Virginia’s, an East Village modern take on the American Bistro, bustles straight through three years of their current location, filling with regulars and tourists each day for dinner and weekend brunch. With a consistent menu centered around their staple burger and martini, the restaurant represents a laid-back approach to the classic bistro dinner without sacrificing quality. In addition to a menu full of locally-sourced ingredients and elevated versions of traditional dishes like steak frites and oysters, Virginia’s takes pride in its level of service dedicated to every table.

Much like most restaurants in New York, amongst the team of waitstaff are artists and creatives who bring life to Virginia’s shifts while working on their own careers after clocking out.

‍

‍

Chrystal Peterson, a server at Virginia’s and an actress, has lived in New York for eight years. First attending NYU for acting, then spending the past four years swimming in the city’s cutthroat audition pool, she’s learned the tricks of surviving in both food and acting industries. These days, she approaches her dedicated time to her craft with a focus and thoughtfulness that only comes with years of experience.

“I used to do anything and everything, but now I will break down auditions into checklists: does it pay well, is it going to give me union points, and is it going to further my career? If something doesn’t check two out of the three, then I probably will say no to it at this point, because I feel like the older I get and the more years I spend in this industry, my time is a little bit more precious to me.”

…

This excerpt is a sneak peak of our third print edition, launching on December first. ED3 is now available for preorder via the link below.

‍