rbp: rage

[dear_prudence]

right. so i called the venue (peter rowland at gardens house) today. i hadn't heard from them for a while and had little idea of where we stood and i wanted to clarify a few things. this is how the conversation played out:

me: oh, hi, i just wanted to talk a bit about the menu for our event.
pr: *with audible eyeroll* we've already talked about this.
me: yes, we have, but last time we spoke you said that some of the items on the menu you gave us were not going to be vegetarian and gluten free, and i just wanted to clarify what the menu was looking like at the moment.
pr: but we don't have to worry about that til next year.
me: well, i'm a little worried about it now. gluten is a pretty big deal. some of my friends and members of my family will get pretty sick if there's gluten in the food, as will i, and i just want to be sure that-
pr: we've already talked about this.
me: i understand that, but i'm just not feeling like we're one hunderd percent clear on where we stand right now.
pr: i sent you an email.
me: i don't think i got an email, can you forward it on to me again?
pr: but i already sent it to you.
me: look, i understand that this might be a bit irritating to you, but gluten is a big deal for my family. i really don't want any of us to get si-
pr: well, we can't guarantee the food won't be dusted with flour.
me: pardon?
pr: we can't guarantee any of the food will be gluten free.
me: but you assured us it would be no problem before you took that gigantic deposit from us.
pr: well, sorry about that.
me: ok. well. we're going to need that deposit back then.
pr: fine.
me: fine.


i don't think i'm overreacting when i say that i'm pretty sure they've treated us so badly because we're a queer couple. i'm sure they have to deal with special dietary requirements all the time, so it certainly can't be that big a deal to sort out food we can eat. we were paying them good money to do so. they have been rude, disinterested and unhelpful ever since they realised they were dealing with two women, and that it wasn't going to be a white tulle affair.
i am so mad.

but something good has come out of it. we're having the r.b.p. at glen harrow instead. i called marg and she sorted us out quick smart - had the right date free and everything. it's SO much nicer, will be more intimate, cheaper, better quality food, and we'll be able to invite more people. last time i was there with bridie i was saying that i couldn't believe we didn't think of having it there in the first place!

Comments

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

pr: well, we can't guarantee the food won't be dusted with flour.

?!?!

[dear-prudence.livejournal.com]

I KNOW! my head exploded at that point.

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

I just don't understand - what, the magic flour fairy dusts their with her feet as she flies?

ALSO

but last time we spoke you said that some of the items on the menu you gave us were not going to be vegetarian and gluten free

It is YOUR RBP. Why is there going to be food that you can't eat? :o(

[dear-prudence.livejournal.com]

i said it over and over again - we want everything to be gluten free and vegetarian. and she kept saying things like "oh, but you have to have some meat options on the menu for people who aren't vegetarian.."
um? no. we don't. we don't eat meat. we don't support the killing of animals for human consumption. thwerefore we don't want it at our event.
plus, i want this to be the one event i go to in my life where i can pick up ANY ITEM OF FOOD and eat it. i should be allowed to do that just this one time.
she was insufferable.
i'm so glad we're rid of her. it was making me feel so uneasy. and now that we have booked glen harrow i'm feeling really relived, and excited about the whole thing.

[nixwilliams.livejournal.com]

"oh, but you have to have some meat options on the menu for people who aren't vegetarian"???

WHAT THE FUCK, PEOPLE, WHAT THE VERY FUCK?!

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

I hate how this normalises the whole meat-eating process, like, we're special for not wanting to eat meat? So we shouldn't make the meat-eaters sacrifice themselves?

[nixwilliams.livejournal.com]

well . . . DUH! you know, there are people out there who can only eat meat and animal products - stop discriminating against them!

[stephiepenguin.livejournal.com]

PS, perhaps we should convince Pieces to go vego before her birthday, then there will be TWO events in your life where you can eat everything. ;oP

Also, D+I had a lot of this "have to provide for meat eaters" thing from D's family before our RBP. I just find it really odd, and really presumptious.

[dear-prudence.livejournal.com]

i don't get why food can't be gluten free, vegetarian AND delicious. it's as if we shouldn't have to force that food onto people without dietary requirements, because the GOOD food is meaty and full of gluten.
no! you're going to make me something i can eat, and it's going to be yummy. or i'm taking my business elsewhere. it's not like we didn't give them a YEAR to come up with something!

and i think poor pieces should get used to being gluten free before she's cajoled into making any other life changes. the poor love. she misses her glutinois snacks still :(

[piecesofalice.livejournal.com]

O_O

_{*clutches chicken breasts*}

[baggers.livejournal.com]

YOU MAY WANT TO RECONSIDER THE PHRASING OF THAT ACTION!