So it's Friday! The weekend is just a few hours away. I'd like to use today's post as an update to what's been going on in the life of our favorite pastry chef and the man who's behind her, me.
To start off, Jen's ice cream machine has been repaired and returned to Salt House for a little while now. It's back to original working order. Prior to the complete malfunction that shocked Jen's last assistant, the thing was leaking from the lid, required a wrench to tighten a loose bolt upon each use, and frequently had electrical problems. Although she was without it for about a week, the new lid and other repairs have done the trick, and now, Jen doesn't even have to use a wrench to hold it in place! Woohoo! (Makes you appreciate your desk jobs just a smidgen more doesn't it?)
Furthermore, on the Salt House front, Jen's new assistant, Jennara (JJ) Santurio, is working out beautifully. Apparently, she's cute, a fast learner, and has great instincts. I wish her well in her transition to the city.
Meanwhile, in my life, I've gotten back into the gym on a more regular basis. I've pulled off 4 days this week so far with my gym bag packed for today as well. Let's see how long I can keep up this pace before I find a new obsession to worry about. My good friend Seth has been a huge motivation for me to keep going despite my 5-hours-of-sleep nights. Plus, he helps me keep running 50 min/session mark. That's him and Susan in the picture. God, I love that pic. Credit goes to Christina for it. (I think.)
As many of you have known my housing woes have been consuming a lot of my time in the last couple months. From when I was fixing everything for the sale up back in April to the maintenance of the house I do not live in and worrying about how to better market my house, its finally showing signs that it is all paying off this week I got 2 house offers and am in negotiations with both of the interested parties. Cannot say it was a profitable venture, but homeownership was an amazing learning experience.
On a sad note, my friend from high school and first college roommate, Eric Chen, passed away last week on July 27 of cancer. His memorial is this Saturday. He and I lost touch after we left the dorms, and I feel bad we never reconnected afterward. I would have at least liked to have let him know I wasn't mad at him when we I moved out of the dorm. I simply couldn't find him to say goodbye. Unfortunately, I'll never get the chance. Here's to my friend. You will be missed.
In memory of Eric from his family.
The Memorial Service will be held:
Time & Date: at 1:30PM on August 4, 2007
Place: Reflection Chapel in Chapel of the Chimes
Address: 32992 Mission Blvd., Hayward, CA 94544
Culinary Word of the Day: Gazpachó
A refreshingly cold, summertime soup hailing from the Andalusia region in southern Spain. This uncooked soup is usually made from a puréed mixture of fresh tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, onions, celery, cucumber, breadcrumbs, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and sometimes lemon juice. Gazpachó can be a meal in itself, particularly when extra fresh vegetables such as sliced celery, green onion, cucumber and green pepper are added. Popular garnishes include croutons and diced hard-cooked eggs. Source: Food Lover's Companion
