NYC , my way

In March I returned to NYC and the Institute of Culinary Education. It had been three years since I'd been. My week started off with three days of "Pastry". My hotel was only ten blocks away from school, so I walked. One of the things that is frequently said about New York is that the city has a certain electricity, an energy level that isn't really felt anywhere else. In the mornings in Manhattan I definitely feel that. I like being part of the very large and purposeful crowd. Everyone is intent on getting where they need to be.
There is comfort in familiarity. 50 W. 23rd has a really slow elevator. Still slow. Once in the kitchen it's nice to know where things are stored, what you can ask from the assistant, what the receptionist can do, where the restrooms are. Some students come with friends. If you come alone you're paired with someone by the teacher. My partner this time was a Thai woman, Orewan, in the city visiting her daughter for a month. She apologized for her poor English. I assured that I was impressed that she could communicate anything, and that when I'm in her shoes in China I can barely say anything intelligible.
Class starts with an overview of the recipes of the day, lots of note-taking. The teacher assigns different dishes to the teams, and then we quickly delineate responsibilities and get going. The teacher gives us a time table. There is no time to mess around, and everyone gets to work. Orewan obviously reads English better than she speaks, because she follows instructions perfectly. I feel a little bad that she doesn't comprehend the friendly back and forth with the other team at our table.
We work really hard and I'm in my "zone". Mistakes are made and things have to be re-done.
Every day I learned a lot and had boxes of pastries to share with the hotel staff. Never let it be said that I don't know how to use my pastries. Maybe the front desk would have gotten me a dorm frig really quickly anyway, maybe the concierge would have arranged for a driver to the Bronx on Sat. and been as pleasant about getting me a great ticket to "Hair". Maybe the doormen would have been friendly every time I got back to the hotel anyway. I'm just saying. Pastries can be advantageous hotel currency.