Working Girl

Just realized that the title of my last post seems kind of weird and morbid if you’re not a Monty Python/Spamalot fan, sorry about that. My mini vacation was fantastic, I drank beer for breakfast, read trashy books, napped, and ate junk food all day. I feel a million percent better.

It’s not easy to jump right back into the working thing after my leisure time as a student. I’m working as a garde manger - I’m in charge of all the salads and other “cold” preparations (there are about 10, including sardines with fennel and saffron, beets with pistachios, etc.). The restaurant is BUSY. I work from 2pm till 1am. On a weekend night I can’t leave the station for a minute without masses of orders piling up and putting me deep in the weeds. Need to pee? Hold it. Run out of octopus? Pray that no one orders it until I can find someone to run downstairs and get more from the walk in. I’m still learning the preparations and I spend most of my time hoping I don’t serve Frank Bruni a poorly sliced overdressed oxtail salad with no pine nuts. Every Wednesday I turn apprehensively to the back page of Dining Out to make sure he hasn't written a nasty review about my food.

Despite the constant terror, I'm really enjoying the new job. The chefs are great teachers and no one screams at me or throws knives. The night goes by in a flash and before I know it it's time to clean the prosciutto slicer (not fun) and head home. The other night I got home and found a piece of prosciutto in my hair. Lovely. It's not a glamorous job, and I'm paid less than my cleaning lady, but so far it's been a huge learning experience, and much more fun than being a lawyer.

I’m Not Dead Yet

Whoa, what happened there? I just checked my poor blog and realized my last entry was the 27th of June! Working full time and going to school have been pretty much kicking my butt, so most of my free time over the past two weeks has been spent catching up on sleep and basic necessities like buying toothpaste and beer. Only two more weeks till graduation.

Thank you so much for your kind words about my last post – I think I may have made the clues too easy because it seems like most people figured out the identity of my new employer without much trouble, but thank you again for all of your encouragement!!

I’m really enjoying work and learning a lot and all that good stuff, but today is my day off and I am SO HAPPY. I even skipped school today so that I could enjoy maximum relaxation.

I really don’t feel so guilty about skipping because today we were scheduled to learn about sushi. First, I really don’t think you can learn anything reasonably intelligent about sushi in one day. Second, I get my sushi from the restaurant where my brother works or, if I am totally incapacitated, one of the 18 fine sushi purveyors within a two block radius of my apartment. Third, I need to lay around on the couch drinking therapeutic beverages and snacking on non-Italian food.

As a matter of fact, I'm going to end this post right now and get to resting, but tomorrow I'll post a little more about my crazy new job.