The Foreign Noodle, Unveiled

What started this entire blog was my 20-some-year-in-the-making desire to create my own restaurant.  I think I was in junior high when I came up with the name The Foreign Noodle, and just by naming it, it became something semi-real to me - my ultimate Holy Grail in life, I suppose.  Now, mind you, I have never thought of the Foreign Noodle as my life's work.  I have never gone to culinary school, and while I would certainly like to, I do not know if it is written in the stars for me.  I am not sure I can justify going to school for something that I am unsure would benefit me or my family.  Mostly, I don't see myself doing well in a restaurant under someone else. This is perhaps my downfall, as restaurant experience is crucial to owning and maintaining a restaurant of one's own.  However, the thought has continued and been built in my mind.
The original thought for my restaurant was that it would strictly consist of various types of pasta dishes.  As the ultimate pasta lover, especially in elementary and junior high school where spaghetti was my go-to when anyone asked what I wanted to eat (and yes, I was known to eat it for breakfast at times), this still does not sound like an entirely bad idea. I think I would work a little more outside of strictly pasta by including salads,sides, breads, and soups, but would like to keep the theme going, overall.
When I think of the Foreign Noodle, I think of something more along the lines of the vibe from Horn o Plenty, which I spoke of in my last post - making enough of what is needed for each day, an ever changing menu, simplistic, flavorful, thoughtful... yet maybe not with that same (forgive me for actually describing something like this) "hippie-vibe".  Mix that with the Naked Cafe in Solana Beach, and you have the complete Foreign Noodle vibe. In that way I could do it as a (retirement?) project for myself.  The Foreign Noodle is not a place to go when having a fancy business meeting necessarily (though it could be), or a place that I would be willing to sell out for in order to get more business. Rather, it comes from a love of food, of cooking, and of the love of sharing it with people.  It is a creation, and more a piece of art in my mind that someday may or may not come to life. 
Over the years, I have made recipes and menus for "some day", cultivating the thought and dream for myself.  I am not sure if The Foreign Noodle would do well in Pittsburgh (though this may be my own bias shining through), though Lawrenceville is up-and-coming enough to make it a possibility.  It is definitely more of a California dream, in which I can use fresh, local produce to make home-y, filling, and tasty food. I can never decide if I would serve meat at The Foreign Noodle either.  While the restaurant would probably do better if I did, I have never cooked meat in my life, with the exception of once making an attempt at fried chicken in a past relationship. I am not sure that I would trust myself in learning. Thus, I return to thoughts of a time when I no longer have to work and have the money and time to attend culinary school and learn these sorts of things. 
Maybe someday....