Nine Weeks

Today marked the end of nine weeks in my new position. It's easy to keep track because every three weeks there's a graduation ceremony for the Associates in Professional Studies - Culinary Arts and Baking & Pastry Arts - and today I witnessed graduation number 3! Watching the ceremony and listening to the speeches is one of my favorite things to do. It's only an hour long from start to finish and it's a great shot in the arm for remembering why we're all there. I'm so proud of the students and get a little tear in my eye when I listen to the speakers wish them well and give them a little of their wisdom for the road ahead. The Event Manager saves me a seat in the front row so I get a great view. Today's commencement speaker was a 1994 Alumnus, Cornelius Gallagher, who has traveled the world and worked for some of the finest restaurants and great chefs. He had a great sense of humor and really stressed excellence and perseverence and lifelong learning. I was sitting with his wife and two children and they were bursting with pride. Just lovely.

The President called me in this afternoon to get my opinion on something (be still, my heart) and afterwards asked how everything was going. I told him I was the happiest woman on earth. He just laughed - "guess we ought to just stop right there!" All my coaching clients are doing really well and are making such great personal progress. I'm getting calls daily from leaders asking for support with one thing or another. It's just so wonderful being wanted and needed. I'm making my budget pitch on Monday, so we'll see how that goes.

I'm consolidating a communication inventory I recommended each division do, so they can see what they're doing individually and across the Institute. So far there are 36 pages of meetings, communication items, and tools and repositories. They had no idea they were doing so much - and they'd gotten feedback on the employee opinion survey that there weren't enough communications going out. I have a feeling there's a lot of ineffective communication, so my next step will be to help leaders actually evaluate the meetings and other communications looking for improvement opportunities. I helped one Associate Dean create an agenda for a faculty meeting he's conducting Monday and when we were done, he said he would never have thought of some of the things I suggested - he said I was going to make him look really good. Well, that's the idea, I said!

Another giggle - I was working late last night trying to get the Comms Inventory consolidated when one of those emails came from Chef Gigliotti saying come to the Mediterranean kitchen for dinner. What the heck, I thought, then I can stay even longer. So I had venison for dinner last night - just fabulous. Then I worked until 9 p.m. Wasn't so hard to do on a full stomach!!

Last week I took my first train ride to the city. The annual Gala/scholarship fundraiser was being held at Cipriani 42nd Street - a wonderful restaurant in an old bank building across from Grand Central Station - and I got invited! $1000 a ticket dinner, so I was thrilled to be invited. It was fun getting dressed up and then taking the train. It's almost a 2 hour ride, but it went really fast. I was chatting with my boss's wife and looking out the window at the Hudson River. Like a little kid when we arrived - practically wanted to hold my boss's hand so as not to get lost in the train station. Funny, I've been using the expression "busy as Grand Central Station" all my life - now I actually know what it means!!

Of course the food at the Gala was fabulous, but you're already tired of hearing about that. What was really fun was listening to the award recipients give their speeches. Alumna of the year, Cat Cora, is the only female Iron Chef. She's a tiny woman, amazing arms though (she wore a sleeveless dress and had arms like Michele Obama!) and she'd just had a baby a few months ago. She talked about her Greek heritage and how much that influenced her early passions. Chris Muller from Le Bernardin was Alumnus of the year, and Eric Ripert also of Le Bernardin was Chef of the Year. I'm noticing that there's a lot of award-giving that goes on - Michelin Ratings, James Beard award, Ivy award - they're all very important to these folks. Competition is pretty fierce for top spots. These folks work very, very hard. The thing that really caught my attention though was this: during a video clip prepared by the CIA President, he was talking about the CIA role in shaping the future of food and in ideas like food democracy. Food democracy! Wow! This guy's got a vision for the future that is only beginning to be worked. And I get to watch the whole deal. Pass the champagne, please, this is starting to get really interesting!

Next week I'm off to Reno to see my favorite Chef and his lovely wife and daughter. Kadence is turning three years old April 5 and Nonna wouldn't miss it for the world! BJ says his two busiest restaurant days are Easter Sunday and Mother's Day and I've never been there for either - until now. I'll be there for Easter brunch and I can't wait to enjoy the fruits of his labors. Last time I went the weather caused big trouble but this time looks like clear skys on both sides of the country. Yippee!

For those of you who know my friend Joanne, please say a little prayer for her. While cutting some pussy willow branches last week, she fell off her ladder with a bang and has fractured her pelvis. She's in a lot of pain, and of course is really mad at herself for not being more careful. Knowing Joanne, those pussy willows were just too tempting to resist, but we're not getting any younger kiddo. My friend Jacki took a big spill last summer and spent weeks recuperating. Just a reminder to all of us to be extra careful around ladders, especially when we're alone.

Ciao for now! Happy Easter!!