For seven years I worked at the same job. I did my job (pretty well I think considering the evaluations I got) and made what I thought were a lot of lasting relationships. Then I left, not to go work for another company but to pursue my dreams, and I thought my "friends" would be supportive.
Now I understand how easy it is to have your life move on and forget the people you once had daily contact with. But I guess I thought I meant something more. Maybe we all want to feel that we are somehow important in this world and while I knew that life for everyone would go on without me, you still wish people would miss you, even if it's just a teeny tiny bit.
I have always been loyal to my friends. My blog and my life are a pretty open book. I don't write things anonymously and I have never revealed any of the secrets that I was privy to. That's who I am. There are others who write things under pseudonyms and tell tales out of school and I'll admit that while it's pretty entertaining it's not something I could ever do.
So it hurts me that my emails go unanswered and that my 'friend requests' are denied, mostly because I just don't understand. I always internalize and wonder what it is that I did. Of course it is a very small minority of people that I am talking about here but it wounds me none the less. To the best of my knowledge I have done nothing to these people so it leaves me in that odd limbo of hurt feelings and wild supposition.
But I am now another year older (yes, Loyal Readers, another birthday has passed, and the custard was delicious) and supposedly a bit wiser (although I'm not sure exactly when all that wisdom is scheduled to show up) and so, after this emo post, I shall let it go. I cannot control the actions of others (although my evil twin is currently conducting experiments to do exactly that) and I can only control my own (but just barely.)
And now my time for wallowing is done (I had a friend who only allowed 15 minutes of wallow time, which I follow and it saves me a ton of money on anti-depressants) and I must go decorate 150 lobster cookies for a wedding in Newport, RI. I am trying to make the world a sweeter place, one cookie at a time. I will post pictures soon of all the work I have done recently!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Friday, September 18, 2009
But Was The Custard Good?
Okay, let's settle this once and for all. Recently, writer/actress Mindy Kaling (better known as Kelly Kapoor on "The Office") was on The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. On a previous occasion when Mindy told Craig that she was coming to Las Vegas, he recommended that she go to Luv-It Custard, a venerable institution devoted to deliciousness. (Craig loves Luv-It and we love Craig.)
Mindy was angry that Craig had recommended it, not because it wasn't good, but because it was in the "most dangerous and sketchiest neighborhood I have ever been in, in my life". This has caused a wave of Mindy hatred in Vegas. Now, I will admit that I'm not a fan of hers to begin with and I thought her personality in the interview left a lot to be desired. And I find it hard to believe that she's never been anywhere worse. But people, Luv-It IS in a sketchy neighborhood!
For those who have never been, Luv-It sits about a half a block east of the famed "Strip" on Oakey, which puts it in what is referred to by reporters and police officers as the "Naked City". This is an older (I.e. run down) area known for drugs, prostitution, crime, etc. Yup, dangerous and sketchy by just about any one's standards. Most dangerous? Not hardly, I can take her to a few places where you wouldn't want to slow your car down, even for a flat tire.
Mindy kept saying things like "I expected Vegas to be like in the movies, like Ocean's 13". Well, it can be. if you never leave the Strip and stay south of Sahara, then it's exactly like the pictures in the movies. But outside of the tourist bubble, it's a real town with real people and yes, real crime. (Uh, hello, CSI is based here too, remember?)
But back to Luv-It. I never recommend it without warning people about the neighborhood. It shares it's parking lot with a 'gentleman's club' (a stripper club) and a convenience store with a sign that says "we don't sell single cigs" to let the wandering homeless know that they need to wash enough windshields to buy the whole pack of 'cigs'. Luv-It has a walk-up order window and no place to sit so you have to eat the frozen custard in your car, or while milling about this parking lot. (It is also right by my old eye doctor's office, which is why I loved the eye doctor as a kid. A doctor that never gave shots and was next to the best ice cream in the world? Rock on.)
For those in the know, Luv-It also exists in what I think of as a sort of 'green zone'. Crime does not occur at Luv-It. It is beloved by all and so it is respected enough that you can go there in peace and safety. Which is only one of the reasons for long lines nearly every day of the year.
The other reason? Luv-It is freakin' AWESOME! Delicious homemade frozen custard. I cannot say enough about it, it really is the best I've ever had (and I have eaten me some ice cream, no doubt). We are going this Sunday to celebrate, well, never mind what, but I am already torn because one of the flavors is fresh Banana Nut, but I also want my traditional Desert Sundae (custard, hot fudge, homemade marshmallow cream and pecans, to die for!) Would I be a pig if I got my sundae and brought home the banana nut?
So people, don't ready the tar and feathers for actress Mindy Kaling just yet. She's just another vapid Hollywood celebrity who wants everything to be pretty instead of real. If she doesn't want to go to Luv-it, it just leaves more custard for the rest of us! (Oh, and by the way, she did admit the custard was worth risking her life for, so there.)
Here is the interview.
Mindy was angry that Craig had recommended it, not because it wasn't good, but because it was in the "most dangerous and sketchiest neighborhood I have ever been in, in my life". This has caused a wave of Mindy hatred in Vegas. Now, I will admit that I'm not a fan of hers to begin with and I thought her personality in the interview left a lot to be desired. And I find it hard to believe that she's never been anywhere worse. But people, Luv-It IS in a sketchy neighborhood!
For those who have never been, Luv-It sits about a half a block east of the famed "Strip" on Oakey, which puts it in what is referred to by reporters and police officers as the "Naked City". This is an older (I.e. run down) area known for drugs, prostitution, crime, etc. Yup, dangerous and sketchy by just about any one's standards. Most dangerous? Not hardly, I can take her to a few places where you wouldn't want to slow your car down, even for a flat tire.
Mindy kept saying things like "I expected Vegas to be like in the movies, like Ocean's 13". Well, it can be. if you never leave the Strip and stay south of Sahara, then it's exactly like the pictures in the movies. But outside of the tourist bubble, it's a real town with real people and yes, real crime. (Uh, hello, CSI is based here too, remember?)
But back to Luv-It. I never recommend it without warning people about the neighborhood. It shares it's parking lot with a 'gentleman's club' (a stripper club) and a convenience store with a sign that says "we don't sell single cigs" to let the wandering homeless know that they need to wash enough windshields to buy the whole pack of 'cigs'. Luv-It has a walk-up order window and no place to sit so you have to eat the frozen custard in your car, or while milling about this parking lot. (It is also right by my old eye doctor's office, which is why I loved the eye doctor as a kid. A doctor that never gave shots and was next to the best ice cream in the world? Rock on.)
For those in the know, Luv-It also exists in what I think of as a sort of 'green zone'. Crime does not occur at Luv-It. It is beloved by all and so it is respected enough that you can go there in peace and safety. Which is only one of the reasons for long lines nearly every day of the year.
The other reason? Luv-It is freakin' AWESOME! Delicious homemade frozen custard. I cannot say enough about it, it really is the best I've ever had (and I have eaten me some ice cream, no doubt). We are going this Sunday to celebrate, well, never mind what, but I am already torn because one of the flavors is fresh Banana Nut, but I also want my traditional Desert Sundae (custard, hot fudge, homemade marshmallow cream and pecans, to die for!) Would I be a pig if I got my sundae and brought home the banana nut?
So people, don't ready the tar and feathers for actress Mindy Kaling just yet. She's just another vapid Hollywood celebrity who wants everything to be pretty instead of real. If she doesn't want to go to Luv-it, it just leaves more custard for the rest of us! (Oh, and by the way, she did admit the custard was worth risking her life for, so there.)
Here is the interview.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
We Had the Time of Our Lives
I know millions of women are mourning the passing of Patrick Swayze and I just wanted to throw in my tribute as well.
I first became aware of Patrick when I was a pre-teen and he made "The Outsiders" based on the S.E. Hinton novel, then the short lived television series "Renegades" and then the teens against the entire Communist army film "Red Dawn" (soon to be remade but it, like "Fame" can never be surpassed.)
I fell in love with Patrick when he played Orry Main in the mini-series "North and South". You see children, way back in the Eighties the mini-series was a beloved staple of network television and as a TV obsessed teenager, I watched them all. But "North and South", based on the John Jakes novel, was one of my all time favorites. It had it all - sex, revenge, lying, overacting and overwrought dialogue, all set in the Civil War. It was brilliant and starred lots of Eighties celebrities, like Genie Francis, Jonathan Frakes (who married Genie Francis), Kirstie Alley, James read, Elizabeth Taylor, Hal Holbrook and Forrest Whittaker, just to name a few. But it was Patrick as Orry, a man driven by demons of war and the loss of the woman he loved that had me the first time I saw him in breeches.
But my innocent crush turned into full blown lust when I saw "Dirty Dancing". I still maintain that it is one of the most brilliantly cast romance films ever. I do not mean this as a slight on jennifer Grey but I think they were really smart to cast her as Baby because she was, well, plain. So many of us could relate to Baby's awkwardness because we felt less pretty than our sisters or best friends or the hot blond dancing partner. Every girl in that audience could see herself as Baby and when Patrick took a shine to our ugly duckling and helped her become the woman she was growing into, we all cheered. Plus, the sex scene, well it was the hottest thing this little girl had ever seen (at least up to that point.) A one point in the film, Baby hides Patrick's character Johnny from her father. Johnny gets mad because he thinks she is ashamed of him, afraid to admit that 'he's her man." I leaned over in the dark theater and told my friend, "If I was sleeping with Patrick Swayze, I'd put a sign on my front lawn!"
Sadly, I never got to put that sign on my lawn. Patrick was a happily married man who was married for over thirty years. That's like 210 years in Hollywood. And some of his post-"Dirty Dancing" films weren't the caliber that I know he was capable of. (Although if "Road House" is on I still try to catch the "Patrick is buck naked scene".) But he will always be my knight in shining armor, who would rescue me if anyone ever tired to stick me in a corner.
Rest in Peace, Patrick.
Monday, September 14, 2009
I Believe....
...that the people who care about you will help you, support you and cheer you on.
....that the people who only pretend to care about you will eventually show you their true colors.
...that life is, in turns, a constant surprise, a disappointment, an adventure and an experience.
...that you should never read the ending first.
...that dessert is the most important meal of the day.
...that I work way too hard to please other people, but I'm okay with that most of the time.
...that great writing can change your life, but mediocre writing can be pretty darn entertaining.
...you can't live life without trying.
..that little pleasures should never be belittled.
...that roller coaster rides and lives are rarely long enough.
...rewards will come from unexpected places.
...that I believe.
....that the people who only pretend to care about you will eventually show you their true colors.
...that life is, in turns, a constant surprise, a disappointment, an adventure and an experience.
...that you should never read the ending first.
...that dessert is the most important meal of the day.
...that I work way too hard to please other people, but I'm okay with that most of the time.
...that great writing can change your life, but mediocre writing can be pretty darn entertaining.
...you can't live life without trying.
..that little pleasures should never be belittled.
...that roller coaster rides and lives are rarely long enough.
...rewards will come from unexpected places.
...that I believe.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
LBS Burger
The family goes out to eat nearly every Sunday. Visiting the same restaurants can get old after a while, although every now and then you can discover something new at an old favorite restaurant. (If you haven't tried it, go for the fried chicken at Memphis Championship Barbecue. I don't really like fried chicken but theirs is phenomenal. And it's served family style with all you can eat mashed potatoes, green beans, chicken dumplings, corn and rolls. Oh My Gosh good!)
So we try to discover new places, with varying degrees of success. After reading a friend's blog, we decided to try LBS Burger at the Red Rock Station casino. She proclaimed it the best burger in the city, even better than Burger Bar (Hubert Keller's restaurant) in the Mandalay Bay. Now when it comes to burgers, I'm a bit of a purist, so my favorite burger in Las Vegas is at a dive bar near my house. While they are a little pricier than when I first started going, you can still get a 1/3 pound burger with fries for less than eight bucks. And it's a great burger, hand pattied with all my favorite fixings (again, I'm a traditionalist, I like lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and all the condiments) and it's on a toasted bun, which for me is what takes a burger to the next level. I would eat the burgers at this place more often if they didn't also have the best chili cheese fries in Vegas. Trust me when I say this causes no end of internal conflict.
So when someone tells me that they loved a burger place, I'm a tad skeptical. I'm not one for lots of exotic toppings or patties made from exotic animals. Beef, bun, cheese and my traditional fixings and I'm happy. But the pictures on her blog looked yum-tastic and we needed to get out of our rut so we decided to try it. The decor at LBS is southern Gothic meets rock n' roll. Black lace on the windows, furniture that would look right at home in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and way too loud music playing. (It was great music but just too loud). The economy has thinned out restaurant crowds so we got right in.
What to choose? The menu is descriptively delicious which makes you want everything. Burgers aren't cheap, averaging around eleven dollars. They did have sliders on the menu which come in three, six or twelve packs. After asking the waitress the size of the sliders (we have been to restaurants where the slider was the size of a regular burger) we decided to share a twelve order and get a few sides to share. We chose chili-cheese fries, onion rings and fried cheese curds (thank goodness casinos are required to have defibrillators on hand!) You can customize your sliders so we got six with American cheese and six with white cheddar. They come with fried onions, pickles and "LBS sauce" which is the same ubiquitous mayo-ketchup mix you get everywhere else.
The sliders were on shiny egg buns and a nice size of about three inches in diameter. Their meat is "dry aged 21 days" and while I don't know that dry aging has as much of an impact in a burger as it does in a steak, the burgers were nice and beefy.
The onion rings were some of the best I've ever had, large, well battered, shatteringly crisp and oh-so-delicious. The onions inside were nicely soft but didn't just fall out. (This was both good and bad, as I wanted a couple to fall out so I could give my brother the shell and eat the onion myself. he like onion rings but his digestive system doesn't like onions so I try to 'shell' a few so he can have some of the taste without the distress. We are kind of like Jack Sprat and his sister - yes, I know the story is Jack Sprat and his wife, but he had to have someone help him before he got married, didn't he?) The fries underneath the chili were good, but the chili itself was too sweet with too much cinnamon (great for you Cincinnati chili lovers, but I'm a Texas red kind of girl so this needed more heat, less sweet) although the roasted jalapenos and sour cream were a nice touch.
Cheese curds are a delicacy that some love and some hate. I personally like the 'squeaky cheese' and try to stop in the Cache Valley store every time we drive to Salt Lake to buy some. They are best very fresh so the store connected to the dairy is the right place to buy them. But even if the cheese curds at LBS weren't 'squeaky' fresh, they were delicious none the less. Deep fried cheese isn't high on my list because it usually involves mozzarella, a very stretchy cheese but fairly bland in flavor. The white cheese curds at LBS were nicely stretchy but with more flavor than mozzarella. The only downside was that the "tomato relish" on the side was really just a marinara. I just ate them plain.
Desserts seemed pretty standard except for the daily pie. When I inquires to that day's flavor and was told it was peach raspberry, we signed up for two (they are small, just about 3-1/2 inches so the waitress explained we would need two for the five of us. Why they get skimpy at dessert is beyond me, when all their other portion sizes were huge.) It comes out warm, with vanilla ice cream. It had a lovely flaky bottom crust and a crunchy sweet oatmeal streusel topping. The tangy raspberries were a perfect foil to the sweet peaches. Lovely and delicious and even though we were stuffed from lunch there was no pie left over (which proves my theory that you ALWAYS have room for dessert.)
So, best burger in Vegas? Not really. But a good burger with some good sides, yes. Besides the loud music, the only other downfall was the price. Even with us sharing everything and having only water to drink, the bill came to over eighty dollars for five people. Not exactly budget friendly. But we will probably return, at least for the onion rings and pie!
So we try to discover new places, with varying degrees of success. After reading a friend's blog, we decided to try LBS Burger at the Red Rock Station casino. She proclaimed it the best burger in the city, even better than Burger Bar (Hubert Keller's restaurant) in the Mandalay Bay. Now when it comes to burgers, I'm a bit of a purist, so my favorite burger in Las Vegas is at a dive bar near my house. While they are a little pricier than when I first started going, you can still get a 1/3 pound burger with fries for less than eight bucks. And it's a great burger, hand pattied with all my favorite fixings (again, I'm a traditionalist, I like lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and all the condiments) and it's on a toasted bun, which for me is what takes a burger to the next level. I would eat the burgers at this place more often if they didn't also have the best chili cheese fries in Vegas. Trust me when I say this causes no end of internal conflict.
So when someone tells me that they loved a burger place, I'm a tad skeptical. I'm not one for lots of exotic toppings or patties made from exotic animals. Beef, bun, cheese and my traditional fixings and I'm happy. But the pictures on her blog looked yum-tastic and we needed to get out of our rut so we decided to try it. The decor at LBS is southern Gothic meets rock n' roll. Black lace on the windows, furniture that would look right at home in the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland and way too loud music playing. (It was great music but just too loud). The economy has thinned out restaurant crowds so we got right in.
What to choose? The menu is descriptively delicious which makes you want everything. Burgers aren't cheap, averaging around eleven dollars. They did have sliders on the menu which come in three, six or twelve packs. After asking the waitress the size of the sliders (we have been to restaurants where the slider was the size of a regular burger) we decided to share a twelve order and get a few sides to share. We chose chili-cheese fries, onion rings and fried cheese curds (thank goodness casinos are required to have defibrillators on hand!) You can customize your sliders so we got six with American cheese and six with white cheddar. They come with fried onions, pickles and "LBS sauce" which is the same ubiquitous mayo-ketchup mix you get everywhere else.
The sliders were on shiny egg buns and a nice size of about three inches in diameter. Their meat is "dry aged 21 days" and while I don't know that dry aging has as much of an impact in a burger as it does in a steak, the burgers were nice and beefy.
The onion rings were some of the best I've ever had, large, well battered, shatteringly crisp and oh-so-delicious. The onions inside were nicely soft but didn't just fall out. (This was both good and bad, as I wanted a couple to fall out so I could give my brother the shell and eat the onion myself. he like onion rings but his digestive system doesn't like onions so I try to 'shell' a few so he can have some of the taste without the distress. We are kind of like Jack Sprat and his sister - yes, I know the story is Jack Sprat and his wife, but he had to have someone help him before he got married, didn't he?) The fries underneath the chili were good, but the chili itself was too sweet with too much cinnamon (great for you Cincinnati chili lovers, but I'm a Texas red kind of girl so this needed more heat, less sweet) although the roasted jalapenos and sour cream were a nice touch.
Cheese curds are a delicacy that some love and some hate. I personally like the 'squeaky cheese' and try to stop in the Cache Valley store every time we drive to Salt Lake to buy some. They are best very fresh so the store connected to the dairy is the right place to buy them. But even if the cheese curds at LBS weren't 'squeaky' fresh, they were delicious none the less. Deep fried cheese isn't high on my list because it usually involves mozzarella, a very stretchy cheese but fairly bland in flavor. The white cheese curds at LBS were nicely stretchy but with more flavor than mozzarella. The only downside was that the "tomato relish" on the side was really just a marinara. I just ate them plain.
Desserts seemed pretty standard except for the daily pie. When I inquires to that day's flavor and was told it was peach raspberry, we signed up for two (they are small, just about 3-1/2 inches so the waitress explained we would need two for the five of us. Why they get skimpy at dessert is beyond me, when all their other portion sizes were huge.) It comes out warm, with vanilla ice cream. It had a lovely flaky bottom crust and a crunchy sweet oatmeal streusel topping. The tangy raspberries were a perfect foil to the sweet peaches. Lovely and delicious and even though we were stuffed from lunch there was no pie left over (which proves my theory that you ALWAYS have room for dessert.)
So, best burger in Vegas? Not really. But a good burger with some good sides, yes. Besides the loud music, the only other downfall was the price. Even with us sharing everything and having only water to drink, the bill came to over eighty dollars for five people. Not exactly budget friendly. But we will probably return, at least for the onion rings and pie!
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Things I'm Working On
I will go into more detail later but I had the most lovely (and incredibly overpriced) macaroon from Jean Phillipe Patisserie at the Bellagio. It was called a "Rose Macaroon" and was described as a "raspberry macaroon with rose cream and fresh raspberries". We are talking French macaroon here, not the American coconut kind. Since I have lately been obsessed with flavoring things with rose and violet and lavender, I had to try it. It was beautiful, crowned with a sugared rose petal. It was also $6.50. But again, I had to try it and I figure it is a business expense in the name of research, so I can write it off, right?
Well, there was no discernible rose flavor (even in the petal, though I munched on it happily anyway) but the raspberries were marvelous plump, fresh little morsels. I shared my tiny treasure with Mom and the Graminator so I only got a couple of bites but it was enough to convince me that I need to learn to make French macaroons. I never liked the coconut kind except for one I made but have since lost the recipe for, but the French version is more like a meringue with a ground almond base and since I adore meringue, it's right up my alley.
I am also going to make Black and White cookies of the New York bakery variety, which aren't really a cookie at all but more of a flat cupcake. I adore them and haven't had a true Black and White in years. Once I get them perfected, I think I'm going to call my friend Antonia to try them. She's a real New Yorker plus her husband used to work in a bakery in New York so I'm sure she can tell me if I get it right. And I haven't practiced my New York accent in a while so I'd love to spend some time with her!
Today I'm making gougeres, which are savory cream puffs with cheese. I'm going to Americanize them with a bit of jalapeno cheese instead of the traditional gruyere. And since I'll have the pate choux already, I think a few eclairs will be in order. In fact, I'm off to make the pastry cream filling. Jealous? Well, don't be, my ass will pay the price later on! Besides, you can always order them from Glitter City Sweets! (Superfluous plug for the day, check.)
Railing Against the Wind
I hate hypocrisy.
Seriously, if you are going to screw me, be honest about it. I won't go into the details to protect the incredibly guilty other party, but suffice it to say someone cut me out of a business arrangement siting an excuse so unforgivably flimsy and completely hypocritical that I am deeply offended. And never say 'it's not personal' when it is exactly personal. Be honest and up front and say "it's for completely personal and bogus reasons". I won't like it any better but at least you won't be a hypocritical liar. Just don't treat me like I'm an idiot. Cuz I'm not. And I don't forget, ever.
Okay, rant over. I will get over this and despite the efforts of those who work against me, I will prevail. Your pettiness will only resolve my will to succeed. I would thank you, but I don't want to be a hypocrite.
Seriously, if you are going to screw me, be honest about it. I won't go into the details to protect the incredibly guilty other party, but suffice it to say someone cut me out of a business arrangement siting an excuse so unforgivably flimsy and completely hypocritical that I am deeply offended. And never say 'it's not personal' when it is exactly personal. Be honest and up front and say "it's for completely personal and bogus reasons". I won't like it any better but at least you won't be a hypocritical liar. Just don't treat me like I'm an idiot. Cuz I'm not. And I don't forget, ever.
Okay, rant over. I will get over this and despite the efforts of those who work against me, I will prevail. Your pettiness will only resolve my will to succeed. I would thank you, but I don't want to be a hypocrite.
Friday, September 04, 2009
Whew!
I know it's been so long, Loyal Readers, and I have to apologize. Glitter City Sweets has eaten a huge chunk of my time. I barely had time to breathe.
First we had a bridal show with a large chain bridal store where I set out cake for tasting for the brides, grooms and assorted bridesmaids, moms, etc. Plus I made 180 little embossed wedding cookies to go in each bride's 'goodie' bag. I manned the store on the west side of town while my wonderful sister-in-law and adorable brother manned the store in Henderson.
For the event, which was titled "Girls Night Out" I invented little cupcake shooters, a small two-bite cake in a little souffle cup. For this event I made them in cocktail type flavors - Pomegranate Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Chocolate Martini and Shirley Temple (in case someone didn't want to imbibe.) They were a HUGE hit although the number on question asked was "Can you get drunk on these?" (The answer is no, you'd have to eat so many that you'd go into a sugar coma first!)
Since weddings are planned months, sometimes years, in advance, it will be a while before I know how successful the event was, at least in terms of selling cakes and favors. In terms of selling cupcakes, it was a huge success. My brother took the leftovers from his location to his job the next day to share with his co-workers (he even set up a cute little display.) From that I got an order for 48 cupcake shooters, a possible cake order and an invitation to put my advertisements into the bags of his company's upcoming health fair. (I know my product isn't exactly 'healthy' but everyone deserves a treat and most of my marshmallows are fat free.) That's two thousand potential customers, who are teachers, so they have lots of opportunity to need treats.
After the bridal fair was over I had to get to work on a huge corporate order for logo cookies. We did 12 dozen cookies with two different logos for a company based out of Arizona. The cookies went to Louisiana, California, Georgia, Michigan, and Washington. They were absolutely adorable! I also had an order for a couple hundred strawberry marshmallow for an engagement party this weekend in New Jersey that had to go out. (Congrats to the happy couple!) Then an order for another hundred cupcake shooters. Just when I though I could breathe, three more orders came in!
So I guess you can say that business is going well. I was even looking for a retail location, which I found, but even though they offered me the price I was looking for (thanks Mr. Becker! And if you are ever looking for commercial real estate in Las Vegas, call BEKS Group, they are so incredibly nice) I sat down and crunched the numbers and I just think I am under capitalized at the moment. I fretted and stressed and finally, on advice from my good friend - and great attorney, Tina Yan - I decided to wait. As Tina put it, better to be too busy for the space you are in than not busy enough in a new space. It means my plans for expansion will have to wait, but I just didn't want to invest all of my savings and have it not be quite enough to make it work. I have no doubt that GCS will be that big but it takes time and time takes money. So world bakery domination is on hold at the moment. I am still searching for a larger space to rent as I am much busier that I anticipated when I first found a place that would let me bake there. But I have faith that something will come through!
Meanwhile, it's now September and in the Wilhite household that means birthday month. Yup, my brother's birthday is on Tuesday and my mom's is on Friday which means that mine is just a couple of weeks away. We are going out this Sunday to a great restaurant (Todd English's Olives at the Bellagio Hotel). It is "Restaurant Week" in Las Vegas which means that lots of high end restaurants are offering special three course meals for $20.09, $30.09 and $50.09, with some of the proceeds going to a local food bank charity, Three Square. Will and Val are going to Capital Grill tonight and we are doing Olive's on Sunday (I'd love to go to La Fiamma on Saturday...anyone? Anyone?) Since dessert is taken care of on Sunday I'm going to make the birthday cake for my mom and brother for next Sunday. It's going to be a three tier 'topsy-turvy' cake in Bananas Foster. I'll post pictures. I'll also let you know how Olives was (Still open for Saturday. Anyone? Anyone?) and I have my review of LBS Burger still to post. Stay tuned, Loyal Readers, I promise I'll be posting regularly again! XXOO
First we had a bridal show with a large chain bridal store where I set out cake for tasting for the brides, grooms and assorted bridesmaids, moms, etc. Plus I made 180 little embossed wedding cookies to go in each bride's 'goodie' bag. I manned the store on the west side of town while my wonderful sister-in-law and adorable brother manned the store in Henderson.
For the event, which was titled "Girls Night Out" I invented little cupcake shooters, a small two-bite cake in a little souffle cup. For this event I made them in cocktail type flavors - Pomegranate Cosmopolitan, Mojito, Chocolate Martini and Shirley Temple (in case someone didn't want to imbibe.) They were a HUGE hit although the number on question asked was "Can you get drunk on these?" (The answer is no, you'd have to eat so many that you'd go into a sugar coma first!)
Since weddings are planned months, sometimes years, in advance, it will be a while before I know how successful the event was, at least in terms of selling cakes and favors. In terms of selling cupcakes, it was a huge success. My brother took the leftovers from his location to his job the next day to share with his co-workers (he even set up a cute little display.) From that I got an order for 48 cupcake shooters, a possible cake order and an invitation to put my advertisements into the bags of his company's upcoming health fair. (I know my product isn't exactly 'healthy' but everyone deserves a treat and most of my marshmallows are fat free.) That's two thousand potential customers, who are teachers, so they have lots of opportunity to need treats.
After the bridal fair was over I had to get to work on a huge corporate order for logo cookies. We did 12 dozen cookies with two different logos for a company based out of Arizona. The cookies went to Louisiana, California, Georgia, Michigan, and Washington. They were absolutely adorable! I also had an order for a couple hundred strawberry marshmallow for an engagement party this weekend in New Jersey that had to go out. (Congrats to the happy couple!) Then an order for another hundred cupcake shooters. Just when I though I could breathe, three more orders came in!
So I guess you can say that business is going well. I was even looking for a retail location, which I found, but even though they offered me the price I was looking for (thanks Mr. Becker! And if you are ever looking for commercial real estate in Las Vegas, call BEKS Group, they are so incredibly nice) I sat down and crunched the numbers and I just think I am under capitalized at the moment. I fretted and stressed and finally, on advice from my good friend - and great attorney, Tina Yan - I decided to wait. As Tina put it, better to be too busy for the space you are in than not busy enough in a new space. It means my plans for expansion will have to wait, but I just didn't want to invest all of my savings and have it not be quite enough to make it work. I have no doubt that GCS will be that big but it takes time and time takes money. So world bakery domination is on hold at the moment. I am still searching for a larger space to rent as I am much busier that I anticipated when I first found a place that would let me bake there. But I have faith that something will come through!
Meanwhile, it's now September and in the Wilhite household that means birthday month. Yup, my brother's birthday is on Tuesday and my mom's is on Friday which means that mine is just a couple of weeks away. We are going out this Sunday to a great restaurant (Todd English's Olives at the Bellagio Hotel). It is "Restaurant Week" in Las Vegas which means that lots of high end restaurants are offering special three course meals for $20.09, $30.09 and $50.09, with some of the proceeds going to a local food bank charity, Three Square. Will and Val are going to Capital Grill tonight and we are doing Olive's on Sunday (I'd love to go to La Fiamma on Saturday...anyone? Anyone?) Since dessert is taken care of on Sunday I'm going to make the birthday cake for my mom and brother for next Sunday. It's going to be a three tier 'topsy-turvy' cake in Bananas Foster. I'll post pictures. I'll also let you know how Olives was (Still open for Saturday. Anyone? Anyone?) and I have my review of LBS Burger still to post. Stay tuned, Loyal Readers, I promise I'll be posting regularly again! XXOO
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
This Summer's Guilty Pleasures
Summer is such a lovely time to indulge in guilty pleasure, don't you think? Here is my list of this summer's favorites.
1. Strawberry Ice Cream Sodas - Scoops of creamy strawberry ice cream with bubbly strawberry soda poured over. Yes, it's more artificial food coloring than I like to have (especially in the soda) but it tastes like happiness in a glass. If I close my eyes really tight, I can go back in time to the Swensen's ice cream parlor on Rancho with the black and white checked floors and cool marble counters. Ahhhh.
2. "Man vs. Food" - Why do I enjoy watching someone else pig out so much? Call it a vicarious pleasure. I love food and if gluttony is a sin, call me a sinner and pass the potato chips. Adam Richman gets to travel the county and devour enormous portions of food. What a dream job (hey, Travel Channel, how about a companion show "Girl vs. Food"?) I love to watch and only partly for the food. (The other reason is the little crush I have on Adam.) This week the show is in Vegas and if I'd known he was in town I would have stalked him. Check out the show, Wednesdays at 10pm on the Travel Channel.
3. Green Chile Cheeseburgers - I fell in love with these while I was in Alamogordo, new Mexico but had forgotten about them until I saw a "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" where they made them. I sizzled up a few burgers, topped them off with some zingy Hatch green chilies (stir frying them with a little garlic powder was the secret from "Throwdown" and it works wonders) and not only did I fall in love with them again, but Mom and The Graminator chowed down too.
4. "Wipeout" - I am not a fan of violence, I disliked the "Jackass" movies yet I love this show. I have no reason to except that it's fun to watch people take a header off of giant red rubber balls and the commentary by John Henson makes me laugh. I would actually try some of these stunts if I could be guaranteed there were no cameras on or anyone watching. Thank goodness there are people less shy than me willing to be humiliated for $50K.
5. "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" by Janet Evanovich - Yup, Stephanie Plum, Grandma Masur, Lulu, Ranger and the gang are back for another adventure. if you haven't read these books, get thee to a library immediately. They will make you laugh out loud at the adventures of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and the crazy cast of characters she interacts with. It's enough to make me want to move to Trenton, New Jersey (and no one WANTS to move to Trenton.) Perfect beach read, no beach required.
6. Wii Sports Resort - Are you having to take a 'stay-cation' this summer? Well, you can visit a virtual Club Med of activities with Nintendo's new Wii Sports Resort game. It's as well done as the original Wii Sports game that made Wii the choice of gamers and non-gamers alike. Now you can add activities like Wakeboarding, Archery, Skydiving and Frisbee to your virtual athletic repertoire. I love playing virtual Frisbee with my virtual dog, who wags his tail enthusiastically no matter how many times I throw the darn thing, unlike my real dog who gives up after two throws. Now if only Wii had a virtual spa at this virtual resort, because my Mii needs some shiatsu, stat.
7. "Defying Gravity" - Slick style, attractive cast and interesting scripts turned this astronaut adventure into a must see for me. I was so thoroughly unimpressed by the previews that I never would have watched the show. But I caught the first episode and was hooked. It's part soap opera, part psychological drama, part 2001: A Space Oddessy. Why is the baby crying? What is in pod four that has Ted so freaked out? Why is the crew's DNA changing? Does Maxim Roy know she looks just like Stephanie Kramer? So many questions, I just pray ABC lets this show live long enough to answer some of them. If you haven't caught on to this one yet, you can see all of the previous episodes on ABC.com or download them for free on iTunes.
8. Time Management Games - Speaking of iTunes, y'all know I love me some apps for my iPod touch. And when I can justify the added thirty bucks a month I will be getting an iPhone (and if the Netflix rumors are true I may not even wait for justification). One of my favorite types of games are called 'time management', games like Diner Dash, Burger Shop, Sally's Spa, Turbo Subs. You wait on virtual customers, getting them their orders correctly and in time. These games are fun and despite the name 'time management' they are actually 'time sucking'. I managed to avoid working in fast food restaurants my entire life, yet I spend hours pretending to do just that in a game. For no pay. Strange world indeed.
9."Better Off Ted" - One of the funniest sitcoms to debut in years. It was only on a few episodes as a mid-season show but for some reason ABC trotted out new episodes this summer. Not hat I'm complaining. It's hysterical. Imagine if "Dilbert" worked for a company ran by, say, Dr. Evil from Austin Powers. That might give you an idea of what life at Veridian Dynamics is like. Portia Di Rossi is the best bitch boss ever. Jay Harrington plays Ted as the straightest straight man ever. And Lem and Phil crack me up every time I see them. The best part of the show ay be the credits, which are not credits at all, but a Veridian Dynamics commercial that explains the episode in a nutshell. Best episode? Probably when the new sensors installed at Veridian didn't recognize black people. Problem? Yes, but as Veronica points out "it does see Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Jews." Too funny.
10. Bar-B-Que - This girl has her grill on this summer. From the most succulent grilled chicken breasts (brine then season then grill) to some killer smoked meats (indirect heat first for the smoky taste, then direct heat to finish the cooking and get a nice char going) I have been a 'que-n fool. And the best parts? No heating up the house and very little clean up afterwards. Score and double score!
Here is my list of honorable mentions: "The Big Bang Theory", Glitter City Sweets Marshmallows (I'd eat them even if I didn't make them), "X-Men: Wolverine", Simply Lemonade Raspberry Lemonade, Dasani Strawberry Kiwi water (I'm pretty sure it's discontinued because I found it last at the dollar store), Icee Frozen Cups (the Blue Raspberry will leave your tongue blue forever), and Entertainment Weekly magazine.
Okay, what is your guilty pleasure that didn't make my list?
1. Strawberry Ice Cream Sodas - Scoops of creamy strawberry ice cream with bubbly strawberry soda poured over. Yes, it's more artificial food coloring than I like to have (especially in the soda) but it tastes like happiness in a glass. If I close my eyes really tight, I can go back in time to the Swensen's ice cream parlor on Rancho with the black and white checked floors and cool marble counters. Ahhhh.
2. "Man vs. Food" - Why do I enjoy watching someone else pig out so much? Call it a vicarious pleasure. I love food and if gluttony is a sin, call me a sinner and pass the potato chips. Adam Richman gets to travel the county and devour enormous portions of food. What a dream job (hey, Travel Channel, how about a companion show "Girl vs. Food"?) I love to watch and only partly for the food. (The other reason is the little crush I have on Adam.) This week the show is in Vegas and if I'd known he was in town I would have stalked him. Check out the show, Wednesdays at 10pm on the Travel Channel.
3. Green Chile Cheeseburgers - I fell in love with these while I was in Alamogordo, new Mexico but had forgotten about them until I saw a "Throwdown with Bobby Flay" where they made them. I sizzled up a few burgers, topped them off with some zingy Hatch green chilies (stir frying them with a little garlic powder was the secret from "Throwdown" and it works wonders) and not only did I fall in love with them again, but Mom and The Graminator chowed down too.
4. "Wipeout" - I am not a fan of violence, I disliked the "Jackass" movies yet I love this show. I have no reason to except that it's fun to watch people take a header off of giant red rubber balls and the commentary by John Henson makes me laugh. I would actually try some of these stunts if I could be guaranteed there were no cameras on or anyone watching. Thank goodness there are people less shy than me willing to be humiliated for $50K.
5. "Finger Lickin' Fifteen" by Janet Evanovich - Yup, Stephanie Plum, Grandma Masur, Lulu, Ranger and the gang are back for another adventure. if you haven't read these books, get thee to a library immediately. They will make you laugh out loud at the adventures of bounty hunter Stephanie Plum and the crazy cast of characters she interacts with. It's enough to make me want to move to Trenton, New Jersey (and no one WANTS to move to Trenton.) Perfect beach read, no beach required.
6. Wii Sports Resort - Are you having to take a 'stay-cation' this summer? Well, you can visit a virtual Club Med of activities with Nintendo's new Wii Sports Resort game. It's as well done as the original Wii Sports game that made Wii the choice of gamers and non-gamers alike. Now you can add activities like Wakeboarding, Archery, Skydiving and Frisbee to your virtual athletic repertoire. I love playing virtual Frisbee with my virtual dog, who wags his tail enthusiastically no matter how many times I throw the darn thing, unlike my real dog who gives up after two throws. Now if only Wii had a virtual spa at this virtual resort, because my Mii needs some shiatsu, stat.
7. "Defying Gravity" - Slick style, attractive cast and interesting scripts turned this astronaut adventure into a must see for me. I was so thoroughly unimpressed by the previews that I never would have watched the show. But I caught the first episode and was hooked. It's part soap opera, part psychological drama, part 2001: A Space Oddessy. Why is the baby crying? What is in pod four that has Ted so freaked out? Why is the crew's DNA changing? Does Maxim Roy know she looks just like Stephanie Kramer? So many questions, I just pray ABC lets this show live long enough to answer some of them. If you haven't caught on to this one yet, you can see all of the previous episodes on ABC.com or download them for free on iTunes.
8. Time Management Games - Speaking of iTunes, y'all know I love me some apps for my iPod touch. And when I can justify the added thirty bucks a month I will be getting an iPhone (and if the Netflix rumors are true I may not even wait for justification). One of my favorite types of games are called 'time management', games like Diner Dash, Burger Shop, Sally's Spa, Turbo Subs. You wait on virtual customers, getting them their orders correctly and in time. These games are fun and despite the name 'time management' they are actually 'time sucking'. I managed to avoid working in fast food restaurants my entire life, yet I spend hours pretending to do just that in a game. For no pay. Strange world indeed.
9."Better Off Ted" - One of the funniest sitcoms to debut in years. It was only on a few episodes as a mid-season show but for some reason ABC trotted out new episodes this summer. Not hat I'm complaining. It's hysterical. Imagine if "Dilbert" worked for a company ran by, say, Dr. Evil from Austin Powers. That might give you an idea of what life at Veridian Dynamics is like. Portia Di Rossi is the best bitch boss ever. Jay Harrington plays Ted as the straightest straight man ever. And Lem and Phil crack me up every time I see them. The best part of the show ay be the credits, which are not credits at all, but a Veridian Dynamics commercial that explains the episode in a nutshell. Best episode? Probably when the new sensors installed at Veridian didn't recognize black people. Problem? Yes, but as Veronica points out "it does see Hispanics, Asians, Pacific Islanders and Jews." Too funny.
10. Bar-B-Que - This girl has her grill on this summer. From the most succulent grilled chicken breasts (brine then season then grill) to some killer smoked meats (indirect heat first for the smoky taste, then direct heat to finish the cooking and get a nice char going) I have been a 'que-n fool. And the best parts? No heating up the house and very little clean up afterwards. Score and double score!
Here is my list of honorable mentions: "The Big Bang Theory", Glitter City Sweets Marshmallows (I'd eat them even if I didn't make them), "X-Men: Wolverine", Simply Lemonade Raspberry Lemonade, Dasani Strawberry Kiwi water (I'm pretty sure it's discontinued because I found it last at the dollar store), Icee Frozen Cups (the Blue Raspberry will leave your tongue blue forever), and Entertainment Weekly magazine.
Okay, what is your guilty pleasure that didn't make my list?
Friday, August 07, 2009
Goodbye John and Thanks
Iconic filmmaker John Hughes has passed away. As a child of the 80's, I grew up on his films. Not only did his films speak to us because the characters were our age, but because the themes of these films were so close to our own lives. We have all felt like "a brain, and an athlete, and a basket case, a princess and a criminal". They made us feel like someone knew what we were felling, the teen angst, the self-doubt. And (unlike real life) they had pretty happy endings. We felt hope after watching a Hughes movie.
But he didn't just write and direct those classic 80's films, he also wrote some truly great comedies. "Vacation", which is one of my all time favorite movies (we'll just forgive the sequels, okay?) and "Mr. Mom" which made Michael Keaton a star. In fact, while he wrote 38 films, he only directed 8. And of those films he directed, he made 7 of them in only 5 years. When you are hot, you're hot. He continued to write until as recently as last year (the film "Drillbit Taylor" which I haven't seen but which does star my crush Owen Wilson) under the name Edmond Dantes. (Hmm, do you think John Hughes just liked the Dumas novel, or did he feel like a man who escaped some cruel machinations to achieve unheard of wealth and power?)
My hat is off to you. Mr. Hughes. I truly hope you enjoyed the ride. And when you get to Heaven, I hope the moose outside doesn't tell you it's closed.
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Amen.
P.S. On a very irreverent side note, is it just me or did John Hughes look an awful lot like Billie Jean King?
But he didn't just write and direct those classic 80's films, he also wrote some truly great comedies. "Vacation", which is one of my all time favorite movies (we'll just forgive the sequels, okay?) and "Mr. Mom" which made Michael Keaton a star. In fact, while he wrote 38 films, he only directed 8. And of those films he directed, he made 7 of them in only 5 years. When you are hot, you're hot. He continued to write until as recently as last year (the film "Drillbit Taylor" which I haven't seen but which does star my crush Owen Wilson) under the name Edmond Dantes. (Hmm, do you think John Hughes just liked the Dumas novel, or did he feel like a man who escaped some cruel machinations to achieve unheard of wealth and power?)
My hat is off to you. Mr. Hughes. I truly hope you enjoyed the ride. And when you get to Heaven, I hope the moose outside doesn't tell you it's closed.
"Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." Amen.
P.S. On a very irreverent side note, is it just me or did John Hughes look an awful lot like Billie Jean King?
Monday, August 03, 2009
How I Spend My Time
Yes, I spend my days creating things like this. It's legal, fun and tasty, how many things can you say that about? But when you look at the picture, are you hungry for dessert or Italian food?
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Getting the Message Out There
The legend of Glitter City Sweets is growing, we got a mention on examiner.com! Check out the article.
S'more good reasons to party!
Posted using ShareThis
Hmm, two Marshmallow Holidays in August. Guess we better start celebrating!
S'more good reasons to party!
Posted using ShareThis
Hmm, two Marshmallow Holidays in August. Guess we better start celebrating!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Baby Daddy's
Since the response to the "Who's the Daddy" game was underwhelming (thanks Maura and Chan for participating!) I'll announce that of the two, Chan is the winner. He got one right. Here are the babies and their respective fathers.
Baby One - Ben Affleck. This should have been an easy choice. Everyone knows my Ben Affleck obsession. But after seeing this kid's picture, well, not so much. I'm sure Ben's actual children are much more attractive.
Baby Two - Owen Wilson. The cutest of the babies has the least conventionally attractive dad, although I love this quirky actor. Anyone who hasn't seen it needs to rent "Bottle Rocket".
Baby Three - Ryan Reynolds. This Canadian actor is hot, hot, hot (as in not only good looking but also starring in some mega-movies. It's about time, I've seen how talented Ryan was since "Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Parlor". He has eclectic taste in women (Alanis Morrisette and Scarlett Johannson seem like polar opposites to me, but hey, whatever.) His baby though is a pasty kid, which I guess you should expect if a Canuck mates with a mayonnaise woman (I'm so white I'm opaque.)
Chan wins marshmallows in his choice of flavors. See, aren't you sad you didn't participate now?
Baby One - Ben Affleck. This should have been an easy choice. Everyone knows my Ben Affleck obsession. But after seeing this kid's picture, well, not so much. I'm sure Ben's actual children are much more attractive.
Baby Two - Owen Wilson. The cutest of the babies has the least conventionally attractive dad, although I love this quirky actor. Anyone who hasn't seen it needs to rent "Bottle Rocket".
Baby Three - Ryan Reynolds. This Canadian actor is hot, hot, hot (as in not only good looking but also starring in some mega-movies. It's about time, I've seen how talented Ryan was since "Two Guys, A Girl and a Pizza Parlor". He has eclectic taste in women (Alanis Morrisette and Scarlett Johannson seem like polar opposites to me, but hey, whatever.) His baby though is a pasty kid, which I guess you should expect if a Canuck mates with a mayonnaise woman (I'm so white I'm opaque.)
Chan wins marshmallows in his choice of flavors. See, aren't you sad you didn't participate now?
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Who's the Daddy?
Okay, my biological clock doesn't tick very loud (I'd rather borrow than own) but sometimes I wonder what my fictional offspring would look like. Well, VW has an answer with it's Routon Babymaker. You scan your picture and the picture of the 'dad' in and it shows you what your baby would look like. Since I'm not seeing any potential sperm donors at the moment, I went with my fantasy crushes. I wanted to see which celebrity I would make the cutest kid with so I could then stalk with confidence (just kidding, I don't have the time to devote to being a really good stalker, and if you can't do something right you shouldn't do it at all.)
Now, I know that this program just computer generates a picture based on two sets of facial features, which is not a good way to determine genetic compatibility. But based on these pictures, I should probably not reproduce. I've always suspected that any fruit of my loins might be less than preternaturally attractive, but this makes me frightened. I matched myself with very good looking mates and this is what happened.
Baby #1
Is it just me or does this kid look a lot like Rumer Willis? No, the 'father' isn't Bruce. Can you guess what celebrity helped me make this kid? It's enough to make me refill my birth control.
Baby #2
In my opinion, this is the cutest of my 'children', which is strange because of my celebrity crushes, this 'dad' is the least conventionally attractive. Hmmm, maybe two wrongs make a right? Can you guess the celebrity?
Baby #3
This baby's 'daddy' is Canadian. I think this celeb is hot, but the baby is not. Sigh. Name that daddy!
Okay, while I go and contemplate the expiration date of my eggs, you need to guess the celebrity daddy's and match them to the correct offspring. Put your guesses in a comment and I will tell you the correct answers and who wins the contest (prize to be determined.)
Now, I know that this program just computer generates a picture based on two sets of facial features, which is not a good way to determine genetic compatibility. But based on these pictures, I should probably not reproduce. I've always suspected that any fruit of my loins might be less than preternaturally attractive, but this makes me frightened. I matched myself with very good looking mates and this is what happened.
Baby #1
Is it just me or does this kid look a lot like Rumer Willis? No, the 'father' isn't Bruce. Can you guess what celebrity helped me make this kid? It's enough to make me refill my birth control.
Baby #2
In my opinion, this is the cutest of my 'children', which is strange because of my celebrity crushes, this 'dad' is the least conventionally attractive. Hmmm, maybe two wrongs make a right? Can you guess the celebrity?
Baby #3
This baby's 'daddy' is Canadian. I think this celeb is hot, but the baby is not. Sigh. Name that daddy!
Okay, while I go and contemplate the expiration date of my eggs, you need to guess the celebrity daddy's and match them to the correct offspring. Put your guesses in a comment and I will tell you the correct answers and who wins the contest (prize to be determined.)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Bless the Girl Scouts
They have great cookies, but I'm not grateful for the Thin Mints today. I'm grateful for the training I got as a Girl Scout.
Yes, I was a Girl Scout. From second grade until I was a sophomore in high school. I even earned the highest honor you could at the time, the First Class award (equivalent to an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts.) I learned many things in scouting and I will never, ever go camping again (unless "camping" involves a large, luxurious fully equipped motor home with satellite TV.)
One of the things I learned in scouting was first aid. I can bandage wounds, make a stretcher from campsite materials and diagnose heatstroke. And I kept up on my first aid training even after my scouting years were through, keeping up my CPR certification (I never want to do it, but I could if I had to.) So all of that training kicked in last night when The Graminator started choking.
Now you have to understand that The Graminator coughs a lot. She has allergies that cause her to cough until she sneezes. Plus she and I have a tendency to have things "go down the wrong tube" and you just have to "cough it out" which has led me to major embarrassment many times (somehow this almost always happens to me when I'm in public, rarely when I'm alone.)It isn't really choking, even though it sounds terrible.
So I night not have noticed right away when she started making a strange sound when I gave her dinner last night. Except that it wasn't a cough, it was a weird noise like someone trying to suck in air but being unable to. It only took me a couple of seconds to react and I got her up to a standing position. When a few whacks on the back failed to dislodge the food (I was concerned with hitting her too hard, she is 88 after all) I performed the Heimlich maneuver. I had to do it twice but got the food out and she was able to breathe normally again. My mother was grateful, since she doesn't know the Heimlich and since she is too small to have gotten The Graminator up and her arms around her. I was just glad I didn't have to sit there helplessly watching my grandmother choke.
My mom says I saved her life. I don't know about that, she might have been able to dislodge it herself, or maybe there was enough air going around the food that she wasn't in any real danger. But I do know that I really appreciate the first aid training I got so many years ago. And I never want to do it again. So please, people, chew your food!
Yes, I was a Girl Scout. From second grade until I was a sophomore in high school. I even earned the highest honor you could at the time, the First Class award (equivalent to an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts.) I learned many things in scouting and I will never, ever go camping again (unless "camping" involves a large, luxurious fully equipped motor home with satellite TV.)
One of the things I learned in scouting was first aid. I can bandage wounds, make a stretcher from campsite materials and diagnose heatstroke. And I kept up on my first aid training even after my scouting years were through, keeping up my CPR certification (I never want to do it, but I could if I had to.) So all of that training kicked in last night when The Graminator started choking.
Now you have to understand that The Graminator coughs a lot. She has allergies that cause her to cough until she sneezes. Plus she and I have a tendency to have things "go down the wrong tube" and you just have to "cough it out" which has led me to major embarrassment many times (somehow this almost always happens to me when I'm in public, rarely when I'm alone.)It isn't really choking, even though it sounds terrible.
So I night not have noticed right away when she started making a strange sound when I gave her dinner last night. Except that it wasn't a cough, it was a weird noise like someone trying to suck in air but being unable to. It only took me a couple of seconds to react and I got her up to a standing position. When a few whacks on the back failed to dislodge the food (I was concerned with hitting her too hard, she is 88 after all) I performed the Heimlich maneuver. I had to do it twice but got the food out and she was able to breathe normally again. My mother was grateful, since she doesn't know the Heimlich and since she is too small to have gotten The Graminator up and her arms around her. I was just glad I didn't have to sit there helplessly watching my grandmother choke.
My mom says I saved her life. I don't know about that, she might have been able to dislodge it herself, or maybe there was enough air going around the food that she wasn't in any real danger. But I do know that I really appreciate the first aid training I got so many years ago. And I never want to do it again. So please, people, chew your food!
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Advice
A good friend, Dyann, is thinking about starting her own business. She sent me an email saying she wanted to pick my brain for advice. While I'm pretty sure I'm NOT the person you want that kind of advice from, here are a few random thoughts that someone may be able to glean a tiny nugget of inspiration from.
Just do it - There are lots of people who will tell you that you need to do copious amounts of research and develop a well thought out "business plan". There are also lots of people who have 'business plans' and no business. I myself have several 'business plans' that never came to fruition. Yes, you need to know what you are going to sell and who you are going to sell it to (so you don't open an "All Pork" restaurant in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood for example) but you can spend years and years making plans and never actually do any of it. Many entrepreneurs just went out there and did it. They had an idea and they went for it. Sometimes all the planning can lead to fear and discouragement before you even get started. In today's "marketplace" thing are less traditional and structured than they were before so you can go about things less conventionally than before, like making your business plan up as you go along. (Note: If you need loans and investors, you do need a business plan in hand.)
It's okay to fail - Sometimes you can have a great product and it still doesn't work out. For example, years ago my Uncle told us about this company he was investing in that had a machine you could dump your change into and it would count the change and spit out a voucher you would redeem for 'folding money'. They would put these machines in grocery stores. My parents thought the idea was weird (because it would cost you to use these machines instead of just rolling your change and taking it to the bank like people had done for years) but I thought it was genius. And it was. There are Coinstar machines in grocery stores around the country. The problem is that the company my uncle created wasn't Coinstar. It was a rival company and Coinstar was able to get their machine to market first. So my uncle's company died and someone else got rich. Now please don't feel too bad for him, he has a place on the beach in Hermosa, a Porche that's paid for and he travels the world whenever he wants. Because he understands that not everything is going to work out every time. He acknowledged his loss and he moved on to his next idea. It is okay to fail, as long as you get past it.
Don't underestimate the power of the Internet - Because my start-up costs were so low for my business (since I bake on-demand I don't have inventory to go bad, I just have the rent at the bakery I rent space from and my Internet costs for the website and marketing) I could take a chance and see what happened. So I thought it could be months before I got my first order. Well, it wasn't months, it was actually before we opened. But it was the second order that surprised me. It was from someone in New Jersey. And the third was from someone in Kentucky. The Internet has literally made it a small world after all. So use the tools that the market has to offer (I can't say enough good things about Google Adwords!)
Be prepared to give up your 'free time' and your brain - I am thinking, constantly. It's always been that way but now my brain is focused on baking all of the time. What should I change, what should I do next, how can I do more? It invades my every waking thought and my dreams as well. And the little Internet business that I thought would take up no time has consumed my life. That's going to happen, especially when you are a sole proprietor. You're it. But when (see, I said when, not if) your business takes off, you get to reap the rewards (see beach house, Porche and travel above)
Don't stop there - Be ahead of the curve. Plan for success and what you are going to do next. My uncle (yes, he is my inspiration for business models since he has owned many a company and made many of them incredibly successful, to the tune of money that most of us can only dream about) doesn't just stop when he has a great business venture happening, he looks and sees how to improve, expand or even move on to the next big thing. Bill Gates didn't just stop when he sold his first PC, did he? I'm looking at how to grow my business and to do so I have a second entrepreneurial idea. Will it work? We'll see...
Surround yourself with great people - I have an incredible lawyer. Honestly, she is wonderful. She specializes in business formation. I'll give you her number. I have a terrific accountant. I use a great web hosting provider. I have great inspiration and advice from my uncle. I have an incredibly supportive network of friends and family. Honestly, I couldn't do it without them.
So what does it all come down to? Be bold, be brave, believe.
Just do it - There are lots of people who will tell you that you need to do copious amounts of research and develop a well thought out "business plan". There are also lots of people who have 'business plans' and no business. I myself have several 'business plans' that never came to fruition. Yes, you need to know what you are going to sell and who you are going to sell it to (so you don't open an "All Pork" restaurant in an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood for example) but you can spend years and years making plans and never actually do any of it. Many entrepreneurs just went out there and did it. They had an idea and they went for it. Sometimes all the planning can lead to fear and discouragement before you even get started. In today's "marketplace" thing are less traditional and structured than they were before so you can go about things less conventionally than before, like making your business plan up as you go along. (Note: If you need loans and investors, you do need a business plan in hand.)
It's okay to fail - Sometimes you can have a great product and it still doesn't work out. For example, years ago my Uncle told us about this company he was investing in that had a machine you could dump your change into and it would count the change and spit out a voucher you would redeem for 'folding money'. They would put these machines in grocery stores. My parents thought the idea was weird (because it would cost you to use these machines instead of just rolling your change and taking it to the bank like people had done for years) but I thought it was genius. And it was. There are Coinstar machines in grocery stores around the country. The problem is that the company my uncle created wasn't Coinstar. It was a rival company and Coinstar was able to get their machine to market first. So my uncle's company died and someone else got rich. Now please don't feel too bad for him, he has a place on the beach in Hermosa, a Porche that's paid for and he travels the world whenever he wants. Because he understands that not everything is going to work out every time. He acknowledged his loss and he moved on to his next idea. It is okay to fail, as long as you get past it.
Don't underestimate the power of the Internet - Because my start-up costs were so low for my business (since I bake on-demand I don't have inventory to go bad, I just have the rent at the bakery I rent space from and my Internet costs for the website and marketing) I could take a chance and see what happened. So I thought it could be months before I got my first order. Well, it wasn't months, it was actually before we opened. But it was the second order that surprised me. It was from someone in New Jersey. And the third was from someone in Kentucky. The Internet has literally made it a small world after all. So use the tools that the market has to offer (I can't say enough good things about Google Adwords!)
Be prepared to give up your 'free time' and your brain - I am thinking, constantly. It's always been that way but now my brain is focused on baking all of the time. What should I change, what should I do next, how can I do more? It invades my every waking thought and my dreams as well. And the little Internet business that I thought would take up no time has consumed my life. That's going to happen, especially when you are a sole proprietor. You're it. But when (see, I said when, not if) your business takes off, you get to reap the rewards (see beach house, Porche and travel above)
Don't stop there - Be ahead of the curve. Plan for success and what you are going to do next. My uncle (yes, he is my inspiration for business models since he has owned many a company and made many of them incredibly successful, to the tune of money that most of us can only dream about) doesn't just stop when he has a great business venture happening, he looks and sees how to improve, expand or even move on to the next big thing. Bill Gates didn't just stop when he sold his first PC, did he? I'm looking at how to grow my business and to do so I have a second entrepreneurial idea. Will it work? We'll see...
Surround yourself with great people - I have an incredible lawyer. Honestly, she is wonderful. She specializes in business formation. I'll give you her number. I have a terrific accountant. I use a great web hosting provider. I have great inspiration and advice from my uncle. I have an incredibly supportive network of friends and family. Honestly, I couldn't do it without them.
So what does it all come down to? Be bold, be brave, believe.
Tuesday, July 07, 2009
Hot Days of Summer
When it is hot (and it's pretty hot now) I just want to stay inside with the air conditioner and do nothing. Ah, that would be lovely. Of course, real life intrudes on the fantasy so you just do the best you can. But until October or so, when it finally cools off around here, this is what I fantasize about.
Hope that it helps you cool off too!
Hope that it helps you cool off too!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
What Is A Friend?
I'm feeling very sad today as I sit and contemplate the status of my friendships. Who are my friends? What does friendship mean? I do not get these 'blue' periods very often but when I do usually dwell on them and let them fester. Today I choose a different route and try to exorcise these demons.
It begins with a simple 'social networking' site, Facebook. On it you try to find 'friends'. It seems to be a bit of a competition to have the most 'friends' and there are people with hundreds, even thousands of 'friends'. I find this hard to believe, under my definitions of friendship, and I doubt that many of them are even more than passing acquaintances. But I have found the site to be quite interesting in connecting me to people I haven't thought about in years.
Now I don't believe that a friend, even a truly great friend, is someone you have to talk to even frequently. In fact, I have one friend, a dear and close friend, that I only speak to perhaps a couple of times a year. But I know that if I called her tomorrow because, say, I needed help burying a body, she would be there in no time, shovel in hand. I don't think that a great friend even has to be someone you've had a long, close acquaintance with. Two very good friends, who I mention here frequently, I 'met' over the Internet only about eighteen months ago. But they have become my greatest cheerleaders and supporters and I hope that we will always maintain that friendship even though one I have never seen in person.
When I quit work a little over a year ago, I expected certain people to still be a profound presence in my life. I was, however, realistic in that I know people will forget me (out of sight out of mind, so to speak) but there were a few that I thought would truly be solidly a part of my life. It hurts me greatly that even though I send emails and repeated requests to get together, I have been pretty much forgotten and largely ignored. It is easy to move on for others it seems and while I hoped that I at least was different, it seems that I am not.
I have a friend that I was so close too that it seemed we shared a brain. He too is distant, never responding when I ask to get together, never answering my emails with much more than terse answers and minimum verbiage. Does this treatment now negate the years of joy and shared experiences? No, of course not, but still it saddens me. I miss the connection that we once had.
Being the kind of person who always assumes that the blame for such things rests squarely on her shoulders, I feel this burden and doubt most acutely. But perhaps it is just that life brings you the people that you need into your life when you need them and that it doesn't have to be forever. Perhaps friendships have expiration dates, like canned goods that are best consumed by a certain date. As we evolve as people, perhaps the friends in our lives, following their own evolution, move on as well. Our bonds may not be meant to be permanent. It does not lesson the depth of feeling we once felt nor the contribution that these friendships have brought to our lives. But I still envy those people who seem to still be friends with people they have known since infancy.
So what started this bought of self-indulgent melancholia? Someone I considered to be a good friend 'turning down' my friend request on Facebook. How's that for pathos? A place where some of my 'friends' are people I haven't seen in twenty years and wasn't particularly close to even then. Where games of "Mafia Wars", "poking" people and taking quizzes that mostly amount to a steaming pile of meaningless drivel is supposed to equal actual social interaction. And I take this personally? Well of course I do, that's who I am, I take everything personally.
So while this seems silly to many of you Loyal Readers, I'm sure, to me it is why I am a writer and why I choose comedy and romance as my genres of choice. Because like the character in the novel who ties her every bit of correspondence with a satin ribbon which grows tattered over the years because she takes them out an re-reads every line, I have cherished the friends I have made and what they brought into my life. And I mourn when they are no more. Only it's definitely not as poetic when that old woman unties the tattered ribbon from her iPhone and bemoans the low friend count on Facebook.
It begins with a simple 'social networking' site, Facebook. On it you try to find 'friends'. It seems to be a bit of a competition to have the most 'friends' and there are people with hundreds, even thousands of 'friends'. I find this hard to believe, under my definitions of friendship, and I doubt that many of them are even more than passing acquaintances. But I have found the site to be quite interesting in connecting me to people I haven't thought about in years.
Now I don't believe that a friend, even a truly great friend, is someone you have to talk to even frequently. In fact, I have one friend, a dear and close friend, that I only speak to perhaps a couple of times a year. But I know that if I called her tomorrow because, say, I needed help burying a body, she would be there in no time, shovel in hand. I don't think that a great friend even has to be someone you've had a long, close acquaintance with. Two very good friends, who I mention here frequently, I 'met' over the Internet only about eighteen months ago. But they have become my greatest cheerleaders and supporters and I hope that we will always maintain that friendship even though one I have never seen in person.
When I quit work a little over a year ago, I expected certain people to still be a profound presence in my life. I was, however, realistic in that I know people will forget me (out of sight out of mind, so to speak) but there were a few that I thought would truly be solidly a part of my life. It hurts me greatly that even though I send emails and repeated requests to get together, I have been pretty much forgotten and largely ignored. It is easy to move on for others it seems and while I hoped that I at least was different, it seems that I am not.
I have a friend that I was so close too that it seemed we shared a brain. He too is distant, never responding when I ask to get together, never answering my emails with much more than terse answers and minimum verbiage. Does this treatment now negate the years of joy and shared experiences? No, of course not, but still it saddens me. I miss the connection that we once had.
Being the kind of person who always assumes that the blame for such things rests squarely on her shoulders, I feel this burden and doubt most acutely. But perhaps it is just that life brings you the people that you need into your life when you need them and that it doesn't have to be forever. Perhaps friendships have expiration dates, like canned goods that are best consumed by a certain date. As we evolve as people, perhaps the friends in our lives, following their own evolution, move on as well. Our bonds may not be meant to be permanent. It does not lesson the depth of feeling we once felt nor the contribution that these friendships have brought to our lives. But I still envy those people who seem to still be friends with people they have known since infancy.
So what started this bought of self-indulgent melancholia? Someone I considered to be a good friend 'turning down' my friend request on Facebook. How's that for pathos? A place where some of my 'friends' are people I haven't seen in twenty years and wasn't particularly close to even then. Where games of "Mafia Wars", "poking" people and taking quizzes that mostly amount to a steaming pile of meaningless drivel is supposed to equal actual social interaction. And I take this personally? Well of course I do, that's who I am, I take everything personally.
So while this seems silly to many of you Loyal Readers, I'm sure, to me it is why I am a writer and why I choose comedy and romance as my genres of choice. Because like the character in the novel who ties her every bit of correspondence with a satin ribbon which grows tattered over the years because she takes them out an re-reads every line, I have cherished the friends I have made and what they brought into my life. And I mourn when they are no more. Only it's definitely not as poetic when that old woman unties the tattered ribbon from her iPhone and bemoans the low friend count on Facebook.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Last Day of Principal Photography
So today is the last day of principal photography for "You People". And I'm happy and sad. It has been a lot of hard work and I didn't even have it the hardest. But with juggling who would watch The Graminator and starting a new business, it was a bit hectic. But I'm sad because it was a lot of fun.
Film sets, like many a theatrical production, create a lot of camaraderie. There are inside jokes and shared experiences and you become close to people very quickly. I understand why so many actors 'fall in love' on movie sets. You are around someone ten to twelve hours a day, you bond. (For the record, I did not fall for any of my co-stars. But I do love them all dearly.) And on an independent film, everyone pitches in to help wherever they can. It's a very "Andy Hardy, let's put on a show" kind of feeling and I always feel sad when it's over.
Not to say it's always roses and sunshine. There is a lot of waiting on a film set, while lights are adjusted and camera angles are changed. It's hot (especially in the Vegas summer and your character is wearing a Christmas sweater in every scene.) All that closeness and familiarity can cause tempers to be shortened. But for the most part, it's a fun collaborative effort and this one made even more fun because most of us were good friends going in and those that were new to our 'family' soon became our bosom buddies too.
So thank you to the cast and crew of "You People". Making a movie with all my friends was a BLAST! I can't list everyone here but here's a partial list. I love you....Kelly, Charisma, Mark, Jon, Max, Erica, Denise, John, Will, Elly, Nathan, JP, Henry, Jimmy, Lou, Holly, Lincoln, all of the extras who gave their time and anyone I left off the list (just because I didn't have any scenes with you doesn't mean I don't love you!)
Today, the last scene on the last day of principal photography is my character getting hit in the head with a kitchen sink...do you think there is some kind of significance? Viva la Tango Box!
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Goodbye Sweet Ed
So Ed McMahon has passed away. I'm sad, because he was one of the greatest 'sidekicks' in television history, and because he once said some very nice things about me.
It was in 2000 and I had just quit my job at a Las Vegas hotel. It was a truly toxic environment that ate my self esteem to the point that I didn't even like the person I had become. I came home from work each day in tears. I had never quit a job without having another job lined up but one day it reached a breaking point and I quit. No notice, nothing, just walked out.
It felt great to quit, but then I had to go back and get my stuff, which involved human resources and security and all sorts of humiliating stuff. I was to go back at four o'clock one day. I felt awful because even though I had gotten out from under the thumb of my EVIL boss, I still had to face her when I went to collect my things.
Earlier in the day I was reading the local paper (yes, children, once people read newspapers) and a local variety columnist mentioned that Ed McMahon was going to be in town to look for comics to be on his new talent show "Next Big Star" (he was trying to get some of that "Star Search" stuff going again.) It was at The Improv at two o'clock in the afternoon. Since it was pretty close to the hotel I had worked in, I decided to stop by and check it out before my appointment. The deadline for entry had passed but I figured I could find out what was going on for future reference.
When I got to the club the audience was sparse (which is to be expected for an afternoon barely advertised talent showcase) and I took a seat in the back to watch. There were only a few comics and they were, well, awful, for the most part. It seemed like the show was going to be over practically before it started. I decided to approach someone who looked 'in charge" and ask them if I could go onstage. He said sure and gave me a release form. He told me I would go up after the next comic.
I was getting ready to go on when in walked Ed McMahon and Bud Friedman, owner of the Improv, followed by a television crew. Ed said a few words to the audience and then it was my turn to go on. I did my 'standard' routine, keeping it to the five minute time limit, so it was a nice tight set packed with laughs. When I was done Ed came back to the stage and shook my hand. As I left the stage the television crew producer asked me if they could interview me. I said okay but while we were talking I heard Ed McMahon telling the audience how talented he thought I was and that he had seem a lot of comics in his time and he thought I would go far. I turned to the TV crew and said "Did you hear that? Ed McMahon thinks I'm talented!' it was a really wonderful (and surreal) moment.
When I arrived (late) to pick up my things from my former job, I was on cloud nine. Even facing down the evil dragon who had tried to destroy my soul didn't faze me. I picked up my things with the biggest smile on my face and walked out with my pride, dignity and even a bit of "watch me" attitude.
A week or so later I was in my apartment with the television on. I was in another room when I heard my voice coming from the TV. I was so confused. I ran to the living room to see myself on national television (okay, it was a syndicated show but still, it was on all across the country) performing and then being interviewed. It turned out that the television crew was from an entertainment show and so my little performance was being broadcast to the nation. It was amazing, and again, surreal.
Well, I didn't make it into the "Next Big Star: (it was in it's earliest incarnation at that point, which was web based and I didn't have a huge Internet following at that time) and I'm not sure I ever lived up to the potential that Ed McMahon saw in me that day. But I can say that at one of the lowest points in my life, Ed McMahon was there for me.
Anyone who ever performed knows that "The Tonight Show" is one of the biggest moments in any career. And to me, the epitome would have been during the Carson/McMahon era. It was, well, perfect. I never got that chance (Johnny Carson left "The Tonight Show" before I ever started doing comedy) even though I have a lovely rejection letter from the show. But I did get to meet one of my idols and he liked me. You can't ask for much more than that. Forever in my memory will be two pieces of Ed McMahon - him introducing Carson with his famous "Heeeeere's Johnny" and him saying he thought I'd go far in show business.
Thank you Ed. Rest in Peace.
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