Recently, CPM had the pleasure of catering a friend’s 40^th birthday bash at a hotel in Reno, Nevada.  Our food was awesome, the company was awesome and the hotel service was above and beyond.

The morning after the party, CPM plus a couple other party-goers were coming down the elevator after cleaning out the party room.  There were eight people in total on the elevator by the time we hit the 19th floor.  The elevator then decides to stop.  No buttons would work.  It was like the elevator just froze.  We waited a couple of minutes, then Amelia used the phone in the elevator to call for help.  They said they’d call us back but the phone never rang.  I laid into the alarm button for a couple more minutes but no one came.  Eventually we could hear someone outside the door telling us to pick up the phone again.  Amelia picked up the phone and talked to security but no one really was coming to actually get us out.  All-in-all, we were stuck in the elevator only about 20 minutes but it really only takes a few minutes for an elevator to get hot and stuffy.

So how did we get out?  Elevator doors will open manually if pulled on but we didn’t seem to have the finger strength to pull them apart.  I happened to be carrying chef knives in my bag on our way down from the party room.  I handed a knife to one of the gentlemen in the elevator.  He stuck it in between the elevator doors and began to pry as I tried to get into the door crack with my finger tips.  Guess what- that knife worked!  And so now I carry it everywhere.  Thank you, special knife.  You diced the cilantro and saved the day!  Now I just have to give the knife a proper name…suggestions?

Eat Well!

~Trish