"If You Recycle You Turn The World All The Way Around By Helping" Jessica Rehberg, Age 7. My mom and I found a newspaper article about my sister winning a poster contest about recycling. Who knew she was so poetic even back then? Though this post is not about recycling per se, it does have a little bit to do about saving the planet.
I am still at home. Where is home really for me? I would argue to say that home is where my mom and my sister are, which means home can be a number of different places. But now that I have been so far away from Georgia, I also can argue that the South in general is home to me: Destin, Winder, Athens, Thomasville, Atlanta, Monticello, Tallahassee, etc, and I plan to say that I visited all of these places when I head back North.
Second to Thomasville, I have spent the majority of my life in Destin, Florida. I remember when Destin was not the "cool" place to go, yet the Barrett family always knew it was special. My sister got lost and was rescued on that stretch of sand in front of the GulfShore Condominium. The Target where GulfShore Drive dead ends with Highway 98 used to be a Delchamps shopping center with a bookstore called the Book Nook. The days we visited the Big Kahunas water park and the Track were the highlights of our summer. Colored zinc oxide on our face only made us cuter, and believe me, I was super cute back then. I remember when our walkway to the beach was a lot longer than it is now. We have survived many hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane Opal in 1996 was devastating, and I can personally say that I waited out one tropical storm, with water pouring underneath the doors, hollowing winds outside, and my mom worrying in Thomasville. Destin has changed over the past twenty three years, but nothing compares to this summer.
I stayed in Destin for almost a full week, a few days with my mom and grandmother and a couple days with Jess. It was almost like living in a ghost town compared to Destin in summers past. There is no traffic. The beaches are relatively empty. You can walk into restaurants at 6:30 with no wait. Two boats out in the Gulf in front of our condo are a constant reminder about the oil spill, and the realistic possibility of the oil's lasting effects on the gulf coast. The more and more I think about it, the more it upsets me. I know that, for the most part, I am uneducated on the subject of oil and how oil affects my every day life, whether I know it or not. However, it baffles me why we, as Americans and human beings, find the need to disrupt and mess with Mother Nature to the extreme. I stepped on a tar ball while walking along the beach, and I could not get the oil off of my heal. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of different species of birds, fish, etc. trying to live in this oil. This is an environmental disaster, with its effects lasting well into the future. At what cost will we say that enough is enough? With the oil spill capped and the relief well to kill the gusher almost drilled, people are misled into thinking that this problem that began on April 20th is almost over. It is just beginning. This is my plea for the Gulf, my slice of heaven, my slice of home. The coast is open for business.
Jessica and I did eat at Commander's Palace near the Destin marina. The original Commander's Palace is in New Orleans, Louisiana, one of my favorite cities on earth, a city where I would love to extern. I just thought, with this being my blog of sorts about food, that I should share what we ate. For appetizers, Jess ordered the oysters BLT, and I had the soup trio, with a sampling of their signature turtle soup, gumbo, and the soup du jour. For our main course, Jess had pecan-crusted fish, and I loved my barbecue shrimp (though they did not compare to Pascal's in NOLA). For dessert, we shared a Frangelico ganache chocolate cake. Frangelico ganache= alcoholic nutella!!!! The meal was delicious, and the view was not too bad either.
My mom convinced me to help work with her and the hospital kitchen staff at the new Oncology Center opening gala last Thursday. (Question: what is the proper pronunciation of "gala?") This new facility is a "new home for cancer care and a new home for hope." Over six hundred people RSVPed to the gala, and they were greeted with a beautiful new building and amazing food. (I took some pictures and hopefully will be able to show a sampling when I get back to New York in a few days.) I helped my mom with the dessert table. With desserts and sweets being a favorite of women, it was decided to theme this table for the awareness of breast cancer. The tablecloths were pink, as well as the roses. There was an ice sculpture of a cancer ribbon, with a pink back spotlight. We served everything from creme brulee, to white chocolate bread pudding, to chocolate fondue, to chocolate-covered pretzels, to fried cheesecake. During the actual event, I was the dessert bartender, really, helping with the dessert shooters (chocolate martini, lemon drop martini, and raspberry bellini, each with their own sugary treat on top) and the kahlua punch. I enjoyed myself, saw some familiar faces, and worked harder than I have in a while. Thanks, mom, for building my resume.
On Friday, I packed the car again (in Valdosta in Catherine's car) to head to Atlanta to visit some high school friends. It was such a fun weekend, catching up with old friends and exploring different parts of Atlanta. On Friday, we started the night at Tin Lizzy's in Buckhead, where we drank margaritas and ate (well, I did not eat because I had Chickfila on the ride) what looked like amazing tacos, etc. From there, we ventured to a couple of places, including Churchill's and a diner (for pancakes because I was hungry by this time). We made it back to Melissa's apartment by 3:30am. Saturday, though Melissa does not believe us, was a great day, complete with new friends, unexpected delays, rain, welcoming strangers, and the Chattahoochee; we will definitely not forget the day. Melissa and Trevor (her bf) took me, Catherine, and Mary Glenn to a wonderful little tapas place called Eclipse di Luna. I ordered the salmon with orzo and the stuffed peppers. Melissa wanted dessert at Yoforia (which is like the Yoguri in Athens.) I am so glad we ended the night with dessert there because the Ferrero Rocher yogurt was amazing. The next morning, Catherine and I headed to Starbucks for breakfast and to do a little shopping at Lenox before completing our trip with Doc Chey's (an Athens favorite for us). Catherine, I have decided that you should work really hard this year to go to PT school in Atlanta, I can extern there, and then I can move to Atlanta when I graduate from the CIA. Then, you will always have me to help you navigate around the city! This sounds like a dream.
Now, I am packing the car and hitting the road (again! I have definitely made up for not driving for six weeks) to head to Winder/Athens tomorrow. These three weeks have zoomed by, and I am both excited/sad about going back to New York. No worries though; I already have flights for two weekends in September for dum-dum-de-dums.
GOT DOUGH? I AM ROLLING IN IT!
Hay Reh
*Thanks, Melissa, for being a wonderful hostess in Atlanta. I cannot wait to visit you in Macon, if your future Doctor schedule allows.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Monday, July 12, 2010
I wish I had a boat.
**The date and time of this post are not correct. Today's date is July 15!
I have only been back in the South since Friday night/Saturday morning around midnight but it has been a whirlwind ever since I got in a taxi at the CIA. I left Angell at about 8:00 and headed to the Poughkeepsie train station. My train left at 8:47 and arrived at Grand Central a little after 10:00. I bought a Starbucks, a ticket for the New York Airport Shuttle, and boarded the LGA bus. The shuttle left for LGA, with Delta being its last terminal stop, and I arrived at the airport around 11:00. I went through security and headed to my gate. From here, the waiting game begins and my worst nightmare.
My flight was scheduled to leave at 2:00. Boarding should have started at 1:30. Keep in mind too that, because I had never traveled from the CIA to a New York airport for a flight at a specific time, I arrived at the airport waaaay early (better early than late and missing my plane, right?). Apparently, the airspace around NY is congested (Really? Surprise, surprise, NYC is one of the largest cities in the world!). Our plane was coming from ATL and had to divert to Baltimore to refuel, as it could not land in a sufficient period of time in NY. Initially, our flight was pushed from 2:00 to 4:00. Apparently, there were problems with air traffic control, the Baltimore airport, and LGA to get the plane coming from ATL to NYC in a reasonable time frame. Our flight kept getting pushed back, because our plane had not landed. Our plane finally arrived at 5:30, and we boarded around 6. We sat on the runway for a good thirty minutes, with planes ahead of us waiting to take off. We were rerouted a different way to ATL to avoid bad weather, and a flight that was supposed to take 1:29 minutes actually took about 2-2:15. As we began to descend into the ATL area, a thunderstorm formed above the airport. We were in a holding pattern (aka flying around just for fun) for ten to fifteen minutes waiting for the thunderstorm to move or discipate. It was not moving and air traffic control recommended us staying in a holding pattern for thirty more minutes. We did not have enough fuel to wait thirty minutes, for the thunderstorm not to move, risk another holding pattern, and not be able to land safely. Therefore, we flew twenty-nine minutes to Augusta to refuel. We were in AUG for over an hour and then had to fly back to ATL. When we landed in ATL and were taxiing to the gate, the Captain came on to tell us that, bad dream or not, another plane was at our gate. ARE YOU SERIOUS?! We waited for about fifteen minutes and finally de-boarded the plane. I met Katy and Katie outside baggage claim around midnight. WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE EVER! I AM NEVER FLYING HOME AGAIN. Okay, that is not true, but I could have made it back to GA from NY in less time if I had driven (not a great statistic, Delta). I used all means of transportation to come home except a boat, and part of me wishes I had come home on a boat, a cruise ship perhaps.
Katy and Katie waited and waited and waited for me to land in Atlanta. I was texting them the whole day trying to update them on what was going on: 4:00, then 4:30, then 6:00, then Augusta, then occupied gate. I want to thank them for being my best friends in the entire world, for not complaining, and taking care of me even when I was not a happy camper. We had this perfect plan to get dinner, and hang out, and reminisce. Well, all we really got was a very tired me (and them from working their big girl jobs), a spicy chicken sandwich from Chickfila waiting for me in the car, and an hour drive to Winder.
I stayed at my sister's house on Friday night (really I just slept a few hours on Saturday morning). My alarm sounded way too early for my liking, but I got ready and packed up my CAR! (Man, I missed my car and driving.) Then, I drove from Winder to Nashville. I met Mary Catherine (who will be a senior at Vanderbilt in the Fall which CANNOT be possible) at her precious little house. She of course gave me the grand tour, before we went to eat lunch at this fabulous little taco place. We drove all the way to Opry Mills to find it closed, of course, from the flood. (Sidenote: Nashville was my destination the first time I ever flew in my life, and my family came to visit Opryland at Christmas time. It was strange to remember that trip when I was little, the pictures I had seen from the flood, and to see Opryland on a beautiful summer day, knowing it was closed for a significant period of time for repair.) MC gave me a short tour of downtown Nashville, including an overview tour of Vandy, the XO house, and her Peabody campus. MCA, I am so glad I was finally able to see you in Nashville, and thank you for a wonderful afternoon.
I enjoy driving to amazing cities where I have not spent an extended period of time to visit friends or to see friends get married. My friend, Brittany, has lived in Nashville for about a year; she moved from being a yearlong intern at SharpTop to Nashville to work for a wonderful organization, Friend's Life (look it up!). We chatted a bit before Allan, another STC intern friend, met us at Brittany's house from Knoxville. Allan and I got ready for the wedding and headed to the church, with minutes to spare. I have never been to a wedding of this size before. Alice looked radiant. "Eat, drink, and be married." That basically was Alice and Eddie's wedding, and I loved every second of it. When we were leaving, I asked Alice where they were going on their honeymoon, and she did not know. I love that, the fact that Eddie surprised her with where they were going to spend their first week of married life. Alice and Eddie are a special couple, meant for each other, and I am excited to see what the future holds for the two of them, together.
The next morning, Allan, Brittany, and I met Kelli and Rick (Yay, STC) at Fido for breakfast. I ordered, in the spirit of the blog I feel I must tell you, a garlicky hummus bagel with tomatoes, cucumbers (yuck), and onions. Though Brittany and I ordered the same thing, our plates looked slightly different. I am not complaining though because I think we thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast. Brittany, Allan, and I drove back to B's house, with Brittany telling us some fun Nashville facts as we passed several places. We said our goodbyes and Allan and I hopped in our cars. (Allan had a game, aka the World Cup Final, to get back to watch. :)) Thanks, Brittany and Allan.
Here I was, back in the car, driving again. Destination=STC. I made it to Jasper around 3:30 or in the middle of the Welcome. They finally let me come up the driveway, after a bit of confusion. It was so great to hang for a few hours and see Teena, the Sieverts, the Nichols, Dan? :), etc. I have spent the past two summers of my life at this property, and I definitely did not think it would be as emotional (in a good way) as it was to visit in the summer. Maybe, one day, I will work in the kitchen at a Young Life property. Now, that would be living the dream!
I have been at home now for a bit. It is great to be back and have absolutely nothing to do. It is so fun being lazy that it is almost impossible for me to even motivate myself to update this blog. Jess and I had fun waking up late, eating with the parents, and being unproductive. (Ask my mom. It is what we do best.) Jess has since left me here to be lonely by myself. Wait, who are we kidding? I do wish she was here but I am not having a terrible time sitting on the couch with the cat alone watching the tele reading People. My mom and I have baked and watched movies. Tomorrow, my mom, grandmother, and I are going to Destin for a few days. I need to get my tan on. Wait, again, who are we kidding? I do not tan, and I work in pants and a coat. (I have come to accept that pail is how the Lord made me, and I am okay with that.) I am sure we will eat expensive seafood (thanks, BP), read trashy novels on the beach, and shop. Jess will join us on Monday, hopefully.
I need to buy plane tickets for the Fall. I need to finish updating my resume. I need to start making an extern list. I need to pack some things for the drive to New York in a few weeks. It is my summer vacation, though, and therefore, these things can wait.
And, to shake things a little bit for my Uncle Gerry, THIS IS HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES!
Hay Reh
*Congratulations, Alice and Eddie Sally! I love you both very much, and I am so thankful that I was able to be there for your special day! To answer your question, by the way, Alice, the cake was delicious!
*Happy Birthday, Brittany, and Happy Belated Birthday, Teena. I so enjoyed seeing both of y'all this weekend! I cannot wait to see y'all again in September! :)
*Congratulations, Chaz, on getting accepted to medical school! Dr. Chaz has a nice ring to it!
I have only been back in the South since Friday night/Saturday morning around midnight but it has been a whirlwind ever since I got in a taxi at the CIA. I left Angell at about 8:00 and headed to the Poughkeepsie train station. My train left at 8:47 and arrived at Grand Central a little after 10:00. I bought a Starbucks, a ticket for the New York Airport Shuttle, and boarded the LGA bus. The shuttle left for LGA, with Delta being its last terminal stop, and I arrived at the airport around 11:00. I went through security and headed to my gate. From here, the waiting game begins and my worst nightmare.
My flight was scheduled to leave at 2:00. Boarding should have started at 1:30. Keep in mind too that, because I had never traveled from the CIA to a New York airport for a flight at a specific time, I arrived at the airport waaaay early (better early than late and missing my plane, right?). Apparently, the airspace around NY is congested (Really? Surprise, surprise, NYC is one of the largest cities in the world!). Our plane was coming from ATL and had to divert to Baltimore to refuel, as it could not land in a sufficient period of time in NY. Initially, our flight was pushed from 2:00 to 4:00. Apparently, there were problems with air traffic control, the Baltimore airport, and LGA to get the plane coming from ATL to NYC in a reasonable time frame. Our flight kept getting pushed back, because our plane had not landed. Our plane finally arrived at 5:30, and we boarded around 6. We sat on the runway for a good thirty minutes, with planes ahead of us waiting to take off. We were rerouted a different way to ATL to avoid bad weather, and a flight that was supposed to take 1:29 minutes actually took about 2-2:15. As we began to descend into the ATL area, a thunderstorm formed above the airport. We were in a holding pattern (aka flying around just for fun) for ten to fifteen minutes waiting for the thunderstorm to move or discipate. It was not moving and air traffic control recommended us staying in a holding pattern for thirty more minutes. We did not have enough fuel to wait thirty minutes, for the thunderstorm not to move, risk another holding pattern, and not be able to land safely. Therefore, we flew twenty-nine minutes to Augusta to refuel. We were in AUG for over an hour and then had to fly back to ATL. When we landed in ATL and were taxiing to the gate, the Captain came on to tell us that, bad dream or not, another plane was at our gate. ARE YOU SERIOUS?! We waited for about fifteen minutes and finally de-boarded the plane. I met Katy and Katie outside baggage claim around midnight. WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE EVER! I AM NEVER FLYING HOME AGAIN. Okay, that is not true, but I could have made it back to GA from NY in less time if I had driven (not a great statistic, Delta). I used all means of transportation to come home except a boat, and part of me wishes I had come home on a boat, a cruise ship perhaps.
Katy and Katie waited and waited and waited for me to land in Atlanta. I was texting them the whole day trying to update them on what was going on: 4:00, then 4:30, then 6:00, then Augusta, then occupied gate. I want to thank them for being my best friends in the entire world, for not complaining, and taking care of me even when I was not a happy camper. We had this perfect plan to get dinner, and hang out, and reminisce. Well, all we really got was a very tired me (and them from working their big girl jobs), a spicy chicken sandwich from Chickfila waiting for me in the car, and an hour drive to Winder.
I stayed at my sister's house on Friday night (really I just slept a few hours on Saturday morning). My alarm sounded way too early for my liking, but I got ready and packed up my CAR! (Man, I missed my car and driving.) Then, I drove from Winder to Nashville. I met Mary Catherine (who will be a senior at Vanderbilt in the Fall which CANNOT be possible) at her precious little house. She of course gave me the grand tour, before we went to eat lunch at this fabulous little taco place. We drove all the way to Opry Mills to find it closed, of course, from the flood. (Sidenote: Nashville was my destination the first time I ever flew in my life, and my family came to visit Opryland at Christmas time. It was strange to remember that trip when I was little, the pictures I had seen from the flood, and to see Opryland on a beautiful summer day, knowing it was closed for a significant period of time for repair.) MC gave me a short tour of downtown Nashville, including an overview tour of Vandy, the XO house, and her Peabody campus. MCA, I am so glad I was finally able to see you in Nashville, and thank you for a wonderful afternoon.
I enjoy driving to amazing cities where I have not spent an extended period of time to visit friends or to see friends get married. My friend, Brittany, has lived in Nashville for about a year; she moved from being a yearlong intern at SharpTop to Nashville to work for a wonderful organization, Friend's Life (look it up!). We chatted a bit before Allan, another STC intern friend, met us at Brittany's house from Knoxville. Allan and I got ready for the wedding and headed to the church, with minutes to spare. I have never been to a wedding of this size before. Alice looked radiant. "Eat, drink, and be married." That basically was Alice and Eddie's wedding, and I loved every second of it. When we were leaving, I asked Alice where they were going on their honeymoon, and she did not know. I love that, the fact that Eddie surprised her with where they were going to spend their first week of married life. Alice and Eddie are a special couple, meant for each other, and I am excited to see what the future holds for the two of them, together.
The next morning, Allan, Brittany, and I met Kelli and Rick (Yay, STC) at Fido for breakfast. I ordered, in the spirit of the blog I feel I must tell you, a garlicky hummus bagel with tomatoes, cucumbers (yuck), and onions. Though Brittany and I ordered the same thing, our plates looked slightly different. I am not complaining though because I think we thoroughly enjoyed our breakfast. Brittany, Allan, and I drove back to B's house, with Brittany telling us some fun Nashville facts as we passed several places. We said our goodbyes and Allan and I hopped in our cars. (Allan had a game, aka the World Cup Final, to get back to watch. :)) Thanks, Brittany and Allan.
Here I was, back in the car, driving again. Destination=STC. I made it to Jasper around 3:30 or in the middle of the Welcome. They finally let me come up the driveway, after a bit of confusion. It was so great to hang for a few hours and see Teena, the Sieverts, the Nichols, Dan? :), etc. I have spent the past two summers of my life at this property, and I definitely did not think it would be as emotional (in a good way) as it was to visit in the summer. Maybe, one day, I will work in the kitchen at a Young Life property. Now, that would be living the dream!
I have been at home now for a bit. It is great to be back and have absolutely nothing to do. It is so fun being lazy that it is almost impossible for me to even motivate myself to update this blog. Jess and I had fun waking up late, eating with the parents, and being unproductive. (Ask my mom. It is what we do best.) Jess has since left me here to be lonely by myself. Wait, who are we kidding? I do wish she was here but I am not having a terrible time sitting on the couch with the cat alone watching the tele reading People. My mom and I have baked and watched movies. Tomorrow, my mom, grandmother, and I are going to Destin for a few days. I need to get my tan on. Wait, again, who are we kidding? I do not tan, and I work in pants and a coat. (I have come to accept that pail is how the Lord made me, and I am okay with that.) I am sure we will eat expensive seafood (thanks, BP), read trashy novels on the beach, and shop. Jess will join us on Monday, hopefully.
I need to buy plane tickets for the Fall. I need to finish updating my resume. I need to start making an extern list. I need to pack some things for the drive to New York in a few weeks. It is my summer vacation, though, and therefore, these things can wait.
And, to shake things a little bit for my Uncle Gerry, THIS IS HOW THE COOKIE CRUMBLES!
Hay Reh
*Congratulations, Alice and Eddie Sally! I love you both very much, and I am so thankful that I was able to be there for your special day! To answer your question, by the way, Alice, the cake was delicious!
*Happy Birthday, Brittany, and Happy Belated Birthday, Teena. I so enjoyed seeing both of y'all this weekend! I cannot wait to see y'all again in September! :)
*Congratulations, Chaz, on getting accepted to medical school! Dr. Chaz has a nice ring to it!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Georgia on My Mind.
Block B. Over. I cannot really say that I am sad to be done with my first block of culinary school. I guess my mind has been trained in the short time I have been here to think that classes should only be three weeks long, and six weeks felt like a lifetime. I have heard that Block B is one of the hardest, and it is the foundation for your GPA. For the most part, from this point, I will only have one class per block, only one grade to factor into my GPA. Only one of my grades is posted right now for this block; I got an A- in Product Knowledge. I am fairly happy with that grade, seeing as I had to virtually score a 100 on the Final to make an A.
I woke this morning in my new room at around 9:45. My alarm was originally set for 8:45 but that did not happen as planned. I got dressed and walked to the library. My new favorite place to study in the library (as I have expressed my frustration for the group tables) is the little cubicles by the windows. Perfect. It is comfy and cozy, and I cannot hear the other people yapping away.
My Gastronomy Final was the one I was worried about the most. (Let's face it that I was not really worried about any of them.) There were 34 multiple choice questions worth half a point each and eight fill-in-the-blank questions worth one point. I know I got the eight fill-in questions correct, as they were specific questions about the chef presentations. For the multiple choice questions, there were a few tricky ones but not enough questionable ones to lose my A(-). People can say what they want about Professor Raider, but I thoroughly enjoyed this class. She is passionate about what she teaches and about farm-to-table cooking; it was a pleasure to have her as a teacher.
We finished the Gastro. Final in about thirty minutes and then stood in line waiting for K-16 to open for lunch. I ordered the Sicilian pizza with Caesar salad. It was not my favorite thing in the world, with too much breading, baked cheese, and tomato sauce. I ate it though. A group of us reviewed the study questions from the back of each chapter in the ServSafe book and walked upstairs to our classroom about fifteen minutes before class. The exam was okay. I know I passed but some of the questions were really bad (as in they should not have even made it on the test). It was not like I did not know the material about what they were asking but the answer choices did not make sense or were not what was covered in the book/class. I will know my certification exam score in about a week, but I will have to wait until after break to find out my Food Safety grade. I cannot wait to display by ServSafe certificate in my room, maybe in Thomasville next to my two UGA diplomas!?
I finally was able to check out of 204. I did three loads of laundry (which need to now be folded). Now, I am just waiting for Danielle to finish her exams and go eat. Later, I must pack because I have to be out of my room by 9. I have to take the train tomorrow and get to LGA from Grand Central, and I need to leave early anyway.
I am very, very, very, very, very (5 verys seemed like the appropriate amount) excited about flying back to the South tomorrow. I logged on to cnn.com last night and on the front page was an article about the heat wave in New York and it being triple digit temperatures up here. Seriously? I may be complaining now, but I will be begging for this weather back when it is winter here, I am sure. I am also so happy about Katy Capers meeting me at the airport, and seeing Katie Weiser, and staying with Brittany M. (I am not going to attempt the last name, Brittany) in Nashville, and seeing Alice Floyd (and Eddie Sally) get married with Allan Hamilton as my company, and visiting STC to see the newly engaged Teena Nass (and all my other STC friends). All of this is only in the first three days! After that, I do not even know what adventures my mom, Jess, and I will have. It is a great feeling to finish a block strong to be rewarded with three weeks at home. (Did I mention that I am pumped about spending quality time with my friends, Chickfila, Zaxby's, Yoguri, Peking, and Doc Chey's? I cannot wait!)
My flight information (for my mother and sister, mostly):
Delta Flight 695
Departing LGA at 2:00pm
Arriving ATL at 4:38pm
Window seat and Sky Miles included in this ONE WAY TRIP HOME (which just means I get to drive 1200 miles in three weeks but not alone but with my BEST FRIEND, MOM.)
Just an FYI, Danielle, who likes to know that she is second only to me as the star of this blog, wanted me to be sure and inform you of what songs we sang last night at karaoke. Besides the guy who sand "God Bless the Broken Road," we were hands-down the two best singers. Not very many people showed for the "break from finals," and therefore we got to sing as many songs as we wanted. Sweet. (No, the lack of people did not affect our second and third place in awesomeness in karaoking. We would have been great even if more people had come. You know you were thinking it!)
Song 1: "She's in Love with the Boy" by Trisha Yearwood
Song 2: "Golddigger" by Kanye West
Song 3: "Where is the Love" by the Black-Eyed Peas (I am Fergie, of course, when I karaoke their songs.)
See you in less than 24 hours, Georgia. I heart you mucho, and I have missed you so much! Peace out, hot New York, and see ya later!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh
I woke this morning in my new room at around 9:45. My alarm was originally set for 8:45 but that did not happen as planned. I got dressed and walked to the library. My new favorite place to study in the library (as I have expressed my frustration for the group tables) is the little cubicles by the windows. Perfect. It is comfy and cozy, and I cannot hear the other people yapping away.
My Gastronomy Final was the one I was worried about the most. (Let's face it that I was not really worried about any of them.) There were 34 multiple choice questions worth half a point each and eight fill-in-the-blank questions worth one point. I know I got the eight fill-in questions correct, as they were specific questions about the chef presentations. For the multiple choice questions, there were a few tricky ones but not enough questionable ones to lose my A(-). People can say what they want about Professor Raider, but I thoroughly enjoyed this class. She is passionate about what she teaches and about farm-to-table cooking; it was a pleasure to have her as a teacher.
We finished the Gastro. Final in about thirty minutes and then stood in line waiting for K-16 to open for lunch. I ordered the Sicilian pizza with Caesar salad. It was not my favorite thing in the world, with too much breading, baked cheese, and tomato sauce. I ate it though. A group of us reviewed the study questions from the back of each chapter in the ServSafe book and walked upstairs to our classroom about fifteen minutes before class. The exam was okay. I know I passed but some of the questions were really bad (as in they should not have even made it on the test). It was not like I did not know the material about what they were asking but the answer choices did not make sense or were not what was covered in the book/class. I will know my certification exam score in about a week, but I will have to wait until after break to find out my Food Safety grade. I cannot wait to display by ServSafe certificate in my room, maybe in Thomasville next to my two UGA diplomas!?
I finally was able to check out of 204. I did three loads of laundry (which need to now be folded). Now, I am just waiting for Danielle to finish her exams and go eat. Later, I must pack because I have to be out of my room by 9. I have to take the train tomorrow and get to LGA from Grand Central, and I need to leave early anyway.
I am very, very, very, very, very (5 verys seemed like the appropriate amount) excited about flying back to the South tomorrow. I logged on to cnn.com last night and on the front page was an article about the heat wave in New York and it being triple digit temperatures up here. Seriously? I may be complaining now, but I will be begging for this weather back when it is winter here, I am sure. I am also so happy about Katy Capers meeting me at the airport, and seeing Katie Weiser, and staying with Brittany M. (I am not going to attempt the last name, Brittany) in Nashville, and seeing Alice Floyd (and Eddie Sally) get married with Allan Hamilton as my company, and visiting STC to see the newly engaged Teena Nass (and all my other STC friends). All of this is only in the first three days! After that, I do not even know what adventures my mom, Jess, and I will have. It is a great feeling to finish a block strong to be rewarded with three weeks at home. (Did I mention that I am pumped about spending quality time with my friends, Chickfila, Zaxby's, Yoguri, Peking, and Doc Chey's? I cannot wait!)
My flight information (for my mother and sister, mostly):
Delta Flight 695
Departing LGA at 2:00pm
Arriving ATL at 4:38pm
Window seat and Sky Miles included in this ONE WAY TRIP HOME (which just means I get to drive 1200 miles in three weeks but not alone but with my BEST FRIEND, MOM.)
Just an FYI, Danielle, who likes to know that she is second only to me as the star of this blog, wanted me to be sure and inform you of what songs we sang last night at karaoke. Besides the guy who sand "God Bless the Broken Road," we were hands-down the two best singers. Not very many people showed for the "break from finals," and therefore we got to sing as many songs as we wanted. Sweet. (No, the lack of people did not affect our second and third place in awesomeness in karaoking. We would have been great even if more people had come. You know you were thinking it!)
Song 1: "She's in Love with the Boy" by Trisha Yearwood
Song 2: "Golddigger" by Kanye West
Song 3: "Where is the Love" by the Black-Eyed Peas (I am Fergie, of course, when I karaoke their songs.)
See you in less than 24 hours, Georgia. I heart you mucho, and I have missed you so much! Peace out, hot New York, and see ya later!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Moving Day.
Wait, Haley, you moved to NY almost six weeks ago, and you are coming home to GA to visit for three weeks in two days. Yes, well, today I moved again. I am really excited about my new room. The setup is much better. The location is the same. Without stating the obvious, I have a new roommate (from Thailand!). I am super excited about coming back in August to THIS room!
My alarm sounded at 9:30, and I tried my best to get out of bed. It did not happen as easily as I would have liked, but after a few snoozes, I got ready for the day. I went to the library to study for Product Knowledge for my test at 11:30. With it being the end of the block, there were a lot of people in the library, again not observing the "quiet." I walked to Roth, took my test, and was finished in about thirty minutes. One class down, three more to go. I feel okay about the test; we shall see tomorrow when my grade is posted. I swiped for lunch in the Skills III kitchen and ate in Farq Hall. I had poached salmon with haricots verts and something else was on the plate too (hmm). Unfortunately, I missed Grand Buffet lunch, but it is okay. I have how many more?!
I again went to the library to read for my ServSafe certification exam tomorrow. I still have one chapter to read and two practice tests to take, but I am not going to stress over this test at all. Around 2, I went to the RA office downstairs to get my key to my new room, and I spent the next hour moving and organizing. I did not mind moving too much, except for the fact that physical activity and this heat are not pleasant mixed together. Now, everything is perfect in my new room.
Danielle came to visit me, not being able to hide how jealous (and mad) she is that I live in a double AGAIN. Hopefully when we come back in August, she will get an RA position or will be able to change to a double room. We talked and then headed to dinner. I ate in the Cuisines of Asia kitchen tonight, with Indian food on the menu. They gave us so much food for one swipe that it is silly really. I enjoyed it for the most part but some of it was super spicy, even for me. I wish I could tell you specifics about the meal but all I know is that I ordered chicken. (The yogurt drink was gross.)
I went to Math and took my Final. Piece of cake. Seriously. Two classes down, two to go.
I was supposed to check out of my old room tonight at 8, but the RA was not in the office. I am fixing (I get made fun of here for that phrase) to go and check downstairs. I am ready to not be officially associated with that room anymore. I do need to study a bit for my two tests tomorrow, and Danielle wants me to go to the CRC for karaoke tonight. Hm. Wish me luck!
Oh, Germany, I still love you!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh
My alarm sounded at 9:30, and I tried my best to get out of bed. It did not happen as easily as I would have liked, but after a few snoozes, I got ready for the day. I went to the library to study for Product Knowledge for my test at 11:30. With it being the end of the block, there were a lot of people in the library, again not observing the "quiet." I walked to Roth, took my test, and was finished in about thirty minutes. One class down, three more to go. I feel okay about the test; we shall see tomorrow when my grade is posted. I swiped for lunch in the Skills III kitchen and ate in Farq Hall. I had poached salmon with haricots verts and something else was on the plate too (hmm). Unfortunately, I missed Grand Buffet lunch, but it is okay. I have how many more?!
I again went to the library to read for my ServSafe certification exam tomorrow. I still have one chapter to read and two practice tests to take, but I am not going to stress over this test at all. Around 2, I went to the RA office downstairs to get my key to my new room, and I spent the next hour moving and organizing. I did not mind moving too much, except for the fact that physical activity and this heat are not pleasant mixed together. Now, everything is perfect in my new room.
Danielle came to visit me, not being able to hide how jealous (and mad) she is that I live in a double AGAIN. Hopefully when we come back in August, she will get an RA position or will be able to change to a double room. We talked and then headed to dinner. I ate in the Cuisines of Asia kitchen tonight, with Indian food on the menu. They gave us so much food for one swipe that it is silly really. I enjoyed it for the most part but some of it was super spicy, even for me. I wish I could tell you specifics about the meal but all I know is that I ordered chicken. (The yogurt drink was gross.)
I went to Math and took my Final. Piece of cake. Seriously. Two classes down, two to go.
I was supposed to check out of my old room tonight at 8, but the RA was not in the office. I am fixing (I get made fun of here for that phrase) to go and check downstairs. I am ready to not be officially associated with that room anymore. I do need to study a bit for my two tests tomorrow, and Danielle wants me to go to the CRC for karaoke tonight. Hm. Wish me luck!
Oh, Germany, I still love you!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
The Last Supper.
It is HOT in the Hudson Valley these days, and I cannot stand it! I even checked the temperature for Athens and Thomasville today at 89* and 91* respectively; it was 103* here today. It sucks. People think I should be used to this weather, but I do not think I am used to the heat mixed with the straight humidity off the Hudson River. A few weeks ago, when it was cool here and unpredictable, I was looking forward to the consistent Georgia weather, where you know it will be hot every day no matter, but I am looking forward to Georgia weather now for a little bit of a temperature/sweat break.
Gastronomy began today with a review of the five qualities of Classic Haute Cuisine: skilled eater, elaborate, skilled cook, aesthetic experience, and rare foods. Expectations have changed from Classic Haute to Modern Haute. An elaborate fine dining establishment is expected, hopefully, and the skilled eater is virtually out these days. In Modern, there is either a skilled cook or rare foods, sometimes both. Our topic in class today was food systems, something Professor Raider could spend an entire undergraduate career teaching us, according to her. We started our lecture with a pop quiz (ten true/false) about the videos I watched last night. (I love it when I actually do what I am supposed to do and am rewarded five free points for it.) Seed banks. GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Hybrids and heirlooms. This is what we covered today. Did you know that GMOs are in virtually all processed foods we buy and consume? The most common GMO is corn. We ended class with a group activity, listing the pros and cons of GMOs. If you would like to know more, let me know.
In Food Safety, we began class with a ten point HACCP quiz. I missed one. Rats. We went over the answers, and then Professor Vergili lectured on sanitizing and pest control in the food industry. Time, once again, dragged until our ten minute break. We returned from our break and were separated in groups, where we were assigned a specific page of the study guide to answer and present to the class. This assignment was worth five percent of our course grade, and of course, my group rocked it. Vergili gave us two practice ServSafe exams to take home to prepare for our NRA certification test on Thursday, which is worth fifty percent of our entire grade. Wowsers. (My mom scored a 95 recently. I am not worried about it. Love you, BF!)
I asked Trevor if he would drive me to the Verizon store, as my phone thought it would be cool to randomly delete my text messaging icon, making it impossible for me to send texts or receive texts (even though my phone beeps when I receive one). It is highly annoying and frustrating, seeing as I just replaced the battery on the stupid thing. Iphone, hurry to Verizon before I die. Mr. Verizon guy did not help me at all. He told me to connect my phone to my computer to update it. Thank you for you help, buddy. I am sure that fix the problem if connecting my phone was even possible with my cord in Georgia in a box somewhere.
When we arrived back to campus, I immediately just walked to the East Wing Dining Room. Today was my last banquet, technically. With graduation this Friday, Grand Buffet is tomorrow and the Banquets class does not serve. It will technically be my first Grand Buffet, which happens every three weeks, because JCon was visiting three weeks ago. Apparently, it is amazing, with endless amounts of food and desserts in Farq Hall. I am excited about experiencing it for the first time, but I think I will miss Banquets when I come back in August. (It was required as a part of my Product Knowledge grade in B Block, in case you forgot. I can come whenever I want though in other blocks; it is just not something I have to enjoy every night.)
Appetizer: Assorted Pastas including Fettuccine Puttanesca and Penne with Ricotta and Spinach
Entree: Pork Belly and Honey Glazed Salmon with Leek Pilaf and Green Beans
Dessert: Risotto Rice Pudding with Strawberries
I am exhausted, from the heat I think. I relaxed for a bit by watching The Bachelorette. The best part of the show was the Jake and Vienna breakup interview. For the record, I believe Jake. I knew Vienna was a bad seed from the beginning. As for Ali, I am still on Team Chris/Roberto/Frank. (Yes, I realize there are only four guys left and I just named three.)
Now, it is time to study for Product Knowledge. Fun times. Peace out!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh
Gastronomy began today with a review of the five qualities of Classic Haute Cuisine: skilled eater, elaborate, skilled cook, aesthetic experience, and rare foods. Expectations have changed from Classic Haute to Modern Haute. An elaborate fine dining establishment is expected, hopefully, and the skilled eater is virtually out these days. In Modern, there is either a skilled cook or rare foods, sometimes both. Our topic in class today was food systems, something Professor Raider could spend an entire undergraduate career teaching us, according to her. We started our lecture with a pop quiz (ten true/false) about the videos I watched last night. (I love it when I actually do what I am supposed to do and am rewarded five free points for it.) Seed banks. GMOs (genetically modified organisms). Hybrids and heirlooms. This is what we covered today. Did you know that GMOs are in virtually all processed foods we buy and consume? The most common GMO is corn. We ended class with a group activity, listing the pros and cons of GMOs. If you would like to know more, let me know.
In Food Safety, we began class with a ten point HACCP quiz. I missed one. Rats. We went over the answers, and then Professor Vergili lectured on sanitizing and pest control in the food industry. Time, once again, dragged until our ten minute break. We returned from our break and were separated in groups, where we were assigned a specific page of the study guide to answer and present to the class. This assignment was worth five percent of our course grade, and of course, my group rocked it. Vergili gave us two practice ServSafe exams to take home to prepare for our NRA certification test on Thursday, which is worth fifty percent of our entire grade. Wowsers. (My mom scored a 95 recently. I am not worried about it. Love you, BF!)
I asked Trevor if he would drive me to the Verizon store, as my phone thought it would be cool to randomly delete my text messaging icon, making it impossible for me to send texts or receive texts (even though my phone beeps when I receive one). It is highly annoying and frustrating, seeing as I just replaced the battery on the stupid thing. Iphone, hurry to Verizon before I die. Mr. Verizon guy did not help me at all. He told me to connect my phone to my computer to update it. Thank you for you help, buddy. I am sure that fix the problem if connecting my phone was even possible with my cord in Georgia in a box somewhere.
When we arrived back to campus, I immediately just walked to the East Wing Dining Room. Today was my last banquet, technically. With graduation this Friday, Grand Buffet is tomorrow and the Banquets class does not serve. It will technically be my first Grand Buffet, which happens every three weeks, because JCon was visiting three weeks ago. Apparently, it is amazing, with endless amounts of food and desserts in Farq Hall. I am excited about experiencing it for the first time, but I think I will miss Banquets when I come back in August. (It was required as a part of my Product Knowledge grade in B Block, in case you forgot. I can come whenever I want though in other blocks; it is just not something I have to enjoy every night.)
Appetizer: Assorted Pastas including Fettuccine Puttanesca and Penne with Ricotta and Spinach
Entree: Pork Belly and Honey Glazed Salmon with Leek Pilaf and Green Beans
Dessert: Risotto Rice Pudding with Strawberries
I am exhausted, from the heat I think. I relaxed for a bit by watching The Bachelorette. The best part of the show was the Jake and Vienna breakup interview. For the record, I believe Jake. I knew Vienna was a bad seed from the beginning. As for Ali, I am still on Team Chris/Roberto/Frank. (Yes, I realize there are only four guys left and I just named three.)
Now, it is time to study for Product Knowledge. Fun times. Peace out!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh
Monday, July 5, 2010
"Until your heart stops beating.."
I could have titled this post a million other things, but I thought I should quote Eclipse (again, if you did not understand the last post title). Happy 234th Birthday, America. Party in the NYC. Georgia On My Mind. All of these would be valid titles.
I am going to try my best to recap the past four days but I am bound to leave something out. I apologize. Trying to blog after so long is slightly stressful. However, it has been a crazy, awesome, relaxing, wonderful past four days, and I am looking forward to so many things happening in the near future. I am moving on Wednesday. I have four finals separating me from the South. I am almost done with my first Block. One of my good friends is getting married this weekend. All of these things are so exciting!
On Friday, I started the day with Product Knowledge. We learned all about melons, bananas, specialty fruits, and nuts. What valuable information can I tell you about melons? Watermelons do not ripen post-harvest. Quality cantaloupe should show no signs of green color behind the cording or netting (the rough "rind"). Honeydew should be more yellow than green. Melons should have a ground spot on the outside, where they grew on the ground. The knocking of a melon to determine hollowness is a valid way to choose a melon, based on maturity of the seeds, etc. Bananas do ripen post-harvest, and they are usually stored at room temperature in a vented container to allow the release of ethylene (a hormone gas that promotes ripening). Specialty fruits include mangoes, papaya, pineapple, figs, persimmons, etc. Pineapples do not develop sweetness after they are harvested. Therefore, choose a pineapple that has a smaller top, meaning less sugar or energy was used to grow the top. When we talked about figs, I could not help but remember when Gamma (my mom's mother), Grandma (dad's mom), and I would pick them at my great aunt's house in Pelham, Georgia. I was young, it was hot, and I hated it. Hazelnuts and cashews are the only nuts that even matter in life or are worth mentioning.
Friday Banquet
Appetizer: Frisee Salad with Pancetta, Candied Walnuts, and Bleu Cheese
Entree: Quinoa (Vegetarian Option)
Dessert: Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart with Creme Anglaise
In math on Friday, we learned about ratios in regards to recipes. How do you make a 1-2-3 pie dough when you have five pounds of butter? Honestly, this stuff is supposed to be easy, but on our practice worksheet, I missed a few and had to redo them. It is a good thing that he did not collect our sheets. Ratios was our last module, and we are done covering material in that class. Yay!
You can judge me if you want because I do not care. I saw Eclipse for the second time in two days on Friday. It was just as fabulous the second time as the first, and I am hardcore Team Jacob now. I will not ruin the movie, for those of you who are crazy and have not seen it yet, but I have a couple favorite scenes if you want to know my take. After the movie, we came back to campus and I went to bed.
I packed, got dressed, and was ready to head to the train station around 10:30. Unfortunately, Danielle, who so nicely offered to drive me to the station, was still sleeping when I called her. Therefore, I missed the 10:40 train and had to wait for the 11:30 train. It was no big deal, really. When I made it to the City, I took the shuttle from Grand Central to Times Square and then the red line to 72nd (I think). I walked down Amsterdam to Jacques Torres' retail chocolate shop, and I bought a box of chocolates, champagne truffles, and a $2.50 chocolate chip cookie. It was a relatively expensive stop but totally worth it; you pay when you buy bean-to-bar chocolate. I called Morgan and she told me how to navigate my way to Jersey. 2 or 3 red line to Fulton Street and the WTC PATH to Grove Street. Success.
Morgan met me at the corner of Grove and Grand, and we walked to the Biergarten to meet Kevin and Kevin's sister, Allison, to watch the Spain-Paraguay game. Spain won, but we were routing for Paraguay. (Germany beat Argentina 4-0 to advance to the semifinals in the first game on Saturday. "Deustchland, Deustchland, uber alles." Thanks, Trevor, for reteaching me German!) I ate Kevin's leftovers. Mmm. We drank some beer. (I need to become more knowledgeable about beer.) Then, we went back to Morgan and Kevin's apartment. We played a little Mario Kart. (I am officially terrible at video games.) Then, we had a lovely dinner on the roof in Jersey City at Skinner's Loft.
Morgan made a comment on Sunday that I am a lot like Jess. Some days, I can be perfectly content sitting on a couch, watching DVR, and being lazy. :) We ate our leftovers, watched Top Chef and Gilmore Girls and The Last Comic Standing, played with Kurk, ate guac, etc. It was a perfect Fourth of July Sunday. Allison joined us again, and we played Beatles Rock Band for a little while. (I am still not great but slowly getting better on the drums and guitar.) We ate dinner in Liberty State Park (right, Morgan?) and it was delicious. By the time we finished dinner, the sun was setting and we could enjoy the lights of the City. After dealing with Bitter Mr. Police Guy who would not let us turn to drive to the apartment, even though there was no traffic that way, we arrived back at Morgan and Kevin's. (We could see the Macy's fireworks and the red, white, and blue Empire State Building as we were driving back.) We watched the Boston fireworks on television and ended the night.
This morning, my alarm sounded at 6:45, and Morgan graciously woke on her day off to take me to the PATH train. I rode to 33rd Street, took the Subway to 42nd, and shuttled to Grand Central. I made it to the Terminal to buy a Starbucks for the train. I arrived in Poughkeepsie at 10:30, took a cab to campus, and arrived just in time to change into business attire for class. Perfect timing, right?
My first class was Product Knowledge, of course. I helped Chef Mattel prepare the tasting and I cut the bread for the class. Today, we talked about dairy products, including milk, cream, butter, and cheese. Did you know that cheese is classified into six different categories, from fresh to grating to hard? We tried around twenty different types of cheese, from Mozzarella to three different Bleu Cheeses. It is official that I hate crumbly cheese, including bleu! We also sampled skim milk, buttermilk, and heavy cream. Whole milk is 3.5% milk fat, which makes it not so different from 2% milk. I enjoyed tasting cheese that I have never heard of, let alone have ever tried.
I napped from PK to Banquet. YESSSS.
Monday Banquet
Appetizer: Potato and Leek Soup (perfect with this 100* weather)
Entree: Spinach and Provolone Stuffed Flank Steak with Polenta Fries and Sauteed Zucchini
Dessert: Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries and Creme Anglaise (The CIA loves creme anglaise!)
We played a game tonight in math to review. We separated into pairs and answered twelve different questions, based on the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" game. For every four questions, you reached a different bonus point level, two, four, and six. The points will be split evenly between me and Alex, who were partners, and added to our Final grade and our course grade, if needed. We answered all twelve questions correctly, only having an issue with one question. With the three points, I have a 101.5 in the class going into the Final on Wednesday. Haley= awesome. :)
Alex and I watched two videos after math in the library, our homework for Gastronomy tomorrow. One was eighteen minutes and the other around fifty. They were only slightly interesting. I walked back to my room, grabbed my computer, and headed back to the library to try and get some studying done. Fail. I must study tomorrow! Two Finals on Wednesday.
Oh, and way to go, Damon Evans. That is all I will say about that.
Goodnight. I am counting the days!
EAT MY WORDS
Haley
*Morgan and Kevin, I cannot thank you enough for including me in your holiday weekend plans. It was a perfect weekend, really! (I will try and post a picture tomorrow!)
I am going to try my best to recap the past four days but I am bound to leave something out. I apologize. Trying to blog after so long is slightly stressful. However, it has been a crazy, awesome, relaxing, wonderful past four days, and I am looking forward to so many things happening in the near future. I am moving on Wednesday. I have four finals separating me from the South. I am almost done with my first Block. One of my good friends is getting married this weekend. All of these things are so exciting!
On Friday, I started the day with Product Knowledge. We learned all about melons, bananas, specialty fruits, and nuts. What valuable information can I tell you about melons? Watermelons do not ripen post-harvest. Quality cantaloupe should show no signs of green color behind the cording or netting (the rough "rind"). Honeydew should be more yellow than green. Melons should have a ground spot on the outside, where they grew on the ground. The knocking of a melon to determine hollowness is a valid way to choose a melon, based on maturity of the seeds, etc. Bananas do ripen post-harvest, and they are usually stored at room temperature in a vented container to allow the release of ethylene (a hormone gas that promotes ripening). Specialty fruits include mangoes, papaya, pineapple, figs, persimmons, etc. Pineapples do not develop sweetness after they are harvested. Therefore, choose a pineapple that has a smaller top, meaning less sugar or energy was used to grow the top. When we talked about figs, I could not help but remember when Gamma (my mom's mother), Grandma (dad's mom), and I would pick them at my great aunt's house in Pelham, Georgia. I was young, it was hot, and I hated it. Hazelnuts and cashews are the only nuts that even matter in life or are worth mentioning.
Friday Banquet
Appetizer: Frisee Salad with Pancetta, Candied Walnuts, and Bleu Cheese
Entree: Quinoa (Vegetarian Option)
Dessert: Strawberry and Rhubarb Tart with Creme Anglaise
In math on Friday, we learned about ratios in regards to recipes. How do you make a 1-2-3 pie dough when you have five pounds of butter? Honestly, this stuff is supposed to be easy, but on our practice worksheet, I missed a few and had to redo them. It is a good thing that he did not collect our sheets. Ratios was our last module, and we are done covering material in that class. Yay!
You can judge me if you want because I do not care. I saw Eclipse for the second time in two days on Friday. It was just as fabulous the second time as the first, and I am hardcore Team Jacob now. I will not ruin the movie, for those of you who are crazy and have not seen it yet, but I have a couple favorite scenes if you want to know my take. After the movie, we came back to campus and I went to bed.
I packed, got dressed, and was ready to head to the train station around 10:30. Unfortunately, Danielle, who so nicely offered to drive me to the station, was still sleeping when I called her. Therefore, I missed the 10:40 train and had to wait for the 11:30 train. It was no big deal, really. When I made it to the City, I took the shuttle from Grand Central to Times Square and then the red line to 72nd (I think). I walked down Amsterdam to Jacques Torres' retail chocolate shop, and I bought a box of chocolates, champagne truffles, and a $2.50 chocolate chip cookie. It was a relatively expensive stop but totally worth it; you pay when you buy bean-to-bar chocolate. I called Morgan and she told me how to navigate my way to Jersey. 2 or 3 red line to Fulton Street and the WTC PATH to Grove Street. Success.
Morgan met me at the corner of Grove and Grand, and we walked to the Biergarten to meet Kevin and Kevin's sister, Allison, to watch the Spain-Paraguay game. Spain won, but we were routing for Paraguay. (Germany beat Argentina 4-0 to advance to the semifinals in the first game on Saturday. "Deustchland, Deustchland, uber alles." Thanks, Trevor, for reteaching me German!) I ate Kevin's leftovers. Mmm. We drank some beer. (I need to become more knowledgeable about beer.) Then, we went back to Morgan and Kevin's apartment. We played a little Mario Kart. (I am officially terrible at video games.) Then, we had a lovely dinner on the roof in Jersey City at Skinner's Loft.
Morgan made a comment on Sunday that I am a lot like Jess. Some days, I can be perfectly content sitting on a couch, watching DVR, and being lazy. :) We ate our leftovers, watched Top Chef and Gilmore Girls and The Last Comic Standing, played with Kurk, ate guac, etc. It was a perfect Fourth of July Sunday. Allison joined us again, and we played Beatles Rock Band for a little while. (I am still not great but slowly getting better on the drums and guitar.) We ate dinner in Liberty State Park (right, Morgan?) and it was delicious. By the time we finished dinner, the sun was setting and we could enjoy the lights of the City. After dealing with Bitter Mr. Police Guy who would not let us turn to drive to the apartment, even though there was no traffic that way, we arrived back at Morgan and Kevin's. (We could see the Macy's fireworks and the red, white, and blue Empire State Building as we were driving back.) We watched the Boston fireworks on television and ended the night.
This morning, my alarm sounded at 6:45, and Morgan graciously woke on her day off to take me to the PATH train. I rode to 33rd Street, took the Subway to 42nd, and shuttled to Grand Central. I made it to the Terminal to buy a Starbucks for the train. I arrived in Poughkeepsie at 10:30, took a cab to campus, and arrived just in time to change into business attire for class. Perfect timing, right?
My first class was Product Knowledge, of course. I helped Chef Mattel prepare the tasting and I cut the bread for the class. Today, we talked about dairy products, including milk, cream, butter, and cheese. Did you know that cheese is classified into six different categories, from fresh to grating to hard? We tried around twenty different types of cheese, from Mozzarella to three different Bleu Cheeses. It is official that I hate crumbly cheese, including bleu! We also sampled skim milk, buttermilk, and heavy cream. Whole milk is 3.5% milk fat, which makes it not so different from 2% milk. I enjoyed tasting cheese that I have never heard of, let alone have ever tried.
I napped from PK to Banquet. YESSSS.
Monday Banquet
Appetizer: Potato and Leek Soup (perfect with this 100* weather)
Entree: Spinach and Provolone Stuffed Flank Steak with Polenta Fries and Sauteed Zucchini
Dessert: Chocolate Molten Cake with Raspberries and Creme Anglaise (The CIA loves creme anglaise!)
We played a game tonight in math to review. We separated into pairs and answered twelve different questions, based on the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" game. For every four questions, you reached a different bonus point level, two, four, and six. The points will be split evenly between me and Alex, who were partners, and added to our Final grade and our course grade, if needed. We answered all twelve questions correctly, only having an issue with one question. With the three points, I have a 101.5 in the class going into the Final on Wednesday. Haley= awesome. :)
Alex and I watched two videos after math in the library, our homework for Gastronomy tomorrow. One was eighteen minutes and the other around fifty. They were only slightly interesting. I walked back to my room, grabbed my computer, and headed back to the library to try and get some studying done. Fail. I must study tomorrow! Two Finals on Wednesday.
Oh, and way to go, Damon Evans. That is all I will say about that.
Goodnight. I am counting the days!
EAT MY WORDS
Haley
*Morgan and Kevin, I cannot thank you enough for including me in your holiday weekend plans. It was a perfect weekend, really! (I will try and post a picture tomorrow!)
Thursday, July 1, 2010
"Let's face it.. I am hotter than you."
I have been here for a month?! Seriously?!
One more day of class, Fourth of July weekend, and then finals week. For the most part, I only have a test (or quiz) in each of my four classes next week and that is it. I do have a HACCP quiz in Food Safety next Tuesday before I take the NRA (National Restaurant Association) certification exam (which is also my final and 50% of my grade) on Thursday. I am not too worried about that class though.
As always, I have the greatest intentions of waking at a decent hour, getting dressed for the day, heading to the library, and reading/studying before I go to class. This morning, that did not happen, again. Instead, I woke at 10:30ish, got ready, went to the library for like fifteen minutes, and skimmed our reading for Gastronomy. Then, I went to class.
Today was the last day of presentations for Gastronomy. (I scored a 24/25 on my presentation. Yippee!) We have learned about different chefs and their roles in Le Grande Cuisine, Classic Haute Cuisine, Nouvelle Cuisine, Cuisine Minceur, and Modern Haute Cuisine. The last few days of presentations have focused on Modern Haute Cuisine with Alice Waters, Melissa Kelly, etc; two groups presented today on Jose Andres and Jacques Torres. Jose Andres, who owns several restaurants with his most famous in Washington D.C., is a molecular gastronomist, though he does not like that term. He breaks food down into its flavors and components and forms many abstract foods based upon the food's dissection. For example, he serves seafood in cotton candy at one of his restaurants. This group served us two types of watermelon with a honey, balsamic vinegar reduction. Jacques Torres is a pastry chef and a damn good chocolatier. Perry and Ted presented on Torres and actually interviewed him. Ted also purchased chocolates from one of his chocolate shops in NYC for us to try, and they were unbelievable. Hopefully, I can bring some chocolates home for some of you to try.
We took a twenty-five question quiz today in Food Safety. Vergili likes to go over the quiz after we take it as a way to make sure we understand the material in the class. For some reason, I did not notice the "not" in my notes in relation to tuna and parasites, and I missed two questions in relation to that. 23/25 is not too bad. We spent the remainder of the day talking about HACCP. As a Food Science major, I have studied about HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) in the food industry, and my new food product development team this Spring actually made a HACCP plan for our Pomegranola Yogurt Bites. We have a quiz on Tuesday, as I mentioned, and I do not know if I will even study for it.
Tonight at Banquet, I sat with two Bachelor's students (who graduate with their Associate's soon) from Mexico. It was fun to sit in between them and have them talk in Spanish. Maria does not know how to express some things in English and would say them in Spanish to see if the guy from Mexico City could express what she was trying to say. They were nice and humored us by answering our many questions about the CIA and their experiences here. We were served Garde Manger dishes for appetizers. This time I steered clear of the foie gras plate, and I enjoyed seared scallops with sauteed vegetables (baby artichoke hearts, peppers, olives, etc). Garde Manger is a class for culinary students, and part of the class is preparing these mostly cold foods and serving them with a unique presentation. I enjoyed my dish this time.
Appetizer: Garde Manger Scallops and Minestrone Soup with Mussels and Shrimp
Entree: Spinach and Cremini Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Breast with a Twice-Baked Potato and Broccoli
Dessert: Creme Brulee with Chocolate Biscotti
Eclipse was AH-MAZING. Alex and I both really enjoyed it. I have already told my sister this, because I think she would have died if she found out through reading the blog, that I am officially on Team JACOB. (She is on Team Edward, obvi.) Apparently, I would feel different if I read the books, but we all know that I do not have time to read those four long books. I am trying to pass fruits and vegetables here. The fact that I have to wait until November 2011 until the first part of Breaking Dawn premieres almost makes me want to cry myself to sleep tonight. I guess I will live. I might need to buy a stuffed wolf to sleep with though.
I am excited that tomorrow is Friday. I am excited about spending the Fourth of July in New Jersey with the Plossers. I am excited that I only have five days left of B Block. I am excited about seeing y'all soon!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh (I thought I would switch it up.)
One more day of class, Fourth of July weekend, and then finals week. For the most part, I only have a test (or quiz) in each of my four classes next week and that is it. I do have a HACCP quiz in Food Safety next Tuesday before I take the NRA (National Restaurant Association) certification exam (which is also my final and 50% of my grade) on Thursday. I am not too worried about that class though.
As always, I have the greatest intentions of waking at a decent hour, getting dressed for the day, heading to the library, and reading/studying before I go to class. This morning, that did not happen, again. Instead, I woke at 10:30ish, got ready, went to the library for like fifteen minutes, and skimmed our reading for Gastronomy. Then, I went to class.
Today was the last day of presentations for Gastronomy. (I scored a 24/25 on my presentation. Yippee!) We have learned about different chefs and their roles in Le Grande Cuisine, Classic Haute Cuisine, Nouvelle Cuisine, Cuisine Minceur, and Modern Haute Cuisine. The last few days of presentations have focused on Modern Haute Cuisine with Alice Waters, Melissa Kelly, etc; two groups presented today on Jose Andres and Jacques Torres. Jose Andres, who owns several restaurants with his most famous in Washington D.C., is a molecular gastronomist, though he does not like that term. He breaks food down into its flavors and components and forms many abstract foods based upon the food's dissection. For example, he serves seafood in cotton candy at one of his restaurants. This group served us two types of watermelon with a honey, balsamic vinegar reduction. Jacques Torres is a pastry chef and a damn good chocolatier. Perry and Ted presented on Torres and actually interviewed him. Ted also purchased chocolates from one of his chocolate shops in NYC for us to try, and they were unbelievable. Hopefully, I can bring some chocolates home for some of you to try.
We took a twenty-five question quiz today in Food Safety. Vergili likes to go over the quiz after we take it as a way to make sure we understand the material in the class. For some reason, I did not notice the "not" in my notes in relation to tuna and parasites, and I missed two questions in relation to that. 23/25 is not too bad. We spent the remainder of the day talking about HACCP. As a Food Science major, I have studied about HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) in the food industry, and my new food product development team this Spring actually made a HACCP plan for our Pomegranola Yogurt Bites. We have a quiz on Tuesday, as I mentioned, and I do not know if I will even study for it.
Tonight at Banquet, I sat with two Bachelor's students (who graduate with their Associate's soon) from Mexico. It was fun to sit in between them and have them talk in Spanish. Maria does not know how to express some things in English and would say them in Spanish to see if the guy from Mexico City could express what she was trying to say. They were nice and humored us by answering our many questions about the CIA and their experiences here. We were served Garde Manger dishes for appetizers. This time I steered clear of the foie gras plate, and I enjoyed seared scallops with sauteed vegetables (baby artichoke hearts, peppers, olives, etc). Garde Manger is a class for culinary students, and part of the class is preparing these mostly cold foods and serving them with a unique presentation. I enjoyed my dish this time.
Appetizer: Garde Manger Scallops and Minestrone Soup with Mussels and Shrimp
Entree: Spinach and Cremini Mushroom-Stuffed Chicken Breast with a Twice-Baked Potato and Broccoli
Dessert: Creme Brulee with Chocolate Biscotti
Eclipse was AH-MAZING. Alex and I both really enjoyed it. I have already told my sister this, because I think she would have died if she found out through reading the blog, that I am officially on Team JACOB. (She is on Team Edward, obvi.) Apparently, I would feel different if I read the books, but we all know that I do not have time to read those four long books. I am trying to pass fruits and vegetables here. The fact that I have to wait until November 2011 until the first part of Breaking Dawn premieres almost makes me want to cry myself to sleep tonight. I guess I will live. I might need to buy a stuffed wolf to sleep with though.
I am excited that tomorrow is Friday. I am excited about spending the Fourth of July in New Jersey with the Plossers. I am excited that I only have five days left of B Block. I am excited about seeing y'all soon!
EAT MY WORDS
Hay Reh (I thought I would switch it up.)
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