After successfully checking my bag at 49 pounds (the limit is 50, ya know, so point #2 for Haley), I chatted with Katy Capers (long overdue), ate some pizza, and boarded the plane. Less than two hours later, after coming to terms with leaving behind Zaxby's and sweet tea and Southern awesomeness, I embraced the City, the slightly cooler weather (not that much cooler), and, well, school.
After piggy-backing my carry on bag to my checked bag (point #3 for being awkward), I headed for a taxi and Harlem. Fallon, my second sis, had to work until 5 or so. So, for two hours, I made my own fun in Harlem, with three bags. I am sure I was a sight to see. I went to Staples to fix my extern manual (Staples in Georgia, epic fail on actually BINDING my manual) and Starbucks for a refreshing iced latte. I felt the stares as my rolling bags (yes BAGSSSS) got caught in the door at 'Bucks.
Fallon finally made it home to a strange person on her doorstep. Fallon, five flights of stairs, and a fifty pound bag... my hero. We had a beer on her roof with her roommates before getting ready for dinner at Bar Americain on 52nd Street. Deviled eggs. Shrimp and grits. Rack of pork with sour mash and creamed corn for Fallon. Crepes with ricotta, asparagus, a cherry tomato sauce, and a stuffed squash blossom. For dessert? Red velvet brownie sundae with cream cheese soft serve and bourbon praline profiterole with vanilla bean ice cream.
Crepes! (Not the best picture... forgive me.)
Thanks, Fallon, for letting me stay with you, again!
Sunday was move-in day. I dragged my bags to the train station in Harlem to Poughkeepsie and, then, took a taxi to campus. I checked in to my new room in my new dorm, Pick-Herndon, which is one hall closer to Roth, the main CIA building. Trevor was sweet enough to drive me (no car for Haley until August) to my storage unit and help me load/ unload all my stuff (which I swear multiplied while I was gone).
This is what happens when Haley moves by herself; she injures herself, which makes life virtually impossible. Jess, I blame you.
Pick-Herndon Room 227. Come visit me and Melissa!
There is an orientation for post-extern students, similar to orientation for new students. Orientation includes a meeting about our manual, any changes on campus that have occurred over extern, etc. Because of the Fourth of July holiday, our orientation was one day instead of two (another point for being cool). After our meeting, we had to go to the registrar's office, the bursar's office, and to get our mail key and parking pass. It was a long and boring day.
My new address (until February 2012):
Haley Rehberg
CBN: 1909
1946 Campus Drive
Hyde Park, NY 12538
I found out during orientation that I actually graduate a month before I thought. Instead of March 2, 2012, I will graduate, if all goes as planned, on February 10, 2012. Another point for Haley (that's like 2394792 points, now, right?), for graduating at the beginning of the known COLDEST month in NEW YORK.
I finished and turned in my EXTERN MANUAL. Eighteen weeks of hard work. Over 100 pages. A final grade of 98 for the most heavily weighted class at the CIA. I am very proud of myself!
Yes, I took a picture of all my hard work, minus the actual work work on extern, for you to see.
L Block, the block immediately following extern, is similar to B Block, my first block ever at the CIA (I exempted out of A Block) in being six weeks long, and the classes are more traditional, sit-down classes. No kitchen for me for six weeks. Instead, I have to be a "normal" student and dress in business clothes, listen to lectures, watch videos, take quizzes, give presentations, and be bored, counting down the days until I get back in the bakeshops. There are five total classes in L Block:
Introduction to Management (T,W 1:45-3:45)
We learn about the logistics of managing and being a leader/manager in the hospitality industry: motivation, employee evaluations, planning, etc.
Nutrition (T, W 4-6)
Macronutrients? Proteins, Fats, Carbohydrates, Water (yes and no). Yes, those are the basics of this class, plus some exciting vitamins, minerals, and some weight control/health(y) topics.
Controlling Cost and Purchasing (Th, F 1:45-3:45)
Profit and Loss Statements have convinced me that I may never open my own business. :)
Menu Development (Th, F 4-6)
What makes a successful menu? What should be included? How should you format a menu? How large should the prices be and where should they be located? The main focus of this course is making an actual (albeit fake) menu. And, just fyi, the name of my restaurant is Petal. My menu looks great, and, if you care enough and want to take a look, I could post it! :)
Restaurant Law (time and days vary, only first three weeks)
How to form a legal partnership. Is a restaurant liable? Acquiring a liquor license. I found this class to be very informative. And, I made a 90 on the only grade in the course. (It should be noted that my professor was impressed that I answered all the yes/no questions correctly and that is hard to do!)
My second Monday after returning to campus was a self-study day, and, instead of class, on these days, instructors give special projects or ask us to go to certain seminars. Professor Hertz, my Nutrition teacher, required us to go to a seminar, a reading from the book Blood, Bones, and Butter by the author/chef herself, Gabrielle Hamilton. My sister actually read me an excerpt from this book from her Kindle at the beach, a chapter about Gabrielle coming to the CIA, the chapter that Ms. Hamilton re-read to us. Jess loved this book, and it was one of her favorites of the summer. She is obsessed with eating at Gabrielle Hamilton's restaurant, Prune, in NYC, when she comes to visit. When I called to tell her that I was being forced (ha) to go see this chef speak for class, she was more than a little jealous. :) I even asked Chef to sign my copy of the book!
I was sick for the majority of the three weeks in NY following extern. My throat has never hurt like this in my entire life. It is not uncommon for me to get Strep Throat, and my mother was concerned for me, because, you know, Strep can lead to meningitis. Of course, the nurses at the CIA could not give me a Strep Test on a Monday, with the doctor only in on Tuesday and Thursday to prescribe drugs. Therefore, Sam, being the lifesaver that she is, took me to Emergency One, the clinic that gave me a drug test prior to extern. We waited FOREVER. The doctor took one look at my throat and said "ew, yeah." So, that was not a good sign. However, my Strep Test was negative, but it only tested for one of THREE types of Strep. Hello, medical field?!? He prescribed me an antibiotic, anyway. And, there you have it.
Wait. Two days into my antibiotic, the pressure in my sinuses made my head feel like it was going to explode. Ears popping. Throat, no longer hurting. Sneezing. Coughing. BLAH. I dealt with it. I didn't miss class. I'm a big girl, right?! 5 more points for me.
Several of my friends and I ventured about two hours away to eat at a fellow classmate's apartment for the Fourth of July and then to NYC for the Fireworks. It was a fun day. I wish we could have truly seen the five or six on cue fireworks over the Hudson, but our view by the time we made it to the City was not the greatest, with skyscrapers and other buildings in the way. :) However, I can now check off the Fourth in NYC off my Bucket List, and I am glad we went.
Sunset from Times Square on our way to see fireworks!
Smiley Fireworks!
Haley, Melissa, and Ruthie. (I am sorry this is blurry; it was taken with my camera on my phone.)
Patriotic Empire State Building.
A picture that I just love and thought I would share: Haley and her boys (Brady from SD and you know Trevor) all matching on the last day before break!
Now what? Prepare myself for three great weeks roadtripping (literally) around the South!
Little Playmate, which is being held hostage in South Carolina, I am coming back for you!
BLOGGING DOES NOT COME NATURALLY, ANYMORE
Mom says....Great writers often have "writer's block." With hard work and more writing it usually goes away. Practice blogging and it will come naturally. lutm
ReplyDelete