I love this view, Timeless.

Perfect Hotel Room

Health is very important and fitness harder.

Hello, How are you ? Pullman Hotels and Resorts.

Today is the last day of the class, We have visited the Pullman hotels and resorts. I really in love this hotel because it reminded me Las Vegas a lot. Theme or style are very similar like most the hotel right there which is modern and performance, specially the design of the window give you the fully view from outside. That is the hotel room I am obsessed all the time, Just like that cozy and relaxing.Pullman is the four or five stars hotel, it suitable for business, travel or pleasure including fitness center, spa, restaurant, convention room. This hotel perfectly for business travel or vacation definitely give you unforgettable memories in Paris. A wonderful Memories can makes you feel happy bottom of your heart and smile automatically every time you think about it. It reminds you how excited in that moment and how happy you was in that location. This is a power of memories and this is a goal for people who work in the hospitality industry, make people happy and help people create lifetime memories. When I first step in this hotel, all my memories come out my mind — the days of Las Vegas, because that vacation given me ideas of my career plan, makes me really know what I want to do– work in the luxury hotel like the people I seen in Vegas before and today in Pullman. Paris you have the power makes me feel crazy. Hotel you have the magic gives me countless motivation.

As the date for our departure approaches, we felt a little melancholic at the thought that we will be returning home soon. Today was our last day for our culinary and pastry classes. we made bouilla base  and duck foie gras for appetizer and veal roulade stuffed with turkey farce for entree and ended with chocolate cheese cake for our dessert.

We worked very hard and fast to ensure that the meal was ready on time. it was very emotional when we all received our certificates of completion because it was a reminder that hard work does pay off and that we have successfully achieved yet another goal during our visit to Paris. After receiveing our certificates we proceeded to eat and celebrate together this accomplishment. but we were also pondering over the fact although we love being in Paris, learning and discovering the beautiful culture behind this city, we will eventually head back to New York pretty soon.

After finishing our meal, we quickly proceeded to clean up and make sure everythimg was done in a timely manner. However, we were very exhausted and it was very hot outside. After everything was done, Professor Warner and Professor Zinder as well as one of our liaisons, Michelle gave a speech congratulating us for working so hard in the kitchen and for successfully completing this part of the program.

After the classes were done, we changed our clothes said our goodbyes to the chef and director and headed out to the RER station. I couldn’t help but to look back and realize that we will not be coming back the next day; the classes are over, so it made me a little sad. It was a wonderful experience to be able to apply our culinary and pastry skills in a French Kitchen and I had fun and learned a lot from the professors as well as my classmates. This was definitely a wonderful time that i’m sure we will all miss.

Pastry team.

Culinary team.

receiving my certificate.

Starters cups of intestine/apples/goat cheese and Melon/Ham.

Bouilla base  and duck foie gras.

Veal roulade stuffed with turkey farce.

Chocolate cheesecake.

Today is our third day of lab classes. The RER train was delayed in this morning and we couldn’t take the bus to the Saint Pierre. We walked to the college from the Brunoy station for 20 minutes. The college stands on the hill, so it was like a hiking. Once we got to the lab room, we started to cook as always we split into group A and B.

Hiking to the school

Group A

The group A prepared the dessert which is White Chocolate with Pecan Tartlets.

Pâte Brisée for Pecan Tartlets

Pecan Tartlets

Group B

The group B cooked Toast with Red Mullet Pates and Egg Salad for appetizer and Fillet of Duck with Pear Cooked in Wine and Croquettes Potatoes for entrée.

Croquettes Potatoes

Duck meat

Appetizer

Entree

Everyone was satisfied with today’s meal especially fillet of duck! It was tasty. Tomorrow is our last day of culinary and baking class. I hope we will enjoy the last class.

 

Aya, Ambar, Henry, Gabriele, Bella and myself in front of sleeping beauty’s castle

Today a group of us woke up very early to go to Disneyland! We took the 13 to saint Lazare to take the RER, but the station was closed! So we had to take another train to get to the right stop. At first, I wasn’t sure I wanted to go but I caved and I went. I’m so glad I did! The train ride to Disney wasn’t that bad, but I think it was because I slept through the entire ride. When we got to the last stop, the excitement started building. Hundreds of little kids and their parents scrambled to get to the exit. The minute I walked into the park I felt like I was a little kid again. I have so many fond memories of Disney and being back here again brought a lot of nostalgia. We all kept stopping at every little shop and the first thing we purchased were Minnie Mouse ears. Your visit to Disney isn’t complete unless you have Mickey or Minnie Mouse ears! Out of the 7 that came, two were visiting Disney for the first time. I felt so excited for them because I know how magical Disney is and how it transforms you into a little kid no matter how old you are. We were so excited that we didn’t know which way to go first! We decided to head towards Adventure Land to get on the first roller coaster we saw. The line wasn’t that long we had to wait 30 minutes which is nothing compared to six flags! The weather was very warm today so we kept getting tired but that didn’t deter our excitement. At some point we had to stop to get some food because we were famished! We got little snacks and then got back to all the fun. My favorite part of the park was the tower of terror. I have this one memory of when I went to Disney as a child and being terrified of the tower of terror because I hated heights. But I got on because my father forced me too! When we got to the tower of terror I got the feeling I got as a little kid, the butterflies started kicking in! But it was all worth it. I enjoyed the tower of terror even more now that I’m older. To end our night, we are going to see the fireworks by sleeping beauty’s castle.

The finale of the fireworks show at sleeping beauty’s castle

Us on the tower of terror. Our faces are priceless!

1. 

   Tapestry in Sleeping beauty’s castle

   

   Gabriele and Henry’s first ever Disney experience

***2 weeks down, 1 more week to go****

The Versailles Group

Today, a group of 10 ( ironically we were all with our roommates) went to visit the town of Versailles, in which we got to explore the Chateau De Versailles and the jardin.

The day was rather hot, but not as bad as it has been in the past few days. We were able to get in relatively quickly considering it was a Saturday.

Golden Gates to the Palace of Versailles

King Louis XIV Statue

Le Palace

Gates to Versaille

Every step of the way, we were amazed by the intensity of the palace, and the size and attention to detail every part of the premises consisted of. To think that lineages of royalty and the history that has traveled through was mesmerizing.

We came across the grand canal, in which we rowed boats with each other and enjoyed the scenery and peacefulness that came along with every paddle. That, was certainly the highlight of our day.

We also stumbled upon the Trianon Hotel, which is operated by Waldorf Astoria, and features Gordon Ramsay restaurant, in which we were all inclined to visit the lobby and see the service-scape of the place. It was definitely a higher end clientele, however the hotel was beautiful and the staff was very welcoming.

We thoroughly enjoyed our day, and even contemplated staying for the new night show in the musical garden with fireworks that had started today, but unfortunately, all of our phones had died and the heat and the trip was extensive already as it was.

Rowing the boat in the Grand Canal

One of the many beautiful fountains in Versailles.

Jardin de Versailles

Chandelier Room

Everyone was very excited for our second day of  lab classes. It was also our first time traveling as a class without Professor Warner. Once we arrived we were pleasantly surprised that we had to serve Kindergarteners breakfast. After changing into our uniform we went straight to work. The class prepared scrambled eggs, bacon and toast for our guest.

Kindergarteners eating the breakfast we prepared for them.

Group Photo of the Kindergarten class.

After our breakfast with the children, we prepared lunch for ourselves and the professors of the school. as always we split into two groups, A and B.

Group A, The group I am in, prepared Lunch. For todays appetizer we had mussels. and for our entrée we served Rabbit, with celery puree, blue chips and asparagus.

Appetizer of Mussels

Entrée of rabbit with sides.

Group B went into the pastry lab to prepare different Flavors of Macarons.

Group B preparing the Macarons.

Chocolate, Lemon and Coconut Macarons. (not picture Mango-Passion Fruit Macarons).

After we ate the delicious food we prepared, everyone cleaned the kitchen as a team. Then We changed into our street clothes and headed back to our hotel, to rest from the long productive day.

Today is the first day of culinary and baking classes for out Thomas Ahrens International Study Program!!!!!! Usually, we would do tours in hotels, restaurants, and parts of Paris but today, we do not have tours, we had a culinary and baking classes at St. Pierre.

Coffee to prepare ourselves! *-*

We all had to wake up early because cannot afford to be late, especially as hospitality students, we must display our professionalism. We all met up at the hotel lobby around 6:40 in the morning and left at 6:45 am. First, we would walk to our metro station Malakoff Plateau de Vanves to take the Metro 13 train and get to St. Lazare to transfer to the Metro 14 train. Then we would transfer to the RER D train at the station because the college was outside of Paris. We took the RER to the station Brunoy and then transfer to the bus that will take us to the school.

As we arrived, we changed into our chef uniforms, it gave us many memories because of the classes we took at City Tech.  Since there are two classes, we separated into out groups A and B. Group A gets to take the baking class and group B gets to take the culinary class.  Since I am part of group B, I will be participating in the culinary class, unfortunately, I will not know what will be going on in the baking class, but group B will definitely get a chance to be in the baking class tomorrow!

Our Culinary Chef Professor!

The culinary class was in charge of making today’s first and second courses. The first course is Warm Salmon, Pate de Tete with Seasonal Vegetables. The second course is Fricassee de Volaille Legumes Printaniers. The culinary chef professor had split our group in half, half the group will work on the first course and the other half will work on the second course. I was working in the first course. One of the important factors of the day was teamwork. With teamwork, everything was finished deliciously. Later, we had a family meal and everyone was satisfied. We will definitely look forward to out next class tomorrow!!

First Course- Warm Salmon, Pate de Tete with Seasonal Vegetables

Second Course- Fricassee de Volaille Legumes Printaniers