There's an ad for some drug related to cancer therapy with the caption, "I am not my cancer." The message is that while I may HAVE cancer, I'm not letting it dominate my life - it is not central to who I am. I have two friends dealing with their cancers right now who are living proof that this is the only way to live, truly live.
I snuck into town on May 1 for my friend Terry's wedding to her beloved Chip. After dating for 10 years in a long-distance relationship (she in Michigan, he in Florida) they decided to tie the knot and be each other's best friend and support forever. My friend Lesley and her husband Bill picked me up at the hotel so we could go to the ceremony and reception together, at The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn. I met Terry and Lesley 7 years ago when they enrolled in the women's Leadership Development program I was co-facilitating. Ann and Kelly round out the group affectionately known as Group 5 - the first and only Group 5 in all 4 programs we ran. It was a special program, these are special women, and we have a special bond together. I wouldn't have missed Terry's wedding for the world.
Back in 2003, as we were finishing up the program, Terry told us she'd had a recurrence of breast cancer and would need a mastectomy this time. She'd had a lumpectomy, chemo, and radiation the first time. She seemed so calm to me, so courageous but not melodramatic in any way. She showed up at our graduation ceremony just days after surgery, since her being there would mean so much to all of us.
The next year, Lesley was diagnosed with breast cancer and would undergo chemo and a lumpectomy. Lesley has two beautiful young daughters and has no intention of letting this thing called cancer stop her from being the wife, mother and businesswoman she is. I met her for lunch shortly after her surgery and she looked as gorgeous as ever - turban covering her bald head and face fully made up - dressed to the nines. We hugged so tightly - I recall feeling so blessed to have this woman call me friend.
Fast forward to the summer of 2007, July 1, and the call from my doctor that I had breast cancer. With Terry and Lesley as models, I think I moved through that time with a courage and grace that came from knowing that I am not my cancer and that how I reacted was a choice. I chose to bless my doctors and pray for healing. I chose to believe that this part of my journey was crucial to becoming the woman I needed to be in the world. I was working on my master's thesis at the time and also working on coaching certification - both were also preparing me to become the person the world needed me to be. I had a lumpectomy and radiation and am cancer-free. I take Arimidex to keep my hormones in check so they don't provide a nurturing environment to any rogue cells. I'll take that for at least two more years, 5 years being some magic number for survivors.
Last year, both Terry and Lesley experienced recurrence of their cancers. Terry has Stage IV liver cancer and is undergoing continuous chemo therapy. Lesley had a mastectomy and chemo. Last month Lesley was diagnosed with a different cancer in her other breast and will have a mastectomy and chemo again next week.
Last November Terry participated in the San Diego 3-day Walk for the Cure. One of her nieces has been walking in this fundraiser in Terry's honor for a few years now. When Terry signed up to participate, she did so in my and Lesley's honor. Ann and I had dinner with Terry last fall when she told us she was going to retire in the spring and that she and Chip would be getting married in May. Brilliant, I thought. Grab every last bite of life you can grab, Terry.
So here we are, sitting in The Henry Ford, a few hundred of us, eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bride. Suddenly you could hear the click, click, click of an old car and around the bend, here came Terry. Her driver opened the door and out she stepped, looking like a fairy princess. The bridegroom of course, looked very nervous but smiling none-the-less. Lesley and Ann and I squeezed each others hands. Our friend Terry was going to snatch a little bit of happiness and we were overjoyed.
Of course, all any of us have is today, right now, to live the life we have imagined for ourselves. I think I knew that when I decided that the work I was doing for Hewlett Packard wasn't the right work for me. When I began the search for a new job, I made sure to put out an intention for work that I loved, with people I loved, in a place I loved. Even though moving to New York seemed like a pretty radical thing to do, I knew it was the right thing. All any of us have is today, right now.
My thanks, and blessings, and love go to Terry and Lesley. Thank you for teaching me the meaning of courage and grace. Blessings on you and your families. Love to you from the bottom of my heart.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Friday, May 21, 2010
Good Grief! Where does the time go?!!
I can't believe it's been so long since my last post. Some really wonderful things have happened in the past four weeks so let's go back to the beginning....
Phyllis: "My God, Genz, you've landed in Disneyland. No, not Disneyland - Genzaland!"
So proclaimed by big sister when she and Don came for a visit a few weeks back. It especially feels like home when family and friends come to visit. Of course, I wanted my big sister to know I was OK. But she decided I'm better than OK, I'm doing wonderfully! We picked up where Joanne and I left off and hung up the rest of the pictures. Don put up new shower heads (to conserve water). Best of all, they bought me a wrought iron table and chairs for my patio. Putting them together was a project, but we did just fine. We toured the Vanderbilt Mansion and FDR's Presidential Library.
After a tour of campus (on a beautiful sunny day) a student took a picture of us underneath the Wisteria gracing the front door of the school. Phyllis took a ton of pictures all over and when she got home put together an album to send to me. It's a great reminder of the fun time we had. One highlight was lunch at the Eveready Diner - which was featured on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" on the Food Network. Good diner fare! No visit with Phyllis and Don is complete without Mexican Train Dominos - score: Don one, Genz one, Phyllis (well, guess we still need to play that rubber game).
After that whirlwind weekend, I went to the City for a 4-day certification workshop for a course called Crucial Conversations - how to hold tough conversations when the stakes are high, emotions are strong, and opinions differ. I think it's the exact right thing for my organization right now and I got the go ahead to get certified and teach the top 80 leaders. The certification workshop was absolutely fabulous - great instructor, wonderful materials, and the content is superb. I can't wait to teach the course and I've identified 12 leaders to participate in a pilot program with me in June.
I loved being in the City for the workshop too. Every night after class ended, I'd take a nice long walk down different streets. It's absolutely amazing how many people - adults, kids, dogs, strollers, folks on roller skates - are moving back and forth at all hours. Such aliveness. Shops, bakeries, galleries, restaurants - so much to look at. I just walked around with a big grin on my face and said hello to as many people as would look back! The energy was fabulous and I was sorry to see it end. Although, since I have such a great place to come home to, the sadness didn't last too long - just about as long as it took the train to get me back to Poughkeepsie.
Well, that wraps up April. I'll write tomorrow to get caught up on May. I went home (to Michigan) twice in May and gave myself a spa day for Mother's Day. I've started gardening and signed up for two workshops this summer at Omega Institute. I'm so excited to finally be going there!
Giggles and grins,
Hugs and kisses,
Ciao for now!
Vincenza
Phyllis: "My God, Genz, you've landed in Disneyland. No, not Disneyland - Genzaland!"
So proclaimed by big sister when she and Don came for a visit a few weeks back. It especially feels like home when family and friends come to visit. Of course, I wanted my big sister to know I was OK. But she decided I'm better than OK, I'm doing wonderfully! We picked up where Joanne and I left off and hung up the rest of the pictures. Don put up new shower heads (to conserve water). Best of all, they bought me a wrought iron table and chairs for my patio. Putting them together was a project, but we did just fine. We toured the Vanderbilt Mansion and FDR's Presidential Library.
After a tour of campus (on a beautiful sunny day) a student took a picture of us underneath the Wisteria gracing the front door of the school. Phyllis took a ton of pictures all over and when she got home put together an album to send to me. It's a great reminder of the fun time we had. One highlight was lunch at the Eveready Diner - which was featured on "Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives" on the Food Network. Good diner fare! No visit with Phyllis and Don is complete without Mexican Train Dominos - score: Don one, Genz one, Phyllis (well, guess we still need to play that rubber game).
After that whirlwind weekend, I went to the City for a 4-day certification workshop for a course called Crucial Conversations - how to hold tough conversations when the stakes are high, emotions are strong, and opinions differ. I think it's the exact right thing for my organization right now and I got the go ahead to get certified and teach the top 80 leaders. The certification workshop was absolutely fabulous - great instructor, wonderful materials, and the content is superb. I can't wait to teach the course and I've identified 12 leaders to participate in a pilot program with me in June.
I loved being in the City for the workshop too. Every night after class ended, I'd take a nice long walk down different streets. It's absolutely amazing how many people - adults, kids, dogs, strollers, folks on roller skates - are moving back and forth at all hours. Such aliveness. Shops, bakeries, galleries, restaurants - so much to look at. I just walked around with a big grin on my face and said hello to as many people as would look back! The energy was fabulous and I was sorry to see it end. Although, since I have such a great place to come home to, the sadness didn't last too long - just about as long as it took the train to get me back to Poughkeepsie.
Well, that wraps up April. I'll write tomorrow to get caught up on May. I went home (to Michigan) twice in May and gave myself a spa day for Mother's Day. I've started gardening and signed up for two workshops this summer at Omega Institute. I'm so excited to finally be going there!
Giggles and grins,
Hugs and kisses,
Ciao for now!
Vincenza
Monday, April 19, 2010
Martha Stewart - Move Over!
Sunday was my first opportunity to do a little entertaining in my new condo. It was a co-workers birthday and I invited her over for a little lunch before heading to a fundraiser for the Rhinebeck Chamber Music Society - but that's another story.
Mary Ann is the Director of Human Resources and was welcoming before I even got the job! She's a real sweetie and invited me on a few forays while I was living in the hotel. She lost her Dad suddenly in December and has been struggling since. Her mother passed away a few years ago and her Dad had moved in with her and her then husband. Two years ago the lout left her and she and her Dad had developed an easy routine. When he passed suddenly, I think that was the straw for Mary Ann. It's been tough, and this is her first birthday without real family. Needless to say, folks at work tried to make it as special as we could. Lunch at Caterina de Medici - her favorite on campus restaurant and a fabulous cannoli cake while singing raucous versions of Happy Birthday.
So invited her to join me at the fundraiser and stop by for a snack first. So here's the Martha Stewart part.... I haven't really been doing too much cooking as there's so much good food available at work. I decided to fuss a little.
I started by making Lavender Lemonade (thanks, Ellen, for the beautiful lavender from "up north" - put it to good use! The house smelled wonderful of course, as it simmered in a simple syrup. I found Sicilian lemon juice at the grocery store, so that added a lovely fresh lemon taste without squeezing a half dozen lemons. Next I found some baby artichokes and prepared them to use in a salad. Funny how little they end up once you take the outer leaves off and steam them. Seems like an awful lot of waste, but they sure were tasty.
I made an olive and anchovy dressing with fresh basil and shallots in the blender. Haven't made dressing from scratch in forever - it really is easy and tastes so good! I also blanched asparagus for the salad and used arugula and baby spinach as the base. Topped with goat's milk feta and some fresh ground pepper and yummy!
I baked a gluten free carrot cake dusted with powdered sugar and found some cute candles to top it off. What was also fun was finding my mother's beautiful lemonade/ice tea pitcher to use, along with the fabulous hand-painted dishes from my sister Diane for the salad. Needless to say, Mary Ann felt pretty special and I'm thrilled to be a part of her celebration of life. She had brought a little housewarming gift and the card said - "Glad your life's journey has brought you here."
So I'm beginning to figure who I am outside of the CIA. That's the next part of the journey for me. I'm really clear about who I am at work, but there's more to life than work and I need to figure that part out as well. Our participation at the Chamber Music Society fundraiser was a step in the right direction, and last weekend, besides the trip to the City with the students, I went on a walking tour of the public art in Poughkeepsie. It was sponsored by a local gallery owned by a fellow Italian who supports the "come back" of Poughkeepsie. Seems when IBM pulled out a big chunk of operations here, the City suffered and the downtown area has some real blighted areas. Of course there will always be artists and those brave few who stay involved even when the rest of us head for the hills. Thank God for them.
Mary Ann bid on tickets to the New York Philharmonic, performing at the Bardavon theatre in Poughkeepsie, and I bid on the wine and cheese package and the sushi restaurant gift certificate. Looks like I'm finding my path outside of work, but somehow it still involves food and wine. Gosh - it's a tough life. giggle
Ciao for now!
Mary Ann is the Director of Human Resources and was welcoming before I even got the job! She's a real sweetie and invited me on a few forays while I was living in the hotel. She lost her Dad suddenly in December and has been struggling since. Her mother passed away a few years ago and her Dad had moved in with her and her then husband. Two years ago the lout left her and she and her Dad had developed an easy routine. When he passed suddenly, I think that was the straw for Mary Ann. It's been tough, and this is her first birthday without real family. Needless to say, folks at work tried to make it as special as we could. Lunch at Caterina de Medici - her favorite on campus restaurant and a fabulous cannoli cake while singing raucous versions of Happy Birthday.
So invited her to join me at the fundraiser and stop by for a snack first. So here's the Martha Stewart part.... I haven't really been doing too much cooking as there's so much good food available at work. I decided to fuss a little.
I started by making Lavender Lemonade (thanks, Ellen, for the beautiful lavender from "up north" - put it to good use! The house smelled wonderful of course, as it simmered in a simple syrup. I found Sicilian lemon juice at the grocery store, so that added a lovely fresh lemon taste without squeezing a half dozen lemons. Next I found some baby artichokes and prepared them to use in a salad. Funny how little they end up once you take the outer leaves off and steam them. Seems like an awful lot of waste, but they sure were tasty.
I made an olive and anchovy dressing with fresh basil and shallots in the blender. Haven't made dressing from scratch in forever - it really is easy and tastes so good! I also blanched asparagus for the salad and used arugula and baby spinach as the base. Topped with goat's milk feta and some fresh ground pepper and yummy!
I baked a gluten free carrot cake dusted with powdered sugar and found some cute candles to top it off. What was also fun was finding my mother's beautiful lemonade/ice tea pitcher to use, along with the fabulous hand-painted dishes from my sister Diane for the salad. Needless to say, Mary Ann felt pretty special and I'm thrilled to be a part of her celebration of life. She had brought a little housewarming gift and the card said - "Glad your life's journey has brought you here."
So I'm beginning to figure who I am outside of the CIA. That's the next part of the journey for me. I'm really clear about who I am at work, but there's more to life than work and I need to figure that part out as well. Our participation at the Chamber Music Society fundraiser was a step in the right direction, and last weekend, besides the trip to the City with the students, I went on a walking tour of the public art in Poughkeepsie. It was sponsored by a local gallery owned by a fellow Italian who supports the "come back" of Poughkeepsie. Seems when IBM pulled out a big chunk of operations here, the City suffered and the downtown area has some real blighted areas. Of course there will always be artists and those brave few who stay involved even when the rest of us head for the hills. Thank God for them.
Mary Ann bid on tickets to the New York Philharmonic, performing at the Bardavon theatre in Poughkeepsie, and I bid on the wine and cheese package and the sushi restaurant gift certificate. Looks like I'm finding my path outside of work, but somehow it still involves food and wine. Gosh - it's a tough life. giggle
Ciao for now!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Conquered by Bluepoints and Wellfleets
I suppose it was inevitable. First beets and now oysters. I'm told the students have to taste everything, regardless of whether they like it or not. Chefs taste the food. When I mentioned to the young women chefs I was accompanying to the City last Saturday that I didn't like oysters, they insisted that I just hadn't had the right kind, right acoutrements, right wine, etc. They were going to show me the right way at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station - famous spot for fresh seafood. Go figure - the basement of the train station. They were right, of course. Let me go back a few steps....
On Friday I was having breakfast with the VP of Advancement, a cool lady who interviewed me and has rolled out the welcome mat to me since I arrived. She was talking to another person at the table about a problem some students were having lining up a chaperone for a field trip scheduled Saturday. The faculty member who was supposed to go with them had a last minute emergency. Seems the student chapter of Women Chefs and Restrauntuers (WCR) had received a grant to travel to a woman owned and operated restaurant and they were planning to go to At Vermilion in NYC on Saturday. Without a chaperone though, no dice. Nancy turned to me and said, "You'd be perfect. Can you take them?" Let's see: support a group of young women chefs, take the train to the City, eat at a fabulous Indian-Latin fusion restaurant run by women, all for free. Gee, I think I might be able to swing it!
Two students were organizing the event - Ashley and Kwan - and they came to my office to meet me and orient me to the plans. Ashley had a check made out to the restaurant and she gave me a check, made out to me, to buy the train tickets. I would accompany the students on the train, to the restaurant, and back home again. Ashley and Kwan had plans for a little side trip to the Oyster Bar - can't go to the City without stopping there. When I told them I didn't really care for oysters...you know the rest of the story. Of course they were wonderful - and I learned to mix a little "mignonette" (a sort of vinagrette) into the sauce with a little extra horse radish. I thought, oh sure, just mask the taste, but that's not really what happened. They were small oysters, a nice briney taste, with just the right amount of heat from the horseradish and sweet from the mignonette. Add a glass of sauvignon blanc from down under (the best pairing according to Kwan) and there you have it - Vincenza enjoying oysters. Will wonders never cease?!!
If you're an Iron Chef fan, you may recognize the chef's name from At Vermilion: Maneet Chauran. She was on the show last week I think. She's a CIA grad, doing rather well for herself. She and her partner also have a restaurant in Chicago. Check it out: www.thevermilionrestaurant.com. As Maneet explained, vermilion is the most vibrant of reds and they chose it to connote the essence and ebullience of the Indian and Latim American peoples. It translates into sindoor, a core symbol of Indian femininity and a celebration of the beauty of women. The students were in awe of Maneet and she generously shared her time with them talking about her path. She also gave them a tour of her kitchen.
They specialize in herb and spice cocktail pairings. We had Latin-Indian street food appetizers - colombian arepas and duck vindaloo, artichoke fritters, Indian "Chaat" - paired with a shot of green gazpacho bloody mary. Totally yummy. Then we had Brazilian seafood stew with Indian seasoning paired with cucumber mint martini. Giggle. Next was a choice of entrees from Tandoori Skirt Steak to Shrimp Paella and Blackened Tamarind Ribs - paired with pani puri margarita. We ended with a rich Indian nut cake paired with a perfectly lovely coconut safron drink. While the cocktails were a smaller size, they came in fairly quick succession. Good thing we were taking the train home!
So 13 very happy students and I headed back to Grand Central Station and caught the 9:10 train to Poughkeepsie. At that time of evening, half the population of NYC seemed to be heading to the same train. It was as busy as Grand Central Station. Oh, wait. It WAS Grand Central Station. Just another perfect night in New York....
Ciao for now!
On Friday I was having breakfast with the VP of Advancement, a cool lady who interviewed me and has rolled out the welcome mat to me since I arrived. She was talking to another person at the table about a problem some students were having lining up a chaperone for a field trip scheduled Saturday. The faculty member who was supposed to go with them had a last minute emergency. Seems the student chapter of Women Chefs and Restrauntuers (WCR) had received a grant to travel to a woman owned and operated restaurant and they were planning to go to At Vermilion in NYC on Saturday. Without a chaperone though, no dice. Nancy turned to me and said, "You'd be perfect. Can you take them?" Let's see: support a group of young women chefs, take the train to the City, eat at a fabulous Indian-Latin fusion restaurant run by women, all for free. Gee, I think I might be able to swing it!
Two students were organizing the event - Ashley and Kwan - and they came to my office to meet me and orient me to the plans. Ashley had a check made out to the restaurant and she gave me a check, made out to me, to buy the train tickets. I would accompany the students on the train, to the restaurant, and back home again. Ashley and Kwan had plans for a little side trip to the Oyster Bar - can't go to the City without stopping there. When I told them I didn't really care for oysters...you know the rest of the story. Of course they were wonderful - and I learned to mix a little "mignonette" (a sort of vinagrette) into the sauce with a little extra horse radish. I thought, oh sure, just mask the taste, but that's not really what happened. They were small oysters, a nice briney taste, with just the right amount of heat from the horseradish and sweet from the mignonette. Add a glass of sauvignon blanc from down under (the best pairing according to Kwan) and there you have it - Vincenza enjoying oysters. Will wonders never cease?!!
If you're an Iron Chef fan, you may recognize the chef's name from At Vermilion: Maneet Chauran. She was on the show last week I think. She's a CIA grad, doing rather well for herself. She and her partner also have a restaurant in Chicago. Check it out: www.thevermilionrestaurant.com. As Maneet explained, vermilion is the most vibrant of reds and they chose it to connote the essence and ebullience of the Indian and Latim American peoples. It translates into sindoor, a core symbol of Indian femininity and a celebration of the beauty of women. The students were in awe of Maneet and she generously shared her time with them talking about her path. She also gave them a tour of her kitchen.
They specialize in herb and spice cocktail pairings. We had Latin-Indian street food appetizers - colombian arepas and duck vindaloo, artichoke fritters, Indian "Chaat" - paired with a shot of green gazpacho bloody mary. Totally yummy. Then we had Brazilian seafood stew with Indian seasoning paired with cucumber mint martini. Giggle. Next was a choice of entrees from Tandoori Skirt Steak to Shrimp Paella and Blackened Tamarind Ribs - paired with pani puri margarita. We ended with a rich Indian nut cake paired with a perfectly lovely coconut safron drink. While the cocktails were a smaller size, they came in fairly quick succession. Good thing we were taking the train home!
So 13 very happy students and I headed back to Grand Central Station and caught the 9:10 train to Poughkeepsie. At that time of evening, half the population of NYC seemed to be heading to the same train. It was as busy as Grand Central Station. Oh, wait. It WAS Grand Central Station. Just another perfect night in New York....
Ciao for now!
Friday, March 26, 2010
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!!
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!!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
It's Official - Almost
Been too long...it's amazing how time gets away. Tax day will be here before we know it. Yikes, better get started on that soon! In the meantime...
I've moved into a condo in beautiful Rhinebeck - the nicest town on both sides of the river. The place became available when the current tenants broke the lease because of a family emergency. I didn't wait too long to put in a bid as it was clearly desirable space, except for the endless sea of light blue carpeting. Blue never was my color but maybe a few strategically placed area rugs?
My furniture fits beautifully - I actually have more space than in Michigan. And I have an attached garage and a working fireplace and room for my dining room set. Looking at that vision list, it was check, check, and check. It's costing a little more than I wanted to pay, but I think it's worth it in location, convenience, and clean and spacious surroundings.
My friend Joanne came from Michigan and helped me unpack and hang curtains and change light fixtures. She also helped me hang my prized possessions - my antique Shakespeare engravings and my Hibel print. It was wonderful to have her here and I'm grateful for the time, effort and money she spent to get here! We did manage to have a little fun while she was here - two trips to The Culinary for dinner one night and a dessert fantasia the second. Can you just imagine a 3 hour dessert feast. Four courses with "intermezzo" delights in between. My goodness!
Finally got internet service and a phone number and got the printer set up on Sunday. On Monday I went to the Social Security Administration because you have to have an actual SS card to apply for a drivers license here. Didn't matter that I had a U. S. Passport and a DL from Michigan.... However I did get my new license plates for the car - New York plates. I need to get the car inspected though - another thing you have to do in New York every year to renew plates. That's why it's only "almost" official - still need that inspection and a drivers license. Hopefully, in a few more weeks....
The actual move-in day was pretty uneventful. The truck arrived at 8 a.m. and of course I had coffee, juice and bagels for the movers. Mother would have been proud - I had enough for an army, even though there were only 2 of them. Also had sandwiches, fruit and cookies for lunch. Didn't want them to run out of energy too soon. The furniture came off first so I was directing traffic to first floor and second floor rooms. I managed to keep up with them for a while, unpacking select boxes to find rugs, towels, sheets, lamps, etc. After a few hours I fell hopelessly behind and realized there was no keeping up any longer. It would be days, probably weeks, before I could get it all unpacked. Thank goodness Joanne came the next day.
There were some damaged items but not too many. Some things were so carefully packed - took forever to unwrap them. Then there was the lampshade that was completely crushed. Easy to replace I guess. I'm happy to report the wine arrived unharmed as did the Waterford and Lalique crystal. Joanne made sure everything was back in the china cabinet where it belonged!
Sunday I went grocery shopping and filled the pantry and fridge. I made a pot of soup and put some containers in the freezer. Now it's really starting to feel like home. Still eating like a queen at work, but I'm happy to report that when the scale was unwrapped and I finally decided to go ahead and step on it - I hadn't gained one pound!! I'm sure it's all the walking and stairs at work, plus the three nights a week with a personal trainer. I've gone from being practically immobile working from a home for two years to being very active. Feels really good too.
I still need to write thank you notes - when will Emily Post say I've passed the limits of good taste? 3 months? Oh, dear, it's getting close. Well, guess I'll do thank you notes and change of address cards at the same time. When I finally unpacked the office Sunday and found the stationary and stamps I knew I was running out of excuses! The books are unpacked on the bookshelves - all 16 boxes of them, except for the 4 going to the office. So eager to unpack my leadership library and get cracking!
I did my first training workshop last week - meeting management for the top 70 leaders in the organization. Had to put it together from memory and the internet since I didn't have my books unpacked yet. Went over very well - lots of positive feedback - felt great to be back in front of the room and facilitating discussions. I also have 3 coaching "clients" and am working with one of the Dean's on some process improvement initiatives. Working on the budget - that's giving everyone sticker shock. They've gone from no training to a long list of things I'd like to try to accomplish. What I'm requesting is a drop in the bucket but anything is more than they had last year!
Enough for now. I unpacked the stereo last night so I think I'll listen to a little music before hitting the sack. It's good to be "home."
Ciao for now!
With much affection...
Genz
I've moved into a condo in beautiful Rhinebeck - the nicest town on both sides of the river. The place became available when the current tenants broke the lease because of a family emergency. I didn't wait too long to put in a bid as it was clearly desirable space, except for the endless sea of light blue carpeting. Blue never was my color but maybe a few strategically placed area rugs?
My furniture fits beautifully - I actually have more space than in Michigan. And I have an attached garage and a working fireplace and room for my dining room set. Looking at that vision list, it was check, check, and check. It's costing a little more than I wanted to pay, but I think it's worth it in location, convenience, and clean and spacious surroundings.
My friend Joanne came from Michigan and helped me unpack and hang curtains and change light fixtures. She also helped me hang my prized possessions - my antique Shakespeare engravings and my Hibel print. It was wonderful to have her here and I'm grateful for the time, effort and money she spent to get here! We did manage to have a little fun while she was here - two trips to The Culinary for dinner one night and a dessert fantasia the second. Can you just imagine a 3 hour dessert feast. Four courses with "intermezzo" delights in between. My goodness!
Finally got internet service and a phone number and got the printer set up on Sunday. On Monday I went to the Social Security Administration because you have to have an actual SS card to apply for a drivers license here. Didn't matter that I had a U. S. Passport and a DL from Michigan.... However I did get my new license plates for the car - New York plates. I need to get the car inspected though - another thing you have to do in New York every year to renew plates. That's why it's only "almost" official - still need that inspection and a drivers license. Hopefully, in a few more weeks....
The actual move-in day was pretty uneventful. The truck arrived at 8 a.m. and of course I had coffee, juice and bagels for the movers. Mother would have been proud - I had enough for an army, even though there were only 2 of them. Also had sandwiches, fruit and cookies for lunch. Didn't want them to run out of energy too soon. The furniture came off first so I was directing traffic to first floor and second floor rooms. I managed to keep up with them for a while, unpacking select boxes to find rugs, towels, sheets, lamps, etc. After a few hours I fell hopelessly behind and realized there was no keeping up any longer. It would be days, probably weeks, before I could get it all unpacked. Thank goodness Joanne came the next day.
There were some damaged items but not too many. Some things were so carefully packed - took forever to unwrap them. Then there was the lampshade that was completely crushed. Easy to replace I guess. I'm happy to report the wine arrived unharmed as did the Waterford and Lalique crystal. Joanne made sure everything was back in the china cabinet where it belonged!
Sunday I went grocery shopping and filled the pantry and fridge. I made a pot of soup and put some containers in the freezer. Now it's really starting to feel like home. Still eating like a queen at work, but I'm happy to report that when the scale was unwrapped and I finally decided to go ahead and step on it - I hadn't gained one pound!! I'm sure it's all the walking and stairs at work, plus the three nights a week with a personal trainer. I've gone from being practically immobile working from a home for two years to being very active. Feels really good too.
I still need to write thank you notes - when will Emily Post say I've passed the limits of good taste? 3 months? Oh, dear, it's getting close. Well, guess I'll do thank you notes and change of address cards at the same time. When I finally unpacked the office Sunday and found the stationary and stamps I knew I was running out of excuses! The books are unpacked on the bookshelves - all 16 boxes of them, except for the 4 going to the office. So eager to unpack my leadership library and get cracking!
I did my first training workshop last week - meeting management for the top 70 leaders in the organization. Had to put it together from memory and the internet since I didn't have my books unpacked yet. Went over very well - lots of positive feedback - felt great to be back in front of the room and facilitating discussions. I also have 3 coaching "clients" and am working with one of the Dean's on some process improvement initiatives. Working on the budget - that's giving everyone sticker shock. They've gone from no training to a long list of things I'd like to try to accomplish. What I'm requesting is a drop in the bucket but anything is more than they had last year!
Enough for now. I unpacked the stereo last night so I think I'll listen to a little music before hitting the sack. It's good to be "home."
Ciao for now!
With much affection...
Genz
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Beets? For real??
So anyone who knows me well knows there are two things I don't care to eat - beets and raw oysters. If a Greek salad gets delivered and they accidentally put on beets, back to the kitchen it goes. And if they dare try to take off the beets and bring the salad back with red juice on the feta cheese, back to the kitchen it goes. Recently, I was teased by a waiter who brought me roasted beet and goat cheese salad without the beets, as ordered. "Here's your beet salad without the beets" he said with a smile. I can't help it. I just don't like beets. I haven't liked them since I was a little girl. Regardless of the myriad ways my sister Phyllis has made them over the intervening years, the mere thought of them makes me shiver. Until last week....
We had a snow day last week and the campus and restaurants were closing at 12 noon. Of course the morning students had already been cooking since early and the American Bounty restaurant, second only to Escoffier for fine dining on campus, had lots of cancellations of course. An email was sent to Department Heads inviting us to make a reservation and come down for a complimentary lunch, so the students would have an adequate educational experience. Now, do you think they had to ask me twice?! I tried to find a colleague to accompany me, but many hadn't even come in that day (they don't know how to drive in snow, but that's another story), or they wanted to get on the road early to get home before the big snow. (The big storm that wasn't....)
No big deal, I'm used to eating alone, so down I went. We were to order three courses, so I perused the menu looking for things without dairy and minimal gluten. I've discovered goat cheese is tolerable to my system so I'm always on the lookout for that because I so miss my cheese. First course, mussells. Absolutely fabulous - cooked perfectly, lovely broth. Second course, oh oh. There's that roasted beet and goat cheese salad again, with arugula and blood oranges. Well, I can flick the beets off right? I don't like to give the students special instructions as I know they're working to a very specific recipe so I figured I could alter the dish after I received it and no one would be the wiser.
Well, I was absolutely delighted with the presentation of the "salad" but it didn't look like anything I've had before. I couldn't figure out where the beets were, as all I could see were four little one inch square napoleans sitting atop little mounds of arugula with blood orange slices between the stacks and a crushed pistachio and chive oil drizzle around the edge of the plate, an oblong affair that was perfectly suited to the dish. So where were the beets? Turns out those little napoleans were perfectly sliced roasted beets - but not the red variety, they were golden, and the goat cheese was herbed and put between the layers. Couldn't very well flick the beets away.... So, I took a bite, and oh my goodness, it was wonderful. A little bite of the arugula dressed perfectly, a little bite of blood orange dipped in the pistachios and chive oil. Goodness gracious, I liked it! Good thing I have good manners or I would have been licking that plate. Third course, cioppino - fish stew. Fabulous. But I knew I'd be dreaming about that salad. How could that be??
Yesterday, I was walking around downtown Rhinebeck, my new home town (but that's another story?) and happened upon an interesting looking restaurant. Ready for a break and armed with plenty of reading material about the surrounding area and goings on, I sat down and started perusing the menu. So there again we have roasted beets and goat cheese, this time in a risotto. Dare I try it? Dare I push my luck with beets? What the heck! Why not!! I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc and waited for the surprise. My heart sunk when I saw the pink in the risotto. I wondered if this was going to be that old familiar flavor that I'd come to hate. So I gingerly took a small bite, with no beet cube in it and the flavor was quite good. Ok, I thought, time to taste the beets. Not bad, got a bit of pancetta with it. It wasn't too strong. Took another bite of risotto with a few beet cubes. OK, let's not get carried away. Let's just eat mostly risotto and a few beet cubes but leave most of them behind. So I probably ate half of what was on the plate. Honestly, I enjoyed the dish. Am I going to start ordering beets every time I see them on the menu? No, but if they're fresh roasted I just might.
Now, can anyone tell me why the beets in the salad were golden and not red?? Well, I guess it's down to raw oysters now. As if it wasn't hard enough watching my weight, now I'm only down to one thing I don't like to eat. Darn. :-)
Ciao for now!
We had a snow day last week and the campus and restaurants were closing at 12 noon. Of course the morning students had already been cooking since early and the American Bounty restaurant, second only to Escoffier for fine dining on campus, had lots of cancellations of course. An email was sent to Department Heads inviting us to make a reservation and come down for a complimentary lunch, so the students would have an adequate educational experience. Now, do you think they had to ask me twice?! I tried to find a colleague to accompany me, but many hadn't even come in that day (they don't know how to drive in snow, but that's another story), or they wanted to get on the road early to get home before the big snow. (The big storm that wasn't....)
No big deal, I'm used to eating alone, so down I went. We were to order three courses, so I perused the menu looking for things without dairy and minimal gluten. I've discovered goat cheese is tolerable to my system so I'm always on the lookout for that because I so miss my cheese. First course, mussells. Absolutely fabulous - cooked perfectly, lovely broth. Second course, oh oh. There's that roasted beet and goat cheese salad again, with arugula and blood oranges. Well, I can flick the beets off right? I don't like to give the students special instructions as I know they're working to a very specific recipe so I figured I could alter the dish after I received it and no one would be the wiser.
Well, I was absolutely delighted with the presentation of the "salad" but it didn't look like anything I've had before. I couldn't figure out where the beets were, as all I could see were four little one inch square napoleans sitting atop little mounds of arugula with blood orange slices between the stacks and a crushed pistachio and chive oil drizzle around the edge of the plate, an oblong affair that was perfectly suited to the dish. So where were the beets? Turns out those little napoleans were perfectly sliced roasted beets - but not the red variety, they were golden, and the goat cheese was herbed and put between the layers. Couldn't very well flick the beets away.... So, I took a bite, and oh my goodness, it was wonderful. A little bite of the arugula dressed perfectly, a little bite of blood orange dipped in the pistachios and chive oil. Goodness gracious, I liked it! Good thing I have good manners or I would have been licking that plate. Third course, cioppino - fish stew. Fabulous. But I knew I'd be dreaming about that salad. How could that be??
Yesterday, I was walking around downtown Rhinebeck, my new home town (but that's another story?) and happened upon an interesting looking restaurant. Ready for a break and armed with plenty of reading material about the surrounding area and goings on, I sat down and started perusing the menu. So there again we have roasted beets and goat cheese, this time in a risotto. Dare I try it? Dare I push my luck with beets? What the heck! Why not!! I ordered a glass of sauvignon blanc and waited for the surprise. My heart sunk when I saw the pink in the risotto. I wondered if this was going to be that old familiar flavor that I'd come to hate. So I gingerly took a small bite, with no beet cube in it and the flavor was quite good. Ok, I thought, time to taste the beets. Not bad, got a bit of pancetta with it. It wasn't too strong. Took another bite of risotto with a few beet cubes. OK, let's not get carried away. Let's just eat mostly risotto and a few beet cubes but leave most of them behind. So I probably ate half of what was on the plate. Honestly, I enjoyed the dish. Am I going to start ordering beets every time I see them on the menu? No, but if they're fresh roasted I just might.
Now, can anyone tell me why the beets in the salad were golden and not red?? Well, I guess it's down to raw oysters now. As if it wasn't hard enough watching my weight, now I'm only down to one thing I don't like to eat. Darn. :-)
Ciao for now!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
