still or sparkling

The cure for anything is salt water -- sweat, tears, or the sea. Isak Dinesen

i do cater-waitering or butlering about 6 evenings a month to help keep cash flow going. mostly i like it, because it's work i have been doing since i became an adult so i can probably do it when i'm somnambulant. i don't run into too many crises and i make decent money. i get to see and be in some pretty spectacular homes and eat some incredible food.

i also see magnificent art on many occasions, and i have great laughs and relax because at those jobs no one needs me emotionally. it's a nice departure from my day job.



last night was the opening of a show at DAM and the artist (daniel richter) was being hosted at our client's home. they don't collect his work, but they are collectors and the size and the scope of the pieces they have amassed is stunning at the very least. some of the works on the walls throughout their house are beyond words. i believe he is an art dealer. i certainly don't know a huge amount, but i would guess the value of the art in their house is over $10m.

let's see, we served smoked chicken tostaditos with guac and queso, whole wheat noodles tossed in sunflower butter and red chile, tenderloin bruschetta with cambozola and onion comfit, polenta crisps with eggplant tapanade, grilled shrimp in shot glasses with roasted tomato salsa. the best, though, could have been dessert: fig and apple tartlette, ginger cheesecake with dark chocolate served on popsicle sticks. all delicious and truly amazing...(tasting is almost mandatory) and most definitely i had a sparkling water afterwards to cleanse my palate and quench a thirst.

but i recall asking the question "still or sparkling"? on several occasions last night, as well as hundreds of other nights, and it made me wonder if i was really asking something else, or if i was trying glean some further or more personal information from the answer. i mean, how would you answer the question....still or sparkling?