Natalie Ladd
The Forecaster
Portland, ME, United States
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Past articles by Natalie:
Dishin' That: Beef, wine age well, but what about employees? –
Older hospitality workers getting the bum’s rush in the hiring and retention process is a great human interest story when tales of woe are reliably corroborated. Sprinkle in timely statistics from local websites ending in .org, or better yet, .gov, and the story becomes newsworthy, no matter how commonplace. As of late, the topic has… → Read More
Dishin' That: Tips for getting tips
With Memorial Day Weekend fresh on our minds, so begins the shoulder season, bringing steadily increasing hospitality business to southern Maine. It’s a short period where business starts to pick up as folks From Away make day-trips with the windows down, and locals venture out in fl... → Read More
Dishin' That: The mother of all restaurant days
“Don’t spend money on flowers for Mother’s Day this year,” I told my college-age daughters, Number One and Carlykardashian. “Number One, you’re graduating from college next weekend, and CK, you’re schlepping home more clothes than Macy’s has on the ... → Read More
Dishin' That: Restaurant policy a Rocky Mountain low
Not too long ago, I came upon a tipping practice that landed in the front of the already overstuffed “You Can’t Make This Stuff Up" file. Located in the Riverwalk area of downtown Pueblo, Colorado, the Rio Bistro restaurant is a lovely, independently owned and operated gem surr... → Read More
Dishin' That: More from Pandora's restaurant toy box
Never has a topic garnered so much interest from all corners of this column’s readership. Everyone, it seems, has a horrifying or heart-warming story around the multi-faceted phenomena of children in restaurants. A few of you, citing examples at length, chastised parents and blamed t... → Read More
Dishin' That: Kids eat free, adults pay the price
Last week’s column was a bit of a dissertation on why some children behave poorly in restaurants, and who, if anyone, is really to blame. One reader called it a “cultural reflection, also mirrored in other areas of American life, but not overseas.” Another sang to the cho... → Read More
Dishin' That: Kids in restaurants are an acquired taste
“What do you think about kids in upscale restaurants?” readers often ask. “Why don’t managers step in and address the situation when kids are brats in restaurants?” “Why don’t restaurants have children’s sections, like the library does, so I ... → Read More
Dishin' That: The dessert-ordering debate rages on
Dessert is one of the few places where the average diner is torn, and the reasons for not indulging in "a little something" are as plentiful as the reasons for doing so. Special occasions or otherwise, dessert is an opportune place to pad guest checks and winter-weary bottoms. Simply put, ... → Read More
Dishin' That: Ordering sideways: Meet some of the crew
Even though menu selection is at your own discretion, isn’t it sticker-shocking when dining a la carte? Not sure? Try doing it with someone who takes the art of the Early Bird Special to a master’s level. Someone who perceives little glass dishes of Grapenut pudding or red Jell... → Read More
Dishin' That: When it comes to tipping, do this, don't do that
With the exception of credit card statements, the 2014 holiday season is a scant memory. Time has passed, but it’s never too late to honor the annual tradition of sharing the top best and worst tips of the previous year. Here’s what they were, and why, in ascending order: The ... → Read More
Dishin' That: What happens in the kitchen doesn't stay there
To my new readers, and especially to the rabidly faithful old-timers, thank you for your patience as I bit my cuticles working out tedious, yet exciting, business details with The Forecaster. Pumping out four editions weekly, this newspaper group is established, respected and, most importa... → Read More