Forever Dancin' With the GrooGrux King

passion-a strong and barely controllable emotion.

I was recently reading a friend's blog, and on it, she wrote "I don’t find passion in anything the way I used to."

I hope I never feel like this. There are few things in this world that I love, that I feel passionate about. But those things bring me so much joy, sometimes it's hard to describe to other people. To think that some people go through life not having something they love, it's actually quite depressing, quite lonely.

It seems like many people wake up every day, go to work, come home, 'play house' with their spouse, and go to sleep. They live their mundane lives day in and day out, nothing ever changing. I feel like with whatever I do, I need something to look forward to in life. Whether it be anticipating the release of a new album, getting excited when a new piece of Batman info leaks, or waking up early to scrub the baseboards in the walk-in cooler.

I suppose people's passions/preferences can change over time, but I'm pretty content right now. I do what I like, and I like what I do.

Maybe I'm being unrealistic, but I hope my passion for the Dave Matthews Band never fades. 16 shows in 5 summers, with no end in sight. I feel like every time I go to another show, it just re-sparks my interest. I fall in love all over again, and crave it even more. 2011 will be a long year, so I'll see you all in 2012.

"Chef" Of the Week

Last week Patch.com started a Newton, MA chapter and local writer/teacher/foodie Wendy Schapiro was asked to check out the local food scene. After coming in once for a brief breakdown of Chipotle stats/facts, she then decided to come back to interview me. She was asked by her boss to interview a local chef, and although I definitely do NOT consider myself a chef by any means, I was flattered nonetheless. I still havn't figured out why she picked me over any of the other 'chef's in Newton for her debut article, but something tells me the energy brewing at Needham St. has something to do with it.

CIA Graduate Has a Passion For Chipotle
by Wendy Schapiro

With a name like Nick Norton, you'd think that the manager of the Newton Chipotle would have come from the other CIA, but he actually graduated this past May from the Culinary Institute of America.

While his classmates looked for jobs at fine dining restaurants and apprenticed with master vintners and cheese makers, according to Norton there was never any question that he wanted to work for Chipotle.

Norton was on a school trip to California when he first tasted Chipotle's "fast food," a label which Norton says founder Steve Ells wants to improve. Traveling with his CIA teacher and Bravo reality show's Top Chef Season 7 contestant Lynne Gigliotti, Norton had the chance to interview with several food establishments. Chipotle's commitment to "food with integrity" and their comfortable work environment really stood out.

"I fell in love right away," Norton said, speaking about his initial interview at the Framingham store. "Everyone there was having a good time."

Norton also felt that being able to live his ideal of working with fresh food and give customers a way to eat healthy was in perfect sync with Chipotle's corporate commitment to "food with integrity." This concept is going to become even more central to their marketing and menu in the near future, reports Norton.

Norton's interest in the food industry began when he was 16; he was denied a busboy job and instead, hired as a dishwasher. This led to Nick's realization that working in a kitchen and being around food was how he wanted to spend the rest of his professional life.

"I would go behind the line and I was just mesmerized," says Norton. "After a month I started doing sandwiches…I don't want to say it was life-changing, but it was."

A mentoring chef at this first job encouraged Norton to apply to the Culinary Institute of America where he found many more role models. Chef Theodore Roe of the American Bounty restaurant, also a CIA graduate, was tough but fair, says Norton; he told his students what they needed to hear in order to do the best job they could. He now bases his own management style on how he saw Roe deal with his students.

"You can't talk to everyone the same way," says Norton. "Each person gets inspired by something different."

He gives the example of some people responding better to praise and encouragement while others need a bit more of a hard line, disciplinary approach. Either way, Norton gets what he wants from his workers while leaving them feeling good about themselves and their job.

Co-worker and friend Antonia Mariani agrees.

"I have never seen someone so committed to Chipotle as (Norton)," she says with a grin. "His passion comes out in everything he does."

She added that while Norton is the "boss," he is never overbearing and often helps out on the line.

This enthusiastic approach to his job also helps Norton when he's out in the community. He recently worked at the Newton Community Farm and helped children plant cilantro which will be harvested and used in the Newton Chipotle.

Norton also recently served burritos at the Life is Good Festival, and notes Chipotle's annual presence at Boston's Gay Pride Festival.

"I live Chipotle seven days a week," says Norton. "I love coming to work, that's all. I even eat here on my days off, actually."

Look for Norton, Mariani and the rest of the Chipotle crew – as well as some tasty, fresh Mexican fare- at 300 Needham Street in Newton Highlands. To learn more about Chipotle and their food philosophy, visit the restaurant's website.


About this column:
Local resident and foodie Wendy Schapiro chats with Newton chefs about their restaurant, their cooking, their passions and best of all, what makes them hungry.

Pretty cool article. Check out the original link here, (http://newton.patch.com/articles/cia-graduate-has-a-passion-for-chipotle), and a little about the author here, (http://newton.patch.com/users/wendy-schapiro).


Secret of the Week:

Thoughts on Immigration

Excuse me while I ramble for a second.

7 months ago I'm not really to sure I had an opinion on the rights of illegal immigrants in this country, (or any, for that matter). In fact, I know I still have a lot to learn in regards to the matter.

What I do know is, these people work harder then anyone else I know. These people know the value of a dollar, and will pour their heart and soul into a job that is suited for them.

They come from all different parts of the world for a better way of life, to live the 'American Dream'. They pay thousands of dollars to get here, then go through the hassle of creating fake documents just to survive and find a job.

I'm not to sure where I'm going with this blog to be honest. I'm going to commit now to learning more on the subject, and educating myself as much as I can. I wish it were easier for these people to obtain a stable way of life.



Le amamos M**** O****.

The Man Who Saved My Life

At the age of 15 or so I discovered Pink Floyd.

I must have bought Dark Side on CD for my Dad as a gift a few years before. I didn't really pay much attention, but some of the songs are ok. Actually, my first memory goes way back. I remember listening to Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2 when we had JR, so I couldn't have been any older then five.

For whatever reason, my interests/tastes in music started changing when I got to high school. Like a lot of kids now, I went through a very strict Beatles/Floyd/Zeppelin stage. I still LOVE all of these bands, but I feel like that classic rock sound was IT during my teenage years, and nothing else really mattered.

There was something about the Floyd that really stuck out to me. They seemed....different, smart. Their core albums came together as pieces and as a unit. Each song flowing into the next, the music never ceasing. All amazing in their own right, but none of them as influential as The Wall.

From sophomore year through graduation...this was my go-to album. As far as I was concerned, nothing else mattered. Crafted solely at the hands of leader/bassist Roger Waters, telling the story of a washed up rock star looking back at what brought him to his isolation.

I always felt like Waters was talking directly to me. Like he knew exactly what I was going through. I was by no means a loner, but I wasn't exactly the most popular kid in school. I had my few freakish friends....and that was it. With no nerve to tell my beautiful best friend how I really felt, and a starving Mother that I tried to avoid, I always felt so alone. I could lock myself in my room and drift away to The Wall and everything just seemed alright....

I guess as I grew up, and matured a little bit, I lost touch with some of these feelings, though the album still remains a big part of my life. When I heard that Waters would be doing a tour recreating the album and bringing it back to life, my jaw dropped and I knew I couldn't miss it.

Last night nostalgia (x100) really set in as I sat through the performance in Boston with my Dad. It was so emotional on so many levels, it's hard for me to put into words. The excitement of actually being able to see this come life really floored me. I never thought in a million years I'd see the day.

But at the same time, sadness. Hearing the music and seeing those images brought me back to dark room on Lunns Way and being by myself. Images of her sitting in Mullet's passenger seat pulling out of the PSHS parking lot. Images and nightmares of finding Mom passed out in her room. Threatening to call 911 or finally toss that damn bottle of wine against the concrete floor. It also reminded me that these memories don't really go away, and they crafted the person I am today.

After last night, it donned on me. Roger Water's was the savior of my teenage life, and gave me a reason to wake up every day. I am forever grateful.

Surreal

Steve Ells did a Restaurateur sign off in the Washington DC region last week, and he was on Good Morning America (NYC) today. He is inching ever closer to Boston, and my resume went live this morning after being approved. The planets are aligning, I just hope all of this pays off. Some days I don't think we're ready, but others I have nothing but confidence. Today was one of those days. If he walked in today during lunch service, he would have signed us off, I guarantee it. If we can manage to emulate today's energy 7 days a week, we'll be golden.

In the land of the DMB, I just put my request in for the Nov. 10th show in Boston. (Last DMB show in Boston until 2012), so I have my fingers crossed for that.

After a week full of secrets, I think Frank gets 2 this week.

Checkpoints

"I can't believe that we would lie in our graves, dreaming of things that we might have been..."



The Regional Director made his surprise visit today. He spent most of the day with the crew and interviewed them one by one. It was an emotional day to say the least, but we made the "Now" list. There's a lot of passion and love in that building, and it feels amazing to be a part of it.

The road to Restaurateur continues...

Fast Food Nation

Let me start off by saying,

I LOVE MY JOB!

Perhaps I'm still high off of the trip that was Las Vegas, but I had an absolute blast. The city itself was pretty insane, and the conference was extremely inspirational. Being in a room with 2,000 other people that feel just as passionate about this as I do was awesome.



(As some of you know), I could go on and on about my love for this company. I'm finally starting to realize what it is I love, and it's more then just burritos. Steve has created a culture of people that is unique to Chipotle, and something that is unmatched by any other.

As much as I love this company, for awhile now I've felt like I took the 'easy route'. I graduated from some prestigious school, and decided to throw all my money into fast food. The term fast food usually makes my nose turn away, and I've actually felt embarrassed telling people I work in a fast food industry. I wanted to believe Chipotle wasn't fast food, because I always thought we were 'better' then the rest. This past weekend I realized, we may be 'better' then the rest, but that doesn't mean it's not fast food.

But...just because it's fast, doesn't make it bad. Like Steve has said, just because it was served quickly, doesn't mean a lot of time effort wasn't put into producing the item.

Over the next 20 years or so, I strongly believe Steve Ells and Chipotle are going to change the way the world thinks about fast food. We are currently buying more naturally raised meats then any other restaurant company in the world, while also buying more local produce then any other company in the world. As people become more aware of the food that goes into their body, they are going to have to start making more educated decisions. If the integrity of the food and the people are kept to high standards, great thing are going to happen, and I'll be proud to say I was a part of it.

The Journey to R+ continues

Secret of the week:

The Big O

I showed up to Needham St. on day 1 of hiring on April 5th. Outside waiting for me was a man named O. I reached my hand out to him, we shook, and I introduced myself as Nick the Apprentice. It wasn't long after that I found out he was a service manager from Manhattan. He had been with the company for 2 years, and had worked his way up in a very busy restaurant. For days O and I joked around about opening up a restaurant without a GM. I assumed that one would eventually show up, but with every passing day, I became less and less optimistic. Towards the end of the 2 week hiring period, he joked that they would put me in charge.

We both laughed it off, not really thinking anything of it. Me? I had never even run a shift before. My six weeks of training was rolling burritos and cutting green peppers for hours at a time.

We already know how the story goes..but they eventually bumped me to GM the night before we opened.

I was terrified going into this, but O was there to calm my nerves. Like me, he was there day in and day out. Already a Chipotle "vetern", he knew anything there was to know about the company. Although I'm his "boss", it's felt like more of a partnership then anything since the beginning. Anything/everything I've ever learned about Chipotle, or how one should be run, has come from inside his head. He's taught me to become a better leader, and has trained my eye for detail.

At the end of May he was eventually promoted to Apprentice, officially making him my right hand man. Like me, he is also there 55-60 hours a week. It's been a tag-team since the beginning, and I couldn't begin to thank him enough. He's the only person that I've talked to almost every single day since the very beginning. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that communication is very important. Even on our days off, we are calling/texting, filling each other in on people's success's and failures. We are both in the loop on what needs to be done, and the goals that have been accomplished for the day. We agree on almost everything, and our employees know what to expect from the both of us.

Thanks O.

Secret of the Week:

I don't know what to do, about this dream and you. I wish this dream comes true"~ [Digital Love]

1,000 Views Later

I don't know why I blog, but I'm starting to enjoy it. I know I don't update too often, but it helps me organize my thoughts, and figure out where I'm at. I don't really care if people do (or don't) read it, as I guess I realized I'm just writing it for ME.

In any case, some of you continue to come back. I realized tonight we *just* hit 1,000 views.

Thanks,
Nick

I had another dream about a girl from MI, though I could not see her eyes.





Secret of the Week:

The Road To Restaurateur (...and Being On The Brink of Disaster)

In the land of culinary arts, a restaurateur is simply someone who owns and manages a restaurant. (By the way, contrary to popular belief, there is no "n" in the word restaurateur).

Anywhoo....in the land of burritos and tacos, Chipotle has a position called Restaurateur. It's the next promotion after General Manager, and something very few people obtain. There are over 1,000 Chipotle's, and less then 10% of those have a Restaurateur in them. According to the website, Chipotle describes the position as:

As a Restaurateur you have a huge responsibility. You set the standard that all other managers strive for. You identify the strongest crews and train them to deliver the best customer experience. You focus on every aspect of the restaurant experience: food, service, and atmosphere. For you, no detail is too small. This results in a restaurant that is exciting for crews and customers alike that is also financially successful.

A person can only come a Restarautaeur if they have a **PERFECT** restaurant. The restaurant must be immaculate, and the people in it need to know about the 'culture'. There can be no low performers, and everyone must bring their A game 7 days a week. The Restaurateur is responsible for finding and developing new people, and turning them into future managers. As you can see, gaining this prestigious title is more about the team then the actual manager. Although it's the title of a single person, it's a title that the whole restaurant would receive.

After a restaurant becomes "perfect", it must then be recognized by the Area Manager, District Manager, so on, and so forth. Eventually, the restaurant gets put onto the "now" list. Once this happens, Monty and Steve, (co-CEO's of the company) can show up at any time to interview the crew members that work there. If they are impressed with the status of the restaurant, and what the crew members say about each other and the GM, then that GM is then promoted to Restaurateur. Simple, right? = /

I've met a few of these Restarautauers, and I felt pretty inspired. They eat/drink/live Chipotle 24/7, (something I find myself doing more and more). Of the 20 restaurants in/around the Boston area, NO GM currently holds this title. Although....

I don't know why, but I don't always believe in myself. Sometimes I just don't see what's right in front of my face. With that said, someone believes in me, and he happens to be my Team Director. (Mr. Corporate, in charge of ALL of New England and upstate New York. We don't like names here, so we'll use his initials, and call him DL). Part of me thinks this man is crazy, but I can't thank him enough. He's the man that promoted me to GM the day before my restaurant opened, and has supported me immensely ever since.

DL also believes we have the potential to become Boston's next Restaurateur restaurant. He was in about a month ago, and was very impressed with the progress we've made since opening day. We've been talking a lot since then, and he often checks in to see how we're doing. I'm never one to toot my own horn, but I'm almost certain he doesn't give this much "attention" to his other restaurants. He operates over 30, and calls us ALL THE TIME.

Last week our LSM stopped by for a "surprise" visit. She stayed for about an hour, and just watched how we worked and interacted. I found out a few days later she was there spying on us, to give the Boston leadership team an 'update' on our progress. Again, I'm not blogging to toot my own horn, but I caught wind of her email, and she made us out to be all stars. She came again today, doing the same thing. This time, she took a few of my crew members, one by one, and sat them down and talked to them for about 10 minutes each. One by one she picked their brain, asking them what they thought about their job, other crew members, and their opinion on ME.

Needless to say, she again left very very happy. She pulled me aside before she left today, and told me that we "inspire her". She thinks we're doing an amazing job, and is very excited with what she sees. She thinks that the Restaurateur level is within reach for us. She definitely made my day, and made an awesome week even better.

All of these people believe in us, I just wish I believed in us. People always come during the daytime, where my crew is stacked with all stars. Unfortunately, at night, and on the weekends, it's a totally different story. We've been struggling with finding good people since day one, and we're still having trouble. 1/2 of my crew is awesome, and the other 1/2 is horrible. I feel like we're teetering on the edge, and I'm still not sure which way we're going to go. They're bringing us down, and I need to get rid of them. I've been looking for people, walking the streets of Waltham with flyers. In an economy like this, I never thought it would be so hard to replace 6-8 (legal) people.

In the next 6 months, two things are going to happen. We're going to find good people, remove all low performers, and become Boston's only Restaurateur restaurant. Or, these low performers are going to hold us back, and we're going to become "just another Chipotle". I guess in the end, it all rests on MY shoulders.

Let's do it Needham St.

In other news, I've been having dreams. I dream about a girl from Michigan. I believe she's my polar opposite, and perfect match. I wish she was real.

Secret of thew Week:

Dear Diary

Oh wow, long time no blog?

I don't want this blog to feel like some type of homework assignment, but I've definitely been slacking. It's not that I forget, either. I'll think about doing one all day long, but when I finally get settled into bed around 11:30, midnight...I'm just too tired. Or, whatever I thought was important earlier in the day, just didn't seem so important anymore.

So I guess this entry is just a diary or sorts, and what has happened since the last one. (Which, to be honest, isn't much).

Anywhoo..the LOST finale came and went. I was thinking for days about writing some sort of recap, or just a blog talking about the show itself. In the end, I decided just to opt out. It's just way to large to go into, and I figure I'll take the Damon/Lindleoff (sp?) approach....let the show speak for itself. The show was brilliant, the finale was amazing, the end.

As for the Dave Matthews Band, it looks like 2011 will fall silent. After nearly 20 years, the band is taking next summer off. There are a lot of opinions/rumors flying around the internet about what this really means, but I think people are looking too far into it. For one, not many bands tour every single summer. I think as fans, we should feel quite lucky. In the past 5 summers, I've seen 14 shows! I don't know about any other band that has been so accessible recently. I don't think 1 summer off is going to kill us, though it will be sad.
Many people see this as the "beginning of the end", (What if they don't come back??). I'm trying to stay optimistic though. In my gut, I believe they'll return in 2012 better then ever.

I'm officially a resident of Newton, MA! It feels good to be out on my own, something I've wanted to do for awhile. I'm in the perfect spot too, right outside the city. It's only a 2 min. drive from the subway, and 'downtown' West Newton is just behind my house.

There is A LOT of good food around here, though I've only just scraped the surface. The other day I went to Blue Ribbon BBQ (http://blueribbonbbq.com/) for a pulled pork sandwich. It came with mashed potatoes and beans, and was out of this world. A few weeks ago I was walking around Moody St, in Waltham, which is also home to probably 30+ restaurants featuring food from all over the world. So far I've tried Solea (http://www.solearestaurant.com/home/) a tapas bar. It was nothing too special, and a little pricey for the quality of the food. I also went to The Upper Crust (http://www.theuppercrustpizzeria.com/) which is some of the BEST pizza I've ever had. Thin, crispy, fresh, huge, and very affordable. I need to bring some Plymouth people there, as I think it's *almost* as good as Marcs.

As much as I like living up here, it does get a little lonely. I stay pretty busy with work, but on those days where I'm out at 5pm and come back to the house, there's not too much to do. It's nice to relax, perhaps I just need a hobby? I would really like to start reading. During school, I kept on saying how excited I was to graduate and start reading books that I wanted to read. Unfortunately, I haven't really held myself to that. I'd also like to get a road bike. A lot of people ride bikes around here, and it's definitely a great way to stay in shape. It seems like it'd be a nice investment, something I'd have around forever.

Ok, I think I'm done ranting for right now. I might do another one in a few days.

LOOONG overdue, but..PostSecret of the week

On The Corner of Grey St.

I'll never understand some people. How can one be so blind to something right in front of their face?


This song's always been top 5 for me, but is slowly climbing to the number one spot.

Dedicated to AG.

PostSecret of the Week

No hablo ingles!

Apesadumbrado para mecanografiar esto en español, pero mí necesite realmente comenzar a practicar. Pues usted es ya consciente, Tengo hace el director general en el recomenzar que ayudé a abierto. Ha sido una experiencia de aprendizaje loca, y muy agotador. Aunque sea mucho trabajo duro, amo mi trabajo, y amo el ir a trabajar diario. Ahora I' m que trabaja 100 horas a la semana, e I wouldn' t lo tiene cualquier otra manera. Amo la propiedad detrás de ella toda, y amo el saber de ese I' m que diferencia pequeño en la comunidad. He encontrado que toda la gente blanca que trabaja para mí es muy perezosa. Odio estereotipar, pero amo a mis trabajadores del Latino. Mi equipo de la mañana es todo el Latino, y son millas delante de mi equipo de la noche y del fin de semana. Todos hablamos diario español a uno y otro, y diario consigo un poco mejor. Acabo de querer agradecer toda mi familia y amigos por la ayuda hasta ahora. Te amo todos, le faltan, y le verán en el otro lado.

PostSecret de la semana.

Lonely

Not much to say this week, other then we've been doing training the last few days at work. Some people are catching on, but for the most part I'm not too impressed. We'll see, we have a few "mock" services, until the grand opening this Friday. I spend most of my days there, and I'm hardly ever at the hotel.

I've been in Waltham for 7 nights now, and it's definitely taking a toll. I'm getting pretty lonely, something that usually doesn't' happen. Most of the time I value my privacy and personal space, but this is a little too much. I FINALLY found an apartment today, but I won't be able to move in until June 1st. I don't expect the company to pay for the hotel this whole time, I don't want them to think I'm taking advantage of it. I guess I have some brainstorming to do.

I've worked the last 9 days in a row, and I had today off. I didn't do ANYTHING, but it was nice. After today, I'm not sure when my next day off is. To track my time in the restaurant, I've decided to grow (or attempt to grow) a beard. I just shaved a few minutes ago, and I will not shave again until my next day off. Pictures to follow later......

PostSecret of the Week:

Stress (To the Tenth)

T minus 12 days until the grand opening. The last we heard, there is NOT going to be a general manager. That puts me at the helm, something I wasn't really anticipating so soon. Part of me feels flattered that they would even consider me. Heck, I've only been with the company for a mere two months. But at the same time, I'm pretty terrified. I don't feel as though I'm ready yet, something that we actually discussed today. I was pretty excited about coming up as an assistant manager, and learn everything/anything from a new GM. Now that there is no GM to learn from, I feel as though I'm being tossed into the fire. No better way to learn then, right?

Orientation is this Friday, and the training begins this Saturday. After that, my social life will vanish completely for a few months, until we get the place up and running. It was nice knowing all of you. See you on the other side.


SundaySecret of the Week

Questions To Ask Prop...

Three months ago everything was chaotic. Looking for a job, Googling "Questions to ask a prospective employer". Things in life are pretty fast right now. It's only been a short six weeks, but I'm already Googling "Questions to ask a prospective employee". Part of me thinks these guys are out of their mind, but this promotion has got me really excited about the future.

I'm heading to Newton tomorrow to help open up a new restaurant. We have 26 days to make it happen, starting with interviews this week. Hopefully I can move out of the house in the next month or so, something that's always been a dream of mine.

Spending Easter doing exactly what I do best..relaxing. Just picked up "Vinyl", the Magic Hat Spring seasonal. I've never had it, but I was hooked after the first few sips. It's a darker lager with nutty undertones, but still manages to retain some sweet flavors. All and all, a good day. I have a feeling the next month is going to be pretty crazy at work, so I apologize in advance if I disappear.


PostSecret of the Week. Happy Easter Frank

Through The Looking Glass

Sometimes it never occurs to me that there is actually more music out there in the world to discover. I love the stuff I listen to, but I often forget that Dave Matthews isn't the only songwriter that walks the Earth.

So a few weeks ago in work the song "Giving Up The Gun" by Vampire Weekend came on. I wasn't really too intrigued at first, but it became quite catchy after I started hearing it on a daily basis. (For the record, Chipotle really needs to fix their "Muzak" system. I feel like Karma Police is the soundtrack to my workday.) Anyways, I decided to investigate through iTunes, and found out this was actually from their 2nd (and new) CD. I decided going with their self-titled, and couldn't be happier. I know I'm a little late to jump on the Vampire Weekend bandwagon, but they're a pretty fun group. I've listened to the CD countless times all the way through, and it grows on me each time. It's light, kinda poppy, and just fun. It's not like most of the music I listen to, but I can't wait to save some money to shell out for the new album.


Vampire Weekend by Vampire Weekend
Standout Tracks
-Campus
-Walcott
-The Kids Don't Stand a Chance

Wait, more new music? My best friend had asked me to check out Drive By Truckers with him next month, and I happily obliged. I did so without knowing anything about the band, but I knew he wouldn't steer me in the wrong direction. He usually knows rock n' roll when he sees it, and I've been dying to check out the (new-ish) House of Blues on Lansdowne St. Plus, I do believe I owe him one. I've definitely dragged him to a couple shows filled with wannabe hippies where he wanted to shank someone.

Anyway..., as for Drive By Truckers. I had never heard their music, and to be honest, I didn't really even on plan on picking up their stuff until we got to the show. The idea of shelling out money for 'new' music from unknown territory just terrifies me sometimes. Hmmmm....Dave Matthews and Coran Capshaw must have been listening. Ironically enough, an ATO Records free sampler was released this past week. There were select songs from John Butler Trio, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Alberta Cross, and...you guessed it, Drive By Truckers. All the songs were really good, but the sampler definitely pushed me to go out and buy the new Drive By Truckers album, "The Big To-Do". It was quite refreshing, to say the least. It's nice to know there is still a 'classic' rock n' roll sound out there. I don't think I can pinpoint it exactly, but they really remind me a lot of Tom Petty stuff. I can't wait for the show though, should be a sweet time.


The Big To-Do by Drive By Truckers
Standout Tracks
-Daddy Learned To Fly
-This F***g Job
-After The Scene Dies

Secret Sunday of The Week:

Shout-Out to Seanie B.

In the land of L O S T....


Just giving a shout-out to Seanie B of http://www.lostvideorecaps.com/. I'm not sure how this guy gathers all his information, but he is almost always spot on. He finds clues that I wouldn't even think about looking for, and creates (usually true) theories on upcoming events. I've been following his YouTube channel for about a year now, and he never fails to amaze me. I'm excited to see how true some of his predictions will be as the show comes to a close, but something tells me he's on the right track.

I was going to use this post to go into detail about my fascination with the show, but I'm not really feeling up to it right now. I'll be back later, I promise.

PostSecret of the week:

Cath...

I found a "Best of Bonnaroo" compilation earlier this week online. It was free, after sending a letter to a local politician voting for climate change. This song was on it, and I can't get it out of my head. Thanks to those who are still reading, (we are almost at 500 views!)


Also, SundaySecret of the week, kind of fits the theme with the song.

In Ells We Trust.

Today, Steve Ells spoke to the Senate on Capitol Hill in defense of PAMTA, (Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act). The following is a transcript of his speech.

Thank you for joining us today, and for giving me the opportunity to speak on this important issue. I’m Steve Ells, and I am the founder, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle Mexican Grill, a national chain of about 1,000 restaurants that is changing the way people think about and eat fast food.

We are doing this in a lot of ways, but none more important to me than our quest to serve the best tasting food we can, made from ingredients from more sustainable sources. We call this commitment “Food with Integrity.”

Through this pursuit, we are serving more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant company. All of this meat comes from animals that are raised in a humane way, and never given antibiotics or added hormones.

We have chosen this path because we believe food made with these premium quality ingredients, from more sustainable sources tastes better. But there are other benefits as well. We believe that food raised this way is better for the environment, better for the welfare of the animals, and better for the farmers who raise the animals and grow the produce.

While it costs more to serve food made from these better ingredients, we made the decision early on that we would fight hard to find efficiencies in other areas of our business, so we could afford to buy food made from sustainable sources, without charging premium prices to our customers. It’s an important part of our company’s vision not only to serve food made from these better ingredients, but also to make it affordable so it is accessible to everybody.

I won’t tell you it was easy, but we’re showing that it can be done. Our food costs are among the highest in the restaurant industry, yet our prices are about the same, or lower than our competitors, and our business has been successful. Our entire company, including over 20,000 employees, as well as our suppliers, are proud to serve food raised with without exploiting animals or the environment. We are committed to doing even more in the future, always looking for opportunities to get better.

We began our quest for better ingredients more than a decade ago, when there was little attention paid to issues associated with food and how it is raised. At that time, I was working on improving some of our recipes.

Through that process, I spent a lot of time learning about how pigs are raised, and how that can influence the taste of the meat. I read an article in a newsletter called The Art of Eating about the farms of Niman Ranch, a small group of hog farmers in Iowa that was raising pigs in a more traditional way – on open pasture or in deeply bedded barns, and without the use of antibiotics or added hormones.

I loved the Niman Ranch story and ordered samples of their pork. It was amazing. The flavor, the texture, the eating qualities; it was excellent. I visited these farms to see for myself how the hogs were raised. A sign at one of the farms said “Pork Utopia” and it was. The pigs were living as nature intended – they were able to root and roam and socialize. It was a way of farming that was easy to appreciate, right from the beginning.

I also visited the confinement farms that raise the vast majority of pigs in this country and I was horrified by what I saw. These confined animals have no access to the outdoors, and sometimes spend their lives in cages so small they couldn’t turn around. There was an odor that was sickening, making it hard to breath. The waste from the hogs was collected in huge lagoons, where it has potentially negative impacts on the environment and the surrounding communities. It was horrific. And these farms account for 95% or more of the pork that Americans eat.

Seeing this, I knew right away that I did not want my success, or Chipotle’s success to be tied to this kind of exploitation. So I began pursuing a different path.

I started serving naturally raised pork from Niman Ranch in all of our restaurants – about 60 at the time. My decision was not rooted in science, or studies on the use of antibiotics in hogs, or in environmental assessments on the impact of large-scale industrial farming. It was based on a philosophical belief that animals should not be forced to live in horrific conditions.

After making that decision to serve naturally raised pork in all of our restaurants, we started to serve a lot more pork. People loved it. It was then that I had an epiphany that fresh was not enough anymore. Chipotle had always used fresh ingredients to make our food. But if you want to serve the best tasting food you can, it’s important to understand how animals are raised and how vegetables are grown, as these variables impact on the taste of the food.

Since that time, we have been on a journey to find more sustainable sources for all of the ingredients we use in our restaurants. And we have made considerable progress.

Today, we serve more naturally raised meat than any other restaurant company – more than 70 million pounds this year alone – including 100% of our pork, 100% of our chicken, and more than 60% of our beef. We are also the only national restaurant company with significant commitments to local and organic produce, and we were the first in our category to serve dairy (for us, that’s cheese and sour cream) made with milk from cows that are not treated with the synthetic hormone rBGH.

We have built our business around our commitment to Food with Integrity, which has led to a successful business without exploitation. In fact, the Wall Street Journal said that Chipotle “has arguably become the most successful fast-food chain in recent years by rejecting almost every major technique on which the industry was built.”

Of the things we have rejected, I am most proud of our decision to reject meat from animals that are raised in conditions that necessitate the use of antibiotics.

There is more work to be done and challenges certainly remain. While Chipotle is doing our part, others resist, claiming that it is too difficult or too costly to change their practices. I hope that Chipotle will serve as example to others of how this can be done.

Passage of the Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act will expedite this transition to a better meat supply and, hopefully, serve as a catalyst for others to review all of their food supply practices just as we have chosen to do on our own. Perhaps then, other companies will find what we have found: That you can work to make a better food chain, and still run a successful business.

Thank you for your interest in this important cause. And thank you for allowing me to speak here today.

I've never been this proud to work for a company before, and let me tell you, it feels really good.

JTR

Untangling the history.

It took me a little bit to put all of these pieces together, but I finally figured it out. "JTR" has become a recent favorite of mine by the Dave Matthews Band, although I never really knew where the title came come. It didn't seem to fit anywhere in the song, so I started doing some research.

To make a long story short, "John The Revelator" is a traditional gospel folk song that was recorded back in the 1930's by Blind Willie Johnson.


Then, in 1999 Dave Matthews was collaborating with Carlos Santana for his then-unreleased Supernatural album. They created a song titled "John The Revelator" that was different from the original folk song. With that said, they borrowed the chorus, and the song evolved from there. Although the song was actually never released on Santana's album, it was added on later with the "Legacy Edition" that was released two weeks ago. The song was called "John the Revelator" during it's creation process, it was released two weeks ago as "Rain Down on Me". (Copyright laws maybe? I'm not too sure)


Ok, so anyways......
After the song was originally scrapped from Santana's project, the Dave Matthews Band re-worked it for their scrapped album, which many fans refer to as The Lillywhite Sessions. In the studio, some of the lyrics were changed and dropped, including the lyric about John The Revelator. When this happened, the song's title was changed once again, this time to "JTR", where it stands today.


Although the song was never released on an album, the song started appearing fairly regularly at DMB shows starting in the summer of 2000. At the end of 2001, it disappear completely until it re-emerged in 2006. It got pretty steady play that year, but sadly has been missing ever since. It was last played on 9.3.06, and I (we?) are still waiting for it's return.

Here's to JTR in 2010.

Oo, by the way. Yesterday was SecretSunday. PostSecret of the week...

(502) Days of A.G.

There's one thing I noticed after falling in love. All of those really corny love songs on the radio FINALLY made sense! Instead of being slightly envious towards these tracks, they actually made me smile. "Wonderwall", "Crash Into Me" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand" finally had substance, and memories that matched the lyrics. I've noticed lately how the music I listen to often reflects how I'm feeling at the time. Sometimes it's nice to know that the person writing the song feels the same way you do, or did at some point in their life.

With that said............here is my playlist for the week. Simply titled,

(502) Days of A.G.

1. Aresenic & Clover -State Radio
2. Betterman -Pearl Jam
3. I'll Follow The Sun -The Beatles
4. Brian Wilson -Barenaked Ladies
5. No Excuses -Alice In Chains
6. Belated Promise Ring -Iron & Wine
7. Schism -Tool
8. Hey You -Pink Floyd
9. Still Water -Daniel Lanois
10. Halloween -Dave Matthews Band

"His First Week"

Wow, what a crazy week.

Just finished up helping to open a new restaurant this week at my new job. It was a lot of fun, and I learned a lot, but it was definitely a lot of work. Now that that is all over, I'm moving to different, more distinguished location. I'm really looking forward to it, as they'll have me training on all the different stations. From there, I'll eventually take on an apprenticeship to the GM position. The company and I are both really excited as we move forward, and I'm looking forward to see what the future brings.

I got to see my best friend for the first time today since I've been back, which was an awesome way to spend my day off. He brought over a short story he wrote for school which was partially based on myself, and he let me read it. I was touched, to say the least. It hit pretty close to home, (duh), but it was very well written. I guess you can say I felt honored that he would even think of doing such a thing.

I'm sitting here with a box of things I must return to her, which I'm really dreading. For me, bringing back these things is like quitting, and that means it really is over. Oh well, hopefully we can get this over with in the next few days.

Just don't forget that I still love you.

PostSecret of the week.

Food With Integrity

1. No growth hormones added
2. No antibiotics given
3. Vegetarian diet
4. Naturally raised (No CAFO's)

^These are all applicable to the meat products at Chipotle Mexican Grill, my new job. Not only do these rules apply, but they also use a lot of organic produce, and they buy local products when they're in season.

I started the job a few days ago, after a little bit of last minute decisions and mis-communication. I was supposed to start in about a week, but everything just happened to quickly. I was on payroll less then 24 hours after my graduation. It's been a very hectic week, but it's been very rewarding. I love it there, and I'm very happy with my decision. Everything seems so simple/straightforward, but not necessarily easy. It's been a challenge, but I can't wait to see where the next few years take me.


As for the PostSecret of the week:

Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

#41

Just sharing one of my absolute favorites. Amazing lyrics, amazing jam.



"I wanted to stay, I wanted to play, I wanted to love you. I'm only this far, and only tomorrow leads the way," ~Dave Matthews



Graduation tomorrow, congratulations everyone.

Words From The Wise

About two weeks ago, a dear friend at school had her heart broken. It was sad to watch, and you could tell the news came as a surprise. She may be one of the most intelligent people I know, and has a good head on her shoulders. A few days ago, she posted this list somewhere online. It hurt to read it, as it reminded me of my current situation.

The following is transcribed with her permission:

1. If they can't commit, it means they don't want to commit to you.

2. In order for them to be worth it to you, you should be worth it to them.

3. If they would rather be with someone who is not as ambitious, smart or goal-oriented as you, let them. They don't value you. And you deserve to be valued.

4. If they believe that they don't deserve you, then they probably don't.

5. Your optimism can be your downfall. Sometimes it's important to be realistic. Not everyone can live up to their own potential. And nothing you do will ensure that they do. They have to do it on your own.

6. If they are not calling you, they don't care.

7. Being lonely is not the same thing as wanting them back. Don't confuse the two.

8. You must value yourself. You must know your own worth.

9. If they don't see your value then they are a fool. If they see your value and don't want you, then they are a damned fool. And if they see your value, want you, but don't want to put in any of the effort to be with you, then they are so much worse than a fool, they are stupid.

10. Life is a process. You just have to let go and let God.


I love you Allyson Lea

Life Gets In The Way

I'm trying my best to keep with the blog, but it seems like life often gets in the way. The past week has been nothing but crazy. It was the last week of my college career, and was supposed to be a happy time. Unfortunately, she broke up with me in the middle of all this craziness, making life a little more hectic.

I have considered dedicating a blog post to her, telling her my true feelings. After many drafts, I finally deleted it. If its space she wants, I guess its space she'll get. Anyway, it's really fucked with my head. We had been counting down until the day I get to come home. We started counting down 16 months ago, and she decided to end it all 7 days before my arrival. It's left me feeling pretty empty and uninspired, and I'm not to sure what I really want to write about. I really want to start dissecting the final season of L O S T, but I can't get her out of my head.

Something tells me this is going to take some time.

PostSecret of the week:

Bad Apple

I'm sure everyone as seen it by now. Last Wednesday Apple released their much rumored 'tablet' out in CA. The new device, simply named iPad was supposed to be revolutionary. There have been many rumors flying around the past few months, and it seems like people were genuinely excited. Unfortunately, it appears as though Apple as failed to deliver.

Initially, I got really excited by the new device. It looked really cool, and sure, you can do some pretty cool things with it. But....is any of this really new? Between my MacBook and iPod Touch, I am connected all the time. (Probably too often actually). My iPod is the internet/email/4,000+ songs/movies/tv shows in my pocket, and my laptop is small enough to carry anywhere. I don't understand Apple's push for this new middle device. I'm a strong believer that they make quality products that are superior/more reliable to their competitors, but I'm not sure where they are going with this.



If we have learned anything from Apple over the past 10 years or so, it's that they still have something up their sleeves. My guess is that when they release a newer version in 1-2 years, it will bring something new to consumers. But until then, I'm going to have to sit this one out.

Also as promised, my selection for PostSecret of the week.

[Post] Secrets

I've only told a few people this, but I am a huge fan of PostSecret. I can sit at Barnes & Noble, find a lonely corner, and look through an entire book. I'm still not entirely sure why I'm drawn to it, but I'm glad people keep contributing to the project. It's to the point now where I look forward to waking up on Sundays with my cup of coffee to go through the Sunday Secrets.

Part of me feels many different emotions when I'm reading. Some funny, some depressing, others uplifting and joyful. I think part of me just likes the idea of knowing other people's secrets. These people are putting their deepest thoughts down and sending them in for everyone to see. Some are easy to relate to, but many are just baffling. I have a lot of favorites, so I'm going to start selecting one every week to post on my blog.

I guess we all have skeletons in our closet so share someday.

An Obsession With a Man Named Dave

It wasn't always like this, I swear.

Here's the rundown. The history of my love affair with a man named Dave goes something like this.

My first exposure was back in 8th grade. I remember always being interested in VH1, and watching the Top 20 countdowns on Saturday mornings. For a period of a few weeks, the video for "I Did It" from the Dave Matthews Band came on quite often. I didn't know much of anything about this band, but I did know I hated this song. It was shit...who in their right mind would like this song? If my memory serves me correctly, the next video I saw was for "The Space Between". Again, same thing. It was very poppy, very lame, and was something I wanted nothing to do with.

Throughout high school I don't remember hearing much of anything else. I just remember all the 'jocks' going to the shows during the summer. Going to a "Dave" show while drunk was the cool thing to do I guess? = /

One day towards the end of my senior year I got into the car with my best friend and he broke the news to me. He had been listening to a song in some store and he said it "wasn't that bad". He said the beginning was awesome, but as soon as that infamous voice chimed in, he felt let down. At that moment something clicked in my head. Could this be true? Did I just hear 'bad' songs on the radio? Sure, he didn't like the voice, but is their music actually good?

During this same time, I was working at a local restaurant in town. For a short time we had some crazy cook that was addicted to two things, cocaine and the Dave Matthews Band. At the time, his obsession almost seemed comical to me. He showed up to work daily with a CD book full of live "crap". I didn't really understand it, and I started asking him a ton of questions. How could one be so devoted to this band? Why so many live CD's? Where they all really that different? He tried to convince me that the live experience was a pretty unique. The band was always changing things up, making them new and fresh. He tried to tell me there were legions of fans around the country just like him. Although I didn't really pay too much attention to the music he was playing in the kitchen, he did convince me go check out a live CD.

I'm still not sure why I did it, but I took his advice. After he told me that the "radio singles" didn't paint a very fair representation of the band, I bought "The Central Par Concert" at Wal Mart for $15. In retrospect, it may have been some of the best $15 I've ever spent. The first song came on and I thought "Oh cool, I can dig this". The 2nd song came on, and I started feeling it a little more. As soon as the 2nd song (So Much To Say) transitioned directly into the 3rd song (Too Much), my eyes lit up. I'm sure it looked pretty funny to the other people driving down Cranberry Highway, but I started ?dancing? in my car. The music was so fun, so tight...so GOOD. This was NOT the Dave Matthews Band that I heard five years earlier. The coke-head was right...this band wasn't bad at all.

I listened to that 3 disc live show for weeks, until I decided I needed more. After a month's time, I had collected 3 of these shows. I loved them all, and I slowly started to 'see the light'. I convinced my best friend to get tickets to the Fenway Park show so we could experience this band in its true live setting.

I get a feeling at these shows that's almost hard to explain. Every time I see them, I feel like it's the first time all over again. I get so excited, and sometimes it's hard not to smile.



So....

12 shows,
170 CD's,
7 nights in a tent,
2,735 message board posts,
and thousands of dollars later....

here I am. I really see no end in sight to be honest. I am having a ton of fun, and I figure there could be much worse things to be addicted to. I really do love everything about this band. A little mix of rock, funk, folk, and jazz. They are so unique, and there is nothing else out there like them. I feel like every member is so talented at what they do. I'm no musical expert, but Cater Beauford is definitely one of the best drummers I've ever seen. Dave himself is quite a character, even if its hard to take him seriously. So many songs referring back to the 'carpe diem' theme, and the questioning of a higher being. They all just seem so honest, even if you do have to go digging for the true meaning sometime. I fear the day all of this comes crashing to a halt, but until then, I'll just ride it for as long as I can.

In case you were wondering, I still can't really get into "I Did It". I'm in love with 95% of the catalogue, but there are still a few sore thumbs that stick out. I guess nobody's perfect, right?

First Things First

Ok, here we go.

I'm still really not sure why I'm doing this. I guess it kind of came as a suggestion from a friend, and I decided to roll with it. I've always wanted to do a blog, but I guess sometimes I'm afraid of what people have to say. I've decided I need to stop caring, and just go for it. Life's to short to dwell on the little things I suppose. I graduate in about 1 month, so I guess this is kind of a 'turning point' in my life. Sounds like a good time to start writing down my thoughts...right?

I'm probably going to use the blog to talk about the things I enjoy most in life,(music stuff, food stuff, and other mixed rants). I love taking pictures, although I rarely do it. I'm particularly fond of live music action shots, so I'm going to try to incorporate some of that in here as well.


Disco Biscuits
Live at Rothbury, 7.3.08