goodbye

Its that time. I am saying good bye to Lyon, but first a message from our sponsers...




ok thats hooda humour

So I am leaving for Milano Italy in the morning at 11 for Geneva Switzerland and then onto Milano Italy. I guess looking back on the last three months, I have had a great time, but most of al I am thankfull for the support system I have back home that helped me get through the first couple of weeks. ie thanks shanna for tellign em to go to Chef Bocuses restuarant to eat, that was an amazing experience and it helped me get a bit reviatliazed for job searching at the time. Thanks gary for the countless skype calls with encouragement when I was down. But most of all thanks Jessica for being my rock and helping us both stay strong while I am here.

I am embarking on a new adventure, one that I have dreamed about but know nothing about. So this should be fun. I will be learning farming, (something my father always wanted to do by the way). Learning about food from Tuscany, and I hope in general having a great time. I am starting out slow by only staying for two weeks at the first place. I will then move closer to Rome where I will be for three weeks.

I have had some ups and downs here in Lyon, and I hope the next leg of my trip just gets better and things work out well.

I miss everyone at home so just keep that in mind when you make fun of me and my half hazardness...lol.

But yes I have checked things twice and I am sure ill still forget something, but whatchya gonna do.

I was supposed to spend the day with friends but everyone cancelled on me, so so much for friendship...lol its ok. I tried watching some movies and had a pizza for two by myself...it actually tasted good, but I had the four cheese topping..not the best idea...but hey you only live once.

ok next blog looks like will be from Italy....Bon Voyage to me!!!

yehuda

last day

so its finally here and since my consiounce (jessica) is telling me to not skip work Ill go in for my last shift. Now normally I wouldnt even argue about it, except that I had to call in sick the other day because I was sick and couldnt go into work...(I ate something bad), anyways i called in sick for the night shift (4 hours of work) so they deducted the 4 hours. Heres the problem though. I work 11 hours a day at least and only get paid for 7 (which I worked in the morning) and I was kinda upset since if you think about all the things I did for these guys to hear that I was going to loose pay for that. It kinda hurts. But then I realized that I would loose pay as well for skipping some more time, so Ill just go in for work and suck it up.

And thats about it, I got plans for the weekend and then I am heading out on sunday as you all know.

Yehuda

almost done

Getting closer to the finish line thats for sure....

I think ill start packing tomorrow or friday afternoon between shifts. Work is just work, its happening, nothing special.

I also finally ocnfirmed my meeting in Milano next sunday especially since my brother in laws parents live across the street from the caterer, so he said its alol good just to call him when I come in to Milano adn we'll meet right away. Ill then head out to Montepulciano on monday morning then earlier so I can settle in at a decent time.

I dont really know what to expect so I am just going to go with it on this next leg of my trip. It should be an adventure hopefully in a positive way.

Just two more days and thats all!!!

last day off of work...

...going for the finish line..
Im getting really nervous, but hey I guess its to be expected. Today was my last day off of work though as I am work the next 4 days and then im done. I didnt do much, besides watch a bunch of movies and tv shows thats about it. My friend is cooking me a good bye dinner tonight so I am going to go over now. But I'll walk as I didnt get out much today.

I wont pack until saturday though, as I dont see the point to do it earlier, since I know whats coming with me anyways.

But back to work tomorrow, and the daily grind of the work force, but it should be ok. Saturday I am going to go to my friends for lunch and then go out with some friends for dinner on saturday night and then heading out Sunday morning.

anyways I am out ill blog again soon

entering my last week

One more work week left in Lyon.

I am so excited yet sadened at the same time as well though. Some of the guys I am really going to miss, since we've had so much fun. I am going to miss getting screamed at in french (even though I dont uderstand what they are screaming at me about). But something I realized though, that everything I got screamed at about while here, had nothign to do with my cooking skills, they were about the amount of packages I opened to cook the Plat De Jour on a monday for example. I have learned so much here I dont think I could put a dollar number to it. The biggest thing I have learned is how to become organized with myself that when it comes to service everything goes tak tak tak, as my chef calls it. (tak tak tak is the sound a knife makes on a cutting board..haha) I have had soem great laughs and so many conversations I was apart of without understanding a word of it, yet somehow getting the job done...beats me...
anyways as the week goes on I'll write more. But I am onto bigger and better (in their own way) things.

An addition to the other days post...before I took the pictures with my chef, Chef lacoombe asked me why I am leaving, so I told him why adn where I'm going. I told him not many people understand, so he stopped me short and told me, he was proud of me for doing what I am doing, and I am very right for going to work on farms and such to learn farming.

Just an after thought.

ok good night everyone

surprise surprise

well not really...because I am used to it already..the guy that was supposed to take my place didnt work out and my looking forward to working on vacation station didnt come to fruition., So it sucked for me that I had to work my old station again. But meh, im used to it.

So this morning the head chef Jean Paul Locmbe came in to talk to the Director and the chef, and he goes through the kitchen and says hi to everyone. So I finally got the courage and asked my chef if I can have a picture with him and chef lacombe. So I got a picture with them in the kitchen, and then we went outside to the front of the restaurant to get a picture as well. Really cool.

Anyways thats about it.

history of resistence museum

When jessica was here she and I were going to go to see the museum of the resistence but it was closed. I went today. It was interesting. It outlined how the french resistance fought to kick the nazis out of France during the Second world war as well as highlights of the holocaust. Something interesting though. The french actually helped thousands of jews hide from the nazis, which I though was amazing. Of course right afterwards I went home and watched schindlers list. Why I dont know. But its an ok movie i guess. Some argue it isnt oscar worthy but it was a good movie none the less.

That pretty much occupied my day. hehehe. But for dinner I wanted to try this italian place across the street from me. Anyways I went there and had a great pate crout made of duck adn pistacchio. But for main course I thought I was getting a poultry of some sort, but instead got octopus. Now I'll be honest I was a bit grossed out and almost vomited, but I said to myself be open minded here and try something new so I did, yeah well after one bite I knew I wasnt going to finish it. So I ate the rice adn sauce adn lots of bread. But I felt bad so I explained I wanted to try something new but octopus just wasnt for me. So then they said I could have dessert on the house, so I didnt leave hungry. I had chocolate mouse of course. And when I went to pay they actually charged me for dessert. Whatever I let it be. And note...dont eat octopus it actually makes me want to vomit right now.

Anyways I am heading to Milan and Ill stay at my brother in laws parents for one night and lucky for me they dont live far from the caterers. so maybe this will work out.

im looking so forward to going to italy im gettign excited...and not just because my roommate is trying to get rid of me. But I am really ready to move on.
yehuda

i guess hard work pays off....sometimes

As you all know I have put in many hours and worked very hard the last 3 months at work, working 9 days straight so I can earn 4 days off in a row with jessica (against french law might I add), but I did it because I have good work ethic. And when the chef asks me to stay late I say yes chef...Man I really hope my staff one day treat me this way. So anyways I was speaking to my Sous chef (who does teh scheduling) the other day and I told him I am leaving Lyon early Monday mornign for Italy and if I can have sunday off to pack adn say good bye to my friends here that would be great. So he says to me he'll see what he can do. Then the other day I said to him can I have Saturday morning off as well ill work the 8 days s traight its not a problem...so he asks me why only the morning? I told him my rabbi friend always invites me over for shabat dinner and and lunch and I always turn him down because of work and my last time here I want to go. so he tells me he'll see what he can do. I planned on maybe calling in sick if i have to for the morning.

So Sunday night when he was doing hte scheduling he pulls me aside after he was doen to ask me if I was ok with what he did. Basically I work 4 days get one day off get another 4 days of work and im off saturday and Sunday!!! YEY me. And to say thank you he put me on Vacation station for most of the rest of my time here...

Vacation station is a kitchen term for a station where there isnt a lot of work needed to be done for it. Its a pretty easy station as the guy working it is usually a commis (lowest guy on the pole, because he/she doesnt have that much experience) but lately because of short staffing the Sous chef has been working it, so he doesnt have much work to do but to relax and as they say here in france finger in the nose, finger in the nose...lol

So I am pretty happy for the way the schedule has turned out.

Ok onto the next thing. As some of you might know I have been in limbo as to what to do for passover. I was thinking of working at a hotel, but I called some places last week and they all use the same people they use all year round so they arent looking to hire. But I also called and emailed someone in Milano Italy last week, and the other day got a reply that they might be able to use me, adn I should call them when i get into Italy. Well I called the guy today, turns out hes friends with my brother in laws parents, his family in toronto is close with my family, and also has connections in montreal and australia with my family...i dont think he has made the connection yet though...i'll tell him.

So I called him this afternoon (france time) and we spoke for a few minutes, and he said he has arestaurant in Venice that I might be of good use for. So he asked me what my plans are and how long I am in Europe for. I told him that I am pretty much open for work after Purim when I go back to Milano to see my brother in laws family. He said to set up a meeting when I come to Milano. I told him since I have sunday the 31st of January off, I can come from lyon to Milano and meet with him Sunday night hopefully. He said that was a good idea and to call him next week to confirm his scheduling for the following sunday.

So I changed my ticket instead of going to Torino I am going to go to Milano a day earlier. Its ok, I'll see if I can stay with my BIL parents for sunday night so I dont have to go to a hotel.

Tomorrow I will hopefully go to the history of the resistance that I went to today but was closed. I will also try to go to the old city of lyon and look for a certain cookbook, that I cant seem to find in regular book stores. But someone said to maybe check out the old bookstores in the old city... so Ill check it out.

Something funny....when jessica was here and we went to avignon as soon as we got off the train jessica introduced me to the funniest song in my mind, I think even funnier when jessica sings it and dances...shes awesome..ok so anyways for two days we snag sur le pont d'avignon and danced especially wehn we actually were on the bridge....and when things are down I think of jessicas smiling face dancing the song with me being silly together. So I added it to my playlist. It is funny replaying silly jessica singing sur le pont song...haha

hello

I didnt know what to write as a heading so ... hello!!
Anyways I get back to work today pnly to find out my supposed replacement quit the next morning!!! So I was alone today with lots of prep to do but I am used to it, becuase if someone doesnt have the responsibilites of a station why would they prep it, when they know they wont have to deal with it the next day...stupid mentality but its what it is. I am starting to get really excited about going to Italy, as it starts to approach. I have to buy a ticket for italy when I get there though, as I cant buy it online or over the phone unless I have an italian bank account..Bizzare as they say in french. (wierd / bizare in english..not sure of the spelling..lol) Otherwise work is going well, still stupid language barrier stuff, that I cant answer somethign or say why I did something because my french is horrible...ask jessica for confirmation on that one. I bought two small books yesterday one on lyonnaise specialties and another one on perigord specialties..both cities in france...although I was told perigord is a saying for parisians who think they are god...lol not too sure about that one though so dont qoute me on it. otherwise, just working walking lots, and missing everyone.

well good night from lyon

food for thought.. I mean the baquet and italy itenerary

So since I forgot to say the menu here it is.
Last night I made crudite in individual dip cup x 80
sushi rolls sx 350 pcs
and individual pizzas x 80 pcs

for dessert I made:
Chocolate cake x 80 pcs
and lemon custard x 80 glasses garnished with raspberries

ok Onto Italy

I bought my ticket to Italy today and I have the itinerary for everyone.

February 1st I leave Lyon at 7 00 am arrive in Torino Italy at 11:19 am I will then take the 12:09 train from Torino to Montepulciano where I will be staying at a farm for two weeks until February 14 ..The profile or the person im staying with is on Helpx.net host # 6088

Then on February 14 I travel to the next place called Orte 1.5 hours away from montepulciano and its closer to Roma. where I will be stay for 3 weeks at another one (im gettign the link from the person for them.
then we'll see what the plans hold as I am working on tryign to get a job working at a resort for pesach.

yehuda

banquet impossible

I think I now know what the guys from dinner impossible have to deal with.

Let me start from the begining. (gary is going to like this one, and will get a good laugh)

I am smart..this morning before I went to the market to buy the veggies i checked with my friend if the menu had changed because last night they changed a few times and they didnt get back to me with the final decisions!!! (tons of fun)...good thing I did because of course things changed.

Lets make this long story short. I got there an hour early, (another smart move) because some stuff was missing, otehrs where changed and others werent available (which I was yet to find out). I was startgin to get upset because they left everything to the last minute no matter how many times I asked for things to be done in advance. Anyways I had to change things on the fly, which wasnt fun at all.
And the day just kept going on and on like that oen surprise after another...it wasnt fun at all. To make things more interesting when the coordinator came, she says hi to me and then starts tell me shes expecting more people than she thought and that she doesnt think its going to be enough food... (yes gary I almost through a chef tentrum when i heard that) What was she thinking? I said to her I dont have any more product to cook. You changed so many things so late int eh game...you cant say now there isnt enough food I bought the right amount for the right amount of people. Then she decided to change what she is selling adn what she is giving away for free...I just shook my head in amazment. A half hour before the party starts things are out and plated and imsetting up the table, when the lady comes back in the kitchen to tell me that she wants to change teh way i plated because she feels that she wants to charge more and since they bought the wrong plates, (they were too big) and I said fine so I replated 100 plates...not fun either....but they are paying me for double the amount of time i qouted because they were so nice to keep changing thigns on me and doing their ordering at the last minute.

ok so I did it..learnt a big lesson, DONT COUNT ON OTHERS TO DO THE JOB YOU KNWO YOU CAN DO RIGHT YOURSELF..LOL butI was proffesional, I kept my cool, tomorrow Ill pick up my money and it will all be ok after...Ill move on ot the next thing..otherwise I took some pictures and everyone enjoyed the food which was good. and thats what matters, but I learned what to do for the future.
yehuda

hello

So its almost my weekend and what a weekend I have to look forward to!!I am working of course. I am making a hors deourve party (however you spell it) for the lubavitch fundraiser tomorrow night. So I am not really off but its cash on the side, so I am ok with it.

Otherwise I started trainign this guy today and its all cool, nice guy worked in england for the last 10 months and it should be fun. But I was also told yesterday the hiarchy in the kitchen...apearently I am on the top. Which is really cool because I didnt know that. (so as my first act of knowing where I stand and since the chef wasnt there and I was naturely in charge then because that is how i works, I had pbeople in the kitchen do the sur la pont davignon dance for my amusement...it was very funny).

But I had people actually listening to what I was saying and asking me questions about my cooking techniques etc, and it felt good.

But things are good otherwise, I think my roomie really wants me out already, but im not saying anything in case she says to me just leave..its just three weeks more, and then i go to italy. Its going to be so exciting i can feel it already. It feels wierd that ive been away for only 3 1/2 months but i miss everyone so much...at least you know that if jessica and i moved here it would be difficult...just kidding grandma we arent moving here... have a great day everyone.

love yehuda

catch up

So I had wednesday off as well, and ended up being out all day.
I first went to a meeting for a small catering job im doing for a womens things here for the jewish women in Lyon next tuesday. Then I went for hot chocolate to this small place around the corner from my work with my friend. We spent a while there, but then she wanted to see the old synaguage in Lyon, so I took her there...I gave her a mini tour, (shes a token jew like some of Jessicas friends) and seh liked the cimplicity yet elegance of the shul, so she asked me if I wanted to see the big church on the top of the hill to compare. So we took the little cable car to the top and check out the church..its like night and day. The curch is extravagant and covered with gold and so on. We then went outside to see the view of the city of lyon which is magnificant.

We then went back to her apartment to cook dinner, with me going home right after since I was tired.

Then back to work. I gave my resignation yesterday in a very well written letter. WellI wrote the original draft and since everyone knows how scatter brained I am, jessica reformatted it for me, and my roommate translated it into french for me. My chef was very surprised by the way it was written and said he wished other worte it like that. He also said he would arrange to get me a refference letter before I leave. Of course I thanked him for everything and he was also very appreciative for giving him such a long time notice in advance.

So heres the plan for the next two months after lyon.
I am going to go to Italy for the first two weeks of February to volunteer on a farm. in the center of italy. Then on February 14 I will move to another farm nearby and stay there for 3 weeks but going to go to My brother in laws parents for purim, and then go back to work for week. Depending on whether I will be working at a hotel for pesach or not I will be heading to Normandy to work about a 10 minute walk from the d-day beaches in normandy are. and I will probably be there for 2-4 weeks and then take it from there...if there are other farms I can go from there, if not I will travel as there are other places I want to see in france before coming home, including alsace the loire valley and the basque region near spain, but I can keep it for later if I stay until jessica is finished the school year. And thats about it.

I will post where exactly I will be as I get closer to the dates, as well as I will keep my cell phone if anyone needs me.

anyways im off to take a nap then head back to work. Its very quiet right now as it is for january only every year, but we seem to still be gettign many customers, but still relatively quiet. Its also snowing a bit but its not cold outside just first thing in the morning.

Have a great weekend

day off

Ok so what to do on my day off??

Well I went to the famous Les Halles De Lyon Paul Bocuse, basically a very expensive St. Lawrence market like jessica said..and it was like that..but then I went accross the street to a store I wanted to go to to look for a certain pastry mold that is only made in france adn extreamly expensive anywhere else in the world. But then when i saw the price i realised realistically I dont need it so I wont get it.

But then i made dinner for me and blandine...trying to grease the wheels because she kicked me out of the bedroom...(not as it sounds) saying she wanted it back because it has the desk and computer for her to study so im sleeping on the couch for the next month..which btw is much more comfortable. But anyways i wanted to try something different so I made chicken ballotine with pistachio nuts with sauce forrestiere (mushroom sauce) and spannish zucchini with camembert cheese...it actually turned out really good. I think I might just put it on a menu.

and thats about it...been home most of the day everything above happened first thing in the morning so im going to go out maybe go for drinks or something.

yehuda

alone again

Alone back in Lyon and working again. Glad to be taking the next two days off though. Anyways when I came back to work on Sunday everything on my station was so messy and there where no prep at all, and it really pissed me off. Expecially since for some reason teh chef feels that he is better than anyone else in the kitchen, but no one likes him.
Anyways I am planning on going to Italy for February as I have found a farm to go for, and then tour italy when I am there anyways.
And then go from there...sorry not in a blogging mood.

yehuda

Bottle of Wine for one please!

Happy New Years!! Like Yehuda said, may the upcoming year bring you only good things! As you guessed, it is Jessica hear, blogging probably for my last time in France....at least for now, who knows what the future holds!!

Anyways, back to my days....Yesterday I woke up late and headed to the museum of fine arts. The weather was amazing. Sunny and warm!! First I had lunch, a pizza with Egg on it!! ya i know, sounds gross but it was actually soooo good! It was like a sunny side up egg in the middle, so you can break the yoke and dip your crust into it (well at least that is how I ate it!). Just like breakfast, which was good because it was actually brunch for me! Then I went to the museum and picked up an audioguide for my visit to learn about some of the art I was going to see. The museum was nice, cool paintings and other things. I think I like the ROM better though! hahaha

Then I headed to meet Yehuda to do the usual walk home together. We first stopped at the bank for him to do some address changes and what not. Then stopped at a bakery to pick up some treats to enjoy since I am leaving soon and wont have a chance again! :( We got a chocolate thing and an apple thing. Pretty tasty!

We relaxed and Yehuda went off to work. I showered, got all pretty, then headed out to Yehuda's restaurant for dinner. I got there and it was packed! If you didnt have a reservation, they turned you away! After waiting a little, I got my table for 1 (kinda sad but it was ok) and it was right by the door where the kitchen is! Great seats! Yehuda came out and helped me decide what to order, and then my meal started. We ordered a bottle of wine, since Yehuda will be done at 11 and we can enjoy it together. But for now, IT WAS ALL MINE! hahaha Just joking, I did not drink it all!

So my meal started out with salmon (like lox) that was great. Then I had turbit with this AMAZING mushroom sauce! The smell and taste of it was sooooo good! It also came with a little pumpkin bread (like corn bread only BETTER!). Then it was about 11 now and one of the waiters told me Yehuda will not be able to join me for dessert because it was so busy that he wont be finished until after midnight! Oh well, that was ok, I got my dessert (3 chocolate things - mousse, a variation on mousse and a chocolate flan) and the waiters brought me a delicious glass of wine! Wow, not only do I have a bottle but also another glass! hahha happy new year to me!! hahaha Anyways, with Yehuda spying on my from the kitchen door, we did get to see each other a bit during dinner and when the clock struck midnight (they walked through the restaurant with a big bell), Yehuda was able to come out and give me a new years kiss!! Soo sweet!!!!! Then I sent him back into the kitchen with the bottle (that was still pretty full...so dont worry!) to share with everyone. They all really enjoyed it!

Yehuda finished about 15 minutes later and he finished my dessert and wines, then we headed for a nice walk home.

Today is Jan 1, 2010, and nothing is open, it is cold and rainy and im still in my PJs! hahaha Not the best way to leave France since I cant enjoy anything, but I will pack and hang out here and wait for Yehuda to come home. Maybe I will go around Yehudas work for dinner if he sees anything open or just eat here, who knows what the day wil being.

My flight tomorrow is in the morning, so we leave Lyon around 7 and my flight leaves from Paris at 11ish.

It will be hard to leave but I will be happy to be home.

Miss you all!
Love Jessica (and Yehuda)