nom nom nom

I've had a few successful interviews and I'm starting to train and work this month in two restaurants.

One is a 17 year old local-foods daily-changing-menu spot near the Mission in San Francisco. I'm going to be covering manager duties during busy shifts and generally "floating" around helping the service staff. I'm very much looking forward to training with the General Manager (a position I would love to hold in the next few years).

The other spot is a brand new Gastro Pub located on Lake Merritt. I really enjoy opening restaurants - you get to set the tone and culture of the entire space. The sense of ownership makes me feel proud and enthusiastic about going to work. It also helps me visualize what amounts of strength and stress go into opening a restaurant for the owners and chefs.

I've also started reading "Heat" by Bill Buford, which follows his culinary studies under the wings of Mario Batali and then on further to Italy. It is straight-forward and amusing. It is hitting all the nerves in my body that want me to cook for a living, but I think I'll stay in the front of the house where there is considerably less pressure (and sweat).

George Orwell says in The Road to Wigan Pier:

"A human being is primarily a bag for putting food into; the other functions and faculties may be more godlike, but in point of time they come afterwards. A man dies and is buried, and all his words and actions are forgotten, but the food he has eaten lives after him in the sound or rotten bones of his children. I think it could be plausibly argued that changes of diet are more inportant than changes of dynasty or even of religion. The Great War, for instance, could never have happened if tinned food had not been invented. And the history of the past four hundred years in England would have been immensely different if it had not been for the introduction of root-crops and various other vegetables at the end of the middle ages, and a little later the introduction of non-alcoholic drinks (tea, coffee, cocoa) and also of distilled liquors to which the beer drinking English were not accustomed. Yet it is curious how seldom the all-importance of food is recognized. You see statues everywhere to politicians, poets, bishops, but none to cooks or bacon-curers or market gardeners."

Love your local farmer / chef / waitress.

<3
"Hello! How are you? I'm well, thank you for asking. My name is Carla and I will be your server tonight."

Mixed Bizness

I recently went to the Lusty Lady for the first time. $1 a minute to see real live naked ladies dance around. That's what I like to call a "North Beach Night Cap." Mix business with pleasure.

xo
'la

Click Them.

Things you should read today that others have found:

obey


there's probably no god...


will it blend?


peace, love, unity, punch in the face.


feel like smiling?


first ever lolcat


we'll conclude with an old hip hop favorite of mine...

8 Years in 8 Minutes

Is it Tuesday yet?



We've got a mess to clean up, people!

Thanks for sharing, Aaron.

xoxo
Mrs. Olbermann

Sex and Candy

new blog added to the blogroll:

Sugar Daddy Blog

very interesting blog from a dating website for you if you are (or want to be):
a sugar daddy, sugar mama, or sugar baby

check it out!

xoxo
carla

Tranqui Yanqui

Nick is doing some more great work in Argentina.

Support my starving artist friend and send him hot dogs, paper, paint, or purchase his art. It's amazing.

Watch his video.

Send him love and support!

xoxo
Carlita

Providence People

Go to Local 121 tonight to see a documentary about the local food movement!

6:00 speakeasy doors open
6:30 optional dinner for $12 (made with local foods, silly goose!)
7:00 'Tableland' plays on the dope a/v system, discussion following

Tableland is a culinary expedition in search of the people, place and taste of North American small scale, sustainable food production. Director Chris Noble argues for the re-location of North American food systems and a return to fresher, healthier ways of feeding ourselves. From the orchards of British Columbia, the inner city gardens of Chicago to the Napa Highlands and everywhere in between, Tableland celebrates the successful production of tasty, local, and seasonal food from field to plate.

-PDD

Personally, I feel that a lot of unrest and displeasure in this society is caused by how we consume food instead of nourish ourselves. I lot of life change can happen when one begins to eat with (personal and global) mindfulness. When a lot of lives change, we get a community shift, and then a societal trend, no?

Forget having the status symbol of a pristine green lawn... Grow food in that plot of land and cook with the fruits of your labor!

Eat, drink, think local!

<3
Former Local 121 Employee

Starbucks, GOOD, and Consumption...

Oh, hi there!

On Sunday afternoon I was walking around downtown San Francisco with two friends. One wanted Starbucks brand coffee (no other coffee would suffice), so we stopped in one of 6 Starbucks within a 5 block radius, and while he was up at the counter I stumbled upon a free publication called GOOD SHEET. It's a small folding leaflet that is created by the consumer zombie machines (I mean editors) at GOOD.

GOOD is a total facade for a group of greenwashed lying corporations that appease both the zombie consumer and the not-so-harsh critics for being edgy, trendy, hip, and eco-friendly (hey - it's published on 45% post-consumer recycled paper, and the offset their emissions!). It is self-described as "a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Since 2006 we've been making a magazine, videos, and events for people who give a damn."

The GOOD SHEET No. 011 (Nov 20-26, 2008) was a post-election look at the US holiday economy. It states:

"The winter holidays: a time to join with family and friends, give thanks, celebrate, and get out the plastic and cash. We are a nation of consumers and we consme the most in November and December - in those two months, the retail profits come rolling in."

It has a bunch of great receipt-inspired graphics that give facts about what consumers are consuming in the holiday season (131 million pounds of eggnog, 67 million turkeys...) and the amount of debt it causes the consumer (12.8 billion in new debt in 2007).

But it treats it as normal, and beyond that - as a great way to stimulate the economy in these uneasy times of recession.

How long can we continue to support this failing system of beg, borrow, and steal? I know I'm the paranoid idealist anarcho-feminist conspiracy theorist who is always struggling with living in a world full of contradictions... but I know I'm not alone in feeling like I want to watch it all crash and burn!

Maybe...
...I read too much.
...I'll build my off-the-grid hut in the woods, be a farmer, and make bicycles and babies.
...I should become a barista at Starbucks, or work at Whole Foods (ha!)
...You should help me light some fires to get this crash-and-burn started!

xoxo
'la

through rose-colored lenses

I was reading Jesse's blog and was simultaneously impressed and horrified by his latest post about Sekai Camera, which is a mind-blowing app for iPhone.

I was on a date the other night (hubba hubba) and the dude's friends kept checking their phones and looking up directions to a place around the corner (literally around the corner). I kept turning their phones over and telling them to enjoy life (real life) because we only get one (in my opinion).

But I guess very soon "real life" will be considered one through rose-colored lenses, brought to us by some techno wizards for a pretty penny.

<3
carla

p.s. now I have 'send me an angel' stuck in my head...

Jesus <3s Fools

Yet another reason why I don't subscribe to organized religion, despite the importance it holds for my Armenian culture.

Participate by actively not participating in all foolishness.

Example.

Thanks to the PDD for the Armo video.

xoxo
Sarkis Diarbian
(aka Carla)

Too $exy for PA

Woman teaches dance classes.
People in charge hate on her sexy moves.
Read on...

“This is in every way a dance studio,” Mr. Walczak said. “The only reason they don’t want her here is the township commissioners just don’t like some of the dances she teaches."...even though the dance instruction did not involve nudity and there would be no audience, the dance styles were “provocative” and involved sexual “innuendo.”

I'm really getting pumped about moving to the Bay Area and working with places like BaySwan, SWOP, and St James.

xoxo
'Lita

Yogurt!

I love yogurt so very much.

Hot, cold, salty, sweet, with dill, with garlic, with honey, strained, or liquidy - I could eat it at every meal. Sometimes I do.

This video is on point and I want you to watch it.



Did I really just blog about yogurt? Inspired by the PDD.

Love,
Yo Yo Ma

Wake Up, America!

The video below made me cry not only because it's a powerful speech, but also because it made me really worried about the future.

What if McCain wins? I'll probably need to renounce citizenship and move far far away. Seriously.

What if Obama wins? Will things change? It's all such a game and I'm sick of it.



xoxo
c

Olneyville Needs You!

Every August I send an ask letter for donations to a specific cause. This year I am asking you to donate to English for Action, a 501(c)3 in the neighborhood of Olneyville in Providence, RI. My birthday is coming up, and I'm moving to California in November. If you were thinking of getting me a gift, please donate to EFA instead.

I have worked at EFA for two full years. I was hired as the coordinator of the arts-based child-care mentoring program (Nuestra Escuela / Our School) for the children of adult English learners. My weeknights for the past two years have been spent sharing wisdom, knowledge, and art with amazing youth in my community. I have never worked in a more peace-filled and imagination-inspired child-care program in my 12 years of experience. It's more than work - EFA is family to me now.

It was recently discovered that the organization was in a serious financial crisis. Federal and State budget cuts to education programs have dramatically affected our income, and the income of our major funders.

With the jarring news that EFA might have to lay off the entire staff and possibly close most or all services, the Staff, Board, and Learner community took immediate action. We did some rearranging of positions and roles. We cut our budget by 1/3. We created clearly defined financial goals for the next year. We rallied the support of our grassroots sister organizations in Providence. We have all been volunteering our free time to ensure that the few paid staff members remaining don't burn out. My new position at EFA is the Interim President of the Board of Directors, and my major duty is acting as a pro-bono Development Director to seek grant money.

While we are all busy working nights and weekends for the financial stability of EFA, we are simultaneously planning for another year of high-quality programming, including Participatory-based adult ESOL classes, arts-based child-care, native language literacy, health services, a food bank, free library, the action committee, and other blossoming partnerships with community organizations. The Action Committee (formally recognized by peer organizations as an outstanding group) recently had a very successful grassroots event to raise money, food, and basic supplies for the families of ICE detainees here in Rhode Island.

Our classes operate evenings at a nearby elementary school which has a beautiful saying painted along the entire exterior wall: "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child." We all know that nobody can truly succeed without love and support from a community of friends and family. The same is true for EFA. We cannot continue our necessary and passionate work without your financial support.

I have a personal goal of raising $1,000 through friends and family by September 9th. This money will go directly to the ESOL program expenses, including supplies, books, trainings, and ensuring that it is staffed. Staff members are dedicated lovers of education who come from all walks of life, and strive to apply the holistic mission of EFA to the ESOL program while constantly improving the measurable outcomes of the program.

Our methods are proven to be effective, and our mission is unique. We are a valued and valuable organization and we need your help!

Please donate via this link, or by mailing a check to the address below.

English for Action
PO Box 29405
Providence, RI
02909

Since They Asked So Nicely...

Hi Carla,

As you may know, this month we are trying to reach every nonprofit
organization in the country to invite them to post their jobs and
volunteer opportunities on Idealist.org.

The biggest challenge we face in doing this, is that after 12 years of
promoting Idealist solely by word of mouth (we've never had any money
for advertising or marketing) we are suffering from a classic 'network
effect' - in some places we are very well known, while in other places
no one knows us, and therefore no one knows us…

At the bottom of this email you can see the number of nonprofit job
postings we’ve had so far this month, state by state. As you can see,
we could be doing better in Rhode Island :-)

And this is why I am writing you: to really jumpstart Idealist in
Rhode Island we need your help.

Are there any mailing lists in the state where you could post this
message? If you blog, or if you use Facebook or Twitter or any other
networking tool, can you give Idealist a plug and invite your friends
to join us?

Lastly, if you want to do more, let me know and we'll put together a
team of people who want to help share Idealist in Rhode Island.

Thanks in advance for your support, and all the best!

Ami Dar
Executive Director
http://www.idealist.org

Job postings on Idealist.org, June 1-17, 2008

NY - 1816
CA - 901
MA - 855
DC - 719
IL - 334
WA - 323
MD - 260
PA - 254
VA - 201
OR - 157
NJ - 146
TX - 116
FL - 111
MN - 86
OH - 84
CT - 78
CO - 74
NC - 70
AZ - 60
GA - 60
WI - 58
MI - 45
MO - 36
ME - 34
IA - 32
LA - 30
VT - 30
TN - 25
NM - 25
KS - 24
NV - 24
DE - 22
Rhode Island - 21
AK - 18
NH - 18
OK - 18
MS - 15
MT - 15
IN - 13
SC - 8
UT - 7
KY - 6
AL - 6
NE - 6
WV - 4
ID - 4
AR - 4
HI - 3
SD - 2
ND - 2
WY - 1

For more details, here is two-minute video about why Idealist.org is a
great place to post a nonprofit job.

cars are for idiots!

Nick is in town from Vienna, where he has his art gallery, INOPERAbLE!

He is hosting a show of some Austrian artists in NYC. I'm having trouble finding a flyer for it, but when I do, I'll let you know.

bikelove,
Cyclocross Carla

P.S. That's him bike-skiing in the video.

P.P.S. The revolution will not be motorized.

Milk and Cheese

Years ago Jesse shared Evan Dorkin comics with me. Milk and Cheese quickly became my favorite.

These "dairy products gone bad" had some of the most thought-provoking and subversive concepts to which I had yet been exposed. I was 14 years old and in 9th grade.

Evan and his wife Sarah Dyer do some other pretty cool stuff, too. Educating kids about pop sub-culture via Nickelodeon? Badass history lessons.

Sarah is also a bomb-diggity artist with the cloth. Through her I found Spoonflower, a DIY craft group that will print your designs on fabric (if you're invited). Check them out, DIYers!

As you might know, I am a nerd. I have a baby comic book collection including some great Archie comics from the 1960's. I recommend going into a comic book store this week and checking it out.

Try new things!

Cibo Matto

So tonight I arrived home after a 16 hour work day at the restaurant (Local 121).

I love cooking, and I do pay attention to what happens in the kitchen when I'm at work with the professionals. It was a childhood dream of mine to own and be executive chef of my own restaurant (bonus points of you can tell me the name of the restaurant I designed when I was 7). Now it looks like I'm leaning more towards Brothel and / or Fine Dining Restaurant management...

anyways

It's 4:15am and I just made myself some bomb-ass Carla-Style Huevos Rancheros with black beans, avocado, eggy weggs, oatmeal toast, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.

If we're ever hanging out and I get the urge to go to the market and then cook for you --- let me!

It will be a pleasurable experience for all of us.

I know I'm a feminist, and I know what that means to me... and it surely includes cooking and cleaning and making you fat and happy.

So next time, when I say "Don't go to Haven Bros. Take me to the 24-hour Stop & Shop and I'll cook for you," believe me, and roll with it. Unless you got a hot date and you ain't got time for Huevos Rancheros (or vegan stir fry, or sauteed seasonal veggie panini on focaccia... et cetera).

Healthy delicious snacks and meals made with love by yours truly.

xoxo
Lady 'La

Drop Science, Not Babies.

"The same Xerox lab that brought us Ethernet, the GUI and the mouse has demonstrated paper that can be reused after printed text automatically deletes itself from its surface in a day. Instead of trashing or recycling after one use, a single piece of paper can be reused up to 100 times."
slashdot.org

"The paper contains specially coded molecules that create a print after being exposed to ultraviolet light emitted from a thin bar in a printer. The molecule readjusts itself within 24 hours to its original form to delete the print, or heat can readjust the molecule instantly. Xerox developed the molecule."
computerworld.com



Oh, word?

I wish my job involved "developing molecules." Tonight we wrangled a group of twelve kids aged 1 to 13. My favorite part was asking the whole group of kids running around outside "Quien tiene moco?, porque tengo papel si lo necesitas." and having them all approach me so I could help them blow their noses. Gross and cute.

Sometimes I feel like a mom with way too many kids. Other times I feel like I wanna live on a polygamist commune and be a baby factory. And wear those great paisley frocks.

I guess being a baby factory is kinda like developing molecules at Xerox... except babies don't disappear after 24 hours.


xoxo
Lady Nerd Face