Still on the fence

As of today, I have not gotten a ticket for San Antonio, and I am still open to the possibility. When I come home from work this evening, I will either book it or I won't. If I don't, it means another "staycation" around Calistoga. I really don't feel like going anywhere at this point, but a lot is weighing on my mind. Today is another gorgeous day in the Napa Valley and the weekend is likely to be hot ( like San Antonio wouldn't be?? ) So I guess it is six of one and a half-dozen of the other. The only difference would be that I would be saving some money if I don't go, yet passing on a very significant gathering of the tribes. Oh decisions, decisions...

July approaching

Many things are coming up as this month ends. Dave Keegan is a friend who is returning from Italy who I plan to get together with to celebrate his birthday. San Antonio is the city chosen to commemorate the 75th anniversary of a Fellowship of which I am a member, and am currently planning on attending, even though I am registered and don't have a plane ticket or hotel reservation. My vacation begins on friday. Everything else seems to be okay... I still owe money for my student loans and the rent is due for this coming month. Let's see, what else? It's three o' clock in the morning on Tuesday, June 29th, 2010. I am wearing my snuggie that my nephew Edward gave me as a Christmas present last December and I am typing away, trying to make a blog. It is sorta like taking a crap at this point. Be well until my next post.

Trudging forward

Today is Sunday and I started the day with a bagel and cup of Joe at the Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company in St. Helena. It has been a couple of weeks since I have written in my blog, but at least now I have a few things I can feel comfortable about writing. I have rekindled a relationship with Veda who I took an Art class with many years ago at Napa Valley College. We have a few mutual friends and a few things in common. She is an artist and convinced me to attend the Italian Chalk Art Fair in San Raphael this past week. The picture above is my creation. I was sponsored by a bike shop. but my design is rather nebulous and doesn't really fit into any particular category ( I just thought that it would make a nice tattoo ). In any event, we spent the day in the hot sun creating our pieces that turned out to be quite grueling, yet fun at the same time. I like Veda, but know my self well enough to proceed slowly as I get to know her. So far, I have found her to be fun, entertaining and interesting. I will keep you posted...

Sunday morning sunshine

Feels so nice.This morning the sun came out, the birds were making a racket, but you could tell that the day was going to be pleasant. I skipped mass and went to the Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company for a Machiado and a Jalapeno Bagel with butter. Work was pleasnt and I had the opportunity to take some Iraq war veterans on a guided tour of the CIA. These guys were all affected with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You could tell that they were a little skittish and didn't always seem present in the moment. Point of fact, that at times they just seemed to wander off on their own when they couldn't deal with what was happening in thier surroundings. One guys was a bit concerned about the elevator, but seemed okay after I told him that we would only be going one floor up to get to the barrel room. All in all, I was glad that I took these guys around. They really deserve our heartfelt gratitude for serving in such torn up, God-forsaken places like Iraq and Afghanistan.

Trying to make sense of it all...

Today is another cloudy day with possibility of showers. It is late May and the temperature has not gotten above 60 in the last three days. Coming to work, I am greeted by two tourists at 9:30 AM who are insisting on making sure that their reservation has been made for 1:15 PM in the restaurant. After booting up my computer I see that they indeed have a reservation. Next question... " Is your store open to the public ? " Uh, yes it is. What time does your restaurant open? It opens at 11:15 AM. What time does your store open? It opens at 10:00 AM. "We drove all the way to see this place. Do your students prepare a balanced lunch in the kitchen? Uh, yes they do. At this point I am ready to say something that could get me in a heap of trouble,so I swallow my pride and smile. Momma told me there would be days like this.

I just realized that the picture above is very telling after the continuing news about the Oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. This saddens me greatly, and I pray that there is a way to plug it and clean it up after so many days of spillage.

Blogging on

Today I felt it was necessary to blog because I haven't done so in a while. Who has any time anymore? I worked today and got through it. That is what it was like at work today... I got through it. Just like this blog... today is just got through it.

Rise and Shine

Cockadoodledoo ! We celebrated mother's day on Saturday at my nephew Edward's house today in Napa. My friend Veda drove up from Fairfax to join in and meet the wonderful group of people that is my family. It was a pot luck, and because I don't particularly like to cook I bought a box of See's chocolates and some lollipops as the dessert. I was really impressed with the way Edward and Antonella take such good care of their guests. Edward made some bratwurst that was included some caramelized onions that were prepared in beer. He cooked some separately just for me because he is considerate of the fact that I am an alcoholic in recovery. Veda seemed to enjoy meeting the whole gang and everyone was very kind to her and made her feel at home. Most of her family lives near Sacramento, and she recently lost a brother, so I think it was just enough of family that she could take at this time.I realize after we left around 5:30PM just how much I appreciate what my family has done for me over the years. If it weren't for my brother in law Ernie, an0d my sister Martha, I don't know how I would have made it through the 80's living in San Francisco. The same goes for my brother in law, Hamish and my sister, Rita. It is gatherings like this that makes me want to stop and count my blessings.

Back and Forth

The bear in this picture looks like he is trying to do some exercise. The picture reminds me to do my exercise every chance I get.
The weather has been wet and dry, back and forth all week long. I rode my bike 14 miles on Sunday to St. Helena from Calistoga and back. Then I up and ran 10 laps around the local High School track yesterday, just to keep my momentum going. It will be so easy to slough off and not pursue the goal I made in the last blog. Today I refused to drink coffee and have switched to Green Tea. I am still dog tired after yesterdays run. I definitely need to get back in shape.

Food is fuel

When I turn 60 in December, I want to weigh in at 160 lbs. This is the goal I have set for myself. As i write this, I am 35 lbs. over that goal.
I went to see my cardiologist yesterday and was informed that I have high blood pressure and need to go on a regular exercise regime. I also am beginning to take a daily pill for my blood pressure along with the statin I am already taking for my cholesterol.

In my thirties and forties I was a marathon runner with a 2:50:14 personal best.I was in the best shape of my life and felt invincible. I have suffered injuries and setbacks over the years but have recovered well from a torn mininscus, ankle injuries and a traumatic motor scooter accident that nearly took my life.

Today, I rode my bike to St. Helena and back ( 14 miles ). It is my intention to keep a regular log of my daily activities from now until my sixtieth birthday. I will list both what I have eaten and what exercise I have done .Food is now fuel for my activities, nothing more, nothing less. My goal over the past fifteen years has been to get our of debt and back on my feet financially. I am almost there with that goal. I ask each of you for your support in helping me achieve these goals, and I thank you for taking the time to read this.I love you.

Uneventful days

The weeks have gone by without much happening. Spring seems a little flat so far, so I suppose we are all just proceeding in our own usual ways. The Giants win their opener, then lose the next day because my sister goes to the game to see what all the excitement is about, and blames herself when they lose the second game. The swallows return to Greystone only split a few days later when the rain returns. The yellow yarrow in the herb garden is the one of the few colorful plants that are around to pick and the lavender is too flimsy to put in a vase to display at the Concierge desk. Don't get me wrong, things may not be all that great, but they aren't too crummy either... just sort of flat. Hmmm... it makes it a little difficult to write about anything without sounding like Albert Camus in his book," The Stranger " when the main character proceeds day to day in kind of a mundane existence seeking only survival.

Momma told me there'd be days like this.

Who has time anymore?

Yesterday I went on an 8 mile hike in the hills near Pope Valley with my friend and colleague, Harrison Hood. The day was grey and eventually turned to rain. After about four miles of dodging creeks and muddy trails, I tried to step over a sloppy pile of mud that a bunch of cattle had gone through and fell sideways. Luckily, it wasn't the usual Meadow frisbees that the cows leave, but enough to get my shoe stuck and my pants completely drenched. But hey, I am a novice and should have had the sense to bring the proper gear. The other hikers had the right boots, hiking poles and the latest goretex pants and jackets. Needless to say, I felt foolish and was pretty angry with myself. The group leader then pulled out a pair of clean socks for me to put on !! (Talk about being prepared !) Anyway, the next time I go hiking it will be with the days are warm and dry.

Today, I came to work after a couple of days off, and was prepared to face the inevitable changes and communication glitches that occur.The day goes easier when I turn petty matters over to my Higher Power, but my tendency is still to try and place blame which only serves to make matters worse for everyone.Giving tours, running cameras, printing literature, answering emails, delivering communication and directing traffic are only a few of the duties that have been placed in my per view.

Allergy Season

is rapidly arriving, and my Flonase prescription has already been refilled. I recently purchased a new sleeping bag, a therma-rest air mattress and a lounge recliner to sleep out under the stars on my deck. The last couple of nights have been beautiful, even though it rained hard on Easter. Our company had their annual health screening in the Barrell room today. I found out that I am five pounds heavier than last year, but my cholesterol is good and my blood pressure is down. Yippee ! Now I suppose I will go out in this nice weather and do a few laps.

Easter 2010

The sun is out today but it is expected to rain again tomorrow, Easter Sunday. This is a time for reflection and reverence. I am staying at home for most of the weekend. It is Passover, a Jewish religious time that I find curious. I am sure that every ritual in both the Catholic and Jewish faith is time tested to reveal a particular significance that will lead it's followers to a holy hereafter.
I have been reading about the Pope's recent troubles with the covering up of the child abuse that has taken place in many of it's churches throughout the world. Not just the church in the United States, but the churches of Ireland, Germany and other places throughout Europe. It looks like the Vatican is scrambling for more cover, instead of taking the strategy of more transparency and openness. One would hope that Pope Benedict ( formerly Archbishop Joseph Ratzinger ) will continue to come clean with any information that remotely implicates himself, his brother, the German archdioceses or the Irish Catholics. This is not a time for covering up, it is a time for Revelation.

Gaels gone mild

Okay, So i watched as the St. Mary's Gaels got stomped in the Sweet Sixteen NCAA Basketball Tourney as Baylor went on to the Elite Eight. At least now, we won't have to face Duke.Traveling to S.F.'s ATT Park to watch the game on the Jumbotron was an experience. One of the Alumni donated money to have this free event for all the Gaels goin' wild. It was sad to see us lose, but it was great catching up with a few of my class mates that made it there. Afterward, I drove back to Calistoga and stoppped in St. Helena to get a free cheeseburger at the new "Gotts" that used to be "Taylors Refresher". A big legal battle is developing over the switching of the former name.
Today, I am back at work and I really am not feeling very prepared today. I drank enough coffee this morning to make me a little "thin-skinned" . Tomorrow is another day.

Spring Springing

The swallows have returned to make their babies and head south to Capistrano sometime in July. The Enchanted magnolias have blossomed and we have had a lot of tourists over the past weekend for the Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives Conference.I went on a nice little hike to a place called "Zin Zin Falls" not far from Lake Berryessa on my days off. It was eight miles round trip. You can say that I was pretty spent by the end of the hike. I ate a tub of yogurt before I laid down to rest that evening and it helped assuage the pain I usually get from cramping, sore muscles. It worked. This is the type of weather that motivates me in to action. I make promises to myself to start exercising more, but there is only 24 hours in a day, and I usually have other things I want to do with my time.

Marching on

The weather is wonderful. The skys are clear. Today, we are having the Healthy Worlds of Flavor Conference at Greystone. I will only be there today and Sunday as the event will be held over my regular days off. It seems that the Mustard that fills the rows in the vineyards will soon be plowed under to add nitrogen to the soil. The days seem like they are getting longer now that we have set our clocks forward and the sun stays around until late in the day. Beautiful days are ahead. St. Patricks' day was yesterday and came and went without a lot of fanfare.

Moving Forward

Everyone and everything is taking on a certain color.Even my co-workers Susan and Liz look, uh... fresh after having seen "Avatar" . Now with the clocks moving ahead an hour, everyone is gearing up for Spring.Last Sunday was the Napa Marathon with the local winner crossing the finish line in 2:56:23 I would have beaten him in 1984 with a personal best of 2:50:14 Now after having had my meniscus repaired on my left knee, Thirty pounds heavier and 25 years older... well, you get the picture ). I do miss running long distances though. It was a cheap natural high when the endorphins produced a buzz that would last a day or two. My exercise regime nowadays is climbing a flight of stairs accompanied by heavy breathing and the only high being the altitude.

Wednesday is St. Patty's day and next Sunday is Palm Sunday. The swallows will return then, as it is also the Vernal Equinox. I should also mention that yesterday was my thirty-third sober birthday. I can still recall the half pint of Royal Gate vodka and eight Heineken beers that brought to the brink. Thank God for all the support of family and friends for putting up with me during those early days. Thank God for the running too... It helps me blow off steam while getting healthy. Perhaps I will get back to it this summer. I know that swimming will be on the agenda. Come May, the pools will reopen at Bothe State Park and in Calistoga. I can hardly wait.

Schedule Change

This week will be the beginning of my new schedule change. I will begin working almost regular business days. My days off will be Friday and Saturday instead of Monday and Tuesday. This suits me just fine. Working weekends can be a grind. Fridays can be the worst because most of the people in the education department are trying to get things wrapped up before leaving on Friday afternoon.Lately, I've been spending more time drawing and painting with watercolor pencils. Then I scan my work and modify it in Photoshop.I love the way I can enhance my images using Photoshop.

My Brother, a Swedish Hero

I was just sent a very moving flash video of someone that finds my brother to be a great hero. I see not a hint of any blantant gushing, or idolatry...only a warm, heart-felt acknowledgment of the great human being he is. Now take the time to download and see for yourself . Just click on the following link, and allow two minutes to witness this well deserved tribute.

My Brother

Also, if you are in the Chicago area, you may want to visit his web site, for he is truly the

Chicagoland Santa

Now excuse as I am trying to remove a swollen tongue that is caught in my cheek.

Great looking flower

This is a lovely passion flower which is so enchanting. It looks just great.The rains earlier this week have saturated the soil and the creeks are full. Yesterday though, a huge earthquake rocked Chile.It was 8.8 on the Richter scale and the death toll is currently at 720 people and rising. Haiti occurred some weeks ago, and that was in the 7's, yet the area was much more densely populated and killed a lot more people. Sitting here underneath a massive amount of Tufa stone sometimes makes me a little nervous even as I type this blog.If Greystone has survived three major quakes,it has to be said that nothing is really earthquake proof. We like to say that we are seismically safe here. We point out many things on the tour of this place, and usually take time to reveal the spots where many steel supports were installed, and showcase the overall condition of the building.I heard Wanda Sykes on NPR the other day comparing blogging to keeping a diary. She is so right on with her observations.

Open House not for the dogs

Today was our monthly Open House at Greystone. We had prospective students from all over the area, but not as many as last month. We have taken a "don't call us, we'll call you stance" when it comes to inquiring about admission to the CIA. In the past we have invited guests to come to our Open House only to find that they were more interested in a free tour with bakery goodies, than inquiring about our educational programs. Last month we had around 100 people. This month was more like forty people. Big difference. The Campus store, Viking Kitchen, Tasting bars and Chocolate Room are almost in full operation. The next big hurdle will be the Cafe and Bakery which will be a restaurant that is run by our students. I have been enjoying giving tours lately...since that is a new thing that generates revenue. Ask me again in a couple of months how I am doing with all this. The cute little puppy in the picture is my co-worker Eileen's dog, Pierre.
She emailed me the picture.

Love in the world

Today is an absolutely gorgeous day. The sun is out and I've already gone to the local bike shop to get my tires filled with air for a little ride. First things first though, as it is also laundry day. This past week has been very good. I got a box of candy hearts from the Store manager at the CIA, and i gave out a few valentines to some special people in my life. I also had an emotionally stable week at work, because I made it a special intention to treat everyone as I wish to be treated. Sometimes, It is just a matter of bringing the Golden Rule up to consciousness. Friday and Saturday we had the Napa Valley Premier held at the CIA. The vintners in the area along with sommeliers, wine merchants and brokers came to Greystone to bid on the best wines of the Napa Valley while the wines were still in the barrel. I guess if it were the stock market, you might say that this was like investing in "futures". An auction took place, and unlike the more publicized NV Wine auction that takes place in June, this is an industry event where the featured wines have not even been formally bottled yet (strictly barrel tasting). In previous years there would be a few celebrities floating about among the high profile Vintners and Restauranteurs, like the apologist steroid slugger Mark Macquire. Boston Legal's "Denny Crane" (William Shatner) also made a showing one year. This Premier was not as eventful and I cannot even tell you what the highest bidding wine was.

Besides, Today is a beautiful day and I could care less.

Managing upsets

I learned a long time ago about the "Anatomy of an Upset." It consists of three components... 1.) Unmet Expectations 2.) Undelivered Communication or 3. ) Thwarted intention. It can be said that if you are upset, one of these factors come into play.

The trick for most people is to get off their position and move on with their lives, and not get stuck in a control drama. I cannot begin to tell you how liberating it can be to move beyond anger and resentment. I am powerless over that surge of feelings that overwhelms me as my buttons get jammed.Most people will attest that anger and bitterness can poison an otherwise wholesome relationship. I tend to fear the anger response, which only compounds it.

The idea of choosing one's experience of anger is beyond me. I would agree that which is resisted, will persist, but unless I can be specific when communicating my upset, do I have any clue as to how to release it.

Today I am grateful that I have moments that I can move past. I still can have angry moments. I pray every day to move beyond my anger.

Rest and Recharge

Today is Wednesday, February 10th, 2010. That's two-ten-twenty-ten. Sounds pretty cool.

I am lying low today because I am recuperating from a chest cold that I stupidly pushed aside as I went to work last weekend. Monday and Tuesday were my regular days off and the only thing I did besides stay inside most of the time, was to shop for some new clothes. Big whoop. Chest colds require lots of liquids, rest and more rest.

However, I went to Target on Monday and bought some "Made in China" pants, socks, undershirts and a belt. I thought I was buying a leather belt that was actually stamped "Genuine Leather" only to find that the leather was probably less than a millimeter in thickness with some cellulose material sandwiched in between . The thing that amazes me, is that it is called a "Swiss Army belt" with the Swiss cross clearly designated on the buckle. All made in China. Hmmmm...Is this country selling the farm or what?

Anyway, I am not getting too upset about that kind of stuff, only because it only makes me feel cantankerous.Nothing worse than feeling like a crotchety old man. Rest will reenergize my drooping body and hopefully I will be ready for action on Thursday.

Below you can see how this new belt neatly wraps around my midsection and does nothing in terms of keeping my trousers up. It's all for fashion.

Mustard Magic

The Mustard Festival went off without a hitch. The people responsible for this event have gotten better at putting it on each year, and it gives people a good reason to come to the Napa Valley this time of the year. This year's Mustard Magic had only around 700+ people in attendance. Last year we had around a thousand. Thankfully, no rain put a damper on the event. They had an art exhibit in the Barrel room and various performers were roving about the building as expected. The Teaching Kitchen had a full buffet of delectables like fish sticks, Raviolis, Scallops, Ceviche Salad and the like. I had the opportunity to talk with Don Sanchez and the lovely Cheryl Jennings who anchors the news on Channel seven. It's funny how she approached me and asked if I would like to have my picture taken with her. Pretty bold, huh? I was more interested in getting a candid shot of her from a distance, rather than this vanity shot of both of us. Notice the little Mustard flowers above my name tag. As you can see, I was ready to participate in the spirit of the evening. Without a doubt, most everyone there had a good time.

Inside Activities

The rains let up today and the sun was out.What a week! The last couple of days were gloomy so I stayed inside and drew pictures. I used watercolor pencils for the picture above which I call "Flamenco" for no particular reason except that I thought it had sort of a theme going on with the fan and colors.This blog began at the end of the day on Wednesday, and today it is Thursday afternoon around 4:30 PM. I am bushed. I wanted to sleep in today. Thankfully, their weren't too many things that caused me to be stressed out today, but it is still only January.We are in the process now of setting up for the Mustard Festival this Saturday. Already, guys are dropping things, hammers are pounding and saws are whirring. Looks like I have cause to be stressed out after all. Some days, I'm too busy to be concerned about anything else except what is the next thing in front of me. The new students who arrived last weekend are beginning to find their way around. I am beginning again to learn the names, and putting names to each of the faces.Not a very exciting blog, eh?

Third Tuesday of the Month

Since 2002, I've been assisting Helen Archer ( shown in photo above ) with the monthly food distribution. I used to drive the truck down to the city of Napa to pick up the canned foods, bread, rice, beans, powdered milk and an assortment of other government issued surplus foods. They are generally pretty good, but you never know what is going to be allocated. One month, you might get box loads of cereal. The next month it will be bags of pinto beans. When the trucks arrive back in Calistoga around 9 AM, there are usually 5 or 6 volunteers there who help unload the trucks and bag up the food on four large tables that have grocery bags lined up. After a certain point, Helen will go pick up the high school kids who get community service credits for helping out. This is a fun activity, and people appreciate knowing that the food will be here on a month to month basis.

Today, it has been a week since we have been offering tours of the CIA and so far, it has been going okay. Come Monday, we will have a whole crop of new students coming in for orientation. Our new teaching kitchen is almost complete and so is the new chocolate room. Eventually we will have a cafe and a tasting area.

Tours starting today

It is Saturday, January 16th, and today we had our first group of paid tourists going through the building. This proposal of offering tours here has been met with a mixed reaction. The Instructors on the third floor wanted to put the Kibosh on the idea, but our managing director liked it and figured it would bring in some more revenue so...

Basically, I give a historical perspective of the CIA, talking about what the building was when it first opened it's doors back in 1889. From there, I gradually bring our guests through the preceding eras up to the present day and how the Culinary Institute of America established it's West coast campus here. The people I meet here are more fascinating than any history lesson one would ever think of imparting. It amazes me from how far and wide these people will come to visit Greystone. I understand that outside of Disneyland, this Napa Valley landmark is right up there as a popular destination people want to visit when they come to California. ( From it's appearance, I am still reminded of the Eagles' hit song, "Hotel California" }.

This area is so much more than grape vines, bike tours and balloon rides. St. Helena alone has become a Culinary mecca second only to the Loire region in France . Many have it that this place is where Food, Wine and Art have become the bounty of the good life. One that has emerged through the efforts of early California ancestors, including all the European and Mexican emigrants that have since worked this land over the past few hundred years.

Now our rainy season has just begun again on the West coast after a few meager starts and stops. The weatherman says that the coming front look like it could produce about 6-8 inches by weeks end.I am looking forward to getting a lot of little "inside" jobs to be completd this time of the year.

Wednesday

Ahhh, Conan. I found this poster more appealing than his campaign to get back his regular time slot on NBC.I'm a Letterman fan more than a Conan fan, but Conan is more likeable to me than Jay Leno. Carson was my all time favorite monologist, but Letterman provides a better show with the way he interacts with his guests.Okay, enough of late night T.V. because I don't even have a regular T.V. anymore.(( I have an Apple T.V. dontchaknow.))

The weather is nice and fresh after the rains on Monday and Tuesday. The sun has come out and things are slowly coming back to life. After the tragic earthquake in Haiti, many are counting their blessings for what they have.Yesterday, I went to the Calistoga Fairgrounds to get my H1N1 shot. This makes the second shot I received this season. Hopefully, this will keep me healthy and happy. I saw my friend Reid yesterday. We went for lunch at Yao Kiku over in Santa Rosa. We caught up on stuff, "kvetched" I think is the Yiddish term.

Rumblings

The big highlight of my week was going to see the movie "Avatar". More about that later...This week the store is completing inventory and is in the midst of continual expansion. The chocolatier bar is being constructed and the new teaching kitchen ranges and stove tops will be ready to fire up the first week in February if everything goes accordingly.Eventually their will be a cafe which will be sit down instead of take out. This will be a welcome sight on these frosty mornings as one will be able to greet the day with a hot latte and a blueberry muffin, all while reading the days Chronicle.The fog has been showing up in the morning, with the sun coming out in the afternoon around 2 PM. The space heater under my desk has been keeping me warm but I need to wear a comfy vest to keep my upper body warm.Greystone is a cold building in the winter,especially since most of the windows and door are open for future construction.Luckily the contractors have been able to get the heat going at the south end of the building which will be useful when the DeBaun theater opens back up, sometime this summer. Last Tuesday, I went with my friend Don to see the movie "Avatar" which was fantastic. I really enjoyed all the special effects in 3-D. The story was an adventure epic which had me on the edge of my seat for the entire two and a half hours. My only concern was that an intermission was sorely needed because the movie is just a wee bit long.Already the show has made boatloads of cash and I suspect artifacts like posters, books and other memorabilia will be showing up on store shelves very soon.

First day of Twenty Ten

The only thing waking me up last night was one firework launched at midnight which sounded like a bomb going off. The kids next door shrieked at the stroke midnight and I rolled over like a grumpy old man and tried to go back to sleep. I got up early enough to get to Noreen's house. She is my eighty-one year old friend who likes to take me out for breakfast. We drove first to Mt. La Salle for New Year's day Mass. It wasn't happening,but we paid a visit to the Christian Brothers who were there and walked around the grounds and said some prayers in the chapel. Then we drove to downtown Napa to find a place to have brunch. Gillwoods was packed, so we kept prowling around for awhile. Finally we drove back to St. Helena and had lunch at the Gillwood's there. I had a club sandwich and a cup of clam chowder. She had a Salad with ranch dressing and a cup of chowder as well. After that we went to the Cameo theater to see " Out of Africa " for Free !! It was a classic movie that was thoroughly enjoyable. The pairing of Redford and Streep was flawless. Noreen was very pleased that I went with her and kept referring to me as her "Adopted Son". What the hell, she is a sweet lady whose own family doesn't seem to take the time to visit her.

Did the Ipod just die?

This is my grandniece Mila on Christmas morning. I had arrived at my nephew's house five minutes earlier, and already I think Mila was getting anxious to open the gifts. My nephew's wife Antonella was trying to get the ipod to play some music after plugging it into a player device with speakers. Mila was already dancing in anticipation of the music that just wasn't to be. As it turned out, the Ipod just needed to be recharged. After breakfast we all went into the living room to open the presents. All in all, it was a nice day spent with family.

Can we get there any quicker?

Many are looking forward to the new year with a degree of excitement and trepidation. No one seems to know if the economy will buoy to the point where people will feel less stressed about making a living and saving money. Right now, all anyone seems to hear about is how much the prices of things will be raised in the new year. I have already heard that P.G. & E. will be raising their rates for the average user. We won't be expecting any raises here where I am , that much is certain. In fact I think that we may be scaling back on some of the jobs around here. but I hope that this is not the case.

Today we have a lot of tourists visiting our building, restaurant and store. I took two groups of thirty people on tours of our facility, talking about it's history and the history of the school itself. The regular scheduled cooking demonstrations were canceled because our demo chef was ill today. I came up with the idea of offering the "Greystone Experience" as a way of compensating those who already had made reservations and were expecting a cooking demo.It is so busy with people today, I am surprised that we don't have more staff to accommodate our guests.

The picture above is of Stephanie, who is one of the most positive people you will find around here. She always seems to have a smile on her face and I consider myself very priveleged to work with her. She works in our campus store, but also works Special Events like she is in the picture above.

Santa's greeting

My brother John has been very busy this year. He has created a wonderful persona as the Chicagoland Santa which has been in development for well over twenty years . Frankly speaking, I don't think he really cares who has been naughty or nice.He just likes going out, telling stories to little kids, giving out candy canes, smiling for pictures, going "Ho-Ho-Ho" at every opportunity and making a decent wage. What a great gig ! Now since he has launched his website, it's my guess that he will have plenty of work to keep him busy throughout the year. I drew this picture above while thinking about how I envision Santa Claus. I think my brother exemplifies this effort.

Back to work

Ahhh... four days off, and back for Holiday Season at the CIA. Last night was the Open House Event at Greystone. For me, a must to avoid. I was in S.F. yesterday, visiting my sisters Martha, Rita and my brother-in-laws, Hamish and Ernie. I went there to talk about marketing my chef hats, which will be one of my big projects for the new year. My aim is to get them into Cliff's and the Spice Island Marketplace. Right now, it is contingent upon whether or not the printer, Chromagraphics can figure find a way of recreating them with the right materials and packaging them in such a way that people will want to buy them. Then it becomes a costing factor. How much will it cost to produce 500, a thousand, five thousand. Being that this is my first is my first commercial product venture, I learned a lot from my sister Martha and her staff. Right now I am looking at redrawing the tag to simplify and making it more obvious what it is from a distance of five feet. So many questions arise as I move forward with this, and so many have specific types of advice to give me. So far it has been quite educational in a field I would not otherwise have any particular interest. Some have suggested creating a web site. I think that I eventually may do this, but I want to test market these products first in an actual brick and mortar store before I go online with this.

Just another day ?

Today is my birthday and so far I have heard from three friends. Two via telephone message, the other via email. I had some floating holidays saved up, so I decided to take this weekend off. I really prefer the Spring over these late Fall days. Winter doesn't officially begin until Dec. 21st, which is the shortest day of the year. I sort of feel like I want to go into hibernation and wake up around St. Patrick's Day. I have already done my spiritual exercise for the day and now I am ready for action.

My latest taste treat concoctions are Lundberg rice cakes with melted cheese, tahini and chapoltle sauce on top. Just for fun I put a roasted red bell pepper on top of that. So I guess you could say that my tastes are unconventional.

Last night I went to see the new George Clooney movie, "Up in the Air". It was a really good story and I drove all the way from Calistoga to San Raphael to catch it. It rained pretty hard last night but I drove carefully and made it back safely. I am so grateful that I am in reasonably good health. This time last year, I was recovering from a serious motor scooter accident and was just taking life a day at a time. I am still doing that, too. It's important to be grateful every day for what you have. Today I am going over to Trader Joe's to buy some more rice cakes, tahini and chapoltle sauce.

You see, I don't need a big cake like the one in this picture to make me happy on my birthday. Sometimes, these little things can make me feel like a winner.

Birthday coming up!

This is my brother with my grandnephew, "Christopher" who is his daughter's child. He and I had a little IChat spat the other day. We both wear are feelings pretty close to the cuff, which is tricky when we interact with one another. I think it was a good thing that we were a few thousand miles apart and talking online.I will tell you more about him later in this post.

Okay, I might as well shout it from the rooftops. Sunday is my birthday and I will be 59 years "of age". Doesn't that sound better than old? Besides, I am still very much a teenager in my mind. Being a child of the sixties in San Francisco, I could not think of any practical reason to grow up. The motto then was, " Don't trust anyone over 30." We all figured that those over 30 were the establishment, and were uptight squares. It must have taken most ALL of my adult years to acquire some semblance of maturity. Anyway,in our family no one likes to be advised of ANYTHING, because every last one of us is stubbornly independent. Some more than others, so one has to be VERY careful when soliciting the advice of an elder sibling. Of course if you talk with my brother he may disagree with you on that point.

My brother is the Chicagoland Santa and he has done quite well as establishing himself in this unique business.He has a real beard that is large, white and fluffy. His wife, Ariane helps him as Mrs. Claus at some of the events he is invited to attend.Last time I spoke with him we had a flare up because I felt that he was patronizing me. This can be difficult when as an adult, we are trying to relate to each other as adults who are respectful of each other. I think we were both tired.I still love him very much.

Monday, Monday

Can't trust that day. Well, I don't know about that. As I look out my bedroom window I see the sun trying to come through the clouds.The picture above is the sun peeking through the pine trees up at Robert Louis Stevenson State park about a week ago. It was supposed to be a big gully washer today, and I have yet to see what the weatherperson was talking about. Snow down to 500 feet? I doubt it. We had snow on the Valley floor a few years ago, but that happens on very rare occasions. It is more likely that the hills around here will have a dusting of the cold white stuff. Reflection time...

I was just sitting here thinking that it wasn't until the personal computer came along did we multi-task as much as we do now. I find that I pay more attention to my computer and Iphone each day, than I do to anyone or anything else. Is this a healthy thing? What about the computer that we used to rely on in our own head? Has this device actually helped us process information better than we already do?

Well, unlike Television ( which I don't now have any subscription to...) I seek out my information and entertainment in a whole new fashion. If I want to watch a show that I used to watch on TV, I will either download it onto my computer or just wait and watch a Hulu version of it for free. Hulu, who knew? I haven't ventured AT ALL into the gaming world. I see many friends and relatives getting involved in games like Bejeweled, Mafia Wars on Facebook, World of Warcraft or other such diversions. I avoid them precisely because of information overload. I think it's time to go back and take another look outside my window.

A Pleasant Day in the Neighborhood

Sundays are the best days here at the Culinary Institute of America. Usually this place is a behive of activity on Mondays through Saturdays, most every week throughout the year.Today is rather relaxed because people are heading home at the end of the four day Thanksgiving feast.Where I am in the Atrium,stays open until 6PM which is in the main part of the building.The restaurant stays open until 9PM on weeknights and 10PM on weekends. The food is fabulous and the atmosphere is exquisite. I am feeling much chipper about my job today than yesterday for some reason.My whole attitude and outlook has changed.I am intuitively knowing how to handle situations which used to baffle me.Is this an extravagant promise? I think not. This attitude adjustment is being fulfilled rather quickly, because I am working at it.

The Long Hike

Yesterday, I went for a hike with the Sanchez brothers and their friend to the top of Mt. St. Helena. They were very proud of thier accomplishment as this video will attest. We packed our lunches and set off from Robert Louis Stevenson State Park on a four mile trek to the top of the mountain. The boys were enthusiastic but began to gripe after an hour that they were hungry. Sebastian Sanchez and I ran ahead of the two others and hid behind a rock as the boys began calling out for us. We then jumped out and scared them with a loud growl. This was the first stop along the way.

After a lunch of bologna sandwiches and a peanut butter power bar, we continued on to the top. A lot of rocks were hurled down the hillsides and we kept our eyes out for good hiking sticks. Eventually we were above the timber line and they could see the whole town of Calistoga for the first time. Alejandro remarked how small the cars were, as if we were viewing the town from an airplane. Two and a half hours after we started out, we finally made it to the top.

The hike back down was fun as we invented a guessing game about different categories like Action heros, songs, rocks, vegetables, etc. just to pass the time. Around 4 PM the sun was beginning to go down and we still had about an hour of daylight left before getting back to the car.

When we arrived back in Calistoga, eveyone was dog tired but happy that we had undertaken this challenge.

Serving and being served

Today is Thanksgiving and I will be attending dinner at my nephew Edward's house in Napa. I suspect that relatives and friends of Edward and Antonella will all be there. It is common for me to dread these family events, until I get myself through the door. After that, I am fine. Some years ago, I attended Thanksgiving dinner at my sister Martha's house in San Francisco. I was in charge of making the garlic mash potatoes ( I read recently that this particular culinary assignment was given to Lindsay Lohan by her family their Thanksgiving dinner... a token gesture a best). I can hear them whispering to each other in the kitchen, " Well, it would be hard for her to mess that up. Anyway, garlic mash potatoes have become my forte.´

The dish came out pretty well, actually. Martha liked them, as did my sister Ellen who was visiting from Australia. This made me feel pretty good because I had been experimenting with dill pickle juice as a way of bumping up the flavor. All in all, I was proud of my meager accomplishment. Preparing and hosting an ENTIRE EVENT is quite another matter. I have only hosted one of these types of gatherings as an adult.

While working at Indian Springs Spa, I was able to secure a few cottages at a special rate. Family members from the Midwest and points north arrived to enjoy the weekend in Calistoga. I had to work and at the same time was trying to organize a picnic at one of the local wineries .Hosting a family gathering and enjoying what you have organized is not the same thing. Needless to say, one of my nephews ended up getting lost and the picnic had to be moved to another location because the reservation for the space was going to be scrapped if not everyone arrived on time. It all worked out however, and we had ended up having the picnic at a local park.

This reorganization happened because my sister Martha took charge and updated the plans. This is typical. I'm not saying that I won't ever host a family event like this again... but the likelihood is pretty strong that I won't. Thankfully, my family members have learned to be flexible. Besides, there are others who do a much better job of pulling it off.

More from W.O.F.

Here is another short video from the Conference.

Worlds of Flavor Conference.

This video was shot as I perused the building during my break. It looks like a lot of activity was going on in the Ventura Center so I just focused the camera on what I thought looked interesting.John from Illy coffee was preparing an espresso for me as of everyone was buzzing with excitement over what Chef Bobby Chinn would be preparing and what trends from his French/Vietnamese palate would ensue.A lot of creative energy in the building was pushing things forward.Admittedly, I am not much of a videographer. All I know is to move the camera slowly and try not to be too jerky. The results are spontaneous and unplanned and it looks like it. I should prepare more ( like remembering to compress the videos before I upload them ).Another video will follow, so stay tuned !

Worlds of Flavor 09'

Today is the final day of our annual three day "Worlds of Flavor Conference." This week, this month, and past year just flew by. Like last year, we invited some really amazing chefs as presenters. One fellow I knew very little about was Bobby Chinn, who's Vietnamese/French Cuisine background provided the WOW factor that was second to none. We had iron Chefs' Marimoto (who, by the way will be opening a restaurant in Napa ) Cat Cora, Seamus Mullen and Tex-Mex impresario, Rick Bayless. Moroccan Chef Mourad Lahlou and Violet Oon were up there presenting their latest creations.The theme was "Street Food and World Comfort Food" of Asia, Latin America and the Mediterranean. Last night, the marketplace on the second level of the building was filled with people enjoying everything from Squid, Pork rolls, Baklava, Peanut Satay, Lobster tail, Sliced Avocados with anchovies on a crostini, and the list goes on. I couldn't sleep much last night after trying to digest all that strange and glorious food. Now, you may ask, does a smiling seal have anything to do with this blog post?

Chef Andrew's latest venture

I have created this logo following the directions given by Chef Andrew Wild and his supportive wife, Brenda. This image, I hope will bring much success to his catering business and his brand. Now that he is a proud poppa with a brand new son, I am certain that it is all systems go at this point. Perhaps one day, young Porter will be another talented chef in his own right... one never knows! Anyway, If you like this logo I am certain that you will enjoy the whole package that Andrew brings to the Culinary business.I wish him much success and prosperity.

My Blue-Haired Grandniece

Here I thought that it was only old ladys who had blue hair.This is Cooper,who is my niece Marian's child. (who coincidentally looks a lot like her mother did when she was her age).She posted this pic on Facebook, and now little Cooper is a star on the internet.

This Halloween was uneventful for me. I drove home from work at 6 PM only to find throngs of kids roaming the main drag in Calistoga after the costume parade. The thing I found so perplexing was why the kids were then loaded onto these large buses to be transported three blocks to the fairgrounds !! I can understand the idea of having a safe Halloween party in one location, but these "helicopter" parents and the school board need to cut the kids some slack.I mean, it used to be that Halloween was the one night that kids get to assert a little independence and throw a water balloon or two. Hey, what six-grader doesn't want to "TP" old man Baxter's house just for giggles? I can just see the mothers after the kids get home from their neighborhood rounds,rifling through their goodies to make sure no one tossed a tampered candy bar in their bag.It was kind of sad for me because I only had the next door neighbor kid drop by, and the lucky bastard got all the whole bowl of goodies !

Thinking outside the box

I have heard it said "That it is not what you don't know than can hurt you... It's what you DO know that just isn't so ! " More often than not, I have been forced to eat a piece of humble pie when I take the initiative to venture off in areas where I think I have confidence and skill. Lately, I must say that I pride myself on the quick and efficient way I can break down cardboard boxes. I think that If I were pitted against someone as to who would be the fastest to break down ten, average-sized cardboard boxes into a flat pile, I would win. This month I had to correct someone who was a teacher as to how I would like these empty boxes passed on to me, so that I could break them down correctly. This teacher brings students who want to gain community service hours in order to graduate from high school to a Food Distribution site every third Tuesday of the month. It is here that I confronted the teacher when he took his box cutter out, to slice upon boxes of canned fruit for the students to place inside pre-arranged paper sacks to be distributed.

It was just playing out all wrong. After slicing open the boxes, he would hand me the part that he cut out on the top, and then the empty boxes were handed to me to be broken down by the students after all the canned fruit was placed in the bags.This little gesture forced all the boxes to come apart in several separate pieces that did not stack well. After I told him how to open the boxes correctly without a box cutter, he just ignored me. He explained that it was an easier way for the students to get the cans out of the boxes. A long shot of an explanation if I had ever heard one. I demonstrated that all he had to do was pull the flaps on the end open, pull one can out, and the rest would come out easily. Again I was ignored and he just continued to open the boxes the way he wanted them open. This encounter could have easily escalated into a shouting match, but I bailed before it got too heated. To me, this was recovery. I am letting go of situations where I would normally have fought to the finish for the short lived satisfaction of being right and making someone else wrong. At times, it may seem worth it. These times have been growing shorter and shorter as I gain more maturity.

Wet and Muggy

This week has been an example of controlled chaos.The suprise storms have taken down two trees out front. Water has seeped into the building and has destroyed some of the merchandise at the Spice Island Marketplace, and yet the store will be moving thier new rolling gondola racks into the new retail space starting next week.

The campus store will be moving shortly, but not until the floors,doors,electrical,plumbing,ventilation and other preliminary procedures are complete. The air is humid and full of cement dust. The lady from our maintenance facility is running around dusting all the diplay cabinets and furniture.Most of the major work is done and yet the noise and dust is continual.Our weekends have still been very busy with wedding events, cooking classes and demos. This trend should continue right on through until the end of the Worlds of Flavor Conference.

We have learned through an email attachment that the president of the Culinary Institute is regretful that we won't be having our annual Holiday Party because of financial constrictions. We still are hosting a number of guests daily, and have visitors constantly.The picture above are a couple of my pals from the Campus Store. Maricella and Stephanie are very positive people who along with the other "Spice Girls" add charm and vitality to our retail space. The other people here are also a lot of fun to interact with on a daily basis. This is my extended family.

Reinventing oneself

Back in my youth, my challenge was to do my best at being honest, especially with my mom because she did not tolerate fibbing or outright lying. To me, that meant to not put up with anyone's Bullsh*t, unless you were doing it in jest, and it was obvious to the other person. My mom could sound so phony on the telephone when talking to nuns, though. She had this high pitched apologetic tone that sounded to me like she was grovelling. My sister and I would tease her about this, and she did not like it. I think she had a thing about nuns being "holier than thou" which was manifested when they would call and talk to her about us kids and our school work. I also think that she was well aware that we were not perfect little angels. The reason I bring this up is because as an adult I tend to fib more, and try my best not to tell an out-and-out lie when asked a direct question. Nowadays, everyone can be so political... doing their best to skirt issues that are best kept private. Now, if we are as "sick as our secrets" as the saying goes, then we undoubtedly have a lot of healing to do. Perhaps this is how one gains that priceless gift of humility.

Fall in the air

Already the wind is picking up and the leaves are all turning brown as they fly from the trees. The days are golden and rust colored and the hills absorb deep shadows as the season eases on into October. Tonight is a full harvest moon and the weather is cooler... a lot cooler. Business at the CIA is as brisk as the weather,and will continue to be right on through until just after the Worlds of Flavor Conference the first week in November.
Tonight I attended a going away party for a fine young man named Israel Ramirez, who is joining the Marines. He is doing this mainly for his education and the benefits. One can only wish him well, as
this country is still looking for Bin Laden, and the situations in Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan continues to escalate. I know Israel is a serious young man, and this is a big step in his desire for a future. I gave him a bottle of good red wine that he can drink when he returns from active duty. His family I have known for over 15 years since I have lived in Calistoga. They are truly wonderful people and I wish them all well. I hope and pray that Israel comes home safely, and that God will protect him.

Prickly Pears

It's Wednesday, and after taking a nice hike around a part of Lake Hennessy I hadn't seen before was a new adventure. My friend Don and I walked about 2 miles out and 2 miles back and found a few delectable items along the way. He even brought some plastic bags to gather some Fennel seeds that were growing wild along the path. We spotted a few red tail hawks, some egrets, some deer and also a pelican. The sun beat down pretty hard and my arms were exposed. Don let me wear a long sleeve shirt because I had forgotten to bring one of my own. The day before, I had been to the dermatologist to have some pre-cancerous spots frozen with liquid nitrogen, so I needed to protect my arms. Towards the end of the hike, Don spotted some "Prickly Pears" and proceeded to cut one from a bush. I warned him not to do it because of the nettles, but he extracted one and handed it to me. Yikes !! The nettles got into my fingers and they are impossible to see with the naked eye. Nothing will get them out except time and patience.Don was as annoyed by the whole experience as I was; and yet it wasn't serious enough to put a damper on the beauty that surrounded us. I have already made plans to visit Lake Hennessy again next Tuesday with a new friend, Rebecca. Don't worry, I am going to avoid those cactus pears.

A Wild Child

This post is a special tribute to Chef Andrew and his wife Brenda on the occasion of the birth of their new baby boy, Porter Andrew Wild. So far, their is not much I know about him, but I know he arrived Monday at 3:30. Now I would not be suprised if this youngster follows in his father's footsteps. Both Andrew and Brenda have a strong background in both Wine and Food, and as the old saying goes, "Apples don't fall far from the tree." I would not be surprised if this youngster gets a full-on culinary education before he reaches third grade. Now about two weeks ago, I was invited to Andy and Brenda's house on Lake Street for a party. I was really impressed with how beautiful their home is. The kitchen had all modern, state-of-the-art equipment. The living and dining room are exquisitely decorated, and the outside patio and back yard are perfect for entertaining. During the party, Brenda showed us where the baby was going to stay. She had this room "tricked-out" from top to bottom. A beautiful mural painted by my co-worker Martha Leach depicted rabbits, birds, bugs, butterflies and trees that worked perfectly. Even their dog, "Bear" lent a yellow-painted paw print to the floor of the room in anticipation of the new arrival. I know that Brenda and Andrew will make great parents and a wonderful home for little Porter, as he gets to know this new and enchanting world.

Tech not Touch

The Beatles had it right... " Ah look at all the lonely people, where do they all come from?" and " Where do they all belong?" I was sitting at a table at the Napa Valley Coffee Roastery today, and everyone was pecking away at their keyboards fixated on their monitors, sipping thier fresh Latte's parked precariously next to their laptops. No one was talking with one another. An elderly lady came and sat down at the table next to me and remarked to her friend that people aren't making any effort to chat with one another in a casual fashion any more. I overheard this, and pulled the earbuds out of my ears and turned off my IPhone. I was embarrassed to be a part of this all too obvious picture of uban life in 2009.

From the corner of the room a young college age woman was answering her cell phone... " Hello ? Hello? " Yes, wait... I've got it here." She furiously scrambled to fish a flash drive out of her purse to plug into her laptop. " Yes, the file is in .pdf format, so I can read it on my Mac." Isn't it great to be so efficient and tech-saavy I thought.
All of this zippy equipment that is supposedly going simplify our lives; And all it seems to be doing is impressing little old ladies who seem oddly out of place and hopelessly out of the loop. No one even looks up from their screen to acknowledge anyone else at the nearby tables. It reminded me of the indifference exhibited in that scene from the movie "The Time Machine" where all these beautiful people were sitting around picnicking as someone falls into a river and drowns. No one even bothers to notice. We all may as well have been in separate cubicles. Occasional spurts of intense concentration was the order of the day.

Non-verbal, and mostly unconscious signals like these only serve to isolate ourselves from others. I am certain that this is how it looked from this elderly woman's point of view. Many mobile devices these days are such a bloody façade. A blue-tooth device that sticks in your oh-so-self-important ear seems to say, "Excuse me," I am in the middle of a conversation that is more important than anything you have to tell me. So,even if what you have to tell me is that my car is getting ticketed outside... buzz off !

These laptops, cell phones, Ipods and blackberries are creating barriers between us. If this scenario actually happened, I imagine it would be a wonderful lesson to those that were observed by that woman and her friend. People are missing the opportunity to make themselves available for friendly conversations with other human beings. Hmmm... perhaps this is because we are all just too busy getting ahead.

Friday on my mind

Today, I am hoping to hear from the Peanut Board. I have 2,425 Buddy McNutty hats sitting in the living room of my one bedroom apartment waiting to be shipped. Do they go 2nd Day or 3rd day ground. Decisions, decisions... as I wait patiently. Holding myself in quiet anticipation for the big push. I have been busy since last April putting together what was flippingly assumed could be turned around in a week's time ( yea, right ) Anyway, no more small token orders of less than a hundred hats sent off for a summer camp via Fed Ex overnight. This is the big one.Besides, a lot of TLC went into preparing this order. Aside from it being my first ( an admittedly a test run ). It will not be my last... but most likely not as large the next time. Each of these hats had to be fed through my fourth ( yep fourth ) Epson printer. Twenty- four ink cartridges, and around 40 crumpled and rejected hats later , I have reached the magic number of 2,425. Hopefully, I will hear from my client in the morning via phone or email. But for now... I will rest.