Two Cents.

Just some mental meanderings on a lot of stuff.  Let’s talk about scotch, cars, and TV’s.

One thing I believe Manhattan is slowly taking from me is my boyish love of amazing cars.  Now, I don’t believe the world could ever take from me my pure passion for automobiles, but I actually walked right out of my doorway today into a 2010 Porsche Turbo, skimmed over it with my eyes, and then walked right on by without a flutter of my heart.  There are just too many Aston Martins, Bentleys, Maybachs, Porsches, Lambos, Ferraris, etc… all over the streets!  I am beginning to become numb to them.  Which upsets me.  This place is saturated with everything of excess.

Scotch: I went out and invested once more in a bottle of Balvenie Doublewood 12 year Scotch.  I love scotch.  I love the tastes and smells; the complexities.  What really fascinates me with Scotch is the history of every single bottle.  Whenever I drink a wee dram of it I have visions of a gray haired old man bent over a wooden cask in a damp and dreary Scottish barn, 15 years earlier.  I think then in some sort of time lapse sequence of everything that occurs around that bottle until finally its contents end up in my glass.  It’s incredible.  All of that work for a small moment of joy.  It sure makes you savor every single sip.  I really want to someday try a classic bottle, something like an old Macallan 40+ year old Single Malt.  Something ancient and priceless.  Is there a positive difference between a 12 or 18 year old bottle and a 50-60 year old bottle?  Is it worth it?  What about even a 25 year old bottle?  These are all things I want to figure out with first hand experience.

Shannon and I don’t own a TV and I think we finally might break down and get one.  We aren’t planning on getting cable, or even putting on an antenna, but we really miss having the TV to watch DVD’s on.  My question to you guys is this: Has anyone had any experience with internet ready TV’s, or just streaming Netflix though your TV?  I wonder how easy it is and how well it works.  If it actually works well I won’t mind spending a little extra on a netflix ready TV, but if not I can save a ton getting on older model!  So let me know if anyone knows anything about it!

This is the part where if you have any ideas about the above you go to the bottom of the post and click comments!  Let us know what you think.

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Current Affairs

Hello All.  I hope you are enjoying the updated look for the time being, but I wouldn’t be surprised at all if it changed again in a few weeks; why not keep everything looking fresh?  I am sitting at home on the third very rainy day in a row contemplating heading to the gym in order to get a quick workout in and then bask in the glory of the Sauna and Steam Room, which have become one of my new obsessions.  It is amazing how relaxing it can be to submerse yourself in a boiling hot room, let all of your muscles relax, and clear everything out of your head.  I am truly starting to relish my time time in those small tile rooms.

I have now finished my second shift at the new job, and all is going well.  They have set up a really great business that runs extremely smoothly.  It is funny to me that this small company that sells hot dogs has such an easy and efficient plan installed for every aspect of their day to day activities.  It is extremely refreshing.  It is also interesting that half of the customers that wander in exclaim that they just saw us on the food network and other shows…  yeah, we are kind of a big deal.  Anyways, it has taken a small toll on my body standing for so long again.  You forget how stiff and sore being on your feet all day can make you.  I’m sure I will regain my server fortitude again in no time.  Until then I guess I will have to spend that little bit of extra time in the steam room…

We now have the house all to ourselves again.  Our room mates have left back to Albuquerque, and we are holding down the fort alone until Dan and my sister get here at the end of May.  As excited as I am for those two to arrive this little down time is quite amazing.  There is something so relaxing about having your own space.  Nothing to worry about but your own stuff, messes, food, etc…

Lately my mind has been a complete roller coaster of emotions.  I do not envy Shannon for having to put up with me.  I am so fixated on figuring out exactly where I am headed along a career path.  I have felt so derailed lately, and I need to sort out what my goal is.  For all of high school, and college, I have been driving straight at one career choice: Foreign Service.  Since leaping off the train towards that path and having to do other things with my life I have began to question what exactly I want to do.  Do I want to be a chef, open a restaurant, entrepreneur?  Do I want to continue to pursue foreign service?  What do these two lifestyles hold for me?  How do I get to where I want to go?  What do I need to do to jump start these paths?

What really gets to me in this whole process is what I am supposed to be doing in the meantime.  I want to be making constant forward progress towards something.  I want to be gaining the necessary experience towards ultimate career goals versus working just to work.  I have yet to sort out what that is, and at least I have a good job that pays well and is enjoyable, but is that enough?  This whole struggle has been going on in my head for the last month and has become extremely detrimental to my sleep… it always seems that at night everything kind of blares in your mind.  I really need to sort out a clear cut path to where I want to be, and then pursue it to its fullest.  Yikes, this has turned into a rant.  I have been so cooped up in my own head I think that as soon as I turned myself loose onto the page it just poured out.  Sorry about that, but I guess this is my only journal.  Partly this is here to inform people at home about the happening of the Shannon Tristan Duo, but I guess I also get to use the audience as a forum for my thoughts! Apologies.

In order to get back to lighter and typical topics here are some pictures from inside work.  Next time I will try and wrangle up some pictures of the bar attached to this.

It's Simple and Fun. In the corner there is the entrance to PDT. (The Phone Booth)

It's a small place, I have about 4 inches of head room haha.

Yep.

Village Person

With Shannon starting a new restaurant job today I wandered around the Village on my own savoring the last afternoon of freedom before work resumes tomorrow.  Tomorrow night I head to work at the wonderful hour of 8 pm, and then get off work at the ungodly hour of 4 am.  I am trying to plan out the strategy on how to approach shifts like this, especially if they are erratic and not in my normal rotation.  Plan for now: get up at a normal hour (8:30ish) go for a long run to wear myself out again, and then when that post long run urge to nap hits me I will give in, hopefully sleeping into the afternoon when I will awaken fresh and ready to tackle the night shift!  Truly it isn’t actually a big deal, and I am excited rather than dreading it.  It is almost like being a 10 year old kid headed to a sleep over and you know you are going to try to stay up all night.  Granted as a 10 year I never successfully made it through a whole night.  So I wandered through the village on this lovely warm day snapping off pictures and visiting new places.  So I am wandering through the West Village enjoying the green trees and cobblestone streets, randomly snapping off pictures with Shannon’s camera, when finally I decide I am done walking around and it is time to head towards the gym.  I dissemble the camera, pack it away into the carrying case, sling it over my shoulder, take about two steps, look up, and see Sara Jessica Parker walking towards me.  It was a little tiny vine covered, tree shaded road and she was waltzing right up it.  I didn’t realize the opportunity that had just passed me by on foot until I had to fight my way through a throng of paparazzi who were sprinting up the street a block behind her.  It always seems that these situations pop up the second the camera is put away.  I would have been too embarrassed to take her picture anyways.  Here are some of the other things I saw today.  (I really am only just learning to use a camera, my apologies)

My Maserati

This guy is always playing in the park, today was Globetrotter Theme day.

Chaos.

I want one. Massive.

A very new direction…

It is finally official and I am allowed to spread the word.  I taking a new position in New York with a new company.  There will be no more Super Runners Shops for me!  Let me just say I only wanted to work hard for these guys, expand there company vision and capabilities, and gain them more business.  It is a shame they couldn’t make that move.  But the sky is the limit from here people!  I have been looking for a new job for a few weeks and finally by sheer happenstance landed on a good one.  I am entering into training and a trial period with Crif Dogs/PDT.  They are a killer hot dog place which houses an entrance to their amazing upscale speakeasy.  I am going to be training first at the counter for the hot dog restaurant, and then in a week begin discussing a move into the manager position that oversees the restaurant and the speakeasy.  I am really excited about the potential this position represents.  After talking to their managing partner it seems that this company, which is widely regarded as a duo of two bests (the best hot dogs, and the best cocktail mixology lounge), has a very progress oriented vision and is looking to intelligently continue to grow their business.  I know it sounds kind of funny, but the hot dog side of the operation is really cool.  They have a fun and down to earth atmosphere, and boast the best hot dogs in the US.  Seriously.  They have been featured the last 9 years in every big publication you could imagine.  The speakeasy (PDT or Please Don’t Tell) is absolutely incredible.  You have to enter through the hot dog side into a phone booth.  Once inside they are an upscale place with phenomenal cocktails.  We have been in before with Dan, Addie, and Margaret and loved it.  They have a no bullshit policy which revolves around being respectful in the bar, and they uphold it.  No hats. No rambunctiousness.  No blatant hitting on people.  Proper manners.  They play great music, and they have created a cool scene.  The combo of the super laid back hot dog joint, and the upscale speakeasy is unlikely, and perfectly suited.  Anyways, it is really exciting encountering a company where they have a real grasp on what they are doing and where they want to head.  I really hope this works out.

The schedule is absolutely going to throw me for a loop, at least to start.  My first day consists of working from 8 PM to 5 AM.  After that it seems to be a little more normal, but those odd late nights are going to be a stretch!  Anyways, wish me luck in this new endeavor, I high high expectations for what may come of it.

Since both Shannon and I are really making a shift towards our culinary ambitions I am going to start highlighting what we are concocting in the kitchen at home, whether it be simple and easy or an all day project.  Last night we through this together after we got back from a run.  We created a fresh pasta sauce from all raw veggies.  We threw together some vine ripened tomatoes, squash, zucchini, onions, garlic, mushrooms, and peppers, simmered them for ages with lots of spices, and then served it over eggplant “steaks” we roasted in the oven, put it all over a bed of fettuccine.  Mandatory fresh bread and olive oil/balsamic on the side.   We sat down to eat this and watched Wristcutters, which turns out to be pretty good!  If you are in the mood for a quirky indie flick, this will satisfy!  Here is a picture of the foodness:

Pure Health.

Cookin'

Uber Domination.

Booze on First does it again!  Our 10-3 victory over Kick Ya’ Ballz puts this unstoppable force at 2-0-0 on the season.  With the momentum from the two previous wins propelling them through the season BoF might as well accept their champions trophy now.

If you didn’t grasp it from the previous statement, we did have a kickball game last night.  As usual we first met at Destination for a few pints to get is into the kickballing mode, after that we wandered down to the lower east side to get our kick on!  The games are no longer than 45 minutes, and generally are an easy going time with a bunch of young guys and gals having a goofy time.  It is always and interesting vibe when the game first starts as both teams try to feel out if the other team is in it for the fun or the glory, if the pitcher rolls a kickable fun ball or flaming destroyer of all hope pitch, and if the general vibe on the field is “heck yes recess rules,” or “I am going to take out three of their players and take home the gold medal.”  Obviously anyone who knows us understands that we are out there to have a great time, we are only coincidentally really good, and we seem to have really good relations with everyone we play.  After the game both teams make their way up to the sponsor bar for pitchers of beer.  Last night after the game Tanner, Shannon, and I enjoyed a quick beer out with the team and then split off towards some other spots for a more relaxed bite to eat and a quick beer.  After eating some hot dogs at Crif Dogs, we meandered over to Hearth for a celebratory glass of champagne (thank you Tanner) and toasted to our ever glorious victory, recalling our triumphs on the field, and dreaming of our future conquests.  Kickball rules.

Other than our adventures on blacktop Shannon and I have been trying to keep it very low key.  Mainly we spend our time at the gym, at a local concert, cooking at home, drinking the cheapest pints we can get our hands on, and of course snapping off a trillion pictures.  Shannon has officially applied to culinary school, which won’t start for some time, but that is looming off in the distance.  We are preparing to usher in our new room mates soon!  I still can’t find my iPod which is driving me insane.  I used it at home one night, set it down, and then couldn’t find it the next morning.  I don’t know where it could have gone which I haven’t already torn to shreds… but the search will continue.  I hope everyone out there is having a good week! -The Willey

Shannon at the hair mechanic.

Everything is getting green!

Yeah.

They found this toaster... in a suitcase... on the sidewalk... they were thrilled.