Texas Roadhouse

The new job is going good. It's been lots of fun (other than the line dancing). The people are all really nice and fun to work with.

Here's an article from channel 4 news about the restaurant.

New Logan restaurant dedicates all profits to charity

LOGAN, Utah (ABC 4 News) - A new Texas Roadhouse restaurant opens on Monday in Logan, but this Utah location won't make a dime for the Louisville-based company. All the profits go to charity.

It's the first restaurant of its kind in the country, with all profits dedicated to help those less fortunate.

The charity is called Andy's Outreach, a program that helps Texas Roadhouse employees and their families in need ("Andy" is the company's cartoon armadillo mascot).

The roots of Andy's Outreach are born of tragedy.

A few years ago, Texas Roadhouse CEO G.J. Hart was attending a training seminar at the company headquarters in Louisville. While there, he met a 5-year veteran dishwasher named James Bryan, a deaf man and father to five children. He was impressed with Bryan and found out what an inspiration he was to all his co-workers. A few weeks after meeting Bryan, Hart learned the beloved employee had died from a heart attack, and organized an effort to pay for his funeral and help his surviving family members. Hart and others did more than help with family finances; the group eventually put all 5 children through college.

Since Bryan's death, the company charity has grown through employee contributions and other fund raisers, while helping hundreds of family members through some tough times. Eligible employees can get financial assistance when a child is born or when there is a death in the family.

Why Logan?

According to company representatives, Logan was one of several possibilities to become the principal provider for Andy's Outreach. Several economic and market factors went into choosing Logan over other potential new locations, but it wasn't until Texas Roadhouse brass flew into the Cache Valley that Logan got the final nod.

According to Texas Roadhouse managers, the company takes pride in taking care of its own, even during times of recession or economic downturn.

The store opens on Monday September 21, 2009, but several hundred invitees showed for an open house on Friday the 18th.

Those who attended were treated to the Texas Roadhouse tradition of several line-dancing performances by servers and other employees surrounded by big screen TVs and Texas-style decorations.

One decoration unique to the Logan restaurant is a mural hanging over the bar depicting the late James Bryan, flanked by Hart and others - a constant reminder of the special mission of a special restaurant where Cache Valley residents can go to forget their own troubles for a while, and ease the troubles of people they will most likely never meet.

There are more that 300 Texas Roadhouse locations across the country, but only one does a little more than provide steaks, drinks and a little atmosphere.

It's a special restaurant, and it's in a special place: Logan, Utah.

Homecoming

Click on picture to enlarge.



So this is the picture that got sent out on a postcard to 10,000+ Alumni. It can also be found on the homecoming website and the USU home page. Kim informed me that it will be a half page add in the Herald Journal as well...

Let me just tell you how much I HATE this picture. It's horrible!!! I post it so the few of you who have not had the opportunity to see it may. I know I take some pretty bad pictures but I think this one tops them all. Enjoy!

NEW JOB!

So about a month ago I applied for a job at the new Texas Roadhouse in Logan. Two weeks ago they told me I did not get the job. I was a little disappointed. At this point I was taking lots of hours at Cafe Sabor in Bear Lake and was doing a lot of driving (I blame Lincoln). Needless to say it was getting old and less fun.

Well on Saturday the owner of Cafe Sabor sat me down and offered me a manager position. The restaurant is staying open on the weekends through the winter and I would be managing a few shifts a week. I would get paid more, but do to the new store hours my shifts would be cut drastically.

Jobs in Logan are hard to come by once the students come back, so my chances of getting a job here were slim. I weighed the pros and cons. Driving through the winter would not be fun. I would be getting a new boss to which I did not get along with very well. Less hours; off season, so less people. The plus side I would get a raise. I could work a few shifts at the Logan Cafe Sabor (helping with the 'less hours' issue). I would be getting manager experience. I would have a job.

So when it came down to it I knew that I would never quite unless I found something else first. And so I decided to stay up there and take the promotion, even if it wasn't ideal. I would work up there till the snow came and then reevaluate.

Well two days later I get an interesting phone call from the manager at Texas Roadhouse. He basically said that if I still wanted the job and could start today it was mine. I told him I didn't really know, so he told me to come in and talk to him. Well out comes the pros and cons again. This time the only major con would be giving up the manager opportunity.

So I went in and talked to him and decided that it would be a good thing for me. I accepted the job and he told me that I started training in two hours (the store's grand opening is Monday). So in that two hour break I called my boss from Cafe Sabor and quit.

I no longer work in Bear Lake, but I'm fine with that. I have training everyday this week for about five hours a day. It's a lot to take in, but I think it will be lots of fun. Today was a little overwhelming but good. I will say that one of the negatives is that I have to line dance. Yep that's right if you ever come to eat there you will probably see me dancing! Oh boy!

It has been one long day. I got hired, quit one job, and started the other one all in just a few short hours. I should probably go to be now. But I am really excited about my new job!!

Blogging

So people are always asking me why I don't blog more. I have come to the conclusion that I just don't have that interesting of a life. No kids, no school, boring job, etc. I guess I am dating someone. But he hates when I take pictures, so I don't have anything to show. I guess I could talk about him more...here it goes.

Lincoln and I spend a lot of time together. Hannah and Kim would probably tell you that we do everything together. However, this is not true...we just do A LOT together. I think it's a good thing that I'm not sick of him yet! Hannah calls us Trincoln and considers him a third roommate. I just think Hannah never sees me and when she does he just happens to be around. Or maybe it's because he lives with his grandparents so hanging out at his house isn't that fun. I don't know, but I enjoy spending time with him.

We went to the Utah vs Utah State football game yesterday. That was pretty fun. The Aggies lost but that's ok...I don't know that anyone thought they would win. I am so excited for college sports to start again. I love going to see the Aggies play. We went to a volleyball game the other day. It was against BYU so the win was that much sweeter! Basketball is what I"m really excited for, but that wont be for a few months.

Now I'm just rambling trying to find things to talk about. I've got nothing....that's how boring my life is! Oh well, I'll blog again when I have something good to say.

Update

So I'm moving out tomorrow. I love living with kim but it's time for some space. But I'm living with Hannah and I'm really excited about it. Still working at Cafe Sabor in Bear Lake. That's going well. Not much else just trying to have a fun summer!

Here are some more pictures of what I've been doing....

A few of Lincoln and me




The most decent picture of us I have. We both struggle a little bit!


My friend Tess and I just having fun.


Every summer we go to a Bees game. It's a fun tradition we started a few years ago. They do fireworks after some of the games. We really enjoyed going.


Merica and Me at the Bees game. She is moving to Virginia on Tuesday. I will miss her lots! Love you


The girls having fun bowling

Summer Fun

People keep telling me I need to blog more. Here is my attempt. These are some pictures of things I've been doing this summer.

Anyone who comes over to Grandma Oka's house has to ride the carts down the hill...it's tradition. Lincoln didn't like this tradition. I think it's because I won every race!


Bowling with a bunch of friends from Logan. Notice the trophies. That's right I got one!


Rock Band at night on a 20 foot screen


Volleyball at grandma Oka's house is one of my favorite summer past times


Hannah and I lighting fireworks on the 24th of July

The Boy

I thought about all the jokes I could come up with using his name in the title but I will refrain.....

So everyone keeps asking me about this boy I'm dating, so I guess I will make it official...

Lincoln Andraesen is his name. He's 23, 6 foot, blond hair, blue eyes.....ok you can probably figure that out from the picture.

I met him playing volleyball. There is a group of us that play about 3 times a week, so we got to know each other that way. Hannah has since join the volleyball group and we all love her (just a side note).

We've been dating just over a month now. And NO we haven't talked marriage. We are both just going with the flow and seeing how things turn out. So please don't ask....THANKS!

He's a biology major graduating next spring and maybe on to medical school after that. He has taken the MCAT and is awaiting his scores. Med school isn't a definite plan it's just the plan for now.

Here is a picture of us it's not the best but it's the only one we have so far. It was taken after a day of boating so neither of us look very good (you can't really see him anyway). Oh and notice the really intense Rubiks Cube I am trying to solve!!!

Anyway that's Lincoln! It must be official if I just blogged about it!