French Fair

-18 Degrees Celsius. Including wind chills, it felt like -32. So we decided to take a walk. We thought we'd earn our breakfast after waking up late and only finally getting out of Days Inn at 10 in the morning. So I thought we all should try this bakery in Byward market I read about 3 months ago online. This place hires people from France, and the owner's from France. So, it's as French as you can get here in Ottawa.

Screw the kid in the candy shop. I behaved worse than a freakin' school girl who sees the Jonas brothers in person. Or a mactard who shakes hands with Steve Jobs (Ahem). Or maybe how some ang moh gays get to hug Clay Aiken or Adam Lambert... Okay, not exactly. I didn't go flapping my wrists by my sides, hopping around shouting Yahtsy! That's extreme. But in all seriousness, I was still pretty damn excited. I mean, just look at all that carb-goodness!

Tough decisions were made, 10 hesitant minutes later, it was time for breakfast. A loaf of garlic bread dusted with parmigiana cheese, a croissant sandwich, a classic croissant, beef and rice soup, vegetable soup, spinach feuillete, and sausage pastry.

After downing breakfast that regrettably lasted only a few blissful minutes. Next it was off to materialise my dream. Le Cordon Bleu. In person this time. Enough of web pictures, enough of Google Streets. In person. So French pastry and breads for breakfast, then to my French culinary institute.

On the stairwell walls, there were pictures of chefs, and certs. Those men, magicians, masters at their work. I'll be among the ranks. I'm Chinese, so I will surpass them. No matter how long it takes. I saw the certificate of Julia Child's. I will receive the same cert but with my name. I really can't wait to start going through my army-like tough tough training.

We toured the building, I was smiling most of the time. I couldn't wait to don my chef's jacket and start immediately. Train my ass off, work my ass off. 9 hours on certain days. Will be shag, I'm sure. But hey, I'm at a place where they keep a whole tray of chocolate melted all the time. How awesome is that?

When I tried the sizes for my chef's jacket, I could feel my whole being getting sucked into the life. The career and life of cookery. Working 6-7 days a week, 12-15 hours a day. I was completely and eagerly willing to commit my life to this seemingly hellish (to Ma) regime I call a dream.

We left. To tour the city in the car. My mind was still occupied with what's to come on Tuesday, 5th Jan 2010. And what's to come after that. I was so deep in thought I couldn't fully take in the beauty of this city during that short drive. That's what tomorrow is for isn't it? I'm completely overwhelmed by Ottawa.