Lights, Camera, Action
This week has been ripe with exciting PJP activities, like, oh…signing a lease for a big new space. But let’s not forget that tomorrow, PBS is coming to spend the day with us at PJP Buttonwood. And while that sounds like Laura Linney herself will be arriving for the VIP tour, I’m pretty certain it will just be a producer and a camera crew of three or four. WE. ARE. HERE. FOR. IT.
This is how we’ve prepared:
We’ve issued mandates to Team PJP about crisp and clean PJP aprons and hats and we’ve had Jeanne’s special chef’s hat monogrammed with PJP. Yep, that is pretty extra of us…but so worth it when it all comes together on television.
I can’t speak for the rest of Team PJP, but both Jeanne and I had our hair cut and colored today by our favorite girl, Shawna Houser at The Trove Salon. Our to-do list this week has been lengthy, but going on television with roots is 100% NOT AN OPTION.
I also got my nails done this afternoon because I am vain. Clearly, as my first three items discuss our clothing, our hair, and my nails.
In terms of our actual storefront, Emily from Sugarberry Blooms delivered an amazing floral arrangement for our front table so that we look profesh and super trendy.
We also finally stopped ignoring the three burned out lights in our front chandeliers and Sam and Andrew replaced those. If someone had to write a sentence about me, it should really be “She’s the sort of girl who can ignore a burned out light bulb for months until television comes to spend the day with her.”
And then Jeanne broke it all down to the nitty gritty, demanding that a massive organization project be undertaken. You would be surprised at how much random stuff you can tuck away in 1,050 square feet of space.
And then the cleaning. GOODNESS. I organized the front counter and our storage space under the counter, finding relics like Jeanne’s foray into writing down each time someone messed up a pie, including the date, type of pie, and actions leading to the ruining of the final product. If someone had to write a sentence about her, it should really be “She’s the sort of girl who writes down product loss by type, date, and name of violator.”
A number of Team PJP members stayed well into the evening tonight to tackle the deep cleaning, like dusting all the light fixtures, cleaning the baking racks, and mopping the floors. I stopped reading Jeanne’s list after seeing “clean outside of trash cans with bleach”.
In the morning we will do some final organization before starting in on a massive baking list, while hopefully not sweating profusely given tomorrow’s forecast and our janky air conditioning unit. I wish my 13 year old could be with us all day because I feel like she would be super good at following me around to blot any sheen off my face when the cameras aren’t on me.
And all of this said, neither of us feel particularly nervous and I would guess that is because of the countless hours we have spent with journalism school students interviewing us and filming our baking all day. So this should just feel the same…but with better cameras, better lighting, more experience, and vastly larger viewership. Ahem. Now I’m sort of nervous.
If you are out and about tomorrow, make plans to stop by and see us. And bring blotting papers.
