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September 14, 2007
Transition Time
Transition from a full-time journalist's job in Dublin to country-based student life is more than just packing a car, cleaning out the old flat and shifting down to the cottage. Mindless routines - the 45-minute stroll to work, a computer-based eight-hour stint, walking home mentally preparing supper, deciding whether to call into one of my favourite shops on the way (Mortons, Donnybrook Fair, Taste of Italy, Al-Khyrat) - suddenly become more precious as the days speed towards leaving the city. Only one thing to do: sidestep the whole situation by flying off to Girona in Spain the day after the move!
The Husband and I spent three nights in the small Catalonian city earlier this week, time to soak up sun and recover from our eighth move in three years, a breathing space to adjust and look forward to the future. Plus an ever-welcome opportunity to consume copious amounts of tapas, cava, café con leche and rioja while reading stacks of books - Miranda Innes' Getting to Mañana, a memoir of her move to Andalusia set a perfect scene as well as having a good scattering of simple recipes - taking long siestas and general relaxation. Now back home, I've the task of condensing two kitchens, their ingredients and equipment (did I mention that I'm a hoarder?!), into one. It's baking blitz time this weekend - No-Knead Bread, Mexican Beans, Brown Bread, Chocolate Sesame Flapjacks, cakes and cookies - as I try to clear some space in the kitchen. Now, where did my new uniform disappear in the move?
Posted by Caroline at September 14, 2007 7:55 PM
Comments
Well done, I hope Darina treats you well.
It is a great course, I have had loads of Darinas graduates work for me when I had the restaurant and they had managed to get a whole heap of knowledge and experience in a very short time.
In Turin last year at the Slow Food Symposium Alice Waters started her speech by saying that any graduate of Ballymaloe could get a job with her.Nice work experience!
Good Luck
Martin
Posted by: martin dwyer at September 17, 2007 9:36 AM
That's certainly a vote of confidence, Martin, both from you and from Alice Waters! Did you hear the interview that Myles Dungan did with her for Radio 1 a few weeks ago? I was glued to the radio - it was fascinating. I think it was his Highway 101 series of interviews in America.
Posted by: Caroline@Bibliocook at September 17, 2007 8:40 PM
