I had an interview at Carson Tahoe Hospital yesterday for a weekend position in the OR. Trying to build up a savings account again by taking a nursing job. Things went well and I think they want to hire me but they have yet to make an offer. They have one more person to interview. The only drawback for them, is that I can't start until after February 21. Guess we'll see what happens!
I had dinner with one of my old SCOR co-workers, Jen. We went to Campo. I haven't been there since the grand opening. I walked in at 5:20pm, was greeted nicely but asked if I had a reservation. "A reservation for dinner in Reno?", I asked. And the answer was yes! According to the hostess, they have limited seating if you walk in with no reservation. And sure enough, by the time 6:30pm rolled around, the place was packed! What a surprise, but good for the restaurant. We split the Arancini filled with diced seafood, then shared pasta with a wild boar sauce and a sweet Italian sausage pizza. The rice in the arancini was undercooked, which made it more crunchy than creamy. The entrees were good though. We ordered dessert-bread pudding and caramel budino (Italian pudding). The budino was good but the bread pudding was dry! We were both surprised about that. We had a great time catching up. Apparently SCOR is considering hiring me per diem to work in pre-admit. We'll see what happens ere too. No offers to date.
I made bread today. A recipe variation of no knead bread. The recipe came from Chuck Hughes, a NYC chef who also has a show on the Cooking Channel. This recipe had half whole wheat flour in it and was a very wet dough. It baked up nicely and made two loaves, but my favorite is still Jim Lahey's No Knead Bread. I really like the artisan type bread best.
I made a trip down to the Apple store. My computer had an issue last night and I wanted it checked out. I learned a few things about the care of a Mac computer (although not much upkeep there). They couldn't find anything wrong with it. Ok by me!
The rest of the day was spent going through my "stuff" in an effort to pare down what I own in anticipation of a move to somewhere TBD. Getting rid of things is kind of cleansing!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Amazing how time flies! I tried to catch up on sleep last night, but I am rarely able to stay in bed much past 8am (they do tell you it is better to consistently get up at the same time everyday, as well as go to bed at about the same time at night, sigh).
I spent a good portion of the day developing menus for the month I am spending on Maui. I sent the menus off to my client this afternoon for review. I did not get to the drawers and closets I wanted to to try and sort through my possessions to "thin" things out. Most of have entirely too much stuff! It's amazing what we collect over the years, lol!
One of my friends from Denver sent me an application for a chef job in Aspen. Turns out the LA based company hires out domestic help, nannies, butlers, housekeepers, personal assistants, chefs and chauffeurs. Interesting, but I don't think that is quite my cup of tea. "Yes, madam, No, sir, At once, madam, etc". Sounds like the manors in England, lol.
Tomorrow I have my interview at Carson Tahoe-wish me luck! Then dinner with a friend at Campo. It will give me an opportunity to do a restaurant review. The article I did for examiner.com on food trends for 2012, was featured nationally. Kind of cool! Maybe I should be writing more, who knows? I could be a food critic/author! Lots of options, which makes it more difficult to find the right path. It will come, though.
I spent a good portion of the day developing menus for the month I am spending on Maui. I sent the menus off to my client this afternoon for review. I did not get to the drawers and closets I wanted to to try and sort through my possessions to "thin" things out. Most of have entirely too much stuff! It's amazing what we collect over the years, lol!
One of my friends from Denver sent me an application for a chef job in Aspen. Turns out the LA based company hires out domestic help, nannies, butlers, housekeepers, personal assistants, chefs and chauffeurs. Interesting, but I don't think that is quite my cup of tea. "Yes, madam, No, sir, At once, madam, etc". Sounds like the manors in England, lol.
Tomorrow I have my interview at Carson Tahoe-wish me luck! Then dinner with a friend at Campo. It will give me an opportunity to do a restaurant review. The article I did for examiner.com on food trends for 2012, was featured nationally. Kind of cool! Maybe I should be writing more, who knows? I could be a food critic/author! Lots of options, which makes it more difficult to find the right path. It will come, though.
Monday, January 9, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Janell and I are back in Reno. We took my mom down to LA as she will be staying with my sister for the next few months (kind of a snowbird). The weather was gorgeous, no snow (unfortunately no snow even in the Mammoth area), and smooth sailing on the drive to and from LA. I did do four meals for the freezer for my sister and her family, so I hope they like them. Otherwise, we did a little shopping, watched a movie, went out for dinner once and out to lunch once. But it's good to be home!
More to come in the upcoming days!
More to come in the upcoming days!
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2011
All in all, a quiet couple of days. I have been working online, wrote an article for examiner.com, looking for work, took down the Christmas decorations (I did NOT want to face that job after I got back from LA), mailed a package, ran some errands, had lunch with Ric Wednesday (Ric has called me twice and both times I was out of town!) at Arlington Gardens, paid bills, went to the bank, cleaned two bathrooms, vacuumed the downstairs, answered an email from "Hireachef.com"-a woman wanting to know how much a private chef costs in Reno, and took a friend to the airport at 5:15am this morning. No wonder I'm tired!
I have not had any culinary work for over a week but must admit I have not pursued anything (other than SCOR to check when their next meetings and marketing are going to take place). I return to Maui January 22 for a month, so won't be available really, until after I come back February 21. I do have a job interview next week for a nursing position. I need to build up a savings again. It would be part time so I could still do all my usual culinary work (plus more, I hope!). We'll see....
I've been looking online and reading to see what the food trends are for 2012. According to Inc.com, the best industries for starting a business right now are in candy, iPhone apps, education, alternative energy and technology. Interesting combinations, lol. They claim candy is recession proof. Maybe I need to start making candy! Janell thought I should start with Fleur de Sel Caramels, lol. As I said earlier, it's time to make a living, not just make money. Still looking for my exact niche.
I have not had any culinary work for over a week but must admit I have not pursued anything (other than SCOR to check when their next meetings and marketing are going to take place). I return to Maui January 22 for a month, so won't be available really, until after I come back February 21. I do have a job interview next week for a nursing position. I need to build up a savings again. It would be part time so I could still do all my usual culinary work (plus more, I hope!). We'll see....
I've been looking online and reading to see what the food trends are for 2012. According to Inc.com, the best industries for starting a business right now are in candy, iPhone apps, education, alternative energy and technology. Interesting combinations, lol. They claim candy is recession proof. Maybe I need to start making candy! Janell thought I should start with Fleur de Sel Caramels, lol. As I said earlier, it's time to make a living, not just make money. Still looking for my exact niche.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2011
Other than lunch with my sister and mom, Monday was uneventful. It was technically the New Year's holiday so everything but retail vendors were closed. We had lunch at Chili's (dessert was the best part, lol, a warm red velvet Bundt cake with warm cream cheese frosting topped with chocolate and ice cream), then went to Barnes and Nobles for a look around. I found a cookbook from the San Francisco bakery called Miette, the name of the book being the same as the name of the bakery. Beautiful book, beautiful pictures and great looking recipes.
For dinner Monday, I tried a pasta dish I had made for one of my clients, with tomatoes and basil and mozzarella cheese. I added sausage, however, as an extra protein boost. Turned out well, Jordan was pleased. We still had some cheesecake left over, so had a piece of that for dessert.
Tuesday I did some banking, called the BBB, looked at cookie recipes (I was in the mood to bake) and went grocery shopping. My mom and Janell came over for dinner. I was finally able to use the beef shanks I received from the woman we bought our beef from for the farm to table diner in September. I decided to make Osso Bucco. After lunch I baked a Blackberry Cobbler, then mixed up cookie dough for Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies. I had to wait to bake them as I did not have any chocolate chips-I almost always have chocolate chips! Janell brought some over when she came. I started the Osso Bucco-it takes several hours. You sear the meat in olive oil and butter, remove them from the pan, toss in some diced onions, carrots, garlic and celery, add two bay leaves, deglaze the pan with Marsala wine, but the meat back in the pan, add chicken broth and tomatoes and let it bubble away for two hours. I served it with Saffron Rissoto and Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta. It turned out well! Everyone seemed pleased. The only one who did not like the dessert (Blackberry Cobbler) was Jordan. He thought it was too sweet. I always listen to everyone's complaints/compliments. After dinner we watched the results of the Iowa caucus. Interesting listening....
Friday we take my mom down to LA. Hope the weather holds out!
For dinner Monday, I tried a pasta dish I had made for one of my clients, with tomatoes and basil and mozzarella cheese. I added sausage, however, as an extra protein boost. Turned out well, Jordan was pleased. We still had some cheesecake left over, so had a piece of that for dessert.
Tuesday I did some banking, called the BBB, looked at cookie recipes (I was in the mood to bake) and went grocery shopping. My mom and Janell came over for dinner. I was finally able to use the beef shanks I received from the woman we bought our beef from for the farm to table diner in September. I decided to make Osso Bucco. After lunch I baked a Blackberry Cobbler, then mixed up cookie dough for Hazelnut Chocolate Chip Cookies. I had to wait to bake them as I did not have any chocolate chips-I almost always have chocolate chips! Janell brought some over when she came. I started the Osso Bucco-it takes several hours. You sear the meat in olive oil and butter, remove them from the pan, toss in some diced onions, carrots, garlic and celery, add two bay leaves, deglaze the pan with Marsala wine, but the meat back in the pan, add chicken broth and tomatoes and let it bubble away for two hours. I served it with Saffron Rissoto and Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta. It turned out well! Everyone seemed pleased. The only one who did not like the dessert (Blackberry Cobbler) was Jordan. He thought it was too sweet. I always listen to everyone's complaints/compliments. After dinner we watched the results of the Iowa caucus. Interesting listening....
Friday we take my mom down to LA. Hope the weather holds out!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
2012! Happy New Year! One of my goals this year is to not just make money, but to earn a living as a chef. I just need to figure out exactly how to do that. Lots to think about in the coming days.
It was a lazy day today. Slept in late, had breakfast at Hobey's, picked up Ah Choo from Janell's house, read some and watched a couple cooking shows I had taped. Tomorrow I'll do some work.
It was a lazy day today. Slept in late, had breakfast at Hobey's, picked up Ah Choo from Janell's house, read some and watched a couple cooking shows I had taped. Tomorrow I'll do some work.
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Saturday morning was sunny but windy in Denver. Kind of nice to be off the mountain and back in civilization as it were. Breakfast was a Cherry "Braid", a frozen rope of puff pastry she bought from one of her friends, whose child was seeking them as a fundraiser. Not bad, really. And of course, Kim and Dave and I spent a lot of time talking about life, professional goals, moving to Denver, going into business together. Kim has turned out to be a great friend.
We had lunch at Clark & Co on 17th Avenue (17th is kind of restaurant row). Burgers, sandwiches and brunch on the weekends. I ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich, which I haven't had in years. It's essentially French toast filled with ham and cheese that is fried, then served with strawberry jam. Yum! Kim had California Eggs Benedict (avocado and tomato added to classic Eggs Benedict). Then Kim dropped me off at the airport.
The flight from Denver to Las Vegas was uneventful and I met up with Jordan in Vegas and we flew back to Reno. He surprised me with dinner reservations at Zozo's restaurant. We haven't been in a while for a variety of reasons, but Jordan thought we'd go tonight for their special New Year's Eve menu. We came home, changed, then went out to dinner. And how disappointing it was. The first course was a choice of Shrimp Cocktail or an antipasti plate. Only the plate turned out to be a bowl filled with vinaigrette drenched lettuce, cubed cheddar cheese, cubed salami, peppericini and olives. Not what we were expecting. The next course was soup or salad. We both ordered the Pear, Walnut Salad with Taspberry Vinaigrette. The pears were canned, although that in itself wasn't so bad, but that plus a really sweet raspberry vinaigrette was too much. When the entrees came, the food was cold. I couldn't eat mine and Jordan ate only a small amount. The dessert of strawberry tiramisu was surprisingly tasteless. Jordan said something to the waitress and we ended up not being charged for dinner. Jordan left a big tip for our waitress and we left.
We ended up going to Charlie Palmer's at the Grand Sierra and had wine and appetizers at the bar. We danced a little and hung out until midnight, then came home.
Happy New Year!
We had lunch at Clark & Co on 17th Avenue (17th is kind of restaurant row). Burgers, sandwiches and brunch on the weekends. I ordered a Monte Cristo sandwich, which I haven't had in years. It's essentially French toast filled with ham and cheese that is fried, then served with strawberry jam. Yum! Kim had California Eggs Benedict (avocado and tomato added to classic Eggs Benedict). Then Kim dropped me off at the airport.
The flight from Denver to Las Vegas was uneventful and I met up with Jordan in Vegas and we flew back to Reno. He surprised me with dinner reservations at Zozo's restaurant. We haven't been in a while for a variety of reasons, but Jordan thought we'd go tonight for their special New Year's Eve menu. We came home, changed, then went out to dinner. And how disappointing it was. The first course was a choice of Shrimp Cocktail or an antipasti plate. Only the plate turned out to be a bowl filled with vinaigrette drenched lettuce, cubed cheddar cheese, cubed salami, peppericini and olives. Not what we were expecting. The next course was soup or salad. We both ordered the Pear, Walnut Salad with Taspberry Vinaigrette. The pears were canned, although that in itself wasn't so bad, but that plus a really sweet raspberry vinaigrette was too much. When the entrees came, the food was cold. I couldn't eat mine and Jordan ate only a small amount. The dessert of strawberry tiramisu was surprisingly tasteless. Jordan said something to the waitress and we ended up not being charged for dinner. Jordan left a big tip for our waitress and we left.
We ended up going to Charlie Palmer's at the Grand Sierra and had wine and appetizers at the bar. We danced a little and hung out until midnight, then came home.
Happy New Year!
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