My favorite part of owning a restaurant is getting to help out in the kitchen.  Not only because I love our kitchen team, but also because of how much diversity they bring to the table.   

On any given day, the…

This week, my personal Facebook account was hacked.  

By the time I figured out what had happened, the hacker had blocked me out of my account entirely. With full access to my information the hacker went on to purchase Facebook…

On Friday night, I drove through a snowstorm to play a show at speakeasy.  It was dark and mysterious in there.  I played surrounded by candles.  I drank absinthe. The crowd was buzzing.  While I was singing, I felt inspired…

It often feels like the people who have the least to give tend to give the most.   

Case in point: my restaurant staff pooled together their funds to get me a vacation for my birthday, including airfare, train-fare, and air…

In 2010, I was making a record called "Long Lost Ghosts."  I asked my friend Maria to play the fiddle.  Maria brought her mom with her to the studio, and while Maria was recording, I started talking to her mother…

I've been told I'm a deep feeler that cares too much.  Which is true I guess. I cry when I see roadkill.  I cry when my kids pick me a flower.  I even cry when I see an old barn…

There was a shooting at my old high school this week.  It rocked our community. So many people—myself included—were scared and upset. 

As we all tried to talk about it one night, what struck me most was how much anger…

Happy New Year, Reader.  On January 1st, I took a cold winter's walk with my new rescue pup, Franklin.  We got a few inches of snow here in Illinois, and strolling outside was a great time for thinking about the…

Christmas was a fluffy blur.  Our family exchanged presents.  We cooked food.  There were cookies galore.  And I created a lot of magic for our two little kids.  I poured everything I had into making the holiday special for others. 

…

Almost seven years ago, I bought a building on the west side of Rockford.  For years, I spent most days alone, rehabbing the space into a restaurant.  Some days felt bleak. I was frequently lonely and lost.  More often than…

No blog tonight.  I'm busy building Snømarket (my restaurant's outdoor winter market).  If you live near Rockford, Illinois, please stop by The Norwegian this weekend!  We're open from 3 pm to 9 pm this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

I've become a real nag. 

Not by choice.  But by necessity.  At my day job at the restaurant, I nag. 

"Don't forget to drop silverware to Table 46!  Pick up that orange juice glass at the server stand!! Who forgot…