Major Hiccup & Picnic

Well, it’s been a very eventful month! I haven’t written in a while because of some major changes in my life!

For one thing, the owners of the restaurant where I work decided to let my current chef go. Leaving me in charge of the pastry department, by myself! Meaning that, until they found a replacement, I was working 13 hrs a day, 7 days a week!

At the same time, I got a phone call out-of-the-blue from a fashion company who had seen my old design portfolio posted online (thank you StyleSight.com!) and was interested in hiring me for a full-time photography gig! After three interviews, they decided to offer me the job. And even though they were offering it to me for the same money I was making at the restaurant, I decided to take it because I would be working a normal 9-6 schedule, Monday through Friday, with two days off, paid vacations, and health insurance!

When I told my employers I was leaving, they were very surprised and even offered me more money. But I still said no. At that point it wasn’t just about the money. I hadn’t seen my family in a year and a half, I hadn’t seen my friends in months, and the only reason I even saw my boyfriend at all was because we were living together! Also, if I’m going to open my own business in 5 years I need to do a lot of work to come up with a business plan, a product, market research, and… oh yeah, learn how to run a business! Which I would not be able to do with my current schedule. Basically, I needed time even more than I needed money. I was burnt-out and exhausted after only one and a half years in the kitchen!

So, for the sake of the bigger picture (and my sanity), I took the job. It was a tough decision though because, despite the long hours, hard work and almost daily panic attacks, I really did love my work. I’m hoping that after a few months of ‘normal’ work hours and some R&R, I can get a weekend job at a bakery or coffee shop, to keep my hand in and to learn about my other passion:  COFFEE! Not to mention, I’ll be making a little extra money! Yay!

Due to the extreme hours, I’m afraid my diet and exercise went out the window and those 5 pounds I lost in my month of hard work, came back with a vengeance! But all is not lost, we have to accept the hiccups that happen in life and start again! So, I’m working out again and even though I haven’t been running in a month or more, I didn’t experience the same aches and pains I had when I first started! (I’m very happy about that.) It may have to do with my new schedule since I’m running in the evening now, instead of the morning. I feel like I'm more limber and I have more energy, like I could run forever! (Could it be? I’m actually starting to like running?!) Although I strongly recommend not running on a full stomach- it’s a horrible feeling. My only complaint is that if I run too late and then eat, I end up eating right before bed and that’s not good for loosing weight. I’ll have to figure out a better schedule...

So, we win some, we lose some. And now I have more time to write to you, my lovely readers! I intend to start a new series in my blog, writing reviews of coffee shops here in New York! I will start with the most popular shops known for their coffee and then I will explore and broaden my criteria in search of the ideal experience and food. (And coffee of course!)

(This is not my photo, but it's def. my preferred coffee method. The Cuban Coffee Maker)

Ignorance is Bliss?

Today I was thinking about the creative process, my process in particular, and how knowing too much about something tends to put me in a kind of writers', or artists', block. When I was studying fashion, getting to see how The Greats work and getting involved with all the cutting edge trends. I would find myself utterly lost on how to proceed with my own designs! I was on information overload, bombarded with too many images and trends going in every possible direction. Finding my own direction and inspiration seemed impossible. I felt cursed by the infinite possibilities and options. Which one was the 'right' direction, or option, or whatever?


Now I can't speak for everyone. And I know there are plenty of people out there with completely different views but I will say this... What's wrong with not having the perfect product or idea?! Sometimes we get so bogged down in getting things 'perfect' that we never actually launch our idea/product/design etc. at all! I mean haven't you heard of Betas? Also, I can say from personal experience that sometimes Ignorance is Bliss. If I had known then what I know now, I never even would have tried to change careers the way I did.

Basically, I did a Google search for the best bakeries in NYC and just went down the list, cold-calling to see if anyone would be willing to teach me if I worked for free. I was on unemployment at the time, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to afford to make that kind of offer. As I got rejection after rejection, I finally got someone willing to interview me. He was a French pastry chef with an amazing reputation and was leaving his current job to help open an upscale Italian restaurant. He started me off on a trial period of 3 weeks to see if I worked out. Well, he must have seen something promising because I've been there over a year now! "There is just on snag," he said. "You have to be on the payroll for insurance purposes." Turns out all those restaurants were rejecting me because I wouldn't have been covered under their insurance if something happened to me in their kitchens! I would have been a huge liability! Thank God for crazy French chefs who know nothing about American laws! I couldn't believe my luck! I was actually getting paid to learn! And if I had known about the insurance situation before I started cold-calling, I don't think I would have even tried and I would not have had the amazing experiences and knowledge I have today. (Including how to say "burnt" in Italian, Spanish, and French!)

So, in some ways, yes, I think ignorance is bliss. How else can you achieve the impossible? I know many would argue that it was just blind luck, but I like to think it was because I had the gumption to put myself out there, take that first step, and jump feet first into the unknown. If no one tells you you can't do something, then maybe you can! Sometimes it's ignorance that lets you solve problems and meet your goals in fresh and exciting ways!

If you have a similar story of gumption, please email it to me and I will share the most inspiring in my next post!

And for those of you who love food as much as I do, I'm adding a page dedicated only to Foodie Films only added to my decision to pursue a career in cooking. Movies that inspire me. Maybe it's just the romantic in me, but I'm sure these
If you have your own foodie films, let me know and I'll try to add them to the list!