Wonderful Day Off

Yesterday, my sister went with me to check out CIA (Culinary Institute of America) in St. Helena. I've been trying to get out there for months, since I decided to cancel the trip on my birthday to be exact, and I loved it.

I loved the tiny little campus: I loved the intensity and passion the people had for food. I loved that there were technical bugs with the simulcast between us, the New York (main) campus, and Baltimore (@ Charm City Cakes w/ Duff!). This only proves that I'm not the only person who can't work technology. I loved that it used to be a winery and that the buildings have so much history.

I didn't love the lack of open space on campus. I felt a little cramped. Also, I don't love the price. It's a lot of money to throw out on a whim. I love to bake, I absolutely loved my cake decorating class, but is this my "calling"??

I'm pondering everything.

I'd like to get a job in a smaller bakery than Safeway and to truly experience the environment and the hours. I'd gladly work an admin job just to be around the people I want to be around. I'd love to work in an intern or assistant position and learn stuff. I'm strongly considering the week-long program at CIA. It's expensive, but it'll give me an idea of the kind of work I'd be doing as a pastery chef. I highly doubt that Safeway would easily give me the time off to do this program, so this is why another job in "the field" is needed. I've been looking for jobs in bakeries and for local bakeries all day. I don't want to work at A Bit of Ireland b/ I didn't like their food. Sweet Potato Pie Co. is a possibility as is Sweet Abundance. I want to go to the bakeries first to check them out before attempting the cold call and plead for work.

Anyway. Got off on a tangent. I liked CIA. I like cake decorating and want to learn more. I like baking in general b/ it fits my personality of being precise.

After the orientation, Kate and I left campus for food. We didn't see anything that peaked our fancy and ended up in Rutherford. We stopped for a grill place, but it was pricy and a wait. We ended up eating our lunch at a taqueria inside a "mercado pequeno" - basically the deli-like counter in the market. We shared some nachos and then wanted to go wine tasting. I really wasn't paying much attention, though, and we, somehow, drove past all the wineries. I don't know why Kate didn't tell me to stop, but she just figured that I didn't want to stop. I did. I wanted to go taste at a winery (I was driving afterall), but I just wasn't paying attention.

Instead, we decided to just start heading home. We were tired. I wanted to go back across the bridge and take Hwy 4 to Concord area and then 680 South down to San Jose. Why? Well, it just so happens that that route would take us past the mall with the Ghirardelli ice cream shoppe for sundaes. So, I crossed the bridge, but then missed the exit for Hwy 4! It wasn't my day to drive, people. We just ended up taking 80 West to 880 South and headed home. We spontaneously stopped to get Phillip, and Katie had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Toste and Freddy. That tiny dog was a fierce protector and wouldn't stop barking. Katie won him over with lots of love and pets, and then he wouldn't stop barking at her b/ he wanted to play and get more loves. :>) Cute yet annoying.

The new plan for the evening was to meet up with Katie's Matt and get some early dinner. We got dinner at an OK Italian restaurant (my gnocchi were dense and Phillip's tortillini were just yucky). We got dessert from The Cheesecake Factory, and then began the search for KT's missing phone. We called and looked and looked and looked. We went back to the restaurant and looked there. No phone. Katie was freaked out and we went home. It was on the kitchen counter! ooops. :>) We watched "Office Space" and then Phillip and I headed back to San Leandro.

Yesterday was a great day with lots of ideas, interest, and laughs. And, best of all, it had no work at Safeway. I drove about 250 miles in total, and it was worth almost 1/2 a tank of gas (I get good milage when freeway driving).