It has been brought to my attention that I have been remiss in posting blogs, so here is an update on what has been going on at the Darjeeling (which explains why I haven't had the chance to blog much lately).
The music business at the Cafe is booming. At this point I have so many bands that want to play that I have decided to have music nights on Mondays as well as Friday and Saturday to accommodate all of the musicians that will be coming through this summer.
We have started doing a trivia night on Tuesdays that is really starting to take off. With the grand prize being a $25 dollar gift certificate, we have been getting a lot of regulars in to compete. It really is a blast and I would highly recommend stopping by at 7 on a Tuesday. I would play if I could, but a $25 GC here does me very little good.
One of my only gripes about Staunton is that there is nowhere to get ethnic food in town.
Being someone of action I decided that Wednesday nights are now ethnic food nights at the Cafe. Sushi nights have been such a success that we will do them every other week and on "off" weeks we will do foods from another country as well. We have done Moroccan which was fun and have Indian night coming up very soon. In June we will do Hungarian and Thai nights in addition to two Japanese nights.
We are also in the middle of creating a tapas menu for the patio during the summer. I am working with the health department and City to see if I can have an outdoor grill in which to entice people up the block and expand my menu because of the spacial limitations I have in the kitchen. So if you notice some great smells wafting through Newtown, more than likely they are coming from the Darjeeling Cafe. Regardless of the outdoor grill, we will have a tapas menu and I have greatly expanded the beer and wine lists to include a wide variety of high quality beverages at affordable prices.
Every other Thursday we will host a writer's group. It is open to all ages and people of all writing backgrounds. I know I am looking forward to having an open forum in which to share my work and recieve constructive criticism.
And speaking of writing, my boyfriend, Jack, and his friend Jason have started a new arts and culture magazine for the valley. Blu will include articles of human interest, a calendar and dining guide (by yours truly) and many other wicked awesome things. It's free and wonderful so check it out. www.theblumag.com
The Blu launch party for over 100 is being held here next week, so I have been running around like a chicken with it's head chopped off. Stop by the unveiling, hors d'ouvres and a champagne toast.
So that's that. The Darjeeling Cafe is in a constant state of evolution. I have the coolest staff in town and we are working really hard to make the Cafe an artistic community and eclectic place to come for health conscious and local foods, fair trade locally roasted coffee, organic and exotic teas, world class beers and wine, local artwork, and great music. It's finally all coming together. Come check it out.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
I'm so excited and I just can't hid it/ I'm about to lose control and I think I like it-- Uh-huh
Today was one of my favorite days at the shop. Nothing spectacular happened. I didn't have record sales. I just got a lot done and I got to cook a lot. I didn't make one wrap today which was awesome because they are labor intensive and a pain to make. I did make a potato leek vichyssoise which I ended up selling hot (and sold out of), a borscht which I almost sold out of, and a creamy broccoli and cheddar soup. I also made fresh banana bread, southern style beet tops, sauteed spinach, and a ton of salads. I really do love making salads because they always turn out so beautifully.
There's nothing like a snowy day to bring out the tea drinkers in Staunton. I ran the gamut with the varieties that I sold today. It really was a little bit of everything.
I also sold lots of wine and several of the new beers that I got in. I think people are liking that I have an IPA now.
Doug Day is in the middle of playing an awesome blues set and I have Addison Brady rock and roll to look forward to tomorrow. Plus, I start staying open until 10 next week so I have that going too. Square will be on Tuesday and Thursday is another bluegrass jam session.
Now that I have employees I actually have to train them, so I wrote a training manual and did a full inventory for the first time in a long time. All in all, it was a really productive day and I hope it bodes well for the upcoming months.
There's nothing like a snowy day to bring out the tea drinkers in Staunton. I ran the gamut with the varieties that I sold today. It really was a little bit of everything.
I also sold lots of wine and several of the new beers that I got in. I think people are liking that I have an IPA now.
Doug Day is in the middle of playing an awesome blues set and I have Addison Brady rock and roll to look forward to tomorrow. Plus, I start staying open until 10 next week so I have that going too. Square will be on Tuesday and Thursday is another bluegrass jam session.
Now that I have employees I actually have to train them, so I wrote a training manual and did a full inventory for the first time in a long time. All in all, it was a really productive day and I hope it bodes well for the upcoming months.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Tea is good for you-- MSN says so
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/28982279/?GT1=43001&pg=4#Health_PVN_KillerImmunity
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tea in the morning, tea in the evening, tea at supper time
I sometimes forget that I have so many teas in the shop to choose from. Most of the time I stick to Genmaicha or Jasmine Pearl or Yunnan Velvet Tips, which makes drinking something different such a pleasant surprise. Today I had Lung Ching, a Chinese green, also known as Dragon Well tea. It has a unique nutty yet mild and smooth flavor and a great aroma. Because it is hand fired in a wok it takes on a flat shiny appearance.
This tea is considered the tea of emperors and is characterized by its jade green color and unique shape. This tea is of particular interest for me because it is only grown in the Hangzhou region of China, where my brother lived for a while. He has actually been through the tea fields in the area. He said that they were mountainous and woody.
Stay tuned for more tea blogs as I rediscover all of the teas that I tend to forget.
This tea is considered the tea of emperors and is characterized by its jade green color and unique shape. This tea is of particular interest for me because it is only grown in the Hangzhou region of China, where my brother lived for a while. He has actually been through the tea fields in the area. He said that they were mountainous and woody.
Stay tuned for more tea blogs as I rediscover all of the teas that I tend to forget.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Sleepless long nights/ That is what my youth was for...
The past couple of weeks have been great ones for the Cafe. I have had some awesome music in here! Two weeks ago I had Red Satellites with special guests Addison Brady. I swear, those kids never cease to amaze me-- they are so young, yet so talented! And Addison Brady was a lot of fun, too. I am really looking forward to having them come back in March.
Detroit Lounge City was a ton of fun what with their costume changes and moving farm animals. Those guys are always good for a laugh and some good tunes.
Thursday brought The Darjeeling Cafe's second impromptu jam session. I had a great time, except for the ass handing that I received. I had just gotten a tetanus shot and was miserably suffering from a sore arm, hives, and flu- like symptoms that made banging out 27 dinners a little less fun than usual. I made it through and really enjoyed the fact that the cafe is not just a venue for younger musicians, but also older people who enjoy the comfortable atmosphere and lack of a "bar" feel. They do like their PBRs though.
Friday brought one of the best musicians I have had thus far, and, I must admit, a disappointing turn out for one so talented. Todd Schlabach deserves such accolades for his musicianship! His loops and ability to play percussion on a stringed instrument are absolutely incredible. While it may not have been the biggest crowd in the shop it was definitely one of the most appreciative.
Saturday's crowd more than made up for Friday's turn out! The three band line up was started by Preacher, one of Harrisonburg's burgeoning new bands. They were great, creative, and even made hand bills to go along with their snake oil and brimstone act. Thank you, brothers! American Tourist followed with an awesome one man band and lovely sound that I could have listened to all night. (Side note: He is the cousin of my childhood friend and kindergarden crush.) Mild Winter, the headliners, played a wonderful set. I am truely in love with their Old Crow Medicine Show meet the Pixies sound. I cannot wait to have all three acts back later in the spring. What a fun night!
Tomorrow I start Darjeeling Cafe breakfast-- it was supposed to be today, but I flaked because of the snow. I am excited and apprehensive at the same time. My butt typically does not see 7 am unless it has been a carry over from the night before. I am really looking forward to offering healthy and GOOD foods to people who are looking for an alternative to bacon and eggs. (Don't despair-- I'll still serve eggs.)
Lots of exciting things are going to continue to happen here at the shop throughout the spring. After we get the breakfast thing down, we will start to work on evening hour expansion and really start to create the artistic community spot that I hope the Cafe becomes.
Detroit Lounge City was a ton of fun what with their costume changes and moving farm animals. Those guys are always good for a laugh and some good tunes.
Thursday brought The Darjeeling Cafe's second impromptu jam session. I had a great time, except for the ass handing that I received. I had just gotten a tetanus shot and was miserably suffering from a sore arm, hives, and flu- like symptoms that made banging out 27 dinners a little less fun than usual. I made it through and really enjoyed the fact that the cafe is not just a venue for younger musicians, but also older people who enjoy the comfortable atmosphere and lack of a "bar" feel. They do like their PBRs though.
Friday brought one of the best musicians I have had thus far, and, I must admit, a disappointing turn out for one so talented. Todd Schlabach deserves such accolades for his musicianship! His loops and ability to play percussion on a stringed instrument are absolutely incredible. While it may not have been the biggest crowd in the shop it was definitely one of the most appreciative.
Saturday's crowd more than made up for Friday's turn out! The three band line up was started by Preacher, one of Harrisonburg's burgeoning new bands. They were great, creative, and even made hand bills to go along with their snake oil and brimstone act. Thank you, brothers! American Tourist followed with an awesome one man band and lovely sound that I could have listened to all night. (Side note: He is the cousin of my childhood friend and kindergarden crush.) Mild Winter, the headliners, played a wonderful set. I am truely in love with their Old Crow Medicine Show meet the Pixies sound. I cannot wait to have all three acts back later in the spring. What a fun night!
Tomorrow I start Darjeeling Cafe breakfast-- it was supposed to be today, but I flaked because of the snow. I am excited and apprehensive at the same time. My butt typically does not see 7 am unless it has been a carry over from the night before. I am really looking forward to offering healthy and GOOD foods to people who are looking for an alternative to bacon and eggs. (Don't despair-- I'll still serve eggs.)
Lots of exciting things are going to continue to happen here at the shop throughout the spring. After we get the breakfast thing down, we will start to work on evening hour expansion and really start to create the artistic community spot that I hope the Cafe becomes.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
I use my dress to wipe up my drink/ You know, I care less and less what people think
I so want to be one of those "together girls." The women featured on the pages of Real Simple and Domino. Those bastions of Martha Stewartism who run successful business, have pretty white kitchens, make fabulous meals from scratch, and keep everything organized in neat little white boxes with perfectly labeled script telling them where their tax return from 2002 is.
I, unfortunately, am the antithesis of these women. Having some semblance of a great desire for the pretty white boxes and neatly organized perfection that said boxes represent, I buy all sorts of things to get me organized-- boxes, day planners, magazines, carts-- all in a failed attempt to get it together; always falling several steps from the mark.
Couple these organizational failings with a depression era mentality of "waste not, want not" and you have a severe problem. I reduce, reuse, or recycle everything from old milk jugs to tee shirts that I have had since middle school and belonged to my mother before me. I save clothes for fabric even though I can't really sew. I drain my olive oil bottles but invariably come back to find an oily mess oozing off the counter top. While this is seemingly great for the environment, it leaves my personal environment more than a little cluttered.
This has become more and more evident to me since Jack moved here. Much to my (and his) chagrin everything that I didn't want him to know about me has begun to surface. My inability to put clothes in the hamper and propensity to read online celebrity gossip instead of doing actual work, the fact that the dog pees on the carpet more than he does on grass and while I have an entire closet devoted to shoes most are in the floor, all of the things that I knew would expose me as a fraudulent together girl have appeared and now he knows.
I would like to say that my resolution for 2009 is to become organized and lead the life of a Real Simple woman. But I fear that it will be another year of dragging around a purse full of receipts and unfinished to do lists much like my mother before me and her mother before her. You see, this is an inherited flaw and while I may attempt to over compensate for it by buying compartmentalized bags it's going to show through just like my clumsiness. Try as I may to be graceful and lithe, somehow I always tend to drop the disorganized bag.
I, unfortunately, am the antithesis of these women. Having some semblance of a great desire for the pretty white boxes and neatly organized perfection that said boxes represent, I buy all sorts of things to get me organized-- boxes, day planners, magazines, carts-- all in a failed attempt to get it together; always falling several steps from the mark.
Couple these organizational failings with a depression era mentality of "waste not, want not" and you have a severe problem. I reduce, reuse, or recycle everything from old milk jugs to tee shirts that I have had since middle school and belonged to my mother before me. I save clothes for fabric even though I can't really sew. I drain my olive oil bottles but invariably come back to find an oily mess oozing off the counter top. While this is seemingly great for the environment, it leaves my personal environment more than a little cluttered.
This has become more and more evident to me since Jack moved here. Much to my (and his) chagrin everything that I didn't want him to know about me has begun to surface. My inability to put clothes in the hamper and propensity to read online celebrity gossip instead of doing actual work, the fact that the dog pees on the carpet more than he does on grass and while I have an entire closet devoted to shoes most are in the floor, all of the things that I knew would expose me as a fraudulent together girl have appeared and now he knows.
I would like to say that my resolution for 2009 is to become organized and lead the life of a Real Simple woman. But I fear that it will be another year of dragging around a purse full of receipts and unfinished to do lists much like my mother before me and her mother before her. You see, this is an inherited flaw and while I may attempt to over compensate for it by buying compartmentalized bags it's going to show through just like my clumsiness. Try as I may to be graceful and lithe, somehow I always tend to drop the disorganized bag.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Hey good looking/ What ya been cooking...
I have been working on a lot of different recipes lately. I have to say it's been a lot of fun. This past week alone I have made vegan cupcakes with AWESOME vegan icing, a wonderful cranberry onion chutney to go on the chicken or turkey wrap, a cream of potato and broccoli soup, and a pumpkin soup.
I'm getting ready to start vegan oatmeal cookies!
All of the recipes I came up with are vegetarian and most are vegan. I have to say that I am really enjoying this cooking style and think if I could cut out the dairy in my diet I would make a great vegetarian/ almost vegan. I just really like cheese, dammit!
Looking forward to an awesome good weekend what with the early 90's dance party and Brian Chandler and whatnot.
Also, looking forward to 3 whole days off next week! Can't wait to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. My mom has been diligently working on vegan recipes all month. So cute that she's trying so hard.
After that I have my second art gallery with the Brooms, Jeremy Anderson, and the Cinnamon Band.
November has shaped up to be not that bad after all.
I'm getting ready to start vegan oatmeal cookies!
All of the recipes I came up with are vegetarian and most are vegan. I have to say that I am really enjoying this cooking style and think if I could cut out the dairy in my diet I would make a great vegetarian/ almost vegan. I just really like cheese, dammit!
Looking forward to an awesome good weekend what with the early 90's dance party and Brian Chandler and whatnot.
Also, looking forward to 3 whole days off next week! Can't wait to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. My mom has been diligently working on vegan recipes all month. So cute that she's trying so hard.
After that I have my second art gallery with the Brooms, Jeremy Anderson, and the Cinnamon Band.
November has shaped up to be not that bad after all.
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