countdown to normalcy

(Otter Cove on a lovely but chilly August night.)


Normalcy? (What IS that? Does it exist for me in Burien?) Perhaps not normalcy, but the life I left to come here for, Walter, school, family. The challenge will be to hold on to what I've learned/seen/done etc. while back in civilization. (You know what I'm talking about, eh Angie? Hopefully being here for 3 months will help things stick...)
Brought the first load of stuff home this week, hoping I get the rest to fit in the wagon, didn't have time to put the storage pod on the rack.

Oh crap, I have to find a job!

Sunday is my last day at work, Chef Janay's too! Big doings are in store no doubt, must plan to sleep in on Monday.
Nathan and I are going on a "date" that evening, dinner at the New Leaf Cafe, and I'm reating myself to a night at the Outlook Inn, then it's on the road. May do a quick tour of Shaw and Lopez on my way home, haven't beent to either island this summer.

Tom and Jan came to visit this week, a short stay but nice. Thanks, you two!
Okay, I'm off to craigslist to peruse the job market - oh this is going to suck. The last time I had to go looking for work was when I applied at the Wild Ginger - 1992! (and that was easy because I had several friends there giving reccomendations)

Woe is me.

But, hey! The sun's out! Looks like my last week here will be the summer that avoided my tent.

(Wildlife, foot included to show scale, not intending to step on this fella'... how do you tell if a jellyfish is a fella'?)

Looking forward to being home -

Two weeks to go and then I will:

Sleep in my own bed
In my warm, dry bedroom
Next to my adorable dog
Just a few steps from my own bathroom
That I won't need shoes to get to

And I will miss my cat...

the month in 500 words or less (or more...)

(in the Mt. Constitution forest)

(The dot-dot-dot is for you, you know who you are...)

Okay, I know I have been a bad blogger so I have decided to give you everything that has happened and pictures too, which are worth 1000 words, which is good, because I am not writing that many today. I'll fill in later. Or you can ask questions, if you actually dare to comment, you, you... people.

Okay, apparently I lied about the 1000 words, I talk too much...

First - there are only three weeks until my departure, so if you are coming, then COME!

Okay, where did I leave you? uhhh~~~~~

Well, that took a while, but I think I've got it figured out. The week after my bike ride I hit a low, a big low (is that an, um... oxymoron? Yeah, thanks Karyssa.) Anyway, I was feeling really down and for the first time began to wonder if it was the right thing to do to come here and all that. Well apparently the Island was listening because shortly after that I (here it is, a one-liner, day-by-day account of the past month)

I:
Hung out with a hippie folk singer
Met a friendly gal from Vancouver, BC.
Spent a day in town meeting locals and talking to strangers, came a cross a lot of goodness and interesting folks, renewed my enthusiasm for this place
but... I also learned much about Doe Bay from former staffers and other locals - the place doesn't have a very glowing local reputation.
That needs to change.
Heard some great music including: the hippie folk singer for a couple of nights, then one of the best and most fun open mic nights at the cafe.
Met a guy named John, a kundalini yoga instructor/singer/really good guitar player.
Chatted with Canadian gal and her son (he was sleepy and ignored me mostly)
Hung out in the back of the hippie folk singer's van with the yoga singing dude and Freddy).
Laughed at and visited with the friendly gal from Vancouver and her son, Angie and Estevan, while they played Brain Drain in Otter Lodge
Spent some time hanging out with with Angie (recently separated, so no romance for Lance, boo hoo) and Estevan a bunch, dinner, swimming, campires, hula hoops, glowy things, they are lots of fun!
Picked up Carlee and her "friend" Elliot. (He's not "special" if you were wondering, just caught him emphasizing)

Shared cheesecake with Estevan while Angie had tea, Carlee and Elliot had dinner.


Hung out at the ferry line and goofed off.

Mom and Walter came to visit.
Carlee, Elliot, Mom, Walter and I went up Mt. Constitution, wandered around.
The void in the trees in the center of this photo is where the yurt Carlee and Elliot stayed in, Angie and Estevan stayed in one right on the beach, it's just inside the canopy of the big tree nearest the water - very cool places, both.

Hung out with Mom and Walter, another great open mic night.
Toured George's Orcas Farm, one of the Cafe's purveyors, he's got an amazing place, this is just a tiny bit -


Missed my new friends from Vancouver so... I went to see them!
Car broke down at the border!
Home for a bit, Orson very sick
Back to the island, Orson at the vet.
He didn't make it
Back to Burien for a family meeting
VIA FLOAT PLANE! (here's rush hour at the Rosario dock, my plane is at the end of the dock)

So cool! So fun, sat in the co-pilot's seat on the way down, flew at about 1200 feet, so much to see at that altitude. Definitely want to do that again.
(Analog gages reminded me of my TR-3)

My view - the blur is the propeller

Heading back to the Island- Lake Union, check out the Space Needle!)

This is how high 1000-1200 feet above sea level is (Fisherman's Bay on Lopez Island)

It's been an interesting week at work
Co-worker 1 fails to show up for work, 2 days in a row, gets pulled from the schedule for a week, disappears, later shows up married to the guy who rides the big-wheeled bicycle around Eastsound (after knowing him for a week!), quits.
Co-worker 2 fails to show up for work, instead shows up at a bar where chef is waiting for a ferry, "Why aren't you at work?!", quits or gets fired, not sure...
Meanwhile, back at work that night - ME, BY MYSELF!! Not supposed to be! Haven't set up or run the line for dinner by myself, haven't worked the line at dinner without Janay or Abigael there to step in. Freaking out! Freaking out! FREAKING OUT!!!!!!!!!!
The cafe tried to kick my ass, and I, well, I kicked back! Really busy night, people waiting to get in!!! I DID IT!! I handled it, didn't think I could. Stayed in good spirits, got the food out, lots of compliments! BIG FRICKIN' WOW!!! And I mean this, it was a huge deal and a giant hurdle.
So, thanks co-worker 2, if you hadn't bailed on me (you... nope, won't say it) I wouldn't have known I was capable. A silver lining in every piece of crap, that's me.
Not the crap.
Feeling pretty good.
Today's my birthday! Got several wishes and songs, and sorry mom, "squeeze the monkey" was cute, if a little confusing, but Estevan and Angie win the best birthday song this year, a duet!

Good night... (from the spot)

Summer my ass!!

Farewell my friend

I know I've promised to catch up on my blogging, but this entry is devoted to my long-time friend, companion and kitty, Orson. Home is going to be a sadly different place when I return, I really wasn't ready for him to go, I suppose we never are, are we?

So long buddy...

This Island is like a crazy ride!

Sorry I have been absent for a bit, lots has been going on, some things I'm not even sure how to put in words yet. Just wanted to say hello and I'll get around to more entries in a day or two.

Here's a pretty picture to hold you over. Summer squash blossom from Orcas Farm, one of our suppliers. (It's about a mile up the road.)

Where the deer sleep...

Behind my tent is a small hill and I've often wondered what was up there. Not sure where the boudaries of the property are, so I've wondered "Is there a house up there? More woods? A pickle factory?..." Well I finally wandered up the hill, which also gave me a new view of Benjamin. So I crested the litle hill and saw a small clearing in the undergrowth about 3 feet by 4 feet, completely clear of vegetation and smooth. Very weird, I thought but woandered a little further, just a few steps away there was another and then a few more and I realized, "Wow, I'm in the deers' bedroom, how cool!
These are just two of the spots.

What is your favorite sound?

This post is interactive, so please leave a comment.
It may be the first thing that comes to mind, something you have been thinking about for a while, or maybe this is a new idea to you, whatever, just give me a response, feel free to come back and add or change it if you want.

Until recently my favorite sound was the downstroke of a crow's wing and I had hoped to post a picture, but so far a decent shot has eluded me.

Regardless, I now have a new favorite, it's "Estevan's giggle."

Things that go on here...

This is what I am looking at now -

















Hey folks, just a quickie, but more is coming. Here is one of the many deer that hang around the neighborhood...























Here are some of the "interesting" people that hang around the neighborhood...

Naked swimming men. If you click on the photo you can see them across the cove. (I took this with my phone, so not a great image) They sit in the sauna, then run down the hill and swim around in Otter Cove while folks in the dining room look out and gaze upon their lily white bottoms as they bob up and down. (It's weird.) and in case you don't know, the water here ranges from about 42-52 degrees and it has not been a long, hot summer, it's frickin' cold!

Critters

Hello!
I just remembered that I hinted at wildlife a while back.

The list of what I have seen so far:
deer
rabbits
herons - loads of 'em. I get to watch them fish almost every day.
vultures
eagles - at Moran State Park I was up in the observation tower and I got to look down on an eagle, how often do you get to be above an eagle?!
hawks
owls - mostly heard, and this might be hard to believe, but I'm pretty sure one landed, briefly on the peak of my tent! Heard it calling then the wooosh of an owl in flight, then something landed for an instant and was gone. It was either the owl or whatever he was after!
harbor seals
maybe a Dahl porpoise (crap, how do you spell porpoise? Where's the spell check on this thing?)
some ambiguous grey, ghost-like shape that came close to the surface of Otter Cove (beside the cafe), but disappeared - no idea what it was
pigeon guillemots
oystercatchers
kingfishers
lots of hummingbirds
dragonflies
crows, robins, towhees, nuthatches, chickadees and lots of other birds I haven't figured out yet, but they say hello to me every morning at 4:30!
some fish, unable to dertimine what types
farm critters including; horses, lots of sheep, a few cows, goats
lots of dogs (YAY! I get a little doggie fix almost every day! Thanks all you dog folk.)
cats - two, the resort manager's cat, from Thailand, can't remember her name right now, and Gorgonzola, a black and white resident cat, very friendly but potentially fiesty! Tried to wrestle with me once...
oysters.

There are deer everywhere. I see at least two each time I walk from my tent to the cafe, rabbits too. Apparently a while ago someone thought bunnies would be a charming addition to the resort, now they are abundant and a nuisance. The new owners are trying to find ways to kindly remove them from the property. Anyone want a semi-feral rabbit, or fifty?

Not knowing is the best part...

...or "It's the Journey, Stupid!" pt II

I looked over the park map and found a couple of connecting routes that were referred to as "easy" (and just for clarification, an easy hike is not necessarily an easy bike ride!). Two, in case one was too short or easy. Found a place to park and got myself together and off I went. Fitrst off-road ride since, umm... 1992? With the exception of riding down the driveway at Forestledge a few times, which really doesn't really count. Things started off easy enough, roads for a few hundred feet then the trail goes into the woods, that's when I started wondering if I could still do this.

- Many of you haven't known me for long, so you don't know that for several years I didn't even own a car. I used to commute to work on my bike, from different neighborhoods to different jobs, sometimes taking the bus. At one point I was riding from South Park to the Ballard Locks four times a week. More than that though, was that I rode for fun, too! When I was off work I found trails around Seattle and took trips to do some trail riding, I loved it! Life changed and eventually my bike stayed in storage, neglected with the exception of my occasional loving glances. About a year ago I took it in for service and had it all checked out and lubed up, glad I did. -

I parked at the south end of Cascade Lake near the southern part of Moran State Park and I was off on another adventure! It was a little rough going at first, a narrow trail and lots of corners but I was managing, until I came to a long and steep uphill climb. I knew it was too much so I dismounted and grudgingly started walking. By then I was a bit winded so my concentration was on getting to the top and hoping there wasn't going to be much of this. At the top I started to get on again (I need new toe-clips, couldn't get 'em adjusted for my shoes). Happy to be at the top and annoyed at the fit of my toe-clips I didn't realize where I was until I looked up and saw this...

This field of foxglove was huge, I couldn't even get a vantage point to capture the whole thing, it was just beautiful, and a lovely reward for that frustrating climb.

After that nice surprise I just relaxed and did the best I could as I went along the trails. I'm unfamiliar with the park and trails so I didn't really know what I was going see on this trip. Every turn was a little surprise and climbing got easier and before long I was feeling like my old self (not my currently old self!), zooming up and down and around the corners. It was a perfect time, no other traffic, the temperature was pretty warm but I was mostly in the shaded forest, it was a really nice time.
I came to the point where the two trails crossed and decided to continue on the second trail. I suppose that the name might have given me a clue, but I was really focussed on the joy of being on my bike again and so again I didn't realize where I was going until I came around the corner and saw...



I was on the Cascade Falls trail and what do you know, falls!

The trail continued along the stream, not sure of the name right now, eventually making it to a low spot so I figured I was close to the lake and so nearing the end of my ride.

NOT!!

The next several hundered feet of trail were up and down, steep climbs and lots of roots, it was a fun and nervous-making challenge of my off-road memory, I almost bit it a few times and began to wonder if bring my camera was such a good idea. After a while I was worried that I had missed a turn, the end was not in sight, but there were no other trails on the map (I brought a map! Smart move on my part, otherwise I probably would have panicked and turned back). As we... heh heh, by this time I had started talking to my bike, asking it where we were going, often just saying "What the hell?!"... continued to climb and descend I became more certain we were on the wrong path and had no idea where we would end up. Eventually I saw the lake through the trees and the trail started winding down the slope meeting up with the park road and leading us back to my car. I realized when I saw it that I have a peculiar fondness for my old wagon.

Then I started missing Walter and Orson again.

I loaded my bike... I must come up with a name for him (it's a men's frame, so I guess it must be a him), we've been together for 20years! ...and sat for a bit, very happy with myself, not only did I just complete a challenging ride, I still really love it! Good to know, now the task is to hold onto this enthusiasm. Back to the resort for a shower and food.

More of the splurge! I rewarded myself for my ride with an all out meal at the cafe. There were oysters left from the weekend wedding so I started with a half dozen, nicely shucked by Nathan. They're from Judd Cove on Lopez Island, and we served them with a mignonette (Ellie, did I spell that right?) of champagne vinegar with ginger, lemon and garlic. I added a drop of hot sauce because that's how I like it sometimes, and had a nice glass of Oregon Pinot Gris with them. Next a Caesar Salad, Sarah Lynn's recipe. Baby heads of romaine, quartered and topped with a surprisingly good vegan dressing, fried capers and lots of shavings of yummy Parmesan, a few slices of garlic and olive oil coated crostini on the side. By this time I had switched to a Washington Fume' Blanc. Then there was some confusion in the kitchen and I had to help out by eating another order of oysters! Hey, just doing my part!



(my apologies to Abigael, this is not the most flattering of pictures, but Nathan looks charming don't you think? He's holding my oysters!)

For my entree I decided to try the special, again, some product left over after the wedding, trout. Abigael dredged them, whole and de-boned in spiced and seasoned cornmeal, stuffed them with gremolata (sort of a pesto made with parsley, lemon, garlic and herbs), pan-fried them in some browned butter (one of the mainstays in our kitchen, it's good stuff!) and finished them in the oven. Served on a pile of creamy, smoked grits (I want a smoker now!) with a creamy roasted red pepper sauce, and another glass of Fume'. By this time I'm wishing my girlfriend were here to share this day with me, 'cause it's a damn good one! Well I guess it's something I can share with her when she comes along...
Tonight though, instead of a girlfriend I'll have a piece of Abigael's amazing Peach Cobbler. Oh man! It is the scrumptious-est thing you can place on your tongue, just kind melts and the flavors fill your mouth and you think,"Why do we have to eat anything else?" A half cup of coffee and I'm ready to turn in. Almost.

Decided to go to the water's edge and blog a little, turns into a lot and after a while, as pretty as it is, I was getting cold and had to pee, but then I heard a voice, kind of familiar, but with my screen open I couldn't see who was there. As I folded it down I heard her say "Hey Lance, it's Starfruit." We visited for a bit, she was having a rough night until she got to the shoreside and realized how small her problems really were. She came down to do some meditating, a very interesting young woman (and before you ask, no, she does not become the girlfriend I was wondering about at dinner). She recently stopped me, saying, "Hey Lance, I understand you're the Yoga Guru? I'd really like to practice with you!" Of course I'm not that advanced, but I do need to start working with people in order to get certification, so, Hooray! A chance to instruct, and with a very easy-going student. I am also thinking about offering free classes to the staff.

Okay, that's a few good posts, it's getting cold, so I'm off to tent.

Write me!

It's not the destination, it's the journey

This is what I'm looking at right now...

(the image is a little bright, but it's about ten o'clock, that's the moon, and in case you don't know, if you click on the images they will open full-size)

Today was a very good day. Slept in a bit,gathered a bunch of stuff, loaded my car, including my bike (with the hopes that I would convince myself to ride, it's been a while...), took a shower and wandered down to the cafe for breakfast. Waiting for food I ran into Anne and Claire (houskeeping staff) looking for a ride into town (Eastsound), which was where I was going. On the way we picked up a neighbor, Tyler (lives in a yurt), hitchiking to the ferry for a weekend in Seattle. Anne, Claire and I went about our separate errands in town and met back at the car so I could drive them to their primary job. I spent my time at the bank and...

-OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! I'M ONLINE!!!!!! I'm sitting at the water's edge writing this stuff to you while connected! (It's been a bit of a splurge day. On Saturday I went to the Orcas Online store and checked out a wi-fi antenna/booster, they let me BORROW it for the weekend, no I.D., no deposit, amazing! Anyway, had trouble setting it up, so I went back today so the mac expert could help me (he wasn't there on Saturday), he got it set up in no time and it works! So I can at least wander down to the water's edge and send emails and stuff, not sure yet how far I can go...)-

....and at Orcas Online and when they weren't back at the car when I was done I left them a note to meet me at Kathryn Taylor Chocolates (where my co-intern, Nathan, works part-time) and I'd treat them to a latte. They didn't show up so I had a champagne bonbon and headed back to the car. Found the girls and dropped them off. Then, after sending a bunch of texts and making a few phone calls, I played tourist. Drove to the top of Mt. Constitution and took some pictures...

(Burien is about the middle of the horizon in the first pic, and that's Mt. Baker in the second)


After that I wandered slowly down the hill, stopping at Mountain Lake and a few viewpoints, eventually arriving at the bottom. There I convinced myself that it was time to get back on the saddle. It was a beautiful day and I had nowhere to be, so damnit, Lance, ride your bike!

Home Sweet Home

Thought you'd like to see where I am living this summer. This is my place, and my neighbor, Horace, he keeps watch over my tent and stuff. Horace is pretty quiet most of the time but it's comforting having him there.

So a couple nights ago we had TWO crazy thunderstorms! One started while I was at work, around ten pm, the second one came along about 3 am, (I mean really Mother Nature, how rude!) Apparently it's pretty rare to have lightning on the island, and it was right on top of us! Several times I couldn't count the time between the flash and the boom, like it was right there!! I'm in a tent, in the middle of the woods, flash after fflash after flash! It was exciting and more than a little scary, I mean, how much protection does a tent offer? I tried to comfort myself with the knowledge that even though my tent poles are metal, they are outside the tent and I am on a raised wooden platform, not a good conductor.

It didn't help.

Why I am here...

Hello all you folks! I really meant to write regularly, honest! But here’s some stuff to read and some pictures to look at, hope it’s not too boring…

(I have to share this with you - I just walked into the kitchen where my chef and sous chef were talking, Abigael turned and smiled at me and said, “We were just talking about how much we like you.” Hooray!! There’s been a lot of anxiety on my part in this job. I try not to compare myself to the other two interns but they are both more experienced than me, my knife skills need a lot of improvement, I forget things and get distracted. Because of all this I’ve been a little uncertain about how things are going, so it was very comforting and really nice to hear!)

So, lets see… do you wanna hear about work or life here first? (ow! I bit my tongue!) Okay, how about work today and tomorrow or the next day I’ll fill you in on life on an island in a tent.
I’m slowly learning about the history of the café and of the resort, the café building is very old, built about 1904 and shows it in some places, but it’s perched on top of rocks about 30 feet above Otter Cove (the little bay next to the resort). There are only 12 tables inside, seating about 44 people, pretty small. However, 44 people can make that tiny kitchen really busy!!

I worked my first breakfast lead shift today – Mike G. I have a ton more respect for you now, dude! – We were steady busy from 8:30 to 11:30, and I know that seems like a short time, but imagine, whatever your job is, doing it for the first time on your own and having to hurry for three hours straight. Fortunately Janay, my chef was working with me so she kept me from going under, but it was pretty intense. Got a good idea of what I need to do tomorrow to stay on top of things though.

In case I didn’t mention it, the café serves what they refer to as a pescetarian menu, vegetarian and vegan items and some seafood. The breakfast menu seems small but is pretty varied and kind of complex, especially for a newbie like me. The menu consists of; The Basic Breakfast – Two eggs, potatoes and bread
Biscuits and Gravy – vegetarian style, with smoked mushroom gravy
House-made Granola – served with milk or yogurt and our own lavender-infused honey.
Three Scrambles –
1. Curried Tofu and Vegetable (which leads to the question, why must vegetarians be forced to eat so much curried stuff? I am determined to improve the tofu scramble and relieve the masses from their hell of curried food. Rant over.)
2. Eggs and Veggies and White Cheddar
3. Local Smoked Salmon with Capers and Goat Cheese
A daily Frittata – today it was zucchini, fresh oregano and goat cheese, tomorrow, who knows?
Chai French Toast – fresh Challah dipped in a chai infused egg batter and served with our cinnamon-berry compound butter
There is also a cook’s choice daily special, today I did a pile, called it the Mount Constitution, breakfast potatoes sautéed with mixed veggies and topped with two eggs and White cheddar. Not sure what I’ll do tomorrow…
So, you can see, the menu is fairly varied with much done to order, so it keeps an old, new cook busy, it’ll get easier.

Dinner shifts have been equally busy and challenging, no lead shifts there yet. I think Janay has me in mind to be the primary breakfast cook, and that’s fine with me. I told her when I first came up to meet her to put me to use wherever it best suited her and the café. But until I am fully qualified for breakfast she has the schedule mixed with all three interns working a variety of shifts. The dinner menu is soon to change but right now we are serving:
Starters:
Carrot-Ginger Soup with Cumin-infused Yogurt
Doe Bay Salad – the greens include all kinds of cool stuff; edible flowers (at least 4 kinds) weird greens like broccoli leaves and sort of normal stuff like arugula, then it’s tossed with toasted seeds (sunflower, flax, etc.) in our Peppered Pomegranate Vinaigrette
The Cheese Plate – Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese (an amazing but goat cheese leaning towards the stinky variety), served with lavender honey, roasted Marcona almonds and fig compote.
Entrees:
Wild-Caught Halibut Delicious – an item created by Janay’s mom – Halibut filet topped with caramelized onions, dill and sour cream and baked
Herbed Chickpea Crepes – crepes made with chickpea flour and herbs, filled with herbed ricotta and caramelized fennel, artichoke hearts and greens, served over our house salad and topped with romesco sauce and a Balsamic reduction syrup
Porcini and Smoked Crimini Mushroom Risotto cakes – these are pan-seared and served over a salad of pea-vines in a truffle oil-lemon dressing and topped with shaved asparagus and Ricotta Salata (a dry, slightly aged ricotta)
Island Harvest Bowl – Green tea infused rice served with Arame salad (sea vegetable), braised wild greens, and sautéed mixed vegetables, served with either a peanut sauce or a ginger-plum sauce
Dessert:
Vanilla Bean Pannacotta – the menu says it’s made with rosewater, but lately we’ve been making it with Lavender. Really delicious! Served on a pool of rhubarb sauce with a drizzle of mint syrup
Chocolate-Mascarpone Cheesecake – served with cinnamon-chili chocolate sauce
And a variety of Lopez Island Creamery ice creams
Daily Specials - Recent offerings have included:
Caesar Salad made with heads of baby romaine, fried capers, crostini and seared sea scallops
Cajun-spiced seared salmon filet over creamy grits with lemon-caper sauce and pea vine salad.
Seared sea scallops served with shaved fennel and apple salad
And there’s usually a dessert special, this week we are offering a lavender-infused cherry cake topped with cinnamon whipped cream, fresh cherries and a chiffonade of lemon balm, served in a puddle of crème anglaise.
We also make one or two baked items daily, scones, muffins etc. The wine list is pretty complete and there are beers on tap and espresso too!

Okay, so don’t you all want to come here now?!

The staff is as varied as the menu, Chef Janay went through the same culinary program I am in about 8 years ago, and since has worked at several places around Seattle, honing her gourmet vegetarian skills at Carmelita’s and Café Flora. She is very funny and sweet and more than a bit silly, a nice change from the chef’s I have known or worked with. Her girlfriend, Rebecca, and their dog, Bella, live in West Seattle.
Sous Chef Abigael came to Seattle from New York where she was Executive Chef at a highly respected Vegan restaurant, she and Janay worked together at Carmelita’s. Abigael is serious about her craft but very easy-going and funny, she likes to end the night with a hug, (at least she hugs me!) how cool is that? Her boyfriend, Keith, is the site manager here at Doe Bay.
Interns Nathan and Sarah Lynn are from North and South Carolina, respectively. Sarah Lynn attended the Gourmet Natural Chef Culinary Academy in New York, same school that Abigael attended. Outwardly, Sarah Lynn is the cool, laid-back, neo-hippie type, but she is very into food, it'll be interesting to see where she goes and what she does.
Nathan attended the Cordon Blue Culinary academy in Portland OR. I like him very much, he is funny and self-effacing, easy to tease without taking it the wrong way, fun to work with. His boyfriend, Gil, just finished college and is home visiting family in Monterey, Mexico.
As for the café servers, some of them are local, others here for the summer, several have worked at the café during previous summers. They’re all babes.

It’s time to eat.

Oh, and it’s Movie Night! The Three Burials, cool!

Lance

(next entry: deers, bunnies, raccoons, kitties, doggies, seals and birds, birds, birds, birds birds birds……….. and a poke in the eye with a peg-board hook.)

Here!

After a typical-for-Lance crazy, last minute two weeks I arrived at Doe Bay. Friday was a beautiful day, hopefully a premonition of my time here. Sunny and warm, traffic was light and even though I left an hour later than planned, I got to the Anacortes ferry terminal wth time to spare. I made it to Doe Bay... Oh! Speaking of doe, a deer almost jumped onto my car! She/He made an amazing 90 degree turn at the last minute and scrambled behind me before the next car came around the corner. For an instant our eyes were locked in panic just a few feet apart. Wonderful-scary it.
So here I am now, trying to hold onto the drifting wi-fi connection at this wonderful place so I can let you all know just how darn lovely it is.
Got to the resort with just enough daylight to set up my tent and made it back to the cafe in time to eat a mistake. Yum, huh? It was one plate too many for a 14 top, so lucky me, a free and deliciouc meal of crepes with goat cheese and raosted vegetables with a roasted red pepper sauce nestled on a salad of wilted spring greens and vinaigrette. After that I found my way through the dark back to my home and settled in for a much-needed sleep.
Today I worked my fisrt shift, 7 am-12, my phone (also my alarm clock) died during the night, but fortunately the bird life here is crazily abundant, and by sun-up, the air is loud with bird calls. I lay in bed (bed? Sleeping bag) for a while lisstening until I realized I should know what time it was... Aaack! Can't be late on my first day! After sccrambling to freshen up a bit I hot-footed it to the cafe.
Once there I met Lindsay a cafe server, who wasn't awake yet, and Sarah Lynn, a southern belle from South Carolina, my co-cook for the day. Not an exciting shift really, prepped lots of breakfast potatoes, chopped onions, ran down and up the stairs to storage. I did get to make bisquits for the bisquits-n-mushroom gravy, that was fun. I also helped Sarah Lynn plate food for the dininig room, she doesn't like breakfast burritos, so I did most of those. I also smoked some musrooms (that's not what I meant, they're for the bisquits-n-gravy!) That was also fun, and simple and they looked really good when they were done. What else...? Oh we do our own dishes, so I did that, and, well it was a good day, not very exciting, but nice.
Other folks so far: Abigael, the sous chef, Jessie, a waitress, Ann and Claire, housekeepers - they were the first two I met, very nice girls/ladies/women - how do you want to be refrred? Anyway, Nathan, a cook, Harlod, the on-site resort manager, Elsa, no wait, I met Elsa first, she's the massage therapist. Today I also met Garret, housekeeping, Rory, maintenance and Adam, maintenance. I also saw naked people in the soaking tubs. I didn't stare.

I just read this post, now I'm bored. Sorry. I'll try to post pictures soon.
Everyone is really nice, the food iis good, the stars and moon are bright, the air smells great. I haven't moved my car since I got here last night.
Send money and my dog,
Lance

Pre-departure

First-ever blog posting, what does it mean, what will it lead to?

One month to Doe Bay, dirty apartment, too much homework (culinary and yoga), hungry, XTC coming from the box, it's Mother's Day. Taking Mom to the Market this afternoon then to dinner. Finally decided on a theme for my GM1 project, hence the Market. Theme is "Spring", canape's with baby veg prepared and presented in a variety of styles. I'll post some photos.

Orson came on the morning walk with Walter and I again, I like it, should take pictures. It'll be a weird summer without Orson, weirder yet if Walter has to stay behind...
More eventually.
Lance