Wednesday, June 1, 2016

2 Most Common Mistakes with an Outdoor Kitchen

Helping, with Beloved, my mom buy a new car, I had a great chance at Garden Design.  Exactly, no life activity unrelated to Garden Design.
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Wonderful salesman, rapport was easy.
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During the sales process in his cubicle, he mentioned building an outdoor kitchen soon.
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Upfront I knew my job was to thumb thru a magazine looking bored, let the men handle it.  Beloved has bought dozens of cars/trucks/caterpillars/trailers/boats thru the years.  Me?  Not so much.
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His new kitchen perked me up, pronto.  I turned a page, drolly, looked up & into his eyes, "You're doing it wrong."    I quickly cut a glance to Beloved & went back to my magazine and droll, droll, droll.
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"What do you mean?", my salesman bit, "Draw me your patio & new kitchen.", paper & pen quickly provided every error of his ways.  Not my 1st rodeo.
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His errors?  Window views from the house to patio/outdoor kitchen should be of the patio and garden, not the outdoor kitchen.  When the outdoor kitchen is the focal point of the patio, the cook is most often, backside to his guests.  2 errors, easily remedied.
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Taking the salesman's drawing, I turned it over and drew it correctly.  Pushing it slowly with my index finger across his desk, back too him, with a smile.
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Instant epiphany, the salesman cut a look, first, at Beloved who did the quick squinched eyes & hint of shoulder squinch.  Then I got my look from the salesman, who received a quick smile, then back to droll, droll, droll with the magazine.
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The men continued getting mom a new car.
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It seemed Beloved was letting a certain small bit of $$$ float away.  Perhaps he was waiting for the kill?  I gave it some time, hmm, Beloved did not mention that particular bit of $$$.  Time passed, magazine pages drolly turned, then it seemed the men were about to handshake.  Oh dear.  That tiny amount of $$$.
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"What about _________", I asked.  Beloved looked at me with a smile, the salesman with an "Oh s***" look.  Bingo, I got mom that money.   If memory serves, less that $400.  It had been rolled into a sentence about taxes blah blah, but you know I wasn't drolly reading that magazine.  My ears were all about mom's money.
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Beloved got a handshake, I got a handshake and a hug from the salesman, mom got a new car.
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This kitchen, below, is incredible.  Especially with the small space available.  A real cook's kitchen, without the kitchen viewed from the house, and the chef is at least sideways to his/her guests.  And, if needed, items can be passed from inside to outside from a window.
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Salesman said he couldn't wait to call his wife about their 'new' patio.

The Most Amazing Outdoor Kitchens// Hamptons:

Pic, above, here.
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The more I look at the pic, above, the better I like it.  And it already had me at 1st glance fabulosity.
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Droll was my role.  Keeping my mouth shut, mostly.  Not in my element, buying a car or being quiet, being droll made me 'listen' better.  Oh dear, this seems to be a metaphor of some sort.

Garden & Be Well,   XO Tara

7 comments:

Dewena said...

I'm telling my daughter and son-in-law about this one as they will be building an outdoor kitchen this summer. Your perspective is really something to think about!

Vera said...

Awesome! Awesome story!

Saved mom money.

Free advice about kitchen.

Big high-five for droll! :)

Unknown said...

I personally would not do the kitchen as in the photo above. The grill and the pizza oven all smoke and the windows and siding will have grease and smoke stains on it. Cooks back is still to guests as well except for grilling. I would probably have a buffet, or cold prep area against the back wall, and pull that grill away from the siding even more. Both appliances are fire and smoke hazards. JMHO. Glad you spoke up for the extra $$$ for your Mom's car deal.

Unknown said...

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Tara Dillard said...

Bless you Charisse for cooking wisdom. I had zero thoughts for doing any of the things you mention. Ding-ding-ding, my cooking skills writ large. None.

You are a cook, and your words prove it. No, the kitchen shown, not for you.

XOT

Dewena said...

Back again to say that I sent a link to this post to our daughter and she loved it, asked me to tell you that she hopes you will speak sometime in the Jacksonville FL area where she can come hear you and meet you. Any plans for being in this area?

Thistle Cove Farm said...

Yes to moving burning stuff away from house for both cleaning and safety reasons. There's not a fire extinguisher large enough should it be needed. Let's face it: if men are doing the outside cooking, they'll all gather at the grill so doesn't really matter if back is to the window.
The best part of this post... saving your Mom money. $400 is nothing to be sneezed at and that dang salesman showed his true colors. You gave him a gift and yet he still tried to steal. Shame on him!