Happy New Year: 2012

2012 is going to be a great year.

How do I know? Because I am going to make this year great!

I wasn't going to make any new year resolutions this year but then I wouldn't have any fun torturing myself....but then I thought...why torture myself? I've already done a lot of that this year!

For starters: after getting over my 24 hour flu, I decided that I never want to get sick again. So this year instead of getting crazy for New Years Eve...I want to be home right after midnight so that I can wake up refreshed and ready for the new year. But don't be quick to call me boring because I am still attending a fabulous party with a handsome date. I am just leaving at an appropriate hour....like Cinderella.

I am going to have three new years resolutions.

Travel

Travel.....Outside of Napa more often. I live in a bubble. I travel everyday from Napa to St. Helena. five days a week and by the time my day off comes around....I don't make the time to go out of town and do something fun. I went to Sacramento once this year...So this year I want to make time to get out of town, and make plans to travel.

Get a facial

I've never gotten a facial before in my whole entire 26 years of my life. It's time for my virgin face to get a facial. 2012 is the year! It's funny because most of you think that I'm crazy because I have never gotten one but this one will probably be my hardest because I never make time for myself. This is how I ended up with long hair...I never had the time to get my hair cut so all of a sudden one day it was long...and I just left it long. Long hair don't care.

Photography 

I wanted to start a new hobby and photography was always something I wanted to do. I remember when I was young I told my mom I wanted to be a photographer and you could tell what she was thinking...."That business doesn't make any money"..... This is my excuse to buy a nice camera and learn something new. I was going to take a photography class at the community college but I think I can handle some self learning. Photography goes perfect with my other resolutions because I can take photos while traveling and of my clean face!

I would love to learn how to do something cool like this!

"A New Year's Resolution is something that goes in one year and out the other" -Unknown

Cheers and be safe!

Dear Santa

I've been a very good girl this year so please no more coals.

Here is my list of demands...

Michael Kors Rose Gold Watch

Tory Burch Riding Boots 

(I already have Black Riding Boots from Aldo but I like these ones better)

Tory Burch Purse and Matching Wallet

                             

A New Scent: Chanel 

Books:

Lastly....for all my friends and family wealth, health, and happiness

Oh....and World Peace 

Thank you!

Yelping for Yelp

My new obsession right now is Yelp and this is my review for Yelp.

Customers who are really angry at a business like to take it out on them on Yelp.

Yelp is a place where angry customers like to try to ruin businesses by putting something on the internet for something that was a one time thing or an honest mistake that will forever be left on that businesses reputation.

Do you guys realize that chefs, cooks, waiters, and bartenders have bad/off days?

We are all not perfect and especially when you run a business nothing goes perfectly. I'm sorry that you came on a bad day and your perfect self didn't have the best lifetime experience that lived up to your perfect lifetime expectations but don't take your big perfect mouth and tell other people not to come to a business because YOU (and you're shitty taste buds) didn't like it, yes you like to have an opinion but please let other people come up with their own opinion.

Get. over. yourselves.

Yes I take it personal because I grew up in this restaurant. It's like someone coming into my home and shitting on it. And then telling the whole world that my home and family sucked. So screw you angry customers I will come to your home and shit on it.

But....in the end......To each their own.

Now onto "YELP"

Yelp- Calls my place of business every month and asks me to join their website.

For how much exactly?.......$300 a month!

For what exactly?......To make sure people are searching for us? 

I thought that the reason why you are calling me is because people started to search for us more and you think that we are suddenly sure rich and can give you $300 of our money every month?

Yelp- you are crazy. And thank you for posting an anonymous bad review on my business page.

So what have I decided to do? If you can't beat them...Join yelp!

The reason why everyone should read my comments and reviews on YELP is because I'm going to give positive reviews. I am only going to review every place I go to and give them good reviews and why I liked the place.

Check me out: Jennifer's YELP page 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I've neglected my blog. Sorry fellow blog readers. 

This year for Thanksgiving, I wanted to bond with my family. So my cousin and I cooked at my parents house all day long.

My cousin was in charge of Desserts: She made cake pops!

Since this is my first Thanksgiving as a vegetarian, I was in charge of side dishes. (vegetarian, of course)

And my sister in law was in charge of the turkey. She is a turkey queen! 

Here is the funny video of the night.

We drank mimosas, eggnog, and beer all day long. My parents sat on the couch and watched Taiwanese dramas while we cooked.

All in all I think it was the best Thanksgiving yet! No drama. No muss. No fuss. 

Just Family.

Happy Halloween!

This year for Halloween....I wanted to do a couples costume with the BF.

So I went ahead and found a costume for me....and then found one for the BF that went with mine.

         

I threw a small party at our small house...which made it seem like we invited everyone we knew. 

I turned my closet room into a photo booth

We took our small party downtown to Eikos, where they were having a Halloween Party with a costume contest. This is the part where it gets a little hazy....

I was really excited about the Costume contest because I wanted my friend to win. He dressed up at a Mad hatter, and really went all out. So....who won? This stupid box guy. The stupid LMAFO box guy. He was basically just dressed normal and then a gold box over his ugly head....I don't know who it was but....the costume was lame and shouldn't have won $500.

I remember having in my hand...my credit card and my I.D.....I remember thinking the whole entire time that I'd better not lose these items because that would suck.

So....after the contest I was super upset!....drunk upset....and I walked home....

I remember taking my shoes off...and sitting down on the coach...then.....I woke up in my bed with my Pajamas on and my phone charging on my night stand....

I blacked out....I was in a rage blackout over this costume contest....

The next morning I asked the BF what happened and all he said was...........

"You were acting hella ghetto and being mean"......Oh!....as long as I wasn't acting a fool! 

I got up and started frantically looking for my credit card and I.D.

I lost them......

I walked downtown to retrace my steps....all while I was so HUNGOVER! UGH!

I couldn't find them....So I just laid in bed and just felt sorry for myself.

The next morning after dreaming about finding my I.D. and credit card....I jumped out of bed and went straight to my closet and found my I.D. and credit card! WOOO HOOO!! 

I guess I just needed to sober up and remember where my drunk ass hid it. 

Happy Halloween everyone!!!

The Kitchen Story

Growing up in a chinese restaurant, you get to know everyone you work with very well. We all work the whole 12 hour day together, we arrive together and leave together. 

The kitchen crew comes and goes....some stay for many many years, some only lasted a few months, some last only a few days....Most of the guys are all the same: Gambling addiction, smoking addiction, alcohol addiction...bad teeth and they smell like grease....wait..thats just people in general...nevermind....

Something that you must understand about a chinese restaurant...the whole kitchen crew live together in a small apartment that the owner provides. The owner deducts rent from their pay check. Working and living together take a toll on these guys. The kitchen crew and sometimes a waiter or two would walk together to and from work like a family. But my restaurant..I am their ride. I pick them up and drop them off everyday. The kitchen crew would call me "Princess" or "Little sister", now they call me "Little boss". (of course in mandarin)

Sometimes there was fights, and sometimes there were alliances. Sometimes the crew would be super tight and when one guy quits, all of them quit.

In the 23 years of being in this business, I have seen numerous fights between the cooks. I remember one time at Peking Palace there was a fight between two cooks and one of the cooks took a bite out of the other cooks ear! Of course they both got fired.

The one employee that I miss the most is a Vietnamese man who worked with my family my whole life. His name was "A". He was a Vietnam war veteran and was super religious. He obviously became really old over the years and my parents had to let him go because he was too old to be working, and he was really upset, so was I.

I grew pretty close with some of the employees over the years and I felt hurt when they would leave because they became family members to me. So as I got older and when cooks and deep fryers and dish washers would come, I started to not be nice and never called them by their real names. I would refer to them as "Deep fryer", "skinny guy", "fat guy", "old man"...If they don't have a name then you won't mind if they left.

In this photo from Left to right: Deep fryer, Mr. Tall, My Father, Fat guy, and Old man. 

(Mr. Tall and the fat guy are no longer with Golden Harvest because they liked to fight each other)

I had to stop Mr. Tall from chopping the fat guy with a butcher knife.

:::sigh::drama drama drama....

Don't get me wrong, I am not a complete bitch to these guys because they cook my food. I am definitely really nice to them. Except when I have to yell at them for cooking things wrong...thats just what I have to do sometimes.....and thats my Kitchen Story.

Witch Vibes

I haven't posted a new blog in a long time because I've been busy....Busy moving! I moved ALLLLLL the way downtown. Which is approximately 1.2 miles from my other house. Yep.

I am finally all settled into the new place. The new place is tiny, we have absolutely too much crap for this new house. But I love it! I'm the complete opposite of a hoarder, I like to be free of "stuff". I like things to look clutter free and clean. Just don't look in my closet....

I lived at the other house for over a year, I moved into the house right after graduation. I never really liked the house, it gave me the creeps. I remember the first night I stayed at the house with my dog and I was lying in bed...and I heard this clawing noise on the walls and the ceiling.......

Was it the girl from "The ring"?....the scary looking boy from "The Grudge"?...Flesh eating ZOMBIES!? The human centipede?!!!!!

Turns out it was a raccoon. A dirty filthy raccoon. Making a house for himself.

We had Buddhist Monks come and bless the house. We captured the raccoon....twice.

But I still felt like the house was not home and I was very unhappy. I started picking fights with the BF. I was angry and grumpy all the time. I just wanted out.

When I found out we were moving, I asked my mom which days are best to move. My mom is Buddhist and according to the Buddhist calendar there are certain days and times that are good luck to move. My mom told me "Thursday between 7am-9am"

A few nights before we moved....the BF said that I was staring at him in the middle of the night and my eyes were black! Was I becoming the girl from "The Ring"? Eeek!!! or "Paranormal Activity"?! Creeeepy!!!

Ok....so thursday at 8am (I couldn't get up at 7) I packed my car and headed to the new place. I made only one trip because my mom said all I had to do was start the move between 7am-9am and then finish the move whenever.

Immediately as soon as I made the move, I felt instantly happier and uplifted. I felt good vibes!

I believe that there was a bad spirit or just bad vibes at the other house and it was like a demon taking over me.

Do you believe it? Or am I just crazy for thinking this? Is it something else that has happened?

No joke, I never had baby fever ever....and the final day we were moved in I started to feel my biological clock ticking..yes I'm only 26 I still have a few more years. And I'm going traditional and getting married before having kids. But if I don't get married....I'm not having kids.

Yes, I am very superstitious. Just like my mother. I believe in Karma. I believe that whistling at night draws attention to ghosts and spirits....Standing your chopsticks straight up with your food is bad luck....Throwing change on the floor when you move into a new home is good luck. And the list goes on......

Oh by the way....I broke a very large mirror....(it actually committed suicide).....does that mean bad luck for seven years? Hmmm.....

Maybe I've become more Buddhist.....

What do you guys think?

Raised in a Chinese Restaurant

My parents bought "Peking Palace" in 1987, when I was 2 years old.

Everyday after school, my brother and I would come to the restaurant and do our homework and stay till closing. Sometimes we would help work, and most of the time we went outside to run around.

I started working at a fairly young age, I washed dishes, and peeled snow peas and string beans, just easy things that earned me a whopping $5.00 a day. I saved my money every week to buy a new barbie doll. And ever since then, I just kept working because it was fun for me to work, even day it still is.

My fondest memories of my childhood included running around downtown Napa. Going to KB Toystore, and hanging out with the "Asia Cafe Girls" and the boys from "Rio Poco" and "P.J.'s Cafe" We would tell scary stories while sitting in front of the ghost bar (Fagiani's Bar) and one night while sitting there the phone in the bar began to ring! Creeeepy!

There were some downfalls of being raised in a chinese restaurant. I witnessed crazy customers at a young age, I was always late to school because I wouldn't go to sleep till past 10:00P.M, and....thats pretty much it. These were the best times of my life. I got to eat delicious chinese food everyday and hang out with my brother.

Across the street from Peking Palace is the Veterans Park.
There would always be a bunch of skaters that would hangout there all day and they would come in all the time to use our restroom but then we stopped letting them use our restroom because they didn't buy anything. One day these two skater boys came in and stole this red bucket that we made into a "Wishing Well". The bucket was filled with water, so when they were running away with the bucket the water was leaving a trail....so we followed them to the rock waterfall or where the clock tower used to be. They ended up giving us our bucket back but without the money in it of course.

One morning,  I don't remember exactly when this happened but we were walking up to the restaurant and saw that our glass front doors have been shattered....We've been ROBBED!....but...guess what was stolen? That infamous red bucket wishing well. Hmm...?

Although I remember a lot of things,  I think I had the best childhood ever because for some crazy reason I remember so much of my childhood but I can barely remember high school. I could tell you tons of stories that happened on the 1000 block of 2nd and Main Street. 

Many customers have watched me grow up.
They still remember my brother and I running around outside late at night hanging outside of Peking Palace. Our most loyal customers have followed us all the way to St. Helena.

My parents purchased "Golden Harvest" in 1995 and sold Peking Palace in 1999.
 I began working as a full time waitress in 1999 at Golden Harvest.
We bought back Peking Palace in 2009.

Good Times

Mu Shu Debacle

A few weeks ago one of my top 5 worst customer came in.

I don't like to service ANY of my worst customers because it tends to put me in a horrible mood and I just can't seem to smile after I see them, So I make whomever I'm working with take their table...so this time it was my cousin.

He ordered a Vegetarian Mu Shu for To Go

He asked my cousin to roll them up for him as well. (Which we do not recommend because it becomes "MUSHY MU SHU" but she did it for him....

He calls the next day....

"I ordered the Vegetarian Mu Shu for a Vegetarian and there was chicken in it and we had to throw it away so I demand a free Vegetarian Mu Shu next time I come in"

I find the receipt for this order....On the ticket it says "Vegetable Mu Shu"

I ask my cousin about this vegetable mu shu since she had to roll them...she said it was for sure vegetarian and I even asked the chef (my dad) if it was vegetarian. (We all have very good memory around here when it comes to the weirdos and the worst customers)

So....Do I give this guy a FREE vegetable mu she next time he comes in?

Well....he came in tonight...and said very LOUDLY that he wanted a FREE vegetarian mu shu.

I told him that what we gave him was vegetarian mu shu...he said....

"A DOCTOR said it was chicken"

Ok....?......

I wanted to tell him that Doctors made mistakes also, and was this doctor also old like you sir?

I don't know...maybe the mu shu really did have chicken or maybe this so called doctor mistaken a piece of egg or water chestnut as chicken? Who knows?! This mystery mu shu has been discarded into the veterans home garbage.

So....did I give him a free Vegetarian mu shu?

Of course I did...the customer is always right.....right?

Guess what the guy said when I brought it to him?

"Is this the Doctors mu shu PORK?"

Tipping is not a city in China

T.I.P.S. = To Insure Prompt Service 

I hate people who don't tip

Especially when it's a restaurant/service situation. 

I think it is absolutely cheap and disgusting when people demand good service and leave without tipping. 

I feel that if you don't want to tip because your excuse is "I need the money more than the waiter" or "I don't have enough money" or "I think the service was bad".....DON'T DINE OUT. 

Get your ass to the grocery store and buy some bread and peanut butter and jelly and make your own god damn food. And pour yourself unlimited amounts of water, and then clean up after your nasty ass.

Save your money for when you are ready to go out into the real world where real people are working really hard for their hard earned money by giving you prompt service. 

When you take care of us...we take care of you.

I have a lot of "Regular No-tippers"...These bitches really have the nerve to ask for E.V.E.R.Y.T.H.I.N.G.

Hot sauce, Napkins, water, to-go cup for their left over soda, you name it...what ever is free, they want.

So I've come up with a payback plan for these regulars. I pretend I'm really busy for the first few minutes after they walk through the door....I seat them...and then I take their order after 10minutes of waiting, without bringing any water. I wait another 10minutes before putting in their order in the computer, bring them their drinks and then when their food is ready...I wait another 10minutes before I bring it out. Now...this only happens when its not busy. When its busy I try to get this person out of the restaurant as soon as possible because the table that their sitting at, can have an actual tipper sitting there.

The dining room at Golden Harvest is fairly small, it can have approximately 48 seats...legally. We have 2 large round tables that can fit up to 10 seats and we have booths that fit 4 maximum. When we have 5 people come in, they would sit at the round table. Which is we add an 18% gratuity to parties of 5 or larger.  

Today for example: We had a group of 5 chinese people come in. My cousin gave them great prompt service and when the bill came, they asked why we added the gratuity on. My cousin said she felt bad but why? It's policy that we add it on, plus it was written on the menu that we do so when there is a party of 5 or more. When they were leaving, I asked the party if my cousins service did not deserve 18% gratuity? Guess what the mother fucker said? 

He said "Yes she does but I wanted to give her more than just 18%"......Huh?! THEN DO IT! What's stopping you? What a dumb ass mother fucker....not only do you look cheap for even bringing the gratuity up but you look hella dumb for saying that last part. 

The other day we had "Regular No-tippers" but these ladies I do not like. I seated them after letting them wait...and when it was time to pay..they brought their ticket up to the counter. (which means they're not going to tip) The bill was $19.97. My cousin was just going to put the $20 bill in the cashier drawer without giving them their $0.03 change. But I told her in mandarin "you better give them their 3 pennies back because they're going to need it" so she did, and this bitch waved her fist with the pennies in her palm over our tip jar and you can tell she was thinking "Should I? or Should I keep it?" It was hilarious watching her doing this motion, and while she was doing this, I was saying out loud to my cousin in mandarin 

"Oh she's going to tip Oh nope she's not Oh she is" And guess what she did?

She kept the pennies.

Meet your Meat

I am a vegetarian.

I've stopped eating meat March 2011.

Why?

At first it was to help my friend out through lent...and then...

I watched a Animal Cruelty video

Everybody...Meet your Meat

I lost 10lbs...and I couldn't bring myself to eat chicken, beef, or pork...after seeing this video

Then I read Skinny Bitch & Eating Animals

And then I became part-time Vegan for awhile...Lost another 10lbs...

I feel so much healthier and happier, people always ask me "Where do you get your protein?" From many things...tofu, soy milk...I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables and I take a multi-vitamin everyday. 

Being Vegan was easy at first because after reading about cow udders being used with a machine sucking all the milk out of their poor bodies too much that it starts to produce sores and pus and all the dead skin cells is what also goes into milk that everyone drinks. I only drink soy, almond, and rice milk now. 

But I have issues with:

Cheese....AWW MAN! it's so hard! I tried Vegan cheese...it smelled really bad....I'm from Napa...

Cheese and wine...

Desserts...Yo Belle, Sift Cupcakes, and Champagne Cake. 

My Favorite Meal of the Day: Breakfast....I love the Sweet & Salty Combo. Waffles, pancakes, potatoes and eggs...:::sigh::: Have you guys been to The Griddle Cafe in Los Angeles? YUM! 

I need to always think that eggs are a chicken's abortion. That way I don't eat them...

I've made Vegan cupcakes

I do need to experiment more in the kitchen because I know I can make vegan pancakes...I'm just too lazy. But I definitely will try not to be lazy for animals. Those poor defenseless animals.

These are my confessions: The only thing I don't consider myself a full 100% vegetarian is because my weakness is Sushi. :::sigh::: I sometimes have a hankering for sushi but I've only have it like 3 times.... Only sushi, I can't help it...I'm asian...My mom brings me sushi all the time and I don't want to hurt her feelings. ;)

I am trying to quit sushi from now on...because those poor defenseless fish! I'm actually more concerned with Dolphins and Whales because they get killed when they are accidentally caught in the line of fire when fishermen are catching salmon or tuna. 

I'm Taiwanese I've been raised on a lot of weird delicious food..like pig intestines, pork belly, chicken feet, and cow stomach.....I've quit all that. My family is Buddhist.

 I am trying to practice Buddhism, and I think being Vegetarian is a good start to great Karma.

Everybody be kind....you'll be happier and good Karma will come 

And don't forget to tip!

Happy Thoughts

I've had a long awful morning....5 things that cheer me up

Colorful Bright...ICE CREAM!

My puppy 

Beautiful Dresses

The SF Giants WINNING!

Hugs

What's my name?

I am a Taiwanese-American, I was born in the United States, but both my parents are from Taiwan. I am the only one in my family born in America. I am what they call an "ABC"...."American Born Chinese" but in my case I'm Taiwanese not Chinese...I'm not chinese, and I don't speak Chinese, I speak Mandarin.

When I meet new people I introduce myself as "Jennifer" because that is my name. My real name. 

I've had numerous customers ask me "But..what your "real" name?" At first I would be really confused because I was a bit offended that they thought I was giving them a fake name...but then I realized that they meant my mandarin name. 

My real name is Jennifer. My mandarin name is 邱莉娟. Which Translates to "Chiu Li Juan" (Not Spanish where the "J" is silent) 

My mom changed my mandarin name about a decade ago before this name it was 邱盈盈. 

Which translates to "Chiu Ying Ying"

My mandarin names are changeable, my english name is my birth name. 

My fake name I give to people who I know I'll never see again like at a bar is... "Lucy"

I chose Lucy because some people say I look like "Lucy Liu" typical of people to compare me to an Asian just because I'm Asian. 

So when people say "Oh! Like Lucy Liu?" thats when I walk away....

Yes, Lucy and I, are both Asian and have black hair and freckles...that just means we are the only two Asian people on this planet who have poor skin care. Don't get me wrong, being compared to Lucy Liu is a compliment, she is beautiful and pretty bad ass in Kill Bill. 

Spring break of 07': I was in Rosarito, Mexico with my friend and of course we used our fake names at the famous "Papas and Beer". We meet this guy and introduced ourselves, as "Lucy and Mary-Jane". After a short conversation and two free drinks later....my friend from school walks over and says "Jenn! You already met my roommate?!".....Uh oh....the guy was a little mad that we gave him fake names....but of course he got over it...now he tells us to call him "Colin Farrell".

Almost Famous

My last blog was dull and boring so here another attempt to keep you blog readers interested....

As most of you know, I work at a Chinese restaurant up valley.
The city of St. Helena is small...if you go to Safeway you'll recognize everyone in there.

I've recently come to realize that I am the face of chinese food/ Golden Harvest.

When I go to Safeway, everyone stares at me...and I know what they're thinking.."She looks familiar...How do I know her? Where have I seen her before?..." Well....CHINESE FOOD!
One time a customer in safeway saw me and freaked out!  He was like "OH MY! You're out of your realm! You actually leave the restaurant? I thought you lived there!" Thank you....

When I go to bars in NAPA....people have the bartender ask me where they know me from...yes...Golden Harvest..."OH YEAH!!"

When I have a day off...people ask me "Where have you been? I was here last week and you were gone!?" You mean that one day I had off...yes I do take time off like a regular human being...

On that note: Customers who I give discounts to or refill your steamed rice for free...When I'm not there...and you mention that "Jennifer always does this for me" to my co-workers and my boss (my mother) I will no longer be doing that for you because YOU THREW ME UNDER THE BUS!! So...You're welcome for being a dumbass.

Yesterday one of my many regulars came in and the grandmother was telling me stories about her granddaughter and she mentioned that when they go to the park they play "chinese restaurant" and the little girl tells her grandmother to call her "Jennifer"!! L.O.V.E. 

It's official...I made it...I'm almost famous...in St. Helena.


Check out our website: www.goldenharvestrestaurant.com or find us on FACEBOOK

26

Hey Ya'll! (An elderly woman said it to me yesterday, so I thought I'd pass it on)

I just got back from my mini vacation from another mini vacation......Los Angeles!

I.LOVE.L.A!!!!!

I'm even considering moving down there...but honestly I wouldn't know what to do with myself. I mean I would love to eat and shop everyday but that's not realistic. I need to come up with a plan...

Anyways, I've been 26 now for about 20 days...(But who's counting?)...I've noticed some positives and negatives about being closer to 30....

Negatives:
-Hangovers come easier, last longer, and makes sure that I am crippled in the body so that I just lay all day
-My humor has gone to shit.

For example: A customer came in and told me this adorable joke....here it goes...
A three legged dog walks into a bar
the bartender asks "What can I get you?"
The dog replies: "Yeah! I want the mother fucker who shot my paw!"

Wait...I guess this joke doesn't work written...only verbally...but do you guys get it?

I didn't...for about 15 minutes...while the guy stared at my confused, blank face turning red with embarrassment for not getting his joke...

The joke was either bad, or I suck, or I'm getting old...either way its all bad!

Positives:
-I can rent a car (which I have not done nor will I anytime soon...boring)
-I recently purchased a Vegas deal on "Bloomspot" and had to be 25 years or older ($99 for 3 nights @ Treasure Island! Who's Ready!?!)
-I'm at the appropriate age to get married and have children (Which I am NOT ready for)
-My handwriting has improved! I remember when I was a little girl and I'd see grownups handwriting be super neat and legible and I would look down at mine....fail... I guess I'm officially a grown up now.

I guess the positives aren't really that positive for me...

:::sigh::: this blog is boring

On a positive note: I am currently reading "The Happiness Project" by: Gretchen Rubin

When I finish the book I will be working on my happiness project! Not so boring after all!

Being 26 is fun....I can't wait till I'm 30!

Bitch Boots

This is my first blog about a customer.

We will call this particular person: "Bitch Boots"

I did not name this customer...ANOTHER customer named this person "Bitch Boots" and I think it fits perfectly. Like a glove...or boots in this case.

Some information about "Bitch Boots":
-She is a regular...."bitch"
-She has Celiac Disease (Which means she can't have Gluten: wheat, barley, or rye)
-She loves ask the same question over and over and over and over again
-She thinks I don't understand english.

Today is what really set me off...

"Bitch Boots" is a vegetarian, gluten-free customer. She always orders the Vegetable Deluxe. And ALWAYS asks if there is Soy sauce in it...

Here is our typical phone conversation:

BB: I'll have the vegetable deluxe
Me: O.K.
BB: Can you make sure there is no soy sauce in it
Me: There is no soy sauce in it
BB: are you sure?
Me: Yes, the sauce is white...soy sauce is brown...
BB: Ok and can you make sure the vegetables are super soft and  not crunchy at all
Me: Sure (Me thinking: You want mushy vegetables like an old person?!)
BB: Ok No soy sauce and the vegetables cooked well done
Me: O.K.
BB: Do you understand what I'm saying?
Me: YES!
BB: Ok I just want to make sure my food doesn't have any soy sauce and my vegetables are well done


After she came and picked up her food, and gave me the whole speech on gluten free soy sauce, she calls me back and wanted a refund on BOTH her vegetable deluxes because ONE of them had a noodle in it.
I gave this woman a refund and said sorry....So she calls back 10mins later to say just refund her for only one instead of both because it wasn't fair to us. (She must have heard me say I was going to refuse service to her next time...)

awwww.....soooooo.....sweeet....TOO LATE BITCH! I already refunded you for both!

This woman...looks like a bitch, and then when she opens her mouth...she's a bitch bitch, in boots.

She always...ALWAYS...tells us to change our soy sauce to gluten-free soy sauce..sure...so that you can be the ONLY customer for us? No way!

I am always very cautious for people who have food allergies but when you're a bitch I kind of lose interest in your interests.

Don't get me wrong we have a lot of customers who are Gluten-Intolerant or with Celiac and they are very kind people who don't tell a business how to run a business.

For example: my lovely friend "Sweetheart" has celiac.
She gave me the whole low down on how this "gluten" thing works, after the "Bitch Boots" episode.

"Sweetheart" can NOT eat anything that has been contaminated by "Wheat, rye, or barley". If someone touched a piece of bread and handed "Sweetheart" a gluten free bread and she ate this gluten free bread, then this gluten free bread would not be gluten free anymore. Get it?

SO now I feel bad for "Bitch Boots"...I contaminated her Vegetables Deluxe. I didn't...my dad did...

But me feeling bad is only just a little....I do kind of have some satisfaction knowing that she will be thinking of me when she is bloated with a tummy ache later....

Muahahaha....

"B" for Birthday

Birthday week is over!

I'm so happy that it is over. The whole weekend was too much for me. I was super hungover all day saturday and sunday and today I just feel weird...

My poor body. I worked it hard for 31 days...Yes 31. I didn't drink on my actual birthday because I wanted to prove to myself that I will go 30 days so I did an extra day because of that one day that barefoot came in and did a tasting, and I "sipped" wine but "someone" said that "sipping wine is drinking wine".

Anyways my theme for turning 26 this year is the letter "B" for Birthday.

Friday morning, I got my very first "Brazilian", yeah it'll probably also be my last. OUCH.

I went to get a mani/pedi and painted it "Blingy"

When friday evening rolled around...I had one sip of "Bubbles" and WOW I was drunk.

Oh! And I haven't been eating as much which is weird for me because I eat a lot especially when I exercise  a lot. But lately my stomach has not been hungry...and so that was bad because the combination of lack of food and excessive amounts of bubbles equal massive drunkness and hangover central!

I. am. not. drinking. ever. again.

Saturday: "Beach" with my cousin and friends

Saturday Night: I wore my "Birthday BLUE Dress"

Dinner @ Gracias Madre. Which is a vegan mexican restaurant. It does not go with my theme but the "BF" was not too thrilled. So that was funny.

The cab driver we had from dinner to the bar, was a major "Bastard!". My friend was showing me the 5 asian poses and he had to kill it by telling us to shut it in our pie holes or else he can't concentrate on his shitty driving...."BUZZ KILL"

After dinner we hit up 25LUSK. "Barhopping" except we didn't hop around, somehow we ended up 25lusk the whole night! We actually got escorted outside! "BUMMER!"

While we were at 25lusk, a man I do not know handed me a glass of champagne. And then another man named "BENNY" I did not know handed me a drink called "Dark and Stormy", it was tasty but I gave the drink away....The drink must have been describing my future of tomorrow...."Blurry"....

The thing about me and drinking...is I actually know my limit. My body actually tells me when to stop. But on my birthday weekend...my friends forced me to drink. They made me chug red wine! Like a for reals drinking contest with red wine!

I tried to not drink too much because I wanted to be good for Sunday...

Oh Sunday..SUNDAY FUNDAY...."Brunch" @ Circa with "Bottomless Mimosas"...enough said..."Belligerent"

That concludes my "Birthday Weekend"

From now on....only grown up birthdays where everyone goes to dinner and gets home at a decent hour to watch their stories and go to bed without a hangover in the morning.

26.....too epic.

Beautiful

It's Birthday WEEK/MONTH!

Day 29 of 30.

Its the day before day 30. How do I feel?......Antsy!

Although, my body is tired from working! Working hard at the gym and working hard at work! I do feel thinner from not drinking and sleeping more. But thats all going to change this friday...I can't wait....

My body knows its August! I woke up on Monday morning at 6AM knowing it was Birthday MONTH!

I <3 August : I love all the magazines. I love the summer movies. And I love the SUN! I love my BIRTHDAY! And celebrating other people's birthdays also, which means lots of parties!
August: YOU. ARE. BEAUTIFUL.

August 1st was AH-MAZING. I drank delicious coffee from whole foods, ate delicious fruit, went to work, had lots of laughs, the bf <3 & his other half came to visit me, and there were no crazy customers to ruin my day.

So....as the first day of my birthday week came to an end...my friend "Lenny" decided to hurt my feelings...on accident/on purpose? I think that he just doesn't think before he speaks and he just sucks at not knowing what is right or wrong to say to people. I would never say the things that he said to him or to any of my friends. Honestly...if I were him...I would have lied or at least not told the whole truth.

It's like when your mom is cooking steak and grandma is cooking chicken, and they ask...which one do think tastes better? (Not that I'm eating chicken or steak...I would say NO to both, but that's besides the point this is a hypothetical question!)

Do you hurt one of their feelings and say which one you think tastes better? Or do you say they both taste good because they're both different? Or YOU LIKE BOTH? Call me crazy but I would say they both taste yummy! Right?!

I won't tell you what "Lenny" actually said to me but I'm sure you could figure it out.

Now all day today I've been down and haven't been able to snap out of it. August 2nd has sucked. Hopefully I can get over it by tomorrow....AUGUST 3rd!!! DAY 30!!!!!


I <3 u blog readers. You are beautiful. No matter what they say. Words. Won't. Bring. You. Down.

Loopholes

Hey blog readers!

Day 23 of 30. One more week to go. Who is excited for me besides me?!?

Last Sunday, I went to an AH-Mazing pool party, lots of alcohol, lots of beautiful people, and lots of sun. I drank lots of water, and got too much sun! I am burnt to a crisp! And tan lines GALORE! The BF was suppose to be on this 30 day mission with me but he "accidentally" drank last week. He was on day 17 which is pretty good! He actually forgot he was on this mission, so thats OK. This is a one woman mission.

O.K. I have a confession to make....I shopped...just a little...err..ok kind of a lot. BUT I have a good excuse! Here's what happened...My birthday is the first week of August. I don't have time to go shopping for the weekend because I'm a workaholic and won't take the time off to shop. SO, what I did was some ONLINE shopping. I needed "outfits" for my birthday weekend, a birthday dress, you know the usual....I got a few items from LULUS, SHOPRUCHE, and MODCLOTH... Just a few items, from each website....OK, I technically spent money in the month of July BUT here's my loophole...I'm not wearing any of these items until August. So that doesn't really count...right? I didn't think so.....

Hey I haven't gone into Miyamo for a long time...and I'm thinking of not even going there...yet.....maybe just a small peek?

Yeah...I know...I couldn't go 30 days without spending money on clothing..but I can with drinking. I guess thats a good thing?

What do you guys think? GOOD LOOPHOLE HUH?     : )   Shopaholics best thinking.

SNL. Saturday. Night. Loser.

Hello out there, I'm here!

Day 14 of 30. Just about half way there. 16 days till I'm in the 26-30 age box.

I survived another weekend, but this time I actually went out. Saturday night, I celebrated my good friend "Blair's" birthday at UVA, a restaurant with a full bar. I had water on the rocks.

I'm not going to lie, it was very awkward for me in the beginning. These friends, I've known since before high school and we've all grown up and moved on with our lives but we try to come together once in awhile and play catch up. So here I am playing catch up and with nothing new in my life....besides being the blogging freak who isn't drinking.

To make things more awkward, the bf was suppose to come but ended up leaving me for his "other half". I ended up sitting on the end of the table all by myself, with three empty seats staring at me. This is what happens when you're sober....you're exiled to the end of the table, and it was torture for me to stare at an empty champagne class so I told the waiter "No, thank you, for ruining my life"

It wasn't actually that bad because my good friend "Carrie" was sitting next to me and tried to include me in on "good" conversations that were happening at the other end of the table, where the drinking was happening. Poor "Carrie" had to listen to my sober ass all night, talking nonsense about why I'm ordering half the menu. I was compensating. I love food, a lot, especially when I'm not drinking.

During the dinner, I thought I was going to cave in and just have one glass of bubbles....what could be the harm? But then I thought, that would truly be a fat lush "Napan" thing to do and I had already come this far with my progress just to have one drink to feel comfortable around people I practically grew up with? Thats just nuts! Plus, I told myself that this night wasn't about me. It was about my friend and being there for her birthday. Birthdays are symbolic to me, because it's the one time a year to celebrate that persons life! Growing older and wiser with a friend is special, especially since we've been friends for so long.....And its the perfect time to have an excuse to eat cake! Hello fatso!

Anyways, I ended up being useful and was the designated driver. We barhopped to: Morimoto, Avia, Oneotri, and Bounty Hunter. I drank water all night long. No sodas, no juice. Just plain and simple water. I was home by midnight before I turned into a pumpkin.

The next morning I went to Bikram Yoga to sweat out allllll the water I drank from the night before.

I'm the Saturday Night loser, thats right, I will be losing my fat, and be the WINNER by my birthday.

WINNING.


*I'm leaving my friends anonymous, and using my favorite characters from my favorite TV shows and movies.

TORTURE

Hello it's Orange Friday! (Let's go Giants!)

Day 11 of 30 of no drinking. I've counted to day 30 and the 30th day lands right on August 3rd. Which is the day before MY 26th Birthday! WOW! How lucky am I? My birthday this year lands on a Thursday. Which means I will be working on my birthday, which I really love to do. Yes, I'm a workaholic. No, I'm not rich......yet

This whole week: I have not spent any money, I've worked out at the gym and at the dog park, and I've stayed vegan....OK not really...technically vegans don't eat honey...but I HAVE TO! I got local honey for my allergies...it's the bees or me...I choose me!

I've finally taken control of my finances at the age of 25.

I have a problem with spending. I'm impulsive. I am trying to take my impulses to savings instead of spending. I recently cleaned out my closet and thought "WOW. Did I really buy this and wear it only once?" and "Holy Moly! I have 50 pairs of True Religion Jeans!" True Religions cost about $250 a piece, and by the way are too big for me now since I've lost 20 LBS. ugh I feel sick...sick to my wallet.

SO....for the month of July I told myself that I was not allowed to buy anything for myself. Birthday gifts for other people is allowed, and anything that has to do with my health is allowed but no clothing, shoes, handbags, or accessories. My favorite store in Napa is Miyamo...I have spent a small fortune there. Everybody who works there knows me. Not by name...by my face because I'm there every weekend. They will miss me this month...actually I'll miss them more, they will probably be relieved not to see me for a month :::sigh::: Day 11 of 30 of no shopping.

No drinking and no shopping. Why am I torturing myself?

Progress

Hello it's monday!

I survived a weekend of no drinking! This weekend was too easy...I just hung out with the BF and we finally got to ride our bicycles around town. Every time I want to ride my bike, it's either raining or it's unbearable to be outdoors. But this weekend was perfect! It was breezy and sunny...and I forgot how to ride a bicycle.

I had a hard time getting on the bike...I forgot how to get the initial start up....when I was young I used to line up against the curb and get on...I was too embarrassed to do that as a twenty five year old so I kind of just leaned on one side of the bike on my tippy toes and pushed really hard on the pedal to go...it worked! but I scraped my leg and my toes and calves are sore and my butt is killing me! I need to come up with a new way of getting on my bicycle.

Anyways, my goals for this week (monday through friday) not spending any money not even a trip to Whole Foods for the worlds most expensive fruit in the morning or any household items that I think I "need" when I make a trip to Target. This is going to be a challenge for me when I see cute Hello Kitty stationary.

Another goal I am trying to achieve this week is going vegan. I'm already vegetarian during the week but going vegan means no delicious egg flower soup, or egg rolls, or chow mein...or a scoop of ice cream......:::sigh::::: I'm depressed thinking about not having ice cream that I really really really want it now...NO JENN! NO!

My last goal of the week is to hit the gym everyday...this one is easy because I tell myself every morning if I don't get up I will feel like crap all day....a big fat crap and so I JUMP out of bed quickly.

AM I CRAZY? no...just super hardcore and obsessive. Yup thats me :)

I'll Blog you later

Calm before the storm

Hello Hello!

I've decided to quit drinking...for 30 days. 

Living in the Napa Valley 30 days is a long time! I'm on day 3. Yesterday at work, a rep from Barefoot Winery came in and had me do a tasting of alllllllllll their wines, merlot, chardonnay, moscato, sparkling, pinot grigio......I sipped the wine...does that count as drinking? 

3 days down, 27 days to go.

Why am I quitting for 30 days? Well for starters to give my liver a break, the fourth of July festivities really killed it, and also because I'm trying to lose those last 10-15lbs. 

About 8 months ago, my cousin and I went on a diet together...she started chain smoking and eating less, while I ate less and exercised like crazy. I lost 10lbs. She lost 50. Hmmm.....that skinny bitch....

About 4 months ago, I read the book "skinny bitch" and I became Vegetarian/Vegan. I lost another 10lbs. 

SO here we are...still a vegetarian/vegan....(sushi is my only weakness) so technically I'm a pescetarian.

And I still exercise like crazy. SO how do I lose another 10-15lbs?

For starters, I'm not drinking any alcoholic beverages for 30 days, and I'm thinking of trying the "Jayde Nicole Fitness Super Model Skinny" Pills. Am I going crazy? Yay or nay? These pills might make me feel like I'm on coffee again....Should I just start coffee again?

I sound like a freak...Oh ya did I mention my birthday is next month and thats when the REAL drinking will begin....and for the whole month of August...what? its my birthmonth and I'll drink if I want to!......Plus my liver had a 30 day vacay!

Blog ya later