W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> Moi, Toi, et VoI: July 2007

Monday, July 30, 2007

Totally Addicted.

This is for those of you nearand far who haven't seen the entertainment chops America's got.

(Why is blogger not allowing me to post youtube videos? Argh.)

posted by Oy Vey at 7:21 AM 0 comments

Saturday, July 28, 2007

You Don't Even Have to Offer Me A Penny for My Thoughts.

I confronted the Duke about the comment. His response: "I didn't say it about all of you. I was talking about one specific person. Not you."

The conversation wasn't even worth continuing at that point.

On the same note, last night I read a scathing opinion piece about The Circus' management. It was absolutely ludicrous. It incensed me to the point that I actually felt compelled to pen out an anonymous, salty letter to the editor of the paper. I am becoming sassy in my old age! But it was just eating away at me. I have a very hard time controlling my tongue. I think that is why I have such a bad cupcake case bedside manner. That and my absolute lack of patience, of course.

***
Have I mentioned yet how excited I am that Camera Obscura is coming to the TLA on August 22? No I haven't because I just read about it last night! I don't know whether I'll have to forcibly drag SFG or if he'll come out of a twisted curiosity. But I am so there. So freakin' there. But I have no doubt that I will experience Being Old at this show too. Just like this guy did. But whatever. And not in a curmugdeony way, just in a This Woman is Obviously Trying To Cling to the Last Tender Branches of Youth By Going to A Concert on a Wednesday Night And Attempting Not to Complain About How Much Her Feet Already Hurt After Ten Hours of Standing at Work Geez Have Some Pity Ok kind of way.

posted by Oy Vey at 7:42 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Hissssssss!

Those of you in Philly are well aware of what's been going on at The Circus lately. Aw fuck it, I'll probably get found out if I write too much about it, but honestly I don't even give two hoots anymore at this point.

Long story short for those of you not in the know, The Duke of Sandwiches has been given 30 days notice to leave the Circus after months of refusing to sign a lease that had specific provisions in it that would require him to stay open until 6 pm (when The Circus closes) and to report sales figures. Currently many of the lunchtime merchants stay open until about 3 and are not required to report sales figures.

Anyway, I was the first merchant to sign this new lease almost two years ago. My lawyers looked over the lease, had no issues with it, so I signed it. Lately The Duke has been causing a hubbub about this new lease and many of the old school merchants have been rallying in his favor to keep him there. Mind you, The Duke's MO has been to cause hubbubs about lots of things and to generally be a pain in the ass to the management of The Circus.

Long story very very short, The Merchants Association sent around a petition for merchants to sign in favor of the Duke. I refused to sign basically because I had signed the lease that The Duke was fighting. Fifty-seven out of 76 merchants did sign the petition. I found out today that when The Duke looked at the petition he noticed that none of the women merchants had signed the petition. Not one. Five of the merchants out of 76 are female.

Apparently he said "Well, they're all ugly anyway."

And that is the trash that I put up with everyday. That is why the men at The Circus have no qualms about making disgusting comments, airbiting one's ass, or generally making asses of themselves over the tiny handful of women business owners who work there. This is a taste of what it's like working in the food industry.

I know I will have a very difficult time controlling my tongue the next time The Duke comes over to chitchat with me. I don't think I will be able to contain myself. I think I will have to say something. Something.

Hiisssssss!

Blargh!

posted by Oy Vey at 10:13 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

The Slightly Surly Digest: Morrissey at The Mann.

[WARNING: Curmudgeonly Rant Ahead. Detour NOW to Avoid!]

I think I'm getting old.

Let me rephrase. I know I'm getting old, but maybe I'm becoming a stick in the mud. The Magic of Morrissey is officially gone.

I went to the show with two friends of Dax, who were very sweet but waaay too into Morrissey for my personal comfort. One of the girls disappeared the second we sat down so she could claw her way to the front row (by the way, we were not in the front row after all. I think the purchaser thought "Row O" was in fact "Row Zero". I have no other explanation. They were still great seats though). I told them I'd be in the back by the bar. With my head on the..oh never mind.

He opened with Queen is Dead, which was really great. After that he stopped, paused, and said "Art, art, art." and then I said "Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy." And then he proceeded to sing something I can't even remember.

Unfortunately most of the show was all stuff I would skip on my iPod if I were kichensinging. And speaking of kitchensinging, he changed words a number of times to fit with the current political climate, like 'Tories' to 'Republicans' and 'television' to 'Fox News', which I found mildly irritating, not only because it's a cheap applaud, but also because I love singing along and I felt like a jerk because I wasn't getting the words right! I am a lyrics freak, and Smiths/Morrissey lyrics are an achingly close second favorite to the empathetic lyrics of Belle & Sebastian, especially the ones about lonely, precocious unattractive girls with escapist fantasies who wear sensible shoes. Don't mess with the lyrics, man! Got it?!

And that is all I will say.

Speaking of which, I purchased my tickets to New Zealand today! Yay!

*NEWS FLASH*
Would y'all mind casting your vote for The Canary (you know what it's really called...and if not, email me to confirm) in the MyFoxPhilly Best Businesses 2007 Awards? Thanks! And leaving a comment about how "Fabulous" our stuff is would be icing on the cupcake! xx.

posted by Oy Vey at 3:39 PM 3 comments

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Mt. Airy 19119.

My, my what a week!

SFG and I spent the latter part of the week up in Mt. Airy at his folks' place while they're on vacation. We brought Molly too, who promptly christened the place by barfing on the dining room Persian. Twice.

Things have been a wee bit tense between SFG and me lately since the Big Move-In. I forgot how hard it is to live with someone, to live in someone else's space. And I know it's been no easier for him either. On Friday night, Wilman and Guinness Girl came over for some grillin' and chillin' and Scattergories and the tension seemed to break. I think we're back to normal. Can't really explain what changed exactly, but I think SFG would agree with me. Do you agree, SFG, you lurker you?

***
Today at The Canary we had a celebrity customer!

Andrea from 90210! No kiddin'!

I wasn't sure if it was her. In fact I was pretty sure she was just another Phillyer, so I asked her if anyone had ever told her she looked like Andrea from 90210. She said "That's me! But I'm just pretty tired."

"Oh I am a HUGE fan." And then I gave her a cupcake which she said was "fabulous!"

posted by Oy Vey at 5:07 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

What a Croc!

Ever since I broke my foot, I've been on the hunt for cute, comfy shoes to replace my beloved bone crushing Danskos (Oh Tartans, I will miss ye! Oh Brown nubuck! Oh Forest Green seude! Oh Sexy Black slide ons! I will mourn your loss!).

I'm sorry, but even if they were the last cuboid-safe footgear on the planet, you won't catch me near a pair of Crocs. They are seriously the ugliest shoe on earth. They are so ugly that I refuse to post a picture of them. I much prefer the Super Birki, which is practically the same shoe, sans holes. But it doesn't have the same obnoxious ubiquity.

That is all.

posted by Oy Vey at 9:32 PM 0 comments

Monday, July 16, 2007

Clearly My Mind Needs Some Organizational Maintenance Right About Now.

1. We went to Tinto with Mr. and Mrs. Matchmaker last night. OMG. Best Meal I've Had in Ages. Mrs. Matchmaker and I lamented over 3 bottles of Spanish wine how 'effing nice we are to our staff. And what do we get from some? Blarrrgggghhh!

2. Trip to Wellington in January! Woo hoo! BlogHer North-South Hemisphere Conference! Woo hoo!

3. Weeklong respite in Nantucket in 23 days and counting. Suh-weet! Remind me to bring my ascot and Jackie O sunglasses.

4. We keep a Little Book that myself, Rasputina, or The Bassoonist write down daily sales and little notes about the weather and Circus/Canary news. Of late, it's become a diary of sorts. I think the IRS will find it amusing if godforbid I get audited. Some recent the entries:

7/11: Slow day. Made Turkey Boy a rooibos latte. He liked it.
7/12: Decent day. No sales tax on register 3 key now. I have The Twinge* and it sucks. Don't forget to wrap scones in fridge!
7/13: Meatman says he misses Oy Vey 'chunky'. Says no more 'curves'. Hot as hell.
7/14: Bastille Day. Frenchie couldn't find King/Queen cake to celebrate. Made 400 cupcakes with tiny fondant tomatoes on them for SoandSo.
7/15: Busy for a Sunday. Twinge is making me crazy. Ouchie.
7/16: Turkey Boy, The Bassoonist, Rasputina, Manager of Turkey and a girl at Sir Franks-a-lot all have The Twinge. No salt licks or curly fries** until situation is resolved.

* Bladder/UTI infection.
** 'Salt lick' refers to a bowl that the Turkey place makes with all the fixins. Much like the KFC bowl.

posted by Oy Vey at 7:09 PM 0 comments

Friday, July 13, 2007

Baconbaconbaconbaconbaconbaconbacon.

Tonight Madame Mimolette came over.

We drank my signature drink of Lillet Blanc, orange juice and a dash of Angostura bitters on the rocks*, watched The 400 Blows and ate a pound of bacon**. And it was divine.



*Yet to be named. Perhaps The Bacontini, The Baconrita, or The Baquiri.
**It was a crap day for both of us. My car got towed, an employee poached and I got angry infected blisters from these. Aren't they freakin' cute?

posted by Oy Vey at 11:02 PM 1 comments

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Another List Because I Cannot Think Of Much Else to Write About.

1. Meatman pulled The Bassoonist aside to tell her that I was "looking thin" and that "that guy of her's obviously isn't giving her something" whatever that means ireallydon'twanttothinkaboutittoomuch.

2. New cupcake developed today, inspired by the blue sanding sugar I purchased: The Flying Monkey Signature Cupcake: Chocolate cake stuffed with vanilla buttercream and chunks of banana covered in chocolate buttercream. I wouldn't eat them but they've been flying off the shelves since we put them out this afternoon.

3. Turkey Boy's front tooth fell out today while he was eating ice cream. He told The Bassoonist that now he'd never get a girlfriend! aww! I want to start a Turkey Boy Tooth Fund. Donations may be sent to my PayPal account.

4. Tomorrow is Garibaldi Night (formerly known as Pico de Gallo Night) with the girls. Yerrm!

5. There is no 5. That is all.

posted by Oy Vey at 6:34 PM 2 comments

Saturday, July 07, 2007

There Are Multiple References to Scotland in this Post.

OK, so been pretty busy these days working doubles for Rasputina, who is traipsing 'round Europe with a former Canary employee (we are the Love Connection bakery!), moving and unpacking stuff and trying to fend off a sickness that makes one very tired with a sore throat and post nasal drip like a leaky faucet.

But you didn't want to know about that.

In short:

1. Turkey Boy's Birthday Party was an amazing success. The Bassoonist's turkey cake was amazing and everyone had a smashing good time, especially Turkey Boy.

2. No Morrissey show! Tant pis. Alas, he fell ill in Boston and the show was postponed.

3. Moving/unpacking not fun, but attempting to get it done little by little.

And in other news:

1. The Canary was featured in a regional, albeit glossy magazine this month! Mama likey, even though the moron editors forgot to actually mention where we were located. Oops!

2. You may now call me Landlady, thankyouverymuch. Mr. X and I have rented the house we own to a nice couple whom Mr. X believes "will take good care of the place because they're British". Ostensibly they are the pinky-sticking-out-whilst-eating-cucumber-finger-sandwiches variety and not the Ali G-Glasgow Kiss* variety of Limeys**. And they plan on gardening in the backyard too, which is an added bonus.

3. I recently saw an article about a lovely chocolate shop in Edinburgh*** which makes a Laphroaig truffle, which has inspired me to experiment with a Laphroaig brownie. I am dying to try this truffle. It will have to wait until my next trip to Scotland, but in the meantime, I can play mad scientist with my favorite scotch!

4. SFG and I are going out with Mr. and Mrs. Matchmaker tomorrow to Tinto. Cannot wait! Yermm!

Cheers!

* I never actually witnessed a Glasgow Kiss while in Glasgow. The reference was not meant to pigeonhole, I just kinda get a kick out of the phrase itself.

**See the second half of the previous footnote.

*** Alas! Turns out the copy of Chocolatier I was reading in FYE is old. Waah! I will carry the torch.

posted by Oy Vey at 7:28 PM 0 comments