whew.... i made it and i didn't even scream at the hundreds of crazy families traveling with small children today. it always amazes me that people can't figure out how to go through security at an airport. it isn't as if the TSA makes different policies and procedures at every airport. it is always the same.
step 1) take your shoes off and place them in one of the little plastic bins with your cell phone, keys, the millions of dollars in pennies that you have in your pocket, the QUART size zippie bag that has your less than 3 oz size liquids in it, and the coat that you insist on wearing even though it is summer and definitely not necessary.
step 2) pull your laptop and only your laptop out of your carry-on bag and place it in a bin all by itself. step 3) put the rest of your stuff on the conveyor and finally
step 4) walk through the metal detector without pausing or hesitating because you already put all of your metal on the conveyor and you don't have anything to worry about.
step 5) by no means DO NOT STOP immediately after metal detector, thus creating a serious people puddle behind you. it won't hurt you to take 3 or 4 more steps so that others can gather their belongings too. it is actually a very simple procedure and shouldn't be too stressful to make it through. they are looking for people who might be a threat to others i.e. people who are smart enough to be a threat to others.
once you have made it through the security checkpoint and are ready to board the plane, follow these simple instructions: find your seat, put your carry-on in the bin and SIT DOWN in the seat that you already found.
ok rant over and i apologize if anyone is offended by this, but after an entire day of traveling and very serious lack of sleep, my level of annoyance with air travel is ready to boil over. traveling on only a few hours of sleep is never advisable. after airline delays turned a 2 hour flight into 4 hours trapped on a plane, and i was then forced to sit next to a smelly smoker on the shuttle all the way from chicago to champaign, i'm not going to be doing any travel endorsements. the worst part of the day was that my jeans were not quite dry when it was time to leave this morning so i had to put on cold, slight damp pants and then sit on a airplane for 4 hours. sad day.
but i am at home with my momma and have spent a lovely evening talking and relaxing. tomorrow i need to get my hair cut and then watch my baby brother graduate high school. saturday i am going to bake a graduation cake and have dinner at filipos with the family and sunday is party day. then monday it is another super early flight back to colorado to get ready for my first week of school! :) overall i am very glad to be home for the weekend and excited to spend some time with my momma. ILUABAAP Mom!
5.27.2010
day two=a smile and really sore feet
wow, day 2 done. it was a much better night, though i am truly glad that i have a thick skin because i also realized that the pastry chef is going to be a serious pain in my butt for most of the summer. i left the kitchen tonight feeling rather good about myself, though i am quite sure that my mentor, Jason left ready to shoot me in the face. so here is the list of stuff that i got to do tonight:
nut tart, mini chocolate chip cookies, shortbread cookies, lime tart, chocolate truffles, creme brulee, bread pudding, toffe sauce for bread pudding, ganache for brownies, a few souffles, and several creme brulees.
though i felt several times like i had no idea what i was doing and wanted to run away and hide, i did manage to do more on my own. the theme of the evening was toss ashlea up in the air and see if she lands on her feet. most of the time i managed to not end up on my face, but there were a couple of things that didn't go so well, however, i feel like i might make it through the summer.
and now i need to sleep because i have to get up in less than 4 hours to get on a plane so i can watch my baby brother graduate from high school and hang out with my family for a few days. my first week of work, even though it was only two days, has been fairly successful and i am glad to have a few days to relax before i start school next week.
nut tart, mini chocolate chip cookies, shortbread cookies, lime tart, chocolate truffles, creme brulee, bread pudding, toffe sauce for bread pudding, ganache for brownies, a few souffles, and several creme brulees.
though i felt several times like i had no idea what i was doing and wanted to run away and hide, i did manage to do more on my own. the theme of the evening was toss ashlea up in the air and see if she lands on her feet. most of the time i managed to not end up on my face, but there were a couple of things that didn't go so well, however, i feel like i might make it through the summer.
and now i need to sleep because i have to get up in less than 4 hours to get on a plane so i can watch my baby brother graduate from high school and hang out with my family for a few days. my first week of work, even though it was only two days, has been fairly successful and i am glad to have a few days to relax before i start school next week.
5.25.2010
day one=success
So I just finished my first day of work as a pastry assistant at the Flagstaff House restaurant and I am sufficiently exhausted. Too tired in fact to bother with eating even though lunch was almost 12 hours ago. I spent the most of the day being incredibly nervous about having no real restaurant experience and not a ton of real pastry experience besides cake. I did manage to achieve my main goal for the evening which was not to cry in front of anyone, so that was fabulous and I even managed to have a little fun.
Here is a list of stuff that I made tonight while I was at work:
1) petit fours for all the tables
2) brownies for tomorrow
3) caramel sauce for the bread pudding
4) pastry cups for the sorbet
5) souffle
The pastry chef was very friendly and very patient and I only ended up doing about 3/4 of the cleaning of our area so that wasn't too terrible. I am really hoping that I didn't annoy him too terribly much because I felt very inconpetent for most of the night, though not as much as I thought I might. While I was the only female on the kitchen staff, I didn't feel too terribly out of place. By the end of the night I sort of felt like I knew a little about what I was doing. I didn't learn anything about the ordering system and I have a long, long way to go before I feel comfortable there, but it was a good first night.
I think that I will probably end up deciding that I want to work in a non-restaurant setting, but it was very cool to get my feet wet tonight. And now it will be seriously cool to get some sleep. Talk to you all tomorrow.
Here is a list of stuff that I made tonight while I was at work:
1) petit fours for all the tables
2) brownies for tomorrow
3) caramel sauce for the bread pudding
4) pastry cups for the sorbet
5) souffle
The pastry chef was very friendly and very patient and I only ended up doing about 3/4 of the cleaning of our area so that wasn't too terrible. I am really hoping that I didn't annoy him too terribly much because I felt very inconpetent for most of the night, though not as much as I thought I might. While I was the only female on the kitchen staff, I didn't feel too terribly out of place. By the end of the night I sort of felt like I knew a little about what I was doing. I didn't learn anything about the ordering system and I have a long, long way to go before I feel comfortable there, but it was a good first night.
I think that I will probably end up deciding that I want to work in a non-restaurant setting, but it was very cool to get my feet wet tonight. And now it will be seriously cool to get some sleep. Talk to you all tomorrow.
5.23.2010
sunday: the day of rest
it is quite amazing to think that i have been in colorado for only a week. it seems like much longer than the 8 days it has actually been. i've had a terrific time so far and can't wait for the adventures that are in store for me over the next few days, but today i took a much needed day of R&R before the craziness sets in. i did find a new church this morning that i think is a very great fit for me. and while fundamentally i have minor issues with attending church in a strip mall, it was actually a very nice service and a fabulous message. i do greatly appreciate a place where worship is so heavily focused upon and the messages make you laugh just as much as they make you think. today's sermon was on the holy spirit and how we have to embrace christ within us to fully be able to act upon his teachings. i really appreciated the fresh perspective and humorous approach to such an important topic.
after church becky and i went on my first container store adventure. i have to admit that i am seriously saddened by the fact that there is not a container store near champaign. it is a truly amazing place, kind of like a baby ikea and has all sorts of fun, if completely useless, boxes, bags, and other storage items. we also had burritos at del taco, which probably was not the healthiest lunch i could have eaten, but was quite tasty. however, as good as they might be, a taco place should not serve french fries. potatoes might be important parts of mexican cuisine, but adding a crinkle cut to them before you fry them up and salt them simply does not work. don't get me wrong, i like a salty, fried, starchy snack as much as the next person, but i don't really think that french fries and burritos are the best culinary pairing.
having every intention of taking a walk in the beautiful sunshine, i changed my clothes and sat down to pick a walking route. however instead of picking a trail and heading out for some exercise, i fell asleep and took a 2 hour nap. it was truly delightful and apparently much needed, but not at all what i had intended for my afternoon. i did manage to find some clothes to wear to work this week and researched some recipes so that i can decide what i am going to bake this week. i'm thinking about doing a fruit tart, though chocolate cake is also a possibility.
so now i am trying to decide what i want to do with my last truly free colorado day for a while. i think i will throw the bike in my car and head for a nice trail to ride, though it sounds like it could be incredibly windy so i might sit outside on the deck and just enjoy the sunshine instead. after tomorrow, my life is going to get seriously crazy for a while. on tuesday, i start my new job, which should be truly fantastic, but i am also expecting hard work and a great deal of exhaustion. i will likely work tuesday and wednesday and then i have an early morning flight back home for andy's graduation festivities on thursday. i am loving colorado, but i am glad that i get to see my family this weekend. there are several things that i wasn't able to finish up before leaving illinois and it will be good to get a nice mom fix in before i start classes in 10 days! holy schmoly batman, i start pastry school in a little over a week! i cannot believe that everything is happening so quickly. i'm still in shock that i managed to find a job my first week here and a little in awe that i get to just dive into a life of pastry so effortlessly.
things are going to get exciting very quickly folks! stay tuned for more kitchen adventures and mountain tales.
after church becky and i went on my first container store adventure. i have to admit that i am seriously saddened by the fact that there is not a container store near champaign. it is a truly amazing place, kind of like a baby ikea and has all sorts of fun, if completely useless, boxes, bags, and other storage items. we also had burritos at del taco, which probably was not the healthiest lunch i could have eaten, but was quite tasty. however, as good as they might be, a taco place should not serve french fries. potatoes might be important parts of mexican cuisine, but adding a crinkle cut to them before you fry them up and salt them simply does not work. don't get me wrong, i like a salty, fried, starchy snack as much as the next person, but i don't really think that french fries and burritos are the best culinary pairing.
having every intention of taking a walk in the beautiful sunshine, i changed my clothes and sat down to pick a walking route. however instead of picking a trail and heading out for some exercise, i fell asleep and took a 2 hour nap. it was truly delightful and apparently much needed, but not at all what i had intended for my afternoon. i did manage to find some clothes to wear to work this week and researched some recipes so that i can decide what i am going to bake this week. i'm thinking about doing a fruit tart, though chocolate cake is also a possibility.
so now i am trying to decide what i want to do with my last truly free colorado day for a while. i think i will throw the bike in my car and head for a nice trail to ride, though it sounds like it could be incredibly windy so i might sit outside on the deck and just enjoy the sunshine instead. after tomorrow, my life is going to get seriously crazy for a while. on tuesday, i start my new job, which should be truly fantastic, but i am also expecting hard work and a great deal of exhaustion. i will likely work tuesday and wednesday and then i have an early morning flight back home for andy's graduation festivities on thursday. i am loving colorado, but i am glad that i get to see my family this weekend. there are several things that i wasn't able to finish up before leaving illinois and it will be good to get a nice mom fix in before i start classes in 10 days! holy schmoly batman, i start pastry school in a little over a week! i cannot believe that everything is happening so quickly. i'm still in shock that i managed to find a job my first week here and a little in awe that i get to just dive into a life of pastry so effortlessly.
things are going to get exciting very quickly folks! stay tuned for more kitchen adventures and mountain tales.
the cake lady has a job and an herb garden
Happy Saturday World! I woke up this morning and helped Ron get the garden going for the summer. I planted all sorts of herbs, a tomato plant, and some peas. Tomorrow we are going to get the other plot finished and plant corn, carrots, peppers, and cucumbers. It is really exciting to be somewhere that I have the ability to start a garden. The weather here was fabulous today except that it was incredibly windy, but I had a great time hanging out in the sun and playing in the dirt. I cannot wait to cook with the herbs that I planted!
The truly great thing about today is that I got a job! I'm going to be the pastry assistant at the Flagstaff House Restaurant in Boulder, CO. It will be a truly great experience, I hope :) I am quite sure that it is going to be seriously hard work, but it is also my first real pastry job! And my first job is in one of the nicest restaurants in the Boulder area. It is actually at the top of one of the mountains surrounding Boulder and the view is phenomenal! I may never see it because I am going to be in the kitchen all summer, but I get to drive to the top every day and see how amazing Colorado is while I am coasting all the way down the hill. I'll take pictures the next time I go up so that you all can see the view. Needless to say I am really thrilled with the way things are going so far.
After finding out that I got the job, I made an amazing meal including tiramisu for dessert and enjoyed an evening with my new housemates. It is so much fun to have people to cook for again. Though chicken parmesan with pasta alfredo, ceasar salad, and tiramisu is going to ruin the whole exercising and attempting to lose weight over the summer.
5.22.2010
job interviews
one of the things that bothers more than anything else is when you are sitting at a job interview and the interviewer asks you how much compensation you are expecting. really, i'm pretty much expecting whatever you are going to pay for the position that i am applying for! if you post something as a part-time job, there is definitely a number in your budget that is set aside for paying this position and if i totally over-estimate my ability and ask for way more money then you are going to think that i'm arrogant and won't want me or if i way under-estimate, then you are going to think that i don't value myself enough and won't want me either! arrggghhhh! needless to say the interview that i went on yesterday was a little frustrating. i was already exceptionally nervous because i really don't have a ton of experience with any kind of pastry, but cake and cookies and a little bit of experimenting with breads and puff pastries so i'm sure that a 5 star restaurant is probably going to look at me and laugh. and then i got there and the chef interviewing me has the flattest affect of any person that i have ever met! it was a very strange interview and i have no idea if i impressed him or if he hated me. I guess I will find out in a couple of hours when I call to ask. and sadly i don't even know if i really want this job because it would be a lot more fun to find a simple cake decorating job that means that i can play in the mountains all summer. but this job would be an amazing learning experience so i basically have no idea what i want, as is obviously evidenced by the fact that i can't even decide whether to use uppercase letters. hmmmmmmm.......
5.20.2010
a lake, a hot tub, and a job interview
I am truly living the good life right now. I have had an amazing day and love Colorado more and more with each passing moment. Today I decided to have a somewhat lazy day and spent most of the morning and part of the the afternoon working on job applications and getting letters and cards ready to go in the mail. After a brief stop at the post office, I went to the Lafayette farmer's market and walked around for a bit. It is definitely much smaller than the Boulder farmer's market, but I love that everyone around here is so excited about great produce and fresh ingredients. Cooking here is going to be so much fun.
I went on a walk after that around Waneka lake again and it is so beautiful. The people here are crazy friendly and I get to walk by the playground every lap so it is great. The sun was shining today so I stopped to watch the multitude of kids who were playing and it is amazing how many people are willing to just sit and chat. I found a family that has three kids and four dogs that were all out at the park together. And I love to watch people who exercise with their pets. There are so many people who run or walk with their dogs and they are all so cute.
I made quinoa and summer veggie salad for dinner tonight which is so incredibly great on a sunny day. I am really enjoying getting to know Becky and we have had a truly fantastic evening. We ate our dinner and then soaked our tired feet in the hot tub before crashing on the couch with our computers.
The greatest part of today though is that I got called for a job interview at the Flagstaff House. It is a 5 star restaurant here in Boulder and would be an amazing boost to my resume. It would be seriously hard work, but I think well worth the effort. I can't imagine how much I'm going to learn from both a job and school this summer. Even if I end up decorating cakes at the Walmart bakery, it will be a truly fantastic experience.
I am amazed that a week has already gone by here. In some ways I feel like I have been here forever, but in others I am already scared that my summer is just going to fly by. While I am out and about tomorrow, I am going to try to find a hiking guide because I would really like to go out in the mountains on Saturday. The views are gorgeous here in the Boulder area, but I'm just a few miles shy of actually being in the mountains. Depending on how adventurous I get, I may even go up to Estes Park and hike at Rocky Mountain National Park for the afternoon. Whatever I do, I am sure that it will be truly fantastic!
Here are a couple of pictures of Waneka Lake:
I went on a walk after that around Waneka lake again and it is so beautiful. The people here are crazy friendly and I get to walk by the playground every lap so it is great. The sun was shining today so I stopped to watch the multitude of kids who were playing and it is amazing how many people are willing to just sit and chat. I found a family that has three kids and four dogs that were all out at the park together. And I love to watch people who exercise with their pets. There are so many people who run or walk with their dogs and they are all so cute.
I made quinoa and summer veggie salad for dinner tonight which is so incredibly great on a sunny day. I am really enjoying getting to know Becky and we have had a truly fantastic evening. We ate our dinner and then soaked our tired feet in the hot tub before crashing on the couch with our computers.
The greatest part of today though is that I got called for a job interview at the Flagstaff House. It is a 5 star restaurant here in Boulder and would be an amazing boost to my resume. It would be seriously hard work, but I think well worth the effort. I can't imagine how much I'm going to learn from both a job and school this summer. Even if I end up decorating cakes at the Walmart bakery, it will be a truly fantastic experience.
I am amazed that a week has already gone by here. In some ways I feel like I have been here forever, but in others I am already scared that my summer is just going to fly by. While I am out and about tomorrow, I am going to try to find a hiking guide because I would really like to go out in the mountains on Saturday. The views are gorgeous here in the Boulder area, but I'm just a few miles shy of actually being in the mountains. Depending on how adventurous I get, I may even go up to Estes Park and hike at Rocky Mountain National Park for the afternoon. Whatever I do, I am sure that it will be truly fantastic!
Here are a couple of pictures of Waneka Lake:
5.19.2010
i want to bake
So today began the serious aspects of job searching. Yesterday I printed a zillion resumes and today I delivered them to every bakery in a 40 miles radius of where I am living. I got to meet Kim at Tee and Cake in Boulder today. She is the one pastry lady that I would want to work with out here and I am really hoping that she will call me in for an interview. Her cakes are truly fantastic and she does some really fun stuff with decorating. I also applied at Big Fat Cupcake in Denver. They only do cupcakes, but they do tons of flavors and it is a really cute shop. I would definitely not mind working there, but it is about 30 minutes from home rather than the 8 or 9 for Tee and Cake. I got to know more about the area and feel like I have a little better idea of where things are and how to get from one to another.
My evening was also truly fantastic. I took a six mile walk around Waneka Lake and watched the weather change about 4 times during the walk. When I started it was a little cloudy, but there was still some sunshine. About halfway through it was completely dark and a little drizzly, but about ten minutes later the clouds were gone and the sun was shining again. I LOVE COLORADO!
After my walk, I baked for the first time at a high elevation and it wasn't anywhere near as scary as I thought it was going to be. I made oatmeal cookies with raisins, craisins, and chocolate chips so that everyone in the house was happy. They turned out extremely well and it felt really good to be in the kitchen. The next big challenge will be to do a cake and I would like to try a loaf of bread before I start class. We'll see how that goes. Cakes and breads are much more particular than cookies so I imagine there will be some disasters before success is to be had.
I have no idea what is on the agenda for tomorrow, except a bike ride to the post office. If the weather is nice, I may find somewhere to go hike in the afternoon. And I promise that pictures are coming. My camera is dead and I need the battery to charge before I can upload photos. Check out my facebook page for pics of the trip out if you are interested.
My evening was also truly fantastic. I took a six mile walk around Waneka Lake and watched the weather change about 4 times during the walk. When I started it was a little cloudy, but there was still some sunshine. About halfway through it was completely dark and a little drizzly, but about ten minutes later the clouds were gone and the sun was shining again. I LOVE COLORADO!
After my walk, I baked for the first time at a high elevation and it wasn't anywhere near as scary as I thought it was going to be. I made oatmeal cookies with raisins, craisins, and chocolate chips so that everyone in the house was happy. They turned out extremely well and it felt really good to be in the kitchen. The next big challenge will be to do a cake and I would like to try a loaf of bread before I start class. We'll see how that goes. Cakes and breads are much more particular than cookies so I imagine there will be some disasters before success is to be had.
I have no idea what is on the agenda for tomorrow, except a bike ride to the post office. If the weather is nice, I may find somewhere to go hike in the afternoon. And I promise that pictures are coming. My camera is dead and I need the battery to charge before I can upload photos. Check out my facebook page for pics of the trip out if you are interested.
5.17.2010
a walk in the park and a mango smoothie
I am finding it truly amazing how much time it takes to unpack a single room. I finally got enough hangers to get all of my clothes hung today and I have internet and my netflix box working again, so life is good. I didn't actually accomplish too terribly much today, but I did enjoy a truly perfect Colorado day. The sun was shining, the temperature was just right, and I couldn't be happier. I have gotten somewhat acquainted with my new neighborhood and found a true Colorado treasure along the way.
Waneka Lake is a glorious little lake that is a mere block from where I am living. The view is absolutely gorgeous with a mountain background and plenty of green everywhere. The path around the lake is used by walkers, joggers, bikes, and everyone in between and while there were quite a few people there, it never felt overcrowded. The playground is very quaint and in a shaded area so all of the mommas who are watching their babies play don't have to sweat too much or squint in the sun, which makes going to the park even more fun and there is a small dock for fishing, if you feel so inclined. I, personally, have never had much need for fishing, but I did enjoy watching the fish jump while I was walking tonight.
I walked three laps around the lake, which is really only a little over three miles, but it was a glorious walk. And the greatest part was that I got to walk with my momma. Well actually we talked to each other on the phone while we were both walking in our respective neighborhoods, but it was nice nonetheless. And to end a great evening, I made myself a strawberry/mango smoothie for dinner to cool off when I got back. Smoothies are such a wonderful culinary delight and an amazing thirst quencher. I had forgotten how quickly you dry out at altitude and have not quite been hydrating properly.
I am enjoying the mountains immensely, however, the rather abrupt change from intensely busy to suddenly being in possession of great amounts of free time has been rather strange for me. Not only am I living in someone else's home, but I don't really know anyone else here, so I'm not going very far. I have truly enjoyed Ron and Becky's company, but it is strange to go into a grocery store or stop by the post office and not encounter anyone that I know. I guess that's what you get when you've lived in one place for so many years. I cannot wait to start meeting other people at classes and church, so that I have friends that I can hang out with again.
After doing some serious job searching tomorrow, I think that I will attempt to bake something at this lovely higher elevation to see how it goes. Becky brought home a couple of high altitude cookbooks from work today, so I will see what I can come up with. I haven't decided for sure what I want to start off with, but a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies seems like a nice place to start. Though I have to figure out how to learn all the fun pastry stuff that I am going to learn without getting exceptionally fat over the summer. I would like to work towards a healthier lifestyle while I am here, but it is going to be very hard when I am surrounded by all the great food that will come my way in the time that I am here. And hopefully baking here won't be as finicky at it seems right now. Good thing I'm going to pastry school where Chef Amy can teach me how to do it right!
Waneka Lake is a glorious little lake that is a mere block from where I am living. The view is absolutely gorgeous with a mountain background and plenty of green everywhere. The path around the lake is used by walkers, joggers, bikes, and everyone in between and while there were quite a few people there, it never felt overcrowded. The playground is very quaint and in a shaded area so all of the mommas who are watching their babies play don't have to sweat too much or squint in the sun, which makes going to the park even more fun and there is a small dock for fishing, if you feel so inclined. I, personally, have never had much need for fishing, but I did enjoy watching the fish jump while I was walking tonight.
I walked three laps around the lake, which is really only a little over three miles, but it was a glorious walk. And the greatest part was that I got to walk with my momma. Well actually we talked to each other on the phone while we were both walking in our respective neighborhoods, but it was nice nonetheless. And to end a great evening, I made myself a strawberry/mango smoothie for dinner to cool off when I got back. Smoothies are such a wonderful culinary delight and an amazing thirst quencher. I had forgotten how quickly you dry out at altitude and have not quite been hydrating properly.
I am enjoying the mountains immensely, however, the rather abrupt change from intensely busy to suddenly being in possession of great amounts of free time has been rather strange for me. Not only am I living in someone else's home, but I don't really know anyone else here, so I'm not going very far. I have truly enjoyed Ron and Becky's company, but it is strange to go into a grocery store or stop by the post office and not encounter anyone that I know. I guess that's what you get when you've lived in one place for so many years. I cannot wait to start meeting other people at classes and church, so that I have friends that I can hang out with again.
After doing some serious job searching tomorrow, I think that I will attempt to bake something at this lovely higher elevation to see how it goes. Becky brought home a couple of high altitude cookbooks from work today, so I will see what I can come up with. I haven't decided for sure what I want to start off with, but a simple batch of chocolate chip cookies seems like a nice place to start. Though I have to figure out how to learn all the fun pastry stuff that I am going to learn without getting exceptionally fat over the summer. I would like to work towards a healthier lifestyle while I am here, but it is going to be very hard when I am surrounded by all the great food that will come my way in the time that I am here. And hopefully baking here won't be as finicky at it seems right now. Good thing I'm going to pastry school where Chef Amy can teach me how to do it right!
5.16.2010
the cake lady made it west
So I have made it to Colorado and I am in love! Erin and I survived the last 300 miles of Kansas and even had some fun while we were there. We went to OZ, which is actually Wamego, KS, but it is a truly fantastic little small town that has laid claim to the 'Wizard of Oz'. They have an OZ museum and are home to the OZ winery, which has some truly fabulous wines. The best part of Kansas was that we got to spend time with Amanda. There is nothing like a mini-reunion to make a boring day of driving a million times better. :)
We made it to Colorado late Friday evening and found my new home for the summer. Ron and Becky Southworth are fabulous people, who truly enjoy opening their home to others and have made me feel extremely welcome. They have a wonderful home and I am sure I will be extremely happy here. Erin and I have settled my room and I just about have everything where I would like it. I have internet access and I am ready to conquer the pastry world when classes start in a couple of weeks.
Erin just called to say that she had made it back home and I am rather sad that she won't be here to have anymore adventures with me. We have had a very great weekend and seen some really neat things. Yesterday we spent the day exploring Boulder and found some truly amazing places. We had a fabulous time walking around Pearl Street and exploring the weekend market and the truly unique shops that you find in Boulder. Lunch at Falafel King was fabulous and we went out to Celestial Seasonings to drink tea before we did our shopping and errands. And our gloriously decadent dinner at the Boulder Chophouse and Tavern included steak, a marvelous salad, white cheddar mashed potatoes, and an amazing bread pudding for dessert.
Today we went out to Red Rocks for a walk in the glorious Colorado day. The weather was absolutely perfect and the mountains are beautiful when the sky is so perfectly blue. The temperature hit about 70 degrees and the colors here are glorious. Red Rocks is a natural rock formation that developed when the tectonic plates began to form the mountains. It has since been turned into a park and has a beautiful outdoor amphitheater and some of the greatest views that the Denver area has to offer. We also went to see the Colorado State Capitol building in downtown Denver where there is a step that has a mile high marker, which makes a great photo opportunity.
Tomorrow I need to get to work and start the job search. Though I would love to just play all summer, I do feel that being productive is important and I know that I won't be happy to just hang out on my non-class days. My plan for tomorrow is to make a list of restaurants, hotels, and bakeries in the area that are hiring so that I can focus my search and get resumes out to places that might work. I also need to familiarize myself with the area a little more so that I can get around more easily. For now though, I think bed is the best option. I am quite worn out after such an adventurous few days and need some brain recuperation time. Good night all!
5.13.2010
0555 wake up and get ready
0700 finish loading car
0814 say goodbye to house
1200 leave illinois
1700 leave missouri
1930 spend evening with amanda and erin
It has been a very full day both with activity and emotion, but my adventure has begun and I couldn't be more excited. Tomorrow we will finish the last leg of our journey and end at my home for the summer in lafayette, co. I have much more to say about our entire adventure as well as some photographic evidence, but it will have to wait until the computer can be unearthed from the pile in the car. I'm halfway to culinary school, I have two of my best friends nearby, the weather is beautiful, and life couldn't be any better. Well actually if I didn't have to drive through 300 more miles of kansas it would be much better ;)
5.12.2010
It's moving day
So I am officially ending a very long day of packing and cleaning and it is already tomorrow. It is extremely surreal that in less than 8 hours, I will be on my way to Colorado. All day long I have been packing and cleaning my house, which somehow in the course of 24 hours has suddenly become a house again rather than MY home. I am grateful for this change, but also rather sad that a place that has been mine for several years and is where everything started can so suddenly become just another house to me. I will always love my house, but it is definitely time to move on. And I am ready. My car is packed to the brim with everything I might need in the next 4 months, hopefully Erin and I will fit in too and my house is cleaner than it has ever been. I scrubbed everything today including my laundry room, both refrigerators, and all the nooks and crannies that get overlooked on a normal cleaning day. I think it would be safe to say that my house is officially cleaner than it has ever been. Another SAD thought. I still have a fairly long list of things to accomplish before I can leave, but I think I can fit in a few hours of sleep. Missouri is a long, boring state and I have to drive all the way across it tomorrow. Hopefully I can contain my excitement enough to snooze a little before it is time to leave. Beware folks, the plan is officially in motion!
5.11.2010
The joys of packing
Oh what fun it is to pack all day. For the past 16 hours I have been running around my house making lists and stacking the things that I will need to take with me to Colorado. I'm still quite a way from being ready to go, but the massive pile of laundry that was sitting on the floor is done and has been replaced by a massive stack of stuff that I need for the summer. My biggest hope at the moment is that I will be able to get everything into the car without too much trouble. Tasks for tomorrow include finishing the packing, cleaning the house, finishing up banking tasks, mailing several packages that need to go to my husband, last physical therapy appointment, and hopefully a nap because I am most certainly going to need it. There's still a lot of stuff to get done and I have exactly 32 hours to complete the list. Wish me luck!
5.09.2010
The New Plan
As many of you may know, I have wanted to go to culinary school for a very long time. A few years back Bryan and I decided that the next time he deployed, I would take that time and pursue this dream. When Bryan left for Afghanistan in September, we decided to put this on hold until we could ensure that the financing was in place. I continued to research programs and try to find scholarships etc, to make my dream happen, but I was pretty content to wait. In early March I found a program in Boulder, CO that is part-time and short-term. It is only 16 weeks long and much more affordable than other programs in our area. So when Bryan was home over spring break, we made a very quick trip to Colorado so that I could interview for a position in the pastry arts program. The school is called the Culinary School of the Rockies and is a fabulously tiny culinary institute that offers several programs including a pastry only program that lasts for 16 weeks and has classes only 3 days a week. Once I was accepted during the last week of March, a crazy whirlwind of events began to take place. I have done a massive amount of work and have gotten our house on the market and because we have amazing technology, I was able to find a place to rent for the summer. So in a little over 3 days, I will be packing up my car and heading west to start this amazing new adventure. It does mean that, sadly, Willow Creek Cakes will once again be closed for the summer, but it will be worth it in the end. I finally get to pursue my dream and cannot wait to tell you all about it. Stay tuned for updates along the way!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
