I Feel So Rusty!!

When I got accepted to Le Cordon Bleu I realized I haven't really been doing any cooking or baking recently. I also started thinking that in cooking as in many other things, one of the clues to do good, is to do it often, in other words, PRACTICE.

Since where I am living right now doesn't have an oven, I can only bake when I go home, so every time I go home and bake or cook I feel kind of rusty. I take too long just to get everything ready, plus then whatever it takes for me to actually do it. Over the past months I  have tried to practice, but I must confess I haven't done it every time I go home, but I guess I am way better than when I started.

This past time when I went to get my Visa, my boyfriend asked me if I could bake him a carrot cake, since he had been craving it latelly.

Sunday evening, I got my grandma's (very, very, very) old recipe book, and used her family famous recipe for carrot cake. When I was little I used to think this cake was on the difficult side of baking, which was one of the reasons I hadn't really attempted to bake it before. But, after baking it last week, I realize is no that hard to make, is actually kind of easy.

I even managed to decorate it which hasn't been done in my family with this cake. I am so glad, I still remember the basics from my cake decorating classes. I can gladly said, that was some very well spent money, hahaha.

Here are some pictures of how the final cake looked.

Everyone gave me good reviews, about it, so I guess this cake is a keeper, but I still need more practice before I go.

Time is Running Out

Well, I have been all over the place, trying to wrap all things up, so I can leave to Paris.

Last week I went to the French Embassy in Mexico City to get my Visa. I was very worried since I was running late, and as usual in Mexico City, I was stuck in traffic. A distance that normally would take less than 5 minutes took like 20 minutes. I didn't even wait for my mom to drop me in front of the building, when we were at the corner, I just stepped out of the car and ran that 1 block to my appointment. To my surprise, they were not strict at all. Before I went in they even warned me that I needed the exact change to pay, and they let me go get it. Once inside, I was waiting for my turn, and notice they were letting people go in and out to get forgotten copies, get money to complete the payment, etc. When my turn came up, they gave me back some papers, since I had so many. That was a first for me, hahaha I am so used to having to over justify with extra information, (the more papers I usually take the better), that it felt awkward when they gave me papers back. I can't say yet I got my Visa, since they don't tell you if you got it or not. You have to be checking online for the status to say processed, which means you can go pick up your passport, and is not until I get the passport and see it that I'll know if I got it or not, so lets still keep those fingers crossed.

I still haven't bought my plane tickets (I know is late, but I don't know why I just keep putting it off), I keep saying to myself everyday "Oh, I really need to buy my ticket today", but I never actually do it.

Work is just there, I am just waiting the few weeks I have left for me to quit. Every day it passes is harder to fake I care, and that it matters to me.

I keep thinking I still have time, I think I still haven't fully realized that I am doing this, and that it is almost time for me to go.

I will keep you all updated.

I have a place to SLEEP!!

These past days, have been full of email messaging, trying to find housing in Paris, and let me tell you is nooot easy, but I found a place!!!! I won't have to sleep, on a bench in a park, or under a tree, hahaha.

Internet is full of scams, and after being a victim myself, I won't go into detail since I am still in a bit of denial (it wasn't that much money, but still money doesn't grow on trees). Let me just warn everyone out there, if they say they are away somewhere (specially London) without being able to show the place (ask this even if you cannot see  it just to check), and the person very persistent to get the money soon, RUUUN AWAYY before is too late, is a scam.

After ths incident I contacted Le Cordon Bleu, and they were so nice to provide me with a list of trusty landlords, that lease apts, studios, and rooms. Needless to say I emailed every single person on that list even if it said their place was occupied (no harm in making sure ;P)

I really wanted to get my own place, even if it was a small studio, but Paris is sooo expensive!!!! It was very hard, but I finally realice, that if I wanted to have a descent place to sleep in, close to the school, and pay less than 600 euros per month, I was going to have to drop that idea, and agree to just look for a room to rent with someone with a bigger apt.

Once I came to terms with that, I just responded the emails about rooms, made some more questions about the place and ask for pictures. One I got tall this information, I picked the one I liked best, and finally I got a room!!!! It is in the 15th which is the same district Le Cordon Bleu is (one of the best in Paris), is walking distance to the school (like 15 minutes), I get to have an oven in the kitchen (very important to practice before tests), and best of all I can afford it, and is really nice!!!!!

God, has been really good to me, through out this whole process. When I begin to stress and to think that this is to hard, or I start to freak out, I just realice I am not alone,and I put my trust back in Him, and He gets things done. He is always watching for us. I found this picture form one of my friends, and things really are like that (specially after I got scam). It reads " I didn't fail you... I have something better for you... from:God", isn't He amazing!!!!