Tuesday, November 27, 2012

chchchchcanggggeeees...

Looks like I'm going to help my pal, who once upon a time booked our European tour, and who I have since had a wonderful, intertwining friendship with, edit his novel that he completed last month. I'm really stoked - because he's done something complete (like he does, seriously, this guy is amazable in his ability to start and complete projects. He has always been an inspiration in that way...) and is ready to share it, and is mature enough to know it needs another couple of eyes to check it out.
Plus, I love editing. Plus I have time, and it doesn't cost anything to read his stuff (or the 4 other books and journals I have sitting around)...plus it might just kick me in the ass to get to the whole writing for real thing. So im stoked, read the first five chapters last night, and am encouraged. Also, he's currently in Berlin, where I'm hoping to go after London in the Fall of next year.
So, that's a thing.

Monday, November 26, 2012

tableside

It's been a minute since I have been asked to go out to a table - I mean, I've gone a couple times when I've had friends in, but that's different. Last night, it was a 3-top, at 7, one of our (in my opinion) better tables, because it's a booth, with a window, and you can see the kitchen. Anyway, they apparently loved the meal, and new server R (who has been kind of ping-ponging in and out of favor so far - he can be very pushy and high maintenance; but does tend to sell specials and likes to run his own food...when he's not stealing off of other tickets...anyway) pulled me aside to tell me that they were raving about the cheesecake, and wanted to know what kind of liquor was in it, etc. I started giving him the breakdown...and he rolled his eyes and asked if I could please just come out to the table, they would really appreciate it.
I literally haven't done it (that style, occasionally i'll get people in the bar who will compliment it or whatever) that way, since Pangea days. Not gonna lie, my ego needed a bit of a boost, and having a man kiss my hand and his companions shake my hand while showering me with praise was a nice lift. I mean, I worked hard on that cheesecake, it is my signature dessert, and hilariously they were convinced it had triple-sec in it.
(It did not. As Dewie so bluntly said "It's topped with motherfucking tangerines. Of course he thinks there's orange liquor in it.") But it was fun to watch their eyes glow as I described the process and the simple ingredients...I wrapped up as I always have, saying thanks and that I'm glad they enjoyed it - I love what I do, and I hope it shows. They agreed it does.
I do love what I do. The venue is always a challenge, and lately, physically, the achey breaky part of 10 hour shifts on your feet in the blasting heat is certainly wearing on me; not to mention the lack of financial compensation. However, I can't imagine going back to sitting at a computer all day listening to architects, or marketing dorks harrass me about color matching, or fonts being embedded or all the other ridiculous nonsense I used to deal with. Moreover, I am glad I'm not a GM at a mobile artisan food company, trying to juggle crazy personalities and make a business successful in spite of the owner's willful disrespect for humans.
Though, I do miss a good grass-fed beef hot dog, and still dream of a porchetta sandwich that isn't made delicious via the sweat of abused indentured slaves.
Anyway, it was a decent night, one of two this week (and next) that I get to do with just me and Dewie. We always have our Mondays, but yesterday (and next Sunday) we'll be doing two-fors. Having a nightcap at the end of the night with just J at the bar (no more riff-raffy dudes hanging out now) as also good. Me and Dewie talking shop about ovens we've worked with, and J discussing all the change that has happened. Good, calm night. It's about time, I suppose, for things to settle down.

Sunday, November 25, 2012

yeah. this.

I’m just very, very fond of you.
John Green, A Fault In Our Stars

Hilarious, 'cause it's true.

Back in February of this year, when smrge was making so many promises he had no ability to keep, he made a date to go see this movie on opening night, as we had the first two LOTR movies.
Obvs not gonna happen now (like all the rest of the stuff), but I still find myself looking forward to the film....and i will probably go on a nice, quiet Tuesday afternoon, alone.
Which, actually, would be a good thing,because in the vast scheme of things, previously, on this channel, once I start going to movies alone, I become pure awesome.
Just saying.

Thursday, November 22, 2012

giving thanks

...
Sometimes you just have to re-post stuff because it's so appropriate that nothing else will do. Pretty much coming full circle after a year that has been filled with some crazy intense feels. Thankful that I am able to continue to love in the face of all the challenges loving presents. Thankful for the opportunities to practice patience and that the moments I did enjoy that were so joyful and amazing; and the ones I haven't enjoyed but ultimately will inform me and offer a chance to learn something new.
It's been an epic year, one filled with events I had never anticipated (thanks smrge, sg, and the stray) and have always expected: back in the city i love, a job I don't despise, and an apartment that reflects part of the dream.
Yeah. It's not perfect, but it's mine.

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

unflavored gelatin

I spent a large part of today searching for unflavored gelatin. Certainly, I probably could have saved myself a good 5 miles of walking by just going to work and grabbing some, but nooooo, I was on a mission, and was sure I'd find it. Once again, my cheesecake is special in whole new ways.
I was asked by the youngest brother to bring it for dinner tomorrow. Not just to please bring dessert, but to bring the creme fraiche cheesecake. As per usual, I procrastinated until 2pm today, and then madly wandered downtown looking for gelatin. In the frenzy, I forgot I also needed cinnamon for the graham crackers and that the vanilla bean i thought i had was actually also at work, in my knife bag, with the emergency stash of gelatin that i keep in case i have to make a cf ck on the fly.
I am nothing if not brilliant at shooting myself in the foot. First stop was Target, where I kinda figured I'd find it on the shelf with the jello. Nope. But they did have all the dairy i needed (this is not going to be a high end version...my heathen family has even told me that the fruit "isn't important" wtf?) so at least I got the first round of stuff - thought I might have luck at DeLaurenti's in the market, plus I've been meaning to check out the little burrito window next door to them for a while so I did both. No dice at D's and when I realized I also needed flour I asked the woman at the burrito spot where in the market i might find flour and she shook her head "Right across the street on the corner, you can't miss it" she seemed shocked that I wouldn't know that. As I walked up to the corner, racking my brain to try and remember where there would be an actual drygoods store in that part of Pike Place Market  (also, can I take a minute to vent about a HUGE pet peeve of mine? People who call it Pike's Place Market. Both locals and tourists and friends and family...drives me bonkers. I always assume it must be some sort of schizophrenic throwback to "Pike's Peak" but still, dammit! It is The Pike Place Market. Simples.) and then as I wander inside the building walking by the FLOWER STORE on the Corner, I realize that woman heard flower, not flour, because what jackass in their right mind would be buying baking staples at Pike Place?
Yeah. So no luck there. Stopped at two corner groceries on the way back to my flat, but of course no luck there. At home, took a break to call Mom and brother, and to eat burrito. The burrito was fair at best, and once again, another Mexican place in the Seattle Metro area fails to achieve any sort of victory. Ah well, at least I know not to do it again.
It occurs to me that Uwajimmaya a mile in the other direction might be eclectic enough to have what I need, so off I go to the International District...which is always a delightful flashback. When I worked in that neighborhood, I ate in all the little hole in the walls, and have great memories of nights drinking there with coworker Rory, and also of rampaging drunken binges with Shay where we'd start drinking at 11 in the morning and not stop until the money did. One afternoon, a woman bartender actually fed us Mochi ice cream because she insisted that we had to eat something.
It would be a lie to say I didn't glance in some of the old haunts - and how the hell are so many of them still there when so many of the other places I used to know are long gone? Just wondering if I'd spot the Raven. It's not constructive, I know, but a habit I can't quite kick.
Anyway, get to ground zero of JapanTown and it's mayhem as always in that store, all the jostling and ignoring of personal space; however, it remains one of the most impressive food expos ever. So much fish. All the sushi, sashimi, veg and fruits....and the asian food, frozen, dry, aisles of soy sauce, vinegar, ramen.
However, I was on a mission, and was victorious in finding the flour i needed for the graham crackers, but still no gelatin. But I did find agar-agar powder (!!!) ((because the strands/crystals suck to use)) so I snagged that. And then some sushi, and a beer, and a coke....and some satsumas. and blackberries for the cheesecake (screw my savage family). Fairly happy (I didn't realize i needed cinnamon yet) I set off home, taking a quick detour to look at the bookstore where there were tons of beautiful pens, and manga in english. Yeah. Trundled home, past the dudes hanging at the neighborhood mission and upstairs where I finally put the kitchen aid that charles gifted me with to work. Dessert is done and I'm finishing up now, reducing some Riesling from work to make a syrup to go with it. Tomorrow, up early (for me); supposedly we are eating at 2pm, so hopefully I'll be back home by 6 at the latest, ideally I'll be driving while everyone else is eating.
There is beer and champs in the 'fridge for when i arrive home, hopefully it won't require a xanex to decompress after my first big holiday back with the fam. Well, most of the family, since the other brother is having a last-minute dinner at his house, but we'd already agreed to go over to the youngest's house...argh, cannot wait until xmas.
Sodding holiday nonsense. Wish I could just go to the South of Italy and hide for a while
.In happier news:

We won the North London Derby! Once again, I didn't watch live and we beat them 5-2. Also beat Montepilliar today to make it into the knock out round of CL. Once again, the boys seem to do best when I don't watch live. So happy for Jack though today! Hopefully will subscribe to the channel again after the first of the year, if I can scrape together enough $$ for a new laptop by then. Gonna be a tough go though, for sure.
Smitty sent his holiday greeting this evening - he's always so good about that stuff. Hopefully he'll swing by the restaurant soon...ah, yes, the restaurant, more to write about that soon....

booooo

Lost my favorite hat...thought i'd left it at SG's last night, but apparently no - somehow managed to lose it between there and getting home last night. Yeah. The Shay Hat.
Superbummed to lose that talisman.

Monday, November 19, 2012

shuffle is on

My i-pod is brilliant, as Juno fades into Mother Love Bone. "Life takes you where it wants to..."
Exactly what is needed for a rainy Monday that isn't my Friday, as I'm picking up another day tomorrow in a desperate attempt to reach economic stability (again).
Sigh.
Slow weekend. No fireworks. No Stray. No Movies. No epiphanies. Just work and sleep. Letting the dream evolve. Or something like that. But, what's a post without Dean?

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

distraction technique

LOOK AT YOU. SO SAD ALL THE TIME. ALWAYS FRETTING. IT BREAKS MY HEART.
YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED? SOME SMILE JUICE. A NICE TALL GLASS OR TWO OF SMILE JUICE. IT’S MADE FROM THE JOYOUS TEARS OF THE HAPPIEST GRAPES IN THE WORLD.
I ALWAYS HAVE A BOTTLE OR TWO OF SMILE JUICE AT LUNCH. IT’S HOW I STAY SO PERKY.
STOP YOUR FRUMPING. COME ON OVER HERE AND HAVE A LITTLE TASTE.

(as always, courtesy animalstalkinginallcaps.tumblr.com)

You know what makes everything better?

Listening to Juno. Truth.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

Oh, I'm sorry, did i not mention why it blew apart? BECAUSE I WRITE A BLOG AND FAILED TO MENTION IT TO A SIGNIFICANT OTHER. Though I did mention it, just didn't make an issue about it.
So for future reference, that's a thing.

I can't help digging people and am really tired of apologizing for it.
I will survive. I always do. See the last 10 years of entries.
Also: "Brooklyn Cocktail" new favorite shift drink. Courtesy trying too hard new bar manager. But I'll take it.

Wednesday, November 07, 2012

well, that was unfortunate on two counts.

While my personal life just blew apart (again!) at least there isn't a Mormon Overlord this morning, so that's fantastic.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Sunday, October 28, 2012

exhale slowly


I have awesome friends - which really doesn't need embellishment, but for posterity (and to help me through the enevitable grey day that will come along) let's review the week, shall we?
Satuday K2 arrive and dine at the resto. Everyone is in the house, including the stray and it's a great night, topped off by K2, me and Dewie grabbing drinks after at the Nitelight. Very entertaining evening with Ken and Dewey. Plus Ken drank coffee and drove. Pure awesome. the stray bailed and then the next day, whined a bit about not sticking around. Heh. Sunday I worked, Ka went north to visit her nephew, Ke stayed in town with my house keys and roamed the city, caught a movie. I went out after with Dewie and   the stray and XH and it was fun - new Karaoke place and XH and I commiserated about food and played pool. Evening ended a little melodramatically when fangirls of Dewie and the stray  rendition of Public Enemy swooped in, and I gave Dewie a ride home.
Anyway. Monday I worked again with D & the stray and...wait, I seem to have forgotten how that rolled, actually I think I have sunday confused with Monday. At any rate, Tuesday I finally had off, and K2 and I took in the Underground tour which I hadn't done since my family first moved here, then we did lunch at Delicatus (my neighborhood joint is so cool!) and then went to the top of the Smith Tower.
I love that building. I have been so delighted with gazing at it from my window, and it just epitomizes Seattle in so many ways for me, and now, so many more. Goddamn.I can't believe I waited so long to go up. Amazing views, and the woman who works at the top is a lovely human being. I want to bring her lunch! Just really a heartwarming experience. Then we headed north to see Mom, and that of course rolled into Nephews 1 & 2 who had just gotten home from school. #2 even brought up the remote control rat I bought him, so K2 could see it, and he presented the 36 page book he wrote that features first person narrative by a dog. He's frigging 7. I'm so proud! Brother #1 also made an appearance and we all hung around and watched the boys play football and B1 throw for #1 as he teased him. My older brother and I become better friends each and everytime we spend time together. At least some of the progress I was making with my father so long ago seems to be flowing with him. Yay.
Other brother was not free to hang out with, hurt his back, so we didn't visit he & #3.
Headed back to the City after making a quick stop for groceries. Came back to flat,  had great soup, beer and chat.
Wednsday was the big one: me, K2, Charles, and the stray  headed out to the 'burbs to scoop him up, headed to Woodinville for whiskey tasting at a distillery - while on the freeway halfway to destination, I notice my gas gauge has dropped completely and no light is on. We pull off at next exit for gas, open hood to check oil and find broken belt. Alternator. Luckily (!!) they call for the part and can fix it within the half hour, so in the interim, we all bond, Ke buys lotto tickets for us all to scratch, Charles cleans windows and fills air in tires while mechanic fixes belt.
Back on the road with yet another wacky story, we arrive at destination. Drink whiskey, and vodka. Smile a lot. the stray  clearly delighted and dazzled, Charles is stoked as well, and K2 are, as always lovely. They make some purchases for their Fresno contingent. Ka is designated driver and suggests winery tour and we all agree. Off to Chatau St Michelle (!!) and we do a tasting and then a tour with a tasting. The Stray and Charles are both virgins to wine tours and so it was especially fun. Really beautiful day for it, as well.
Then home, via the usual hellish traffic, and off to the pet store for a meet & greet with Charles' guy and the Kittens! Ka & Chaz talk renovation stuff, the stray  admires the kittens and catnip, Ken hovers and I just lean and grin like crazy. So happy everyone is getting along.
We all head to the New Orleans to have dinner, then to the Central for beers, where we run into D (Chas' D) and his uncle, bro and cousin, so we grab a table and hang out. Later K2 are spent and head home,  and the stray nd I chill a bit longer with Charles, some emo happens, stray bails and I spend some quality time with D's brother Jared (!) who is as cute as D is not. Funny. later as things wind down, Charles walks me home, and we make plans for an Ikea run Thursday.
Thursday, K2 want to check out the sci-fi display at EMP, so off we go. Good stuff, but it's the installation about the history of the biker jacket and the horror movie stuff that really gets my attention. A jacket adorned with Keith Haring designs (oddly now, can't recall if it was painted or printed, but it was part of the "street fashion meets high fashion" portion of the display) prompted a small emo moment and I sent smrge a photo, because when it comes to Haring, there's no one I know who feels the same about that artist as I do except him, all shit aside, I choose to focus on the best parts of that relationship. Anyway. Was nice to receive a response in the affirmative next day as well. Just can't have negative chi floating around, so that was good. Also sent snap of Deadmau5 swag in giftshop to, the stray as it's one of the many things he has introduced me to, and to see it amongst all the Nirvana and Rolling Stones stuff  kinda made me a little giddy.
After EMP, a stroll by the Chihuly garden, then to the 5 Point for late bite. We rendevous with Charles at petstore and then head off to Ikea adventure. 3 hours later, chair, kitchen station and huge art piece of seattle skyline for my hallway across from bedroom and a lamp in tow, we stop at crazy asian market for beer and noshes (I get some amazing blue crab and pan fry it) and head to flat for beer-fueled assembly party.
Another fantastic day.
Friday found me back to work, and K2 came in late for final visit. Few late drinks, MDR was much nicer, they met crazy Colin, tipped Nat for the night before, met XH when he came to collect the stray, and then we headed out. Got last minute text from the stray wanting us to join them at Shorty's but K2 were done, so I had to say no. Pained me to do so, but, sometimes you gotta.
Their plane left yesterday, but we grabbed a quick bite at the pub across the way and I went to work. Came home early last night (meaning I did not go anywhere else after shift beer) and slept like a rock. So good.
Today, back to work, and we pick up the story where we left - and waiting for SG to swoop back in as well.


Yeah, the saga continues.

Friday, October 26, 2012

placeholder

HAVE YOU SEEN THESE FLOWERS? THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM! AND THEY’RE BEUTERFUL. BOOTIFALL? THEY’RE REALLY PRETTY.
I’M GOING TO PUNCH YOU IN THE FACE, YOU BELLIGERENT DRUNK SHITHEAD, IF YOU DO NOT TURN AROUND AND AT LEAST TRY TO HELP ME GET YOU BACK TO THE HOTEL.
YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND. I LOVE FLOWERS AND TEQUILA AND THE WAY YOUR BACK SMELLS.
I’M GOING TO BURY YOU, AND THEN YOU CAN BECOME FLOWERS.
I WOULD BE PRETTY YELLOW ONES.
… I HATE SO MUCH YOU RIGHT NOW.


*there is much to write about but not a lot of time, will continue with life play-by-play as soon as houseguests have left the house (tomorrow).

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

October weather report

K2 will be here on the weekend. I need to get rid of this bronchitis, find another chair for people to sit in, lay in some food/coffee, oh, and grow the hell up.

Monday, October 15, 2012

alert

Phone rang this morning as well...how did I let this unicorn get so far into my head? Amazables.

Verse, chorus, verse...

I reached out and was clever about getting his new digits, and he responded. Called me several times on his own tonight...when i admitted how i got his number (after realizing he might not have had anyone's info, nor as i had worried all week, did anyone else have his) and sorry if it seemed stalker-y he said "nah, i like that". So, yeah. Might see him tomorrow night, though texts about yet another "break in" and him wanting MDR's number...little worried about all this cloak & dagger shit. But at any rate it was good to hear his voice. Also trying to not to think about SG's blossoming fb relationship...because we all know i cant seem to make that venue for me. And they always seem to find true love there. Argh. Need sleep.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

unacceptable dismissal

of my stray, from work today. really fucking angry and sad and an overwhelming feeling of loss that is the real deal, as opposed to the crazy-headtripping stuff i have been indulging in all week.
booooooooooooooooo.