Cafe Centraal

So after hearing lots of good remarks, I finally made it over to Cafe Centraal. Its been open for like a month now and just a few blocks from my house in the BayView neighborhood of Milwaukee, so kinda ridiculous i hadn't made it there earlier. However, I am kinda wishing I never went.


My friend (and usual dining/cocktail partner) Ian and I went last night. Had perhaps the worst waitress we've ever had together. Ive had a few worse over the years, but yeah, this was ridiculous service. We sat there for a half hour with empty glasses wondering when our waitress (or any other staff member) would come follow up with us. We were too lazy to get up and seek out someone, but we kept trying to make eye contact with staff members. Totally tempted to do our first ditch and dine. But we couldn't really do that. Finnaaaallllly our waitress came. She was such an idiot. Whatever, we paid and left.


Then early this morning I wake up in pain. Yes, horrible stomach cramping. Reminded me of the last time I felt that sensation. (that time was in March from crab cakes at Hi Hat and I wound up in the emergency room, so dehydrated that my heart rate was twice that of a normal rate) "Damn," I thought, "must be the calamari." So I text Ian to see how his tummy is. fine. til an hour later. now hes quite nauseous. and we are both home from work. awesome. I'm at least being productive and following up with some of my clients with some emails and phone calls. just sold an ad, so that's cool.


Moral of the story, no longer eat seafood here in the Midwest. Damn.


Also, I'm bummed that Cafe Centraal was such a negative experience. I was really excited about that place opening up in my 'hood.

stuff white people like

I just got home from a book signing for Christian Lander's book "Stuff White People Like," which is based off his blog. Good time. Now I'm sitting here cuddling with the kitties before I meet my friend Ian for some martinis. Mmmm..

Tonite, while Christian was talking about being on the Conan O'Brien show, I remembered a highlight of the time I witnessed a live taping. It was on my last trip to San Fransisco a year and a half ago (far far too long ago, but I will be there in 2 1/2 weeks..) and Conan was in town. I was just walking alone down Market Street one day, and I was ushered into the theatre to be part of the live audience. Nothing too flattering, considering the woman seated next to me appeared to be a crackhead. Yes, only in San Francisco do they invite crackheads to be part of a live studio audience. The woman would, at random moments, stand up screaming while flaling her arms around.

This Conan episode was prob the most hilarious one I have ever seen (it totally made fun of EVERYTHING san francisco, including Conan meeting up with Bob Saget at the Full House house) but having this random crackhead next to me, while annoying, made it that much more 'San Francisco" for me.

Can't wait to go visit at the end of the month. Just got off the phone (new iPhone, finally) with my BFF there and I can't wait to see her. Been far too long...

Pumpkins!

This weekend was perhaps the most gorgeous mid-October in Wisconsin ever-- or at least in my life. I LOVED it!! Went out to Madison and stayed with my three favorite people in the world:

Hoper:

billy with liam:
and the lemur:

most adorable kid in the world! I love my nephew maybe too much. is that possible?

we went to the pumpkin farm and liam loved it. dont think he quite understood the stories i was trying to tell him about when his daddy and i were pumpkin farmers when we were kids. one day he will understand.

taught him to say pumpkin, which sounded more like 'pukin.' Ill take that. And when he handed me my keys, he said 'car key." i ask myself how ridiculously obsessed i will be when i have my own little pumpkins. but for now, ill just focus my love and obsessiveness on this one: