don't look down!

It's hard to be "chef to the stars" when you're afraid of heights. All my clients live in these really beautiful homes that are way the hell up in the hills of these amazing communities. I am driving my truck ¹ super slowly up these winding, twisty hills and hoping that I don't wipe out down the side or an earthquake doesn't shake me off the ledge.

stare at the road, stare at the road, look ahead for oncoming cars, stare at the road, stare at the road, look behind for people seething at you for going too slow, stare at the road, stare at the road, stare at the road!

On the other hand, you know you're in for a treat when you're given directions to the place and you find that the home has a name. Honest to god, some of these homes have names! Names on brass plaques, worked in to the wrought iron on the gates, or painted in fancy floral patterns on the wall nearest the entrance.

Then there's the breathtaking entrances, the amazing kitchens, the sumptuous dining rooms...even the bathrooms of these places are an interior designers handiwork. Not to mention the views! Mountain vistas by day, sparkling expanse of lights by night. Crystal blue water against ocean beaches by day by day, twinkly ribbons of coastline by night. I'm honored to work in these places, to get a glimpse of that beauty from the kitchen window as I'm doing dishes. It's quite amazing.

Of course, practical little old me, all I can think of is, "geez, driving through these curves, and up these hills, it takes an extra 30 minutes to go anywhere or to get home!" Perhaps I have to spend a whole bunch of time at a place with a view to understand why such a place is so attractive.

¹ I drive a Honda Element: it doesn't feel right calling it an SUV, but it's not a car, so I refer to it as my truck. It handles well, but it's so full of stuff all the time it's hard to see out the windows.


Last thing I ate or drank: Hansen's Peach Berry Smoothie

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