Vive la fromage!

Still pleasantly reeling a bit apres my most recent cheese and wine pairing with Poco Wine Room. What a blast! Despite the fact that we inadvertently scheduled this event the same day as the Superbowl (neither of us had any idea over a month ago when we chose the date), we had a wonderful turnout of fellow cheese and wine lovers who all helped make the evening an exceptional one.

I've often sung the praises of Peter's taste in wine, which is in my opinion, practically failsafe. I often tell people they can go into Poco, close their eyes, point at the wine list, and be very pleased with whatever they get. However he also seriously appreciates good cheese just as much as I do, so the two of us together are finding a harmonious stride that I see growing and prospering well into the future. I think we have just as much fun hosting these events as our gracious guests do attending them!

In the meantime, I've a few small bits to come in the very near future that I'm back-flippingly excited about. One is a mention in the spring issue of Culture Magazine. Although this quarterly publication has only just celebrated their first year, the folks at Culture are doing a fantabulous job of covering cheesey news within and outside the U.S. I feel very honored to have been approached by one of their contributing editors who recently relocated to Seattle, who is incidentally an all-around awesome gal who I see becoming a great cheese pal. The spring issue of Culture should drop in May, and it will be available in the shop. Although, if you really want to go for the gusto, get yourself a subscription and become a part of the Centerfold Club. For just a few dollars more than the regular subscription rate you will receive a hunk of each issue's featured cheese, mmmmmmm.

Progress on the space is slow but sure, and honestly not much to write about at this point. However, while I'm still lapping up the last weeks of precious free time here and there, I've been responding to emails from aspiring cheesemongers across the country. I must say that 2 years ago when my cheese baby was just taking form as nothing more than an idea rattling around in my head, I was surprised and amazed at how incredibly open and helpful other cheesemongers were as I contacted them to pick their brains about the whole process. I usually play by the rule of "hope for the best, expect the worst", yet as one after another professional in the biz helped me form a solid idea of the realistic expectations I could take into this venture, my inner cynic gracefully stepped aside.

I am always flattered beyond belief when I get an email from someone out there who has read the blog and found it inspiring and helpful. Little old me? Really?
Considering the enormous amount of support and guidance I've received, I find it completely fitting to pay it forward as much as I can to those who are where I was just a few years ago. To boot, it is also inspiring to me to know that there are so many fellow cheese lovers out there living in places where their lactic needs are simply not being met, I see it as great evidence of the "Cheese Renaissance" the U.S. is said to be going through. So far I've chatted with people from just about everywhere, from the Texas panhandle to the Jersey shore, and as my novice status helps them find their way, I feel even that much more connected to the big picture, or wedge as it may be, of cheese appreciation.

Queso por vida!

La Campagne: a celebration of French cheese and wine

Now that holiday madness is behind us, we're ready to rock your tastebuds with another fabulous cheese and wine pairing at Poco Wine Room!

Sunday, February 7th at 5:00 p.m.
Click here for more info and reservations.

Start practicing your accents an francias now fellow cheese lovers, this event is not one to be missed!

Departments of Health, Development and Planning, oh my!

My lord the past few weeks have flown by. I've been very busy setting up accounts with distributors, getting in touch with many of the local cheesemakers I'll be purchasing from individually, making plans for opening parties and other events, and of course, logging many hours at the DPD.

I must say they are incredibly friendly and helpful, and being so ignorant to this whole process of simply acquiring a T.I. permit I've been at their mercy. Of course, it was bound to bite me in the ass sooner or later, and today I'm nursing a nice big wound to my proverbial glutes. Months ago, in an effort to make some sense out of the process so that when the time came I would have at least some idea of how to proceed, I contacted many people at the DPD and the Department of Health. One major issue was whether or not I would need a review by the Health Board in order for my permits to be approved. I was told by a handful of various people in both offices that I would not, since I wasn't preparing food, just cutting and wrapping it for sale. This was an enormous weight off my shoulders, as recent cutbacks in the city have greatly reduced the number of staff appointed to review plans, and now anyone submitting plans for review by the Health Dept. is having to wait 6-8 weeks for turnaround. As you have probably already guessed, today I got the news from the top that I do, in fact, need to submit my plans for this frustrating review, which could potentially push back everything drastically. Thank you Seattle, as a city that is going broke, for making the opportunity to generate local revenue even more difficult than it already is!

In an effort to keep my mind off of this as much as possible and not descend into a complete nervous breakdown, I'm keeping on keeping on. Plans are solidified for another cheese and wine pairing at Poco Wine Room, details to follow very shortly. I'm also filling every nook and cranny in the house with supplies from several runs to various outlet shops and the like. Ultimately I know I'll be thanking myself for taking the time to run these tedious errands when I'm going at breakneck speed in a few months to open shop, but it is still a little disconcerting to shimmy over and around boxes of cheese cutters and cheese paper and cheese signs. At least the cats are enjoying it.

Little Earthquakes

The past few weeks have been INSANE, and I'm just on the cusp of what I consider the two months that all my friends and colleagues will hate me for two months while I lose my mind getting things ready to open the shop.

The frustrating part of where I'm at right now involves a lot of hurry-up-and-wait behavior as I give what information I have to the powers that be and then wait on a steady diet of fingernails until I hear back from them. In reality, it's only a matter of hours, an afternoon or so that I have to spend waiting to hear back from anyone, and for this I am eternally grateful. But at the same time, this time I have that is out of my control is insanely unnerving, and provides way too much time for me to ruminate on the great risk I'm taking with this venture. Naturally the demons creep in and I wonder what on earth am I doing? Is there any way I can really make this work? Somehow I kept these doubts at bay for the year or so building up to this point, and now they are riding passenger seat to me through this part of the wild ride.

Despite my current ridiculous inner turmoil, things are moving forward and every day that passes unveils a tad more excitement for the whole thing. Right now I'm setting up accounts with distributors, making opening inventory lists, shopping around for equipment, generally keeping myself busy. In the meantime, I'm also entertaining more than a few requests for informal interviews from various press forums - I'm starting to feel like a cheeselebrity! I can only hope and assume that the level of excitement I'm getting from local press peeps is indicative of the growing enthusiasm that seems to be spreading in my neighborhood. Vive la fromage!

Slowly but surely

Not a whole lot to report as 2009 comes to a close, but I feel an update is in order nevertheless. First off, I've gotten many an email asking about an opening date. This is pretty difficult to pin down at the moment, as anyone starting a new business will know, but I'm shooting for mid-late Februrary or possibly the beginning of March. I'm doing everything in my power to make it happen as quickly as possible, but with so much of the work out of my mongering hands, there is a lot of thumb-sitting to be done. Ouch!

The past two weeks have been full of meeting with my architect, the building's architect, fretting, incessantly wiping sweaty palms, more meetings, you get the idea. This week I've been torpedoed back into junior high as I stare at the phone waiting for that special call from a certain boy, except that instead of the geeky loner who's more interested in comic books than girls, it's my autocad drafter I'm pining for.

Soon enough I'll have final plans in hand and will be ready to make possibly the most important walk of my life down to the DPD for a simple bit of ink blottered onto dried pulp that is the green light I need to make real things happen. From there, I'm sure there will be more similarly exciting yarns to spin, but until then dear cheese loving readers, have yourselves a wonderful holiday season and I'll see you in 2010!

1531 Melrose Ave.

It is official, The Calf & Kid has a home!! Thanks to all of the amazing support of friends, family, my investors, and so many more to helped me make this happen. Special thanks to the awesome folks at The Capitol Hill Blog for their continued support and free press.

As many of you know, this has been a long time coming, 2 years to be exact. I often marvel at my neighboring neighborhood entrepreneurs who seemingly erect new businesses in a matter of minutes. I hope that they also went through some of the agonizing knuckle-biting that I have in this process, because it is no easy feat. My nose is now affixed to the proverbial grindstone now, so updates may be short and sweet, but no doubt chock full of all the glamorous events that budding cheesemongers are known for, like ordering business checks and signing up for state certified food handling courses. Ah, I can taste my celebrity cheese status already...

Home, sweet home!

I've been neglecting this blog, I admit, out of nothing but pure fear. Yes, dear readers, I was, for a while, absolutely terrified of securing the amazing space I've been coveting at the new Melrose Project. I have been similarly scared when attempting to secure the other half dozen spaces I've blogged about - but isn't that half the fun?
Let's just say, The Calf & Kid is about to have a new home!

While papers are being printed and signatures awaiting fresh ink, this space is mine, and I cannot even begin to express how insanely happy I am to be a part of this new space.

Anyone who's been reading (and if you haven't, then slog through the last few posts), knows the awesome location of the shop, and I don't need to repeat my love of my new neighbors-to-be, Sitka and Spruce, Terra Plata, Sonic Boom, not to mention a local butcher, florist, and more.

I am beyond plussed at this moment, knowing I will share this coveted marketplace with so many amazing Seattle small business owners. For now I am off for one last weekend away before commencing the nose-to-the-grindstone that will be opening.
In the meantime keep your eyes peeled for Calf & Kid opening festivities!