Saturday, November 30, 2013

Thanksgiving.. A Week of Fun!

So it's that time of year again! Once Halloween came and gone I knew the holidays would fly by! This week was a crazy one! Since I am not living at home at the moment, I was feeling a bit down and extremely home sick. But lucky for me and wonderful bosses at the cake shop where I work, I had a few days off to spend time with my family at home. Unlike my roommates who all work in restaurants in Manhattan, I work in a cute, happy, and bubbly little cake shop that doesn't work us around the clock!
My week of fun started on Tuesday morning when I froze in Central Park for about three hours waiting to see none other than One Direction! Was it worth it? Um... hell yeah! I was super close to the stage and saw everything and everyone perfectly! Needless to say I made it from the Upper East side all the way to Midtown West for work with 3 minutes to spare!
Wednesday, however, was the real fun day! A half day at work and then on the train to go home! Real home, not Long Island home! When I got home, I whipped up my famous chocolate chip cookies with no time to waste! For Thanksgiving, our dessert selection consisted of cookies, cheesecake, cookies, and chocolate saucy cakes? Saucy what? Yeah still not sure what they were but my Uncle was being nice and decided to bring them! Long story short, I always end up thinking about food and dessert, mainly dessert! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving if celebrated!

                                           (Can never go wrong with cookies, chips, and wine!)
                                                     (The dinner table for Thanksgiving!)
                                                        (My plate of food! So yummy!)
                                                  (Chocolate Saucy Cakes...Interesting.)
                                                     (The important part of the night!)
                                       (My ever so famous and delicious chocolate chip cookies!)
                                              (My mom's chocolate ganache cheesecake!)
                                          (Yes this is Harry Styles and yes I was this close!!)

Monday, November 4, 2013

The Culinary Institute of America: Where Dreams Come True!

     As of January 2013, I began my journey through the kitchens of the Culinary Institute of America! Being a baking pastry major requires a lot of hard work and little to no free time to, let's say, update a blog! Before I started school, I was nervous beyond belief. Little did I know that great things were headed my way. The very first day of school I met some incredible people. Only a few days in, groups of friends were starting to form and new routines were being made.
     Learning the basics of baking and whipping up some things I have never tried before was the "icing on the cake" so to speak. My baking class was a group of 20 girls, or sisters rather. We were together 24/7 and surprisingly, that was not a bad thing. The bakers mingled with the culinary students and everyone in the start date were one big happy family. That brings me to my group of friends! A small but close group consisting of a handful of bakers and a pinch of culinary kids! And then there was Phil! A culinary student from New York who I happen to fall in love with!
     Ten months later and here we are. My start date is all on externship now around the world. Me, my boyfriend Phil, and our two best friends who are also dating living under one roof in Long Island, externing in Manhattan. My little life turned around completely! So this is my journey through the kitchens and the streets and through a ton of flour and sugar. But that's a good thing because I am learning a ton of stuff and having the time of my life!

                                    (my best friend and extern roommate! and fellow baker!)
                                           (my beautiful group of baker sisters!)

                                                (the two girls that get me through my day!)
                                              
                                              (I met Florian from Cupcake Wars!)
                                               (the love of my life, Phil!)
                                                   (my extern site that went to Martha Stewart's event!)