Laptops are pieces of ultra-sensitive precision machinery that we nevertheless lug everywhere with us, toss around, use while going to the bathroom, accidentally kick, and occasionally drop. They're bound to break. And they do. Often. Mine was seriously crapping out for quite a while now. See the amazing pattern it made on screen when it crashed irreparably right after I paid for WiFi on a long flight (at right). So it's currently in for repairs, and I haven't been posting lately, even though I'm unemployed and therefore, at least in theory, have plenty of time to do so.

I finally got tired of the backlog of posts, and so I installed various photo software on Jeanette's laptop. So more substantive posts are following. But for now, Rip Van Readers, you've got a few things to catch up on. Since last we spoke:

• I'm still unemployed. The legal market is horrible right now. Any chefs need a lawyer? I'm willing to work out alternative fee arrangements, if you get my drift.
• I staged in the kitchen of a great SF restaurant. Post to follow. I've since cooked nearly everything on its menu for Jeanette at home.
• I built some fantastic, custom wine racks for our apartment (picture at right). Please come over and help us drink it.
• Smith and I cooked brunch at my apartment for a ton of people, restaurant-style with menus and ordering. And it was awesome. Bow before my mise. Post to come.
• Jeanette, Smith, and I dined at Ubuntu in Napa. It was a fantastic value, and the food was mostly excellent, if a bit inconsistent in its ambitiousness. However, the menu format led to a lot of awkwardness between us and our servers--one has no idea about the portion size for the various a la carte options, and they've done away with their tasting menu. So, while most of the food was wonderful, and I would happily go back any time (at that price point, there's no reason not to go every time you're in Napa county), our experience fell just short of the hype. That said, the cauliflower hot pot and carte de musica haunt my dreams.
• I baked a bunch of bread, including brioche, passable ciabatta, fantastic brioche hamburger buns, and some less fantastic, flaky brioche burger buns that were nevertheless amazing dinner rolls.
• I've been twittering away, for those of you who haven't found me yet, @barzelay. It's not limited to food-related stuff, but since that's much of what I think about and do, food stuff is the most common topic.

Posted by Barzelay on 2009/07/15 @ 1:17 | Comments (1) | Life

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