We're #1!!!

I suppose this is the part where I would begin to thank the countless people on our team: Paul Everett and Mackenzie Angell for your passion and support behind the line (and for putting up with my shenanigans), to Marta for holding it down in the front, to our awesome servers and bussers  Laura, Christina, Sabrina, Elena & Janet for probably doing the most difficult part – dealing with our customers and keeping them happy and satisfied.  And most of all the biggest thanks to Corina Weibel, our chef extraordinaire and co-owner for believing I could run this batshit crazy ship and for opening Canele in the first place so that we all could have this opportunity to do what we love to do – feed people incredibly good food.

Sorry, I must still have the Golden Globes on the brain with that “thank you” speech just now, haha!  But on a serious note, this is a first for me.  And even though it’s not a Michelin Star or James Beard mention, it’s something that means even more to me.  A nod of approval from my immediate peers, locals who come regularly and are more than willing to put up with our ridiculous wait at times because they know what’s in store for them.  It’s because of them that we are here, so thank you for appreciating what we are doing.  It means more to us than you could ever imagine.

So what’s on the menu?  Although not set in stone, I was thinking of sticking to comfort food.  Ha!  It’s all comfort food to me!  What am I talking about?  All that aside here’s what’s on the docket thus far:

Fresh lumpia
-scallops, seasonal vegetables, market lettuce, spicy pineapple guava sauce
(alternate: spicy tamarind sauce, pancetta)

Kare kare
-oxtail pave, long beans, bok choi, roasted eggplant, peanut sauce

Leche flan
- citrus zest

Maybe this time I’ll have time to make coconut polvoron to send home with everyone…  =)

Spending the last hour or so on it has made me nothing short of hungry – my stomach is actually growling as I type – but I’m glad I did it.  It will be a fun side project just in case I don’t exactly feel like doing a full blown blog on whatever it is I’m taking pictures of.

miseenplacepics.wordpress.com … get ready to drool.

I can’t believe it’s already been more than a year that we’ve been back home in L.A.  Time surely has flown – and by flown I don’t mean average bird speed, or even humming bird speed.  I think the SR-71 is more the speed I’m thinking about.

Being back in a professional kitchen has left me little time to experiment cooking at home but one of our projects for the new year is having something similar to an underground supperclub with a few restaurant friends every few months or so.  Perhaps we’ll do it quarterly!  Or maybe we’ll just wait until we move out of this apartment and into our own place where it’ll just be the dogs and us.  I don’t mind living with roommates but sometimes you just need your own space and I think we’re getting to that point.  Besides, who doesn’t love the freedom of walking around your house naked?  I’m just saying it’s nice is all…

I’ve made some moves this past year by proving that I’m capable of many things at work.  And as a result I’ve been running brunch service for practically the last half of the year.  I’ve also taken over weekly ordering for dry storage and farmer’s market produce.  I’ve learned so much from work this past year and I can’t stress how amazing it is to be back in a professional kitchen.  It feels like home – a hot, sweaty, frantically paced, stressful yet incredibly satisfying and rewarding home.  I wouldn’t have it any other way.  It is behind the line where I’m the most comfortable, doing what I love the most.  As for future work plans, it’s still a secret for now but it will all be for the advancement of my career and the expansion of my skills set.

We celebrated our second wedding anniversary this past September and even though we’ve been technically married for two, I feel like we’ve been married for longer.  I still remember that first time I noticed him — I was in the library studying and I felt a hot stare from across the room.  I looked up, our eyes locked and I’m pretty sure I blushed and looked away.  He had and still has this amazing smile that melts my heart.  The kind of smile that you just can’t fake and it’s not just his whole face, it’s like his whole body smiles when he sees me and I love it.  It’s this incredible feeling that only he uniquely can give me and I’ll forever be grateful to the powers that be for having him in my life.

Life is good.  Being back home is great.  Having friends and family much closer is a wonderful feeling.  I’m thankful for everything I have.  But life’s ups are not complete without the downs, the uncertain and the reality checks — and for those, I too am thankful for giving my life perspective.

I’ll be raising a glass later tonight for the year that’s been and the year that’s to come…

I have stability now.  A great foundation with my uber sweet husband who would do anything for me — maybe except dishes but that’s a compromise we’ve worked out.

As this year draws to a close, a rather quick one at that, it’s time for me to reflect about this past year.  And for whatever reason, I’ve also lately looked back at that magical year of 2006.  Five years ago –

I left Las Vegas, embarked on a new adventure in Salt Lake City.  Learned things, lost touch with people, missed them incredibly, met new ones, tried to make friends, and quite possibly the biggest transformation to have happened.  I left “Party Ria” behind me.  I turned back into the sweet, responsible, pleasant girl I use to be before I moved and turned 21 in Las Vegas.  Looking through my old Myspace blog entries is like reading a highly graphic smut novel.  Seriously.  Every time I look back there’s always that same thought to cross my head, “Who is that girl?  That can’t possibly be me!”

Life these days is comfortable to say the least.  I’ve got an awesome other half, two dogs that love me, my friends and family and I’m back in the city I grew up in.  The City of Angels where the beach, the mountains, the dessert, wine country, and an island getaway is a mere day’s travel.  Funny how I moved from the city of angels to sin city and back.  In a sense, I escaped/survived sin city right?  Ha.  Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it though.  Sometimes “Party Ria” wants to come back out for a night or two.  But she doesn’t fit in my life now.  So what’s this poor soul to do?  I could always go to Vegas for the weekend but all that shit will add up monetarily, lol.

I guess my goal for 2012 is to search for middle ground.  A happy medium where all my sides can coincide comfortably.  This past year has been amazing.  I’m back home, back working in a restaurant, hanging with all my besties, seeing my family – the Barbosa’s and the Wilson’s and it’s great.  So why am I so reflective and down?    Could just be that time of year for me to reminisce and get all emo…  It happens, it just hasn’t happened in a while.

Though there’s this thought in my head though that I can’t shake.  I’m not comfortable talking about it at this moment.  But it means a lot to me and makes me sad to know that I can’t pursue it and explore it.  I’m the kind of person that’s either in it for everything or not at all.  I just can’t half ass it.  But I’ll deal with it.  I always do in some way or another.  It’s just…I wish I could but I can’t.  For many reasons.

I hope next year will be better…

Halloween came and went and that was pretty uneventful.  Matty and I were suppose to head out to Riverside to help scare the neighborhood kids but his days off were quickly re-scheduled so we no longer have ANY days off together.  I’m off Mon/Tues/Wed and he’s Thurs/Fri.  It’s pretty shitty if you ask me.  Even if we had just one day off together it would be fine but we hardly see each other lately.  I’m still crossing my fingers they miraculously decide, “You know what?  We’ll give you Wed/Thurs so at least you have one day with your wife.”

But before I just make myself upset over that topic, I’ll move on to the next one…

I’m back to three days off which is fun and strange all at once.  It literally feels like I work for one week, then off for one week and so on.  It’s easy to just get lazy though.  I’m living proof these last two weeks of days off, heheh.  I’m losing a few hours but I’m digging the extra time with Matty so it balances out.

Lamill Coffee Boutique just on the other side of the Silverlake Reservoir is the bees knees.  Amazing coffee and delicious food = an awesome late morning nosh.

For Thanksgiving this year, we’re going to have a little “eating party” as Mike called it.  Good food, good company, good drinks and the game of course.  Low key and delicious.  Sweat  pants are welcome!  Then the next day we’ll be hoofing it to Riverside with our doggies in tow to visit the Wilson fam-bam, eat more good food, jump on the trampoline (and try not to puke in the process!).  Whew!  So many things happening in these next few days.

Then of course…

I’m going to Vegas this Sunday night!!!  I’ll be leaving right after I finish up with brunch but not before saying goodbye to my sweet sweet Matty so I’ll be taking a quick detour to WeHo before I officially head out.  Maybe I’ll pre-order something to snack on my way there.  Hmmm…that might not be a bad idea!  I’ll be hanging with who else but the always awesome Steph and we’ll be gettin crunk like the good old days, lol.  AAAAAHHH!!!  I’m so excited!

So far on our tentative itinerary: XS first thing Sunday night after I get in and get checked in at Treasure Island.  Perhaps hit the ‘Hill for some late night eats – I just want their waffle again, it’s so effing good!  Monday night we’ll be party rockin’ at Marquee and Tuesday night we’ll be downing some wodka and oysters…mmm so excited!!!  I haven’t seen Steph since April so it will be awesome and long overdue to get together again

Come on Sunday!  Get here already!!!!!

It’s a sad thought.  They’ve been at that house for years now and while nothing is forever, it’s sad to know that my parents and Lola moving from that house is a real possibility now.  Oh Lola, that’s a whole other touchy subject right there.  Ever since her amputation she’s been in a delicate state.

Anyway, my shift at work ended great but getting that phone call from mom put a damper on things.  Sure I was really only living in that house for the better part of 5 years but they’ve lived there for a lot longer.  A lot of things happened in that house.  Good and bad.  I wonder where they’d go.  If they’d try to buy another house or a condo or a townhome or go back to renting.  It’s a sad thing to think about…the family home up for sale.  I’d buy it if I could but there’s no way in hell Matt or I could afford it.

It’s just sad.  Dad not finding a job since he was laid off about three years ago and now they have to put the house up for sale.  It’s not a foreign event and I’ve actually known people that have gone through it themselves but when it actually happens to you it’s odd.  A very strange feeling.  I guess there’s a small upside to this – just because it’s up for sale doesn’t mean someone’s going to snag it right away.  There are a few homes here in the neighborhood that have had for sale signs up for a bit.  One even gave up and turned into a “for lease” sign that literally disappeared overnight.  It’s a buyer’s market but no one’s buying because no one can afford to.

It’s just a strange feeling to have.  I’m gonna sit on this thought for a while.

At least this made me laugh today:
 =/

Too bad we overslept – again.  And especially with this heat coming back, I want nothing to do except take fat cat naps all day.  Luckily we made it to Proof Bakery late morning for some iced lattes and goodies.  Croissant, morning bun, apple turnover and a salame, cheese and rocket sandwich to be specific.

Sidebar – I miss wearing whites.  The ritual of donning chef whites is something I haven’t done for years now.  Although I’ll admit it’s definitely cooler temperature-wise not wearing them, there’s just something about wearing chef coats that I miss.  Perhaps it’s the formality of it all.

You know what else I miss?  Having tons of time to mess around in my kitchen, experiment and cook.  Thanks Utah, thanks a lot for spoiling me and giving me time to mess around.  Now I have absolutely no time for playing.  Well, it’s not entirely true.  Now it seems I’m just more tired from actually working.  I’m just glad I’m back in a kitchen these days doing what I love to do.

Where did September go?  Seriously one minute it was just the start of September and I just had my awesome birthday party, the next minute it’s already October 12th.  Sometimes I wish time would slow down.  Just a little bit.

I’m ranting.  But only because Matty’s not here to listen to me.  He’s on his way home though but by then I’ll have exhausted myself getting everything out here instead.  Oh well, it’ll probably be better for him when he gets home, ha!

I wish I had something more interesting to rant about.  Well, there is but I don’t exactly want to air out my dirty laundry.  That’s what private posts are for!  And thank goodness too!

Frank and Marley are staring at me like they need to take a walk and poop so I won’t keep them any longer.  Hold on dogs, I’m coming!

He worked at the school library and I always got to school at least half an hour before class started.  It all began with a look and a smile – as it always does.  I noticed he would smile at me differently.  And by differently, I mean we had to sign in to use the computer lab in culinary school and he would be that guy that signed you in.  Whenever I would go in, he had on this smile…the kind that you had when you were say, 6 years old and walked in FAO Schwartz or a sweet candy store or when you saw your first whole lechon with its crispy skin, succulent meat and delicious sauce.  Okay off the topic but you get what I mean.  That goofy ear to ear grin when you see something you really really like.

We started talking soon after that.  And like many relationships we’ve had our ups and downs – and a fair share at that!  This isn’t anything out of the ordinary because there are plenty love stories out there in this big bad world.  But this is ours and it’s special to us.

We’ve come a long way…and I’m so very happy to be with you still.  Here’s a toast to two years and a drink for many many more.  I love you Matthew Ryan Wilson.  Always and forever!

ysp