Just a Darn Good Day

Some days just feel good when they're over. Today was one of them.

After touch-base meetings at work, one of my co-workers and I took a trip to Ikea to get furnishings for the (to-date) dismal and drab entry way to our office. The colors we had to work with didn't exactly inspire creativity -- dark taupe walls (with one burgundy wall) and blue-ish carpet and "accents" (read: cubicles). But I think we did pretty well! I wish I could post the photos of the entire staff in the "I-hate-Ikea!" furniture-assembling pose, but I'm gun-shy about posting about work these days. But I can post a photo of our little reception area, can't I?

The other good news about work is that after hundreds of resumes, 30 or so interviews and as many phone calls with references, we have our core staff. And what a staff it is! I am thrilled with every member of our team! They're absolutely phenomenal people... every one of them is bright, passionate, and committed.

When we returned from IKEA and the furniture was assembled, I got to work, catching up on the tasks and issues that had accumulated while I was gone. Shortly after I settled in to work, I hear the office door open and VERY familiar voices. I turned around and there were Elisabeth and Kat! Turns out they'd come downtown for a free Shins concert (which they missed; turns out it was at noon, not at 3:00...) and decided to pay me a visit! I showed them off to my co-workers and then shooed them off to the shopping mall, asking them to come back at 5:30, when we could walk the one block to Buca di Beppos for dinner.

If you've been to Buca di Beppos before, you know about the "kitchen table." In my childhood, the kitchen table was where you ate when you were naughty... but at Buca di Beppos, the kitchen table is where you get to eat if you're very lucky! And tonight we were lucky! The kitchen table is literally in the restaurant kitchen, and every time an entree is assembled it is shown off to the occupants of the kitchen table before it's brought into the dining room. Not only that, the cooks and waiters are very friendly with the kitchen table folk -- which is great fun!

The head chef, "Chef Dick" was a hoot! As he was visiting with us before our food arrived, he challenged us: "If you can tell me what the words on the wall mean, dessert is on me!" So Kat, Elisabeth and I pondered the words, employing all we could remember from our previous Latin, German, Spanish and French (pffffft!) classes, but to no avail. At which point, Chef Dick gave us a hint: "'calore' sounds like 'calorie' which means...?" "Heat!" we all exclaimed... at which point it came to me: "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!"

And we were proud owners of a BIG piece of chocolaty-chocolate cake with caramel, chocolate and raspberry sauce!

Now THAT'S a darn good day!