Eat. Think. Eat

So I'm sitting here taking a break on a Saturday night, just catching up on some shows and honestly, just trying to slow my 1098102938 mph life for a moment in time. What am I watching? well, what else? Anthony Bourdain, no reservations of course! And what's the topic or place of eats you ask? Obsessed.
Now I like to think I'm pretty freakin obsessed with food. I really do. I really am. But as they say, there's always someone more ____ than you. I agree.
Right now on the show, he's going through a little vignette on three food bloggers and well, what else, eating with them. Anthony Bourdain makes a set of comments as each blogger takes out a camera and snaps shots of the food and AB asks, at what point do you just enjoy the food? There's obsessed and then there's letting your amazing food get cold and not as good as when it first comes out!!
Now I am DEFINITELY one to take pictures of my food because honestly, it's beautiful stuff, not just visually, but mentally. I am definitely of the opinion that you need to feast with your eyes and mind before you eat and especially when I'm cooking, I like to set up each guest mentally and visually before serving because it's an EXPERIENCE, not just eating, but an experience.
But there have been occasions when I forget to whip out the camera and occasions when I specifically do NOT take it out because I know there's something special in front of me.
Usually, it's not just amazing food that I want to devote all my time and energy at THAT specific time on, but it's also ridiculously amazing company that I want to devote all my time and energy on as well.
I just came back from NYC eating at arguably the most amazing meal that I've had in my life at PER SE, and I remember making what seems to me now, an absolutely absurd comment. We had great banter with our server and at one point in the night I said something along the lines of, "this food is amazing and wonderful, but it's just food, I am enjoying the experience because of the company, I am here for the company and getting to enjoy this with the amazing people in my life." Shocking. Me, David, dismissed the food in favor of the company! And you know what, I didn't once take my camera out (luckily one of my friends did), but I was absolutely caught up in the moment of that meal, that company, and it was in a word, fun.
I have to admit, without the fantastic company that I keep when I eat, it just wouldn't make any sense. If I can't share the experience with people, both those I love and care about and the new strangers who become fast friends because of the experience, then this obsession would mean absolutely nothing to me.
So to all those out there that I am honored to share food and drink with, salud! Let's have another ;)

Simple.

Simple joys. I want to live seeking the simple joys of life. Those moments that put a true smile to one's face, simple, pure, unadulterated. You know the one, things tend to shine, sparkle, if only for a moment, it's all you need. When you can reach down to the depths of your soul and find that one grain of truth, true joy. We look and marvel at children because that is exactly what you see in their eyes, their actions, their love. Close your eyes and just reach; reach for that moment where nothing else matters. Be simple, clean. Two people truly in love, caught in the moment. Anticipation as grandmother prepares your favorite dish with love. That one biteful that you can close your eyes and just remember. The kindness of strangers. The gentle caress of the wind of a cool spring day, with the scent of love, the sound of nothing, and all the thoughts of a blank canvas in your head.
A simple touch, a kiss, sweet, light, fleeting.

what I want

Can I just live a fun, simple, and honest life with fun, simple, and honest people in it? No games, no crap, just people who want to be respectful, want to be honest and open. Say what you mean, mean what you say. No one says that life can't be fun and spontaneous at all! These things are not mutually exclusive damn it! If you're uncomfortable, say so. If you don't like me or something that I do, say so. I will try my best to address the issue head on with a bit of embarrassment, but honest humility. I'm not getting 'too old' for this, honesty and love shouldn't be assumed by age, they should be offered willingly by all and to all. What the heck is wrong with people these days? I spend so much energy on things that don't matter. I want to spend my energy on the things that do.

Holiday Time musing

So it's holiday time again and I've got a few thoughts on my mind I wanted to get out.
I just finished watching 'Elf' again (yay Zooey Deschanel!) and as absurd as it may sound, it gets me going sometimes right at the end when she starts singing 'Santa Claus is Coming to Town.' You know why? well, because at that moment, everything is kind of just pure. Pure emotion whatever it may be, really affects. It's like trying to experience things like a child does. That child has no clue how to take his experience except from a completely pure and untainted state of mind. You can enjoy the wonder of the world for what it is, no pretense, no history to color your thoughts, just the moment. I know we've all experienced it before, just getting lost in the moment.
I've been listening to this singer (got it from Issa originally), Molly Lewis and the best i can describe, going along with this post, is that her music is just fun. That's it. and that's enough. =)

Sad day

So last night, around 10pm, my neighbor down on the corner, passed away. Him and his wife were the very first people that welcomed me to the neighborhood, even before my house was completed. He was a large and friendly gentleman, always willing to stop what he was doing and just shoot the shit as they say. He was a bit crass, but always always respectful and warm and him and his family make this neighborhood feel like home.
We don't usually get to pick our neighbors, but I can't say enough about the folks who have been placed by my side here and it's truly a sad day to have lost one so suddenly.
He had just celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with his loving wife and she still calls him her best friend. Amazing. How absolutely lucky and blessed she is to have had 25 years and even in his last night, she told him he had stick around for at least another 20 years and although he had trouble speaking, he eeked out, "no, 70". I can only hope and pray to have even just a sliver of a moment of time with a love like that.
Say hello to Jesus for me Randy and pop a beer for me...

To the couple in 19A and B

Thank you for sharing your plane ride with me today! Isn't it funny how open and accommodating we all become when we're crammed up in small and uncomfortable quarters with the most stranger of the strangers out there?
If you don't believe that we as human beings long for connections and human interaction and belonging, then you really haven't sat next to anyone on a plane! It's amazing what we allow ourselves to share for the few little hours of our lives that we share with one another. Now granted, this can be a dangerous thing, but come on, go bungee jumping, live a little! Take a leap!
I've met some of the nicest people on planes and it really makes me put a little more hope in the human race when I do. There's so many people out there who don't give a d*mn about you and me and it's all me me me, but honestly, I like to think that's a small minority, and when I complete a plane ride as I did today, I am uplifted with a bit of hope.
So to John and Elaine from Jersey, thanks for the ride, I hope I was as much of a joy to your flight as you were to mine!

We all make our order

It’s funny how peoples’ minds work isn’t it? Take my own, my mind seems to make memories based on smells, tastes, and vehicles. Sometimes, I remember someone’s face by remembering the car they used to drive, but more often than not, it seems to come in that order, car, then face. A lot of times, it’s the same with events and faces when I’m eating. They say your memory is really linked to your sense of smell and it’s really true for me. Food, then faces.
So think how odd to me that this past week I spent in New Jersey and New York, working, eating. Food, work, then faces. I’ve been absolutely ecstatic that I was able to get reservations at Babbo Italian Restaurant, Mario Batali’s restaurant. It takes a month in advance at least, to get reservations and luckily this time around, I was able to plan things out to get those reservations. In fact, this time around, I had enough advance notice to actually put together a small group to eat with that was not just limited to coworkers that were with me on the trip. Faces, food.
Therein lies the oddity. For all intents and purposes, I should have been absolutely ready, prepared to immerse myself in this wonderful food, prepared with deliberation and intent for the sole purpose of eating and yes, entertaining me and my friends. But I have to say, the food wasn’t the highlight, I didn’t even THINK to bring out my camera to take pictures until almost the end of the meal, and did not stay the conversation to expressly enjoy the food itself. No, the conversation and fun, flowed just as evenly as the 9 wonderful courses made their way out to us, and in fact, overwhelmed the experience and makes me sit back now thinking. This was an experience! Gastronomical, yes, but social, and utterly enjoyable. 2 hours, 2 bottles, 9 courses, 3 unrelated, but completely open and enjoyable guests at the table. THIS is how we should all experience our meals, this is how we should break bread and enjoy people. So simple! Beautiful food, wonderful company, and truly, the time to enjoy it all. If only all our meals could be enjoyed as such! Faces, voices, food.