Dispatch from this surreal life...

traca

Well-known member
Hi all. Just popping in to say a quick hello...and an update...just in case you're interested. smileys/wink.gif

I was hired as a consultant for a new resto launch and have been busy working on that project this summer. I've been involved in everything from helping select the name of the restaurant, hire the general manager and other key employees, pick the tables, chairs, polish the menu...you name it. The theme is small plates new American and we've got a top-notch chef who has worked with Charlie Trotter & upscale places in SF. The final pieces are coming together and fingers crossed, we'll be launching sometime in October. Then I'll shift into major PR mode....

Last week I had an opportunity to take a full day food photography class with former New York Times photographer Lou Manna. I've got a relatively new DSLR camera and learned so much about how light helps get a great shot (light from behind or the side, not the front and NEVER use a flash. Blue or yellow tones in your photo? Means your white balance is off and you can compensate for that on your camera. Eureaka moments, for sure.)

I am currently doing a redesign of my blog and moving it to a dedicated URL. Hopefully the new site will add a few more bells and whistles and I'll be cleaning up the layout. That also means I get to learn a whole new program/language (moving from Blogger to WordPress).

I found some excellent web-based trainings on everything from photography to photoshop with www.creativetechs.com. I'm enrolled in two classes right now and that's been extremely beneficial.

Today I got a 3 hour lesson on editing audio & podcasting. My hope is that in the future, all those chef interviews I've been doing will be available as iTunes downloads. I've got a few bells & whistles to learn before that becomes a reality, but it's definitely a work in progress....

Other big news? I'm super geeking out on photography these days and have started a speaker series here in Seattle. My first speaker, Scott Bourne, is founder of (PhotoFocus.com) and has published several books.

And finally, I have been invited to attend as media (all access pass) to the Worlds of Flavor Conference at the CIA in November. I'm doing my homework and looking forward to meeting up with some culinary Who's Who. (http://www.ciaprochef.com/wof2009/bios.html)

Whew! I'm not popping on FK as much as I'd like these days. Before ya'll send out a search party...there's the scoop. smileys/smile.gif

 
Traca, now honestly, how did you not know this post would wreak havoc with everyones' emotional

state on this site.

I think you need to receive Sanka punishment or maybe someone else has a better idea for you!

 
With big highs, come BIG LOWS....I couldn't make this up if I tried.

I'm working as a consultant for a new restaurant opening. I've helped with everything from choosing the name to picking tables & chairs & hiring managers.

Well, we had a staff meeting yesterday. The manager leaves abruptly & goes to the bathroom. He takes a really long time. Someone goes in, finds him white, sweating profusely and hunched over in pain. They rush him to the hospital.

Turns out...he had a blood vessel break and was bleeding into his liver! He had surgery this morning. They stopped the bleeding but there's a chance they may have to **remove part of his liver!**

And guess what?

We open with a major Grey Goose Vodka-sponsored party on Tuesday. Life is good, eh? smileys/smile.gif

We specifically hired this guy because he's launched several restaurants and as of today & the meeting I had with the owner, we're planning on having him out at least a MONTH. We cannot wait for him and will move forward as planned. Thank God I've got over 20 years resto experience so I may be more involved than just PR.... LOL!

Tonight, I've got a stack of files and I'm trying to figure out who got hired and what schedules they've been promised!

At this point, I just want to survive the next 2 weeks....

 
Whoa, poor man. They are so lucky to have you on their team...

Let me know when you've made it big enough and you can hire *me* as your assistant (tee hee).

Way to go, seriously, sounds like you are really in the groove now...

 
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