Mike is in search of that perfect mix between fun and hard work.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” – Aristotle
I came across this quote yesterday and have been thinking about it a lot ever since. It is really making me think about what I’m doing and how I’m going about doing it. I’ve had a semi-rough week. I haven’t been eating as well as I should and I know it.

You’ve heard the expression, “missed the forest for the trees”; well the opposite has been true in my case. I’ve been so focused on the big picture that I’ve lost sight of how little things have the biggest impact on the grand scheme. For instance, choosing to eat the right thing for breakfast everyday has a profound impact because it gets me in a rhythm everyday.
It’s making those little choices that trains me to do it without thinking about it. I’m developing habits that way, by choosing to do the right thing repeatedly.

I’ve always thought that something like this was all about willpower, but I’ve had it completely wrong. There is willpower involved, but the most important thing for me is to be smart. The time for selfish choices is gone. By thinking about the right way to do things now, I won’t have to in the future.

Moving along, I went to Haven last week on Kevin’s recommendation. It was phenomenal. We got to meet chef Randy Evans – I’m really in his corner with this venture; it’s all about farm to table, locally grown ingredients with a twist.

I started with a garlic veloute with a soft quail egg. I was floored at how good this was. The creaminess of the egg mixed with the soup was off the charts.

My entrée was free range chicken with bacon spaetzle and crunchy brussel sprouts. The chicken was cooked well, slightly dry for my taste, but still very good. The bacon spaetzle was the star of the meal. They were like tiny pillows of goodness, cooked in bacon grease. The brussel sprouts were good; I’ve never had them before so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but the way they were cooked definitely helped. They were torn apart and either fried or sautéed, they were so delicate I couldn’t really tell.

The only part of the meal that was lacking for me was the dessert. I guess I just chose poorly with my pecan pie and butter rum ice cream. Not that it wasn’t good, it just wasn’t as good as the coconut bread pudding that my wife got. Lesson learned.

Overall, it was a great dining experience, and the topper was getting to meet the man that puts it all together. We’ll definitely be back.