My Life Post-Michelin Kitchen (Day 4 Report)

Ok, so it's only been four days since I left Sepia, but already it's a completely different lifestyle; one that is going to take some getting used to. For one, I see way more daylight, which I am certainly not complaining about. My days feel longer so I am able to feel more productive throughout the day. This can be attributed to working morning shifts at the catering company and assisting with night classes at SLT. Just the other day, I went to work at the catering place at 9 am (daylight) and out by 5 (daylight). So strange, compared to my life at Sepia where I went in at 1 pm (daylight) and out by 11:30 (definitely not daylight). I have also been going to sleep at normal hours (not sure what counts as normal in this world anymore though). By that I mean I am no longer going to sleep at 1:30-2:00 am simply because the adrenaline from the kitchen kept me awake, rather more like 10:30-11:00 pm. I also wake up at earlier times, say 7:45-9:00 am, which in turn gives me a longer and more productive day.
Is this schedule change such a bad thing, I ask myself? I'd say no. Change is good. It stimulates me to do more, see more, accomplish more of what I've been wanting to since moving here.

Here is what I will try to accomplish with my new-found daylight freedom:
*Finish all of those books I have started reading but never finished due to complete exhaustion and lack of motivation to do anything. And let me clarify by saying they are actually real books, with real pages, none of that kindle or nook business.
*Train for my marathon without also killing my body by working 12 hour shifts and running up and down stairs from the kitchen basement to the line.
*Blog more, example, NOW
*Eat healthier and not rely on "staff meal" (kitchen lingo) for my daily sustenance
*Cook at home more for my roommate and I (I doubt she will complain about that)
*See my roommate more, now that our schedules are a bit more synced
*Stage at other restaurants to learn. Never. Stop. Learning.
*Journal about said stages to keep brain active
*See my family in the burbs. A MUST-DO! Sorry ya'll for my absence.
*Participate in more city happenings, preferably the free stuff

That's all I can think of now.

Chicago-Versary: A Reflection on My First Year In The Windy City.

      Oh My, how time flies! This week/month marks a big milestone for myself. I find that anniversaries and milestones are important marks in time to acknowledge because it allows us to properly reflect on our experiences. So for this entry I shall reflect on my past year and throw out some hints of what I'll be getting myself into for the next one.
      I recently celebrated my 24th birthday with 6 of my closest friends. It was a night full of wonderful food, cocktails that were just so artistically crafted, and really amazing friends. It wasn't until our third stop on the night o' birthday drinkin' that I might have had a mini teary moment. It was pure happiness, I promise. We were at The Aviary, and the GM of Next (who was my RA at school...can you say small world?) surprised us and sent out a bottle of sparkling wine to toast for my birthday. It was such a generous gesture that after we had all clinked our glasses I just started crying. And that was followed by laughter of course by everyone at the table, including me. I was at that time simply overwhelmed by the thoughts about how happy I truly was and how lucky I was to have made the connections I've made and the friends I had. So with that I say CHEERS to friends and CHEERS to the best birthday ever!
      Another big milestone we shall celebrate is my first year living on my own, well, not technically alone cuz I have a roommate, but you know what I mean. It's my first time not living on campus in student housing or with my parents, so yay for leaving the nest! I gotta tell you though, paying rent sucks. Just sayin. It sucks. Mind you, I certainly found a great apartment well within my low budget being a cook and all, but it's just kind of a sucky feeling to know you aren't really going to get that money back...bye bye $$$. Either way, it's been fun to live in the neighborhood I'm in because it is relatively safe at night and it is very accessible to other neighborhoods via public transit. It is also a very up and coming neighborhood from what I have noticed over the past couple of months, which makes it a very desirable place to live! I'd like to give a shout out to my Aunt and Uncle up in the burbs though because without them, I don't know how I would have had such a smooth transition into the city. They graciously let me stay with them until I found a job and an apartment and then even helped me move into my new place! It's times like these that having family close-by is such a blessing.
        Preface to the next big thing going on: I got back into running a couple of years ago when I decided to train for my first half-marathon (that's 13 miles), thanks to my mom for planting the idea in my head, and since then I have run three half-marathons, each faster than the previous one, and was even a Winter Warrior! (those are the people who run through the winter time). I made the decision then to sign up for my first marathon, a feat I just rolled my eyes at. I always thought to myself, 26 miles, psh, that's silly, why would someone want to run that far? I'm good with 13. But something came over me after my third half-marathon. I just needed a new challenge. So here I am, a little over half-way through my training for the Chicago Marathon in October! Hint: It's October 13, and I'd love any of you to come cheer me on throughout the race! So that's that.
         Hmmm. What else? Oh, yea, this is my last week at Sepia. It's been a year full of learning (again with the reflecting stuff) and I have just realized it is not the right fit for me. But isn't that what life is about? Finding your strengths and playing to them? Finding the career path that makes you happy and fulfills you with a sense of accomplishment and success? This is just part of the path, but now I must take a different turn.
        So here we go, year of the dragon, year 24, my year, a new year. Tie those running shoes and Get Ready, Get Set, GO!

     

Spring/Summer Awakening

Hello all,

   I am writing today, of all days, because a foodie friend of mine inspired me to write again.  

   But aren't I just the worst blogger out there? (face palm) First, I re-named my blog to Culinary Chic in Chicago because I wanted to share my stories of being a cook in one of America's best food cities, but now all I have really written about is my car, which I sold (miss you) and bikes? Come on, Audrey, get with it!

   Spring/Summer (Spumming?) has sprung in Chicago (I really don't know which season it is because some days it's summer weather, some days it's spring weather, and some days it's sweater weather. What are you doing Chicago?) Either way, there's no longer snow on the ground, and I feel like the city in general has come out of hibernation. Put away the snow boots, winter jackets, gloves, hats, scarves, and the hot chocolate mugs because it's PATIO SEASON!
   Chicago is all over this al fresco dining thing, like seriously, articles upon articles are being published about the "Rooftop Bars" and "Best Patios 2013!" There's something about sitting outside with a tasty cold beverage, good friends, good food, and a slight breeze that just makes me smile. Sometimes the non-conversation is the best, too, because you can just listen to the city sounds and observe what is going on around you. It's a wonderful feeling.

   Just remember to wear your sunscreen....


 
   

Two Wheels are Better Than Four (A follow-up to the previous post)

Here is a quick follow-up from the previous post (many apologies for neglecting this blog)

*Sold my car!!

*The German folding bike sucked. Sold it on Craigslist.

*Bought a REAL bike. A nice road bike, for $120. Its incredibly lightweight so I just put it on my shoulder and up/down the stairs I go. Much easier to ride (I go fast!).

Now that it is winter, I haven't ridden the bike much, but during the fall I was riding almost every day. Takes me 12 minutes to get to work, not too shabby. I have started a bike tally so that I will know when I have essentially "paid off" the cost of my bike by riding instead of taking public transit. If I did the math right, I have to ride the bike 75ish times, but then we have to factor in all the money lost from making poor purchasing decisions with other bikes, so we are looking at 150 times or so. I think I have ridden it....30 times? Give me a break though, its cold, there's been snow on the ground, wind, etc. Come spring I won't have ANY excuses for not riding to/from work. 

And yes, I named my bike. Rooney. It's maroon. Quite fitting, eh?

Cars, Bikes, Buses, and other things with wheels

The point of this post: transportation in the city and what's the most financially smart choice. I currently own a car; the car that I have had since high school that got me around while at college and got me here to Chicago. Only now, all it does is sit on the streets since I have no use for it. If I want to visit my family in the burbs, i take the train. If I need to get to Point B, I take the bus or the L, or walk. The other day, I got a ticket because I didn't move my car for street cleaning (I didn't see the signs posted since I hadnt used my car in a couple days). At this point, I am thinking its a liability. I do not have secure parking, I already got a ticket, and its just losing money by sitting there. Cars in the city are useless (in my situation). Yes, there are plenty of people who have them, but for me, I have no use. I have decided to sell my car!!!

Bikes on the other hand, are awesome. I just bought a bike off craigslist for only $140. It is a vintage German folding bike. Yes, it folds. Which means I can take it on the buses, L, and the Metra trains whenever I want. And since it folds, I don't have to carry it cumbersomely up three flights of stairs to my apartment and I can keep it in my apartment as opposed to outside where it could get stolen. Also, since it was so inexpensive, if anything happens to it...I didn't lose out on a new $500 dollar bike! I can get places faster than relying on public transportation and its free to ride and good for the body :)

The verdict: sell car, bought bike, but I can walk to work when I want because I live only 1.7 miles away. Yay for city living!!

Job, CHECK! Apartment, CHECK! (As of today)

Just moved into my new Chicago apartment!!!! I live above a sushi restaurant with a wine bar and wine shop across the street. Call me crazy, but I think that it was meant to be. This is so exciting because it is my first real apartment! It's an adorable two-bedroom with pastel colored walls, very CHIC, if you ask me. CHIC in Chicago for sure! I am excited to officially be part of the Chicago scene and all it has to offer. As nice as it was being able to stay with family for my first two months before moving downtown, it is nice to not have to rely on the trains every night to take me back to the suburbs. The public transportation in Chicago is awesome, so I can go anywhere! And I have an iPhone to help me get around, so that's a plus.

Check back frequently for more stories as I acclimate myself with this exciting city!

The Creation of My Chicago Blog: First Post

And again I have changed the focus of this blog. It started off as a blog about what I did in culinary school and then once I graduated I focused on post-graduation stories. Well, I have made the big move onto the big city, CHICAGO!! I am going to have this blog focus on my time here in Chicago as a culinary school graduate; talking about experiences as a restaurant worker, what it is like to live downtown, fun city adventures, and general stories about living in the windy city. It's going to be EPIC!! Subscribe to become a follower so you can see when I write new posts!