Got to thinking....

Friday night while I was at work, I got to thinking that I need to do some "research" on all the bakeries here in Portland.  This city alone has over 275 "bakeries".  Seeing how I want to open a bakery of my own (clearly not in Portland, haha), I figured I should start checking them out.  Seeing what they offer, pricing, setup, staff, how business is different times of the day, the hours they are open and of course taste something they make.  My goal now is to go see a new bakery at least once a week. 
     When I got off work, I googled bakeries and just picked one and routed myself there.   I went to Lovejoy Bakers in the Pearl District.  Let me just say the location is AMAZING!  They are on the corner of Lovejoy and NW 10th Ave. 

The building is incredible, it is literally the corner so they 3 doors, one on each side and of course one in the "middle".  They had all the doors open, outside seating as well as inside.  Cool bar like tables, round little tables, very comfy chairs and the coolest part is that you can see them baking.  Their huge ovens were right there, in front of you when got the counter to order.  The ceilings were high and open, you could see the pipes (which I think is kind of  cool). The aromas that were coming out of there, wow.  It defiantly drew a crowd.  There are a few other bakeries near there that were open, but none of the other ones had a line.  I was there at 7:30 AM Saturday.  They have pretty good hours, 6AM-8PM daily. 

 I checked out their menu and they did serve coffee so I got an iced white mocha and a Orange, cinnamon, pecan buttermilk scone for $6.05. 

The mocha was, ok.  I am still on the search for frappes, but as far as the iced ones go, this one was better than some of the others that I have had.  So a definite note for my bakery, if I am serving coffee, have a blender!  Now on to this scone, I actually enjoyed it.  It was very moist and the flavors just played with each other like a well tuned guitar.  The texture was delectable.  It didn't get really crummy when you took a bite.  It was nice and clean.  I would recommend this bakery to guest that check into the hotel. 

Summer Break

This week is summer break!! YAY!!!  I do have to work, but this week is my turn for 3 days off!  I am going to take advantage of it!

I joined ZipCar!  Zip car is a shared car program.  You pay an annual fee which is $60.00, but I signed up at a festival and only had to pay $30.00 (that's how I do! )  You can rent the cars by the hour, day, or any combo.  You are allotted so many miles per reservation and you have a card that unlocks the car.  The keys are in it and there is a gas card.  YOU DON'T PAY FOR GAS!  Also, this includes insurance and of course you could pay for extra insurance if you want.  They have cars all over the city and there is an app for iphones.  I am super excited about this because I have been tossing the idea of getting a car and it is just so much money.  Between insurance, gas, car payment and just maintenance.  When you rent a car from say Enterprise you have to already have car insurance, but with ZipCar you DON'T!  Works for ME!  I plan on renting my first ZipCar this week.  I may drive out to the coast.  All the cars are 2009 up til now,   so they are all newer cars.  They have so many different cars to choose from too.  I am looking forward to this trip!  I will post pictures.

New goals

I have set some new goals for myself.  One is to MAKE time to update this blog way more.  There are so many awesome things I am doing here I need to share them.  Of course my continued goal of getting all A's!!  The school decided to get rid of the stars I was so excited about when I first started.  Apparently they are sanitation issue because it is jewelry on your uniform, boo!  However, they are going to have you name on the walls in the hallways and at graduation you will get the gold rope!  I am shooting for the ROPE!!  I look good with some extra accessories!  HAHA! 

Lovin' Life...

Let me just say, how much I am lovin' life right now.  School is incredible and I am learning so much. This past term I was in Foundations 2, which is the second and last cooking class I will be in (since I am going for baking and patisserie).  I have to admit before this class started I was terrified!  I was stressing the class and worried about my knife skills and just taking the class in general.  Well, let me just say I kicked some serious butt in that class. I made some AMAZING dishes.

carrots vichy

Green beans with Roasted pepper and bacon

Pilaf

Nicoise

Salade de pommes de terre

white bean salad

Fish and chips with remoulade

Escalope de Veau a la creme

Roti au jus

Cotes de porc

stuffed chicken with pecan butter and polenta

Poeler canard aux vavets

Filet de sole bonne femme

Poached Salmon

There are a bunch more dishes I made and forgot to take pictures of.  This class had me working my tush off.  It was GREAT!!! I was very happy to say that the grades are in and I finished out the class with an A!  I made an A on my written final and on my cooking practical final!!  GO ME! 
I have learned so much from this class!  I am looking forward to getting into some more baking classes.
Now on the subject of work: I hit my 90 days April 24th.  I was suppose to get an evaluation and a raise.   After about a 2 month wait I finally got my evaluation and get this, I have impressed my bosses.  Apparently they don't give 1's on your first evaluation because your new and there is always room for improvement.  Well, this chica got TWO 1's!!  Whoop Whoop!!!  So I will get a .50 cents raise and get this, they are going to back pay me from April 24th!!  Oh snap!  Life is good...

It's about damn time...

     Well, here is a term over and I am finally able to update!!  So much has happened with and to me since the beginning of this past term.

     First of all, on April 15th we had to move out of the house that I moved into when I first got here.  Ryan, (the one I pay my rent too) was technically evicted because the company he was renting from found out all he was renting rooms to all of us.  Ryan said he would find a house big enough for all of us and it would be fine.  On, April 12th I find out where we are moving.  Then on the 15th one of my awesome friends from school help me move my shit.  I was under the impression I was going to be getting a room in the house this time, but to my shocking surprise, NOPE, not for this chica!!!  I was put in an uncoverted garage.  Now I could have spiced it up, but it was the point of the fact at this moment.  I unloaded my stuff and 
I went to my friends house so I could sleep before I had to work that night.  Now Jay, moved out on the 11th to somewhere downtown so Tim and I were going to tough it out together.  Or so I thought.  I get back Saturday and that night Tim and I hung out in my garage room talking and eating pizza.  He tells me he is moving out. (By this point we had figured out he had to walk through my room to get out and our lights were on the same switch.)  He was moving on Sunday after work with a co-worker.  Sucky for me, but awesome opportunity for him.  

It seemed like everyday I came home Ryan added more of shit to "store" in my "room".  That night after Tim moved out Ryan sent me a text asking me if I was moving out too.  I was getting ready for work so I didn't respond right away.  Not more than 5 minutes later he sent me another one saying he thinks I need to move out with my friend Tim.  After a slight debate with Ryan I had less than 2 weeks to find a place to live while going to school and working.  I had a few plans and by the last day of April all of them had fallen through.  Luckily one of my friends from school came and picked me up and all my crap and took me to her house and i stayed with her and her family for the weekend.  Then she took me around to a few other places I found to interview possible roommates.  The first one I met was awesome.  This place included my own bathroom, Internet and utilities for only $450.  Not too shabby.  My new roomie is pretty nice and I have a huge window, so I do get to see the outside now!!  YAY!!

I am pretty happy here for now.  I one more year until my externships start so I am going to try to just rent rooms whether it is here in this house or if I have to move on later until they start.  With all this BS happening while being in school I was able to get A's in both my Math class and my English class.  Hell yeah!!  Nothing is going to get in my way!! PERIOD. 

   

Back to basics....

In order to get my degree in Baking and Pastry I have to take some English and Math classes along with a few others.  Last Monday I started a new term and I have Math and English.  I love my English class because we get to do a lot of free writing.  Everyday my professor gives us a Yiddish word and a definition.  I am really looking forward to including some of these "new" words to my blogs.   My math class is not too bad.  The professor is very funny so that helps.  Today he gave us our grades.  We took a quiz last week, had one today and another tomorrow and on Wednesday we have a midterm.  Oh joyous!!  I currently have a 100% in the class!!!  I want my 4.0 back so I am buckling down and working really hard to achieve this goal. 

Breakfast by the water...

Saturday morning when I got off work I decided to go for walk because it was beautiful out and it looked like it was going to be an amazing day.  I stopped at this little shop and purchased a cup of coffee and a Hawaiian bagel, which was delicious!!!  I took my breakfast to the water front and sat on a bench and watched the sun appear!!!  It was beautiful. 

I spotted this tree and just found myself infatuated with it.  Even bare I just couldn't step away.  I don't know why this tree got me but it did and now I am looking forward to spring to see this tree in bloom.  I wonder if it will still have the same affect on me. 

After enjoying this tree for awhile I walk the waterfront and took some pictures and just listened.  I usually have my ipod on and just in my own little world when I am walking, but yesterday I walked and just listened to all the things around me.  I heard the birds, groups of people talking, people walking, and the sound of the cars driving over the bridges as I walked under them.  It was astounding at all sounds that are around you.  It was really quite an experience yesterday.