Frost Garden

Today was the first snow fall of the season. It was only October 24th, but I was ready for it. When I woke up this morning the clouds were heavy and grey. If you opened your window or door you could smell the fresh clean, snow smell that always comes before the flakes. It was magical. As the day wore on, the snow began to slowly fall. Then thicker and faster and heavier. It was a winter wonderland before Halloween.

I grew up in Alaska and it almost always snowed before Halloween. So, to say the least, I was super excited. I went outside with my new camera to take some amazing photos.

Now, perhaps when I finally fall asleep my dreams will be of wintry wonderlands, fairy lights, a warm fire and a steaming mug of tea.

To The Assbag...yeah...You know who you are

So...I'm doing my restaurant class and I was front waiter today. Long story short...we screwed up...but not as much as she did. Tomorrow I plan to have a speech. This is how it will go:

To The Assbag. Please just listen to what I have to say, then you can respond or not respond if you so choose. *PS, to those reading. I will be saying this in front of the whole class*. Yesterday may not have been our best day, yes we had our issues with service, but I think that yesterday was one of the best days for the group as a whole. We all really pulled together and worked as a team. I know you were busy with the student table and talking to Chef Sholly with whatever you guys were talking about. But from Brianna as the M'De who helped us set the extra plate to Nelson on dishes who though may have not followed your exact rules was there for the servers we worked as a group, we had good communication as a whole. Brandon and Neshan were there for myself and Ian, asking us to tell them whenever we needed help with our service. Brandon was the one who spotted that the tea may not have bee as strong as it should be and suggested that we give them new glasses. Ian was always there for me, helping me and learning as much as he could from me about the customers that we were waiting on. Whats his name *I'm sorry, I forgot his name. When I say this to her tomorrow I'll ask what his name is so I can say his actual name* showed Sara how to do the sandwich station, the Expidatior *SP?* communicated and asked us questions. It was a rough day, you were busy with other things and as a result I believe that though we had bumps and bruises we all worked together to try to be the best we could be.

So yeah...thats my speech. Hopefully she wont fail me for it. Also, I'll be writing a heated letter to the Dean of Students about her...as well as a letter I'll be giving to her as soon as I leave the school for good.

We Pay So Much For This Shit...I'm Drinkin' It ALL!

We got to taste Chardonnay today! Five kinds, 4 oz each. I drank ALL of that shit. I have no idea what the lab fee for this class is, but hell to the NO am I spitting that wine into some dork bucket. You know...I like Chardonnay a lot better if I pay more then 10 bucks for a bottle....So I enjoyed 3 out of the five and loved two out of that 3. I need to get my wine drinking up because we will be drinking a bottle a day in Italy...or some amount close to that. I think I'll freak everyone out with how well I can handle the liquor. Hee hee. Don't tell anyone!



Pastry Puffs and Apparently Coke Addicts addicted to Candy Corn...

So...I have some AWESOME additions to put into my Italy-to-pack-pictures. But you must wait! You can't see them now! Sunday! Thats right! Thats when I update.

On to other things! I got TWO new tattoos today. One says: Little Pastry Puff and has a tiny cupcake with it. This represents my awesome group of people I am so honored to know. Plus a White House/Michelin Star Chef named Chef Sholly. He's the bee's knees. From Germany and awesome-ness. He's taking my to Italy *well, not JUST me.* And he named our Pastry group *there are 5 of us* The Little Pastry Puffs. I love it SO HARD! I'm making us all shirts too. They will be EPIC! As are we. So this is the tattoo:

Its awesome right? On my right arm. I love it.

Then, there was this awesome Tattoo dude who was doing Halloween Tattoos at a lower rate. He had one that had candy corn and a razor...I loved it. I mean, it was spiffy because Candy Corn is my favorite Halloween Candy and razors played a big part in Halloween when I was a kid. All the parents freaked out that some psycho would put a razor blade in the candy they have away. So its the "Scary" part of my tattoo to the cute of the candy corn.

Well, a friend of mine pointed out that crack addicts use razors to separate their crack stash or whatever it is. So now I feel a bit foolish. But, as this was NOT my first thought and the dude did an AWESOME job. I still love it.

Sunday Italy Post #1

First off...don't you LOVE this picture of me as a zombie:

I am a zombie wearing makeup! On that note, its also my Mom's 61st b-day and she has pneumonia or how she used to call it as a kid...PAH-Monia. She said thats how she used to read it. Also Walking Dead starts tonight, hence the awesome Zombie picture.

I think if there ever was a Zombie Apocalypse I would handle it pretty well...I hope I would at least. Not so sure if I would want to live in a world without Internet, television, new books, liquor, and light *since I am deathly afraid of the dark...DEATHLY.* But I still think I could kick some Zombie ass...after I got over the crushing fear that is.

SOOO! Where is the Italy you ask? Well...Here you go. I have started two lists: 1) List of Things to Bring to Italy; 2) List of things to ask Chef what I need to bring *this list includes different plug types, laundry detergent and Chef Knife* I ask about the chef knife because I have tiny tiny hands and have a smaller chef's knife then most. I don't want to use a big one. They are SCARY! Also, I have started a box of the things that I am brings so as not to loose them...

There are more to that pile that will be added...such as my camera. But I'm not going to keep it in a box until December, same with my Kindle. But every week I've decided to take a pic of my stash and see how its grown. I am getting way more then excited.

More school tomorrow. I am looking forward to parts, not looking forward to others. Tonight will be a long night since Walking Dead is on. Oh well. I'm still excited!!

Sorry this post was not ripe with beautiful words. Its mostly just for fun!

Counting Down To December

Normally I would have a countdown to Christmas, I happen to love Christmas with a passion that blows other holidays out of the water. I love the sights and the sounds, the chill in the air, the heavy or light snowfall on a winters eve. I love the sparkling Twinkle lights that adorn street corners or are hung in malls, I adore the uplifting or melancholy music that IS Holiday music. I count the days down until my favorite TV shows have their Christmas Specials and above all is I love the silence and serenity that Winter seems to shroud us all in.

But this year is different, this year I am counting down to Italy. I will set off for worldly Culinary adventures in faraway Orvieto, Italy. I will receive a Diploma for Italian Cuisine, get to tour amazing winery's and explore amazing caverns and fantastical stone gardens. In the winter. In one of my favorite seasons. Everyone wishes to go to Italy in the Spring or Summer, to see the flowing green vineyards, or the stunning sunflowers. I am SO excited that I get to see, what one might call the absence of Italy. Though by no means will it be any less impressive then that of its summer/spring counterparts. To me, winter is when you fine the secret doorway to another magical world.

I hope to find magic there, I believe I will. I feel it in my gut. Something stunning will happen that will allow me to better myself and better my life. I cannot wait to see how it all unfolds.

But for now I am in the second week of the Fall Quarter. Today was rainy, with a brisk breeze. My favorite sorts of days. I feel more at peace when the clouds shroud the world in a cloak of mystery.

Monday was a nothing sort of day, we had lecture for the front of the house while the back of the house continued to prep for Tuesday, the opening day. Tuesday we opened, we had one reservation on the books, and two walkins. My friend Sara and I also got to sit and eat. We're not sure if thats because we sucked at serving on Monday during demo or really what was going on. But it was fun and tasty, she's going on the Italy trip so we talked about that as well as the horrible woman who is the front of the house teacher. She...well this post isnt about blasting anyone. That will come for another day. We had a fun visit from Chef Fig! Thats always fun! And finally Wednesday, my foot was killing me and she *the horrible woman* allowed me to be Matrie'D and sit on a chair. We had to reservations and two walkins. I thought it went well. Next week I'll most likely be a waiter. I'll have someone take my picture.

Finally, I must tell you about this book I've just finished. Its called The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It has captured my soul and refuses to let go, much like the Reveur's in the story. I am enchanted. I finished it today and plan to re-read it again ASAP. I already have a quote that I have chosen to get tattooed on me, along with a picture that the author drew for a tarot deck. Its beautiful. Its a bit strange to have found this book and to be going to Italy at the same time...I believe they are connected in some way. I'll see how the story unfolds. You'll want to stay on for the ride....

Booze class, restaurants and pumpkin cheesecake...OH MY!

See what I did just there? I made it like Lions and tigers and bears OH MY. Yeah. I know, Im weird. I totally had a random and wonky last post. Sorry for that. I think I had to much to drink.

Class has started once again! I am taking A La Carte and Food and Beverage Managment! I have to work under the watchful eye of a spiffy German Chef *who works for the White House as well*. He is awesome and I adore him, as well as working under the thumb of a Heinus Bitch woman who wont open a bathroom door when a student is in there as well. She is...well...you would hate her too. She makes fun of ya'll who are bumpkins and don't know how to tell your waiter person that yur finished with yur meal.-Thats in a Redneck accent...not that I'm trying to be mean to rednecks...she just think everyone who isn't her and poops solid gold...talks just like that. We're not allowed to say: :"ya'll" when serving the food. HELL NO WOMAN! I'm saying ya'll all the fucking time now! So there!

Yadda yadda...I'm also in a Booze class. We drink wine. We're supposed to do that fancy wine tasting shit where you swirl, sniff, sip and the spit. The 4 s's...Um...I'm paying about 3,000 dollars for this class for the wines you're feeding me. I'm drinking ALL of that shit ya'll. There is no way in hell that I am spitting it out. But I already love the class. I've only had one btw. Its 3 hrs and 40 min and it felt about 30 min long to me. It is awesome and makes me wonder if I want to be a wine business in the future. Who knows.

But all in all, my classes are kinda awesome. Except for the bitch woman. I could kick her to the curb. I'll keep you posted on how it goes. More to learn about the restaurant next post. Perhaps tomorrow? We shall see.

BTW, you need to read The Night Circus. Its awesome and epic and beautiful. Go buy it. Now.

I'm probably on a list somewhere now...

Yes. I have my faults. I drink to much. I buy to much. I whine to much sometimes. I lie, I swear, I've slept with a guy I'm sure NONE of you have ever slept with someone in the same "spot". I'm not perfect. I don't try to be. I don't ask to be. I don't want to be.

If you have a bomb...can I have it? I'd like to blow myself up.

Thats all for now. I thought I could write more. I'm going to make myself another drink and wish my old computer wasn't dead because I want to listen to my music.