here I am...

Arandalia...

I´m working, and its going ok. my days are long and the language is still a hurdle. Hector the chef walks around singing and dancing all day he´s a geek among other things. Chino is , well, from China (I´d write his name but I´d misspell it and then you would miss pronounce it) and he is now who I will think of everytime I see and asain person eat now.at 22 he´s funny, you know how when someone doens´t understand what you are saying so you maybe say it a little louder, well in his case when he talks he tends to talk louder and louder, I think its because he doesn´t understand the language very well. sometimes, I wonder if its at all... he´s worked at the restaraunt for 1 year and 8 months. the other day one of the servers asked him if he was sad that he was leaving, but he didn´t know what triste meant. there were a number of pictures drawn to show emotions before he realized what he meant. now don´t get me wrong, there are days when I don´t feel like I know that language... it leaves me tired a lot. then there is Jose Luis or J, but J in spanish not in english people (Jota). he´s segundo. from ecuador. hyper and crazy, and sometimes more than obscene. when it gets busy he´s a bit of a mess but I like him all and all. he´s funny and easy enough to get along with. he´s 47, worked in London and Rome, wears capri pants and tall funny colored socks!!! I couldn´t make this up... there are a few others that come in and help prep but they go to cook at the other restaurants for lunch and dinner.

Arandalia is the big brother, there is allura qui (middle size) , and Matilda (baby size). Matilda is the most expensive. allura is the cheapest. hears the best part of it all.... we prep all the food for the three places at arandalia! I haven´t seen the website but I think that it looks ok. as far as business, it seems I´m charmed. when I was at gargoyles we broke records, at dante´s too, and now a couple days ago we did 120 for dinner here (I´m told it was a record) and yesterday for lunch we did 84 (not bad for a monday). after the holidays (2nd week in Jan) I hear it slows down a bit and Feb is ¨easy¨. so I should have more time to rest and write. 

I´m going to get going. time to cook dinner!

back soon,

Matthew