the art of service
"a man cannot call himself
well-contented until he has done
all he can to be of service
to his employer."
the remains of the day
by kazu ishiguro
when working for others
is more than a job, but an etiquette
to honor, respect and embody fully.
butlers and geishas
work everyday towards
creating and maintaining
an atmosphere of order
and refinement.
it's a seamless
choreography of
restraint and
perfection
perfection
aesthetic presentation
is a daily design challenge.
each movement thoughtfully
calculated and considered.
obsessive and old school,
but i'm absolutely fascinated by
this self-gratifying ambition of the few
to instill beauty and dignity in the
most ordinary living routines.
like all art,
it's something to
appreciate.
6 comments:
I wonder that you extol geishas and butlers which stem from feudal servitude... Your affected striving for admiring these particular services as some sort of vaunted aesthetic is peculiar... And why is pride and professionalism "old school"? Have they gone out of style?
i appreciate how precisely stated this is.
as i think about it i realize my favorite places to eat or drink are also the places i find the most stimulating and inspiring. (where i buy clothes, item things, etc etc are no exception.)
in truth i aspire one day to have my own shop that radiates some sense of aesthetic uniqueness.
considering the dynamic nature of this site i would say you can understand that desire.
i love this. the photos are perfect.
Loved this post...have you read service included--it is by one of Thomas Keller's Per Se waitresses and it describes the training process for all the service team. Really fascinating...I have noticed that you've posted recently (and in the past) about todos santos...my family is also in the process of building a home there...I've been visiting for the past ten years with my family, so I have a feeling we've probably crossed paths at one point. I am from Marin County, but am currently living and working in LA. You blog makes me happy.
you're right, that kind of dedication is fascinating…maybe because it provides such contrast to our day-to-day experiences. but also because there's something to learn from that kind of attention to detail and service. (enhanced by gorgeous black and white photos, of course!)
KazuO
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