Wednesday, February 27, 2008

A Snowy Day in February

Today is one of those days- one of those days where your son is teething (read: throwing temper tantrums), the drop-in childcare at the YW is closed, its snowy, and icy, and COLD. So you end up at home, cancelling your chiropractic appointment, while your child runs amok and you "work" on the computer, which is to say, you procrastinate completing the greenlife order by trolling the internet for listings of "asheville cake" "vegan cake" etc, and and submitting your name to multiple random business listing websites. Its a good day, just sluggish, and COLD. A good day for blogging.
Its been a few weeks since my last post. There are many reasons for this:
first and foremost, though, is that I think I have been having trouble finding my... "blogging voice."(is there such a thing?) I think of something I want to write about, and then I wonder if its appropriate. What is this blog? is it about cake? is it about my life? is it only about the pretty parts where my life overlaps with cake? is it a marketing tool? a forum for self-expression? And I start to write something. Then I second guess it. But I don't want this blog to be just a message board about impersonal things in town or things relating to food that I think are "neat." And I don't want it to just be a big blaring billboard for Short Street Cakes. So there. I'm writing. About me. my life in cake.
I've also been extremely busy this month. Its a good thing that I've been a waitress since I was 16, because I've gotten pretty good at balancing plates (and smiling while doing it.) And I've never had so many plates to balance in my life. (Um, by the way, if you don't have children, and no one has told you this: ITS REALLY HARD. seriously. Its not that I wouldn't do it again, and its not that I expected it to be easy, and its not that i don't love being a mom and love that little creature that i live with, but damn. Its really hard.) Working two jobs (did i mention that I wait tables at Marcos? God bless that place, those people, and the pizza they rode in on.) growing a business, being in a relationship, and being a mom, well, that's pretty much a full day there, every day.
I'm not complaining. (well, I guess I am complaining, but I really enjoy my life too.) And days like today, being a little bit lazy, and a little bit procrastinate-y, are necessary for getting stuff done in life too. Its winter, its cozy inside, and I'll work on the greenlife order when the boy wonder takes a nap. And tomorrow I'll research organic certification. And work on my food cost spreadsheets. And continue looking for a commercial space for my bakery. But today, I think I'll chill.
Oh, and PS, check out the mountain xpress this week- Hanna Rachel Raskin included Short Street Cakes in an article about "green food choices" for weddings. Yay!

Saturday, February 2, 2008

French Broad Chocolate Lounge

We just got back from the brand new French Broad Chocolate Lounge, and let me tell you, its gonna blow your mind, Asheville. Mom and Pop (literally) Jael and Dan have created a beautiful little space on South Lexington with cozy tables, wine, coffee and lots and lots of handmade, organic chocolate. I sampled a chocolate mint brownie (yum), then had a lavender honey truffle. (yum.) I also sampled the chai truffle, (yum) and finished all that chocolate off with a caramel covered in chocolate. I think there was smoked sea salt involved in the caramel. (um, YUM.) I like it. I like it alot.

Jasper's first foray into food sculpture

My son got inspired while helping me make dinner last night.