A weekend in Denver

Two years ago, I moved to the Twin Cities from Denver, CO.  After having lived there for 6.5 years, I was itching for change:  A new job, new faces, new places, and a new chapter with Mr. Scott, who was in his second year of vet school here in St. Paul.  It's been an eventful two years, with highs and lows, successes and curve balls.  I have to be thankful for the life lessons I have learned and the insight I have gained.

I also consider myself extremely blessed to have been quickly welcomed into the fold of Scott's peers.  Having witnessed countless hours of studying and cringe-worthy slide shows, I've been deemed an "honorary vet student."  Along with baking a cake, I could probably diagnose your horse with colic and give your cat a body condition score.

Still, I have missed my girlfriends in Denver since the day I left.  It took longer than I had ever expected, but two weeks ago I was finally able to fly back and spend a long weekend visiting my college and work buddies and their families.  It was wonderful, glorious, and full of sunshine.

Elle and I met as freshman at Johnson & Wales.  We didn't bond until the second trimester, as I slept through our academic classes {but still pulled A's, thank you very much}.  But once we got in the kitchen, she made me laugh, and we've been fast friends ever since.  A couple years later, I got her a job working with me at Gateaux Bakery.  She is an INCREDIBLE cake artist with an eye for whimsy and style for miles.  I've told Elle before that she is the voice in my head that coaches me through decorating.

Audrey was a fellow pastry student and Gateaux employee as well.  I adore her for being so sweet and silly.  She and her husband Rob "adopted" me, and spending time with them showed me what true love should look like.  I can't wait for a Baby Jones, as these two will be the most devoted parents.  

Miss Kelly infiltrated Gateaux after relocating from Charlotte, NC, where she also attended Johnson & Wales.  Honestly, she's too cool to be my friend.  I am Screech and she is Kelly Kapowski.  But somehow our opposites attract and made for some of the most memorable Denver nights to go down in history.  Thank you, Kelly, for helping me find my inner badass.  I would walk 10,000 miles for you.

My darling Elle, my faux-hawk and I, enjoying a night on the town.

Sunday: A Rockies game.  My first grand slam!

What hangover?

Audrey's dad, Stephan, Audrey, myself and Audrey's "roommate" Rob, who she happens to be married to ;).  Audrey makes THE BEST spanikopita you will ever eat. 

The Trifecta!  Me, Kelly, and Elle

Elle's dad, Steven, and her FIANCE! Chris.  Elle's family hosted a BBQ on Monday.

Love this one of Chris and I.  You know you missed me!

One of my many mommies, Donna, and Elle

I wish I could hop on a plane and visit every month, but my heart is full to the brim for a little bit having seen these great people again.  Elle and Chris are planning to wed in 2014 in New York, so I will for sure be seeing this bunch again then, if not sooner {please, oh please}.  Kelly and I are collaborating on her cake!

Love,
Rachel

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My Hips Don't Lie

I'm feeling compelled to write today, as I have just returned from a visit to the orthopedic specialist.  "My Life as a Pastry Chef" is not just about sweets.  I hope that by sharing my personal stories of life's trials and tribulations we can  learn from one another about finding our unique path, reaching goals and dealing with setbacks.

I live by the motto of "Everything happens for a reason."  Some call it coincidence, I call it a learning experience.  When I was 9 years old, I began having hip pain, and was diagnosed with a rare bone disease called Legg Calve Perthese.  I spent two years on crutches before my parents located a specialist who could perform surgery to realign my hip with hardware.  At age 11, I underwent the surgery, followed by six weeks in a cast from the waist down.  With physically therapy, we strengthened the leg and I essentially learned how to walk again and bear weight on it without overcompensating.  I had a second surgery a year later to remove the hardware (no cast this time).

Other than range of motion loss and some fatigue, I was able to have a pretty normal childhood from that point on through college.  My family moved to the country when I started 7th grade, so no one knew I had been crippled.  I took classes in tap, jazz, and ballet, and swam distance on my high school swim team.  I danced with my boyfriend at prom.  I've been on amazing trips to destinations in and out of the country.  I eventually got over the fact that there is an ugly, 7" long scar on my left thigh and stopped trying to hide it.  It tells a story - my story.  I was and still am very grateful that I could participate in normal activities, even just walking on my own.  Someone always has it worse than you.

Over the past year, the days where I experience stiffness and pain have increased.  People have noticed me limping, and often it is hard to find a comfortable position to sit and sleep.  Heavy exercise is asking for a night of sharp pain only to be slightly alleviated by a hot bath.  Inactivity, sitting for long periods of time, can be just as bothersome, leading to a whole day of discomfort.

After Mr. Scott raged at me to stop whining and DO SOMETHING, I made an appointment here in Saint Paul with an orthopedic specialist.  X-rays of my hip had not been taken since I was maybe 14.  It's pretty clear which hip is the healthy one:

<---This hip good.  This hip bad--->

We've known all along that there is a hip replacement (or two, or three) in my future.  They like to put this off as long as possible since it can wear out quickly with the activity a younger person experiences compared to someone later in life.  What the doctor recommended today is surgery to shave and reshape the deformed ball of the femur.  He described it as "ice cream falling off the cone," which really made me want some Mint Chip.  In truth, I wasn't prepared to hear surgery was in my near future.  A million conflicting issues when through my head:

I shouldn't have to deal with this right now.
How will I pay for it?
I'll have to take time off work.
What will recovery be like?
Someone will have to care for me.
What if it doesn't help?
What if it does?
I hate needles!

I'm scheduled for an MRI in a week to get a better look at the bone from all sides and to see if there is extensive cartilage and tissue damage.  It will also help in deciding if and when I should have surgery, though the doctor was pretty matter-of-fact about things only getting worse from here without it.

I was feeling pretty down about this, when I remembered a story I read about a cake artist from New Mexico.  Extremely talented, she had won many contests with her cakes and even created new techniques in decorating.  Her dream was to compete in one of the Food Network Challenges.

I'm having a hard time recalling her exact medical conditions, but this woman ended up having to be confined to a wheelchair.  I believe they wanted to amputate her hands as well, but her family refused.  Miraculously, she was able to recover and continued producing beautiful cakes while in a wheelchair with great success.  The woman was thrilled to be accepted as a participant in a Food Network Challenge!  But this privilege was taken away when producers discovered her handicap, which was considered a liability.

My heart broke for her.  To be denied your dream because of circumstances you have no control over had to be devastating.  But we pick ourselves up and look to the positive:  She has hands that still work to express her art.  She has her heart and mind to share with family and friends.  She inspired me to be grateful for the opportunities life presents and not take any of them for granted.

I'll get through this.  You'll get through your "this" too.  And right now, all I can think about is how badly I want to someday own a bakery that is successful enough to donate funding to research the causes and treatment of Legg Calve Perthese and other orthopedic syndromes.  That Wikipedia article says 1 in every 1,000 children are diagnosed with Perthese {lucky me}.  Yes, it isn't cancer, it isn't life threatening, but no child nor parent should have to experience the risks or financial burden surgery brings.  And if I can provide any sort of relief to families out there going through this with their child, that there is hope, that is what I must do.

All my love,
Rachel

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Korean Vacation

Sanrio store at Coex, the largest mall in Korea that is also underground.

I spent last week in South Korea visiting my brother Richard and his wife, Katy.  It was my last chance to visit them before they relocate to another Air Force base in Belgium.  This trip couldn't have come at a better time - I was getting burnt out at work and in desperate need of a change of scenery.  I also hadn't seen my brother since October of last year.  I have to say it right now: Thank you, Richard and Katy.  This trip was eye-opening, fascinating, inspiring, rejuvenating, FUN and it wouldn't have been possible with out you.

Before landing in Seoul, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Obviously, I would be in the minority, being American and speaking only English.  I had seen pictures and done a little bit of research, but I was prepared to do most of my learning once I got there.  The flight from Chicago was 12 hours, and I slept most of the time, waking up to eat and read (which put  me back to sleep).  I credit this hibernation period for my lack of jet lag.

The view from R. and K.'s apartment, Singtan.              Main road in Singtan.

When traveling abroad, I like to spend just as much time off the beaten path as sightseeing tourist spots.  This trip was that glorious mix, between visiting cultural sites, mall shopping as well as small shops and street vendors, trying traditional and nontraditional meals, skeezy local bars, and enough down time to relax reading The Island.  We had a daily drive down narrow side streets, hardly avoiding collisions and pedestrians.  Most taxi drivers/cashiers/clerks don't speak English, so you point  directions or on a menu.  I found it interesting that even if a menu had English translations, that doesn't mean the employees will understand it.

Katy and I on a tour bus in Seoul.

Food is never hard to find, as there are food carts, convenience stores, and restaurants around every corner.  For some reason I had it in my head we'd be eating rice at every meal, but international cuisine is prominent, and one of my favorite meals was a simple but expertly prepared pasta dish in Songtan.  Besides the common cabbage kimchi, I enjoyed the cucumber and zucchini varieties.  I also just had to try the Sweet Potato Latte (Koreans like their coffee shops, too).  It's Thanksgiving in a cup! 

These fancy cakes are available at your local Baskin Robbins in Korea!

Shopping in Korea is a dream....for me, at least.  Everything is made for little people!  In the metropolis of Seoul, women's fashions trend on the very ladylike side - ruffled skirts, sheer blouses, Peter Pan collars, bows everywhere, muted colors, and tailored dresses, with dainty accessories.  Men are well dressed, and Katy informed me "macho" isn't part of their vocabulary.  State-side, their style may be referred to as "metro".  Nerd glasses were in abundance.

Outside the Korean War Memorial Museum.

Inside.

On Thursday we visited the Korean War Memorial Museum.  It's no secret I'm behind on my world history (Cuban Missile Crisis?  Yep, I failed that test), but I was completely in awe of Korea's war-torn past.  The country has seen more crisis than peace.  Just 50 years ago, Seoul and the surrounding areas lay in rubble and famine.  Without allied assistance, they would currently be under the communist rule of North Korea.  Katy and I were blessed to have a conversation with a volunteer at the museum, Mr. Moon, who shared his memories of being 5 years old during the Korean War and his pride in how the country has recuperated.  He emphasized several times how grateful he is for the help the United States has provided and considers us friends.

Food was a topic that came up in conversation.  After the war, his family of five was given minimal rations. They survived mainly on a daily diet of noodles they had to roll by hand with only salt to flavor them with.  "Pastry Chef" didn't translate well for Mr. Moon, but he lit up at the mention of chocolate.  He recalled American soldiers handing Hershey's out to children.  Today he enjoys it in moderation, along with flour, to avoid weight gain.  Such a charming little man and conversation I won't soon forget!



And finally, experiencing the off-base nightlife in Songtan...

 

Richard and I.

This dance club was run by a bunch of older ladies, and the grandson of one of them was going to town on the dance floor when we arrived.  It was early still (9 pm), so the rest of the club was empty.  We were entirely entertained watching him sing and dance, then after finishing our "African Slushies," Jen, my brother's coworker, led the way and we were all dancing with him!   

Jen, Master Flow, and Katy working the dance floor.

Glow-in-the-dark shots consisting of Soju, Sprite, and an energy drink.

Katy serves up a "Kettle" drink that tastes like Creamcicle.

Such a great time!  I feel so blessed!

xoxo,

Rachel