August 31, 2007

Today we left from my house and went to Montmarte, Sacre Coeur and Moulin Rouge. It took shorter than we thought. But we did 3 of the cards that I have from my Paris City Walks because it was the easiest way to show them that area. We ate lunch at some dinky place off the street which my mom insisted that people told her "oh my friends picked places off the street and they said they were great" WRONG! it was horrible. Never bring a foodie to some random place!!! Anyway...we then went to the Champs Elysees and Ave Montaigne where we didn't spend money but we did do a lot of great window shopping. I also got to show mom and dad where I want to do my internship. And that was where we saw the most expensive cars made in the world...no joke. My dad was in heaven....pastries and cars!! We finished our walk, stopping at Laduree (my favorite place for macaroons) for dinner and dessert of course. The meal was fine...with some minor interruptions because according to mom "we were american" but I don't think that was it. After dinner I bought a box of macaroons for mom and dad to try. We then got on the metro and I sent mom home and dad came over to my house to get his computer. I read my book, did some laundry, and went to bed by 10:30. I am so worn out by all this walking!!!!

August 30, 2007+ Superior Photos

Still on cloud nine and so confused as to why cuisine ;) But i'll take it! Anyway...we had a nice day today. I met mom and dad at their hotel with breakfast food galore...ok pastries! We left the hotel around 9:45 and went to rue de rivoli. We walked the entire street until eventually we met manuel at L'as Du Falafel and ate a yummy lunch! Then we walked more and we went to the Picasso museum and the jewish museum. Both I've been to before so it wasn't too much excitement for me. We then took an ice cream break at Amarino's. Then some more shopping at BHV...but no one bought anything. Then we decided to take the boat ride today which was an hr tour of the seine and sights. It's so pretty here :) After that we went to dinner at Le Comptoir de Relais...one of my favorites. I think my parents liked it as well. I came home and chatted online and am about to go to bed! but I am leaving you with a slide show of all of the work I did in Superior. Enjoy!!

GRADUATION!!!

Today was quite possibly one of the best days of my life. I didn't realize it til later...but it was my personal tony awards. It was a great feeling. This blog is my pleasure to write...but Im writing to share how I feel...and for one moment I am going to boast. SO i apologize to everyone who thinks I'm cocky or should quit bragging....BUT IM HAPPY! Anyway, in the morning i read my book for a while...GREAT new book. Then mom and dad came over around 12:30. I got dressed and beautiful and then we went to my graduation ceremony. A bit boring...but nothing I couldn't handle. I was graduating second to last out of EVERY student...but I was going to enjoy it. Hell...I can't believe I am here in paris getting my diploma in cuisine and pastry!!! Anyway, there was a girl missing to one of my sides and I didn't know which one. When they started to announce what I am about to tell you I sat right down because I thought they were talking about her. I was SHOCKED. Anyway...they were talking about me. I placed 2nd in Pastry (out of 41) and 5th in Cuisine (out of 37) and they only make mention to the top 5. I mean WHAT...CUISINE!?!?!? It was funny because people came up to my parents saying "penny always said she hated cuisine" WHO KNEW!?!?! I was shocked. My final must have kicked ass! (i have to send a shout out to my roomie liz for helping me...and for the GREAT graduation gift!!!) Well...I was amazed at myself and for that one moment I felt ontop of the world. Like I said....my own personal tony awards. I don't need anything else...and it wasn't even the placement. It was more about the fact that I wanted to come to france to get this degree and i did and no one stopped me. and it only made things better that I graduated with honors. I was pleased with myself...and my parents were also very happy! Anyway....after graduation we went to the ceremony and mingled for a while. Check out all the fabulous pictures!
After the whole shebang we went to this restaurant Pierre Gagnaire which one of my chefs had to get us a reservation because normally you book a month in advance. Google his name and see how he was nominated best chef in the world...not just paris!!! SO i had to go for my graduation dinner. Anyway, the food was amazing, the service was amazing, and to top off my AMAZING nite...Chef Pierre Gagnaire HIMSELF came out and I spoke to him (in nervous french...i was choked up!!) and he took me back in the kitchen and i got a picture with him and the head chef, Michel Nave. I was FLABERGASTED! I couldn't even speak english at that moment let alone french! It was an AMAZING nite! I got home at 12 with the biggest smile on my face ever! It was one of my biggest personal accomplishments to date with my family. I am so thankful for days like these :) And thanx to everyone for the congrats! I love you all!!!!

August 28, 2007

Mom and Dad day 1!! Well..they were tired so they slept in later than i thought...while i woke up early to wait for them. We eventually got out of the house at like 10:45. Long story short...we waited at the eiffle tower for almost 4 hours and only dad and I went up. Mom is scared of heights. Then we went to the Musee D'orsay and they were starving so part of the time we sat down to eat inside the museum which cut our time there short. Which also killed our day short. We finished there and I walked them through Bon Marche and Grand Epicerie (my favorite grocery store). We then went to dinner at L'entrecote (where i took liz for her bday dinner) and they liked it. Not as much as I do though. I went back to their hotel at 9ish to help my dad with his computer. I walked home and tried to work on my graduation gifts and it still doesnt work. I gave up, read and went to bed fairly early! That was my long day short! That's how most of the blogs will be since the only people who really read them are mom and dad. But look forward to tomorrows...it's GRADUATION DAY!!!!

Sucre Final!!!

So i woke up at 6 because I couldn't sleep. I dont know if it was the final, or the fact that I was going to see my parents soon! Anyway...I went to school early...cause I just wanted to finish this!!! I went into the room and it felt like a normal practical except for the fact that I my whole piece designed! So one thing went wrong right at the beginning. I tried a technique that didn't work so well so i had to make new sugar and try a different way, but it worked. I got held back for a little, but it wasn't horrible. Anyway, i kept going and when everyone took a break I was allowed to keep working because my parents were coming. Anyway...i got everything done that I wanted. But when I went to put it together I wound up not using all of my pieces. Which is fine, but it looked so small. Anyway...it was tilting a little forward, but nothing i couldn't correct.






As i finished...I was so excited because i knew my parents were downstairs. So before i cleaned up, I took a sugar rose and I ran downstairs and hugged my parents and gave it to my mom! I was soooo excited. I ran back up, cleaned up and came down and brought them upstairs to show them around and show them my sugar piece! they met my friends as well. I then went to change. We left and went back to my house for cheese and bread. At around 5 pm they left because they were exhausted. I worked on my graduation gifts. I finished them...but when they were done...they wouldn't burn onto the cd!!!! argh!!! So i didn't get them done :( At 10 pm I gave up because I was so exhausted and went to bed! But yah! My parents are in town :)

August 26, 2007

Last day of freedom...well for 10 days ;) That just means mom and dad are coming...but im stoked!!! Anyway...I woke up at 8:15! I couldn't sleep. I cleaned my room...sheesh I've been cleaning a lot. I fixed my computer...still not working perfectly! I ironed my graduation dress, did laundry, and left the house to run some errands. I am all ready for my parents to come! I can't wait! Well first i need to finish this exam!!!! Hurry up already!!! :) after i got home from my errands I made a great lunch, and then worked on graduation gifts more. Kaili stopped over for a second to bring me the cord for her camera. But from that point on I was working on gifts til I gave up at 10 pm. Oh, with an hr break for dinner and a shower. But my computer is so messed up. The program I was using died on me every five minutes. and that is NOT an exaggeration!!!! That's why i gave up at 10 because I could have kept going. That and i have an exam tomorrow....oh yah and MY PARENTS COME! Gotta go to bed now :) toodles.

August 25, 2007

I actually woke up at 12...with two text messages at 9...but thats the LATEST i've woken up since i've been in paris! (that's 9 months to those of you who are a little slow!) After that I made lunch, cleaned up, and was productive. Eventually I left the house to run some errands to my graduation gifts for my friends. And eventually my computer decided to hate me and crash. I lost some things, but nothing i couldn't redo...just annoying! And it was a pretty relaxed day. I actually stayed up til midnite working on the gifts because I was so focused. I forced myself to go to bed then because I didn't want to throw myself off schedule.

August 24, 2007

Today was a day off. Ok...so all of them are days off...except monday when I have my exam! Anyway...I got a lot done today. I did laundry, ironed, organized, and a bunch of stuff you don't care to read about :) Eventually I left and went shopping. Didn't succeed at getting shoes. Which didn't matter cause I wore ones I had. Anyway...I went to school at around 12:30ish. The chef told me he got a reservation for me and my parents at the restaurant i've been trying to get into for a month now :) They are good for something. jk! And then i printed some things. And then Dzintra finished her final and I went to her place to tan. After that I went shopping...more like walking...on the Champs Elysees. It was a nice day out so thats ok. Nice meaning, NOT raining! I eventually got home later than i thought and I ate some dinner and had to get dressed! Let's just say after i got dressed...liz and I said to ourselves...wow...there are two hookers in our house! But liz and i looked good! We were ready to go OUT! oh yah...it was the trimestrial party! Again it was on the boat. The pictures are blury because it was so dark! but you can see a little bit. And the first one was of me at home putzing on my computer :) We had a blast! CRAZY things happened if you can imagine. When the boat party ended at 1 am....liz was in need of some assistance home (didn't want her doing something stupid) so I took her home like a good roomate. Alex, our friend, assisted us home in a cab. I was fine. I sobered up because I was taking care of a few people during the evening. Anyway, when we got home Liz made popcorn and Alex and I stayed up and talked for a bit. I went to bed at 3 am. GREAT last party with all my friends :)