Healthy S&P (not the 500... just Salt )

     Why do eateries have dented salt & pepper shakers?  I mean, really?  You can buy a whole bunch of them at the Dollar Store, so they're easy to replace.  It also signals to customers that the shaker has probably fallen on the floor.  Things that look like they fell on the floor do not belong on the table.

     Last year, a TV talk show featured an episode where "swab samples" from 20 random purses and bags (that were placed on the ground that day) proved that half of them had remnants of feces on them!  That comes from dog (or rat) poop that's been on the floor... or tracked indoors by people's shoes from dirty pavement (or subway floors).  Dented shakers look ugly, and they hint that their owners are unsanitary.

     Consider all the people who use them with unwashed hands, or what dirty-handed kids played with them, or who sneezed/coughed on them.  Do you really think the underpaid busboys or kitchen staffers clean or sanitize them?  They probably should.  If they don't care, that's a bad sign of what is occurring inside the kitchen.

     How often do the restaurants empty each shaker and refill them?  Or do they just pour new stuff on top of the old?  That's not smart, and it's lazy.  It means that some of that salt and pepper could be very old and not circulated.  

     If eateries must use shakers, I recommend ones that load from the bottoms, so the older stuff gets used first.  

     Worthwhile chefs deplore shakers, saying "the stuff inside is as stale as dirt".  Like me, they prefer "grinders" for fresh-tasting salt and pepper.  They also load from the top, and ensure that the older spices are used from the bottom.

     A word to the wise: appreciate eateries that offer those aforementioned salt & pepper mills--where you can crack your own fresh spices over the food you paid for.  As a final note: you can detect an eatery that understands protocol when its servers take away the S&P after the main course is finished… and before the dessert arrives.  

     Cheers!

Teaching Common Sense

What the heck is the use of a few people writing balanced and sensible blurbs when the bulk of the nation is incapable of thinking seriously about anything but the Kardashians, Paris Hilton, Rihanna, Lindsay Lohan, the Yankees, and porn?  
     It seems that we’ve lost our sense of industry, lost our sense of pride, and lost our inherent conviction that we are a great society!  That is why Finance and Big Industry take advantage and rob the public, why public services scam you of your tax dollars (and then you have to go out and fund-raise additional money for civic improvement), why the wealthiest don’t pay back to society or pay taxes, and why politicians are unerringly relied upon to make the same mistakes over and over again.  If only people studied WHY things happen--as well as History--to learn from the hideous experiences of defeated souls.
     Instead, what do kids learn?  Battle dates.  It seems like such a waste of mental energy.  Instead, they should learn important subjects like "Common Sense", "How the Mind Works", "How to Handle Finances", "How to be a Mentor/Parent", "Accountability", "How to Create Good Relationships", "How to Create & Maintain Self-Esteem and Self-Worth".  Can you imagine what a whole generation of adults would be like if they were taught those subjects?

A Better Approach to Marketing & Sales

     In my opinion, the role of marketing and advertising should be to inform the customer--especially about something new or updated.  
     You can create "urgency" and "desirability" by emphasizing "seasonal" or "limited supply" and through exquisite "product placement".  You can make something sound enticing, but you shouldn't coerce consumers into buying things that they don't want.  For example, a waiter may recite the Specials of the Day and suggest, "We have beautiful branzino today--so fresh and cooked to perfection, with fresh house-made mozzarella and vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes.  The chef made his own spice blend.  And on such a beautiful summer night, I might suggest a bottle of Pinot Gris."  Thus, the data stands on its own.  But he doesn't say, "Listen, that guy over there ordered the lobster.  Don't you wanna be like him?  He's gonna look better than you!  Besides, Michael Jordan loves our lobster!  You'll look so sexy buying it; you'll probably 'get lucky' tonight.  And if you're a REAL dad and really care about your kids, you'll order the fillet mignon for them.  That's what real dads do.  Plus, we offer financing, so you can order now and pay later!  Interest rates may apply."  
     I think we make a great mistake in letting advertisers have their own way.  It’s a mistake not to tell them that we are grateful for the free entertainment they get (radio, internet, certain TV), and are grateful enough to buy the products that sponsor them.  But, the people have some rights, too.  After all, it’s their homes that advertisers go into.  The public is not grateful to people who “get one foot in the door” by pretending to offer them music or drama, and then take too long to provide it, due to corny sales talk, commercials, and online ads.  
    Consider Gillette.  They haven't made a new product in 10 years: they just keep adding blades.  You think it took 10 years to develop that?  Not according to one of my former marketing professors, who worked on their account.  10 years ago, they knew how many blades they'd eventually have, and what kind of other motorized/flexible gadgets they'd add to their razors.  Yet, they have tremendous marketing and advertising to maintain "brand recognition".  [By comparison, I imagine that the marketing team for Gulden's Mustard probably sleeps comfortably all day].  
     Marketing has insulted consumers, cheated them, raised the volume for TV commercials, interrupted their online browsing with nuisance pop-ups, and turned their home into a combination of store and mall.  [GQ Magazine spiraled downward like that.  Its former editor, Art Cooper, maintained every issue's integrity.  After his demise, his replacement let the articles become flabby and cheap, and subscribers paid for a magazine of mostly ads and irrational endorsements].  Web browsing is slyly tracked by companies who try to assume the buying patterns of internet viewers.
     It's all a matter of ethics… and it also depends on consumers' own sense of self-worth as to whether they shun the pressuring marketing tactics or not.  Buyer beware.

Appreciate your coworkers

     Today was the last day for a coworker (18 years with the company, against my 3).  We work together 2 days a week, but on his last day, he chose to go to lunch with me.  (Took me to lunch, actually).  He admitted that he would really miss me--not just working alongside me but our fun conversation and interaction.  He'd seen so many managers come through the company (including his work in Russia, too), but I was unique in that someone of my young age had so much depth, personality, honesty, energy, a desire to help the team, encouragement, sense of what's right, ethics and humor.  
     He's going to miss our chats about jazz (and the music I occasionally play on my iPod/computer speakers), world developments, jokes, and books/films.  He respected how I tried to help everyone and didn't want to simply sit behind a desk with my feet up on it.  How I respectfully stood up for our department to "clueless dizzy-headed VPs".  How cleverly I dealt with my selfish/incompetent Assistant who really should be fired (if the senior management wasn't afraid of her perpetual "poor health issues").  How I hadn't let the corrupt internal politics force me to "lose my way".  
     Most of all, he was going to miss how "open" I was to talk to, how I gave amazingly great advice (if I do say so myself), and how well I understood people.  With a huge hug, I was a little teary-eyed as I thanked him for all his hard work, true dedication to making things run smoothly (if only for our team's appreciation/benefit), and what a "trooper" he was.
    I mention this on my blog partly as bragging but also to inspire you.  If you have a treasured coworker, go out and tell them how much you appreciate them.  They'd love to hear it!

Reiss, Royce, Rocco's, Murray's, and HOME

     What to do on a sunny day that has stubbornly remained chilly at 20-degrees?  Go out walking on the sunny side of the street anyway!  That's what we did.
     Hurrying along wind-swept Bleecker Street, we dashed into Reiss (seen above), where I snatched up two lovely pairs of spring-colored socks: pink with pin-dots, and daffodil yellow.  
     Then we went to HOME on Cornelia Street for a warm lunch.  Only one server was on duty, and his hips swished as he blithely led us to a deuce in the back.  To help warm up, we ordered a creamy amount of goodness in the form of clam/bacon chowder!

Above us was a piece of amazing lacquered local artwork.  The colorful piece featured hues of cobalt blue and orange, with a well-etched intricate tree (the bark was made out of metal foil appliqué).

     I ordered Bouillabaisee (clams, mussels, fried oysters and white fish in flavorful saffron broth)--and lots of crusty soft bread.  Lewis chose an Oyster Po'Boy.  For dessert, our Butterscotch Pudding was accompanied by my espresso and Lewis's digestif of Prichard's "Sweet Lucy" Bourbon Cream!  (Try it, it's lovely).

     Soon it will be St. Joseph's Day.  Rocco's Bakery started crafting both versions of "San Giuseppe Tarts": cannoli cream, and custard filling.  We got one of each, as well as a Hot Cross Bun (only produced after Mardis Gras/Shrove Tuesday during Lent).

     We were about to leave the neighborhood when Lewis noticed a new Royce Japanese Chocolate shop.  After the saleswoman's generous samples, he bought a handsomely-wrapped assortment of Green Tea cubes (considerately enclosed in an insulated "cooling" bag with a dry-ice pack)!

     Murray's Cheese Shop beckoned me.  I had seen a particular cheese on TV's Food Network: Delice de Bourgogne, a small-batch French triple-cream delicacy.  Using my iPhone to show it to one of the cheesemongers, he instantly recognized it and gave me a sample.  It was delectable.  Lewis perused the Bleus, eventually choosing a new one for us: Fourme D'Ambert (a rare Frenchie, similar to Roquefort, which is aged in Murray's NYC caves for 4 weeks).  We also got "Sole Gran Queso", with a lovely saffron-colored rind (from the baskets used to drain the fresh curds) and a flaky texture like Parmigiano.  

    We popped into the Chelsea location of Trader Joe's--which at 2pm is perfectly empty--to pluck some pink hyacinths, fruit, leeks, cereal, and spelt-flour bread (NOT made with American "Franken-wheat").  
     Arriving in Astoria, I put everything away while Lewis blew bubbles all over my bedroom.  It looked pretty, as I'm sure you'll agree!  But, I had other intentions for blowing.  :-)

A Clear Case of Incompetence : Poor Mindset = Distractions

     Something goes wrong for a person at work.  They let their mind get distracted, as they grumble on and on about what happened.  3 hours pass, in that fashion.  Thus, they mess up the next several tasks that they're doing, because they are distracted.  Their supervisor reprimands them.  
     (This is the critical part).  Instead of focusing on their tasks (and ceasing the grumbling), they begin complaining even MORE to themselves--or others--about the reprimand (AND the thing that initially went wrong).  They mess up the next few tasks due to careless mistakes.  The impatient and upset supervisor tells them to "get their head clear" and focus.  
     Instead of focusing, they let their mind continue to grumble (e.g.: "He thinks I'm not focused", "He hollered at me", "He never hollers at the other people", "I thought I was doing a good job", "It's so unfair").  The person doesn't seem competent enough to realize that they need to LET GO of those small thoughts and focus on their tasks (which will make everything better).  The person doesn't realize that their own bad habit of "letting their mind run on like a broken record"--continually complaining to themselves--is causing their increased trouble.  
     They don't seem to have mastered control of their own thinking… or a sense of prioritization.

NYC Restaurant Week Review : Monkey Bar

     One of the cures for winter doldrums is NYC's Winter Restaurant Week (which actually spans 3 weeks).  It creates affordable access to many restaurants.  3-course lunches are $25 and 3-course dinners are $38.  My coworkers rejected going to "Monkey Bar" (E54th Street b/w Madison & Park) but something hinted to me that it was worth a visit.  So, Lewis and I made reservations for the last day of February.  Since it was the end of Lewis' birthday month, I made a sideways mention to the hostess that it was my boyfriend's birthday.

(Below is Lewis' stylish winter outfit for that night).

     I picked him up from his job and we walked to the restaurant, which occupies a nestled vintage spot juxtaposed to the Hotel Elysee (accessible via its own door or through the hotel lobby).  We chose its own door, which opens into a cute/cozy vestibule.  A nice place to disrobe or to put on your coat, if leaving.  
     The first thing of novelty was an old hand-painted listing of "popular numbers" around the city--but from the 1930s!  The numbers were listed as the old telephone exchange names: "Pennsylvania 6-5000" or "BUtterfield 8" or "Gramercy 5" or "MUrray Hill 5-9975"… before there were so many city numbers that the current system was created.  Moving from the vestibule, we passed through a long bar room, replete with banquettes and some cafe tables and a piano player.  The hostess counter for the dining room was opposite the "Hat Check" (from an era where nobody went out bare-headed).  Lewis opted to take advantage of that nostalgic custom, and he checked his hat, along with our coats.

     We were half an hour early, but the two young hostesses effortless escorted us down the "white tiger print" carpeted steps, across some rounded/candle-lit tables, and up to a lovely "deuce" on the mezzanine of the restaurant.

Monkey lamps adorned many corners of the restaurant, 

as well as the Service Bar.  

We admire a restaurant that uses its space wisely to create a separate Service Bar for dining patrons, in addition to the public Bar in front.  It makes getting your cocktails and digestifs so much faster!  

     A mix of modern Lounge music and vintage Dean Martin and Louis Armstrong wafted through the air.  The room resounded of laughter from tables around us.  The place was swinging, with all ages and races and sexual persuasions!  

     Our waitress graciously introduced herself, and I offered our names.  At that point, she remarkably wished Lewis a Happy Birthday.  I was impressed.  This meant that the hostess had registered that when "Ken called to make the reservation, it was his boyfriend's birthday".  This must've been conveyed to our waitress, who--upon hearing each of our names--knew that it was not Ken but the "other guy" who was having a birthday!  That's amazing for its subtly and courtesy.  

     Taking advantage of a seasonal offerings in the cocktail menu, I ordered a hot glass of Calvados, rum, cider, honey, cloves, allspice, cinnamon sticks and apple slices!  Yummy!  Lewis selected a gin/fruit mix.  His was served with a complimentary refill in a cruet perched inside a vase of pellet-sized mini ice cubes.  Wonderful presentation!  
     As we studied the famous Ed Sorel wrap-around murals that effused glamour in the restaurant with characters of: William S. Paley, David Sarnoff, Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, William Knopf, Walter Winchell, Ernest Hemingway, Fred Astaire, Horowtiz, Toscanini, Mayor LaGuardia, Duke Ellington, George Gershwin, John Barrymore, Elsa Maxwell, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Cole Porter, Edna Woolman Chase, Ella Fitzgerald, Peter Arno, Rodgers & Hart… to name some!

     The delightful echo of a cocktail shaker making a muscled beat brought us back from our reverie!  A charming iron skillet of fresh-baked dinner rolls materialized, with delightfully pre-softened butter (a thoughtful touch)--which was capped by a "Monkey wearing a Monocle".

     A food runner soon appeared with our appetizers of Foie Gras Torchon, followed by our own plates of Sweetbreads.  Both are favorites of mine!  Next, we shared an order of Saffron Risotto with Peeketoe Crab (Lewis loves that) and spicy sopresata.  Lewis dined on Ricotta Cavatelli with Short Rib ragout.  My dinner was Striped Bass--with nicely crispy skin!  Our waitress "came through" with a delightful recommendation: a glass of Charles Fournier Riesling that was semi-sweet with aromatic perfume!  She gave a generous pour, too.  Afterwards, we admired the continual influx of new patrons, the wine chillers being rushed to nearby tables, the smell of espresso coming from the Service Bar's corner, and the efficiency of the bus boys, runner, captain and waitstaff.  

     For dessert, we had powdered Beignets with custard and strawberry preserve, along with Sticky Toffee Pudding.  Lewis' plate arrived with a flickering birthday candle--concluding his month-long celebration (which had been highlighted by dispersed birthday dinners with different groups of friends).  

     Above, a silver "monkey bowl" was deposited on our table, with 2 chocolate mints and our check.  As we departed, everyone we passed wished us a Good Night.  Exiting through the hotel, its doorman was helpful at hailing a cab.  We'll definitely go back!