Black or Pinto

234 5th Ave

Mon, 20 May 2013 01:16:08 -0400

it’s like it was destined to be mine.

those that know me and my 12:34 obsession will understand why.

i have mentally prepared myself since going to hoboken that i will one day have to leave there. but i wanted to leave when it was right. i wouldn’t leave for just any old thing. i love that store. like love, love, love, that store. it is one sexy store. hoboken is such a cool town. my crew are like my children. my regular guests are the best. and the surplus of easy on the eyes men makes it a swell gig for this single gal.

then, madison square park got put on the opening map.

seeing that store on the new store opening list stuck out to me. i wasn’t sure why.

i inquired about the address. was told the address. then, it all made sense. i couldn’t believe it.

then i got to chatting with one of my favorite regulars andrew about it and he totally got me pumped up and my interest turned into a want. a must. a deep desire.

so i put it out into the universe, and to mother megan that i was interested in that store.

now i wait. i get myself ready. all in hopes that i will move onward and upward the corporate burrito to a store that feels in my heart was built for me.

stay tuned….

homesick

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 02:35:46 -0400

10 months in and i can officially say i’m homesick.

not it the sense that i miss living there, but my soul desperately needs a trip home.

i’m longing for a california sunset.

i need my hair done. i’m dying for a reasonably priced facial. i miss my friends.

i miss my favorite places to eat. i’ve totally been craving a grill em all burger. witt-e do you still remember me??

i’m need real mexican food. like mole flautas from the delicious la casita in bell.

and i’m dying, i mean, dying, for lomo saltado.

i miss my mom. i miss the pups. and i need to make a trip to cow town to see my dad.

end of april will bring me some familiar faces to my coast (corey and miss mary c.) and fingers crossed that end of may lucy should be arriving.

june is sf/napa for cultivate. god how i need a napacation.

i’m thinking i should just use some vacation days and spend a few days in el lay on the front end.

but until then, i will be california dreaming daily.

la, hope to see you soon.

basically, it's much more trouble than it's worth

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 20:30:00 -0400

basically, it's much more trouble than it's worth:

i cringe every time i hear the word spoken from the other side of the glass. but i have to say, this is the best write up i’ve read on this curse worthy “urban legend-secret menu” item.

*thank you josh appleman for sending this article my way

i will still pretend, i have no clue, what you are talking...

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 22:17:43 -0400

i will still pretend, i have no clue, what you are talking about.

How many apps directly improve your quality of life?

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:13:29 -0500

How many apps directly improve your quality of life?

chipotle, inspirer of love songs

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 21:35:00 -0500

chipotle, inspirer of love songs

Currently 2.0

Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:44:00 -0500

totes failing at my new years resie to blog more. life at the taco stand keeps me busy I tell you.

catching you all up…

work: chipoho is still on the road to restaurateur. our target date is end of march. i think we can do it (fingers crossed). still rolling my way through life one burrito at a time and laughing out loud every time these gems end up in my store. out of all the stores in nyc and new jersey, it shows up at mine. i see it as a constant reminder of why i made the move to get back with the burrito. full circle.

cultivate dates announced! so mark your callys. i’ll be at sf and chi.

cat: cat is cat. sleeping the dream. still the ruler of the free world.

i survived the snow storm.

still going to the church of brunch every sunday that i’m off.

(peels, east village - the build a biscuit is genius)

(buttermilk channel, brooklyn - worlds best pancakes and the syrup… buy it. it’s by poorfarm farm. heavenly)

still surviving off of coffee. really need to save my pennies for an espresso machine.

- rook is a local new jersey coffee company that will soon have me renting a zip car so i can visit their shops and buy some cold brew. check them out! http://www.rookcoffeeroasters.com/

still listening to the lumineers. on repeat. every. single. day. looking forward to seeing them in maryland in july with ma girl meaghan.

had a short but super sweet trip back home a month back.

i ate plenty of pie. dear pie hole, that earl grey pie is stupid, stupid good.

the brunch brigade finally brunched as one.

though i have to say i was let down with my meals at a couple of new “top” la restaurants. bestia-skip, cooks county-go for brunch or dinner. but the company at meals made it all worth it.

i got a ride to the airport from one of my favorite faces that i miss so much daily.

a short trip to la in april is in the works. i’m already planning my eats for sf/napa in june and chi in september.

and 4 months later, i have tentitive brunch plans with this guy.

oh and big news: i have moved! left my humble living room abode in the wonder of inwood for a spacious room in weehawken new jersey. and I honestly couldn’t be more excited. the commute was starting to take a toll on me and in the long run, since I plan on being in the harvey patch (hear that mother!) for awhile, i need to be more accessible to my store and future store. so as of today, i am a jersey girl. i think it is now acceptable to wear my uggs out in public other than running downstairs in the rain for a midnight slice of pizza.

i’m dreading unpacking, and as i look at all the boxes, i feel like i have too much stuff! i kind of want to keep everything in the boxes just to pretend it doesn’t exist. though the wine fridge is plugged in and stocked, and i did unpack this little ditty below.

well, that seems to be the gist of it all. keep ya posted next month!

- cg out

the yeti of the taco stand

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 15:01:13 -0500

please not between the hours of 11am to umm, 10pm. so basically, never. k thanks.

http://www.fastcodesign.com/1671981/the-mystery-behind-chipotles-secret-1500-calorie-super-burrito#1

*thanks corey for this link

loyal or crazy? you decide… #chipotlelove (at...

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:19:00 -0500

loyal or crazy? you decide… #chipotlelove (at Chipotle)

totes just paid almost $13 for chipotle in nyc on my day off.

moments

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:21:00 -0500

on my peaceful 10:30am subway ride, just i, my latte, my baguette with butter and jam, and the ho hum of the lumineers in my ear, my zen was interrupted as soon as a school field trip invaded my subway car.

i immediately thought of how all the school kids used to run into parambam at 11am on the dot. “this is a restaurant not a gym!”

and if my peaceful ride couldn’t get any more rambunctious, michael jackson had to walk into our car with his red sequin jacket, white socks, and boom box.

the kids went wild. at first I snobbishly turned up the volume on my headphones to full blast. but as the kids gathered closer to see the action, i got lost in the moment of their joy. their smiles and laughter were genuine and priceless. some of them started dancing with him. when michael was done and took his bow, the kids went bananas with applause and cheers. a good handful of them dug out whatever change they had in their pockets and placed it in his bag.

michael got off on the next stop and the kids still went at it imitating his moves. i couldn’t help but smile and laugh. they were so youthful, and having the time of their lives.

it was quite the moment. i’m happy i opened up and lived in it.

train your replacement

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 10:54:36 -0500

yesterday a guy walked in inquiring about a job. actually three walked in at the exact same time. i did my spiel, handed out the career cards, two filled them out and left and one stayed and asked me a few questions while he was standing, awkwardly trying to fill out his info on this tiny card while using a flimsy resume folder as his table.

i could tell that he was curious, so i told him to have a seat. what was to be just a quick chat turned into a half hour chat.

he got chills when i started to talk about all that the burrito is. at that moment, for me, he was hired. i knew he was the one i personally wanted to train and develop to become my apprentice when i become gm. jeremy gets back from vacation this week so i’m excited to tell him my plan and for them to meet.

he just got it. and skill set or not, you really just need to get it to get it. got that? (lol) its a vibe, a feeling, a certain sense of being is needed from one to create this culture. he’s got that, and i’m going to help get him there skill set wise. bc really, if i could be taught how to chop, dice, slice, and run a grill station, anyone can.

i’m excited! bc this is what my job is. to train, and develop future leaders of the burrito.

onward and upward! you’ll see this one day so, welcome to my team jerry.

resolutions

Sat, 05 Jan 2013 11:56:00 -0500

i’ve never made a new years resolution and i’m not going to start now. i’m not one to jump on the bandwagon of the lose weight, exercise more, eat better fads that only last until february or march at best.

just like 2012, 2013 is going to be another year of ME. i’m still in this selfish, focused faze of my life and i’m going to roll with it as long as i can.

so here is what i plan on doing in 2013…

- eat more bagels

- blog more

- brunch more

- finally take time to go out in this amazing city i live in and meet awesome peeps

- master meatless monday

- buy myself an alex & ani bracelet once a month

- trip to portland, atlanta (to see my dear friend alex), back to chicago (i’ve been dreaming of brunch again at nightwood and dinner at balena)

- trip out of the country (peru and greece are my top pics)

- thanksgiving dinner at ad hoc

- buy an espresso machine and drink dark matter espresso everyday

- a new tattoo or two

- possibly, maybe finally update le iphone to iOS6

dear 2013, love me, bc i’ve got a feeling that this is going to be my best year yet.

the burrito hacker

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 21:35:00 -0500

this guy thinks he knows all the tricks. though the holiday gift card deal is a pretty sweet one if you eat a lot of chipotle. #treatyourself

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/how-to-hack-chipotle/

get it rolled

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 12:36:00 -0500

rolling a burrito can be a terrifying experience. sure it seems like the funnest thing to do. it’s a pretty intense position on the line and it’s not for everyone.

my mantra when it comes to burrito rolling is “fake it til you make it”. once you start rolling, you have to just go for it and commit to the finish.

first, it’s all in the press. you need to press the tortilla just right. the puff up and steam will make you or break you.

some burrito creations roll easier than the others. i used to pray to the burrito gods when i would get a veggie burrito with everything. but now, it’s one of the easiest for me to roll. serenity now when you get a barbacoa with black beans, no rice, hot salsa, guac, and sour cream. this one makes you weep inside and wish that the guest was not staring at you as you tried to roll up their saucy mess.

i never considered myself a good burrito roller until now. since opening chipoho i have had to step in and save many-a burritos. i had to do it as there was no aida or vilma there to do it for me.

trust me there has been countless “can i have another tortilla please” and “can i get an extra foil” called out over the course of my 15+ hours shifts.

^ poor faith renay, has the look of, “can i have another tortilla please”

^ the re-roll

like jen, you need to be one with the burrito. always maintaining focus.

do whatever you need to do to get it rolled. jeremy hall has a full on burrito rolling stance

some make faces like alicia here below.

but once you get the beast rolled, then you can sport a smile like laura.

and you wouldn’t be able to tell that rovetta’s least favorite thing to do is roll burritos by the looks of this pic.

in the end, a perfectly rolled burrito will fit nicely in the basket. just like the one below rolled by my area manager megan harvey. #whenigrowupiwanttorollburritoslikemothermegan

last but not least, the true test of a perfectly rolled burrito, when you get to eating, it will stand straight up and make for great photo ops.

burritohenge

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 10:20:00 -0500

burritohenge

and this makes 15hr+ days all worth it. #chipoho

Mon, 19 Nov 2012 23:38:00 -0500

and this makes 15hr+ days all worth it. #chipoho

Can't wait to visit once chipoho is open! I am in jersey city so I've been traveling to NYC or Seacaucus to get my fix- glad to have one opening closer to home

Mon, 12 Nov 2012 19:45:33 -0500

Go no further! We open this Wednesday 11/14! See you then!

Currently

Sat, 10 Nov 2012 22:44:53 -0500

mood: a little bit of everything this month thus far. earlier this week, confused. currently, anxious and excited.

birthday: just celebrated thirty-one. it was weird being away from everyone but between all the texts, fb posts, ig wishes, phone calls, and mailed cards it was a well wished one. m treated me to a bday brunch at one of my favorite uws spots jacob’s pickles.

after a day of roaming the city, i went to a small gathering of super fab people and had a delicious spread of home cooked south east asian inspired dishes. there, i was surprised with a birthday cake and song. e-dub and especially tim, a big thank you for making my bday special.

listening to: the lumineers. stubborn love is my absolute fave. ho hey makes me want to stomp my boots and clap my hands wherever i’m at. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvCBSSwgtg4

watching: soa, goodness this season is intense. also, i’m rooting for fellow burrito brethren nate appleman on the new season of iron chef redemption.

food & beverage: food, i just discovered the chipotle flavored tabasco sauce. i know, i’m a little late to the party. this discovery has completely changed the way i eat chipotle.

beverage, i’m a cold beverage gal, but the chill in the air has me obsessed with trying every flavor hot tea from davids tea. i even bought myself a schnazzy bodum electric kettle as a bday gift to myself. i’ve also been ordering lattes from my local coffee shop instead of their famed nola cold brew. embrace change.

in other news: sandy has passed and power is on.

that means, chipoho (chipotle hoboken) will be opening next week! though the path is still not working so i’m a little stressed on getting to and from.

looking forward to: winter. gasp, i know. i’ll probably hate it when i’m in it, but right now, i’m excited for it. this week i experienced my first snowfall and it was wonderfully white.

i’ve got my “jeremy boots”, mittens with iPhone friendly finger pads, a few puffy jackets, so all that’s left to get is earmuffs.

in search for: cupcake pinot. i can find the sauv blanc everywhere but the pinot is nowhere to be found.

recent discovery: the costco out here does not have a wine section. bummer summer.

missing: the pie hole.

i’m beyond bummed i will be missing out on their bourbon pecan and pumpkin pies this holiday season. all back home, eat and enjoy a slice or two or three for me. or just rub it in my face like my dear friend mike c. “bieberlicious @instagettler i bet you’re a little jealous huh? “

completed: farm team. sorry aud, too many #fwi facts i could not stop!

procrastinating: on my cultivate blog post (sorry connie and karey)

planning: my christmas trip to pa with my rose and mel bells possible trip here at the end of december.

dreaming: of splurging on dinner at either per se or emp.

thinking: about when i can visit cali next.

retrograde

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 20:28:00 -0500

it’s election day, so today on black or pinto, just a friendly reminder that today, but especially everyday, you are the holder of your own fate.

ChipoHo

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:20:00 -0400

even after sandy, chipotle hoboken aka chipoho is still standing. there was no flood damage, though we are just one of the many places in hoboken still without power.

after finishing e.rutherfords swat a few weeks ago, i was ready for mine.

i was excited to meet my team as with most of them, i only had the opportunity to talk to them on the phone as i was back in california when jeremy was holding up the store front during our hiring time.

my training team was uh-may-zing. miss awesome tc meaghan, that girl knows it all.

eddie aka tia tortilla, just a ball of energy.

when he’s not sleepy

pierce and frank from englewood, damn those guys were all stars when it came to training our grill and prep team. sidebar, pierce, han says hi.

- frank training at the grill and below schooling our kmits

- pierce flippin fajas

wendy, just a crew member from secaucus but a chipotle manager at heart. she took over salsa training for me day 2/3 and owned it. my crew could not believe that she was just a crew member like them.

my chipoho management team was a dream. laura and carlos, not worried one bit about leaving the store in their hands. we were also lucky to have a few kmits that really step it up during training.

last but not least, jeremy, my gm.

i finally found the male version of me! (that is a compliment lol). where have you been all my life?! mother megan truly matched us up perfectly. i am ever so lucky to be working with you. together, onward and upward through the corporate burrito. bambam + cupcake = yin-yang.

our crew is pretty stellar. we had to make some tough cuts already which is never easy but our goal is for restaurateur in 3 months. we’ve detected our aces and their places, and i’m excited to see them in action come opening day. whenever that may be (thanks sandy).

bummer summer on not being able to open on booritto. but sandys visit may have been a blessing in that sense as jer and i helped out at paramus that night and the line wrapped all the way around and out the front door. insane. but really, who would pass up $2 chipotle. especially after having no power for a few days.

not sure when we will be opening but i think after a one day refresher training with the crew we will be ready for hoboken. now the question is, will hoboken be ready for us. stay tuned!