Long weekend

It's nearing the end of my 3 day weekend. Friday night, after I got off work, I met Damon at the Alibi room. How he found it, I will never know- wait, I'll ask him right now......
He just wandered by this obscure locale to the bar, aparently. Anyways, I met him there, and he was chatting to this woman he met at the bar. The first thing I noticed about her: Insanity. She was INSANE. Like manic-happy-I-am-touching-you-talking-really-fast kind of craze. And she was probably about 6 glasses of shiraz deep (no food too).

So I had a hard time dealing with her. It was my issue I suppose, but I basically ended up extracting Damon, vaguely SAS style (in my mind) from there, delivering him to the free trade/democracy of the Pacific Inn. Where we drank and listened to rock n roll, and Tom made tons of jokes about Austrailia, which Damon took really well. I figured D just though Tom was an idiot.

Saturday was crazy, since we were getting ready for the party all day. Running errands and whatnot. Ran. Had pizza. Made a mulled cider and filled a pumpkin. Carved Pumpkins. I made a bat boy pumpkin....

The party was great. We had many utlandish costumes. Highlights: A birdfeeder, an American Gladiator (with joust), a cloud, a piñata, an outhouse, a compost pile, and I was Zombie Johnny Appleseed. I planted little plastic babies.

Lots of booze.

Sunday was a slack day. Cleaned up, cooked, and went to Capitol Hil for a night.

Today Damon and I went to Whidbey Island, to explore it's diverse riches of nature. We threw rocks on a beach at a floating log. We went to a pub in Coupeville and played pulltabs. Damon had his 1st chili burger. And we explored the 10" gun emplacements at an old fort. We saw Bald Eagles, deer and seals among the fauna. And took the ferry return. Here we sit, chillaxin' before a night of steel guitar at the little red hen, Seattle's premier country & western bar.

Phew. I am tired.

Seattle

Actually, Damon had jet lag, and didn't know he was entering this post on my blog (that was signed in). Or perhaps it was the cactus he had for breakfast....

--
It is Friday morning, I'm in the aligators large bedroom. To get here took many forms of transport,
- walking with
- the London underground 'tube'
- the Heathrow Express overland trane
- a Leufthansa flight in the wrong direction from London to Frankfurt
- a Leufthansa flight in the right direction to Vancouver
- got in double length airport bus to get to the terminal
- travellator across the airport
- turboprop connector plane
- driverless interterminal train
- commuter bus from the airport
- the aligators girlfriends 4x4

I didn't do any sea transport, sorry about that!

D.

Damon is in the building

He's here. And we had Chinese food for dinner. Now he gets to end his streak of 28 hours straight being awake.

Sleep, little Damon, sleep.

Los Taco Trucks

I was hungry last night, and trying to find the hours for a taco truck near my house.
Taco trucks are quite possibly the greatest thing ever- if they're good. I wish I had one outside my house. But guess what? Some guys started a blog for locating taco trucks in Seattle.
So all I have to do now is move nearer to one. Like in their parking lot.

mmmm.....tacos.....

and while I'm thinking about it, the future of taco trucks, called "skillet."

Best. Prank. Ever.

I found out today that one of my best friend's little brothers is a mastermind.
He goes to the same high school as I did, Capital High in Olympia, and he's a senior. The prank was done at the homecoming assembly, which, like all assemblies are stupid. But this one is really stupid, since it entails having skits that are voted on using the age old popularity contest thing.

So the prank was to crash the assembly with one guy dressed up as a giant penis wearing a Dubya mask. It gets better: the dubya "dick" shot the freshmen with a super-soaker filled with milk. (I didn't say it was a CLASSY prank!)

Here it is:


BTW, the woman chasing the penis out is the principal.

And the best part is that he didn't get caught! When it looked dire, a getaway car pulled up, and whisked him away. There is no proof of action for anyone involved.

Apparently, he's planning more. It's a skill he learned overseas....

Armed and Crazy.

I am done with changing my room around. It's really different. Perhaps over-utilized on one side, but the "guest quarters" needed to happen with Damon's arrival later this week. After he goes, I am getting a desk to make that part the "office."
I think I've moved EVERY thing except my clothes dresser, which was going to move, then didn't. I guess also things on walls are still static. One nice feature is that I've moved my record player to the corner of the room, where the floor has no creaks, thus allowing for skip-free playback. Stabil is great. I've listened to records all this evening while moving.
Played on my turntable:

Warren Zevon- Stand In The Fire (recorded live at the Roxy in LA)
Johnny Paycheck-Armed and Crazy (best song title is "Thanks to the cathouse, I'm in the doghouse with you.")
George Gershwin- An American in Paris. It's so fantastic.
Willie Nelson & Webb Pierce- In the Jailhouse Now

What a night.

Earlier today, we had our last day of ice cream production. Tomorrow is the last day of sales at the market, and what a ride it's been. We're planning on having the "last supper" afterwards. I am throwing it all down.
The Mint Triple Choco Threat is wicked, that's all I can say. True Bliss.

I've also changed what I'm dressing as for Halloween. I had planned on being a lercherous hunchback, i.e. Igor from Young Frankenstein, but a completely random idea came up, and I jumped on it. I won't say what it is here, but needless to say that when I told the costume shop guy who/what I was going to be, he said, "wow. I think that's a truly original idea."
I will say Pierce in NZ would be proud.

And, uh that's it I suppose. I tried a new pho place that was better than all others I've had recently.....

Well, off to make a late dinner. Looks like I'm staying in tonight.

Puffy Coats and Damon

I got a coat. A nice puffy-like-a-sleeping-bag one from REI. It's down, and will do the job. It has a hood and the best part is: It fits perfectly under my rain coat ( it seems made to match). and I used my dividend from being a member of $28. Free money is nice.

It's the last week of ice cream. Just got back from the factory, it' 1:12 am. A short day on Saturday, and sales at the market on Sun. It'll be over before I know it.

And then, clean the house for the Halloween party, and Damon. He'll be seeing the new room set-up.

Lot's of plans!

Coats/Jackets

It's getting cold, and I've been looking for a jacket.

I've spent hours, literally, hours searching the internet for one. There are many features I'm looking for, but seem to have gone to the wayside due to this newfangled idea of "layering."

I found one I liked/met the requirements, but didn't make the purchase then. It was on a clearance site, and so when I came back, my size was sold out.

So here I am cold, and upset.

I just want a coat.

Seattle Times Blurb

Here's us in the Times:
"A new ice-cream company run by a Seattle bartender and two local chefs began selling an eclectic mix of flavors at the Ballard Farmers Market in mid-July. Empire Ice Cream flavors vary according to the produce the owners buy each week, and they've included carrot habanero sorbet and brown sugar peach ice cream.

Each batch — made with Italiana gelato machines at a catering kitchen in lower Queen Anne — makes about a dozen 8-ounce containers, which cost $4, or three for $10, said co-founder Tom Durchman.

The bartender and chefs, whose company is called The Epicurean Empire, plan to stop selling ice cream at the market in late October to focus on finding investors, improving packaging and maybe selling to a restaurant or two."

It's small, but it's still cool!

Weekly Ramblins

This week offers a few things.
1st is the most important: Empire Ice Cream has received it's first press! It's not exceptional, but still loved. It's on the Stranger's (One of Seattle's weeklys- the one that had the blurb about THE PARTY, well, my going away party....but that's another story and I digress....) Blog. The blog is called "The Slog" (get it!?!?) . The little note was basically our weekly email- if you read this blog, you should be on the mailing list- pumped up by the food writer, whom I've reviewed a bar with, Bethany Jean Clement.
There are some interesting comments, some of which contain racial statements.

But it's all good, as they say.
We're supposed to be in the Seattle Times tomorrow.

The other thing about the Slog is it had a post on Senator Larry Craig. It was an online recipe of his on a collection called "Congress Cooks!" Amazing but true.

There might have been more stuff to write about, but it's too cold in my room- I must hide under covers, and so I leave you this true fact about me:

I fell on my head last night. Twice. Pile driver style.

Sleep Mad

Fighting off sleep from the plane trip out here....5 hours of sleep...staying up till 9:30 is hard after the beers....I peruse the internet and read this:

"They are big boys and they hoe in up front and we put the acid on at half time for our tight five to really step up a bit more and create a bit of a platform for us especially at the breakdown."

It blew my mind that someone could make any sense of that...but then again, I'm by no means a rugby aficionado...more as a "casual observer/internet info procurer."

Sleep and dreams, Mr. Nick Evans. You shall learn to speak one day (don't crush me!)

I am delirious.

Relax

I am so stressed with how today has been looming for so long, and I just want it to be over with!
I'm leaving for the east coast at 10pm tonight, and will be leaving directly from work via taxi (they're paying and it's been an issue...). We're hella busy (did I just use "hella?") and I anticipate literally dropping everything I'm doing to get to the airport.
The chef is gone; his father passed away last week, and the burial is today. He shouldn't be there, but we don't have a sous chef. I've been so over worked I feel taken advantage of- I have all the responsibility without the title/compensation. And I have little help. The people coming in are almost not worth having. I cannot expect them to do a quality job, and they don't listen to the whole job's description.

Sorry, I am venting....

And there's more, which I won't regale you with the details of. Let's just say it's the last night of Ramadan....

I'll be around next week.

T-Man Fu

I have the T-Man in my room as we speak. And he just asked me about the Otago Kiwi drawing I was gifted, so I told him that story. One cannot hate that story...
Trever is in town from Hawaii for the week, and he spent his day in Seattle, going about the market and Ballard, and then he came over for the big dinner, which was "Barbarian Grill Night." Lynard Skynard would've approved indeed.
We had 3 different kinds of meat in 4 different cuts.
We also had fresh black beans (which I hadn't cooked before), an awesome salad with 'maters, baby cucs, and French Breakfast radishes. Roasted baby red potatoes and leeks were also served, and some mustard pickled peppers also were present.

Ice cream was a very good day. We had lots of people doing the 3 for $10, and even had a girl buy 14 cups (at a very good discount). She also got a shirt.
And my dad and step-mom showed up, un-announced, which was cool. My dad described the carrot-habanero sorbet as confusing. It's sweet, then spicy, but the temperature is cool. Toungue disorientation can be cool.

It was a nice weekend.

New Computer

I've gotten into a new Mac...and I'm diving deep, only to return for air when all is finished.
It has a built in camera......







It even has a remote, so I can lay in bed and listen to music/watch movies/photo slideshows.
It's sweet as.

I'm back

I attack, alligator style!



Bite attack, again!



Hey everyone. I am here, even though it might seem like I'm stuck in the south of England....
My computer has hit it's limit, and I plan on getting a new one this weekend, if I have time. It's been too difficult to work with, and blogging has moved down the list of things to accomplish when it does work.

Anyways, things are going well. Still at the ice cream thing, and working more at the club, since Dustin has moved on to another job-which is good for him.

I also wanted to say that I saw the rumpus pics at Damon's blog, and I must say I noticed Jon Ball does take a nice picture. Really does. And when did Morgue get his "Hutt Valley" shirt?
I wish I had been there. It was nice to see all the people I know indeed.

Following the All Blacks at the WC, and have to say, I like the results....I found a bar I can go to to watch the games. It's the "Kangaroo and Kiwi Pub." Guess what it's deal is.
I'll be back after I get the new CPU, ro-bros.

Insomniac

I cannot sleep right now. It's just after 3am. I am tired, and I worked a long day- I did both jobs on Saturday...but my mind is just excited.
I'm excited because of how much we're gonna make today! We have, for the 1st time, PERFECT WEATHER. 80 degrees and Sunny.
I am quite positive, based on our building-up nature of the past few weeks, we'll hit a sales goal that I know we all want, and even I never quite thought-or at least recognized that it was a near perfect day-we'd hit it.

But we can do it, and we will do it today.
And then, it'll be reward time: Bring home one of the machines and make margaritas.

That's right.

I'll let all y'all know how it goes. Monday, I'm planning on going to the Puyallup Fair for the 1st time in years. It's scone city baby!

2 Machines=I likey

Having the new machine is SWEET! We went bonkers-or at least it felt like it. It was about 4.5 hours at the factory, and we froze everything we could.

TD and I didn't even have time for me to whomp him at dominoes. He brings the bones, and I own 'em....

Big Weekend

It's Friday morning, and I've already assumed weekend position in my mind. I have an easy, if annoying day at work. We do inventory, literally counting how much we have of things, and it's really just time consuming. When I do it with Dustin, we go fast. I'm doing it with the chef today, and he's slow/exact. But we're closed for dinner, so I'll be done between 5-6 ish.

And then the long weekend.

Saturday: Make ice cream with Tom. We got another ice cream machine yesterday. So it will be sweet to finish in say, 4 hours at the most. And then Saturday will be spent getting ready for....

Sunday: Sell tons of ice cream. Not literally tons, but go crazy! I then get to have a dinner at a place I've been excited about eating at all week, Union. And then, who knows where....

Monday: Do nothing, or at least, whatever I want. It'll be my 1st day off since my family reunion-the last Saturday in July.

It's gonna be great.

The ball is rolling as they say....

I'm sorry to all of you, since I came to my blog and realized it's been a week since I posted anything. My life right now seems devoid of the free time that was once wasted upon the internet. I don't know if that is a good thing-it seems as if it should be- since many hours of my life were spent doing just that....

We had our best weekend yet. It was bonkers! We sold out of everything except 1 flavor, To bring home empty coolers was excellent. To bring home the banks was nice as well. To have everyone want to trade their stuff for yours- so many that you have to tell people, "no," was pretty great too. Word is spreading for sure. I was also contacted by a woman who has a magazine about local food/eating that will be launching next summer that wants to talk about a photo shoot-a nd she hasn't even eaten our product yet. And there's a guy who has an "upscale catering van" he's doing some classy lunchtime things out of. He wants to talk too.

The ball is rolling as they say....

1/2 day off

Another random bit of rambling from the Alligator....

We sold ice cream this last weekend. It rained. Hard at some times, but we did well enough, and had lots of repeat customers. People who say, "we'll be back next week!" And they are. And that's radical.
And the dinner afterwards...my gads man! If you are unlucky enough to not not have been there for it, then here's the run down:

Grilled Spice-Rubbed Ahi Tuna on various sweet 'n spicy pickled peppers (and cinnamon basil)
Grilled Beef "London Broil" on a fresh Yakima tomato sauce with bacon and basil
Chanterelle and Sweet Corn Pone- it a corn custard/pudding with the best mushrooms. Someone had to be the "keeper of the pone" to keep people from eating too much. And then not only did she eat too much, but also defensively flailed the serving spoon, throwing a bunch of corn custard all over the floor.
And an awesome salad with heirloom tomatoes.

Next week, we might do the 'Mater Seder- a meal featuring tomatoes in every dish.

I went out with my cousins (and Iris my sister) last night and that was fun. I always enjoy how different those interactions are away from family events. And my cousin Jeff sat next to a dude who had gotten out of prison that morning after 10 years in the pen. The guy was nice my cuz said, and overwhelmed for sure. The INTERNET ON A CELL PHONE!!!?!?!?

It's my 1/2 day off, and I'm gonna run greenlake.
Oh and NPR's the world had a feature on Fat Freddy's for all y'all Kiwis.
I am jealous I'm missing the Rumpus too. Take pictures, so I can superimpose myself into them.