Week 3 Update!

It's hard to believe it's been 3 weeks since I arrived here in California. I'll be honest, the first week was incredibly difficult for me and I really didn't think I'd be able to handle being away for 2 whole months. But now that I'm all settled in and into a groove, time is flying and I just know my time here will be over before I know it.

I am renting a room from friends of friends who just so happen to live in Downtown Long Beach, just 7 miles from the bakery. They are a young couple (my age) with an 11 month old daughter. I was a little hesitant at first about sharing a room with a baby, but she has been great so far and if she wakes up throughout the night, I have no clue because I sleep right through it! I decided not to rent a car while out here so I use public transportation. Public transportation in Long Beach is big and being downtown makes it very convenient as I am right next to the main bus terminal as well as a block from the closest metro station stop. I am thankful that there is a bus that pretty much takes me door to door so commuting to work everyday is easy, even if it does take me almost an hour to go 7 miles.

Here are a few hilights of the trip so far:

- Experienced my first California earthquake (M4.4) my first night in Long Beach. 

- Almost got ticketed for jaywalking. Yes, I got PULLED OVER by the police while WALKING because I crossed an intersection (in a crosswalk mind you) when the sign said "don't walk." Apparently jaywalking in CA is a big no-no and carries a $250 fine. Lesson learned.

- Awesome weather, even though the locals say it's been unusually hot for the area.

- In-N-Out Burger

- Awesome Mexican food!

- My friend Daimon from back East is out here for work and has been my little tour guide. Because of him I was able to see the Hollywood sign, Santa Monica beach, Huntington beach, and Little Tokyo for my first Ramen experience.

I suppose you probably want to know how my internship is going too. I'm happy to report that things are going well! The shop is really cute and everyone seems pretty nice so far. When I arrived on my first day I figured I would just be observing and learning how they do things, but instead they threw me right into it, making cake batters, filling cake pans and assembling mini desserts. I'm sure it's how they do things but I felt as though they trusted I that knew what I was doing and that made me feel good. While the kitchen itself is more than double the size of other bakeries I've worked in, space is extremely scarce and everyone is always fighting for a clear spot to work. At times, there are as many as 10 or more people in the kitchen at once - bakers, managers, interns, owners, consultants, drivers. I am a little disappointed that the cake decorating takes place at an off-site location but I'm told that I can go over and watch the cake girls work at any time so I'm happy with that. 

I'm on a Boat!

Well, I made it to California! And for the past 2 days I've been staying with Aunt Mary and Michael (the sweetest people ever) who live on this boat in San Pedro, right outside Long Beach. 

This isn't really MY Aunt Mary, but you'd never know by the way she and Michael welcomed me. I had never met them before but they were kind enough to take me in, feed me, and show me around for a few days until my apartment was ready to move in to. I am so thankful for my dear friend Dee Dee for hooking me up with them. Aunt Mary was a HUGE help and I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. 

Here are a few more pics from my short stay in San Pedro...

Cabrillo Beach Yacht Club - where the boat is docked

Rode the trolley and got a very small tour of the town. 

Michael had a roofing job in Big Bear Lake and let me tag along. It was absolutely gorgeous!

Big Bear himself (not really)

Tried this pretty vegetable for the first time.

Aunt Mary, Michael and I

I am definitely going to miss these two but I am excited to get settled in to my place and start working!

Long Beach, Here I Come!

It's been awhile since I've blogged. One year to be exact. I really did have big intentions to write more often, but I always found an excuse not to. Anyway, here I am now, and I have some big news to share.

I'M MOVING TO CALIFORNIA!!! (for the summer)
But before you get your panties all tied up, let's rewind things a bit and I'll tell you why I'm doing such a crazy thing.

About two months ago I sent an email to the owner of a bakery in Long Beach inquiring about an internship. I sent her some photos of my work and told her I'd pack my bags in a heartbeat to move across country to learn from her because her work is just amazing. I honestly wasn't expecting a response though. I just thought I'd share my little fantasy as a compliment to her work and that would be the end of it. But I did get a response and here I am, just two short weeks away from shipping out for the next two months.

A lot of people have asked me, "Why California? Can't you find something closer?" The answer to that is simple. Well, it is to me at least. I have a huge bakery crush on this shop and I have been following the owner since she started her blog in 2008. She opened her first shop in 2009 and opened her 2nd just a few weeks ago. All of her work is absolutely stunning, and she has a style that I just haven't seen in the DC area. She is a huge inspiration to me and I can only hope to gain a lot out of this experience.

While I am incredibly excited about this opportunity, this will be the first time I've ever left home on my own and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind. And I don't even want to think about the fact that I will be leaving behind my best friend whom I will miss dearly. I know it won't be easy for him, but I am so very grateful to have someone who fully supports my decision and wants me to do what makes me happy <3. The good news is that it's only 2 months, and if I absolutely hate it I can come back at any time. 

I will do my best to keep everyone updated and may finally put my DSLR to use. And maybe I'll even work on making my blog a little fancier while I'm at it :)

P.S. I'll miss you too, Peanut!

Mini Donuts

A few months ago, I came across this mini donut pan from King Arthur Flour. Since I’m obsessed with all things mini, I just had to have it and grew extremely impatient when I found out it was on backorder. That excitement quickly wore off and it’s been sitting in my cupboard, collecting dust ever since. Poor mini donut pan.

So, this weekend I decided to give it some love. I searched and searched the web for a good baked donut recipe but couldn’t find any with really positive reviews. I ended up using a box mix that I found at the World Market and dipped them in a simple vanilla glaze (recipe below).
How freaking cute are these?

I think next time I’ll go a little crazier with some brighter colors and a mix of sprinkles.

Vanilla Glaze Recipe
Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp whole milk or heavy cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:
Combine milk and vanilla in a bowl and microwave until warm. Add in confectioners’ sugar and whisk slowly, until well combined.

Swinney Wedding!

About a year ago, a coworker of mine asked me if I would bake cupcakes for her wedding. Of course I immediately said yes! I thought the day would never come, but it did, and it came quick. So while the rest of the world was relaxing and enjoying their long 4th of July weekend in the sun, I was in the kitchen frantically baking away. Lucky me, my amazing boyfriend slash sous chef was there to help me out, and somehow managed to keep me sane throughout the whole weekend. The end result…VOILÀ!

Congratulations Lauren and James! It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding and I’m so happy I was able to be a part of it!

Hamburgers for Dessert!?

In my lifetime, I have adopted many nicknames — Fresh, Freshy, Dizzle, Fridgerator (it was in Kindergarten!), and most recently, Hambuger or Burger for short. Regardless of how I got the nickname, all you need to know is that I now answer to it and now have a new obsession for all things hamburger (as if I need another obsession).
Anyway, I’m not exactly sure how I came across these darling little cookies, but I knew I had to try them. Fortunately (and unfortunately), my boss was hosting a going away BBQ at his house and I couldn’t think of a better or more appropriate time to make them.

Not only are these super duper easy to make, they are super duper adorable, and were the first to go at the BBQ. In fact, they went so fast, I wasn’t able to snag one for myself.

Blog Entry Numero Uno

Is it just me or is the first entry of a blog the most difficult?
For anyone who knows me, I am not a domesticated woman what-so-ever. My idea of cooking is out of a box, ready in 20 minutes or less. A lot of people think it’s strange that I have no desire to cook but love baking. Truth is, I wasn’t always a baker. In fact, if you ask my sister, she’ll tell you all about the time I tried to make chocolate chip cookies and couldn’t understand why they weren’t rising after 20 minutes in the oven. Apparently I missed the most important step in baking — turn the oven on!
Baking started out as my therapy. It was my way of escaping the crazy world I live in. Over the years it has gradually become an obsession and is not only my therapy now, but also my creative outlet.
I’m not really sure where I expect this blog to take me, but the plan for now is to just have fun with it.