Practice makes permanent.

Well, day one was all I imagined it would be: busy, beautiful, challenging, busy. The morning consisted of: rolling a gajillion brioche loaves, then on to hulling 5 pounds of strawberries, followed by mise en place for flourless chocolate cake (thank you, OCI dream torte, for all that practice, as it was the only thing I did right today), a tour of the farm that left me speechless, and caramelizing aforementioned strawberries in sugar and balsamic vinegar. The chefs are full of encouragement ("Cheryl, you are folding that cake like you are homeless"), and the environment is the kind in which I thrive (did I mention already that it was busy?), and I managed to maintain composure upon seeing Dan Barber (though, I had to physically restrain myself). These 14 hour days are certainly going to be a challenge, but it's impossible not to be wired at the end of it. Dinner service runs like a well-oiled, albeit it crazy, machine, and what I have yet to learn is voluminous. Ending the night with filling tempered chocolate lollipops was a zen time, and I am eager to get started tomorrow already. I will upload pictures as soon as I have enough energy to figure out how to (Ava- how do I upload pictures from my phone??!) Suffice it to say, I am in awe of this place and this kitchen and its inhabitants. I have never seen so many people with positive attitudes at the end of a painfully long day (and it certainly was not their first). Objectives for tomorrow: learn the metric system; memorize every possible metric conversion; fewer burns than today (3); not fold meringue like a homeless person; take better notes; ask more thoughtful questions. All in all, I am thankful for hands that work, for legs that hold me up as I push myself to the limit, and for coworkers who will make it easy to endure tiring, rewarding work.