No time to pee

Time is flying and days going by at top speed. We were pretty busy through out the night, and there were moments that I wanted to go to the bathroom but just didn't have the time. Those are the times when I think of my mother; while working at home making sweaters, she would sometimes ask me, "Etsko, go to bathroom for me! I really want to finish this thing right now..." Tonight, I really thought about that and understood perfectly.

Since we've been listed in Time Out magazine in TONY's 100, (Kazumi thought it was 'Mr. Tony's list.' "So, Mr. Tony was here, I guess. He wrote about you." She said. I said, "Kazumi, Mr. Tony doesn't exist.") which I found out in the third week because no one told me, we've been pretty busy. I'm making so many treasure sacks. I wrapped so many gyoza's this week. Cooking away during the heat wave, working, sweating, day in and day out. I had to go see a periodontist and this funny Jew told me that he has to treat me agressively. But I'm feeling really good. Maybe because I go running or swimming in the morning. Maybe because I feel that my customers truly enjoy my food. Maybe because I gave another great cooking class and sent out a few more sushi masters to the world this afternoon. Maybe because I just bought a really nice Japanese knife and feeling like a real chef, or a samurai with a shiny new sword. And because I will be spending my afternoon on the beach tomorrow. I'm pretty content.
on july 31, 2005 @ 12:58 am [link]

a day at Shawangunks

It was a beautiful sunny sunday and I joined my teammates for Shawangunks trail run near New Paltz. Weather was just perfect and I got burnt and pleasantly tired myself out by running through woods, by lakes and waterfalls, over the cliffs, flying down the hill. I was running with Sid Howard, Gold medalist of Masters world championships, also world-record holder, the nicest guy on earth, and of course a crazy runner. Sometimes he bursts ahead, sprinting, shouting, "I just feel like it! I just feel like it!" They sometimes he starts cracking up, having just a good time. I was running with him and said to myself, "God, I've never seen someone having SUCH runner's high. I want to have what he's having!"
on july 24, 2005 @ 10:24 pm [link]

Pleasure to serve you

Formerly known as Princess of Suffolk Street, Kristin paid a royal visit to SOY the other night with her friend Rob. "It was so nice to have you downstairs. I couldn't justify cooking!" No. Princess shouldn't be cooking. She recently moved out from next door and presently rein in the borough of Staten Island. She used to order so much from us, so I even have her phone number on the speed dial. "Your dinner is ready!" I call her up, and she would come down with this beautiful smile. They are such sweet people it is always a pleasure to serve them.
on july 16, 2005 @ 09:43 pm [link]

it's a small world

Gemma, my new neighbor next door, stunning tall beauty and super sweet on top of it, walked in this afternoon to meet up with my neighbor upstairs Adam. "Isn't that funny I know this guy from my hometown Buffalo! I moved in next door last week and didn't even know he lived next door until yesterday! Another time this guy walked in for the first time, ordered food and was looking through the pictures on the wall. "Gee, I know her! I used to hang out with her in Philly!" He left a note for her so I can give it to her. She came by a few days later and I gave her the note. About 10 minutes later he walked in and said he just ran into her at the corner store.

I ran Bronx Half-Marathon on steamy Sunday. It was the hottest day of the week but still wasn't as bad as previous years. There was this overweight chick with a sign "Princess Die" playing loud music for us on Grand Concourse. There were two other bands playing music for us on the course but Princess Die was memorable because of her name although I didn't think she was hired by road runners club. She was voluntarily playing music for us crazy runners who just love to torture our body for over an hour in 90 degree weather.

My parents called me worried a few days ago verifying information regarding my injury they read on the blog. Phrases like "pissed off" or "screaming murder" would always confuse them since they are trying to understand it literally. My nail is slowly but surely growing back.


on july 12, 2005 @ 02:08 am [link]

I spent the July 4th weekend on the beach of Cape May doing nothing. The cute Victorian resort town was full of fat white Americans, but it wasn't too crowded on the beach. It was so nice for a change to be doing nothing. I also had some greatest crab cakes.

There's two bicycles in front of SOY by the street sign pole which I believed to be abondaned, since they've been staying there for at least about 6 months. One of the bicycles began to get ripped apart as a fate of street-parked bicycles; both front and rear wheels are missing. Now, I noticed very curious thing recently. These bicycles are locked together but not on the sign pole. They are double locked with each other but just in fact resting against the pole. I am quite sure that they used to be also locked to the pole, but not anymore. Did the owner of the lock came and unlocked the bikes off the pole but left two bicycles (one bike entact and a frame of the other) locked together leaning against the pole? Why no one's taking them already? Although Margit refer me as "all-knowing grandmother of the Lower East Side "(really, Margit. I'm not that old.. yet) I have absolutely no explanation to this.

on july 7, 2005 @ 04:21 pm [link]

fatal error

We had extremely busy days this week and by late Wednesday night I was rather exhausted. That was when I sliced off half of nail of my left index finger. Of all these 20 something years of using a knife this was the first serious injury I caused myself. I was freaked out. I'm not used to pains and blood. Rikako and Aya were also screaming murder beside me. (which we all laughed about the next day) Let us be careful with our equipments and weapons. I'm already getting used to the inconvenience of having a thick bandage around my finger, and my girls are all being great help.

Another fatal error occured last weekend when I locked myself out as I was leaving after closing. When I slammed the door of the restaurant I knew I left my keys on the counter. I called the number for the locksmith I found in the doorway next door, and the guy arrived only about 10 minutes later. He said he has to drill the cylinder. I said no, he didn't have to. He should pick. He said he couldn't. He had to drill. I was so pissed off but I really wanted to go home. I was supposed to meet my friend. So I let him. 3 minutes later I was in. And he charged me $225 for the service. I was mad as hell. He wanted to charge me another $150 to change the cylinder. I said no way. After a few exchange he came down to $75. I said no way. I'd just go to my locksmith in the morning. I wasn't going to let him rip me off further. He said I'd have to pay $95 the next day to change the lock. I told him to go away. The next day I went to buy the lock for $15 and changed it myself.

Finally having a quiet afternoon today before the holiday weekend. This is not so bad. Not bad at all.
on july 1, 2005 @ 04:33 pm [link]