could possibly think of to keep them warm. Looking on the bright side, we were here when they burst, so we were able to shut the water off and clean up the mess. Nothing got ruined. We were without water most of the weekend, but we had so much work to do, we had to persevere! We got through it, but It wasn't easy. I have not had to rough it like I've been roughing it these past few months, in a looong time! I think that I've been spoiled in having a nice cushy kind of life. Not much has gone wrong in our lives..it's been easy..up until now!! I know it will all be worth it in the end, I have hope and FAITH..but please keep praying for us. Seriously..we need your prayers!
Last night, we decided to get away to our friends house to watch the football game. We didn't want to be gone to long, because we were afraid of another pipe breaking while we were gone.
We decided to stop at home to get some laundry baskets (we were also going to wash clothes at our friend's house since we had no working washer here). We went down to the launcry room to get the baskets. Guess what? A pipe had burst in our basement and flooded the whole basement with INCHES of water!! What a horrible mess. We truly wanted to cry. It was one of those times..you felt like it was just too much to handle. It's hard! This is very hard and if you know me, you know that I rarely ever complain! I always look on the bright side...but wow, last night, It was hard to see any light! We weren't able to go to our friends house, instead we had to clean up the basement and the come back here to our apartment..we were just too afraid of these pipes bursting again.
BUT.. after all of that...
God is AMAZING! Do you know why? Because I did get a few hours sleep last night and I woke up and there it was..that joy right back in my heart again. We can do this! It makes us stronger! We will work hard and work together and we will get this restaurant open and it will be wonderful! These are the potholes, that we knew would come. We will endure! FAITH IN ACTION!
Speaking of action.. This morning there was a lot of action happening over at the Tavern! Our new dishwasher got installed. We set up dates for the coffee machines to get installed. We met with Linda, our baker, who is going to begin baking next Tuesday, so we can decide what will go in the bakery. We got the credit card machines installed and the menu is almost finished!!!!!!!! YEAH!!! We are getting closer!
Thank you all who have been following our progress. Please keep us in your prayers. Please ask God to provide for our needs and to keep us healthy!
I hope your week is better than our weekend!
*wink* Susan

Facebook!

I've just discovered the wonderful world of FACEBOOK! Wow..what a great networking opportunity. Last night I created a profile, but I still have to edit it and add pictures and make it more homey! If you have a facebook profile looke me up and add me as a friend. I'm listed as Susan Short Hougelman. I will add The Tavern on the Square as a group and I will post updates on there as well! How fun this is! I LOVE COMMUNITY! Susan

The Tavern on the Square FAQs

What will your hours be? We will be open Monday through Thursday from 11:00 am until 8:00 pm. Friday and Saturday from 11:00 until 9:00 pm and Sunday from 12:00-5:00

What kind of food will you serve? We are going to have a menu that is similar to the one we had at Neshannock Creek Inn (www.giantcod.net), but with more dinner items. We ran the Neshannock Creek Inn for 18 years. Each year was more successful then it's last. We built up a nice clientle who really seemed to like our restaurant. Some of our best selling menu items were our giant cod fish sandwich, the bacon swiss chicken salad with warm sweet and sour dressing, our reubens, and blackberry cobbler for dessert. Joe also made pot roast, chicken n biscuits, stuffed cabbage rolls and other homemade dinners. The Tavern will be influenced by The Neshannock Creek Inn, and the Old traditional Tavern, but it will be it's own unique restaurant. We have received lots of suggestions and ideas from you, and we are listening to what you want! Really to sum it up, we are going to serve good old fashioned home cooking!

Will you have the sticky buns? Of course!!! We will also make our own parkerhouse rolls and serve them for dinners with the famous Tavern sticky buns.

What will you at the Bakery? The bakery is very small, but we do have a huge kitchen at the Tavern where we'll bake from. We will transport all of the baked goods from the kitchen to the bakery. We plan on having breads, donuts, muffins, cookies, pies, brownies, sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, pastries. The Bakery will also be a coffee shop. We will sell coffee and espressos and lattes and also gourmet coffees that you can buy by the bag. We've never managed a bakery before so it will be a learning experience. We're sure that it will evolve, but we are going to do our best to make it wonderful! I imagine setting a few tables out front, and people coming to buy a coffee and a cinnamon roll and being able to sit out front on the square. I think that would be wonderful!

What changes are you making to the Tavern? We furnished the main dining room with new furniture. We are hanging new window treatments in each room. We are making the lobby into a gift shop. We are changing one of the upstairs rooms *formally the kelly eating club room* into a "library". That will be the room where people can lounge before they get seated, and eventually we want to host gatherings in that room such as small groups, book clubs, lectures etc...
For right now we will use the same tables and chairs that have been at the Tavern for a long time, but eventually if the restaurant does well, we will put new furniture in those rooms too.

Can I make a reservation now? YES! We actually have received quite a few reservations for parties and get togethers! Just call us at 724-901-0001 and talk to Susan.

When are you opening? AS SOON AS WE CAN!!! We were hoping to open by the end of the month, but that might be pushing it. We don't want to open until we are completely ready! Please bear with us and know that when we do open our doors, we will be ready to serve you with love and excitement and anticipation!

What can i do to help? Please keep praying for us. Please pray that God provides for us all that we need. Please pray for our family. Please pray over this building.
That's all for now! I can't wait to see you!
Stay warm! Blessings, Susan

Inspiration!

Keep Prayin' : )

Dear friends,
I ask that you continue to pray for us. Please ask the Lord to provide for our needs. Please ask Him to keep our pipes from freezing. Please ask Him to take care of us. I believe in the power of prayer! I know a lot of people read this blog and are cheering for us, and I also know that a lot of you know the Lord. Let's all pray together because I promise you we are going to do amazing things here! Please pray for my husband who needs encouragement. He has been working so hard, in freezing weather (no heat in the kitchen). I am so proud of him. Pray that God keeps him healthy and encouraged. Pray that God gives us both wisdom and knowledge to do things right and to make right decisions.
Thank you so very much for your prayers! They are what sustain us!
With love, Susan

The Main Dining Room!

Our new furniture for the main dining room is in! It looks so beautiful. I sat on the steps next to the fireplace last night and my eyes filled with tears. I can't believe we own the Tavern. God, thank you so much for the many blessings you have given us. I am in awe of what you've entrusted me with. I promise to use this place for your Glory!
Friends, I can't wait to see you here in this dining room enjoying yourselves!

An update!

Yesterday we bought some items for our gift shop, which is going to be in the front lobby. We met with Claire and Jan from James Creek Galleries who are going to decorate the Tavern with their beautiful wares. They are coming tommorow to measure windows for the window treatments. Our artwork and furniture will be delivered the first week of February. Our furniture was delivered (Thank you Robbie and Charles!!) and our old dishwasher was removed. TOday we are going to clean floors again and wash down all the new tables and chairs and set them up! WOOOHOO! THe fun part of building this restaurant has begun!
I hope you have a great day today! Make it great! See you soon! Susan

New Wilmington!

My sister Dianna,who lives in Maryland, has spent this past week with us helping us get the restaurant ready to open. We have been washing dishes, wiping walls, scrubbing chairs and floors and so much more! Yesterday we took a break and went on a ride around New Wilmington. We were mesmorized by it's beauty. More than anything else, I saw God's power and glory in this snow covered town. The word I kept saying was MAJESTIC! I said to my sister, "You see how breathtakingly beautiful this is. Now, Imagine what heaven must look like? Beauty that our minds can't even imagine!" New Wilmington, you are beautiful!

ImageChef.com Poetry Blender

Tavern Tree Trivia!

Does anybody know what kind of tree is in front of the Tavern? What kind of tree (besides the evergreen) keeps its leaves all winter long? We love it but we are "stumped" as to what kind of tree it is! Please "leave" your answer in our email box at thetavernonthesquare@gmail.com "Trunk" you very much,
Susan : )

Wisdom is the sharing of wise experiences and knowledge, but a lot of it is common sense. The difference is how we apply this common sense - we all have the ability to keep going even when we face challenges in our lives - basically it comes down to your attitude. We can have a positive attitude towards life, or a negative attitude. We can focus on the good or we can focus on the bad. Keeping a positive mental attitude is one of the keys to success.
The choice is always up to you!

Too much excitement to sleep !

It is so late here and I am going to be in trouble if I don't get into bed! We have such a busy day planned for tommorow but I had to catch up on emails and write a post here! I promised I would!
We had such an amazing blessing from a man who loves Jesus as much as I do. I can't tell you what he did for us yet, until I get his permission, but I will tell you that I was on my knees praising God! Joe and I are in awe of this man's kindness and generosity towards us, yet smiling, because that's what Jesus has done for us in every step of this journey to the Tavern! WOW! He IS that amazing!!
Honestly..I do have so much to share with you. Things are going GREAT here! We have gotten so much accomplished! I wish I would have taken pictures for you to see the progress! I will try to take some pictures this week to show you! The place looks so beautiful that it makes me want to cry! I can't wait to share it with you. I want you to fall in love with it too! I want you to love coming here and eating and meeting friends and making new ones! I want so many wonderful things to go on here. Oh New Wilmington, I can't wait to serve you!! You don't know how much my heart anticipates being able to smile and say hello to you once we open our doors. I can't wait to host your parties, to serve you good food, to help you celebrate your special occasions! I can't wait to see families sitting around the table laughing and enjoying each other. I can't wait to see Bible studies going on in our library room! I can't wait to see groups meeting here enjoying the atmosphere. I can't wait to have a murder mystery dinner here! This will be a great place to have a breakfast with Santa!
I am smiling, my heart filled with so much anticipation and excitement!
Now I will share a secret..hmmm maybe not a secret, but a decision that Joe and I made today about the Tavern. If you are reading this post and made it to this part, you will get to read this secret! : )
Joe and I knew that we were going to serve sticky buns here, but we also wanted a good bread to serve as well. We looked and looked for the perfect bread to serve with our dinners. We sampled rolls, and breads and breadsticks. We just couldn't find the right one for here! Then, something triggered a memory. Mary Wright, when she first found out that we were opening the Tavern, sent us a recipe for parkerhouse rolls. I tucked the recipe in our recipe folder and I kept it there. I didn't think it would be possible to make real homemade rolls for the restaurant. BUT.. I had a light bulb kind of moment. Our Baker can bake parkerhouse rolls in the morning when she makes the baked goods for the bakery! We can keep them warm, in our bread warmer and they would taste so good along with the sticky buns! We will have real butter and also cinnamon butter served along side of them! Not many restaurants serve real homemade bread or rolls anymore, but that just fits this place so perfectly!! We love good old fashioned homemade foods!
SO there you have it.Thank you Mrs.Wright for the recipe and suggestion! We made the decision today. Sticky buns and parkerhouse rolls! I can just imagine how good they are going to smell delivered fresh and warm to your table!!!!
That's all for tonight! Keep checking back later in the week and I will try to post some pictures for you!
May God Bless you with showers of blessings!
Keep warm! It's cold outside! Susan

Hello!

Hey there Tavern Blog readers!
So much has happened in the last few days!
I think I may have enough for a small novel.
You will have to wait just a little more time to read all about these adventures! We have been working non-stop to get this place opened and it has been difficult for me to spare any time to write..BUT..I promise you tonight, before I fall into bed I will tell you all that has been going on! GOOD STUFF! GOD IS AMAZING!!!!!!
Oh friends, wait until you hear the blessings that have snowed down upon us! Joe and I have been dancing in the snow with joy and thanksgiving!
I hope you all are keeping warm and dry. I hope you are enjoying the beautiful snow, as much as we have been! Remember, it's all in your attitude. You can find the snow beautiful and clean and bright and wonderful or you can find it burdensome, cold and annoying! It all depends on how you look at it!
With Great Joy, Susan

Dishes..Dishes..and more dishes!

Do you like this picture? Most husbands help with dishes.. heheeh
Oh my goodness...I think we washed over 5000 dishes today! WOAH! There sure is a lot of dishes here in the Tavern! A few weeks ago,we set all the dishes in the main dining room, while we cleaned and set up the kitchen. Today we began taking the dishes from the dining room, washing them, and putting them away. We started early in the morning and it is 7:15 pm and we are about 1/2 way finished! We are going to stay until we finish! This was the job that we were going to invite friends to come and help with, but because it just seemed to be the right job to do today, we began to tackle it ourselves! Oh don't worry (you friends that have been called on for assistance) we will find something else to help with! I wouldn't want you to miss out on all of the fun! *big smile*
My sister Dianna is here and she has been wonderful helping us out! She inspires and motivates us and is also great at helping us get more organized!
Tommorow we are going to work on the menu, and also we are going to do something we haven't done in a long time! We are going to check out another restaurant. This restaurant has been higly recommended to us so we'd like to see what they're doing that's wonderful! We can bring back ideas and pass them on to you! : ) This restaurant is not close by, so there's no need to worry!

My heart is overflowing with the love and support we continue to receive daily from all of you. Your encouraging words, your wisdom, your prayers, your advice, lift us up and give us so much strength. I want to thank, from the depths of my heart, all of you that have written, called or emailed us. With gratitude, SLH

Talk soup!

Thank you!

Thank you for your prayers concerning the coke machine! It's in and it was able to be put in the perfect place! That was such wonderful news for us. Ready for another request? We have to get a whole new fire suppression system. They give us an estimate of 3000 dollars. That was an unplanned expense. If anyone knows anyone that does that sort of work...or knows of a used one for sale..please contact us...and please keep praying for us. We knew that there would be many unforeseen things come up but there are MANY more than we expected. Joe and I are both trusting that the Lord will provide, so there's no need to worry. SO.. Pray on our behalves..and we'll keep you posted!
So..I can't just do an email that's not brimming with good things so I'll share with you the GREAT things happening! I already told you about the Coke machine, so that's one. Two is that my sister is coming from Maryland tomorrow to help us get the restaurant ready to open! My brother has been helping out remodeling the bakery and doing a whole lot of other things that Joe couldn't do by himself, and now my sister Dianna is coming! YEAH!!! It really does take a team..a family..a COMMUNITY..to put this altogether. God is in charge and then having friends, family and an amazing community behind you... WOW! Do you see why we are so blessed?
Three is that we got a call from Gideon Kurtz this morning. OUR DINING ROOM FURNITURE IS FINISHED!!! WOOOHOOO! I can't wait to go and get it and see how it looks in the main dining room.
The main dining room is filled with dishes and utensils and many other kitchen items. We are waiting for the new dishwasher to be installed (Monday) before we can wash them and then take inventory and put them away. SO.. we can't get the furniture yet but it will be so exciting when we do.
So there..that's three good things that happened today!
Thanks again for praying for Joe and I and my girls. We covet those prayers. Please continue to pray that God provides for our needs and He keeps us in His hands, guiding us and leading us. Please pray that we surrender everything to Him, and know that without Him Life is way too difficult! My favorite verse in the Bible is Phil. 4:13 "I can do ALL things through CHRIST who gives me strength."
God bless YOU today and always, Susan H.

Don't forget to cast your vote!

Have you seen our poll on the right hand side of our blog? Scroll down a little bit and look right below our family picture! Cast your vote for what bakery item you'd like us to serve at the Tavern bakery! So far breads and donuts are what people would like the bakery to serve the most! I probably should have listed sticky buns in the poll, but that's a given! We have a feeling those might be popular. : ) Also, Linda, our soon to be baker,makes incredible cinnamon rolls that will sure to be a good seller! So what do you think? Muffins? Donuts? Cookies? Cakes?
YOU DECIDE!

Keep Them coming!

What a great response we've had to our help wanted ad! Thank you everyone for coming by for an application! We are going to have the most fantastic servers, hostess, buspersons, dishwashers,cooks, bakers and coffee/bakery servers in town!! We are going to make an incredible team together. Joe and I are going to be looking through the applications and making schedules within the next two weeks! We will need to begin training team members and get them ready for opening day! If you haven't filled out an application yet, or haven't turned in the one your received, it's not too late! Just come to the side entrance of the Tavern and knock on the door or give us a call at 724-510-1790! Thank you again for such a tremendous response!
Susan

I love inspirational videos. This is one of my favorites that I posted on my personal blog a few months ago. It's called Christian the Lion. Enjoy. Susan

A long day!

zzzzzz... Oh Hello! I'm sorry, but I seemed to have nodded off while my computer was connecting to the internet. Today has been a long day! It is 1:22 am as I write this and I am very tired. Today was another grueling day spent in the basement of the Tavern scrubbing and painting. It is finally FINISHED! It is clean and bright and white! (Well as clean and bright as a 150 + year old basement can be!)
Because our bakers will be baking all the delicious baked goods (INCLUDING THE STICKY BUNS!!!!) down in the basement, Joe and I wanted to make it as comfortable and clean as possible. We bought a new (new to us) Oven that had been used by Dunkin' Donuts to bake their muffins! We tested it out the other day (we made oatmeal raisin cookies) MMMMM! Get this.. it holds five trays at a time and on each tray we got 45 coookies. That's 225 cookies in 10 minutes!!!! We will definitely be making some Christmas cookies to sell for the holidays. So we installed the new oven and cleaned and scrubbed all of the pans and equipment too. It really does look good!
Later today, Coca-Cola will install the soda machines, and the credit card machine suppliers will be in to install their credit card machines. Joe and I both have many phone calls to make and return tommorow, and I have to finish up the menu!
Here's some great news for me to share and then I have a prayer request to make.
The great news is we have a few reservations already for February and March and even a few in May! There is a baby shower, a family dinner and a board of director's meeting! Oh, what pleasure it was for me to open my reservation book and jot down these reservations!
Now my prayer request.. We are having a difficult time, finding a place to put the soda machine. Joe is hoping that Coke will have a solution, because we tried and tried to find a place that worked and we just couldn't do it.
Please pray that God gives us the wisdom to think of the right place. We are stumped!
Time for bed. I pray that YOU enjoy the day today. I pray that you find peace in your hearts and joy in your souls. I pray that God heals whatever it is that ails you. In Jesus's name, Amen
Susan

Mastermind meeting and more.

Do you know what a mastermind group is? According to the website "passion for business" this is what a mastermind group is all about:
There is synergy of energy, commitment, and excitement that participants bring to a Mastermind Group. The beauty of Mastermind Groups is that participants raise the bar by challenging each other to create and implement goals, brainstorm ideas, and support each other with total honesty, respect and compassion. Mastermind participants act as catalysts for growth, devil’s advocates and supportive colleagues.
So, about once or twice a month I meet with three other women business owners. We offer each other support. We really do challenge each other and we try to brainstorm. It's wonderful networking with these women. I like getting to know people and I like hearing ideas and other ways of thinking.
TOday we met at Jimmys. It was early but there was some creativity flowing. While we were meeting I got to meet John Daley from Daley's country pantry. He said, "Let me ask you a question!" I said, "sure" He said, "what kind of food are you going to serve there? " I said, "Good old fashioned home-style cooking." He shook my hand and said "Good, that's the kind of food people want in this community."
I couldn't help but smile and be filled with that love..that..I don't know what it is..that appreciation of people. Their honestly..their willingness to be open..their kindness. I love when I walk down the street and the school crossing guard says, "I'm waiting for that coffee shop and bakery to open. I'll be there"
Thank you New Wilmington. Thank you for your support. I can't tell you enough how much excitement we have to be able to serve you. We are all about service. We want you to fall in love with The Tavern. We want you to be so proud to have us in your community. We want to give to this community and be a vital part of it's life!
Oh.. we love you! I hope you have an amazing day!
Make it amazing! WIth appreciation and admiration,
Susan

Book clubs, tea parties, and family dinners!

One of the visions I have for the Tavern is to be able to use the rooms upstairs as often as possible. It's a perfect place to hold meetings, meet as small groups and clubs. I would love to have tea parties there! How about a Victorian Fashion show and tea luncheon? Maybe a Murder mystery dinner? I want to hold a once a month family dinner! I want to invite 25 members of the community to sign up and we all eat together at one big family table. Each month will have a different theme. We will incorporate the theme into the decorations, the table settings and of course the food! It will be a way for people to get together and sit and eat together, that normally wouldn't get together. It's a community dinner! I think that would be so much fun.
Another Idea I have is getting a book club together. In one of the rooms upstairs, we are going to make it a lounge/library area. It will be a place to come and sit and relax. You can buy a coffee and something from the bakery or even the restaurant and then just take it upstairs and sit and read a magazine or book or listen to some music, or work from your laptop!
That would be a perfect place to meet and have a book club! I would also love to have Bible studies or small groups meet there! It would be awesome to have a dinner or lunch and then meet and do a Bible study!
Oh..the possibilities are endless!
Do you have any ideas? Would you like to see something go on in the Tavern rooms?
Write and let me know! I'd love to hear from you
thetavernonthesquare@gmail.com God Bless, Susan

The new oven

The new oven is in!
In order to get the oven in the door, they had to disassemble it first! So, it lay in the kitchen in about 25 different pieces! But they worked late into the night last night reassembling it and now it is a nice looking oven! How many good things will that oven hold for our customers? What will it be filled with? What delicious smells will waft out into the kitchen from that oven? MMMMMM, I can't wait to see!

Accepting Applications!

We are now accepting applications for employment at the Tavern. We are looking for servers, buspersons, host & hostess's, cooks, salad line, grill cooks.. all positions, part time or full time. We are very flexible.
If you're looking for a job, I will tell you the truth. At the Neshannock Creek Inn, we became a team, even more than that, we became a family. We try to have fun at work. We respected and appreciated each other. Joe and I value our team, and we are right there beside you working hard. We want to create something special here. A place where you will be valued. Just come to the side door of the Tavern and knock, or give us a call (724-510-1790). We'll be here!
Susan

Don't give up!

I have to share this video with you. I posted it on my personal blog, but I want to share it with my Tavern bloggers too! When a person has been given a vision, or if they have an idea, or a goal, or a dream...so many obstacles can get in the way. So many people can bring negative words and energy into their dream. Just..just..so many things can get in the way. Often, if a door closes, or if someone says "you can't do it", or if something goes wrong...we just want to quit and give up and take the easy road in life. But winners..successful people..they don't quit..they don't give up! Failure is a part of life. Potholes, hurdles, snags, closed doors..they're all going to come your way! But the trick is..the trick is not to stop, not to give up. Keep going..keep walking or running.or in my case Dancing..towards your goal! Don't let other's negativity, or that obstacle get in the way! FIND A WAY! OVERCOME IT! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! hehe I can get a little radical.. But I really do feel that way. God gave me a vision. I wanted to give up.. many, MANY obstacles got in the way..but here I am. Like a clay bowl, the Potter has molded it..changed it..refined it.. But I am the potter's and this is what He has made!
On to the video. It's very inspirational. It's about a guy named Nick. Enjoy. (just click the arrow on the video to play it!)

What's happening today? Friday, January 2, 2009

When I woke up this morning, I felt the sun shining on my face.. what a glorius feeling that was..so RADIANT!
I got up, put the coffee on, and got ready for the day ahead!
Today we are meeting with the P.o.s people to set up our computer system! Joe is really excited about that, because at Neshannock Creek Inn, we wrote all of our checks out by hand...now everything will be done with computers! (now our cooks don't have to decipher our handwriting!) We are also meeting with the Linen company. We will decide on what colors of linen to have on the tables. Each room is different, so if possible, I would like to do different color schemes in each room! My friend Anne in going to help me decide on colors! (Did you know that the color RED stimulates the appetite?) THirdly, we are meeting with Coca-cola to try to get some soda machines set up!
Those are our three appointments today. After those are finished, I will work on the menu. We are working on the basics, and hopefully hearing people's suggestions and ideas will help us decide on some new items!
I hope you get to feel the radiance of the Son today! Bask in it.. : )
With so much excitement, Susan