restaurant: diamond jim brady’s bistro
Since one of my resolutions was to write more blogs by injecting a little bit of spice in the routine, I’ve decided that one of the ways I’m going to help that effort is to try and go to a new restaurant whenever I get the chance. There are a large number of restaurants within an hour’s distance from my home, not to mention a good number between where I work and where I live. So, why not try something new and different? Maybe I’ll find a new favorite.
Unfortunately, both attempts so far have landed my husband and I at semi-expensive restaurants with decent enough food, but surrounded by (how can I put this delicately?) “old people”. I’m not talking about dining with people my parent’s age, I’m talking about gray poofy hair as far as the eye can see. Why is it that any restaurant I find that is in an odd location, a “hidden gem” with a good wine list, is unknown to anyone under the age of 60?
Diamond Jim Brady’s Bistro is no exception. I can see why the youngsters don’t come a running. First, its sign (not pictured above) makes it look like a downriver jewelry store with the word “bistro” precariously slapped to the bottom. Second, no one born in this century is even going to understand who Diamond Jim Brady is. And while the location, tucked into the Novi TownCenter strip mall, certainly can’t help it… Bonefish Grill, just a few storefronts away, proves it can be done, and it can be done in swanky style.
Maybe these restaurants (Shiraz being the other one) are doing fine. But the extra friendliness of the owners and staff make me guess otherwise. Someone needs to put some Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares magic into these places. I’m not talking about the terrible American show, but the BBC version, where he actually comes in and uses smart business sense to explain why a restaurant that should be doing better isn’t. Lower your prices, give the waitresses outfits that don’t look like a Denny’s, get a new sign, fix up your storefront, work on your food presentation skills, rearrange your menu to be more “fun”.
All and all, I enjoyed my food and experience at these restaurants, but I can’t say I’ll be dying to ever go back. With so many nearby options to choose from, I would rather take a little bit of fun flash and younger dinner companions over the tried and true cooking approach from a mom and pop shop full of gray hairs. I’m just not willing to admit that my culinary tastes put me in the upscale senior citizen category… not yet.
Next time, I’m thinking of trying Assagi in Ferndale, based on Nick & Carrie’s glowing recommendation. We also are still looking for the perfect spot for Valentine’s Day. Other blog writing techniques I’m going to be implementing are trying to… read a book a month, attempt to bake more often, integrate new web technologies into my daily life, and trying a new cooking challenge once a week (tonight I’m making persimmon bread before the LOST finale… although I might be more inspired to write about the show rather than the bread, I loves me some LOST).
We will now resume our regularly scheduled program…
Lately my life has been on a major pause. As soon as I returned from Europe, it was a mad rush for the holidays, followed by New Years, followed by a week long trip for work that had me bouncing around North America… which all resulted in me getting some form of the flu. The problem with all this is that I had built up a sort of forward momentum. The Europe excursion and then my week with some of the most interesting minds in my company, it had all been very inspiring. But there is nothing as momentum killing as the flu to knock the wind of inspiration out of you.
In an effort to regain enthusiasm, I decided to build my very own “Eight Imperatives for Greatness in 2008″, inspired by Organic’s 8 for ‘08. So when I’m feeling down, uninspired, or directionless, I can look at this list of resolutions and find my way again:
USE IT OR LOSE IT
I resolve to make the most of my surroundings.
Let’s face it with Michigan’s economy the way it is, I’m not going to be moving anytime soon. It’s time to stop dreaming of a bigger and better kitchen with an island and walk-in pantry, and start making it a reality in whatever little ways I can. Build shelves, repaint, out with the old and in with the new.
OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS
I resolve to jump at the chance without thinking too hard about where I’m going to land.
In a few years, kids will enter the picture and change everything. I may never have the chance to be the “career woman” again, and I might like it that way. So now is the time for me to see how far I can get and how quickly. It’s time to open my arms to opportunity, even if it involves a little pain, a little elbow grease, and a little travel. And why not build a long weekend with Lon & Roxy off of a focus group trip? We aren’t accumulating those airline miles for nothing. Let’s throw a little more caution to the wind while we still have the chance.
INVENT PRIORITIES
I resolve to have a more active role in molding my career.
I’m always asking for tasks in my downtime. If I am going to prove that I am a big thinker, I should take a more active role. Sure, there is plenty of stuff that has to get done, but there is also plenty of space in between to lead my own initiatives. Nobody is going to remember whether or not I did a good job writing that 20th interactive brief, but they are going to remember if I did something new or innovative. Inspiration shouldn’t always be on the back-burner.
FEED PASSION
I resolve to go further with the things I love to do.
I am not going to be content to stagnate this year. If it is something I love to do, there is no reason it shouldn’t be treated like any other ambition. I’m probably not going to open a restaurant or a wine store, at least not in the next twenty years. But if I don’t push the bounds of my hobbies and passions, I’m going to forget why I liked doing them so much in the first place. Whether its trying a new spice or working on my presentation skills, I need to find ways to challenge myself and stay excited.
SPICE UP THE ROUTINE
I resolve to integrate new things into my life routine.
I’m always struggling to find things to blog about. Why does it have to be such a task? It should be fun. The problem is that a lot of my life is routine and it takes effort to break from that. I want to build in little challenges… one new restaurant a month or find five new technologies I can’t live without by the end of the year. By making adventure part of the routine, it should make life a little more interesting and thus bloggable.
BUILD A ROAD MAP
I resolve to lay down a feasible plan for my big personal projects for the year.
Often I get overwhelmed by all the stuff I want to do. It seems as though its never going to get done: the kitchen, the Star Performers DVD, the Eurotrip website. Each project requires its own dedication, and without a clear order of priority, I find myself struggling to make steps forward. I need to lay down a roadmap. What could and what should I work on in the next week, next month, next year? Make it more attainable.
TRAIN YOUR BRAIN
I resolve to stay on top of my own intelligence and creativity.
Its easy to have your brain get bogged down with the challenges at work. Often the easiest way to soothe yourself is to come home and numb that big gray mass with entertainment, wine, and sleep. But the brain needs a good work out just like any other part of the body, and I find that I start to feel more alive and more excited the more I learn… the more I realize that my brain has room to hold a lot more than the latest web trends. Time to give some exercise to my full brain, left and right.
MAKE ME FEEL GOOD
I resolve to not feel guilty or obligated.
Ultimately, making myself feel at peace is what all these resolutions are about. I get in the habit of feeling guilty or feeling behind, that I have somehow not done all that I wanted. But, in the end, if it is all about making myself happy then there should be no qualifications around it. Part of making me happy is making other people happy. Part of it is learning how to relax and do nothing. These incentives should be about giving myself direction and goals, not tasks and obligations.
RECENT WINES