08 Jan 2008: Burnout Recovery

I've been trying to get some downtime for the last few days...meaning when I'm not at work I'm not takin' on any other projects. It's been excellent to relax...I realized that I'm just burnt because I've steadily been busy since October 2007. I haven't had a fun vacation since Asia in August. However, last October Julian told me we are goin to NYC in February and it was confirmed a few days ago.

Funny thing is I'm lookin' forward to being out of town and walkin' in the shadow of skyscrapers. Funny thing is he told me this last October and I bought the dress and coat for February.

So I guess this vacation my Calvin Klein Dress will match his Calvin Klein suit.

I'm so excited!!!

It's tough to go Stunting...but someone's gotta do it!

03 Jan 2008: Wedding Cake Break...

I've been taking a break from doing wedding cakes. A week before Christmas Bryan H the Sculptor called me to tell me that his Mom needed a cake last minute...So despite all my work stuff and outside food gigs and all that I squeezed it in - because I like Bryan coz he's a cool MoFo...Mind you the cake was to be finished, completed and set up ON New Years Day.

I did an easy tasting - Choco Marble cake with Choco Cherry Truffle and Italian Buttercream. Finding White and Red flowers after Christmas was quite the challenge - and I didn't find the paper whites and Amaryllis I made a substitution...Here is how it went down.

My best ChefGirl Katie baked it off and split it...and we both set it up. I envy her bakin' muscles for realz!

Split Cake...

Then you brush it with a Cherry Simple Syrup made with French Preserves and Sugar Water

Then you fill it with Milk Chocolate Cherry Ganache

Then you cover it in Italian Buttercream...and then Slather another few layers on...Bwaa hahahha...Buttercream is my FAVOURITE!

Then you stack it - cut the flowers - bow up the bouquet and hope your composition is acceptable enough.

A job well done. Then Katie and I were off to breakfast and we started the New Year with smiles on our faces and paper in our pocket.

---

I will add this. Katie and I will be accepting jobs/contracts for Wedding Cakes, Fantasy Cakes and Specialized cupcakes. However, if we don't like you we won't take the job. If we REALLY dislike you - I will triple the price.

That's all I have to say about THAT!

03 Jan 2008: Christmas Recap 2007

03 Jan 08 Thursday 7:10 PM

Everyone knows that Christmas is already bonkers for me since I have a lot of cake making and what not to do and I work all the way up to Christmas Eve. While I was at work Julian picked up the veggies, cheese and other incidentals for dinner. Once we got home he futzed with his new VCast joint on his phone to load like 100 or so songs...It didn't work so he stayed on the phone with customer service while I checked over the good for Christmas Dinner. So we pack up the car around 9ish and start heading north to the north Phoenix house. Don't you know...My car puttered out after i exited the freeway! So we're sitting there and Julian is makin' a video of me bein' "MAD"...and laughin the whole time. I will try to put a video later...but everyone said how could I be mad with that smile on my face and Julian laughin' in the background. Bwaa hahahaha. I like how he watched the video and cracked HIMSELF up! Well...At least towin' is included with the car and I'm under warranty until 100,000 miles. The towtruck driver did NOT say - cool - i NEVER get to tow mini's...I said Not Cool Dude...He laughed...Look at his happy ass behind Madge! What!!! Dude was cool - I gave him a 20 buck gift card I had for gelato for the shop and wished him a Merry Christmas! So we get to the house and I start kind of prepping and booting up the laptops...and my brother says close your eyes - we're giving you your present now - I said - haha shutttttup. So I close my eyes... He puts a bag in my hand (he's never giftwrapped ever...heh heh). I look at the bag and say oh cool - from Circle K! Bwaa hahahaha Well - dayuuum - If it ain't the biggest IPOD ever! Well I think there's one bigger - but 80 Gigs is enough for like uh 15,000 songs or some shit. Hey Julian - brown people need flash I mean really Then they gave me my other gifts...Some Harajuku joints...a 40 gig external drive for extra movies and music...Wendy gave me my bling bling Kitty choker and my berry container. wut...and lots of other stuff and non stuff... Megan is my brother's friend. At least that's what I'm told... Max and Keyla are always in the mix... We'll see... Of course in the middle of all the craziness - Julian says,"Bebe...time for our Christmas Picture!!! Hahahaha. He once told me he's been accused of being distant and cold...but I've never seen it and I don't think I will...I'm a girl G...with a chef belt...Mom teases that he fell in love with my cooking...and he laughs when she says it...but says it was me - not the groceries! --- We all went to bed fairly late...Rommel asked me to make Christmas lunch this year because they were going to Megan's for dinner...So we had luncheon. Here's the pics I did manage to get before I passed out! 10 pounds of Roast Beef 3 pounds of pork tenderloin Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Cornbread Stuffing - as usual Green Beans with a White Sauce Alfredo Baked Pasta with Zuchinni Dessert was simply Cookies and Lemon Tart That's Just How We do It...