Appetites and Spaces: July 2011

Saturday, July 30, 2011

My experience at the new Pickle Barrel Restaurant.

I have finally had a chance to visit and eat at the new Pickle Barrel in Newmarket. It has been in the making for some time now due to some sort of delay. I have been driving by it now since the opening with much anticipation to try it out.

From the outside it is very inviting with the perfect curb appeal. Its contemporary look and beautiful gardens in front are most certain to draw in customers. The inside is beautiful and relaxing with earthy colours of grays, browns and beige's. Very spacious, comfortable seating, everything was neat and clean. My waitress Sarah was very cheerful and friendly.

The menu arrived and it was a book. I was excited to see Rose Riseman had a special section in the menu book with her special recipes. I love all of her information on healthier choices so I have been following her on Twitter and TV appearances. After 10 minutes of looking through the book I finally decided what I wanted and it was the Basa fish with light panko breading, vegetables and brown basmati rice, it was perfect for my special diet needs.

So now! the place was inviting, the atmosphere was beautiful, calm and comfortable, I was very excited to eat. Staff was friendly, the menu large but I guess they are trying a new approach and it is well written.

The food arrived and the portion was big but plated very sloppy, the colours were all the same browny beige, with not much mouth watering appeal,then I tasted it. Lets just say I will never order that again, it was salty, heavily breaded(panko breadcrumbs should be light, crispy and flaky)it was fried and not very tasty at all. The brown rice did not taste like basmati and was overcooked, the vegetables were soaked in thick soya type sauce.

I am not one to complain in a restaurant or send food back I will try to eat what I have or not at all, but it does affect if I will return and give it another go. I am just disappointed because I really did want it to be my new go to place and really even though everything else was perfect, lets face it, its all about the food and being a cook and food blogger myself. I think that the way food is made in any restaurant especially a chain should be consistent in quality,taste and plating. I rarely eat at those famous fast food places but I must say no matter which one or where or how long I haven't had it, MacDonalds food is consistent and exactly what you expect every time. That is the product of proper training and high standards of protocol. That is something to learn from.

That's my experience, I love to hear yours.

Rose Arangio

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Creating an office space at home

If you run a home business or require a space to do work that you bring home from your job, then it might be best to have a room that you can convert into an office. Having a proper space will help to keep your work separate from the rest of your house. Different businesses require different amounts of space, however you can make whatever room you have work with the right storage and desk.

-Plan out what you need and draw a rough sketch with measurements then visit some storage stores such as Solutions and Ikea for ideas and products that will help.

-Choose paint colours that will be pleasing for you to work in for an extended amount of time.

-A desk can be a dining table if you don't want to use an office desk, but make sure your chair is comfortable and has back support.

-If you are lucky to have a room with a window or view then take advantage and face your desk so that you can glance outside from time to time, its great for eye strain.

-Use enough and proper ambient and task lighting for your needs.

-If you conduct meetings have extra chairs on hand for your clients to use.

-Add some art, accessories and textures to add personality and interest.

-Use your vertical space, floor to ceiling book shelves hold a multitude of storage. You can use nice boxes and baskets to keep everything neat and tidy.

-Keep a good work habit and don't let your office get cluttered and messy just because its in your home, always practice tidying up when your done for the day.

I work from home and converted my dining room for my office space. Its right at the front of the house by the front door which is great for when I have clients visit. I face a large window so I can look out at the view and also see who is coming. I use my dining table which is big and gives me all the space I require for looking at samples of paint chips, window coverings, fabrics and drawings. I love my office space, it's full of my personality and its a great space for me to work in for many hours and still feel good.