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??

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!! 

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!!

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!!

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!!

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!!

Pancake Breaky!!

So here at the Rimrock we have all kinds of fun staff events, as you've probably gathered, such as the Spring Fling/AGM. Last week, to celebrate the stampede, we had a pancake breakfast for the staff. Being that I'm in banquets, I usually get to work these fun events. SO!! This time I got to dress up like a cowboy and work the event on the patio!! SO MUCH FUN!! It also gave me a nice opportunity to chat with some of the upper management about just random stuff. Bonding time, if you will. The head of HR and I made pancakes, well she scooped the batter and I put berries in them. It's nice to get a chance to find out things about people that aren't work related. For instance, the head of HR is also a runner, she's training for her first half marathon this year, so we chatted about running and training and such, which is my favorite topic of discussion. I also made pancakes with our operations manager! Upper management took turns making pancakes!!
In activities news, my friend Ryan and I hiked the plains of six glaciers, in Lake Louise a few days ago. SO GORGEOUS!!!! The hiking out here is surreal. I just want to spend all of my time outside wandering around and seeing everything I possibly can!!! When I'm not working, that is!
I think it's time for some more fun photos!!!!

The view of the side of the resort from the spa patio

Sam and I dressed as cowboys!

Our director of operations cooking pancakes!

On the way to Lake Louise, an osprey nesting on top of a bridge.

GRIZZLY BEAR!!!!! We also saw a black bear cub on the way to the lake but my photo didn't turn out too well.

The view from the Chateau Lake Louise. We hiked all the way up to the very far away glaciers that you can see in the back center of the photo.

I'm in a tree. Well, under the roots.

We found a glacial cave that i felt the need to wander around in. It went SO far back!!

Almost at the lookout point!!! In case you're wondering, I'm eating an apple, that's what's going on there.

The glaciers were AMAZING!!

The glacier-fed creek/river, it feeds into Lake Louise

The 'beehive' and the glacier lake in front of it. So cold and refreshing.

Ryan looking back to where we started. You can almost see the Chateau way way in the back of the photo.

The view of the Chateau Lake Louise from about halfway through our hike

A sweet glacier waterfall thingy that I felt the need to stand under!

Almost at the lookout, somewhere around two minutes after this photo was taken, we got caught in a freak rainstorm

There's two 'teahouses' around the hiking area that serve tea and food to weary hikers!! SO COOL!!! The building was built by the Swiss a very long time ago and is mostly stone. The people who live and work up there have no electricity or anything!! They do all their cooking daily from scratch on propane stoves!!

Look at the cool old dumbwaiter in the corner!!! This is the kitchen and then upstairs there's tables and a serving area.

It's SO cool that they do this all from scratch without modern equipment! Makes me grateful for all the modern technology in Dunlop House!!

Taking a quiet moment at a table at the tea house

OMG totally forgot to mention that on the way down we heard a HUGE bang that we thought was thunder. You could feel it go through the mountain, we turned around and it was an avalanche!!! We were quick enough to catch some photos of it!!

AVALANCHE!!!!!

That might look like a waterfall but it's actually frozen solid!!

Contemplating life and the forest!!

More later, for now, that's all she wrote!!