Food for Inspiration!

Food for Inspiration!

It's been exactly a year today that we closed the Thai Pavilion Restaurant in DeKalb, IL. It was just last year that my family and I closed up shop on September 30th 2005. We had been serving Tasty Thai dishes for over 10 years, winning the hearts and friendship of many. I had the pleasure of meeting a Prince, a rapper by the name of Chuck D, a weatherman named Tom Skilling and serving the Mayor & First Lady of DeKalb, the Van Buerers. Even Michelle Pfiffer ordered during her filming of a Thousand Acres.

Most importantly it was the smiles of my favorite customers, Billy, Bob who I nicknamed "Bunny", Kathy & Nick, Jenna, Chris and their daughters, the Stack's, Kowalski's, DeMeyers, and many more families to Tom the classic pianist that looked like someone from a punk band, my friends who would eat there right before we would go hang out or stop by whenever. I miss the many friendly faces, being physical, holding down 15 tables myself if need be. It's so true what they say, you don't realize what you had until it's gone. That chapter of my life is kept away safely knit in my memory and between friends who knew me back then and now.

More than just a family restaurant, it taught me many things than I thought it every could. It taught me discipline, balance between work and play and that anything is possible. I used to go to school at 9am come to work for lunch, and go back at 3pm for my communications class smelling like food, knowing very well I would have to go back and work for dinnertime until close at 10pm. I did it, and still finished college in four years. Because of the restaurant I met my good friend David Zaragoza who was a DJ at the time and would come in with his friends. He introduced me to latin music of which now I have the pleasure of dancing Salsa, Bachata, Cumbia, Merengue, Cha-Cha and reggaeton. Because of his connection, his friend, DJ NVS-1 let me do vocals for his CD.

I've met singers in bands like the Short & Sweet, Pimps & Local H who are not only famous for their talent but down to earth to share themselves by putting my friends and I on their guestlists.

I learned about my father's history by what customers asked him and saw my mother's kindness in the free food she would give out to certain people who I now understand why they deserved it. "Just because you don't have money you don't go hungry."

Modeling became an opportunity after Paulo and his 3DR car crew saw me working their where I was able to meet DJ Flipside of Chicago's B96 and become a great buddy with for the DJ Jazzy Jeff shows and import car shows at the McCormick Place.

I learned to be strategic, and trained people older than me the techniques that were efficient to working in a high production area and more about the Thai culture while they exchanged knowledge with me on other experiences, studies they had. I'll always remember the favorite waitresses I worked with starting from Yuki my Japanese older wiser sister from another life, to Judy who is still my friend and sister after 10 years, Purvi had a masters at 22 in psycology and spoke Punjabi, Gema my Chilian woman of strength and guidance, Kathrine & Mihai the sisters who got me interested in Korean food, April who has her strong views, talented at art, her thoughtful ways, Domi who is extremely knowledgeable about the origins of time and trade with Anthropology as her major & Allie who was a good finishing touch to work with and had fun speaking with about dreams, fairies, metaphysics and past lives.

As you can see I really reminisce about my old place I called "Home." I was know as the girl from the Thai Pavilion! The owner's daughter! Everyone always had a story about how they first met me, I am certainly proud but don't remember each initial meeting. (Ask Merve, Rolando, Joy, Judy, or Jazz!)

I met really great people. Loving couples that I always admired serving on Valentine's Day and people that have shaped my life to be who I am. Could you imagine the priceless conversations I had? I learned so much just working there from biological forensics which is the study of how something died by the way a plant/tree grows to the Chyna Doll Syndrome which a psycologist/writer/professor told me about. I also met this intriguing psychic and had advice by a an older happy couple once told me that the secret to being happy with the one you love. They said, "If you are ever unhappy about something about someone, get out! They are not the one for you, because the one for you has to be someone that is pleasing to the eye, mind, and soul." Depending on who you are those are the different levels made for you. If you don't like something about someone now, imagine waking up to that for the next 20 years! And you know what? They're right!

I WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE IN MY LIFE, DEKALB, AND FRIENDS FOR LIFE!

My muse was Thai Food and I was able to share the culture and food of the ever healthy and popular dishes of Thai cuisine. These tastes mesmerize and are talented because you can have the pleasure of experiencing five flavors in just one bite! Sweet, Sour, Salty, Spicy, and Natural! Thai food is always about customizing to your unique flavor. Always "broong" meaning "touch up" to your palet. Thai herbs and spices of lemongrass, galanga, garlic, basil and tumeric make eating an herbilicious feast. If you haven't tried Thai food I dare you to go out now before you stay in the dark.

Recommended Dishes!

Pad Thai - Noodles with all the flavors for your mouth.

Tom Yum - Soup that's better than Chicken soup on a day to stay in.

Tom Kha - Coconut Soup, not like Almond Joy at all, this is purely Paradise!

Pad Kee Mow - (drunk's dish because it's good with beer, just eat it! It's good.)

Gang Keow/Green Curry = yummy should have basil an eggplant over Jasmine Rice..

Yellow Curry/Mild Curry = yummy as green curry and not spicy!

Must Have***

Thai Iced Coffee & Thai Iced Tea (not that cheap American imitation at Dunken Donuts and

not the high priced bitter beverage at other coffee shops.

Feeling adventurous?

Larb Kai/Laab Gai - ground chicken salad

Plaa Gong - Shrimp Salad

Khao Soy/Kow Soy = circus in a bowl!

Try all the desserts!

KEEP ENJOYING THAI FOOD!

I will sell our Pad Thai sauce one day or even open up another restaurant.

For updates email me anne4911@hotmail.com

Otherwise check out our unfinished site at www.thaipavilion.net

Sawasdee Ka and Kob Khun Ka (Salutations & Thanks)

Anne Meesriyong.

Posted: 10:19 p.m. EST September 30, 2006 by Anne Meesriyong