Utopia, Chaos, and a Pint-Sized Margarita

Published 30.06.2025

I’m not too ashamed to say Season 4 of The Bear got me misty. Properly. Not every episode, not every scene—but in those moments that sneak up on you, because you’ve been there. You’ve felt that. And even though some of those memories came with a swift emotional kick in the nuts, you still remember them fondly.

It got me thinking about chaos—and how often we say we thrive in it, even though we’re all slightly terrified to truly live in it.

Now I’m not going to deep-dive into the character psychology of the show (yes, there were definitely a few moments I wanted to take a ladle to someone’s head). But every one of us who’s worked in this business has met those people. Or been those people.

  • The one who’s so wrapped up in solving the problem, they can’t see the hand reaching out to help.

  • The end of a brutal night, when you know you behaved horribly—and just want to disappear.

  • The battle-cry moment when you look around and realise everyone you work with has your back.

In 30+ years of this business, there have only been a handful of true “utopia” moments for me. Maybe two. But one stands out like a perfectly mixed margarita on a sweaty NYC summer night.

It was at Rocking Horse Mexican Café—a 70-seater in Chelsea that regularly punched above its weight with 200+ covers. Real food, no melted cheese clichés. Proper margaritas in pint glasses. A vibe.

I was standing at the corner of the bar, and everything was… perfect.

Like, 120% undeniably perfect.

  • Music on point. Lighting just right. Food flying out. Drinks flowing. Guests laughing.

  • The team dancing between tables like they were choreographed by Beyoncé’s assistant choreographer. 

And a guest, who knew me, sat at the bar and said:

  • “Wow—you’ve got the easiest job in the world.”

  • I smirked and asked why.

  • He said, “Because everything’s running so smoothly. And you’re just… standing here.”

  • And for ten glorious seconds, he was right. 

I didn’t argue. I let myself feel proud.

Then, right on cue—a crash, a boom, and silence.

  • I turned to him and said, “Hold that thought.”

Chaos was back. And honestly? I welcomed it. Because utopia is great…

But sometimes it’s a little too quiet for me to enjoy.