Today I have to sort out the administration for setting up the patio. The forecast? From Environment Canada:

Becoming cloudy near noon. Periods of snow beginning late this afternoon. Wind east 20 km/h. High plus 4. UV index 5 or moderate.

Moderate UV? I will remember the sunscreen.

But by Sunday it will be sunny and 15. Like the weather on Good Friday but even nicer. Phew… kooky time of year in this country where we are shivering and scraping our windshields in the morning and then sipping beer on the patio in the afternoon. Ah… Canadian patio season. Pack your shorts AND your snow suits.

How do patios work? Basically, merchants pay a fee for the number of square metres your patio takes up (provided that you still leave adequate space on sidewalks for pedestrian traffic). The Flying Banzini pays $1200 / year to have our six seat patio from April to November. I LOVE our little patio. It makes me feel very European and fancy. I love what it does for the look of my restaurant. I love sitting there for a morning coffee. And, I love sitting there for an evening glass of wine.

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I try to write a short entry most days, Monday to Friday. I muse about the emotion of being a restaurant owner and I also use this space to interact with my customers. If you have anything you would like to know about, please ask. I will be happy to offer my thoughts or answer any questions about anything.

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