Perception ...and Afterglow

I was in Los Angeles this week on business. It was my second trip to this same location...UBS offices in Century City. I do my typical thing: cab to hotel, cab to office, back to hotel, overnight, back to office, cab back to airport. Business travel is so glamorous.

Yesterday, I was paying more attention than usual...not taking so much for granted...being more perceptive.

As my cab rounded the corner toward 2029 Century Park east (the UBS office site), I saw a tiny sign: "craft."

I watch just enough reality TV to know that this is the restaurant of Top Chef judge Tom Colicchio.

So I get to the office and mention this to my colleague, Jon. I'm delighted that Jon is "game" and takes the initiative to see if we can get in. His first google search calls a reservation at craft "impossible" ... a 2-month notice required. Like Martha in an earlier post, Jon won't let the hype deter our strong desire to seize the day and try craft. So he called and we promptly acquired a 6 p.m. reservation--perfect for our East Coast body clocks.

Food was delicious and lovely. We both decided to be a little more adventurous than usual. Why not? The menu had so many amazing choices!

Fortunately, things were served "family style," but not in an Olive Garden sort of way. Instead, generously portioned (and priced) entrees were placed in the center of the table with proper serving utensils. Jon and I were able to share everything without that business-dinner awkwardness (honestly, who would "share" entrees at a business dinner?). Our entrees: Alaskan Halibut in Bacon Broth and Diver Scallops with Vermouth Butter. Both were fabulous.

Jon coined the term "afterglow" to describe how the flavors lingered between bites. Everything was prepared simply (not at all pretentious), but completely elegant and sophisticated. And flavors definitely lingered...whether it was cocktails or side dishes.

The service matched: simple, sophisticated and elegant. Completely subtle. Not at all pretentions. Kerry, our server, was just like Jon's daughter Tracy. He told her this at least five times.

I am certain that we were sitting among chieftans of industry and glitterati of various sorts. I'm just not good at spotting those "types." Except for one...

Half-way through the Halibut -- and while Jon was telling a story about daughter Suzie's upcoming wedding in Portland -- I start twitching and trying to get him to look over at the four-top being escorted directly past us by the hostess.

Again, I'm no celebrity-spotter, but I know Willie Nelson when I see him!! And there she goes, putting him right behind me...on the backside of my banquette! (Picture to be posted here soon).

Jon and I agreed, it was one of those prized and memorable evenings. I'm not sure what we'll talk about more: the scallops with afterglow, ginger mai tais (afterglow), maple bacon ice cream (afterglow), or seeing Willie (jury still out on the afterglow. Maybe if it were Harrison Ford...).

I'm just glad that I was paying attention as the cab worked its way to the office that morning!

Pick up your head from your Blackberry and look out the window the next time you're out of town. You might notice something new. A new adventure. Take it in. Then enjoy the afterglow.

A Sunday Not the Same

We woke up riduculously early this morning, as usual. On schedule, Hogan appeared bedside, waiting for the first signs of movement...his signal that it's time to start the day.

Per habit and on cue, I rose, let out the dog, and started the coffee. Like every other Sunday, Todd and I sat up in bed, catching up on the news and sports scores from the night before while enjoying our regular cup of coffee. We do this every Sunday...check that...every day.

After coffee, it's our routine to get things moving, get dressed, and head out on our customary weekend morning walk with the hound...a ritual he NEVER lets us miss.

Today was a day like all the others with a glorious walk along the beach followed by a drive that took us through gorgeous neighborhoods we can only dream about being a part of (and probably wouldn't fit into, anyway).

It's fairly standard to stop at BJ's on our way home, and today was another one of those days. It was just a few minutes inside--and Todd alone, as I waited in the running car with the mutt. Then we headed home.

I poured my typical bowl of Cheerios, sat at the breakfast bar, and turned on the TV--perhaps not my proudest habit, but something Todd and I do quite a lot of. For one hour, as is often the case, Todd and I sat glued to "Meet the Press," though today, the glue was a stronger one than usual. And then ... my Sunday changed.

For the first time, I wept and wept openly as the credits rolled.

Next week, we'll go on with our routine: coffee, news and sports, the dog walk, and more. But our Sundays will never, ever be the same.

Godspeed, TJR! As the Irish say: May the wind be always at your back and the sun shining on your face!

Desperate Housewives (?) Meet Top Chef

Let's just stick with the theme of seizing the day for a few more minutes.

Check out this picture!

It's the real deal...Martha and I in the kitchen at Perilla in the West Village with Harold Dieterle, the winner of Top Chef Season One. It was taken last night, June 12. How cool is that???

The back story: Martha (who lives in the D.C. area) is putting on the Consumer Electronics Show all week at the World Financial Center downtown. On a whim, she called me Thursday and asked if I wanted to meet her in the city for dinner.

I hemmed and hawed. I was feeling too busy and didn't want to mentally rearrange my day, but she was persistent.

By 6 p.m. I was on the Number 2 train, headed downtown.

Martha and I met at the Wintergarden Atrium. It didn't take but a second to get Martha to agree to go to Perilla...so we headed back to the subway.

We didn't have a reservation, but being a party of two, we figured we would take a chance. Sure enough, we walked in and were promptly seated.

Dinner was fabulous! We tried a little of everything: Shaved artichoke and fava bean salad, risotto with artichoke confit, sauteed trigger fish, and fiddlehead and sheep's milk ricotta ravioli. Y U M M Y! Everything was amazing.

Our excellent waiter, Hunter, offered to show us the kitchen and introduce us to chef Harold. Awesome. We were both amazed at how tiny the kitchen was. Just proof that great things come in small packages. Speaking of, I expected Harold to be taller. Granted, I'm wearing heels in the picture...but, not what I expected.

Here's another picture with our awesome waiter,

Hunter from San Diego:

I thanked Martha PROFUSELY for pushing me to make the trip into the city. I gave up my "structured" day and decided to go with the flow ... seize the day ... and we had an AMAZING evening.

Now go do something spontaneous today!

Universal Studios -- King Kong and more

Last week, I was fortunate to teach a GE class at NBC Universal in Los Angeles.

There I was, at the Sheraton Universal with 46 participants from all over GE. No one else but me in charge -- I don't deserve this level of responsibility.

I was VERY fortunate to visit the Binnie family again (fourth time since December). We all had dinner together at Tony Roma's on the CityWalk, late afternoon Memorial Day. Caillie picked the restaurant...a perfect choice for the occasion.

The class and the week were flawless.

On Wednesday, I had some free time as there were other instructors in for the afternoon. The general manager of the Sheraton gave me COMP tickets to Universal (note: the tickets came from the Sheraton, not from GE). I've been there four times before, but I thought it would be great way to let loose for the afternoon: take in the new "Simpson's" ride, eat some cotton candy, do the studio tour, etc.

I was pretty non-chalant about the whole thing. BTW, I found it weird to do a theme park solo. Decided to do the studio tour, just to kill time. If you've never been to Universal, it's worth seeing. You get to see the set from "Psycho" and "War of the Worlds" plus lots of contrived stuff: "King Kong", "Earthquake," "Jaws," and "Fast and Furious II." But don't do it more than once. Go to Warner Bros. instead. The studio tour is much more interesting. Smaller. More personal. Ride on a golf cart. Get off and take pictures on the ER set. Much better than the tram.

I came home on Saturday.

Sunday morning, I'm doing laundry and unpacking my bags. CNN is showing pictures of the raging inferno in the Universal back lot. New York Street, Courthouse Square and the King Kong exhibit are now more like a scene from "Backdraft."

Then I think to myself..."Carpe diem. There you were -- smug on the Universal tram. And now, a lot of it is dust. Good thing you took it in. It was your last chance."

If you've been reading all along, you'll see this theme repeated.

Live for the day. Find joy in the little things. Live in "the Present." It's truly a gift,and it may not be there tomorrow.

Now go find something to appreciate...today!