The Key of Kels

Someone recently gave me a swift punch in the face instead of a nicer, more eloquent, ease-me-into-it nudge. Figuratively, of course. But damn, it hurt. Turns out we all have a lot of shit going on in our lives. We all freak out from time to time. And the ones who you want to reach out a hand and pull you out of the muck aren’t always capable of it for whatever reason. Sometimes, no matter how…

Just the other day, I turned to Brad and said, “Why are some people so bad?” He obviously didn’t have an answer. I think I was talking about someone’s bike getting stolen or someone robbing a store in town. I was exhausted with all of the hurt in my world. I was weary with finding forgiveness and searching for the good behind the ugly in people. Why couldn’t people just think of how their…

I was at work yesterday when the clouds rolled in and the rain started to fall. The wind picked up and it turned into a dreary, wet, cold autumn day. Well, finally. Autumn is such a romantic time of year in my eyes. There are warm smells coming from the kitchen. There are cozy sweaters and comfy scarves. There are cuddles under blankets and snuggles to keep warm. There are steaming hot chocolates…

Simple, Salty, Peanut Butter Cookies

I’m not really one to go out of my way to make gluten-free treats. That’s not to say I’m against it, I just really like gluten. I like how it holds pie crusts together. I like how it forms those beautiful layers in puff pastry. I like how it makes bagels chewy and pizzas firm and crisp. Plus, it doesn’t wreck havoc on my body. So my love affair with most things gluten continues. But sometimes I…

It had been a month since I made it over to the Wednesday Market. No idea how that is possible, but it was true. Our refrigerator was bare. The only fruit we’d been eating were bananas, and they certainly aren’t local. So we braved the heat. I threw on a skirt because I couldn’t bear wearing pants. We went to check out whether the calendar or the weather was right about which season it actually…

image by dani desbordes at http://www.danidesbordes.com It doesn’t often happen that any of us have a lot of free time anymore, right? Usually, my free time comes around 1am. Brad and I have just gotten home from work. We make ourselves a late night snack. We crash – tired but not sleepy-tired – onto the couch and just veg out for an hour (or until one of us falls asleep) to Jimmy Fallon or…

Come on. Is it really October?

I’m sorry, it’s October?! Somehow, this doesn’t make any sense to me. I don’t know how I got here. I don’t know what happened in these last 8 months or so that ended up with me turning in my rent yesterday with the date October 1st on it. And the real joke is that it is still summer hot here in Los Angeles. It doesn’t at all feel like sweaters and boots. It feels like bikinis and rosé. It feels…

I actually felt the need to text my mom yesterday to tell her I was ok. I figured she already knew, since we had just gotten off FaceTime hours before I posted Wander. None of what I wrote on Thursday was a surprise to her. She’s been along every step of the way, hearing my disappointments and coaching me on how to approach helping all of the many others in need in my life without losing my mind.…

image courtesy of shadetreephotography It’s been a hell of a year so far. Lots of… well, heartbreak. I can’t find a better word to describe it. So many people I know and love have been dealing with heartbreak of some kind. Dealing with the end of plans, of ideas, of relationships, of jobs and of career paths. For a year that on January 1st held so many adventures and so much promise, all I can…

“Sometimes, you think you have everything all under control.

Sure, there’s a lot to juggle. There are a lot of things to get done. There are to-do lists a mile long. But you’ve got it. You’re not worried.

And then, sometimes, everything goes wrong.

I’m sure you consider yourself an extremely calm person. You’ve worked in the restaurant industry for over a decade – nothing phases you anymore. No…

Let Your Heart Soar

I don’t know what is compelling me to write tonight after being away from this blog for months and months.

I don’t even know where to begin. There have been so many changes, so many obstacles, so many alarms going off being the sun came up and so many new things to learn. There have been huge set backs and golden successes… and there are nights like tonight where I sit back over a bowl of hummus…

Dear Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer thingamajig that I bought yesterday,

I feel like we started out on the wrong foot. I assumed you were silly. I assumed you were one of those kitchen gadgets that would show up on a BuzzFeed list about stupid things people buy for their kitchen. I assumed you were something that no self-respecting baker would have in their cabinet. I assumed you would make not only a…

I’ve had an annoying cold for a little over a week now.

I’m finally on the upswing, off the Robutussin and Vicks VapoRub, but I am still getting coughing fits every now and then.

Like last night. At 3AM. When Brad finally came to bed, I immediately got out of bed and hit the couch.  Because no one deserves to have to sleep next to this hacking cough.  No one could even pretend to be asleep next…

Once, at the market, there was a stand that sold giant squash.

They were the most giant squash in all the land. Or maybe not, but they were ridiculously huge. And there was one girl who couldn’t resist buying one of the giant squashes just to dream up something fun to do with them.

So she went home. She pondered over it for a few days. She displayed the squash in a fruit bowl that was about 5…

Be still. #newpost #blog #quiet #dayoff

Way back in the beginning of July when i first got back from our glorious summer vacation (it seems like forever ago), I vowed to myself that I was going to come back recharged and ready to push forward on getting my new business up and running.

And push I did. Drive forward I did. I have made so many advances towards getting my pastry business (oh, I haven’t told you about that yet? oops…)…

The incredible Summer Market

I could give you a million excuses for why I’ve only posted – what – twice in July?

But who wants to hear that. It’s July. I’ve been working on awesome, awesome things. I’ve been building projects and baking my butt off.  I’ve been planning and viewing and researching and (always) eating.  I’ve been documenting it all and sharing what I can when I have a second to come up for air and send a…