|
The Weekly Newsletter |
Menus and Stories for November 3 - 7, 2008
|
|
| Some of the party staff |
|
Oh it was fun!!! The big party last week was great! We had a big staff (believe it or not, this is just 1/3 of the entire gang) and plenty of time to give the bride and groom a bang-up party. It had been cloudy and rainy for the entire day before their wedding but that all cleared out three hours before the guests arrived. The sun appeared, warming everything up beautifully.
We passed hors d'oeuvres in front of a spectacular mountain vista and then moved up the hill where the guests snuggled into their seats in heated tents. We then served five courses paired with five wines. As I left, the guests were headed back down the hill for dancing and dessert. The bride and groom, I'm told, spent the night under this tent with all of their friends before heading to Iceland. SWEET!!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ready for the courses |
Each of the five courses had a different shape of plate. My crew and I had plenty of time to make sure each plate on each course was just right. I had worked myself into a bit of a froth beforehand, but once we got going, I remembered the breathing thing and even looked up, smiling at the steady stream of servers as they came in, picked up plates, and went off to the tents.
|
|
|
|
|
| Charles gets ready |
|
We hosted a reception for the Unity Project, an Outward Bound program for public school kids here in Asheville. Outward Bound brought me to Asheville 24 years ago and so getting involved with them again is a lovely thing for me. The Unity Project is a good thing too, offering the Outward Bound experience to a diverse group of kids right here near the birthplace of the North Carolina school.
The first student to tell about her experiences burst out crying, moved so much by the boys who had helped her manage the weight of her backpack on the expedition. Those same boys sat, stoic yet also touched by her honesty.
And then they ate the cookies and the cheese and the fruit. I love having this space which opens itself up to these events. We bend and move and hold them tight.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Dinners to go for this week |
| Dinners come with a freshly-made green salad, salad dressing of the day, and made-right-here bread of the day. We take reservations until noon or so.
Please order by phone (252-1500), by fax (252-0200)or stop in to speak to one of us in person.
Dinners are ready at 4:30 and can be picked up until we close at 6:00 pm.
Monday November 3 Asparagus-Ricotta stuffed Chicken 10.25
Tuesday November 4 Eggplant Rollatini in roasted Garlic Marinara 9.95
Wednesday November 5 Sesame Thai Beef with Snow Peas 11.25
Thursday November 6 Classic Meatloaf with Mashed Potatoes 11.00
Friday November 8 Blackened Tuna with Shrimp and Basmati Rice 15.50
|
|
Our website |
|
|
| Special casserole of the week |
|
| We make a special casserole each week, usually on Wednesday. Order before noon and we'll have yours ready to pick up between 4:30 and 6:00 that very afternoon. (Yes, you can order in advance too.) Order a full for 9 portions or, if your gang is smaller, opt for the half-sized one, which serves 4 or so.
Say, we'll happily make a salad and provide bread for you if you like, just let us know when you call and we'll get you all set up.
Wednesday, November 5
Chicken Stew with Sage and Polenta
Full: 34.75
Half:17.50
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yu-UM! |
We're in the midst of a busy day here. Marty came in early, baked these biscuits ("Elsie's Biscuits" of course!) and Richard sliced up some maple-glazed ham and this is what it all looked like when the platter went out the door a little while ago.
We've got a wedding and a funeral today. We help celebrate the beginnings and, in today's case, the conclusion of lives.
|
|
|
|
|
| Stephanie presents fall color |
|
This fall assortment caught my eye this morning as Stephanie arranged a gigantic basket of just-roasted vegetables. That's curry-roasted cauliflower, already tucked in next to the roasted mushrooms in that big basket. We usually have some in our deli case to go with your soup at lunch. If you haven't already, do put this one on your list.
|
|
|
|
|
|
The new pumpkin |
Henry is an agreeable little fellow, putting up with all of our cooing and costuming. He is irresistibly cute and none of us can keep away from him. He's just learned to smile and THAT, I can assure you, is a melter if ever there was one.
|
|
|
|
|
| A Note from Laurey |
|
November 1, 2008
Hiya hiya. Happy November. Tra la. It's a sunny day, chilly air creeping up to the 60s later on. Last night the goblins were out. Today, the day of the lifting of the veil between this world and that, life is a good thing. Fall colors around here are still in full swing and all is well.
I sit here today, spinning that it was just one week ago that I was sitting here fretting about the big party. Here I am now, still catching my breath from the festivities, reviewing, reflecting and, in the next breath, moving on to today's events and then on to the ones that sit waiting for me on my desk, weddings for 2009, Christmas parties for this year, celebrations in the distant and near future.
November 14th is coming right up. I'm big on anniversaries and November 14th is a big one, our 5th year in this new space. 5 years. Amazing. And yes, it is also my 21st year of business and my 18th year of being downtown and on it goes. Each of those segments have been important, blocks placed in creation of the foundation that supports what I have here now.
This week was big for me in another way too. I finally connected, really connected, with the Executive Director of the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. This group, headquartered in Washington, DC is one of my sponsors and also one of the main beneficiaries for my bike ride next Spring. It's amazingly challenging to try to coordinate the schedules of one gal in the mountains of North Carolina and one high powered visionary who travels all over the United States being an advocate for this important subject. Well, she is finally coming and I, knowing that it is now only 4 months until I start this monumental challenge, am brimming over with ideas and thoughts and, yes, fretting, and so off I spin. Tra la indeed.
My tiptoeing into the fundraising of this bike project is working out well. And this weekend I am going to get a calendar and plot out my training strategy because, truthfully, I am feeling a tad (!) overwhelmed by that aspect but really, I am reminded, a little bit of something every day will ultimately help me do what I need to do while I am on the ride. One piece at a time.
Tomorrow I will get on my bike. Monday too. Tuesday is my time at the gym. Wednesday Pilates. Thursday glass, which, though not exercise, is physical and, in my training book, counts. On Friday I'll head back to the gym. Saturday is a work day and then I start again on Sunday. One step, one rotation, one bit at a time.
Days add up. Days, anticipated, arrive, whoosh past, fade away. I'm trying to stay planted in this Now as I reflect and look ahead to the next part. Then. Now. Then. All together, all separate, all good.
I'll be in touch next week.
|
|
Laurey Bikes - a ride across America for Ovarian Cancer |
|
|
|
Henry's first Haiku |
Henry little lamb.
Cutest baby boy around.
Life is a fine thing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
