Second Annual NY Show is a Hit!

I spent one of my days of vacation at the Annual New York Produce Show.  What a great opportunity
for those in the business to network and experience new ways to promote healthy lifestyles.

Besides the networking, I thought the show was great because those in the industry traded information, discussed different ideologies, and exchanged best in practice tactics to success.  How cool is that?

It is cool because not many industries trade information and are open to sharing some of the keys to
their success.  It is cool because this group of produce professionals are truly focused on providing safe, sustainable foods for the consumer.

The Eastern Produce Council (EPC) was the sponsor of this event and once again did a fabulous job of creating a great venue to showcase this event.

I was impressed with the turnout of people from across the country and was equally impressed by the size of the event..... my feet, however, were not so impressed.

Marianne and I walked the floor of the three exhibition rooms and at every turn we were made aware at how proud we were to be apart of this industry!

We look forward to next year's event and our feet.....well they look forward to flat, comfortable shoe options.

Produce vs Food Network

As a Produce Buyer, I get a lot of questions about the quality of fruits and vegetables, the storage of fruits and vegetables, and how to eat or serve little known specialty items.

The Food Networks have given a boon to the Produce industry and I'd like to personally thank those food celebrities and foodies who make my job just a little bit more rewarding and quite a bit more challenging.  For some, maybe "thank" is the wrong word - - "throttle'  might be more accurate.

Don't get me wrong, I love the profession that I like to say has chosen me.  I set out to be an Accountant but it seems the stars had a different path for me and for the past 12 years I have become Produce Kelly.

Bobby Flay, Ina Gartner and other celebrity Chefs and food personalities like to use some rather rare and, might I say, seasonal produce items in their fancy schmancy plated creations. 

Salads made with Calalloo and Budda Hand are great recipes and great ways to get people into the produce department.  What these fantastically creative preparers of art don't tell you is that those ingredients are only available in limited supplies maybe 3 - 4 months out of the year.

Yea, try telling that to the guy, recipe in hand, that the item needed for his perfect romantic dinner isn't availalble for a few months. 

For the most part, we in the Produce industry really love the increased consumption of fruit and vegetables that these food celebrities have bestowed upon us.  But am I unrealistic to want all recipes, food shows, and menus to have fine print that says something like:

    Limited time availability on all or some of the crazy unique items that were used in the preparation of this item and it is unseemly to yell at your produce provider for the lack thereof

Hey, just a suggestion.

Kelly

Staycations suck!

I'm on vacation this week and it is day four of the staycation and I have so many things to do around the house that I am actually pining for those crazy hazy days at the 'Fern (the affectionate term me and my coworkers have dubbed my company). 

On the agenda today - - rip out the upstairs hall and stairs carpet.  Now, many of you will be impressed that the single woman who works and goes to school is also so handy around the house.  Alas (yea, I said "Alas"), you would be wrong to be impressed.  I am like the male species that starts a project and then doesn't finish it. 

I guess is shouldn't say that men don't finish projects because I am a little bit of a feminist and I believe that we shouldn't put gendered labels on people and women are just as able to do the same things as men and who says that pulling up carpet is a man's job and a woman can't slap a guy on the butt....aw shoot, I've gone off topic.  Tsk, tsk, just like a woman.... :)

Anyway, I was saying that you shouldn't be impressed with the fact that I am ripping up the carpet because it is a project that has been in motion for over 10 months.  First, I pulled the carpet from my bedroom.  Thought it would only take me a few hours and it took over 10 hours (the glee of uncovering hardwood floors wore off about hour 3) and after that room was done it was another three months before I tackled the guestroom.  So now the impressive handyman that is me will get the hall and stairs done and when my friends and family come a-visiting I will boast and brag about how I rock and women rule!

Oh (again slightly off subject), why when people ask where you are going for vacation and you reply that you are staying home do they have that underlying pitying voice when they say "oh that's nice too"?  Too funny.

Here's to Grandma!

Happy Anniversary

Today is the 21st Anniversary of my friend Marianne and her husband.  They are going to have a romantic dinner out at a fancy schmancy restaurant in NYC.  They are going to spend quality time together luxuriating in each other and their shared years of intimacy.  They will share a great meal, great conversation,...okay I cant go on with this charade.  The dinner will be in NYC after that all that I have written before is garbage.  Ain't love grand?!

I, myself was married for almost 13 years and understand how hard it is to maintain that type of commitment.  It takes hard work, lots of love, and the ability and patience to not kill each other.

I wish both Marianne and Carmine many more years of acrimony...I mean matrimony! Here's to Grandma!

  

Monday Blahs

What's worse than a Monday morning workday?  Having to work the Monday that you are supposed to be off!  Well since I was peeved that I had to work, I tried to make myself feel better by trying to dress especially pretty... I know, I know, but giving in to vanity sometimes helps to soothe the soul.

Spent the morning helping a coworker learn a new system, checking on my competition (not other women, mind you but other retailers), eating a sandwich for lunch, doing sales projections, eating a sandwich for
lunch, laying out a ad, eating half a sandwich mid afternoon, and discussing the Emmy's with my coworker Marianne.  Who's got it better than me!? :-)

A little bit about my coworker Marianne.  She and I have been friends for almost 12years now and she is my coworker/close friend/fake sister/therapist/co-conspirator.  We have been accused of being attached at the hip, too close, and for those who just don't get it - lesbians.  We are just great friends and have so much fun together at work and getting into trouble after work hours.  So you will often see her name as I blog.  Today she was doing the "dance of joy" because of some news that I cannot post here but for those of you who do not know, the 'dance of joy" goes a little like this:  whilst you are sitting prim and proper in your seat you suddenly without warning break into either the full-on head toss while gesturing wildly with your hand or  you suddenly break out the chair dance version of the Cabbage Patch.  Either one will make your coworker (me, in this instance) laugh so hard that coffee comes snorting out of your nose. 

My real sister, Maleeka, is (if I can use a really sophomoric term) my best friend.  She is hysterically funny, a great Mom, and a selfless giver of her time and energy.  Growing up it was just me, my sister and my mother and even though she is four years older than me (alright, I'm lying....I'm four years older than her) we were and are still very close.

Another name that you may see often as I post, is Raul.  He is another coworker and I like to call him fake nephew.  He is quite younger than most of us in the office but is mature beyond is age.  Today he sent me a link to a US World article that states that women make up 40% (yes, 40% people) of the entire world's workplace but only 1% of the world's wealth. Makes me wanna go kick some Male a**, but I digress.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/09/18/new-facts-on-the-gender-gap-from-the-world-bank/?

Anyway, that's all I have for today.

Blogger Newbie

This is my first attempt at Blogging.  I am very excited to see how this form of Social Media pans out as it relates to my schooling and in my career.