Pepe Le Puy

All the introductions are over and the handshakes and smiles have been shared. I think we have all settled down just a bit Those how have had jet lag should have recovered be now. This weekend I found myself in a rag tag group of females (story of my life) journeying in a neighbouring town of Yssingeaux called Le Puy. It was about a half an hour drive away from where I am. The drive alone was cool...I can see why people backpack their way through Europe...the landscape is beautiful. We passed a castle and some other structure that were breathtaking. On arriving to Le Puy, we decided to the drift towards the centre of the village passing the ever omnipresent patesserie and like the pastry chefs in training we all are walked into one and stared at everything they had in the display case. Soon each of us left the store with our own little bundles of joy that were waiting to be eaten. And that's what did next...found a place to sit down to take pictures and dissect the petite four gateaux. I bought a rather large pink macron that was filled with pastry cream, lycee and raspberries. It was good!!

After we all got off on the flavours and the overall presentation of what we just ate we decided to wonder around the farmers market and the flea market that was up. As the some of the girls flocked to the shoes and the clothing I moved towards the olives and cheese and mushrooms!!!

Next we drifted to the monuments in the town. the Notre Dame du Puy, L'Egisle de St. Michael et Le Virgn. In the town apparently the running joke is: Have you been in the Virgin. And I can successfully say 'yes I have' after climbing those stairs was not not going into her. LOL. I made a funny.

I love being in foreign countries..the people watching is such an event. Most of the women and some of the men look like they come out of a bloody Vogue magazine. Anyway the first day is soon to begin and I have prep work to done. Peace out cyberspace. Z.

No Catchy Title

Well ladies and gentleworms! How are we doing this fine evening. I had settled in just a bit and enjoying the stay so far. We got through orientation in on piece, though it felt like a brocher for the south of region of France. Which I really did not have a problem with, it just makes my life a little more difficult seeing that I have limited funds and limited possibilities. So I believe I will be bankrupted after this trip. However the journey so far has been marred by my damn stomach. Ever since I touch down it has not been co-operative with me. Not good. But I dove into my pharmacy and got the right stuff...but for future reference..Pepto tablets need to be added to that list. But I have been popping pills like skittles so I think I'll be fine after a week on them. Things aren't that expensive but also are so you have balance how you want to spend it. Eating out is definitely expensive...so I'll be cooking quite a bit of food but that would be mainly on weekends and on evenings on weekdays. Most of the group seems ok..but it is early days yet. I have afternoon labs (1pm - 8 pm) with a seemly nice bunch on females. But once again time will tell. On a brighter tone have been taking pictures which I'll post soon and I am practicing my french so hopefully I'll be fluent enough. Or at least confident enough. Went to the bowling alley today with the rest of the lot. And girls will be girls! Beautiful to observes. C'etait super! A bientot Z. PS: Thinking about changing the names ...suggestions?

Je suis arrive!

Well my fifth form French teacher would definitely cut my ass for that title. Ce n'est pas parfait!! Missing an accent or two but hey no one read the shit I type anyway. Moving on. As some might have guessed by now that yours truly is not in the land of Yanks and more but of the French. Oui c'est vrai. But look at that it just might come back after all these years then again that is just written word. Spoke word is a bit more challenging one has to formula the response in the correct tense and place the subject, the object and all related syntax and grammar rules. However pour le premier jour..je pense que je vais bien. Fingers cross. I usually bounce in and out of the language. Just don't want to butcher the language. Oh well we shall see. So far Lyon seems to be nice. Passed a number of farmland areas on the way to the hotel but other than that I have not a clue what the city itself is like. It all begins tomorrow so well shall see what happens next.... Peace out cyberspace. Z

May Be An Arm And A Leg...

Well the countdown to France continues. It is now down to 3 days..And I am relatively excited. I am itching to get back into a kitchen where I can learn. Seeing what friends are doing in school and my sitting in Brooklyn doing nothing is getting very aggravating. But I am rubbing my pressure points. However I do have good news..I am going to a food photography workshop. I was an arm and a leg but I was able to negotiate down the price to $200 originally down from $350. I feel bit bad...I was never good at haggling prices. I usually feel guilty afterwards. But he agreed so I am off tomorrow to his studio. I'll keep you posted. Later to inter-web.... Z