My Knightlife » Class

Switzerland J Term: Culinary Class

Joey — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:40:18 +0000

Research Papers Due

Joey — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:11:41 +0000

….2am and still reviewing my research paper due for Sanitation class tomorrow. I completed the paper during Thanksgiving break, but I always have a tendency to continuously review my paper and edit it for final submission. I have printed eight copies at this point and made necessary corrections. This is the first time I have written a paper using APA style. Any time I have written a research paper I have used MLA or Chicago style so I am making sure that I do not plagiarize simply because I am unfamiliar with the referencing format.

…I am getting tired and want at least five hours of sleep because we have two quizzes in class as well. See you in the morning

Sanitation Class

Joey — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:08:36 +0000

Have you every gone into a restaurant where they are cooking in front of you or the kitchen is open for everyone to see? After taking Food Sanitation you may have an altered dining experience. Your perspective and your outlook in restaurants becomes completely different. Whenever I go out to eat with friends, I am always designated as the restaurant chooser. Its mostly because they know I am so particular in the food and service I receive. It’s a challenge to come from hospitality courses and not going into the real world with a critic’s mind. When you watch a food handler make your ready-to-eat sandwich with no gloves, it is a concern….Next time pay close attention the how your food is prepared.

Hospitality Excellence Award by the State of Florida

Joey — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 22:00:57 +0000

“I treasure every moment in class.” When I say that, I am not “brown nosing” orÂ as someone might say “sucking up”. That statement truly defines the experience I have in the classroom with my hospitality classes. As I senior, the classes begin to make total sense. I am now able to see why Purchasing was important or why Management Information Systems is a class that will help me in the future. I love my major and I knew that when I was 13 years old working for a private country club in Massachusetts, The International Golf Course www.theinternational.com). I aspire to the day that I am able to operate a place like that or a five star resort.

I was recently recognized by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association Educational Foundation with a Post Secondary Hospitality Excellence Award. It is in recognition of outstanding achievement in a Florida Post Secondary Hospitality Program. Dr. Downey and Dr. Deveau went with me to the Orlando Convention Center to receive this award. When they told me “Congratulations”, my immediate response was “Thank You”. But when I say thank you, it is not thanking them for congratulating me, but thanking them for helping me achieve this honor. The program here has only grown since I was a Freshman. I mean what school has a Spa Management Program or Vacation Ownership….

HFTP Dinner

Joey — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 02:28:09 +0000

The dinner I just came from was amazing. As new student members of HFTP (Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals) we attend a monthly chapter meeting for the Gold Coast Chapter. The chapter meeting consists of a cocktail reception, a business presentation, and dinner. Tonights meeting occurred at Ibis Country Club in West Palm Beach. The business presentation tonight was on Southern Comfort Wines. Each of the courses was paired with a different wine.

I am not a fan of wine, but it was a very interesting discussion about the varietal of wines that we were tasting. We used the five senses to categorize the wines and observed the legs of the wine, the flavors, and the different characteristics. The table was professionally presented and the food was amazing:

House Salad w/ Balsamic Vinaigrette
Crab Cakes and Crab Soup
Filet Mignon with/ Flounder, Potatoes, and Carrots
Caramel Mousse

It was very scrumptious and delicious. I didn’t have room for dessert, but I am definitely looking forward to the next meeting. It is a great opportunity to network, learn, and have fun. Hospitality is always providing neat opportunities.

100 on Hospitality Design and Development

Joey — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 15:16:37 +0000

Have you ever sat in a classroom when taking an exam and keep looking over your answers more than once? That is me when I take every exam. I sat in Dr. Downey’s class this morning just going over question after question and checking my answers. I was probably the first student in the class to finish, but I am always the last one out of the classroom.

I seem to second guess myself and wonder if I am really putting down the right answer…well today, I put down ALL the right answers. After I finished the exam, I had Dr. Downey grade it…the only three digit score in the class, 100.

A New Internship

Joey — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 21:39:28 +0000

In the beginning of last semester I was looking forÂ a new internship in revenue management. I had just finished my internship at the Resort at Singer Island working in the Front office doing guest services, concierge, front desk, andÂ night audit. I needed to try something new. So I contacted the Ritz Carlton and everything was working out perfectly. I had been on site, filled out all the paper work, met with the director of revenue management and then I got the phone call one day informing me that I didn’t fit in their budget.

After that I tried something at the Boca Resort and Club, but with my intense schedule at the end of the semester it was a challenge to get something started. This semester I finally got one lined up. I just received the paperwork from the hotel and I am really looking forward to it. I will be working at the Atlantic Resort and Spa in Fort Lauderdale.

After recently working with Dr. Downey on created the Hospitality Financial and Technology Professionals Club (HFTP) on campus, engaging in an internship in revenue management is perfect. I will be the first individual in the Hospitality Management College to take part in an internship in the field of accounting.

Finals Are Over, A Photographic Memory

Joey — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:42:10 +0000

My last final just finished at 6:30pm. I should know by 9PM all my grades. I pretty much know what to expect because I have seen all my grades in advance. It feels so good to have them all done.

Studying for my finals and any tests in general is not a very time consuming process. If I could identify my ability to retain and process information; I have a photographic memory. After reading each chapter for any subject, I gain an understanding of the topic and can repeat and explain what I have learned to a friend or classmate. I am often criticized or questioned whether I have a significant comprehension on the topic because on essay tests my responses are almost directly word for word from the text.

My mom is someone who I can relate with most of my friends when it comes to studying. She has to spend extra time making flash cards, reading the chapters, and studying for exams. Everyone’s learns differently and people just have to accept that. The way any individual learns should never be a measure of their intelligence or success.

I am going to begin packing and finish all my RA programming paperwork. I will probably go to Duffy’s tonight later on.

Final Exam #1

Joey — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 15:12:17 +0000

I got back last night at 1am and had full intentions of studying a little bit, but I was really tired. There was no time for me to study at this hour. I had a really great grasp on Purchasing and have a great grade, but the final is still worth 30% of my grade. I was on duty on Friday and Saturday so I had the opportunity to review some chapters. I have a photographic memory. The first time I read a chapter in the Purchasing book I tend to capture all the key points and significant information.

I woke up at 9:00am this morning to review a couple more chapters and go over the cooking conversions. These were important to the math problem that was going to encompass standard cost, EP cost, and menu cost with at 35% mark up.

I have 2 hours until the final. I can’t think of what else more I should study…I should be rea

The Expo at ISpa

Joey — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 18:21:50 +0000

Row after row, booth after booth, product after product, salesman after salesman; this was what it was like going through the ISpa expo. Hattie and I had only gone down three of the rows and before we could begin the forth we had to go to the car to unload all of the free samples, literature, and free gifts. My mom, sister, and grandmother will be enlightened and pleased to see all of the samples I would be bringing home for them.

In the beginning we had a struggle at getting free samples and merchandise because when they asked us if we owned a spa or if we worked in a spa our response was, â€œNo, we are students at Lynn University studying spa management.â€ At that point some of the exhibitors gave up on talking with us. But 80% of the exhibitors at the show were so amazed that our university has such a program. They were eager to educate us on their product and what they have seen develop in the spa industry over the years.

One of the spas are located in Miami and actually offered an internship to me and any other students interested in learning more information. At lunch Hattie and I began speaking with a gentleman that had owned a spa in Arizona for several years. He provided us with information on a study tour in the summer that would be in Europe at one of the most distinguished spas in the world. Later we found out the gentleman we were speaking with was the recipient of the ISpa Contributor of the Year award.