I’ve had a few friends open restaurants in the past couple of years and having sewing skills I find myself doing related jobs. I made slip covers to keep dust off racks of polished wine glasses at The Monday Room. I’ve re-covered vintage chair seat pads at Highlands Restaurant in tartan which nearly drove me crazy ensuring the stripes were straight and square, denim aprons at Mary Queen of Scots and most recently check presenters for Colonie. They had some leather left over from their banquets and asked me to come up with a simple, classic design. I based it off of a checkbook cover and then fashioned around 13 or so in similar tones from a big bag of scraps straight from the upholsterer. As a side note, I also really enjoy making things from something that would otherwise be thrown away.
These restaurant side projects I do are not usually things you’d really pay attention to or notice but receiving the bill at the end of the meal (especially if you eat and drink like me and my friends) is hard to miss. Cue Krista Garcia of Metromix, who wrote an article on restaurants making that chunk of change disappearing all the sweeter with inventive and smart check presenters. Cigar boxes, vintage books, fortune telling fish, family photos and me! Read the full article HERE
photo by Donny Tsang
