Orlando!
Well, today was my first full day in Orlando, Florida. It took me a while to get used to the driving...streets and where lanes go (i.e. if it's a right/left turn only lane) are not very well marked...at least not from what i'm used to in Carlsbad or Hyde Park/Poughkeepsie. But, we just got to see a it more of the city that way...we went to Westgate Resorts (where i'm doing my internship) and i got to meet with the chef. he showed me around the bakeshop, and introduced me to some of the people i'll be working with. it's a really nice facility. has a nice, big proofer (might be able to fit at least 16 people in it!--inside CIA Group 19 joke...), 3 single-unit convection ovens, and a rotating rack convection oven...good stuff. it also has all of the standart Hobart mixers--12 qt, 20 qt, 60 qt, and even an 80 qt. The Chef is a CIA graduate, so he knows kind of where i'm coming from (like what i should already know, what kind of equipment i've been exposed to, what kinds of quantities of products i've made at school, etc). The bakery makes almost all of their stuff themselves. the croissants and danishes are proof-n-bake (meaning the dough comes already made and shaped and frozen...you just have to take it out, put it on sheet pans in the proofer, then bake it when it's time). However, he is still able to control some aspects of the quality of the finished product...he can choose how long to proof them, and can play around with flavors through fillings and such. They also buy pretty much all of their chocolate garnishes. the good thing about that is that they are all the same, every time. it also saves the bakery time and money, because they dont have to pay someone to temper chocolate and then make the various garnishes. so, if those are pretty much the only things they dont make themselves, its all good. they also do some catering events, and Chef Keith (the head pastry chef) said that i'll be able to go on some of those. also, the resort has a restaurant with a pastry station that i'll get to work for a week or so, too. it's a combined cold and pastry station (does salads and desserts, basically). so, it'll be similar to what i was doing when i worked at Spirito's last year. so, that'll be a cool experience...i'm sure the desserts will have a broader range than canoli's and store-bought "baby cakes". so, over all, i'm very excited to be working there for the next 4 months. Chef also said that if i wanted, he would show me the managerial side of things, too...like how he does payroll, ordering, schedualing, etc. that's one thing i'm really excited about...it'll give me a real-world perspective on how a bakeshop is run. also, it'll get me ready for L Block (the first classes we take after extern, which teach about a lot of that kind of stuff) and the Bachalor's program. my first day of work is Saturday at 7 am. i can't wait!!
and tomorrow, at 9 am, i get to move into my apartment...i found out today that they use their old timeshare units as housing for the interns...SAWEET! i wanted to go and look at the room (or one similar to one i'd be living in), just so i could get a sense of what kinds of supplies i would need to buy, etc...like hangers (didnt bring any of those...but, they might have some in there already, so i didn;t want to buy any and then not need them). oh well...i guess it'll make tomorrow that much more exciting! after we were at Westgate, we had some lunch at this nice little sidewalk cafe, similar in style to Panera Bread (if y'all know what that is). it's also a Free Wireless Hotspot, which is awesome...i dont know what kinds of internet is set up at Westgate, if any, for the guests...so, if there isn't any, this place isn't too far from where i'll be...we then got the oil changed in the Saturn (and they washed the car, so it's all pretty now--it was looking kind of grungy after that 4-day road trip...). then, we drove around and found out where all the essentials were, like a grocery store and stuff. there are a couple of really good shopping centers down the road from Westgate. it's awesome that everythings right there...no more than a 5 minute drive one-way, and you're there. i'm exctited to move in tomorrow, and then on Friday, i just go to the HR office at 9 to fill out papers and do a drug test and all that good stuff, then i have the rest of the day to finish settling in and explore and stuff. and then on saturday, the REAL fun begins!
and tomorrow, at 9 am, i get to move into my apartment...i found out today that they use their old timeshare units as housing for the interns...SAWEET! i wanted to go and look at the room (or one similar to one i'd be living in), just so i could get a sense of what kinds of supplies i would need to buy, etc...like hangers (didnt bring any of those...but, they might have some in there already, so i didn;t want to buy any and then not need them). oh well...i guess it'll make tomorrow that much more exciting! after we were at Westgate, we had some lunch at this nice little sidewalk cafe, similar in style to Panera Bread (if y'all know what that is). it's also a Free Wireless Hotspot, which is awesome...i dont know what kinds of internet is set up at Westgate, if any, for the guests...so, if there isn't any, this place isn't too far from where i'll be...we then got the oil changed in the Saturn (and they washed the car, so it's all pretty now--it was looking kind of grungy after that 4-day road trip...). then, we drove around and found out where all the essentials were, like a grocery store and stuff. there are a couple of really good shopping centers down the road from Westgate. it's awesome that everythings right there...no more than a 5 minute drive one-way, and you're there. i'm exctited to move in tomorrow, and then on Friday, i just go to the HR office at 9 to fill out papers and do a drug test and all that good stuff, then i have the rest of the day to finish settling in and explore and stuff. and then on saturday, the REAL fun begins!