Bugs
first…
This
really bugs me. I go into Starbucks most
every morning to try to kickstart my day.
I see this situation over and over with iPhones, but last week there was one that was over
the edge. The line was rather long, and
I joined at the back of the line. The
young(ish) woman in front of me started talking and looking at me, well maybe
more accurately looking through me.
In a louder than necessary voice with a definate edge she said: “that will not be acceptable, I want
you to talk to (tom) and set up a meeting!”
Just as I was about to say something like you must have me confused with
somebody else, I noticed she had one of those cockroach devices attached to her
ear, somewhat concealed by her hair. I
could go on to relate the whole conversation (I think it was about closing some
kind of real estate function) but you would get tired of it just as I did. Anyway, she never shut up from the time I
fell in line behind her until she disappeared out the door still officiously giving
orders and making demands. That includes
standing at the register and realized she had to order and yelled “just a second” to
the bug and then started considering what she wanted with the person behind the counter
patiently waiting. Then more
conversation between ordering and digging into the purse for money, absent
mindedly handing it over, almost forgetting change. It went on while waiting for the drink, which
eventually sat on the bar for thirty seconds before she came up for air, and
then had to ask “is that mine?”. Yes, a
nod, and “have a nice day” from the barrista which was ignored and off she went still
lecturing the air and most everybody in the shop. Being a “regular” I know most
of the people working there, and the young lady doing the coffee that day is especially
friendly and nice. So as I got my cup of
enthusiasm, I asked her “does that bother you?”. She sweetly replied with a smile: “Oh no, not
at all, I just hope she dies in a fiery, horrible, car crash”. And if the person drives as she walks, I’d
say there’s a chance of that. Rude
people..
Books
I
just finished reading “Blood, Bones &
Butter: The Inadvertent Education of a Reluctant Chef” an autobiography/memoir
of sorts by Gabrielle Hamilton, chef and owner of Prune, a highly awarded
restaurant in NYC. Besides the many
awards for her chef work, she is also an acclaimed writer (along her varied
path to success, she got a Master’s at Michigan in writing), with many articles
in foodie magazines, and won this year’s James Beard Foundation’s award for
Writing and Literature. Her book is also
a NY Times best seller.
I
have read many of these kinds of books by authors such as Julia Child, Jacques
Pepin, and of course Kitchen Confidential by the irascible Anthony
Bourdain. This one is a strange book,
and maybe not what one might not expect from the genre. It’s not an easy read as you might expect.
It’s very introspective, with many insights into her checkered past filled with
episodes with drugs, thefts, twenty hour days in a catering mill, a string of
cooking jobs both here and in Europe, and the strange relationship with her
(eventually divorced) Italian husband.
Lots of talk about her parents as well as the bond that developed with
her husband’s family in Italy which they visited yearly. She has certainly earned her stripes without
formal chef training. What does come
through clearly is her unfailing passion about food that drives these people
and enabled her to reach the height of the profession. Although she doesn’t use “dress for dinner”
we do have many values in common. She
related an incident where she and her husband and two small kids were driving
around NYC trying to find a place to eat lunch.. her husband remembers a place
where you can get an $8.99 brunch, and a free mimosa. “…. I don’t eat $8.99 brunch with a free
mimosa. I have my standards.. I will
skip a meal rather than eat the corner joint’s interpretation of Eggs Benedict
with spinach, button mushrooms, and “blood orange” hollandaise sauce. I don’t eat that kind of s***” She goes on to say “Free mimosa is the kind
of signal I rely on to stay away from a place.
Why is the mimosa free? What is
wrong with a place that it needs to provide the customer with an incentive to
eat the food”. My kind of woman. Anyway, you might read it sometime. Interesting..
Bugging
again
Have
you seen that TV commercial for an iPhone with a well dressed gentleman (kind of like that most interesting man in the world jerk) in
expensive looking surroundings fondly holding and speaking to his phone? He asks the phone for places with pasta and
Siri (I think that’s the name) says I have found 5 places near you with
pasta. Am I free tonight? I see nothing on your calendar. He eagerly asks the phone to tell him a joke. The phone says "two phones go into a bar…..
and I forget the rest". He chuckles lovingly and
then gives the phone a look that one might reserve for a boudoir setting… OMG. As
bad as the “so forty seconds ago” drivel.
What have we come to??
MFO
and I have elected to not attend the River Concert tonight (or last night if
you see this Saturday) due to the horrid weather.. we may go out in search of
food and probably will be
DFD
Admin note: once again I have received a request to try to make the print bigger. This edition was edited to use "large" font.. hope it doesn't result in looking like a large print edition book...
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