I am so excited about our food right now!  We are coming out with a new dinner menu on Monday.  Its a collaborative work from my whole kitchen staff.  Its so great to see what can come from some great talent in our little kitchen.  Its inspiring.  We are continuing to hone in on the southern flare, adding a classic Jambalya and Creole Shrimp.  And then there are the CRAB CAKES.  Fresh & local Dungeness crab cakes!!!!  We are doing a sandwich with them on focaccia with remoulade and champagne greens as well a small plate at dinner.  We are also bringing back my Lemon Pasta dish and have been rolling with the Meatloaf and the Chicken Pot Pie once more!  What more can I say?  I think we have finally got it!  

Hope to see you all for dinner soon!

xoxo

Alcena

Something has happened to me!  I suddenly (like in the last 2 days) have this cool ability to confront things more easily.  Not everything mind you but kinda a lot of stuff.  I like to talk all big about this or that but when it comes down to it... I'm kinda a softie.  I've classicly been an avoider.  I bury my head in the sand and wait for the storm to pass.   I let people walk on me a little and I don't always call people out when they are slacking or have pissed me off.  I like people.  I want everyone to be happy even at my own expense.   I don't want to be the bad guy.    And it's not just with my bidness... Its all over...  So imagine my surprise when... 

Lately, I haven't been able to keep my mouth shut.  I'm telling people what I REALLY think.  I'm calling people out on their shit or how they have affected me.  I'm even calling myself out!  (Craaazzzyyy!)   I just turned 36 and I'm thinking that maybe thats it.    Its hard to say.  I'm going back and forth on this one.  Maybe it's just the cleanse and the meditating...  Or the massive crisises that are kinda following me around right now.  FYI - These occur when you either: 

• a) Leave your head in the sand so long that people think your ass is your face or
• b) You've been so focused on not rocking the boat that the whole thing flipped over 

An unexpected side affect of crisis and dilema is that it forces you to focus on two things:

• 1) Things you can do something about and
• 2) Things that are really important.   

There isn't a whole lot I can do when XYZ happens or I'm waiting for HIJ to resolve.  I could sit and stew and stress and pull out my eyebrows.  Who wants to do that???   What I can do is work everyday to move my stuff forward.  I can create the newletter, write the blog, send the email and respond to the questions.   I can enjoy getting my daughter dressed every morning.  I can relish those last moments at night with my husband.    I can participate in my life, my business and my world.  And all these things are important to me. And all these things make me feel more powerful and available for what might happen next.

An unexpected side affect of facing your crises and participating?  To be continued...

So for now, I shall participate and enjoy my new found ability to say what's on my mind and continue moving myself forward no matter the crisis that arrive.  This should be really fun!

xoxo

Sometimes I over commit myself.  I mean, as a business owner you are kind of working 24/7 right?  I spend ALOT of time thinking about how to make Louisa's everything I want it to be.  How can we be better?  How can we get more peeps to come see us?  How can we help our community?  How? How? How?!?!  My latest challege is to do all this within reason.  Its not fair to my daughter that while she's showing me her latest school project I'm wondering how to promote a special event.  While my husband is tellling me about his day, I'm zoned out thinking about whether or not we can afford to have fresh flowers on our tables everyday.   Or how about no matter where I go to eat on my "offtime"  I can't just relax and enjoy it.  I am continuously observing, taking notes and wondering what this place did to make it so great (or so awful) or what they could do better.  Argh! 

But you know I love it.  I am honored to be doing something I love.  My challege is to balance.  My challenge is to trust others.  My challenge is to be present with it all: work, family, life. 

I love a challenge.

Tonight Louisa's was robbed.  Again.  This time possibly by one of my own people. 

My birthday is October 1st.  I will be 36 years old and have recently learned that this is an important year in the Chinese Zodiac.  Its the final year of my 3rd Dragon cycle!!!

Ok, I have no idea what that means.  So I just looked it up...  The Chinese Zodiac has 12 animals each representing the current year.  We are currently in the year of the Dragon therefore its my third time going thru the whole cycle.  Yipee!

So what the hell does that mean?  Thinking back, at the last years of my previous cycles I was 12 and 24.  There was a TON of change for me in those years.  And not just little normal stuff, BIG stuff.  Moving to Hawaii (12), getting dumped by my boyfriend(24).  All of which turned out to be good things but were nevertheless traumatic.

So, that brings me to this year.  There are so many things on the fire for me right now.  Perhaps this last year of my third cycle will finally bring some closure to those things.  Maybe this will be a year of my ducks finally getting in a row!  Maybe this will be MY year.  Amazing things will take place and change my life for the next 12 years!

Of course, I said this at New Years too... I was all, "I have HIGH hopes for 2012!!!"  "Woohoo!!!!" I said... And?  The last 9 months have been some of the most difficult, particularly for my business.  

Maybe all this astrology stuff is crap.  Maybe success and failure comes and goes based on the quality of work and amount of integrity you put behind said success and/or failure.  That's what one half of my Libra brain says.  But the other half likes to believe in the mystical and unknown.  The chance that I can see the future and might have something amazing to look forward to...

I guess we shall see.  I'll keep ya posted!