From Wine Director to Campground Manager – Varying Degrees of Guilt and Joy
Guest Contributor: Amy Currens
One year ago, Covid-19 had become all too screechingly real when I was furloughed from my Assistant Food & Beverage Director position with the Kimpton Hotel Group, in Miami, Florida.
I headed to New Mexico to settle in with my sister, thinking it will be a few months at most. Over a year later, I’m still here in Albuquerque. Mostly.
My optimism had been waning, laced in shame for not feeling like a better person, more connected and able to give love. Betrayed by myself, I contemplated self-harm on multiple occasions, but continued to ignore these real feelings. I was ignoring the need to return to what I cherish within hospitality, sharing connections that don’t come across as an “interruption” from all the work I needed to get done.
Then the pandemic knocked the entire world into respectively quiet spaces, feeling a bit like panic rooms to some of us. But sitting quietly in those forced silenced rooms, the shift happened as I turned toward the things that really mattered. After all, I was the unhappiest I had been in a very long time, having moved away from what can be called ‘my truth’.
At first, I slightly overdosed on self-awareness and healing work, spent my time with meaningful books and podcasts and journaling, becoming overwhelmed, and so SERIOUS!
Enter the opportunity to take a road trip. Solo.
It was my in sister’s RV, and I immediately named him Majestic Mike, (Mikey for short)
At first, I felt a bit timid about driving a 25’ long rig, but once I got used to it, a self-contained life, and taking in nature’s wonders, traveling with Mikey was a gift!
Nearing the end of the road trip through five states in three weeks, I pulled into my last stop, the Matterhorn campground outside of Telluride, Colorado.
The camp host greeted me and advised that I had secured the only available campsite, for one night only. Confirming that I was traveling alone, he commented: That’s great. You must be a strong, independent person. Have you ever thought about being a campground host?”
“No”, I responded, “I’ve never, and I mean, never had that thought.”
Next thing you know, I’m filling out an application with the most complicated question being, ‘Please write, below, why it is so important to keep campground bathrooms clean.’ A rather far cry from ‘name all of the Grand Cru vineyards in Burgundy,’ or ‘as a sommelier, how would you describe your service style?’
So, as the summer of 2020 unfolded, I held a campground host position for four months, managing 20 campsites and collecting day use fees. I had water access for the RV but no wireless, no cell service, and no electricity. The pay was barely enough to cover groceries.
When I arrived at this beautiful, alpine, lakeside campground, my hospitality skills were, immediately put to the overpopulated great outdoors test. Take away the suit, high heels, and ‘costume’ of a well-choreographed night on a high-end restaurant floor, and bring on the dirt-days of the outdoors.
I loved this campground-host thing.
That was, until I felt the overwhelm from always being ‘on’ for camp visitors who were often squabbling over sites, needing assistance with cash change, or needing help with orientating to being outdoors. I found myself again ignoring my need for reflection, to breathe, take a break from talking, sit, and have the ability to take a day off.
I redefined boundaries, and in doing so, started to feel more connected to the campground community. Activities such as incorporating a three-mile hike each day, or taking my small kayak out on the lake were a balm for my exhausted hospitality soul, and improved my daily guest interactions and productivity. I found the fun again.
Immersed in nature, there was space for tasting and sharing wine. Sure, I yearned for the daily access to unlimited wine, but now my joy was in simply tasting and sharing. I also learned how to talk myself out of the need to be ‘on’ all of the time, and for the first time in my life, that I deserved to have a magical, joy filled existence.
Happiness is nice and all, but to feel true joy, for me, was living. Really living.
In hindsight, I had not concretely realized how much my hospitality toolbox would be so critical to navigate what was a completely unknown world. And I would do it again in a heartbeat.
After all, life is a JOY that is meant to be shared.
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Amy Currens is a 16-year wine and 26-year hospitality professional, Amy’s career has spanned the industry, including national hotel chains, supplier sales, and leading Michelin-starred restaurants. She lives for connected community, travel, wine, and coffee. You can connect with Amy via amycurrenswine@gmail.com or Instagram @amycurrens
What We're Reading:
Here's what has piqued our interest this week in the world of wine and mindfulness.
10 Questions for a Midyear Check-In – Inc.com
So far, 2021 has been a roller coaster. Time to take a breath and see if your year is on track.
How Good Are ‘Better for You’ Wines? - Wine Spectator.com
The emerging category of wines is marketed as a healthier option; we subjected them to blind tasting.
How Corporate America Has Responded One Year Since the Murder of George Floyd - Inc.com
Statements promoting equity were a start, but what has actually been done?
Sensitive teeth: Causes, symptoms, treatments for tooth sensitivity - The House of Wellness.com.au
Nothing can turn you off food like a sharp jolt of pain as you chomp into something hot or cold. So what causes sensitive teeth, and how can you treat it?
Meet the Community!
Here we meet some of the talented folks who make our community and profession so dynamic.
Cara Bertone, Director of Sales, Avaline (Texas, USA)
Years in the Industry:
I have spent more than 20 years in the wine industry. All my adult life and then some. I worked in restaurants to pay my way through college and caught the “wine bug.” At least, that is what I told myself. The reality is, I grew up in a dysfunctional home environment where alcohol and drugs played a key role as a coping mechanism for my parents. I navigated my parents’ behavior and learned quickly how to take care of others’ needs before my own. Dealing with drunk guests was something I prided myself on and often I was dubbed the “fixer” on the floor. I could make anyone leave happy.
After years on the floor and curating wine programs, I wanted my nights and weekends back in hopes of one day having a family. In 2008 I decided to leave restaurants to join the wholesale side of the business and fell in love with the autonomy of it all. I STILL miss the buzz of the restaurant floor and constantly connecting with the team through wine education. After a few years my wife and I moved to Austin, Texas. At that time, I shifted again and started my journey into the supply world. In my current role at Avaline, I manage and support distributor partners to achieve sales plans and goals. This is the first time I’ve worked for a woman-owned company and I’m delighted to say, there is a harmony I’ve not felt before with work/life balance.
My Top 3 Challenges to Wellness:
There are many challenges that we all face in life with respect to our wellness. If these past 15 months have taught us anything it is humility, patience and forgiveness. What I have realized most is that running from the inevitable is futile. Embracing the past and future while being firmly planted in the present is where I aspire to exist.
Staying present and committing to mind-body connection is one of the greatest challenges I face. I have two young children whom I love and adore. I want to be fully present while we are together. I must constantly remember to put the phone down and shut my brain off to the constant hum of tasks not completed. Children are magical and I learn so much by observing and participating in activities with them.
Not getting enough physical activity!! There are always fires to put out in this industry and taking a moment to break from these tasks for physical activity is often challenging but mandatory to finding balance.
Wishing that universal change could come faster keeps me in a perpetual state of imbalance. I am constantly thinking of how I can use my privilege more to change our industry culture to be more inclusive.
How I Keep it Together to Stay Well:
The first five months of the pandemic led me to leaning into alcohol, my favored coping mechanism, to help numb out the unthinkable. I had a lot of conversations with myself during those first few months. I couldn’t control what was happening around me, but I could control what was happening inside of me. Ultimately, I wanted more time to celebrate with my family the wins that came during this difficult time. I stopped drinking in July and haven’t had a sip in 10 months. The initial goal was to go a year without alcohol. What I have been able to accomplish over these past 10 months speaks volumes to the possibilities of life without it. I don’t know if I’ll ever drink again. If I do, it will look much different than it ever did over the past 30 years.
With this break, I’ve leaned into reading, journaling, laughing, music. I am choosing to challenge the status quo and becoming an accomplice for change. There is never enough time in the day, but what I’ve realized is the more vulnerable I become, the more things I can accomplish. There is truth in finding vulnerability all while keeping your personal boundaries set.
What Inspires Me:
I am incredibly inspired by the work I’m doing with Lift Collective and Be The Change. Every day I’m learning something new about my privilege and how I can better show up and support my community members. I am encouraged by the hundreds of those in community with me. I’m inspired by those who have the courage to fail. Lastly, I am inspired by those who have the courage to deeply feel and positively align with their authentic selves. It’s hard to take off the armor.
A Quote I Love:
“For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it, if only we’re brave enough to be it.” Amanda Gorman
“The Only Constant in Life Is Change.” Heraclitus
You can connect with Cara on Instagram @cara_bertone Facebook @cara.bertone and online at www.bethechangejobfair.com and www.liftcollective.org
Announcement: NEW Community Partnership
We are very (very) happy to announce our new community partnership with The Fine Line Podcast: Balancing Hedonism and Health. Hosts Lisabeth Danneels and Emily Gold expertly orchestrate the podcast interviews with a range of compelling colleagues and friends from throughout the industry.
For select episodes, Cathy will be adding a short meditation or mindfulness segment to complement the theme of the podcast, beginning with the subject of motivation following Episode 18’s interview with Carlton McCoy MS.
Even the title indicates the commonalities with A Balanced Glass. Please check them out!
