Shake That Shack

Last night on Facebook one of my friends commented on the happiness she was receiving while eating her Shake Shack burger and it reminded me that I'd heard from another friend that they were thinking of franchising the Shake Shack. My first thought when I heard was "Wahoo!" but after a moment of careful consideration I began wondering if it would work. Can you duplicate the Shake Shack? Can you transport it to any random U.S. city and have it be the same? I'm thinking no and this is why...

The Shake Shack is about so much more than just the burger, fries and custard. Don't get me wrong: the food is the best burger I've ever put in my mouth and puts that Western phenomenon that has recently made the folks in Utah go Lady GaGa to shame. I'm literally drooling at 8:35 in the morning just thinking about it. The Shake Shack is about the food but it is also and maybe even more importantly about the experience. You would have to re-create a world in which time is money and where fabulous food is certainly in no short supply and where any random New Yorker from all walks of life will go WAY out of their way for the experience. Take me for instance: I would have to take two trains, stand in line for 45 minutes to an hour to ORDER the food and then another 15 minutes to WAIT for the food and then sit in either boiling humid or freezing cold weather to eat the food--there's two months of the year where the weather is perfect and/or not raining cats and dogs. And not only eat it but love every single second and not for even a moment think that it wasn't worth it. A world in which my friend, let's call her Schmether, who I'm guessing has never waited for anything, stood in line for two hours for our food because I'd been lucky to get to the park early enough to beat up five grannies and a couple of kids for our seats at the US Open. Is this a place that can be re-created? They tried on the UWS and it is nice and convenient and all but that's just because everyone who has been there has had the experience at Madison Square Park and so they're okay with the strollers and the kids and the fact that there is nowhere to sit and eat. Plus, there really is something genius about having a Shake Shack and a Magnolia Bakery within ten blocks of one another. But all of that is a rite of passage--something one must go through so that you can appreciate the pure beauty and incredibleness of the burger. I do not believe that this could work in any random city: maybe in Union Square in San Francisco or Chicago or possibly even LA but certainly not Orem, Utah. I guess I'll just have to save my pennies, put on my good standing shoes and fly my butt to New York.

Mom, What's Crack?

I think I've established that I love to bake and after a year and half of some pretty serious practice I'm pretty good at it. This is especially true of my Kitchen Sink Cookies. Z has lovingly named them "The Crack Cookies" and the word has spread. Now everyone even my family calls them the crack cookies and requests them for every event. Knowing how much everyone (especially Paul) likes my cookies I agreed to make them for Kenzie's blessing luncheon. Here's a replay of a conversation that still makes me giggle out loud and also makes me consider the possibility of re-naming the cookies:

After taking a bite of a cookie:
Adri: Oh, my gosh, Ang! These Crack Cookies are the best you've ever made.
Skyler: Mom, what's crack?

Adri didn't hear him and so the rest of us giggled and Susie jumped in and said:

Susie: Um...that just means...um...that they're...um...REALLY good cookies!

There is NO WAY that She is Your Mother...

Okay, so let me start off by saying that I think it is FREAKING FANTASTIC that my mom is pretty and that she looks young but when a person such as myself who is definitely struggling with age issues (especially since turning 25 this last birthday) has nearly the same conversation TWICE in the same hour one starts to lose their cool. On Saturday while Shauna and I were spending the day together the following occurred:

#1 Girl Manicurist: are you guys friends?
Angie: No, she's my mom.
Girl Manicurist: There is no WAY she is YOUR mother.
Angie: Yup.
Girl Manicurist: Well, then you MUST be the oldest.
Angie: Deep sigh. Yup.

#2 Stupid Girl: You guys look alike.
Angie: Yup.
Stupid Girl: Are you like sisters?
Angie: No, she's my mom.
Stupid Girl: NO NO NO WAY is she YOUR mother!
Angie: Yeah.
Boy Manicurist: You just made that one lady's day and wrecked the other one's day.
Stupid Girl: Well, I didn't mean...that the other one is old but wow, that lady just looks too young to be HER mother!
Angie: shut up shut up shut up shut up...all in my head.

**And, I think my favorite part was when the manicurist slathered Love Spell all over my hands. I freaking hate Love Spell. It makes me sick to my stomach and I spent the next thirty minutes trying not to vomit because I couldn't wash my hands without messing up my polish.

Wear Those Fishnets!

Today I received the cutest, funniest, most perfectest E-mail from Meredith. I miss Meredith and think about her all the time but today that feeling is definitely stronger than usual. She told a typically fantastic Meredith story with the moral being "If the Spirit tells you to wear your fishnet stockings then DO IT" and also basically summarizing a conversation I keep having with various friends. I get grief occasionally because "You're always dressed up..." or "Here comes Angie in her little outfit" which isn't necessarily true. What is true is that because of my work wardrobe I don't really have any real "dress down" clothes. Sure, I have several pair of jeans but those jeans are always worn with a "work blouse" and usually a jacket cause that's what I have. Not only just because that's what I have but also because as Meredith said--if we dress well, we feel better about ourselves and have more confidence, etc. etc. etc. For me it isn't so much about the possibility of "running into Mr. Right" (although anyone is lying if they don't admit that) but really more about the constant "running into Mr. Wrong" and the fact that I DO feel better about myself when I look nice--who doesn't? I don't have a single pair of sweats and can't imagine any situation where I would feel comfortable wearing them in public. I literally don't care what other people wear but yesterday for instance when I started baking cookies and discovered that I was out of brown sugar I did get dressed to go to the store. Not because of some crazy code but just because I feel better that way. I will say that if you are coming over to my house to watch TV and there's no chance of either of us getting any action then I will be wearing my work out clothes or my P.J.'s. It is my house after all!

Mostly, the moral of this story is that if you're comfortable in what you're wearing then GOOD FOR YOU but I'll probably skip the sweats when I leave the house because that's what makes me feel good.

Miss you Meredith and thanks for making me smile and thanks for the reminder about the stockings! I completely and totally agree.

Best of 2009

It is that time of year--as per usual--a lot of this isn't "new" but it's all stuff I've loved throughout 2009. These are in no particular order...

Music:
An Audience with the Pope--Elbow
Hell Bent--Kenna
Time Lapse Lifeline--Maria Taylor
Katherine Kiss Me--Franz
Smile--Lily Allen (although honestly I love the Glee version better...)
Magic's in the Makeup--No Doubt
There's a Light that Never Goes Out/Frankly Mr. Shankly--The Smiths
Beat It/Billie Jean--Michael Jackson
Sun Red Sky Blue/Phantom Always--Kenna
Cinema Italiano--Kate Hudson from Nine
Us--Regina Spektor
Love Sex Magic--Ciara
Should Be Loved--Blue October
Paralyzer--Finger Eleven
There Goes the Fear--Doves
Be Ok--Ingrid Michaelson
True Affection--The Blow
Empire State of Mind--Jay-Z and Alicia Keys
Walking on a Dream--Empire of the Sun

Biggest surprise of late 2009--when I'm super stressed at work (all the time) listening to Belle and Sebastian calms me down when in normal situations they make me want to peel off my skin and puncture my eardrums. Wacky!

TV:
Friday Night Lights--each week it gets better and better. How many times during seasons three and four did I mutter the words, "I wish Tammy was my mom..." She always knows exactly what to say in every single situation.
Mad Men--How is it possible to hate someone more and more each week and yet still be watching the best of television? Tractor ride, anyone?
Big Bang Theory--two words: Sheldon and Penny. Their non-sexual chemistry gets funnier and funnier each week.
NCIS--Love me some McGee. Tony is one big fat cliche of every guy I hate.
Greek--Evan or Cappie?
Glee--singing, dancing, high school angst and fake pregnancies--Genius!
Bones Season 2--makes me want to change my name to Angela Montenegro.
Weeds Season 1, 2---Ahhhh, Agrestic. Reminds me so much of a little community 30 minutes north of me.

Biggest surprise of 2009: Modern Family--I hate the concept of the family sitcom but this one makes me grin just thinking about it. Can't wait to see what happens in 2010. Biggest disappointment of 2009: The Office. I'm pretty much done.

Movies:
Precious
500 Days of Summer
Away We Go
The Hangover
Up in the Air
This is It
Whip It
Bright Star
Up
North & South (BBC Version)

Books:
Shelter Me--Juliette Fay
The Help--Kathryn Stockett
Stargirl--Jerry Spinelli
Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet--Jamie Ford
Weight of Silence--Heather Gudenkauf
Same Kind of Different as Me--Ron Hall
Glass Castle--Jeannette Walls
The Chosen--Chaim Potok
Revolutionary Road--Richard Yates
Plain Truth--Jodi Picoult

As a whole 2009 was not a good year for me but in looking back I can say that I feel good about the last few months and about prospects for a great 2010. The end of 2009 brought about a great deal of reflection about my life and where I want to be and what I want to be doing for my future. Certain books, movies and songs definitely helped in the process. I did read some fantastic books and loved some incredible music all of which makes me want to be a better person. Hell Bent is by far my favorite song by my new favorite band. Just thinking about the You Tube clay mation video of Hell Bent gives me the chills.

Three cheers for a great year in 2010.