Hello again, hello...

Okay, so I've been a very bad blogger the last few weeks. I blame two things. The first is that work was insane for a bit as we started the free dining program. The second reason is because I've gotten back into playing WoW and it is one of my favorite ways to spend free time. I know, I know....people hear that I play World of Warcraft and immediately think 'NEEEEEEEEERD!' in their head. It's okay, I figure everyone that really knows me and loves me already is well aware that I'm a super nerd...so I embrace it. But! That's not why we're here. We are here because I have some updates and I want to share them.

The first new thing in my life is Dijon, Alyssa and I have a plan to start eating healthy. We've all lost a little bit of weight since coming to Florida just from being so active at work (something none of us former desk jockeys are used to) but then the late night meals started. When you get off work at eleven at night, it's easy to come home and sit around eating Taco Bell with your roommates. With two months left in our regular externship program, I think we'd all like to take advantage of the good influence we have on each other.

We went to our new favorite little grocery store and bought a ton of produce and chicken and ground turkey and started making plans to have better meals. When one of us is off, we'll cook for the others anyway so now we just have healthier options in the house so maybe that will encourage us to make good meals. And there is something pretty great about getting enough food to last all three of us a week (at the very least) and splitting the cost so in the end we each only spent about $26. Our last hurrah was stopping on the way there for breakfast at Einstein's for lox bagels and sugary coffee drinks.

So that's pretty exciting. I love eating a bunch of junk, but I really love eating great. You just feel better about yourself and your whole day. We've commandeered the bottom shelf in our fridge and are already planning meals.

Another new development in my life is that I've talked with my head Chef at Artist Point and am currently waiting to hear back from casting about extending my college program. This doesn't mean I'll be out here permanently, but it does mean that I'll be here for another three months. I'm not 100 percent sure it will be approved yet, but lets say I'm 99.99999 percent sure.

I love my job and I really like Florida. I miss my family and my friends and my Willow very much, but I really want to see where this road takes me and I don't think that can be discovered in only four months. If I extend my college program, that means that I'll be able to stay in college housing, which is really cheap, and see if it's just a fleeing 'OMG I LOVE IT HERE' kind of feeling or if this is where I really want to be. A couple of weeks ago, Chef Marco told me that they want me to extend at Artist Point, which was really the biggest reason I decided to stay for a little longer. It's such an ideal place to learn and I feel so very blessed to have ended up there for this part of my journey.

I'll keep you all posted.

The most exciting thing that has happened lately is that they've started cross training me. After two months on pantry, they put me on the fish station to shadow for like an hour a couple of weeks ago. Then, a few days later, they had me work fish station halfway through service until we closed. Last night when I showed up, Chef Matt (not to be confused with Chef Matthew) told me I'd be over there solo all night. He called it trial by fire. Surprisingly, I wasn't very nervous. Only four dishes come off that station and Melissa was next to me on the line and I adore her. She is one of those people that is so helpful and I know she likes me and really wants me to succeed.

To make a long story short, I had a great night. I had no idea what to do for prep, but got help and advice from people and the station was, luckily, in pretty good shape from the night before. We were slow, so it was a perfect night to start over there and I did very well. I didn't have any recooks or missed tickets and we got out of work on time (for like, the second time since I've been there). It's great to feel like they have a bit of faith in me even though I don't have any experience in this field. I know I still have so much room to grow, but I'm holding my own so far and that is worth every sore muscle and swollen joint and cut and injury I've gotten so far.

I really felt like calling in yesterday because I was so tired and I'm glad I didn't because I might have missed a chance to prove myself even further. I just hope they keep putting me over there now and then so I can get better and faster and learn even more. I watch middle a lot when I'm there and I'm learning how to make those dishes too so hopefully if they put me there eventually, it wont' be such a stark learning curve.

So things are great here. I am not looking forward to the beginning of November when my girls might all be leaving and I might be staying here alone. It'll be another test to see if I really do love it here or if I just love the whole experience of having Dijon and Alyssa and Chelsey to share it with. But at the end of the day, I'm having the time of my life and I'm happier than I can even put into words.

Oh! And mom and Aunt Pat are coming to visit me at the end of this month!!!! I'm so thrilled, I can't wait to see them. It will be fun to get to show off my restaurant to my family and get to hug my momma's neck. I can't wait.

And even if I do stay out here until February or so, I'll be home for my graduation from Le Cordon Bleu in January, so I'll be planning a night out. I'll keep you all posted, I would love to see everyone.

I'll end it there. I will post a recipe the next time I write, I had too much to update so I don't want to keep blabbering on now. I love you and I'll talk to you soon!

"I always cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food."- W.C. Fields

Happy eating!
Lauren