The Heart of Pizzalina Arrives

Well, its been a whirl-wind week!  My contractor is SO AWESOME!  I may actually have the only restaurant in the history of the world that ever opened ahead of schedule.  Josh doesn't mess around!  My oven was delivered on Monday, the heart of Pizzalina.  Josh had actually tried to surprise me and get it there on Friday but the driver got in an accident on the Golden Gate Bridge.  He was fine, and the truck was fine, but the oven he had on the truck broke free of its straps inside the cab when he had to slam on his brakes to avoid hitting the driver in front of him.  The oven went tumbling on its side, smashing the framing, but the brick oven itself was ok.  They took it back to Watsonville where luckily they can rebuild the frame around it.  This is why I chose to use Mugnaini Ovens, they're imported from Italy but fitted, framed and shipped right here in the Bay Area.  I've heard of too many horror stories of people not getting their Italian ovens in on time because of shipping, accidents or customs.

We also ran into a little trouble with the main sewer pipes that run into the space.  It seems they were corroded.  But once again, Josh to the rescue, he ran interference with the landlord and got them to handle it.  I think I'll get Josh a Superman T-Shirt!  The guy is really looking out for my a@#* and I don't even know how I'll ever be able to repay him for the extra mile he's gone and continues to go.  He is a true jewel.

Got the fire pit done too!

So this weekend he says, "you know I could have this done for you by September 1st."  That's a month earlier than originally predicted!  Let me tell you I freaked out.  Though I'm overjoyed to be open sooner, there's so much more to do to get ready.  I realized I've got to kick it into high gear!  So if there are days that go by and you don't see a post, you'll know...... I'm running and too tired at days end to do anything else.  My eyeballs literally hurt.  Some days I run all day; meetings with sales people, tasting product, pricing vendors, running interference for Josh and then when I get home at night I'm working on paperwork.  HR packets, policies, job descriptions, training manuals, procedures, forms, recipes, costing sheets.  No more TV, no more books, occasionally I'll sit down at the piano and sooth my soul with a hymn.  My life has changed, but I've never felt more purposeful.  I love it!

goodnight angels, I hear your wings.......

Napa Valley Morning

Well, it's been a week!  And I couldn't think of a better ending to a busy week than to rise up early nestled amongst the the dappled vineyards of the Napa Valley.  Last night we had another wine tasting for the menu, this time at the "guest house" at Paradigm Winery.  A charming little farm house tucked within a secret garden and surrounded by some of Napa Valleys finest vineyards.  Tired as I was, I couldn't pass up this opportunity to rise early with the sun shinning though the leaves, and catch up on my writing.

We found some more gems last night for the list, of course everything that Suzanne Groth brought, and also some wonderful wines from Robin Gerber with Spotlight Brands, who specialize in small, local producers, blending unusual varietals, and a couple of stand-outs from my friends at the James Family Vineyards.  Yummy!  We had a nice little pot luck dinner and I made another attempt at the GF pizza, which wasn't as great because we had to use a standard oven, which doesn't get as hot so I couldn't get the bubbling I'm looking for, but the taste was good.

So last weekend it took me three days to get over the shell shock of depositing BIG checks to start funding this whole project.  I had to write some major checks, I think I had my contractor really worried.  He warned one of the subs, "You can talk like a truck driver around her, just don't mention money!"

Besides the entire kitchen equipment contract, I got most of the big, timely stuff ordered this week; banquette, community table, mixer, trim tiles, bath tiles, and the outdoor sign.  Next week will be tables & chairs, smallwares, phones, sound system, etc.   Now Sean and I are going to walk to Bouchon in Yountville for coffee; get our morning coffee and exercise too.  Not a bad way to start the morning!  Then it's back home to work at Picco for the day.

Enjoy these beautiful summer days!

Hallelujah!

Cleaned up, wall in place ready to build!

Hallelujah!  Thank you Jesus!  I got my Building Permit! (Happy dance).....

Looking out the front window and entry

So, six weeks later and $7,000, well $9500 if you count the road deposit.  Something they're supposed to give you back when you're done if you haven't torn up the road.  Really?  The cost of opening a restaurant....  They told me it would cost more than I expected and take longer, they were right!  You need to have faith, passion and determination to pursue your dream!  To risk everything and dare to do what many will caution you against, isn't easy, its downright scary at times.  You have to believe with everything in your heart that you are being called to do precisely what you were meant to do.  And then trust, walk out on that ledge and jump and know that God will give you wings!  OK, that's my pep-talk to my own self for the day!

Now I'm running trying to get my money lined up, contracts with my equipment guy signed and deposited.  Gotta make a list and schedule to start ordering the things I'm in charge of: tables, chairs, small equipment, small wares, lighting, trim tiles.  The list goes on and on.

Plumbing line mapped out

Also meeting with my chef next week to finalize the menu and start on recipes, costing sheets, vendor lists, labor staffing, scheduling and training.  Get utilities and internet to the site.  What else is on my desk/kitchen table?  Oh yes, my lovely employee handbook, almost finished.  Then on to training manuals and employee packets.

Then my architect calls me today and says, "oh you need those plans that the Health Department stamped, but we had to give them to the Town of San Anselmo Building Department and they threw them out!"  REALLY!  Who's A#%* can I go kick?!

Oh yes, and don't forget to celebrate with your best friends!  God bless Barry, Kate and Nick who called me up tonight and said, "let's go celebrate!"

Cherish your friends.........

Gluten-Free Pizzas

Margherita (amazing cab)

In the spirit of Independence Day, I think our Founding Fathers would be appalled at what it takes to get a little business opened in America today.  That being said, I did go down to the San Anselmo Building Department today and found out that both the Building and Planning Departments had APPROVED my plans!  Woo-Hoo!  However, they were waiting for the Fire Department's approval.  When I went down the street to the Ross Valley Fire Department, I found out the Fire Inspector was on vacation all week.  Wouldn't you know.....When I asked about the status of my review, she said it was "on hold"?  I'm hoping its "on hold" because he didn't have time to review our plan revisions before he left.  I'm also hoping it'll be the first thing he gets to Monday morning and takes "off hold" with his John Hancock!  My contractor is ready, I'm ready, the landlord is ready and I think San Anselmo is ready for some awesome pizza!

With fresh zucchini from the garden!

So, yesterday after a wonderful 4th of July, post Sleepy Hollow Parade party at our friends house, Sean and I headed home for a round of gluten-free pizza experiments.  I've been trying to perfect my dough, and Sean, having been stricken with celiac disease about 8 years ago, is my willing and exuberant guinea pig.  I'm happy to report, I'm getting closer!  I'm not 100% satisfied, but then I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  What I will say, is that if the best I get is what I made last night, it would still be pretty damn good and 95% better than most of what I've tried.  That being said, the experiments go on and I've got a pretty good idea of how to alter the recipe to get the results I'm after.  You'll never get a beautiful, light yeasty crown around the outside with gluten-free dough, but you can get a thin cracker like crust with bubbling, and that's what I'm after.  Even though my regular pizza dough is a natural, long fermentation process and extremely easy to digest and full of probiotics, there are those who CANNOT tolerate gluten, for them I will proudly have a house-made alternative.

Piadine

Got my employee manual started today.  Its hilarious how you can really procrastinate on things that are tedious and time consuming.  I've been putting this off for weeks!  Also got the builders risk insurance lined up and paid for, and the contract with my contractor signed and delivered today.  Also did a little employee scouting.  I've got my eye on a few outstanding people I'd LOVE to recruit!  There are some things you can teach people and there are somethings that they are just born with.  A happy and fun-loving spirit that cares for others and takes pride in what they do, cannot be taught.  That's what I'm looking for at Pizzalina!

Have a wonderful weekend........  

GF dough is best rolled out with a rolling pin

Stew Hens

The Hens (minus Emily & Loretta) :(

This will be another week of waiting on the building permit, and maybe longer because of the holiday.  I'll try to patiently enjoy this moment of calm before the storm.

What could be a more perfect way to start such a week, than with a glorious luncheon with the "Stew Hens"!  Last week was the Stars Re-Aligned Dinner, and this week its a Re-United Luncheon with the ladies of stars.  This little group of women was started maybe about 15 years ago by Colleen McGlynn, of DaVero Olive Oil, who I believe also coined the

Yummy Soft Shell Crab

English Pea Ravioli with Morels - Heavenly!

name, Stew Hens.  It started as a quaint little dinner party at her house to get together with our women friends who all used to work at Stars.  I'll never forget that one because Colleen had picked up some Peking Ducks from a local market in China Town and built a whole meal around it.  It was memorable to this day!  Colleen, Emily Luchetti, Loretta Keller, Wendy Brucker, Holly Snyder, Franny and myself.  Since then we periodically declare a Stew Hen gathering and whoever can make it, gets together to reminisce, catch up, rekindle, and generally love on, support and encourage each other through life. 

So yesterday Colleen, myself, Wendy Brucker, Holly Snyder, and Lori Theis all got together to celebrate Franny Pasternick being in town from Oaklahoma!  Lori flew in from LA and Holly from Seattle.  Now that's what I call friends!  We had an incredible lunch at Waterbar prepared by Parke Ulrich.  Pete Sittnick took such good care of us we felt like royalty!  The view, the day, the food, the friendship; blessings abound with so much to be grateful for!  The only thing missing was our pals Emily Luchetti and Loretta Keller both out of town on vacation.  They were truly missed, but we'll just have to do it again!

Something about food and friends and fellowship, that just brings life into focus and gives it a real depth of meaning.  To share a meal with friends is one of the most basic and necessary pleasures of life.  To sit around a table, laugh, eat, drink, be merry.  To shake off the worries of the world, enjoy the blessings of friends, share in each others lives the stories that make us unique, yet so very commonly human.  To rekindle the bonds that bind, uplift the spirits to soar, and encourage our hearts on in a crazy world, now that's what I'm takin' about...... real friends!  Love you Hens.....

In the mean time, I ordered the specialty lighting for the dining room, and this week I've got to write an employee manual.  Argh, not the most inspired task!

Happy 4th of July everyone!  Grab a friend and BBQ!

Sleepless in San Anselmo

Pey-Marin's Textbook Label...Yummy!

Well last night at three am, not being able to sleep, I got up and spent at least half an hour writing a new, lengthy post, only to loose it in the split second of a wrong click.  No command Z could fix it.  Urgh.... Back to bed where I should've been all along!

Suffice it to say, it was a very lovely post about wine tastings, and health department frustrations, printers and procrastinating engineers.  A fittingly frustrated post to a frusting couple of days.  I went to bed thinking, Forget it!  You have so much to be grateful for and you're almost there.  Think positive and get some rest.

What I will say now, is that I'm so encouraged and excited!  (What a difference some sleep makes).  We're going to have some awesome wines on the list, thanks to my brilliant brother, Sean Crowley.  Really unique wines from small, passionate, mostly bio-dynamic  producers both locally and from handpicked regions of Italy.   All will all have a charming story to tell, and I'm making new winemaker friends and distributor friends, people who are a pleasure to work with and have the same love for what they do as I do.  That right there is something to be grateful for!

We did get our health department issue worked out.  You've just got to get as creative about circumventing their rules as they are about creating them.  Its absolutely ridiculous how they've got you, and nobody will stand up to them because they all just need to get open!  I'd fight about it because I hate to see hard working people done wrong, but just like them, it costs more to fight than it does to get creative and work around things. 

My architect also dropped off the plan check revisions today to the Town of San Anselmo.  I'm hopping for a quick turn around, and a final go ahead! 

Please God.....

Reunions

Graduation cake by Emily Luchetti/Terri Wu

It's been a big week, a reunion week of sorts.  Tuesday was another continuation of the graduation celebrations, this time a reunion of elementary/high school friends and family at Farallon.  A repeat of their high school graduation party.  I'm so blessed to have this circle of friends and family!  As one of the mothers Nancy Culhane said in her speech, "You never know when you'll need someone, cherish these friendships." This group of friends and families have been a great support through my process of starting a restaurant, and I am truly grateful!

Thursday was The Stars Dinner Realigned at Epic Roasthouse.  You can read about it in this link  http://sanfrancisco.grubstreet.com/2012/06/stars-reunion-sf-jeremiah-tower-epic-roasthouse.html#photo=1x00002   The hype about the dinner had been building for weeks, and everyone was so excited.  To say it was a memorable evening is an understatement, the food and wine were absolutely stunning!  The room was filled with SF restaurateurs, luminaries, old Stars employees, purveyors, regulars, friends, patrons, press; and you could feel the night pulsing, just as any bustling night at Stars ever did!

I was taking pictures in the kitchen when someone said, "Your food is getting cold."   That being the last thing on my mind, I realized, this is where I'm most comfortable!  This is the excitement!  These are my friends & colleagues!  This is why I'm opening a restaurant!  It was such a moment of affirmation.  I went back to my seat to savor the most incredible course of the night, Mark's sturgeon.  Aged, lobster-stuffed sturgeon, so infused with tender flavor it seemed to have swam onto the plate on its own accord.  To dress it in a simple butter sauce with caviar, is like putting a silk chemise on Sophia Loren.  And then to pair it with Chassagne-Montrachet 1st cru, I'll be thinking of that dish forever!

Every dish was incredible, and the pairings of wines spared no expense to measure up.  Some of the greatest culinary hands in San Francisco lovingly and proudly made this menu come alive.  And with the brilliant and always charming, Jeremiah Tower at the helm, the spirit of Stars past wafted through the dinning room as infectious as it always was.  Being a part of this kind of sophistication in food has been my life and my education, its in my blood. Thank you God of Grace for aligning me with such spectacular people!

On the Pizzalina front, we did get our plan-check comments back from the Town of San Anselmo Building Department last Wednesday.  The architects are all over it and we should be resubmitted by Monday or Tuesday.  I'm praying for a quick approval!  I'm now scrambling to get everything lined up for our green light..... subtitled, put lots of money in the bank......

Nothing ventured, nothing gained......

My First Born

Well this weekend has been full and wonderful, not of the pursuit of restaurateuring, but of the pursuit of happiness.... joy immeasurable.... my baby graduated this weekend (on my birthday)!  And let me tell you this Momma couldn't be any prouder.  Twenty two years of hard work, devotion and perseverance has awarded him a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  Out of that has come an honors award for his senior project, second place in the National AMES Senior Design Awards Competition, an LLC with a patented design and interested VCs, and an excellent job with Union Pacific Railroad!  Ok, I'm sorry, I had to gloat a little......

On to restaurants.  Last Thursday and Friday, we got a little excitement about the building permit, but as of today, still no word!  Thursday Bill calls me and says, "Louise, we've got to meet with the landlord!  I've talked with building, there's just a few simple comments, the fire department has some issues that can be cleared up with an extra exit.  We need approval from the landlord."  So in a flurry of phone calls and meetings with the landlord, his superintendent, and the Fire Marshall, I think, ok we should get this thing wrapped up way sooner than I was expecting after my conversations with two other local restaurateurs with horror stories. 

Here's the catch, the architect's already to redraw it up and resubmit, but we haven't even gotten the official comments back.  I'm afraid they'll all change and we'll have to redraw them again.  That my friends cost more money. Ka-ching!  Now I know I went into this with my eyes wide open, and everyone I chose for the team, architect, kitchen designer, and contractor all have years of restaurant experience, and you get what you pay for.  But, there's no preparation for dealing with the idiosyncrasies of small, local municipalities who'll run you around on a wild goose chase.  There's all these rules, codes, ordinances within each department and they're all open to interpretation and preference as to how they're dealt with.  How can the hand talk to the foot?!  The ABC, CEHD, RVSD1, ADA, SABD, RVFD, please!  And yet, each one of them is charging me some hefty permit fees, what a racket! Please people, let me get open so I can make a living.

It costs a lot of money to be a small business owner.  Shop local and support the businesses you love, especially those that give back to the communities you live in. 

Still no comments back from building and/or fire......

Ah, but I have faith!

Eureka, I've Found It!

Yesterday was a great day!  Lot's accomplished.  And even though its nothing tangible right now, I found some resources I've been looking for for some time.  One is a great antique store in the city called Big Daddy......GO!  They're where Restoration Hardward shops and then knocks it off!  They have a store in LA and one here.  I found some beautiful accent pieces, chairs and custom tables made from recycled woods and antique bases from old industrial findings, very cool!  Beau was my sales person who helped me and while he was trying on a new chain mail piece in the store I clicked a photo.  Now his name is Sir Beauregard Lance-O-Lot.  He made my shopping day way fun!  Don't you love this wall of baskets!  I'm thinking a wall of old pizza peels.....


Then it was on to Charyn Restaurant Auction House.  They sell used, recycled, refurbished equipment of all kinds.  I think I'll be able to find some really great deals there when I'm ready to start buying.

A quick stop for lunch at Salumeria, the new hot spot from the folks at Flour & Water.  Great salumi, great sandwiches, great space.  I was totally inspired.  It would be the perfect place to go in next to Pizzalina; a little charcuterie/cheese/wine/sandwich place.  They had some very nice touches that didn't escape my ever increasing sponge brain.

Then I went by the soon to be open, Lincoln Park by my friends Stephen Simmons and wife Jennifer.  They filled me in on all the horrors of the local powers that be, gave me some coaching and forewarnings, a tour, menu tidbits and a wonderful glass of, I think reisling (ah, should'a got the info).  It was great to reconnect with Stephen, its been years, and finally meet Jennifer.  I wish them great success and I know they're going to knock it out of the park!  The place is cozy and beautifully designed and Stephen is an amazing chef.  So don't delay, the minute you see them open, please support them.  San Anselmo needs to re-establish itself as a vibrant, destination town with great food and night life.  We've lost it and we need to get it back!

amen little sister........

Take A Break, Enjoy Your Life

No earth shattering news this week.  Met with more vendors and sellers of "stuff".   Friday was my fun day.  Starting with my nieces graduation in San Francisco and moving on up to Napa to meet my brother for an educational meeting with Tim at the Kitchen Door in Oxbow Market.  He so kindly showed us the wine on tap system they have there.  He explained some of the pitfalls and problems they've had to learn the hard way, gave us some tips as to wineries that do their own program and numerous other, helpful little things you never find out until you're working with the system and what you've got is all wrong!

 From there it was on to the Annual Paradigm Wine Buyers Club Party, where I got to be my brothers guest.  Amazing!  What a beautiful evening.  Plenty of incredible Paradigm wines, Hog Island Oysters, yummy food, dancing and all around merriment.  Just what the doctor ordered, a night of fun!  I was starting to get bogged down and overwhelmed.  Now I feel so much better, I can face this week more productively.

The Harris' are the most wonderful people!  I don't know of any other wine clubs that host such an incredible event for their members for free, at their own home.  I should've taken more photos, but I was too busy having a good time.  So many nice people.  I adore my brother, Sean Crowley who really has become such a integral part of the Paradigm family.  Go Team Paradigm!  Great job and thank you!

This has really stuck with me, and I'm thinking of implementing the idea at Pizzalina.  If we have some kind of dinner club, then every year we can throw a thank you party for all the members.  Maybe not at my dinky house, but somewhere cool.  Hmmmmmm..... Want to be a member?  I'll have to think that one through a bit.  It's in my thinking cap for now.

Just sold off my glass studio. And I'm a bit sad about it.   It wasn't an easy choice to make.  I've been putting it off for months, but its time.   I need the money for Pizzalina and that will have to be my art form for now.

Remember, take a break... enjoy your life!

Wine Tasting

So...... Last week ended on a good note, we got our Building Permit application in and I got a tentative approval for my beer & wine license, dependent on the final build out.... Woo-Hoo!

This week started off with a bang!  Had our first wine tasting last night to start building the wine list with my brother, wine extraordinaire, Sean Crowley and Elizabeth Downing owner of Springboard Wine Company in San Rafael.  Chef Douglas accompanied, and my friends, Kate and Barry Rose came over to help critique all the food and wine!  It was a great evening and wonderful kick-off to building a phenomenal wine list.

We tasted some incredible wines that will really compliment our menu!  Springboard has a unique and passionate catalog of wines.  Almost all of the selections are organic and/or sustainable, small vineyards produced by vintners who love, love, love what they do.  I got a huge education and can't wait to taste more, and be witness to the design of a well balanced list of local, Italian, unique, well priced, yummy, drinkable wines that go great with our food!

Mark's Amazing Salumi!

Some of the stand-outs and must haves that we tasted were a very elegant Prosecco, from a single vineyard, sustainable winery from Northern Italy.  A strikingly luscious, Ceago Sauvignon Blanc from one of the leaders of bio-dynamic vineyards.  An exceptionally, pizza friendly, Uvaggio Vermentino Italian varietal, grown in Lodi by the man who started the Cal/Ital fad.  Another Italian pizza stand out, Giovanni Rosso 2009 Barbera d'Alba, too easy to drink!  And a Hendry 2009 Estate Zinfandel, where stony soils and a moderate climate produce a most curvaceous food wine. Of course there were many other wonderful wines we tasted, but a well designed wine list is a gracious mix, like a good dinner party, or so says my darling brother, who I am forever indebted to!

Coming soon......

Kale, red onion, Mark's smoked bacon & egg

Douglas' Fennel Mussels

Roll My Eyes And Have A Drink!

Ok, I was going to write about Cotogna last night, but I was too tired.  This has been happening to me a lot lately.  I get exhausted around 9, fall asleep on the couch, but the minute I get up and go to bed, I'm wide awoke!  Then I don't go to sleep till late, get up early and start the whole routine again!  I'd say its stress..... bring it on!

Bill At The Building Department

We got the plans into the Town Of San Anselmo yesterday, though they want two more sets of plans (4 full sets @ $200 a pop!).  $2,000 later and lots of paper work, we wait again.... 3-6 weeks we were told.  This is just plan check fees, we'll see what the final bill is when I have the permit in hand.....bring it on!

I was complaining to my contractor who juggles 4 or 5 restaurant projects at a time in several counties and towns, about all the bureaucracy and how long it takes to deal with these agencies and he said, "Louise, I've finally just learned to roll my eyes and have a drink!"  So that's my new mantra..... roll my eyes and have a drink!

We did have a wonderful meal at Cotogna the other night.  We sat at the bar in front of their beautiful imported Italian wood oven and pizza oven.  It was the best seat in the house, little warm though.  We got to watch everything being prepared and ask a million questions of the chefs.  The pizza was great, though I think my dough is better.  They had some stellar dishes, my favorite being the Green Garlic Sformato with snap, snow peas & pea tendrils.  It was served on a bed of Parmesan & goat cheese fonduta.  It left spring singing on my palate!  I loved the fact that many things on the menu are one price for any selection, for example, all first courses are $17.  Especially the wine, all wine by the glass is $10, all bottles are $40.  I'm sure this all works out in the long run.  It less confusing on the menu, but for those trying to find a deal not so great.
What do you all think, do you think generic pricing is beneficial, fair, less confusing, desirable?

Every time I go to other restaurants I learn something new.  Good and bad, I learn what to do and not to do!   I love to see what other new ideas people are employing, whether for food, service or decor.  It never ceases to amaze me how creative people are, how ingenious, and the extent to which one will push the envelope.  There is something out there for everyone.  Dining has become such a show, its experiential theater for one of life's most basic necessities...nourishment!
A whole blog could be written on nourishment.

bring it on...... 

Ah, look at that porchetta!