More Snow...

So it has been snowing without halt since Tuesday early evening. Totals are now surpassing 20"! Is this October? Unfortunately Eldora ski resort is not yet open and the grooming has not started because of permit issues for North Boulder Park so no xc-skiing in town. Tempted to hike up to Chatuaqua and take in some turns. But I reckon this will have to be done under the auspices of the night...ie it would have to be a rogue ski operation because it's ILLEGAL. Found a very cool job prospect yesterday and it's something that I actually qualify for. No far reaching on this one. So if anyone out there knows the insiders at Slipstream Sports shoot me an email. Brother needs to make some money and get to workin'

CU is back open today but the roads and conditions seem much worse than when they closed campus yesterday at 2pm. It's a snow day for all other schools. Unfortunately for me, it has been a snow day for 2 months now.

watch for updated snow pics later...
chow,
Bearclaw

Snow in October?

A huge snowstorm has hit the motherland...forecasters are saying 18" by tomorrow midday.

Hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park

My German family, Sandra and Marc, and I rolled north to the park yesterday to show some nice Colorado scenery. Weather was much improved from the snow and clouds on Sunday. Still super windy but nice day.

Sanwald's kommen nach Colorado

So my great friends from Germany, Sandra and Marc Sanwald, arrived on Saturday. It has been great to catch up with them and show them the beauty of the Rocky Mountains. Kristi and I had a great time touring the Pearl Street Mall with them and explaining all the excitement that is Halloween. I also was able to share some of Colorado's finest, Illegal Pete's burritos. And their trip would not be complete without some repayment of snow and cold =) Yesterday we had snow, sun, cold, and more snow. It reminded us of my first days in Backnang with all the snow. Today the weather is better and it looks like we are going to head up towards Estes Park and take in some of the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Job prospects are moving along. Hopefully I receive the message I have been waiting for in the next few days.

Chow,
Bearclaw

Home on the Range

Back in the motherland for a week visiting my family. Very nice visit and relaxing. Granola R&D is in full swing. I am coming close to a reputable product. Now I need to secure a line on a commercial kitchen space to take this project to the next level. Keep you posted....

On another food note, I got my Amigo Mexican Restaurant fix. It was pretty much delicious. Unfortunately my dear sister Megan wasn't able to join. I tried to console her but I think I was too late and she was left looking like this

 

I hope she feels better soon. My enchilada suiza was very delicious by the way =)

I'll be rolling back to Boulder on Friday just hours away from my big birthday and all the great surprises Miss Kristi has in store...

Chow,
Matthew

Experienced Barista?

Anyone that knows me, knows that I love coffee...if A then B...no fallacy in that logic.

So how does one become an experienced barista is no one will hire an inexperienced barista? Can't my undying appreciation for that sweet elixir and my sweet skills of learning things quickly suffice for experience?

On a another note, I'm interviewing at Chipotle today...get my burrito making on. Maybe they will sidetrack me right up to corporate. I need an office space Peter moment here...

bearclaw

Winter Hath Cometh and Pause

Decided to start my pause yesterday. The fact that it's raining, cold and possibly snowing later only highlights my genius more in choosing this period to start my end of season no-bike break. Next week I will be in the motherland...Tennessee. Looking forward to the visit very much.

Yesterday I began the official, unofficial process of applying to culinary school. I filled out my fafsa form. When I was an undergraduate and dependent child on my parent's tax return, I received a token gesture from Uncle Sam to help defray educational costs. Since I left California, I have positioned myself to make just above the poverty line which has allowed me to travel, race my bike a lot, become economically crafty, and above all more eligible for educational funding. The program here at the Culinary School of the Rockies is a 6-month intensive culinary arts program with a 1 month farm-to-table externship. The purveyors previously had a externship in France but I guess that ever-depreciating dollar scraped that idea. They describe the program as such,

"Culinary Arts feeds your passion. You develop your own sensibilities and philosophy about food, ingredients, cooking techniques and dining."

My own philosophy...I like the sound of that. It will be the perfect learning environment to develop my philosophy when I write my book. But developing my philosophy has it's costs...no such thing as a free lunch, or free self-developing philosophy. It's to the tune of $28,450. That is a $38/hr program based upon the 6.5hr day and 23 weeks of delicious enlightenment. During my observation day last December some key things I observed that are included: 1)someone is paid to do the dishes(ie those who know me, know that i spend just as much time cooking and making dirty as I do cleaning) 2)they include lunch b/c you basically cook your own lunch or group lunch 3)coffee is always available 4)they pay for the food at the awesome end of program 5)you get a name embroidered jacket and knife set, hello professional! 6) you get to eat a lot of food 7) you get to work, i mean experience the North Fork Valley in Western Colorado on a farm and restaurant 8) they help you find a job the rest of your life(so far FSU hasn't done anything for me) 9) Wine Appreciate development, yes I could use more of that and finally 10) I learn French Technique which will give me even more rumbling of sophisticated words when I talk about food or when I am in the kitchen(this I'm sure all my loved ones will and should appreciate).

So it's pretty much awesome I think. And of course I will probably bring those techniques to Bearclaw Granola and to the belly of Kristi =)

Yesterday I was thinking that I am too qualified and underqualified. How does this happen? Why won't Starbucks hire me? Why won't Safeway hire me? Why won't these private economic research jobs hire me? Am I flight risk? My story of racing my bike in Germany has now been changed to "the past 6 months I took an educational trip to German." I did take official German language classes, I even forked over some Euros myself for them. I guess educating in the classroom is less flight risk than "i educated myself on the ruthless, no gifts, no pity, no nothing street of Germany pouring every bit of energy into the pedals to say, yeah, I finished in the last group." We will see if it works.

Here is to high hopes! =)
Bearclaw

A Reflection of Reality

So it has been just over a month since the dream ended. What have I been up too? Or rather what have I not been up too. Namely, working. I began job searching in late July and today it still remains that...a search. I know things will have to turn around at some point. But it's pretty stressful and boring for me. My de facto office has become the Panera Bread here in Boulder which I set up shop in the morning, soak up the free wifi and amp myself on hazelnut coffee. I think I have a pretty credible background...even one that might be judged as unique. Unfortunately, uniqueness is not bringing home th bacon. Not exactly sure what can make my candidacy say "WOW," so any suggestion should be left as comments.

Since California I've been doing a little riding on the cross bike. Nothing serious, but I sourced out some cool trails in the Boulder Open Space. My hematocrit is slowly normalizing to the altitude. My technical and overall strength is better than last year but my recovery from hard efforts is not as good which I blame on the lower concentration of oxygen here. Or maybe I laid every bit on the line in Mecklenberg and left my German team with only enough strength to board that plane. I never remembering crushing myself so far into the pain cave day in, day out. I continue to believe it was the greatest 4 days of racing in my life.

I've gotten back into the full time cooking thing. Catered a friend's birthday party the other night for 20 people. A French theme was requested so I did my part, and it seems it went over well. Being the über self-critic, there are things I wasn't as pleased with but they are teachable moments. Next time it will be better. I did manage to pull off some awesome crêpes, self-made of course. Granola production is back in 50% production. I've sourced out a Costco membership so that should begin to help lower production costs and in turn provide greater product for you my consumers. Currently contemplating whether I should pull the trigger on culinary school which I was close to doing last year. Nothing better in a scheiß economy than to go to school and take on debt. Atleast it would give me a project to focus on and let me fulfill that dream to learn to cook better. Then you can hire me to cook deliciousness in your home =)


Here are some pics to enjoy as you read...
Kristi, Me, and the Palace of Fine Arts(self-timer portrait by me!)
Me, my Lady, and the view from the hill near my old stomping ground(another timer self-portrait by me!)
A Suspicious Me(a long arm self portrait)
Homemade Huevos Rancheros(one of my culinary artistry pics)
The German Consulate in SF(Kristi took this masterpiece)

chow,
Bearclaw