Special Blog!

So...it took me a week...maybe less...but I figured out why I like theatre as a job compared to anything else and what about it I will ALWAYS miss no matter what i do in life and how much I love it.

When you rehearse a show...each day you rehearse a new scene. Yah maybe you rehearse the same one you did before, but you will still do a new one or put two together til you get it right...and in that you add new pieces to it to get it right. In the same context...EVERY NIGHT you perform for a different audience...so they don't know what they are getting...and you can always throw in a new delivery of a line or an action of the way your body moves. Also...every 3 months I was changing scenery and friends and shows (ok...if i was famous that wouldn't be happening...but still) In NO other job can you be as different from day to day as you are in theatre. I love to bake...don't get me wrong. I am LOVING work...but i am bored. Croissant and Pain au Chocolat are HARD! and you can't perfect them until you do them EVERYDAY...same with lining a tart ring...but who wants to do that DAY AFTER DAY!??! obviously the people I work with. I asked one girl if she liked doing the same thing everyday and her response was "yes...it's my job" SO who cares if it's your job...its BORING!!!!!!! Atleast with theatre to get good at it...you don't have to reapeat the same monologue over and over again til you are good...you change your repetoire! That's what's missing in EVERY JOB out there! CHANGE! I'm gonna miss that. I think that will be a perk about working in a restaurant (or owning my own!) that atleast when you plate a dessert, you have some creativity behind it and you can switch it up often...OR specials are introduced weekly or monthly. Don't get me wrong...Boring does not equal not liking! But yes...i am bored...and it's only been a week! BUT...i will come out of this smarter, more talented, and definately have more of an appreciation for bakers!

Thanx for listening to me. I will always have a passion for theatre...but sorry....baking is a LOT harder and I think the challenge is what is going to keep me moving ;) I will succeed. Give me time...you just watch!

Saturday work SUX!

Yes...that's right. well...maybe I just had a bad day. I found out some things. 1) schedules get posted on friday...I had my day off friday so I found it out today...Same as this week (6-3:30) but my days off are monday and wed...sucky!!! 2) pay days are saturdays...poop...i don't get paid. 3) REALLY BUSY! everyone is busting a nut...so people are running around and MUCH more yelling (ie; getting introuble- including me).

So...I'm going to break it down for you...I lined tarts- approximately 200 if not more. Cleaned mini tarlets by hand...approx 400. Cracked eggs...oh this is a fun one! I don't know exactly- but I'll let you do some math. If a yolk weighs approx 20 grams and a white weighs approx 30 grams...i had to measure one batch of 3 kilos of yolks and THEN i had to measure 6.5 kilos of whole eggs. Thats a LOTS of eggs. i mean A LOT! (plus a lot of broken ones) I also made 6 different kinds of doughs (with some help from my friend Florian-he wants to speak more english...so it's fun!). In anycase...during the day I managed to get reprimanded a few times for my stupidity and/or just doing things wrong! HEY it's still only my 4th day...do they not get that...or do they just NOT CARE?!?!? Well...Lunch rolled by because we were so busy that I didn't get to eat til 3 pm. At that time i took maybe two bites of my cold meat and tossed it in the trash. And you BET at 3:30 I peaced out of there! I was so ready to be home!!!! However...during my morning coffee delivery round...I met some new people who loved the fact that I was from chi and asked me if i knew the chicago bulls and charlie trotter! it was funny! However...I think working here is going to be tough. I will survive!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Hannukah?

Yes...I put a question mark. I don't feel like it's hannukah. Maybe it's Paris? Maybe it's me? I don't know. It's weird. I mean...yah I don't get presents like normal...but I don't think that's it. I think it's that I don't hear someone wishing me a happy hannukah everyday or that there aren't menorahs everywhere I walk. It kinda depresses me :( When I mention to someone it's hannukah they say..."oh yah...happy hannukah" like it's an afterthought. Sad day. It actaually doesn't feel very christmassy either. I think that's the lack of being in chicago with the lights and the snow. They have lights here and trees and stuff...but i miss the music blasting and the jollyness of people...here NOT so much! Oh well.

Anyway...work on thur was good. Chef wasn't there and neither was the girl who speaks english...and you know what? I liked work better! hahaha. I spoke a lot of french and i managed quite well. At the end of the day a girl came up to me and asked me (in french) my age and if i was single. I was thinking- one of the guys must have put her up to this!!! It was funny. Then the rest of the afternoon turned into an age game with me. I made everyone guess how old I was. The consensus...19!!! do I really look THAT young?!?! They were in shock when I told them my real age! It was funny. I met a 16 yr old...I'm 10 years older than him! CRAZY! There was an 18 yr old, 20 yrs, 33, 24, 28, and various others that I didn't find out. So i'm in between. But wow! Some are YOUNG! Some went to school before. I actually managed to talk to these people in french! it was cool! I did a lot of the same stuff today as I did before. However...I lined about 150 tarts today. Yes...no joke. Everyone kept asking me "ca va?" I gave them that penny cheesy smile and said "OUI!" OY! it was rough! By 3:30 i was READY to go home! However...I think today was the first day I made friends...maybe because chef wasn't there!

Then I had a day off! I went to the gym because Seb (my trainer) said he was going to check up on me! hahah. Then i came home and made an AMAZING lunch! Then i went to LCB to get some things done and eventually I came home and met up with my new roomate starting in Jan whose name is Asima! We chatted for a while. Now, I'm getting ready for bed!

I know I said I wasn't going to blog everyday...but right now I feel kinda compelled to. I am sure it will die down when my job become tedious. But for now...enjoy :)

GM day 2 and day off

So day two! I woke up at 4:30 and yes...i walked to work. It took only 30 min. Well i got there and i had NO clue how to get in!!! i was freaking out and then someone biked up and i asked them if they were here for GM and they said yes. So they let me in! Hallelujah! I was nervous as it was walking and it being all dark in the morning that I didn't know what to do if I couldn't get in! So by then it was still on 5:45ish and I got dressed and went downstairs. I started my day at 6! Once at 9 am I looked at my watch! STUPID! Hahaha. The next time i looked at it was at lunch time (1:30) and then I only had 2 hrs left...so it was a breeze from there. I actually got off at 3 today because no one had work for me! But...today I got to do much of the same stuff as i did yesterday and then my favorite, I weighed and molded kugelhopf (my favorite bread from GM!!) I also got to make some kind of chocolate cake and jellified coulis! So i got to do a bunch of prep work plus some I got to actually make. I also got to make beurre pomade (softened butter) but 750 grams of it! EEKS! and they wouldn't let me do it in the microwave!!! AHH! So that wasn't the most fun of the day. Other than that...it was a fun day again! but i can tell you...i was exhausted by the end of the day. I walked half way home, went to the fancy grocery store and then got on the metro! Went to bed by 9!

SO my day off is always wed :) I woke up at 9 and had my trainer at 10:45. He kicked my ass! As usual. But since i was tired and not wanting to go to the gym in the first place...he was really rough on me. Tomorrow will be the worst at work :) After that I came home and got ready cause kaitlin and I went shopping and to the movie The Heartbreak Kid with Ben Stiller. Really funny! Now I'm home and i'm about to crash because I have work tomorrow :)

1st day at Gerard Mulot!

As you all know...I was VERY nervous about today. I actually slept semi ok last night...despite the fact that I woke up every few hrs to check the clock to make sure I wasn't late. The last time i checked the clock it was 6:29...I was waking up at 6:30! I wasn't paranoid, was i?!?! heehee. So...i am going to be VERY detailed here so nothing is left out. If you have questions...email me :)

I took the metro to work at 7:30 and it actually took a lot quicker than I expected. I arrived there around 7:45 (maybe even earlier). Chef greeted me with a smile and had someone show me upstairs to the changing room. I was shaking in my bones at this point! I came downstairs with my knives (and all my valuables...they told me NOT to leave them in the dressing room!!!) and notebook (leaving my water bottle upstairs- stupid move!) So, when i first got downstairs Chef directed me towards Birke (pronounced Beer with a kee on the end). She starts speaking to me in french. I immediately told myself to chill out and told her that I spoke a little french. She said to me back, "you speak english" I was like "YES!". So she kindly replied that we can speak english if i want. IF I WANT!??! DUH!!!! She is from austria and she moved here 4 years ago. She is very nice! I scored ;) She starts telling me all of this stuff. I was so lost. She goes "do you have anything to write on?" yes...i am a loser I brought a mini notebook KNOWING i would need it. So i start jotting down notes! I'm a student all overagain!!! Anyway...we started out by rolling out dough. BUT i learned how to use the machine! Pretty cool...and a lot harder than thought it would be! From that we cut out different shapes and put them on plaques for later use. Then we began to line some tart molds. I lined round molds and square molds. The square ones are hard! It was like I didn't know how to line a tart mold when I started to do them. I felt like a mornon! She was like...wrong...like this. I don't know how many times i had to do it over!!! But i learned the right way and i feel better! Then all of a sudden someone called "RUNGIS". Rungis is that big market I've been to twice. I was all confused, but Birke called me to come upstairs with her. That happens everyonce in a while when Mr. Mulot brings produce from Rungis back to the store that we have to unload. So all of the workers stopped doing their worked and unloaded the truck. Not much stuff. It was quick. Btw- Mr. Mulot (the owner) is at work almost everyday. I did not meet him today...but it's nice to know he actually works at his own bakery (front of the house and back) and he's a friendly guy that I will be able to get to know! At this point, people are starting to come and go as far as workers. It was strange because EVERYONE (dishwashers, bakers, everyone in the basement) would come up to me and shake my hand or give me a kiss and say hi or bye. I was kinda freaked out. I thought it was a nice thing because I was new. I learned later this is a daily activity in which I HAVE to do it myself aswell. I will discuss more later. Anyway...We get back to our lining of the molds and Salam (not sure if it's that way or Salem but you pronounce it the way I spelled it) came and he always works next to me. He is very nice. He speaks no english...but we managed a few words here and there! He got a few laughs out of me as well :) My next job was to slather on some egg wash onto some puff and then sprinkle on cheese and stack them. Then after that was done (on what felt like 1000 layers) I began to cut them. Literally, before i knew it...it was 1:30! BANG! right in the middle of the day. I was like...time flew before my eyes. I wasn't hungry, tired, OR bored! CRAZY! So...someone walks up to me with a platefull of food and gives it to me. I was like...for me? He was like...Oui! So...I first had to finish doing what I was doing. At that point i was cutting out the cheese things and I had two more layers left so I HAD to finish my work before i could eat. I'm just like that! So i finished my two layers and then went upstairs to FINALLY get my water bottle (i was parched) and started to eat. Today we had duck, peas, carrots, and bread (ofcourse warm!) and we also had dessert...but i will be avoiding those! So...I get homemade lunch EVERYDAY! How cool. I also get a 1 hr lunch break. But for me...that's WAY too long. Plus, I don't know anyone...I have nowhere to go and i'd rather take 15 min, then work and leave early! So I walked around a few times to see what people were doing, I talked a bit to some french people (one guy said he got a job offer from someone in chicago...he can't remember the name but he will tell me tomorrow) and then I started to work again! Oh, I forgot to mention the coffee! BIG thing! I (and whoever else is below the chef) am incharge of coffee...(meaning me...since i'm the stagiere!). It's SOOO precise, the measurements and the way it's made! So...I have to make it and then serve it...Chef first. He actually started banging his cup when he didn't have any! It was funny. He is a pretty cool chef and fun to be around! Ok...so after lunch, Birke showed me another way to cut the cheese sticks. I also asked Birke if she does the same thing EVERYday. She said yes. I told her I would get bored. She told me i was lucky because if I wanted to do other things such as bread, chocolate, macarons, or ice cream...i should just tell the chef and he will move me around so I can experience it all! YAH! Ok..so at that point, she had to leave! AHHH! My english speaker was leaving! What was i to do?!?! She left and told Florin (sp?!) to watch over me. He must be 16?!?! but adorable...with HUGE earrings in his ear! haha. I finished my job and then he asks me in english if i'm done and then proceeds to speak to me in english! I was so confused. He said he spoke a little...so we talked back and forth doing the whole french english thing! Then I waited on Chef until he assigned me to a cute guy (name unknown right now) who made me cut chocolate triangles with tools I have NEVER used before and were actually pretty difficult (BUT FUN!). So...mr cutie showed me how to cut triangles :) Everyonce in a while I would mess up because he kept staring at me and i got nervous. He must be 16 years old...why do i care?!?! hahaha. It was fun! But BOY did i get dirty! My first day and I already need to bring a new uniform! So i finished that and by that point it was 4 pm. I went over to chef and he said that no one else had work for me so I could finish for the day! YAH! I was supposed to stay til 5:30 so I got out early :) He showed me where the schedule was. THEN i got hit with the hard one! Schedule changes weekly! That's fine...i can't complain about that! But this week...I am in at 6 am til 3:30 pm! The metro doesnt run that early :) EEKS! So I guess I'm walkin to work!!!! However I always get two days off a week. Wednesday they are closed (so every wed i will have off) and then one other day a week which changes every week! This week I have friday off! So...I also asked chef if he would reimburse my metro ticket. He told me to talk to the bureau. He called for me and they said ok. He tried to show me how to get there. I understood his directions. So i went downstairs to say goodbye. But being new and my first day...I felt uncomfortable kissing/shaking hands with EVERYONE so i said "Merci a tous et a demain!" And waved!!! I hope they don't find me rude. Tomorrow i'll try the hand shake thing. It's just weird to me. Do they do that in the US?!?! Anyway...I went upstairs to change and then met Liza the Ice Cream girl. She loves my name...so she kept saying it and going "hell yah Penny!" It was funny! She's cool. She said she loves to speak english! SCORE! So i left to go to the bureau. I never got the name of the street, so I couldn't find it. It's ok...I'll go back tomorrow. I then walked home so I could time it. It took exactly 30 minutes (and I talked to mom and dad to!). I came home...did some laundry, made some excellent chicken salad and am now responding to emails galore! I have to go to bed early because it looks like I have to be up at 4am tomorrow! Here's to a good stage! Thank you to everyone for your concern! And stay tuned because i KNOW there is a ton in store!!!

Il etait une fois

literally translated to- Once upon a time- which is really Enchanted. I saw the movie last nite! I had NO clue that Idina Menzel was in it. Did you? Anyway...it was GREAT! I loved it. The music was great, the story was great...overall great new disney movie!

Let's see. My cousin sent me his computer so I am now on a new computer! Very exciting! I can actually get work done :) So thank you Howie!

Ok..new feature on my blog. On the top right hand corner you can subscribe to my blog. I am NOT positive this is going to work...BUT if you fill in your email address you will get emails everytime I update my blog. That's all. ONLY when I update will you be informed. Not a bad deal since I won't be updating everyday! Try it out. If it doesn't work...can someone tell me please so I can remove it?! Thanx.

Also...I start my stage tomorrow. I have NEVER been this nervous before in my life! I mean NEVER! Not even for an audition or when I had to perform. I can't even eat! (wow...i must really be losing my mind!!!) In anycase...i'm all ready...just freaking out! It's so weird because the word stage (like the thing u perform on) and stage (pronounced with a long a) are spelled the same but mean two different things! I just have to think that they are the same thing and I'll be fine right? Anyway...check back tomorrow because I'll be posting about my big day after it happens! Wish me luck!!!! or no...tell me to break a leg!!!! EEKS!!!