MY 21ST IN GRASSINGTON!! =)

Not gonna lie...my birthday was a little tough because it was the first time in 21 years that I wasn't with any of my family on my day. But then I realized that I pretty much was with my family...it was just my new family that I have made here in Grassington!! =)
This was such a thoughtful party and it totally made up for being thousands of miles away from my loved ones. The day was a little hard..got choked up and teary-eyed with just realizing that again it was my first birthday alone...but I was showered with so much love! They all gave me big hugs and cheered me up! You would never of guessed by the way they treated me that I have only known them for a month! Everyone was so amazing! It felt like I was at home...literally!
And here's why. When I said thoughtful party, it really was!! They had chips and salsa, a burrito setup, jalepenos, coronas, limes, tequila....and a freakin pinata!!!!! Yea that's right a freakin pinata in england!!!!!!! The night went on and was totally great! Lots of drinking and tons of pictures and memories were definitely made!
Can't thank everyone enough for everything they did: Sue and John for allowing me to have it at their establishment, everyone who helped with the food and for coming out and celebrating...
I say THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!! <3

The Luminarium!!

So for those of you who have no idea what the heck I'm talking about, let me tell you. The luminarium is this really cool inflatable maze that uses the light from the outside and ironically illuminates all the different colors from the material! Oooo-ahhh! From the outside it looks like a bunch of jumpers that are attached one after the other. Not too spectacular from the outside, but once you walk in, it truely is something else! The colors are bright and vibrant! And some of the rooms have ceilings that are so high up it's awesome!
So anyway here are a few pics from it just to show you what exactly what I'm talking about!

=)

Busy Night Alongside Executive Chef!!

This weekend was busy at the restaurant, not too surprising. So on saturday night I was assigned to work the starter station alongside the one and only Executive Chef of the restaurant! And might I say...it was freakin awesome!
Even though it was busy, we both still had time to laugh and joke, while he taught me so much! He took the time to explain everything to me in the greatest detail. Why things are the way they are, why they go the way they go, and helpful tips for even the smallest things. It made me realize how awesome of a place I landed and how it's truly a blessing to have this experience. And I feel so comfortable in the kitchen because I am willing to learn and everyone back there is willing to help me achieve as much as I can. I feel myself getting more and more comfortable each and everyday back there. Whether Sous Chef Jane asks me to make a fish n chips, or veggie for two people to share on the table, or if Katie asks me to help on starters or make scones, or if I get a ticket for the popular summerberry slate...I know what I have to do and i can feel myself getting more efficient each and every time!
And during that dinner service when I was with Chef, when we were crankin out the starters I noticed he called me Chef...which for one totally caught me off guard because I am a baby fish in a big ocean when it comes to that and nowhere near that caliber yet, and two, it made me realize how much respect and passion this man has towards everything that comes out of his kitchen! It inspired me and drove me to do the best I can each and every time I walk into his kitchen. And I thank him again, and everyone else in the kitchen for letting me be a part of the team! =)

Gift from Pops!!

This week I had another piece of home arrive from across the pond! My dad and Susana sent me a care package with lots of goodies, as well as some of the papers from  back home. I got a copy of the Claremont Courier, as well as the Daily Bulletin issue with the Kings on the front holding the Stanley Cup! In the box there was lots of my favorite candy, some clorox bleach pens, a work apron, copy of the Hunger Games, and other fun stuff! =) Oh yea and my iPod and camera that I forgot at home haha
With already a month in the books, I can tell that time is flying by! And with my birthday in less than a week, and only 60 days left after that....yea I'll be on a plane in no time at all!
So thank you for the package both of you it really helps!! =)
and Dad, thanks for all the support and kitchen advice you give me each and everyday!

Be back soon! =)

A Month in the Books!!

Okay so tomorrow marks my first month of being a part of the Grassington village. If I look at where I was simply a month ago it's a total 180! When I first landed here, believe it or not I had a shy spell. Yea I know right me being shy?! But I was quiet, shy, and homesick like no other! I had I don't know how many times I checked my calendar hoping that September 1st would magically show up around the corner! I would have really bad homesickness to the point where I asked myself "why the hell am I all the way over here?!?!"
Of course that was then and this is now. Now I am back to my loud, laughing, friendly self with not an ounce of shy in me! I go into work just as if it were Pizza n Such, saying Hi to everyone. Work consists of joking and laughing with everyone. And after work doesn't consist of me hiding in my room all night with restless sleep. It now consists of me along with my coworkers heading up to the nearest pub, having a pint..or more....playing cards and having a great time! I can walk into the pub and people know who I am and I actually know who everyone is now, bartender knows my name and asks if I want the usual brew I get. The people here have made this experience so much better because they make me feel as if I've known them for 4 years instead of 4 weeks. I know for a fact I will come back here. Even if it's not for work but simply for a week's visit I will come back!
Everyone back home told me I needed to do this, that I have to do this, and that it would be a great experience in my life and that I'd never get another one like it. And I sure am glad that those people who know who they are...took the time to sit me down and make me realize how amazing this opportunity would be and gave me the boost of confidence I needed. Just wanted to take a minute to say thank you to all my family and friends who have supported this for me. Thank you!

And I'll see everyone in a short 2.5 months! =)

This waterfall is where I would sit when I would get homesick. There's a ledge that I am actually sitting on when I took this picture and that's where I would go when I would start to miss home. Now I go there with a more positive attitude and think how time is flying by and how quickly I'll be home, and that this will all soon be a journal of my past experience I had in England!
Cheers for now!

Start of Something BIG...

Yesterday was the start of this annual tradition of the Grassington Festival. Think of it as the Village Venture, mixed with the OLA festival....only this one lasts for 15 days! The weather has apparently detoured some of the people because the restaurant hasn't been too crazy busy. And yes it's summer and  it's raining and cold! But everyone says as soon as the sun will start to break through and the festival starts to get in full swing....it's gonna be a busy busy little village over here! Oh I can't wait. But on my day off during the festival I'm totally down to walk around and check everything out it should be fun! =)

Relaxing Night!

Monday...not only do mondays kinda suck in general...but especially when your head is pounding from the birthday party the night prior! Yea everyone today was in total first gear mode and coffee was my best friend throughout the day! We still had so many great laughs throughout the day in the kitchen...reminiscing about the night prior...and just laughing with topics that came up in the kitchen. It was a fairly easy work day today thank god...haha although I felt like a bread machine because I made enough bread to hold down the place for a while. But it was a good day, got stuff done and had a great time laughing and laughing with Jane and Katie in the kitchen....like always! I am totally out of the shy shell that I was in when I first arrived here! I know you guys don't believe me but I actually was a little bit reserved when I got here....haha but that didn't last long. The kitchen and people in it are so relaxed you are forced to be yourself which isn't hard for me to do!
So after work I was given the rest of the night off...and I figured I'm just gonna relax...write..and watch movies! I whipped up a burger...a sausage...some lime hot cheetos courtesy of my mom and the care package...some HP sauce and wham!! You got an Americanized British dinner! =)
Plus there's nothing like watching Bruce Willis smoke cigarettes and shoot people to make you feel like you're back in the States!
Cheers!

By the way....this stuff is like their version of Tapatillo!! =)
haha

The Boss's Bday!!

So last night, we celebrated Sue Rudden's birthday. And it was a good time! All the locals were in attendance, and I'm nailing everyone's name finally too! Locals walk up to me and I can start responding to them with their name and not "hey man". So anyways that's how it was when I walked into the bar...delicious glasses of Rose being distributed to all of us. After a while the party moved outside where Jane was doing her thing at the bbq...firing up burgers and sausages...both of which were freakin delicious as always! Of course she passed on the duties to someone else after a while so she could relax and sit down for once! Everyone was just having a good time and enjoying the evening! You could tell that this is a small place because there's such a strong sense of relaxation among everyone. And it passed over to me and it felt as if I had known these people for 3 years instead of 3 weeks!! 

The party then moved inside where of course all the drinks got greater and volume and laughs got louder! Again I felt so comfortable around this great bunch of people! It was such a good time and I'm glad I was able to partake in celebrating her birthday with everyone! =)

Happy birthday Sue!

This was the chocolate cake at the party!

And this is when the party was outside with the birthday boss in the front! =)

Tasty Desserts!!

Now that I am starting to gain a bit more of confidence in the kitchen and Jane and everyone are starting to notice that...they are slowly jumping me into the service part and not just keeping me on prep. So this past weekend I was on the dessert station along with my one of my coworkers to give me a taste of a weekend rush when YOU are the one in charge of the station. And I must say I did enjoy the rush feel. One of the days during the weekend...or even friday I think it was I had the station to myself during lunch service. Granted not crazy busy but still during the day you get the a la carte items like scones and cakes and stuff like that. So that was fun!

Then of course saturday was more station work and saturday night two of us held it down! =)

And these are some of the desserts from yesterday's menu:

The first is a peach salad with sorbet and tuille..

Second is a chocolate delice with a pistachio marshmelloeyyyyyy parfait which was freakin delicious!!

And the final one is a strawberry shortcake with bouverean cream...and a delicious strawberry daiquiri to chase it all down! =)

Learnin new stuff each day! =)

My Care Package!!

As I'm walking back to my house today, Chef drives by and says, "You got a parcel it's in the kitchen for you." So I go in there n grab this box that's from my mom. I knew it was on the way because we had been talking about it...just didn't know when it was going to show up.
So I take it back to my room and open it up and damn did it make me happy!! =)
Inside was a card...a note...3-pack of 5gum...2 bags of hot cheetos...a bottle of tapatillo...sublime shirt...an I <3 Mom bell...and my personal favorite...a box of Some Crust cookies!!!! =D
Lets just say that two of the cookies are already gone! Oh yea and a Bon Appetit magazine!
Freakin awesome thanks again Mom feel free to send more whenever! ;)
Love you and all my fam n friends! =)
Thanks mom for the box of Cali Love! ...next just send me In-n-out on dry ice and some so-cal heat! =)

Shoutout!!

Don't forget where you come from! To all my coworkers back home! Miss you guys and can't wait to see everyone! Hope everyone is doing well! Hope momma Brandy and the baby are doing well!

And Eddie...here's your personal shoutout bro! haha =)

Be back soon!

Jubilee Firework Show!!

Firework display!!


so this is the firework display that was at the conclusion of the Jubilee celebration!
and of course with my free time I tried to make it more interesting!
click on the link right above to watch the video!

More Celebrations!!

Getting off work early led me to the streets of Grassington, where the royal Jubilee celebrations were still in effect. I grabbed one last delicious burger and took to the streets as well. Chef informed me that after all the music, there was going to be a candle ceremony followed by a firework display. I figured sure why not get into it, I'm going to be here for a while. So I went back and grabbed my video camera and found a nice spot for the show!
The celebration really was something! A sea of people turned the corner at the end of street walking towards the square of the village all holding candles, lighting up the dark Dale night. It truely was an awesome sight. After the last of the candleholders reached the square, everyone started reminiscing and then the fireworks started. Now I've seen pretty awesome firework displays back home but this one actually really good! The Yorkshire sky was lighting up as each one set off its color. At the conclusion of the show, the people started singing a song that finished with applause and socializing. It was definitely an awesome sight to witness!

Royal Rush!!!!

Sooooo yea this past weekend and today were so busy thanks to the Queen and her 60 year celebration for being on the thrown!! Oh yayyyyyy haha super fun! Basically long story short, made some batches of baked goods, and learned new plating for certain starters and desserts. All with rain and cold mixed in!

As for today...I flew the nest I guess you could say. I was in the kitchen with sous chef Jane and executive chef John and had the dessert station. Not that busy on a lunch shift but having it to myself for the first time it felt busy. They both showed me how to plate the desserts and sides I was in charge for and then that was it, they had to get back to their stations because it started getting busy. I basically hit the ground running, Jane started calling out desserts and I responded with "Yes Chef" and started doing my thing. I felt like I handled myself well. I'll admit I did make a few mistakes- sending out jam with a scone instead of butter- stuff like that. But I felt good after the rush and both of them had a quick small talk to see how it was for me. Chef John gave me pointers and examples of how to stay organized during a rush and stuff like that. Seriously a wealth of knowledge. Now just waiting to go back for the dinner service!!

....OH and I had the best pork burger in my life!!!!! =D

Since the streets are filled with all the celebration, the bosses threw a bbq in front of the restaurant and man those burgers were delicious!! =)

The Pigs!!

Say Hi to the pigs! These are the rare breed of Oxford Sandy and Black pigs that are raised especially for the restaurant! Not gonna lie, these pigs were pretty big, and apparently they have had ones that were way bigger!
So yea just wanted to introduce everyone the Grassington pigs! Not gonna go into more detail for the sake of all my animal loving friends! =)