This is going to be a busy week! Tomorrow is Banana Cream Pie, Gingersnaps, and Sanitation class number 2 - Class number 1 still ringing in my ears - Who knew baked potatoes could grow bacteria that quick??
DJ arrives on Wednesday and I can't wait to see him! Honestly, after a week not having face to face conversations with people who know me I'd take a visit from just about anyone, so seeing him is going to be so wonderful!
This program is going to keep me very busy, and looking at the syllabus I recognize that I need to find someone to give my creations to! The apple tart I brought home on Friday was half gone on Saturday night, and I had to get rid of it because the other half was calling my name!!
Love, L
xox
I love my program - Not a day has passed where I'm not thrilled to be in class. I am learning SO much about pastry and working in a kitchen. Soaking it up like a sponge!
My favorite thing is to get up early on Saturdays and cruise up to Central Park. It feels like a different world of calm in there, and I appreciate the fresh air so much!
There are a few things I am learning about NYC.
1) God there is a lot of garbage. It's unreal. And every night after I go to bed, a garbage bomb seems to go off and scatters all of the bagged garbage all over the streets and sidewalks. It's a garbage bomb, ok? It is NOT the doing of rats.
2) The city kinda smells bad. And not all the time, but like, when you aren't expecting it, you're out for a brisk stroll, you're breathing hard, and wham! The rudest smell assaults your nostrils and you've just inhaled a huge breath. It's a bit hard to get used to, coming from the sweet ocean smells I've been spoiled with as an east coast Girl.
3) Man there's a lot of tourists. Man tourists can be annoying. I live above a rice pudding shop (very niche, right? Only in NYC) and people love to visit it, take pics of it, hang out in front of it. People sit on my stoop and eat their rice pudding. I used to wonder why people in NY always seemed in a hurry. Now I'm one of them!!! It's frustrating to have to fight your way through throngs of people when you are just trying to get home. When I'm on my way home after school or the gym, I will bump you accidentally on purpose if you are slowing me down from getting where I need to be by being stopped in the middle of the sidewalk for no apparent reason other than to look up, and/or are on your phone texting and walking and generally not paying attention.
Sign outside my Rice Pudding shop, Rice to Riches. And yes I realize the irony that I've stopped to take a picture of this sign when I'm complaining about people stopping to take pictures of this sign. But I live here so it doesn't count.
4) New Yorkers don't care. They've seen it all. I still care. Apparently I still have stuff to see.
For example, there's this old black guy who parks himself, his car (painted with his slogan), and his music outside on Broadway and sings his song "The Rent....is Too. Damn. High." Over and over and over. That's the only lyric!!!! People were cruising by like nothing was odd about this.
5) There is always something to see. The other day I was sitting outside at brunch with DJ and we saw a kid on a skateboard get hit by a car (he literally bounced off the hood and landed on his feet, laughing) and then another car rear-end someone five minutes later. Then we went and got coffee and there was the supermodel who was in the Victoria's Secret ad I had seen on the billboard on the way there. Just another day.
I've been trying to get the most out of my experience here. I volunteered to help make this amazing sugar sandcastle - check it out, my name made the credits oh yeaaaaah!
I miss everyone so much, especially DJ!! When he visits we have so much
fun exploring the city - we've seen so much of it already! We walked
over 25 miles this past weekend. Gotta walk off all the sweets that I
have to try - Best Homework Ever.
Here's a few glamour shots of me in my uniform. The last uni I wore was a flight attendant one. This one isn't made cute as easily. But I'm workin it hard.
"It" being several things. It's my fist blog entry - that one I think is obvious. It's the first day I'm away from my husband DJ in 6 weeks - He's starting on a new journey of his own today and I'm so excited for him. It is also...Well, you know when you feel like you are at the start - the very beginning- of what you know in your gut is going to change everything. Well. Here I am. I definitely feel it.
In the past 6 weeks DJ and I have packed up our picturesque house
in Wayne, Pennsylvania and moved it home to Halifax, Nova Scotia. We have set up our new apartment, with much help from my amazing Mom and Dad. I have thrown an awesome bridal shower/cocktail party for my cousin and close friend (also, thanks Mom). And then I packed up what I thought I might need for the next 6 months of life as I prepare for my next chapter in New York City. I'm reminded of Will Ferrell's 'Buddy the Elf' journey into the big apple...'And then, I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel'. Ha! Not exactly, but I think the feeling of awe is the same.
I'll be studying Classic French Pastry Arts at the International Culinary Center. It's on Broadway, in SoHo. I know. Amazing, right? We rented a small apartment close to the school that I'm really excited to make into a cozy, pink haven where I can put my feet up after a day of buttercream whipping and fondant rolling! DJ is going to be coming down to stay every other weekend...Right now I am at the airport by myself, but I will see him a week from tomorrow. That seems far off to me right now because we have had the most lovely time this summer. The space between his last job and his new job allowed him the month of July off. There were lots of beach days and bbq's, walks to the waterfront and drinks on the patio. It was so much fun and I'm sad that that part of the summer is over. But looking ahead!
I fell in love with NYC before I even got there the first time 5 years ago. DJ and I went down around Christmas and we had fun touring around. I was amazed by the energy - nothing stopped! Living in Philly, we got to New York quite often. Every time I went I felt that same energy.
Me in NYC at Christmas for the first time. I was mesmerized!
In April I went up by myself and took a one day class for fun at the ICC. Cream Puffs and Eclairs. Amazing! I knew immediately that this was the place for me.
My enthusiasm for baking grows with every new recipe. I know this is the right path for me and having support from family and friends and my amazing husband makes leaving a little easier...Well...A little less hard.
I've come a long way in the past few years. This was my first cheesecake:
Notice the strategic placement of whipped cream to cover the many cracks in the too-wet surface. I think it tasted ok, but my presentation definitely needed work!!
One of my latest pursuits - miniaturizing Sarabeth Bakery's Ruby cake into these sweet little baby-bundts swirled with raspberry jam and chocolate. Much better! And lots more to come...
I plan to post my journey as it happens...From my creations in the kitchen to my adventures around the city. I'm so excited to get out and start exploring! I hope this will be a place my friends and loved ones can come to check on what's up with me - in between visits to see me!!!
This is going to be a busy week! Tomorrow is Banana Cream Pie, Gingersnaps, and Sanitation class number 2 - Class number 1 still ringing in my ears - Who knew baked potatoes could grow bacteria that quick??
