The Disney Adventure

The Disney Adventure
The Cinderella Castle!

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

So close, yet so far

Fees fees fees!! We've been paying sooo many fees and filling out so much paperwork it's crazy. Flights are booked, ACK!! Linds and I are not driving down the coast anymore, we're thinking we'll travel at the end of our trip. it's just too much to plan. This way we're all flying down together!! It's so exciting. Less than a month now!! YAY!!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Plans and Preperation

I'm sitting at a table in dunlop house, drinking pink hot chocolate (yes pink) and preparing to be head chef for tonight, our final gala dinner. After tomorrow, I won't be back at the house, not for school anyway. After tonight I never have to do Dunlop again. It's pretty crazy. It's been such a crazy year and a half. I had dinner with my mom and grandma last night and my grandma told me hoe proud of me she is and gave me a little financial boost. I really am so lucky to have such an amazing family who supports me in what I want to do. I could never have done this program and succeeded without them. I am SO grateful for all their support, they really are unbelievable people. And they believe in me even when I don't. Sometimes I'm just overwhelmed by how much they love me and support me and it makes me want to succeed even more. So much love!!!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

SF

Planning for the drive down the coast is in full force!! I've come across some really cool websites while looking for places to go and things to see. San Francisco is SO COOL!!! We for sure want to see Alcatraz, especially since I'm planning on doing the Escape from Alcatraz triathlon at some point in my career. And for a general overview of San Fran and all the fun things to do, I've been relying on www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com! It's got everything!!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

39 days

Only 39 days until we leave, i get progressively more excited everyday. I really can't wait!! Trip planning is underway, the people who got lifeguard positions are a little frustrated because it turn out their wages are much lower than expected. We were told that lifeguards make more than the other positions because they have more responsibility. When they got their info packages, their wages were lower than everyone else's. My position's wages are the highest, I'm assuming it's because we do front desk as well as hospitality concierge. At the end of the day, none of the wages are high and it's the experience that we're really going for but it still is dissapointing to think you're getting a decent wage and then find out it's lower. The lifeguard position is also not a tipped position so no extra income there. The concierge and front desk positions get tips which i'm super grateful for!! More later!!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Disney Package!!

The Disney packages have arrived!! We each get our own personalized package with our job descriptions and all kinds of fun stuff. It has our contracts, more detailed info about our housing etc. So cool. I'm getting really excited. There's so much paperwork to do tho. Criminal record checks, and fee payments and forms to fill out. We have like a meeting a week with our Camosun advisors. This monday is the due date for a bunch of feeds and forms etc. I've gotta pick up my criminal record check today and send it off to them. Here's my cast member description:

 'Concierge Cast Members will be working in one of our many resorts across the WALT DISNEY WORLD resort. Individuals in this role must be willing to work in all of the following areas: Front Desk, Guest Services, and Phone Room. Cast Members in this role may experience many different facets of the Front Office operations, including using a computer-based system, working in an environment with a high level of Guest interaction, resolving challenging Guest situations and cash handling. Responsibilities may include: checking Guests in and out of resorts, processing payments, answering Guest phone calls and providing information to Guets. Lobby Concierge Cast Members must be comfortable in a strong sales environment, as they will be responsible for creating individualized ticket packages and making dining and other kinds of reservations for guests.'

SO EXCITING!!! I get to do all the cool stuff!!!!!!! More to come soon!!

Monday, November 22, 2010

Cali

I'm getting really excited to plan our drive down the California coast. We MUST stop in Carmel!!!!  It's got North America's #1 Candy Shop!! Clint Eastwood used to be the mayor!!

EWWWWW

It's gross and snowing and cold outside!!!! Makes me feel even more ready to move to Florida!! RIGHT NOW!! But on the bright side I get to wear the cute DC snow boots I bought in Banff. They all laughed at me, "You'll never need those in Victoria" they said.....who's laughing now!!?? There's snow!!!! Anyhow, this is the beginning of week 8 and there's only 3 more weeks of classes!! Huzzah!! BRRRRRR!!! I'm cold.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Hectic!!

ACK!! So much to do, so little time. On top of all our Dunlop House stuff, those of us going to Disney are trying to get all our paperwork and finances figured out. Since I'm a property owner there's a few more complications for me. We need proof of a certain amount of money, we need visas and insurance and plane tickets. and dermablend to cover our tattoos and also need to maybe sleep once in a while!! Three more weeks of classes and then that's done so that's a little reassuring, but still, this is such a hectic term to begin with. It's really important to figure out how to balance all the pieces of your life. I'm such a busy person to begin with (2 jobs, horses, training etc) that my life was already hectic. I've gotten much better in the last year or so about knowing when I need to stop and take a break. Well, maybe not stop, but at least slow down for a few minutes to breathe and take out my contacts!! I never thought that being an insomniac would serve me well but it's working in my favor right now. I'm also really grateful for the people that facilitate my being able to ride horses while I'm home. They really help with stress relief. When I'm riding or triathlon training is the only time that I really can shut my brain off and just go..it's so amazing to just be and do and not worry about a million things at once. It's hard but I think that without that time I would go crazy. True story.


My future home?? I think SO!!!!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Disney!!

So I GOT IT!!!!!! I'm concierge at the Disneyworld resort!!! I'm so happy to have gotten the concierge job. Concierge gets to do the front desk duties plus trip planning and concierge duties. NOW there's a million other things to do! There's flights to plan, insurance to get, bank notes to secure. Even criminal record checks. I had to get one when I went to the Rimrock but now that one is too old so I need to get a whole new one. No big deal, I haven't done anything illegal since the last time I got my record checked!! Linds and I are still planning our trip down the California coast, very exciting. And stressful. There's so much to do and we only have 45 days left!! SO EXCITING!!  And there's so much school we have to do while we're down there, which is exciting, lots of fun stuff to look forward to!!!!

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

The waiting Game

Soooo we're still waiting to find out if we get to go to Disney or not. The interviews were a little intense, the Disney recruiter asked us about our tattoos and told Johnny and Linds they had to change their hair, so happy I got mine done the day before or she may have told me to do my roots too!! I HATE WAITING!!! I wanna know now so I can start planning our LA adventure!! EEK!!

Monday, November 8, 2010

Interview Day

Interviews are today....as is our accounting midterm...panic and chaos....exciting and stressful. by this time tomorrow my life could be changed completely....

Saturday, November 6, 2010

So much Prep!

So I'm going to continue this blog for my winter work term and figured I'd write now as well!! I'm currently in the middle of prepping for Disney and UCR interviews. I have a chance to be a part of the Disney/UCR International Education Program!! Camosun has never participated in this program before so those of us who are applying are kind of the guinea pigs. Everyone else already has their winter co-op positions, mostly in Whistler. I've had an offer in Whistler as well, but I'm really holding out for this position. If I'm accepted, I'll attend the University of California Riverside for several weeks in January, after which I'll continue to do online classes to finish the requirements to graduate with Camosun. After that, I would go to Florida, specifically Orlando, where I would work for Disney in the Disney World theme parks. I'd be in one or more of the resorts. Hopefully doing front desk, concierge type stuff. Needless to say, this is an amazing opportunity but very stressful to prepare for. On monday I have interviews with both the representatives from UCR and Disney. There's been a lot of paper work, applications, essays, and worrying. I'm trying to stay confident that I will get a position but I'm still very nervous. FLORIDA!!!!! There's a few of us from the program who are applying and when (not if!!) we get officially accepted, we are planning on flying down to Cali early and travelling around the state. There's so much to see and do that it would be a waste not to!! bye for now!!

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Eden!!!

So here's some pictures of the food at Eden, and also the banquet crew! I'm officially home now, and back into classes full time! Crazy super fun times!!
This is my appy salad! SOOO good!!

This is Gus, one of the hosts





Cheese plate! So ridiculouly delicious!!

Pistachio cheesecake with cotton candy and a nectar shooter




The food was all SO amazing!! And the service was unbelieveable!!

The banquets crew, how I miss them already!!



Sunday, September 26, 2010

Sales

It's been a while because we've been working like crazy again. 19 hour shifts, 2 hours sleep, 16 hour shifts, etc. It's been wearing on all of us banquets crew pretty hard. I'm definitely excited to come home to my 12 hour days..it'll be a welcome break. The other day I got to spend a day in the catering and sales department with the sales manager. It was so much fun, I think it's right up my alley! We did things like site inspections, where we take people who are thinking of booking with us on tours of the banquet rooms and guest rooms. The sales manager even let me take a couple who's planning their wedding through on a tour all by myself!! It was such a great opportunity!! I loved it. I think that I'd prefer conferences to sale though. The conferences ladies book all our big conferences and people who plan conferences have been doing it for a long long time. So they know exactly what they want. They are often very picky about things, but they know exactly what they want. As long as you give them exactly what they want, they're happy. On the sales side of things the girls have to deal with brides planning the biggest day of their lives, or christmas party planners or high school graduation planning. A majority of those people have never planned anything in their lives and are now planning huge events and get very stressed out. I think I'd prefer to deal with the picky perfectionists who know what they want. I'm not a huge party planner type person and get annoyed with people who don't know exactly what they want. I also got a chance to see the computer system from a different side, I've seen how to use the system from the banquet department, but the other side is the sales side where they build the BEO's (Banquet Event Orders) and make alterations and build client folders, etc. It was a really great learning experience.

I also got to work in Eden some more. It was such a great time. The head sommalier brought in  bottle of wine for us to taste before we opened the restaurant and had a sheet for us to fill out with the characteristics that we though the wine had. There were about 12 different questions to answer about the wine, finishing up with where we thought it was from and how much we thought it was worth. I was pretty pleased with myself, I got most of the same answers that the sommaliers got. A few were off, obviously, but for the most part, I was in the right direction!! Hooray for me! Working there has been so much fun and such an amazing opportunity for me. I've learnt so much from all the staff there. Also, I went to dinner with some friends in Eden and had such an amazing time. I took pictures and everything, so I'll post those later!! Also I'll post some photos of me in my Eden suit!! Fancy!!

Almost home time, I sure do miss D-Ho and all my HMGT friends, I can't wait to go home!!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

The final sleep

So I slept in hardcore last night, which felt really really good!!! I don't work until tonight at the nightclub and I was determined to actually get a little bit of sleep for once. My insomnia has been really really bad lately. Partly because it's always bad but then also because I never get to stay asleep once I get there because I've been working at 5:30 am. So today I slept in. Tomorrow is the race for a cause in Canmore. My friend Lucas is driving me and the girls out there (so they can cheer me on!!!) and then the big group takes over my life until wednesday. I'm putting in my notice at the nightclub tonight, which means I'm that much closer to leaving!! Hooray!! I can't wait to come home. I just found out the other day that if I want to do the Disney thing then I need to take an extra course this semester, which means that my course load will be heavy but it'll be soooo worth it. I feel really focused and like I have a distinct goal in mind and when I get focused like that there's no stopping me. I feel a fantastic semester coming on!!!

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Hello, concierge, how may I help you?

I had so much fun on the bell desk today. The owner of the resort is in town right now which is putting a little pressure of everyone but despite that we had so much fun!! I set off a car alarm, always amusing. That was quickly recovered from. I also drove like a million trucks today. For some reason everything I got was massive. Always a good time. I think the winner of the day was either the Hummer or the GMC Envoy. Actually, the Envoy was my fave. So much room but not too crazy big like a suburban. I just love the bell desk. I got referred to at the 'strong bellwoman' this morning. So cute. The doorman asked this couple if they needed help with their bags and the woman was like 'no, the strong bellwoman has them'. I was so flattered!

OH!! I'm in Eden again next saturday!! So exciting!! I love it there!! I get to work a full shift this time! So fun.

Officially tapering down for the race on sunday, it's making me a little crazy.

Oh, getting ready for a HUGE week tomorrow. One of our biggest groups is in next week. They're a  oil company and they spend a whole lot of money and we work for literally 4 days straight. For 3 days in a row we all have BLD shifts (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). And then a break on thursday. Big week!

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Eden!!!

SOOOOO Eden was so much fun. I got to seat guests and talk to them and make thank you cards and check menus. For such a high end restaurant the staff are surprisingly laid back. I imagine it helped a lot that I already know all the staff so I didn't have to play the 'getting to know you' game like you would at a new job. Everyone is so awesome and it's such a small staff that everyone is really close. I learned about using their computer system, which I had already used before because of working the bell department. It was an amazing experience because the service standards are so high there and the staff are all so experienced and professional. I really had a great time. The head sommalier sounds like he's going to have me back to work next time they need another person!! Yay!! I also have a picture of me in my blazer and skirt that I'll post eventually.

Monday, August 30, 2010

EDEN!!!

SO!!! I get to work in Eden!! The 5 star dining room!! ME! That's right! I'm so excited. After my banquets shift on saturday and before my shift at the nightclub I get to work as a hostess in Eden from 6-9pm! Hooray!!! I also went to Calgary today with the girls and bought the new Nike+ heart rate monitor to assist me with my running goals. Excited!! Also, I feel it's important to realize just how many different uniforms I have lying around my room now that I work not only in banquets but also bell, larkspur, primrose and now Eden. You've seen the banquets outfit before. Here's larkspur!!
Soon to come is a shot of the bell outfit. PS. Bell is so much fun!!! I love it tooooo much!! YEsterday I got to drive a viper. Plus, I think it's really my area of expertise, lots of guest interacting and chatting and giving my opinion, which I love to do. 

Here's some photos of Chef Guy's newest sugar sculpture which is stunning and magical and makes me happy inside!!



Yes, those sure are little sugar bears. For true. Anyhow, it's True Blood marathon time here and the ladies will be over in a few minutes! Bye bye!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Belldesk

So, I've been working like a crazy person in 4 different departments. Banquets (my home), Primrose (the restaurant), Larkspur (the lounge), and BELLDESK!!!! I have so many different uniforms in my room that I'm sometime never sure which one I should be wearing at which point. I just finished my second bell shift and I LOVE it. Not that I don't love food and beverage, because I really do, it's a lot of fun and it's where my skill set lies. I've been doing it for so long though, and I've never done any front desk or bell stuff. I'm really loving it. I get to walk around in the hallways (food and beverage staff aren't allowed on guest floors unless absolutely necessary, in banquets sometimes we get to because we have to set up things in funny places, but no restaurant staff ever get to go anywhere)!! In the hallways!! So fun!! And everyone just assumes I'm doing important work because I'm in a bell uniform. When really, I'm often just wandering around. I get to do room checks, which means I get to see the insides of lots of rooms, I bring guest luggage to rooms, pick up guest luggage, chat with guests about their stays and such. I LOVE having more guest interaction. I also love telling people what to do, which really comes into play when they ask me what they should look at while in Banff. I think I really would excel in concierge. And the money is pretty good. OH, I also get to park cars!! So fun. I love the bell desk. It's my new fave place to be (other than banquets).

We have some VIP guests in the hotel right now, which prompted the PR department to send out a memo regarding guest security. It's a really big deal here. Famous people come and stay and they rely on us to not talk to the media. And staff that don't comply with the privacy policy lose their jobs. For real. No joke. Serious business!!

Also, I've got a really cool new toy. The nike+ system for my ipod nano!! It tracks all my runs and when I plug it into my computer it sends all the info to nike and it keeps track of my progress and stuff online. Super cool and is making me feel super motivated to achieve my marathon goals!! It also knows exactly how far I've run, which really comes in handy here because I never know exactly how far I've run, now I do!!  More accurate training = better results!! YES!! LOVE

Thursday, August 19, 2010

A new department!

So!! I've managed to insert myself into a whole new department!! Tomorrow morning I will be working a bell shift!! So that means I deliver things/baggage to rooms, valet park cars, just generally do random tasks for guests at the front door. I'm so excited. This is something I've never had any experience with and it will look great on my resume. It's also even closer to the front desk so that I can try to get myself in there somewhere. Hooray!! I've been in the restaurant all week which is fun and exciting, back to banquets tonight. Gotta go get myself a bell uniform!! Fun fun!!!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

P.S.

In case you didn't think Disney was cool enough, the Caribbean Disney cruise ships take passenger to various islands, one of which happens to belong to Disney themselves. The guest I was speaking to today told me about it and I found the link. Castaway Cay is a private Disney island in the Bahamas and apparently they've actually put Disney characters in the sand in the ocean so you can see them when you scuba dive. I told you they're taking over the world!

Do you believe in magic?

I believe in magic. I also believe that if I work hard enough I'll get whatever I want. So with that intro, I feel that I can discuss my next work term. There's an opportunity to work with Disney that has been presented. Now you all know that I'm a Disney fanatic. Well, if you didn't, now you do. I looooooove Disney. And it also happened to be one of the hugest companies in the world. So what would happen if (when) I get this position is that I would go to California and take classes from the University of California Riverside to finish my program (so no more classes at Camosun) while working for Disney. And then after the classes are finished, I'd go to Florida and work for Disney there. This is such an amazing opportunity and I really really really really want to do it. The application just came out on D2L (our internet learning website) so I'm already working on my essay and resume etc. I just know that if I put all my effort into it, I will get this!! I'm going to try to attach the info flier so you can see exactly what I mean. Annnnd never mind. It doesn't like me and doesn't want to attach. Either way, I'm doing it. It's going to be amazing. I do obviously need to think about back up plans just in case, which I think will be the Four Seasons in Whistler. If I'm not with Disney I want to be with Four Seasons. I've been obsessively surfing the Disney website checking out hotels.

Speaking of which, check out the Disney empire by clicking here: Disney!!

OH....Aussie break. So, just to make things more confusing, when us Canadians say 'football', we mean football, traditional american football. When the Brits say 'football', they mean soccor. That was hard enough to get used to, but when the Aussies say it, they mean rugby. It gets pretty confusing over here.

I had a lovely chat with a guest this morning. She was a meeting planner who was here for a few days. It was really interesting to talk to her about the different hotels that she's worked with and the varying levels of service. People who spend a lot of time as guests in hotels can offer a lot of insight into the industry. I think it's very beneficial to get a chance to talk with guests like that. She had also just come back from a Disney cruise with her family, which obviously interested me very much.

I've been sick since I came home from vacation and as of today it's been 2 weeks since I've run. Which just won't do. Tomorrow I'm back at it!!

Oh yes, I almost forgot. We had the most gorgeous wedding today that I've ever seen. It was all clothed in black linen. Which looked amazing. I love the idea of black linen at a wedding, even though it's not traditional. The centerpieces were amazing, big black feathers and colorful flowers. They had some lovely Cinderella themed decorations on the tables. Wire chariots that held candles. SO PRETTY!!!! Here's a few pictures. They hardly do it justice.


Absolutely stunning!!!!

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Vacation and other wonderful things

So I went on vacation. And I took some banquets staff with me. And it was AMAZING!! I really missed the smell of the ocean. So nice to be home. We went up to tofino for a day and I got to see the people from the program who are working up there. We even stayed in their staff accom. It was really interesting to see what their staff accom is like compared to ours. They don't have their own bathroom and they sleep in bunkbeds which is cool. But it definitely made me appreciate my bathroom. However they have a lot more freedom, they don't have crazy security staff like we do, much more chill. However, it's also a much more laidback property, which I imagine makes things quite different.

I'm already getting focused on winter co-op. I have a first second and third choice but I really really really really want to get my first choice. I'm afraid to talk about it yet just in case I jinx it, so I'm not going to say anything else until I know more details. But I will say that I love Disney more than most people love their own children.

Oh yea, my family was here. It was really nice to get to introduce them to my Banff family, and all my co-workers were so wonderful to them, and took good care of them when I had to work. More and more I realize how much the staff here are just like a family. We are so close, and we fight and we make up and we're constantly around each other 24 hours a day and I wouldn't have it any other way. It's like of like how the HMGT class is such a tight knit bunch. I miss everyone soooo much!  I got to see some people while I was home, but not enough, I can't wait til october when we're all back together like a happy little family in D-Ho. And we have new recruits!! Little firsties to play with!! While I was home I stopped at D-Ho to visit the summer class, it's really crazy to think that last year I was in the summer class group, it's been a whole year!!! wow. Time really flies. I'm getting old. Yikes. Ok, that's enough of that. I think I had more to say but as per usual, I'm getting distracted by shiny things. I'm also really sick so I'm just miserable right now. I don't deal with being sick well, so I'm going to go wallow in a corner and watch CSI.

Friday, July 30, 2010

Remembered!!

I was just reviewing my blog and realized that I TOTALLY forgot to mention something of the utmost importance. I just did my midterm evaluation of myself and re-evaluated one of my goals. I feel like most of my goals are totally on track except for my marathon training one. Due to the nature of the training I do out here, the ridiculous hills, etc, it's been making marathon training quite difficult. Ideally you want to have a fairly flat area to run really far on. Since all my runs have mountains in them, it's been adding quite a challenge to my training. So I've noticed that I haven't managed to master my 20km loop quite as well as I'd hoped for by this point. Don't get me wrong, the altitude training has been amazing for me and I feel stronger than ever (the rock climbing helps that too), however, I think I need to spend more time on the 20km run before I make the jump to 30's. I tend to overtrain and that increases the likelihood of injury. So I'm adjusting my runs, I'm going to continue with the 3 10kms and one 20km a week, making one of the 10kms actually 8km, but a 'push run' wherein every 10 minutes (or where ever I can find a park bench) I stop and do pushups, tricep dips and lunges. This shocks the system a little bit and is a very effective cross training method. So, that's being adjusted, but other than that my goals are right on track and I'm very pleased with how things are going for me here.

Word o The Day

Well, here is another Aussie word/term that I find totally hysterical and they don't seem to understand why.

Iceypole = popsicle

I find it so funny. What do you think??

Thursday, July 29, 2010

So much awesomeness

I had about a billion trillion different things on my mind today and was going to blog about them all but then I've forgotten most of those and will only end up blogging about a few! Sorry! For starters, today I became a volunteer member of the hotel's emergency evacuation team (H.E.E.T). It's pretty cool, if there's any kind of emergency, myself and the other volunteers meet at the central emergency office and I get to evacuate floors and guide people to safety and use the emergency phones and stuff. I went through a fun little training procedure and received a manual and all that jazz. So obviously I don't hope there's an emergency, but if there is, I get to be a part of helping everyone! Which is cool. And most likely looks good on my resume, I imagine!!  I've got pictures of the 20km loop that I run, it goes right up to the basin where the original hot springs originate! Banff national park was officially originated at that basin in 1885. It's SO beautiful!! Here's some photos!

This gorgeous wooden walkway/boardwalk thing runs all around the marsh, since it's a very delicate eco-system, this allows people to view the marsh and the springs without endangering the species that live there.


It also happens to be a fantastic place to run

This white stuff is actually a type of moss that can grow in the hot sulphury water. It is a very important source of nutrition for the animals and insects that live in the marsh.

That's me having a meditative moment by the basin

The hot springs are so hot that even the winter frost doesn't get to it and it remains green and lush in the immediate vicinity of the springs for most of the winter

The boardwalk. It's so beautiful out there. On my runs I feel like I'm the only person in the world. It's amazing.

The boardwalk branches off into these little viewing areas

Cascade Mountain

This bird blind is another view point that juts out from the main boardwalk

The Bow River!! It's everywhere!


I can't resist climbing out on fallen trees. 

Yup, this is where I live!! 
Its just ALWAYS this beautiful!! 

I know I had more things I wanted to blog about but I've clearly forgotten all about them. More later!! 

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Banquets vs. Primrose

It was an UNBELIEVABLE day in Banff today. I ran my 18km, run this morning, despite the fact that there was bear sighted just outside staff accom this morning. And no, I didn't get to see the bear. Sad panda. Considering I run through the woods every day, I feel like I should get to see a bear. I deserve it!! Anyhow, after my run I went down to the Fairmont, where there's tennis courts, and a trail riding stables. And behind the tennis courts, on the other side of the soccor field, there's volleyball nets where the Rimrock staff meet to play some volleyball. We played Primrose vs. Banquets and Banquets killed it!! It's really amazing to have this family that I have here. Everyone is so amazing and we have so much fun together. It's so nice to know that there's ALWAYS someone to play with and someone's always doing something interesting. I also realized the other day that when I go home it's going to be a big adjustment. I've been living with 2 people in a room the size of the dining room at the Dunlop house. When I come home from work, my best friends are here waiting with a movie and popcorn. And I take an elevator to work. If I get bored, I walk across the hall to where my other best friends live. They're always happy to visit. When I get home I'm going to have to drive places!! And sleep in a room all by myself!! And that room will have a door!! A DOOR!! It's going to be wierd. I like it here. Honestly I don't think I wanna come home!!
I had something else to say and then I forgot. When it's time to get ready to go to work at the nightclub. Which, by the way, I'm really glad that I have!! Banquets has been slow lately and having some extra income is really awesome. I still have to pay half my mortgage on the condo back home so money is a little tight. Yikes!! Anyhow, like I said, off I go!!

Friday, July 23, 2010

Update!!

Hi!! Exciting news on all fronts.

1. I get to go home for a little visit August 1-6th. SO EXCITED!!! The entire banquets department has that whole week off so one of the girls and I are driving home to vic for a sweet visit!! I  can't wait to see everyone!! I'm also going to make a little stop off to visit the crew at Dunlop House which is also exciting. Andrea texted me last week reminding me that last year at this time we were starting our summer class. I can't believe that was a whole year ago! So crazy. And now here we are! I'm halfway through my first co-op. Carl comes to visit just after I get home too, which is great.

2. I talked to the Maitre d of Eden about the hostess position that they advertised and they have a few people with more seniority than me and who plan on staying here for a while who are in line for the position before me but Chad was really excited at the prospect of me being able to work a few part time shifts up there. Getting some 5 star dining room experience is exactly what I need on my resume! And then it won't conflict with banquets, I can still work there and work in Eden. So hopefully that all works out. I emailed Chad my resume and am not sure what the next steps are but I'm sure he'll let me know. So keep your fingers crossed for me.

3. I got nominated for empolyee of the month!! So cool. I probably won't win, but it's really nice to have the nomination!! I'll find out next week if I got it or not. I'll keep you informed!!

4. Did I mention that we went to the Calgary Zoo on sunday?? It was so much fun. I love zoos! Except we saw a grizzly bear on the way which was amazing and then seeing them all captive was so sad! And there's a lot of crazy children at zoo's. Which, as we all know, are not my favorite.

5. Big run tomorrow, 15 k I think. Marathon time is coming up sooner than later and I need to get my act together!! The altitude training and running up and down mountains has definitely been really good for me, I feel very fast. I'm interested to see what my 10k time is when I come home and do some runs. Oh, a few of us went up Sulpur Mountain the other day, it's supposed to be a 2 hour hike up, we did it in 1hr 10. Brilliant! Totally killed it!!

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Yes

Every day I see my dream
Today I want to talk about the head of my department and his management style. I think he's one of the best bosses I've ever had. If you do something wrong, he always gives you a chance to identify what's wrong before he tells you, which is how I learn. If I have a chance to look at a banquet room and analyze what it is i've missed, I'm far more likely to remember how to do it right the next time. If I'm just told all the time what's not right, I'll never remember, I need to physically identify it myself. He's also kind of no-nonsense. Likes order and getting things done right, which is just fine with me and my OCD. I really like his style of management, a no-nonsense style, but with a sense of humor still. I think that I could definitely incorporate a little more of his attitude into my style. I could keep things a little more professional. If I plan on being upper management, I need to be a little more business I think. I tend to get comfortable and casual and that won't fly in upper management. I've asked the director of HR if I can come shadow her for a day! Hopefully she'll let me, I'd be really interesting to see what she does on a day to day basis. Anyhow, off to work, I'm working in the Primrose restaurant tonight, a night shift will be fun for a change!!

Saturday, July 17, 2010

Sugar Sculptures!!

So, as I've previously mentioned, out fantastic pastry chef, Guy Vaugeois, winner of the Canadian Culinary Federation's Pastry Chef of the Year award in 2009, makes AMAZING sugar sculptures that are featured all around the hotel! FINALLY here's some photos!! Also as a bonus, I'll throw in a few photos of the Primrose restaurant and the Larkspur Lounge. Speaking of the F&B outlets, I might as well mention that since banquets has been kinda slow, I've been getting a few shifts in Primrose and a few in Larkspur a week. It's really cool to see how each department works! And it was one of my goals to work in as many departments as possible. Every department has different people and protocols that I can learn from!! Next week I get to work a night shift in the Primrose restaurant which should be tons of fun!!

Here's the main entrance to the primrose restaurant!

A dim photo of the entranceway

Nice view from the tables!!

The entranceway again, but brighter!!

The restaurant. 

The restaurant from the entranceway


This is made entirely of chocolate and sugar!! For true!! I know, amazing!!

The little circle piece of chocolate on the bottom is actually painted with the Rimrock logo

And as you can see, the side also says Rimrock Resort!!


 I came into work one morning at 6am and Guy was working on this flower sculpture specifically for a high profile VIP client's lunch table that day. It's all made of sugar!!

How amazing is that!! IT'S MADE OF SUGAR!! I still can't get over it.

This is also made of chocolate

Another chocolate sculpture amidst some menus. 
 
This one is outside of Eden (the 5 star restaurant). And again, it's all sugar and chocolate. These photos don't really do it justice, it's very complicated and beautiful.

I should clarify that the blue and green cylinders that are in between the levels aren't sugar, they're glass filled with rocks and water, but the flower is all sugar and chocolate.
This fireplace is in the center of the Larkspur lounge and is quite beautiful

High backed comfy chairs and elegant tables are what the Larkspur is all about!

SO!! There you have it. The beauty that I'm surrounded by every day!!