A little bit of politics, family dinners and American Pride!

Yesterday, we witnessed an historical event. The first African American president was inaugurated. I heard many people say that they were proud to be an American today. Now, I'm going to share with you, some feelings from my heart, and you may not agree with my opinions..but they are what I believe.
I didn't vote for Obama. I want a president that shares my values, my morals and my beliefts. This president is very liberal and I am very conservative. Now..I think it is incredible that an African American man has become president! I am proud of our country for that. We have come a long way. I would have voted for a man with any color of skin if he shared my same values. I didn't vote for him because he was African-American, I didn't not vote for him because he was African American. I base my opinion not on the color of a man's skin. Isn't that what real equal rights is?
SO..let me continue. It has bothered me that people are so excited and think that this new president is going to change the country around! Because America is not America because of our president and government! WE are AMERICA!! WE THE PEOPLE.. Make up America! It's US who need to change this country around..the government works for us! It's not the other way around.
So, I sat last night and I thought about it..deeply. Then something hit me.
I think people are so proud to be American right now..because the country is coming together. We haven't come together for so very long! Our country has been so divided. young vs. old, black vs. white, rich vs. poor. It's like we all hate each other. It seems that people think about themselves instead of each other. So we're all out to gain what we can for ourselves..to better our lives. I think that is what has been so wrong with our country lately! It's us..not the president. As I said before, We the people are America! So when we're not proud of our country, it's ourselves we're not proud of!

So that got me thinking about the Tavern. You see, if you have read my past blog posts..you know that I want this restaurant to be a community loved place. I want this community to be so proud to be the home of the Tavern. I want it to be filled with local people and families. I want eating here to be like having a family dinner.
I don't want it to be just a touristy kind of place. I would so much rather it be a family restaurant. I love family. I love that sense of family.. of people bonding together. In my family, we gathered together at meal time. That is where most of our family memories come from. Dinners..holiday meals.. My parents were such great cooks. My dad was right along in the kitchen with my mom, preparing delcious meals.
Right before my dad passed away, he was sent home from the hospital with Cancer. There was nothing more they could do for him. All of his children were there at their home. And we all sat around the table and shared a meal together. My dad sat at a chair in the dining room, away from the table. He watched us. He watched us talk and laugh and eat. That's what we did. That was our family. I wondered then and I wonder now, what must have been going through his mind. I'm sure it was that pride and love and joy that family brings.
In today's busy world, it is not always easy to sit down and have dinner together. Mom's work now..I know..I do too, it's hard.
So I want to be able to create that family environment here. I want to Tavern to become your dinner table.
The downstairs of the Tavern is going to be very homey feeling. It's beautiful..it's really beautiful, but it's also so very warm, and inviting, and comfortable! You don't have to get dressed up to come here.
The upstairs will be a little more formal. There will be candlelit tables with linen tablecloths. You can have a special birthday dinner or anniversary dinner here. You can have a quiet romantic dinner here. Plus there are rooms for showers and rehearsal dinners etc...
Joe and I say there's two different personalities to the Tavern. It has a down home country feel, but it also has a tasteful, classy kind of feel to it. We are going to try to show both personalities.
What I'm trying to say is.. we want to be like the America that we were so proud of yesterday! We want to all come together..one community! All different people..from different walks of life.. different ages..genders..races..etc. We want to open our doors and hearts to this entire community. Come on in! Take you coat off. Stay awhile! : )
That's what makes us proud to be American. It's each other...it's all of us..coming together. It's community! United we stand, divided we fall!
That's America and that's what makes me proud to be an American!