Fine Dining with Allie- Cholon

Every year Denver takes 2 weeks to showcase all the hot restaurant spots in the city.  A long list of amazing restaurants welcome their patrons to a 3 or 4 course meal for 2 people at a cost of $52.80.

My good friend Allie and I decided that we would partake in these festivities, at Denver's new famous restaurant Cholon.  Cholon is a Southeast Asian restaurant that incorporates French influences. It is also up for a James Beard award in the category of, best new restaurant. And just in case you didn't know....... the James Beard Award is like the oscars for best culinary-ness. I myself did not know this either until about 3 weeks ago.

Cholon was recently opened by, Chef Lon Symensma, who recently left the amazing NYC restaurant Buddakan to open his first signature restaurant in Denver.

Allie weaseled us a 7:45 spot, which is almost impossible to get.  At first the only reservations that were open, were either 5:30 or 9:30. Now, according to my friend Mark, they are completely booked through March 14th.

On the eve of our fine dining experience, we had learned a little secret. But before I mention the secret, let me enlighten you on the logistics of the 5280 week........As not to discriminate against the singles in this world, all restaurants must offer a $26.40 menu too. Usually it is the exact same menu as the $52.80, only 1 meal instead of 2. But Cholon had thrown in a little twist. They were serving their meals family style. This meant you received 2 small plates (appetizers); and then you split the wok, entree, and dessert.

Ok, now the secret (duh, duh duhn).  Earlier that night, we learned that if you asked for the single menu you would get 1 small plate, 1 wok, 1 entree, and 1 dessert.  We were about to find out that this was all a lie.

Once Allie and I arrived at Cholon, we went to the bar and ordered a bottle of wine; while we waited for our table. 2 single ladies getting ready to get our single lady meals on. The hostess seats us at the table. The waitress arrives. Allie lets her know that we would be participating in the single, $26.40, meal.  Conversation went something like this:

Allie: We are going to be doing the 26.40 menu because we're separate, how does that work here?

Waitress: Well this is a family style menu so we don't have a 26.40 menu

Allie: Well we have already heard from people, that have been here, that you do.

Waitress: You have to sit at a table by yourself to get that menu.

My Unspoken Thoughts: It is already tough enough to be single, and now to get the single menu, one would have to sit at a single table by oneself, surrouronded by couples, whilst one eats alone...Alone.

Allie: Oh ok, well that is just not what we heard from people who have already been here.

Waitress: Well we don't

Allie: Don't worry about it, just letting you know what we heard.

Waitress: I haven't heard about it, but let me go get a manager.

********Small wait, Allie and I chit chat, have a sip or two of wine, manager approaches***********

Manager: So what was the problem

Allie: Oh, no problem, we had just heard, from people that have already been here, that you offered a $26.40 menu.

Manager: We don't have one.

Allie: Yeah that is fine, we were just asking , since that's what we heard.

Manager: The menu has changed since we started this.

Allie: Ok, yeah. That's fine.

Throughout all this Allie and I have already decided what we wanted to eat. The waitress returns. Doesn't really say a word. She just holds her little waitress writing pad and timidly stares. So naturally, Allie looks at her and begins to order. Isn't that what you do?

Allie: We will have the pork belly pot stickers, the calamari,  the sausage fried rice, the lamb shank, and we will decide on the dessert later.

Waitress: Silence (and walks off)

Next thing we know a guy brings us this delicious something that you dip into a tomato chili jam (obviously I cannot remember what it is called.)

I remember the guy that brought it cracked a joke, and said it is basically that pre-meal filler. Next thing we know the guy is re-filling our wine glasses.

Allie: Wait, are you are waiter now? What happened with the other one?

Waiter: Yes. She felt that you didn't particularly care for her. And for that we are sorry. She was a sensitive soul.

Both Allie and I were stunned, we had scared off the waitress....very unintentionally of course.  Our new waiter however was very pleasant, and I might add, that he had the sexy hair. He cracked jokes and was very funny so we did not have much time to think. Next came the small bites. In our case we enjoyed pork belly pot stickers and calamari with a lemon-chili aioli sauce, that I wanted to finish off with a spoon.

Next course was the wok. We ordered the chinese sausage fried rice with poached egg. The poached egg came on top and you had to smash it.

As we were enjoying our Wok and waiting for our entree, another manager emerged from the back and asked us how we were enjoying things. We told him things were wonderful and delicious. After he left, we noticed that this manager did not go to any other tables, but had walked back to the kitchen and whispered something in our waiters ear.

This got us thinking. Did everyone in the restaurant really believe we were that upset. We had just asked a simple question about the menu. And now we seemed to be the drama, that the restaurant revolved around. Then, once again, before we could think for too long our entree came. It was a tamarind glazed lamb shank, with spiced peanuts, and asian pear.

However, after dining on our entree, we began to think again. It is slightly insulting that our waitress left us because we had asked a question about the menu. She had not told us anything. In fact no one had. All the sudden our server had just changed from woman to sexy haired man....like we would notice or something. I told Allie, if another manager came by that we should tell him that although we are enjoying our experience, that it was a little insulting.

I mean, picture this. The area we were sitting in was a very long booth, in which you are very close to your neighbor. Our former waitress was constantly on either side of us waiting on other patrons. While our current waiter is running from his normal section to our tiny table to wait on us hand and foot.

But then....the dessert came. It was chocolate cake, salted peanut ice cream, and toasted marshmallow.

It was amazing. I generally don't like desserts, but I was in heaven. I must have been distracted by the amazing-ness because when the next person came to ask us how the meal was. I figured it was another manager.

Allie: Food was amazing, but the service was not as great. Our waiter Chris is awesome though.

Me: It was just kind of insulting when they switched waiters on us.

"Manager": Oh I heard about this. Please enjoy your dessert, I don't want to interrupt it, and I will come back.

I finally look up from shoveling my mouth full of the salted peanut ice cream. It is then that I realize, we are not talking to a manager we are talking to the guy who started this place. I ask.

Me: You are the head chef

Chef Lon: Yes, and the owner. Enjoy your desserts and I will come back

Me: WOW! Your up for the Jjjj (suddenly all that could come to me was the Justin Beiber award. I almost asked the man who is up for one of the most prestigious food awards, if he was up for the Justin Beiber awards.)

Chef Lon: (helping me out). Yeah, we are up for the James Beard award and kicking ass.

Me:  That is so awesome. When you come back can we take a picture with you?

(First of all, after my almost epic justin beiber award fail.... who asks things like that to a world-renowned chef in his high class fancy shmancy restaurant...... Apparently I do.)

Chef Lon: (Inquisitive look) You want to take a picture? Ok when I come back we will.

Chef Lon leaves, I look at Allie and say...."He isn't coming back is he?"

Well Chef Lon Symensma did come back. And he is just the friendliest man in the world. He asked us where we wanted to take a picture with him and I said:

Me: (Pointing to the kitchen) let's take a picture in front of your home.

Chef Lon: I live further away, not here?

(And here I go, awkwardly talking again. Those of you who know me well, know that I tend to completely leave out the beginning of my sentences sometimes...leaving you hanging as to what I am talking about. It's like I just expect you to know.)

Me: (Now slightly embarrassed) No, I meant I would rather take it in front of the kitchen because it is like your home away from home.

So we proceeded to take the picture. I look heinously awful, but posted it anyways. Chef Lon also gave us a business card and told us to use it to make a reservation whenever we wanted. Guess who can get into the busy restaurant with no more reservations..... without slipping a 20.....Allie and me!

Our night was coming to a close, but before we left I ran into the powder room. There a girl asked me, "You know the owner?!" She had seen him talking to us and taking a photo with us. It made me feel special.

The night turned out to be absolutely fabulous. I highly recommend Cholon and Steve the waiter. Chef Sysmensma is an amazing chef/owner/guy and I wish him the best of luck in Denver. I would give him my vote for the James Beard (aka Justin Beiber) award!

Stay tuned in the future for more fine dining with Allie.....as we plan to try all the fine dining experiences that Denver has to offer.

"Splat - 7a"

Resolution #7: Do Something I've Never Done Before.

I found myself in a Breckinridge Mountain Mansion recently. And I will do a little bragging...that is not the thing I have never done before:) After a night of drink and dance party, most people went skiing and snowboarding the next day. I decided to go for a day of sledding, snow angels, and other snow play things. However there was one snow activity that I was not expecting to go down.

That activity was jumping into a giant snow pile from the balcony.  It is like jumping from a high dive, but scarier. So we will call this activity the "snow dive." Please note, this does not entail diving head first. This entails more of the toothpick move. Or as you will see in my case, the belly buster.

I watched several guys do some "snow dives." I was even intrigued enough to peek precariously over the edge. That is when the taunting-coaxing started.

"Come on Emily. You can do it. When you land, it is really soft. You fall into the snow."

That talk got me here:

Once I got onto the ledge. I knew I was going to have jump. The thoughts of my temporary paintball nut sack came back to me again. I tried to start chanting manly mantras. "Don't be a wimp. Just jump. Put your big girl panties on."

Then more taunting from the boys below, and the people all around me:

I knew it was time. I think I only had to count to 3 a few times. Then it was 1,2,.3.............

SPLAT!!!!!!!!

After I splatted, I did a little bounce and splatted again.The first thing I said upon bully bustering onto the snow bank was, "You lied, you said this would be soft." Their response was that I was either too light or landed on the one spot that wasn't soft. I am going to go with the light remark. 

I was not deterred for very long:

In fact, I did it again. And this time I tried more of that tooth pick move:

This landing was more graceful, but it was not 100%. I still landed so that my face went down into the snow knocking a ton of snow up my nose into my face.

Jumping off a balcony, may have been a small feat. But it got me thinking of what else I can do. Maybe I will be even be able to jump out of a plane in the 2011 year. So lets just end this blog by saying that I completed 7a on my list this year. Now how many more letters can I add to that 7.

Buzz Talk with Emily- Silver Plume

I take you to a new section of my blog. This section will be better known as, "Buzz talk with Emily. "

If you know me, you know I like to ramble. If I have a few brewskys, I am going to ramble a little more.  As you recall from my last blog (if you don't recall, please read blog below), I was recently in the mining ghost town, Silver Plume. And I was determined to spot a ghost.

My last blog may not have emphasized that I was 100% sure that I had caught a ghost on my camera. Little did I know, one of my friends texted my conversation to another friend; and hence we now have buzzed talk with Emily:

Emily: This is not normal ghostalacial current, Micah......There are no sparks flying like this.....OMG there are like 5 people here (pointing to picture).......See there she is.......And the guy.....

Micah: Emily your fly is down.

And there you have it, buzz talk with Emily.

Stay tuned for another conversation, but until then I will leave you with one last picture. This is a picture of the the hotel we stayed in. But this is from its glory days, back in the early 1900s....when it was not abandoned.....and when there were no ghostalacial currents.

Ghost Hunting in Silver Plume, Co

Colorado, home to the Wild, Wild West.  Home to old silver and gold mines. And more importantly home to old wild, wild west , silver-mining ghosts! Last Friday I was headed to one of these old mining towns. An old Silver Mining town named Silver Plume. I was determined to see a ghost. A real ghost. Up close and personal. Sauntering towards me as scary music played in my head. Or even better if the piano started going. Maybe even the ghost could creepily cry out, "Tuuuurrrrrnnnn baccckkkkkk......oooooohhhhhhhhh."

Silver Plume is very small. It consists of 1 main street, chockered full of Victorian buildings. The town's nickname is actually the "living ghost town!" The building we were staying in was the New Windsor Hotel.

The building is now privately owned. It consists of a private residence and an abandoned hotel. The front door on the left (bottom left corner) was our residence.  Everything else was the ghost's domain....mwah haha!

The abandoned hotel is still decorated just as it had been back in 1902.  Creepy Parlor. Creepy Piano. Aged yellowing portraits.....all untouched!!!! The owner doesn't let anyone in this portion, and from the looks of it, he doesn't really go in there himself either. I just knew there had to be a ghost lurking through this hotel somewhere.

When we got there we went into our little residence, and got to know it a little better. We took a "tour" and stopped to get creeped out about the teeny tiny door that separated us from the rest of the hotel.

After being creeped out a bit, and slightly pumped to be freaked out. It was time for a shot ski!

 

After the shot ski, the group headed down the tiny main street to the Silver Plume Saloon. But before we could get there, we had to pass buildings like the Silver Plume Jail, circa de 1875.

                            

The jail would be a good place to look for ghosts a little later, but 1st it was time to enjoy the saloon!

This is one of my most favoritest bars ever! It was more than just a tiny little bar in a tiny little town. It was a bar with a good feeling, great owner, and great bartenders who could tell you all the ghost stories. It was also a bar that let dogs play inside. But the best part.....the very best part, was what was waiting in the back room of the bar. At first the back of the bar looks off limits, but it is not. There is an array of musical instruments to play and jam with. That night I played the drums, bass, tambourine, and the bongos.  Let's recap, 1.) Nice owner/bartenders who know ghost stories. 2.) Dogs allowed inside. 3.) Room for spontaneous jam sessions. 4.) And yes, of course, there was booze- PBR in a can to be exact. So if you are not thinking at this moment...........that you kind of want to visit this dive bar in Silver Plume.....well you may want to ask yourself are we really that great of friends?;)

Now after a few ghost stories. It is time for the spooky walk home. I do a quick ghost face practice.

Then it is time to check the old jail for ghost spirits. Even time to take a peek inside.

When we got to the house there was a fog over the front. I went up to the hotel side window and took pictures up the stair case to catch a ghost. I think I saw a ghost.......Do you?

 CREEPY WALK TO  THE HOTELCREEPY FOG OVER THE HOTEL AND.....


 POSSIBLE CREEPY GHOST FACE!!!!!

This will not be the last of my ghost hunting adventures!!!!!

Big Air in the Big City

Big Air came to the city this year. It was a 2-day international ski and snowboard competition held in the civic park downtown just yards away from the state capitol and just days before the X-Games. I went to the event on the second day to watch snowboarders gain world cup points while flying down a ramp that stood 101 feet high, 300 feet long, and 80 feet wide.

The weather was freezing, but there was wine. Not only did we get to see some sweet moves, but One Republic played in front of the Denver City and County Building. It was nice to hear some of my favorite songs from them.

Laura, Me, Jill

The night was great, but once our hands and feet started to feel numb it was time to go home. Since we live close to downtown, we headed towards the free mall ride shuttle on 16th Street. Once we hopped on the bus, we went for the empty seats. First Jill, then Laura, then me. Once my ass hit the seat, it started to feel damp. At first I thought it was just the feeling of sensation returning since it was so cold....but....I realized very shortly after that my ass was actually becoming damp. I jumped up from the seat. "Oh my god, I think my seat is wet. I think it's pee, bum pee." My seat neighbors smelled it. Told me it couldn't be pee, that it smelled fruity or like soda. As soon as we get home, I ripped my pants off. I had to smell it for myself. Was it really soda? As my nose got nearer to my jeans, I knew that my jeans now smelled distinctly of urine. I flipped out and made a mad dash for the shower. After a great night, I happened to sit my ass in the one seat on the bus that was soaked in bum urine.

The Soundtrack Of My Life............

Think about a movie or a TV show that you have watched that has touched you in some way. Now think of the exact moment it touched you deep down into the inner workings of your soul. You were watching. The touching thing happens. You feel pretty touched. But then....... out of no where........ the sound of musical notes tickle the tips of your ears. Your heart begins to feel warm. You wonder if this is what the Grinch felt like before his heart grew 3 times that day. Before you know it a full-on musical score throws your whole world off course. Your so touched your heart stops for a mili-second. You feel feelings you've never felt before. This MUST be how the Grinch felt that day! Then, just when your absorbing and enjoying this confusing and wonderful feeling. The music stops. The feelings instantly disappear. It all happened so fast. Whatever the uber-emotion was that entered your system, has vanished without a trace. It did not even ask for your phone number.

The perfect song in a movie or TV show conveys an emotion or a feeling a ba-jillion (yeah I said ba-jillion) times better. For example, yeah it's really sad that you met the love of your life last week, and this week a horrific event has happened that separated you. After struggling to survive you went from one obstacle to another while trying to find the love of your life. The love you had known for that deal-sealing 1 week. Movie Heroine I really did want you to find him, especially since he was also desperately searching for you. I even pointed at the screen and yelled, "He's in the elevator next to you," after y'all just missed each other for the 5th time.

So you see I really did want you to find him, but my life still felt complete. Your incompleteness had not affected me enough yet to question my own completeness. I couldn't feel the same way that your were feeling at this moment because I knew it wasn't real.

But then after 5 years of searching. Just when you had given up. You and your love ended up at the same place at the same time. Who knew that you had both been friends with Reese Witherspoon's character the whole time. You lock eyes. Silence. My head thinks "YES! I knew they were meant to be together! But really, 5 years? They were always minutes away from each other and had the same damn friend the whole time?! No Way!" At the same time synapses from my brain are forming these similar words to send to my mouth. But like lightening. Apparently faster than nerve synapses. The music starts. Emotions. Warm Feelings. Heart skips a beat. Cynicism turns to Elation. I feel like the completeness is actually happening to me. My tear ducts are doing something strange. Stop Tear Ducts! Stop! I am on a date STOP! Music stops. Credits Roll. The feeling of complete normalcy returns. Quick glances around. No one saw. Did they?

Now, that my friends, is the power of a great movie song. Even reality TV stars get songs to emphasize moments in their lives. Most of the moments are not even deserving of the song.

So obviously this got me thinking. Where's my music for all of my life's moments. I need my own soundtrack. I need the musical notes of gumption, awesomeness, that make you want to cry for me, that say this drunk kiss with whats-his-name is really magical. You get the point. Basically I need my own soundtrack.

Below I have listed some moments in life that I may need a song for. Really I have listed some of the first things that popped into my head, without giving it much thought. I wanted to give you a little sprinkling of what's to come. I am asking you, my fellow friends, to help me out this year. Help me build my soundtrack to life. And then, just maybe, maybe, one day, I can have someone follow me around and play every necessary song at every necessary moment. It will be glorious! And remember this is all about me. I can see your mind wandering. Thinking of your own songs. You can make your soundtrack after I have made mine;)

The first moment I am going to put down, has been my head song for a few years now. Head song? Well there is an Ally McBeal episode where Ally learns everyone needs a head song. This is the song that plays when you need that extra boost of confidence. That makes you walk or strut into a room where people will notice you. The one you use when you run into an ex-boyfriend with a new girlfriend and you are alone. So this first moment will be listed as the Head Song Moment. I have also decided to start my first volume of life soundtrack with oldies songs.

1.) Head Song Moment- She's a Lady by Tom Jones.

                                                              You Feel Like This

                                            Heads Song can instantly switch you to this!

2.) The moment you have had just enough beers to be so excited to dance but that dance will not bring all the boys to the yard - Bust a Move by Young MC or maybe a little Dancing Queen by ABBA

3.) I have had a bad day and don't know what to do on a random week night moment- Downtown by Petula Clark


4.) I did something stupid.....again......people are judging.....am I shrinking? A Little Respect by Erasure

5.) The Bottom of the Barrel and a drink is needed- One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer by George Thorogood and a little I Wish it Would Rain by the Temptations

6.) My heart was just broken and I am in the mood to "take whiskey shots and sing out loud to myself, to my girlfriends, or  to the bar" moment- These Eyes by the Guess Who

                                                        
7.) I am going to do what I want, and I may get into trouble- I love Rock N' Roll by Joan Jett

8.) For my attention whore moments- Brass in Pocket  by the Pretenders

9.) If a punk ass bitch ho tries to start a rumor about me- None of your Business by Salt n' Peppa

10.) Someone is teetering dangerously on the edge of pissing me off- These Boots are Made for Walking by Nancy Sinatra

11.) Being in the Great Outdoors for the first time after a Winter. Or acting like its summertime when really it is obviously not- In the Summertime by Mungo Jerry

                                                             Or Wishing for A Warm Great Day

12.) When I step from the responsibility train to the "how did I get here" irresponsibility platform- Where Did Our Love Go by the Supremes and If I could Turn Back Time by Cher.