Capture C’est La Vie Blogapy

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Capture C’est La Vie Blogapy

Yesterday was a celebratory day for Greg and I. Now…I know you’re probably thinking that I celebrate every day…. and isn’t that getting kinda annoying!

But my family had a very difficult week…and we banded together and conquered the shit out of it!

So, last night Greg and I decided to visit a new friend of ours who invited us to his FABULOUS restaurant in Westbrook, called New Orleans. He also happens to be the Chef. Not the chef…THE CHEF!!!

A very famous chef…whom I now love to pieces! I always say that people come in and out of our lives at different times…for different reasons.

And I also think that opportunities don’t just happen…they are created.

So…now…when I meet someone…I try and capture the opportunity to find out why.

On April 20th, Greg and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary. Our original plan was to be in Paris, France. Mais…C’est La Vie…we couldn’t go. My body wasn’t strong enough to make the trip. And not being able to legally travel without my Medical Marijuana…I would never be able to enjoy “The City of Lights and Romance”…even if I survived the flight.

So, we decided to spend the night on the CT shoreline. A romantic overnight!

On the way to our Inn…we drove by an establishment called New Orleans. Now, Greg and I have a major affection for New Orleans. It was one of our only vacations the two of us ever took. And it was definitely “OUR” kind of city. Great Music, Food, People, Magical…Totally laid back and had a sense of Survive & Thrive mentality after Hurricane Katrina… and celebration constantly in the air. Now whether it’s all for show or not…we fell in love with the city.

So, we of course had to stop at a restaurant called NEW ORLEANS. Now I hope Sunil doesn’t mind…but I’m going to brag about how wonderful he is!

When we sat down in the bar on Saturday afternoon and I ordered a Bloody Mary…what else would you order in the Big Easy?

And I tried to explain to the bartender to add a little extra horseradish and make it nice and muddy…I like a mean Bloody Mary!

And the lovely gentleman said…”Mam”(Yes…I got Mam’d)… “Mam…I think you’ll be very happy…we are known for our Bloody’s.”

It was truly the greatest Bloody Mary I had ever had. And I started drinking Mary’s at a very young age! First they were Virgin Mary’s. I used to drink them with my Dad. He preferred Virgin Mary’s too…because he wasn’t really a drinker. I however, eventually graduated to Bloody’s!

Anyways…there is nothing greater than tasting something that you love…that you’ve had so many times…at so many celebrations…but this one…the one you have in your hand…is “THE BEST”!

We even have pics! Maybe I’ll post some?

Then we moved on to Crawfish Bisque…with just the right amount of Sherry… and Shrimp Rémoulade to die for. Everything that came out was perfectly seasoned. Perfectly cooked. And that is a rare rare rare occasion…to have perfectly cooked AND seasoned food…and beverages! I thought I had died and gone to Gastronomical heaven!

So, in my overly exuberant…sometimes embarrassingly… overwhelming style…I walk right back into the kitchen and hugged the Chef.

Turns out he was the Chef to the Queen of England and had lived with her in The Palace. He was also trained by one the World’s most Famous French Chefs… Chef Paul Bocuse. He’s also on The Food Network.

I, of course…had no idea who he was at the time…and just grabbed him and hugged him. I don’t even think I introduced myself…I just said that it was an honor to eat his food. And then we left.

We ended up going back the next day for Brunch…it was Easter Sunday. He let me come back in the kitchen with him…we cooked an Andouille sausage omelet and talked about working in the Palace!

He then joined us at our table and spent the morning with us.

I thought it was amazing that on the day we were supposed to be in Paris…we were fed and entertained by one of the most famously Parisian trained Chefs. We would have never had a dining experience like that anywhere in the world! Let alone in our own backyard…which is about as far as I could travel.

So, I finally introduce myself. And when he found out that I had Brain Cancer he was shocked. He has since come to dinner in our neck of the woods…and has offered to do something…as a friend. Not as a business venture…or to get some good press. But, because I asked.

I asked him when my son was in the hospital last week. And all I could remember was what it felt like to be a patient. A patient with needles in their arms, wearing a very uncomplimentary gown, post surgery…post diagnosis…post crying…post “I’m sick of getting my vitals checked every hour!”

How could I…as an admitted Foodie…change my Brain Tumor patients’ experiences here in CT? So I came up with Brain Tumor Bistro.

Master Chef Sunil has offered to join The Connecticut Brain Tumor Alliance and create an elegant dinner party experience…at a local CT Hospital on the shoreline. Idea being, that the family along with the Brain Tumor patient, with tubes and all….stitches…gown…can sit at a beautiful white lined draped table…in a private room of the hospital…with elegant china…and eat food prepared by Chef who cooked for the Queen of England.

Talk about a once in a lifetime experience…just when your lifetime is taken away from you!

Now that’s how we change Brain Cancer!

Treat patients like the superstars we want them to be…and I guarantee you that they will all surprise us. Change the diagnosis experience…Celebrate the new life that is now in front of them…when they least feel that they deserve it…and they might celebrate back!

Thank you Sunil…Can’t wait to plan our first Brain Tumor Bistro!

So… talk to everyone you meet…Share your stories with them. You won’t believe how things sometimes are truly meant to be! People come into your life when they are supposed to…Don’t miss the opportunity to find out why.

C’est La Vie!

Love,

Tra

 

 

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