I recently returned from Southern California and immediately convened for brunch at my once FAVORITE restaurant...Rick & Ann's. Before moving back in 2005, I patroned this place on average twice a week. It was the best place to be - both for the social aspect and for the food lover. But on this recent visit something was terribly wrong. Rick & Ann's is horrible. I was searching my memory to find what could have possibly gone amiss. The menu was relatively the same, the atmosphere was relatively the same, but what was it...The hostess (granted a hot, tall blonde with a smile that would light up the room and eyes that would give you butterflies) was gone! While maybe I had taken her for granted, I now realize what made Rick & Ann's better, and the wait completely bearable - it was this hostess. She was amazing - made you feel important and that she truely cared, professional and attentive to each persons needs, went out of her way to accomodate people (finding a water dish for a dog, a cough drop for a sick patron, snacks to tide kids over while they waited) - she worked in this amazing way that just made you feel good, even if you weren't in her spotlight of attention. I can't believe one person could make this much of a difference, but I think all of us who now don't know what happened to our once beloved R&A's now know...we took her for granted and now she is gone.
more