Expression

Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe, when it opens it's doors hopefully by August 1, will be a reflection of me. It is the culmination of my dreams and the result of a year plus of blood, sweat and tears with many sacrifices made by my family, especially Brian who works so hard and really needs a break. I am excited for the place to take shape and I know that it will evolve based not only on my vision, but on what customers want it to be and what my employees make of it.

A few things are finally seeming finished or almost finished.

The outside of the building has been looking great for several months already. Cove base and trim are starting to give the inside a satisfying crispy completeness. I think we are at about 75% on the electrical hard wiring and are very happy to see the spider web of extension cords and gang boxes we have been tripping over all winter go away! Mechanical contractors were here last week installing the hood, make up air and duct work - I think they are probably 75% complete also. The floor in the kitchen is finished. And, perhaps topping the satisfaction meter is all the painting. I give painting a 90% completion rating and boy, am I glad! (I still have to do the dreaded polyurethane-ing of the window and door trim and a little more sign painting.)

Not every wall I painted was a great success. One bathroom wall has at least 4 layers of paint on it I think representing 3 attempts at a good looking result. But I am feeling quite proud of the paint job overall. People who come in to work or talk to us for one reason or another have had the most wonderful reactions, my favorite of which was that it feels very Mediterranean. Next to the whole grain crusty breads and rich and tasty pastries I plan to peddle, I think the walls of Flying Squirrel are where the "reflection of me" will shine the most. Partly because I tried to do something with the space that is unique, fun, colorful, artistic, a little classy, and a little funky.

But also, because I am excited to turn those walls over to other artists to show their work. It will be hard to see the first picture hangars leave their marks on these fresh clean walls. Oh well. I am looking forward to the sharing of ideas, creativity, and artistic expression both through food and through allowing artists the opportunity to show and sell their work on the walls of Flying Squirrel.

I have already organized the first show, "Women of the Cloth" a group exhibition of 5 local fiber artists (who also happen to be very supportive friends!). Assuming all goes well this month and we open the doors for business by August 1, there will be an art opening on the Second Saturday in August from 4-7pm. Hopefully this will be a monthly art opening event at the Flying Squirrel. If you are an artist or know an artist that would like to show two dimensional work, please contact me! Below is the announcement about it, please pass it on.

I guess I have to give a little nod to the fact that yesterday was Independence Day. It gets me thinking just a tiny bit about those guys philosophizing our futures way back when around candle light in a brick tavern in Philadelphia. Little did they know where that freedom of speech line in the Constitution would lead. Here's to personal expression....


Art Show Opportunity
Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe extends an enthusiastic welcome to artists, photographers, and craftspeople to hang original, quality, professionally displayed, interesting and unique art on a revolving monthly basis. Only two dimensional work can be accepted. An art opening event will be coordinated for the second Saturday of each month to coincide with Talkeetna Artist Guild/Sheldon Community Arts Hangar openings.

Artists will be responsible for hanging and taking down their work. All work must be framed or otherwise prepared for professional display and hung with appropriate hardware. Artists will also be expected to provide their own publicity (posters, radio announcements, e-mails, labels/prices for each piece, etc.). The dining area, entryway and bathrooms at Flying Squirrel will all have space for art work - 6-12 pieces would most likely be appropriate depending on size. Art work sold through Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe will incur a small commission to cover costs such as wall patching, credit card costs, etc.

Contact Anita at info@flyingsquirrelcafe.com if you are interested in coordinating a show of your work. Please provide samples of the work you would like to display and a short statement of interest.

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Brian's 2009 Climb

Well, OK. He didn't climb Denali. But at least Brian got to wear his crampons once this year.

After about 3 days of prep work (grinding, then acid etching, then cleaning and drying), we painted the kitchen floor last night with a 2-part epoxy paint. When the first coat was down, Brian donned his crampons to walk over the floor sprinkling silica sand all around the traffic areas. This should help prevent the concrete floor from becoming slippery when wet. Today we will put on the second coat. Once it dries, we finally get to move all the equipment to permanent locations in the kitchen!

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Believe It or Not

I remember thunderstorms as a normal part of my childhood in Pennsylvania. Here in Talkeetna, dramatic summer storms pass through maybe once or twice a year at most. This one today was brief, but came with good old fashioned rumbles of thunder, claps of lightening and hard rain.

At about 5:15pm there was a huge flash and crack, then immediately afterward loud thunder...no time to count how far away it was. I was in the bakery with one worker. Brian was just leaving to go pick up Oliver from day care. Penny came running in from outside all shaking and pretty frightened.

An hour later I needed to fill a bucket of water for some painting clean up which we can now do from a spigot in the mechanical room. Brian told me to plug in the well pump. To make the rest of the story very short, there was a sort of "KA-POW!" with a big scary flash of light.

Best we can figure so far, yes, believe it or not, our well must have been struck by lightening.

Maybe someone can explain to me the whole "grounding" thing because as far as I know the well itself is a darn good ground and there are several rather expensive long copper rods in the ground for all the electrical everything on our property - not to mention that I thought the whole purpose of circuit breakers is to break off power to electrical devices before they explode. So much for the $500 well pump - hopefully it will be covered under warranty.

This is the moment at which my lovely mother would say, "If I do not laugh, I will cry."

We're thinking about purchasing a nice surge protector for our NEXT well pump. Just to be on the safe side. Go figure.

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Madness

Well, in the last couple of weeks a lot has happened.

At the same time, our circumstances necessitate the retort that in the last couple of weeks not enough has happened at all because, alas, Flying Squirrel is still not open.

But here is a progress report anyway:

• I turned 40. Best part about the low key construction waste bonfire/potluck we had in my honor was: I brought home a 5 gallon bucket full of full bottles of wine. In fact, as I write this I am enjoying my second glass of the bottle pictured here on an empty stomach and I am feeling better every second. My friends hit the nail on the head with their generous gift giving. A glass of wine every night until the opening might just get me through the madness.
• The oven hearth is complete. Brian is now working on the oven walls and finally today found someone to weld a custom piece for where the hearth will meet the doorway apron, but it will probably take a week.
• I have been painting some every day. The dining area is about 1/3 of the way painted and right now fits right in with the madness theme: mustard yellow walls with pepto-bismol pink painted wainscott. Photos coming soon. Don't worry, painting is a process. I hope to never see pepto pink anything once Flying Squirrel is open for business!
• Haven't been able to find the camera for about 4 days.
• Electricity is ready to turn on. We have to wait for the electrician to contact the electrical inspector, then for the inspector to approve, then for the inspector to contact the electric company, then up to two weeks for the electric company to come out and turn us on. Just figured out this ridiculousness on Friday. Heads might roll on Monday.
• Our sweet dog Penny got too close to a moving car on our driveway and managed to get her foot under a tire. She got very lucky and is ok, but is pretty gimped up this week and quite stir crazy being stuck inside so much.
• Most kitchen equipment and furniture has been purchased and is here. I found a dough divider which might save a lot of time cutting and weighing hamburger buns for local restaurants, or it might just be a 500 pound beast of a dinosaur and a waste of a thousand bucks. Still need to find some annoying items like freezers and a washer/dryer. Maybe a funky couch or two. Right now, in the madness, I am thinking red. Red couch. Or maybe black.
• Two wonderful people have agreed to come up to Alaska to help us with child care and whatever else during the madness. No, make that one. Never mind: two. ARGH - Back to one again! At this point, I called my mother. So, two. Definitely two. THANKS IN ADVANCE AMY AND MOM - I can't wait!

Despite the constant madness*, the fact that every time we turn around someone wants another $5000 from us, and how we watch all the summer traffic of cars and bicycles passing by everyday, the opening of Flying Squirrel Bakery Cafe does seem imminent. If only I had an answer to that burning question I hear at least twice a day...WHEN?

*I do use this term affectionately. I believe that a lot of greatness comes from madness. Also, I do not at all mean it as it defines anger, more a frenzied craziness.

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