Tomorrow morning at 9:10 am I will be on a ferry departing from Hyannis.  My destination? Nantucket Island.  If you have read my first post, the About page or know me even a little, you’ll know that I’m a tad (very) obsessed with all things Nantucket. It’s my favorite place in the world. Some of my best vacations have taken place on this little piece of land off the coast of Massachusetts, usually during the quiet shoulder seasons of spring and fall.  It’s a small, quiet, walkable, bikeable place rimmed with stunning beaches and filled with fabulous restaurants, bars and coffee shops.  Much of the island is protected conservation land and it’s hard to get to.  When you get there it’s ridiculously expensive. Those three things (distance, cost, minimal development) is what make it so that it can be wonderfully beautiful and restful.  We can’t go as often as we’d like, but we go as often as we can and enjoy every minute!  This trip is roughly the 12th time I will be “on island” but my first trip for “business” versus pleasure.  I’m heading over to be a culinary student volunteer at The Nantucket Wine Festival.  Super excited for the opportunity to network with some great Boston, New York and Nantucket chefs, meet some fellow culinary students and get in some quality kitchen/culinary event time.  I’m also super nervous.  I’ve never been to this type of event as an attendee and I’ve got no culinary volunteer experience beyond Dana Farber’s Chefs Cooking for Hope event that I attended with my chef and two other CSCA students this winter.  I’ve got a rough idea of where I’m staying, no idea who will my roommate will be, no idea what I’ll be doing or with who.  I’m assuming I’ll be one of the older, if not oldest, culinary student volunteer and I haven’t slept in a room with anyone other than my husband or sister in 17 years.  Yikes!  Not to mention I am pretty sure I’ll be the only pastry student and I’m losing sleep over what I might be asked to do on the savory side.  In other words this will be a grand adventure.  I’ve been assured round trip ferry transportation, dormitory style housing and family meal.  They requested we bring our student chef whites and comfortable shoes. I got my ferry reservation yesterday and someone is supposed to meet me when I get off the ferry.  From there, who knows.  I’m going to try to Instagram some pictures during the event (Wednesday to Sunday) if you want to follow me, PASTRYRULLI, or on Twitter @erinRulli.  Looking forward to sharing some pictures and stories when I get back!