J.O.H.M.: June 2011

June was just last month! Craaaaazy... We had 2 long stretches of work, as our regular relief (Boss 1) was on vacation for most of the month, and Boss 2 flew in from Michigan for 1.5 weeks to give us a couple of much-needed days off. We had a fabulous 2 days in a row during that time, and we spent 2 nights at a really gorgeous hotel in the French Quarter, Hotel Monteleone. Other than that, we stayed really busy keeping everything running as smoothly as possible in the absence of bosses. (I secretly really loved that time when it was just us, because it felt a little like it really was OUR hostel. Ours, however, will be infinitely more satisfying to run, naturally.) Adam's BD typewriter arrived, and he immediately set to work on a short story, which he just finished last week (woohoo!). Both he and I have really been enjoying working on the machine.


ANNA

After 11 straight days of work, Thurs & Fri can't come soon enough. We're getting 2 days off in a row to make up 4 the long stretch - w00t!

6 Jun

ANNA

Japanese girl (VERY little English) asks directions to N.O. MuseumOfArt, then says "Thank you. I love you. You're beautiful," & heads out for the day. Aw :)

8 Jun

ANNA

We be living la vida loca! Spent 1st of 2 nights @ posh Hotel Monteleone,concierge does Krav Maga w Adam & gave us a SWEET suite: 2 rooms! 2bathrooms!

9 Jun

ANNA

Today: free brkfast, work out, X-men 1st Class @ theater, scooter ridin', swimming pool on roof of hotel(!),  dinner, jazz, bubble bath #thisisthelife :D

9 Jun

ADAM

That about wraps up a glorious 2-day stay-cation w/ wife @Unicornlury at the posh Hotel Monteleone. I feel very refreshed.

10 Jun

ANNA

Sunburnt & happy. Two days of work-free bliss w/ @AdamVolle had to end, but they were epic.

11 Jun  

ANNA

Unfortunately, turns out boss #2 is worse at folding than boss #1 when it comes 2 hostel mgmt. I spasm every time I pass the linen closet.

11 Jun



ADAM

Dorm #5's trashed. Filled it w/ 6 guests who all happened to be party people and hit it off like gangbusters. Looong night. #joysofhostelmgmt

12 Jun



ADAM

Whenever guests ask if it's safe to walk at night, I tell 'em for God's sake no, they wouldn't make it a block. Pokerface. #joysofhostelmgmt

14 Jun



ADAM

MY #BIRTHDAY TYPEWRITER JUST ARRIVED!!! Gonna wait 'til wife @Unicornlury gets back home to open it up.

14 Jun


ANNA

:D Guest: dunno if I prefer calling you Amy or Eve. Me: Funny how neither of those are my name... Guest: OH. I'll just go with Eve, then.

24 Jun


ANNA

When guests meet Adam 1st, they all think it's hilarious to jokingly call me Eve.This latest guest is 1st to ACTUALLY *keep* calling me Eve.

24 Jun

ANNA

Just took stock: 1/2 a roadblock in alley, traffic cone by kitchen, & BIG "ROAD WORK AHEAD" sign on patio. Thanks, drunk guests!

25 Jun


ADAM

In hostel: 1/2 a roadblock in alley, traffic cone in kitchen, & BIG "ROAD WORK AHEAD" sign on patio. Thanks, drunk guests. #joysofhostelmgmt

25 Jun


ADAM

#KravMaga class on July 4th, I've learned, will be a special event called "Crawfish & Carjackings". Now that sounds like #NOLA -style fun.

25 Jun

ANNA

paranoid phonecall: "do you wash the sheets after each guest?" I was too busy laughing 2 think 2 joke: "nah, most of our guests don't notice."

25 Jun

ANNA

"Dead-junebug-in-front-hall" wkend count: Fri=28, Sat=39, Sun=27. EW. Yes, I did count them after sweeping them up each day. Don't judge me.

27 Jun


 

ADAM

It took Anna almost exactly 1 year (1 yr. anniversary here tomorrow!), but she has met our Most Troublesome Customer Ever. #joysofhostelmgmt

30 Jun  

The shining Mississippi

A glorious performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in City Park. Shakespeare sounds pretty good outdoors. :)

"Midsummer..." audience sitting around a little lake for the final act

Our sweet little suite at the Hotel Monteleone: Living Room

: Bedroom

: Bathroom (jacuzzi jets in the tub! Yes!!)

THE JOINT: Best BBQ I've ever had - even better than Pete's Meat in Gwinnett Co.

THE JOINT: The big silver thing's where the magic is added to the meat

THE JOINT: It's worth the wait, guys

We had a quick wander through Lafayette Cemetery in the Garden District

And that wraps up our Year-In-Review, folks! It's been fun remembering, and it's bolstering to realize just how much better this hostel has become since we arrived. We've learned exactly what we needed to learn about hostel management while here, and have managed to really enjoy every second of our time in this bewitching city.

The plan as of right now is to keep working here until December, after which we'll spend the holidays with friends & family. Next year, we hope to move back to South Korea and give teaching ESL another shot. After 2-5 years, we expect to have enough financial means to get our own hostel off the ground (!!). We haven't decided where it will be yet (though that remains our most commonly asked question), but we would like it to be abroad somewhere. We'll do our research and find a spot that needs a new, quality hostel, and we'll keep you informed as this project progresses!

. 

J.O.H.M.: May 2011

May...THREE big events: 1. My mother graduated from the University of Utah with her Ph.D. in Nursing Oncology. I flew out and spent a glorious three days celebrating her and her accomplishment with the fam. 2. The second big event was the death of Adam's grandmother. He rode Amtrak to Atlanta and spent two days in Rockmart with his family, celebrating Grandma's life. 3. Another happy event capped the month off, with Adam's 28th birthday. I sent him on a relaxed scavenger hunt and he got a typewriter at the end of it. *Which, by the way, has been a very successful gift. He just recently whipped out a short story on his little Hermes Rocket, and is starting another!* We spent a happy, sunshiney day together, celebrating him and  his life.   


Oh yes. And then there were the Nigerians. I have had frustrating, demanding guests before, but NO ONE will ever trump the influx of Rotary members from Nigeria who stayed at the hostel for the Annual International Rotary Convention. They were hilarious and full of character, but I swear every person in that hostel - other guests included - gained a couple of gray hairs thanks to their unfamiliarity with hostels and how things work. It makes me chuckle now, but we were about as frazzled as we've ever been during that convention! The one thing I loved about having them was how they made me miss one of my dearest friends, Adetola. (Love & miss you, Tola!) 




 

ANNA

W.H.O.A....Crazy Canadian girls from room 1 left us $100 tip! Woohoo, they really loved us. !! #joysofhostelmgmt

1 May

ANNA

#joysofhostelmgmt: $100 tip 4 being awesome, $10 for hawking guest's JazzFest tix, & pair of new BCBG swank highheels b/c guest didn't want them.

1 May


ADAM

Impromptu party at my hostel, spurred by my giving every guest who saw President Obama's announcement of Osama's death w/ me a free beer.

1 May


ADAM

Had a guest arrive today who's name, bless her, is "Beata Ho". #joysofhostelmgmt

5 May


ADAM

Found a convenience store on Magazine St. that sells Coca-Cola in glass bottles... from Mexico. That's right: REAL SUGAR! Arriba!

7 May

ANNA

Worst morning ever: Found a dead kitten on the patio. #notajoyoushostelmoment

8 May  



 ANNA

@AdamVolle is chugga-chuggin' his way to GA at this very moment, thanks to Amtrak's cheep fares. RIP grandma Wilson.

18 May

ANNA

*catches breath* Getting a hostel-full of Nigerian Rotarian club members this week, and they are keeping me on my toes, to put it mildly. I'm missing my husband/co-worker!

19 May 

ANNA

Guest wants refund b/c he "couldn't get N2 room last nite- it was locked" He's surprised to find he was just too drunk to punch in the code.  #idiot

20 May



 ADAM

Back in NOLA. And not back for 1/2 hour before I was reminded of all the #joysofhostelmgmt. Anna wasn't jokin' 'bout those Nigerians... Oy vey!

22 May



ADAM

African told Wife he won't stay. Then told her to look for a hotel, compare prices, & reserve him the cheapest. Wow. #joysofhostelmgmt

22 May



ADAM

#Birthday #reviews: @unicornlury showed me the kinda day that'd ruin the other 364 days of the year for me, if she wasn't in those too. 5/5.

26 May

Dr. Mom with her boys

Dr. Mom and her girls

Dr. Mom and her man

Three Volle men in Rockmart, GA - Adam in the middle of his dad and brother

Adam's fave new drink - Mexi-cola

The writer at work. At Starbucks. Drinking a coke from the gas station across the street. :D

                                                      ...in motion! (as promised)




 

J.O.H.M.: April 2011

April was the month I decided to take on a project : to write LETTERS. One letter a day was a lot of work, and I didn't quite reach 30 letters, but in the end, felt pleased with what I accomplished. I had a really sweet, unexpected treat: my  friend Chris and his sister Sarah came to stay at the hostel for several days. We went on an Airboat Swamp Tour and ate good food and caught up. It would have been even better if Chris hadn't caught a cold (or something evil), and Sarah hadn't had to leave early, but we enjoyed the time we had together.

I'm still hunting down those swamp photos. Updates to follow. Until then, there are some pics below of some picturesque bungalows on the Mississippi when it was so swollen and flooded. They're romantically perfect for my idea of what a river house should look like.

Also a couple photos of a date Adam & I had at Commander's Palace - a really fancy restaurant in the Garden District. That dress I'm wearing has a story all of it's own, which Adam's mom is writing up for me. I'll share it with you when our guest writer sends it to me. :)



ADAM

Get up at 4:30AM & find 6 cops and EMS taking away puking, stoned underage members of the chaperoned college group. #joysofhostelmgmt

8 Apr


ADAM

#joysofhostelmgmt: This morning, the electronic lock to an entire dormitory broke, sewage came up in our bathtubs, & we ran out of TP. (sigh)

8 Apr

ANNA

After last night's shared crawfish boil (w/ wine, 'taters, corn, & lemon squares!), we are FEELING the guest-love! #joysofhostelmgmt

10 Apr


ADAM

Walk-in came in for a bed, then asked how other hostels were. I told him. He said that sounded better and left. #joysofhostelmgmt

10 Apr


ADAM

To my no-doubt eternal regret, just failed to get a camera before Wife realized her skirt was tucked N2 back of her panties. #HAHAHAHA Lucky for her, no guests in sight.

11 Apr



ANNA

Just wasted 30 mins of my life explaining to a stubbornly uncomprehending woman that if u don't cancel B4hand & then don't show 4 a reservation, YES we charge you. #joysofhostelmgmt

11 Apr


ADAM

Always amusing when guests from Australia, etc. ask if bars on Bourbon St. are going to let them in while wearing thongs. #joysofhostelmgmt

15 Apr



ADAM

A party of 24 Danish college students has left us a thank-you card w/ $45 & a suggestion we go to dinner. Sweet of them! #joysofhostelmgmt

16 Apr



ADAM

Uh oh. The Movie Studio next door wanna film around us, so our street's now a tow-away zone. This may cause problems. #joysofhostelmgmt.

19 Apr
 


ADAM

Had to wake up at 3 for three late check-ins and a clogged bathroom sink. Couldn't get back to sleep. Trying again now. #joysofhostelmgmt

21 Apr



ADAM

Brilliant Wife suggested hiding easter eggs (w/ prizes like credits for free beer) around the hostel for our guests. Done! #joysofhostelmgmt

24 Apr




ADAM

Our reviews now average 88%, a new record for our hostel!!! #joysofhostelmgmt

24 Apr

ANNA

Aww. After a heart-poundingly exciting moment of rising to 88% on Hostelworld ratings, we've returned to 87% today. :(  #joysofhostelmgmt

25 Apr



ADAM

A Korean guest has made Galbi for us! Whoohoo! #joysofhostelmgmt

29 Apr




ADAM

Guest: "We wanted to see Kermit Ruffin (NOLA musician celeb) but couldn't get in." Local: "Aww, #$@* man - you want me to take you to his house?" #joysofhostelmgmt

30 Apr

Swag

Best creme brulee I have ever tasted  *mouth waters*  Note the left-over potato-crusted fish in tinfoil. The next day, we said, "let's eat the duck!" "You mean the fish?" "Um... yes, the fish-duck."

I wanted so badly to keep eating, but the stomach was having no more. Adam managed to polish off most of his fantastic bread pudding.

J.O.H.M.: March 2011

This month was absolutely dominated by the Mardi Gras festivities that begin 3 weeks before March 8 and ran strong and wild up to that day ... and beyond! It was definitely stressful, but totally worth it. I'm so happy we had the chance to experience this crazy party NOLA revels in each year. 

It was also dominated by BEADS. Beads, beads and more beads. For a month, it was as if the hostel was breeding the cheap, colorful necklaces because they were in EVERY corner, in EVERY room, in EVERY bush and bathroom. We hauled 4 trash bags full of beads to a donation center the end of March - they employ mentally disabled or handicapped persons to clean, sort and resell the beads for the next year.

Other updates I neglected in previous posts:
- We fired the thieving maid end of November, and hired a FABULOUS new housekeeper the beginning of December. Her name is Jess and I knew the moment I met her that she was a keeper. And she is - without a doubt, she's the best housekeeper this hostel has ever seen.
- In February at some point, I began taking weekly violin lessons from a local musician; finally reaching for a long-time desire of mine to play that instrument. As of right now, I'm not playing full pieces of music, just little bits - but I'm slowly slowly slowly getting better!

ADAM

Hostelsclub has chosen #MardiGras wk, of all times - & in the middle of the business day - to disable my site's back-office for maintenance. #joysofhostelmgmt

5 Mar


ADAM

One enterprising celebrant of #MardiGras has put wheels, a motor, & handle bars on his beer cooler and is riding it through the streets.

6 Mar

ANNA

6AM: fight breaks out between intoxicated couple in hostel- bruises, scratches, 911 call, broken chair result. KICKED THEM OUT. #whataday

6 Mar

ANNA

9AM:Wasted guests who STILL haven't gone to bed gossip like schoolkids about the fight, drinking morning beers & eating pancakes & king cake. #whataday

6 Mar  

ANNA

3PM: 3 private rooms check out early, which turns an easy-schmeasy day N2 non-stop, action-packed clean-fest. Domestic Hostel Goddess? Yes. #whataday

6 Mar

ANNA

9PM: Seriously? Guest asks if I know where he can get a good "nugget", because he really wants some weed. I tell him go to McDonalds. :D #whataday

6 Mar

ADAM

@Hostelworld says we've been one of their Top 10 Best-Rated Hostels in the USA for 2 mo. running! Nice to hear during #MardiGras stress.

7 Mar 

ADAM

My desk was phoned by a guy who apologized "for being off-topic". Wanted general info about a distant street in NOLA. Told him what I knew. #joysofhostelmgmt

7 Mar 


ADAM

Left our water bottles where guests saw them & ended up selling them for $1 each. Selling 4 paid for the whole case of 24. #joysofhostelmgmt

7 Mar

ADAM

Discovered a police road block in our alleyway. I'm thinking someone stole it and hid it there. Ah, #NOLA. #joysofhostelmgmt

7 Mar 

ADAM

Whew! #MardiGras, fin! Hostel's still booked right through March, but there's less pressure w/ guests paying $20 per dorm night than $100.

9 Mar

ANNA

Mardi Gras craziness is over - YES!... Now, back to our regularly scheduled craziness...

9 Mar


ADAM

We're up from 10th best-rated #hostel in the US to 7TH, and our bosses just told us we made 2X the #MardiGras profits of last yr! BOOYAH!

9 Mar



ADAM
Just commended the parents of a guy named Blaze. Turns out they wanted to name him "Blais" after Pascal, but the nurse misunderstood.
13 Mar


ADAM
The office is open 8:00-24:00, except in emergencies. Your need for a hair dryer IS NOT AN EMERGENCY. #joysofhostelmgmt
14 Mar


ADAM

Apparently I have now been accepted; the Boss has revealed to me the location of the best little local BBQ joint in #NOLA. And... wow. Yum!

18 Mar


ADAM

Tennessee Williams Festival in #NOLA this week. Includes a "STELLA!" shouting contest. As a Eng major, it behooves me to check this out.

24 Mar

Just NOLA

 

Karaoke night!

Jester baby at Mardi Gras parade

"Muses" parade, first week of Mardi Gras - lots and lots of high heels, as this Krewe was all girls :)

Sign says "$1 per go - $499 cheaper than bail. $5 for ALL DAY." Bathrooms are the tricky part of parade-watching. Lucky for us that St. Charles (main parade route) is only a 7 min walk from hostel!

Mardi Anna!

Mardi Adam!

Rows of "high chairs" for kids to be able to watch the parade over the heads of all the clamorous, drunk adults that will be pushing shamelessly in front of them  ^_^

J.O.H.M.: February 2011

February was a good month for getting my life (somewhat) organized. I started running in the mornings, writing regular blog posts (kinda), studying Italian irregularly and writing letters. I blogged about a beautiful Valentine's day, multiple lazy days off, visits from friends and sheets. Towards the end of the month, we started to get a good feel for the Mardi Gras craziness that was on the way - the hostel was busier than it had ever been, and we were FULL to capacity pretty much every day. I got all glammed up for the Oscar's Awards Night Gala at the Prytania Theater, and won a prize in a costume contest. That was heaps of fun. :) But it's very possible that the best part of the month was when a fabulous guest at the hostel, Susan, persuaded me to join her for a Zumba class. I've been going pretty much EVERY WEEK since then, and loving it immensely - I have a huge grin on my face from the beginning of class all the way to the end, it's so much fun!

ANNA

Woohoo! Just got an email informing us that our hostel's been voted one of the Top Ten hostels in the USA!!

7 Feb


ADAM

I may soon copy my wife's coping strategy of never looking at our hostel reviews.It's too much an emotional rollercoaster. #joysofhostelmgmt

9 Feb 

ANNA

C'mon people, knives facing UP in the dish-drying rack? Not cool, man. #petpeeve #joysofhostelmgmt

17 Feb

ANNA

The roofers are fixing this leaky hostel roof, but closing up the "skylight" in our loft in the process. It was just a hole in our bedroom ceiling, but I'm gonna miss that tiny piece of sunlight. :'(

18 Feb


ADAM

I have no idea why, but "Wonder Wall" is w/o doubt the favorite song for hostel guests to all sing together. Never fails. #joysofhostelmgmt

22 Feb

ADAM

I can understand wetting the bed (sort of, if you're as drunk as our guests), but how do you wet an ENTIRE DOUBLE BED? The whole thing was soaked. #joysofhostelmgmt

25 Feb

ADAM

Finer points of the Israel-Palestine issue should not be debated when all parties involved are intoxicated. My 2 cents. #joysofhostelmgmt

25 Feb

ADAM

Amazing how many people I've surprised w/ the news that OTHER PEOPLE would be sleeping in this "dorm room" they booked. #joysofhostelmgmt

25 Feb

ADAM

This #hostel has been an utter madhouse all day. If all #MardiGras season is this insane, we've got a very hard week-plus ahead of us.

27 Feb


ADAM

It's now clear my new guest has a severe, real case of OCD. He just came to my office to replace its trash bin's bag. #joysofhostelmgmt

27 Feb


ADAM

OCD Guest reorganized kitchen, has offered to grease the chains on all of our rental bikes & change all our light bulbs. #joysofhostelmgmt

28 Feb

Red Carpet Ready!

Sibling solidarity - a gift from Grace

 One of my favorite Zumba dance routines!

J.O.H.M.: January 2011

January was COLD! Adam and I began to like spending time in our little attic-room for the first time ever, because of all the heat that would get trapped up there. :)  The best part of this month was a two-days-in-a-row vacation, when Adam and I stayed in a beautiful bed and breakfast on St. Charles Avenue. It was exquisite and we had a full night on the town before crashing into our (gorgeous) antique bed and sleeping in the next morning - something that's hard for us to do together, normally. There were also some sniffly noses, Adam began taking Krav Maga classes, we enjoyed a slight lull in the stress of holiday busy-ness while still keeping all the hostel's beds full, and we had a couple of encounters with some really TRULY craaaaaayyyyyzzyyy guests (note the mention of a bi-polar girl in tweet below... She ended up in the psychiatric ward in downtown NOLA!). Ahh, the joys of hostel management!


 ADAM

#NewYearsEve was fine. New Years morning wasn't. I got woken up by a guest w/ an air horn in his room at 3AM. AN AIR HORN. #joysofhostelmgmt

2 Jan


ADAM

1 guest needs 2 more nights 2 stay for court. Told girls on Bourbon t'flash him. They said, "You first." In his state, he found that fair. Cops, not so much. #joysofhostelmgmt

2 Jan

ADAM

A severely bipolar girl and her also-not-right husband just made my hostel their battlefield. Separated them, drove him to a guest house.#joysofhostelmgmt

3 Jan

ADAM

The #$@* who woke me up EVERY NIGHT OF HIS STAY for some B.S. reason left my hostel a 66% review.

3 Jan

 

ANNA

Guests dropping like flies from arrival list 2day due 2 snowstorm! not complaining: slow day +cancellation policy says hostel still gets $$.

11 Jan

ANNA

Guest puked in his/her blanket last night. Instead of 'fessing up and asking for another one, idiot threw it in the trash. #joysofhostelmgmt

12 Jan


ADAM

#Wife reports a guest puked in blanket last night. 'Stead of fessing up and asking for a new one, idiot threw it in trash. #joysofhostelmgmt

12 Jan

ADAM

Just successfully bribed city employees w/ a six-pack of assorted beer. #ThisisNewOrleans. #joysofhostelmgmt

13 Jan

ANNA

1st thing I do in the AM: check Twitter updates from @adamvolle to see how his night went. :) Last night looked good: bribery, beer, Mamet.

13 Jan


ADAM

#Hostel beds full last night. Told a hopeful guy as much.This morning, wife found him sleeping on the floor in our dorms. #joysofhostelmgmt

14 Jan

 ADAM

Guest, told she cannot use her sleeping bag + pillow for sanitary reasons, is sleeping on her coat instead of our sheets. #joysofhostelmgmt

15 Jan

ADAM

Overbooked a Spanish girl for a single private room tonight. So I put her alone in a 8-bed dormitory room. Technically, I win #joysofhostelmgmt

15 Jan 




ADAM

Guest asks about a "tram named Desire". #joysofhostelmgmt

15 Jan

ADAM

Guest complains he returned at 8AM from Bourbon wanting pancakes, but couldn't have any b/c they were "do it yourself" + he was 2 inebriated.

17 Jan

 ADAM

Man on phone asks about a twin-bed private, then asks how many people he's allowed in it. I say 2 (duh). He wants 6. Ah, Central Americans.

18 Jan

ADAM

Just announced to the common room "We have another Aussie!" (for we're full of them now), only for the guest to say: "I'm English." #oyvey

18 Jan

ANNA

Just plunged a *sink*. First time for everything. #joysofhostelmgmt

23 Jan  

ANNA

Guests' favorite beer hidey spots: bathrooms, beside the front door, on the laundry machine, in pockets of our pool table. #joysofhostelmgmt

29 Jan

ADAM

#joysofhostelmgmt: listening to a German stage actor tell of the time he had a 'wardrobe malfunction' during the finale to THE FULL MONTY.

29 Jan

Winter citrus in the backyard of the B & B

Our beauti-mous room & old bed

We could have had any room in the place, as they were empty, but I chose this one b/c of the  tub. :D

Another room in the B & B

I LOVE BATHTUBS!

Swingin' music @ the Spotted Cat on Frenchman Street

They cooked us eggs and toast and bacon, and the owner came and ate with us and jawed a while

Parlor

Adam's Krav Maga classes are across the Mississippi, so he scoots across on the Algiers ferry 3 times a week - this is view of NOLA from across the river

We received our first award from Hostelworld! We've been rated as one of the top 10 hostels in the USA for the past 7 months! Yay!

**I would just like to note that I am apparently not only terrible at remembering specifics from the past, I've also turned into a fairly bad historian of my own life. I know I had visits from a LOT of wonderful people...but I have to confess that I have a terrible, ominous feeling that I'm forgetting to mention someone's visit in here. Please don't be offended if you're reading these blogs. Any visit omissions were completely unintentional. It's possible I have a case of early Alzheimer's - though it's more likely that my brain is just lazy (*Rachel!* When did you come? December? And didn't we take photos while you were her??).  **