Exciting News
Hey everyone! HAPPY FRIDAY! ๐ Hope you have fun things going on this weekend. Weโve got an air force dinner tomorrow night and a valentineโs getaway on Sunday- should be bueno ๐
So I thought going to 105degrees was just going to be something I did for fun.
Iโve always adored cooking and creating healthy dishes, but never really considered the fact that it might eventually be an actual job. Iโm very fortunate in the job factor because theyโve always been areas that I didnโt considered to be actual work because they were so much fun. It always blew my mind that while I was teaching dance (back in the day), and now teaching aerobics classes and training clients, I was actually making money, too. Working at 105degrees was a very similar experience.. the thrill of working in the kitchen and creating beautiful and healthy dishes was more amazing that I could ever imagine. I couldnโt wait to get there every day, and was kind of bummed when I had to go home at night.
When I got back from school, I was tinkering with the idea of creating an online bakery so I could begin to sell macaroons to the family, friends and bloggies who had requested them. (Iโd do it for free, but the ingredients arenโt cheap!)
The first thing I did was consult the health department to see if I could get certified to sell the goodies from my house. The answer was a big Southern-twanged โnoโ, as I didnโt have a commercial kitchen and also have two fur babies.
I talked to some people in the community, including my friend the Juice Guy (at the Main Squeeze) who said I could use his kitchen at the juice bar to make my raw goodies and sell them online and at the juice place. Winner! Except that the health department doesnโt allow shared kitchens. Fail.
So I kind of put the bakery on the back-burner (even though I have the website ready to go, and just need to press โpublishโ), and kept trudging along doing the fitness-y things that I love.
Along with the usual, I started making raw lunches as a personal chef to one of my clients.
Iโve also made them quite a few macaroons ๐
While I was taking lunch over last week, my clientโs husband asked if I had looked into any more spaces to make my raw goodies, because word started to get around that I could make healthy meals and requests were starting to pile up. I told him noโฆ and he offered to build me a space to make my raw and vegan meals and treats.
So hereโs whatโs going down:
-A high-raw vegan cafe will be opening in two months. It will be take-out based and every day will have a โspecialโ along with raw treats and vegan snacks that weโll carry every day. Everything on the menu will be gluten-free, soy-free and vegan. The plans have already been drawn up and things are in motion ๐
-While I wonโt own it (since weโre moving in a year), Iโll be executive chef, planning the menus and training employees
-Iโll be able to get certified for my online bakery and make macaroons and cookies at the restaurant to be sold online
I put notice in at the gym and will not be training as many clients as I have been. This makes me sad, but Iโll be training on a contract basis and itโs time for something *fresh and new*.
Iโll still be teaching Zumba ๐
Iโve very excited, a little nervous, and canโt believe that in two months everything in my life will be quite different.
As soon as I get certified for the bakery, Iโll hit publish on the website and let yaโll know. In about a month, Iโll start taking pre-orders for macaroons and raw cookies ๐
Get stoked, bloggies! Good stuff is coming ๐
xoxo,
Gina
PS. Itโs supposed to SNOW in Valdizzy today! Iโll believe it when I see it ๐
273 Comments
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Congratulations and good luck Gina!
OH MY GOD!!!
i sort of hate you cause youโre living my dream ๐ but that is so awesome and amazing and congratulations!!!!
Thatโs fantastic!! Iโm so excited for you. (I also canโt wait to try your treats)
AH GINA!!!! So unbelievably excited for you! Wish you could ship internationally! So proud of you and excited to come along for the ride. ๐
I know you have no idea who I am, but I am SO excited for you! When I read it on my phone earlier today at work (I couldnโt wait until I got home to hear the news!) I wanted to tell everyone I work with, even though they have no idea who you are or what a healthy living/food blog is. ๐ I refrained though. Congratulations! You are so deserving of this awesome opportunity and I know this will be a HUGE success! I canโt wait to buy some macaroons and raw cookies!
Go, girl, go.
Congrats!!!
It snowed in Atlanta. You could get some.
iโm ready for it! ๐
ohhh wow! Congrats!!
Woooo hooooo!!! Congratulations!!!! ๐
*does a dance* Go Gina, Go Gina, GO! CONGRATULATIONS on beginning this exciting new chapter of your life. I am so thrilled that you are sharing in your journey with your bloggie readers. ๐ I feel honored! ((HUGS))
Wow! Gina-that is great news. Canโt wait until I can order some goodies!
how exciting!! congrats on your new endeavor !!
How VERY exciting for youโฆand the world who will get to partake in your yummy goodies!! Many congrats Ginaโฆyou so deserve this!
Cool โ congratulations!
SO exciting!!! Girl, thatโs absolutely amazing! Iโd love to do something like that but iโve always thought it was impossible.. you just gave me hope.
Wow, Gina that is incredible!! I am so excited to follow your new endeavor! What awesome news! You are certainly capable of anything you choose to do!
So awesome Gina!!! I cant wait to hear more, that sounds awesomeโฆwish you were opening in my city!
CONGRATS GINA!! You go girl!! ๐
O.M.G. Such exciting news Gina. You go girl! Youโre gonna be so awesome at the chef job, and congrats on following your dreams!
xoxo Caronae
Iโm so excited for you! ๐ It makes me so happy to see people doing things they truly love and are called to do. Itโs amazing how things seemed to fall into place! (even though you obviously worked incredibly hard to make it all happen)
Iโll be placing an order whenever the site is up and running. Canโt wait to have some of your macaroons again!
congratulations!!!sounds amazing!!
SO exciting!!! It sounds like you are going to have a lot of fun! I wish I lived closer bc I would definitely be visiting the cafe ๐
Oh my gosh! SOOOO exciting! I wish I lived closer so I could come and visit!
wow, this is amazing news! congrats Gina, this is so exciting!! ๐
So. So. So. So. So. SO EXCITED FOR YOU!!!
Congratulations, Gina! Iโm giving you a shout out in the post Iโm writing up right now. Youโre my hero ๐ Best of luck on this new endeavor!
That is so great! Congrats! ๐
That is so awesome, congratulations Gina! I wonโt be able to buy your treats from New Zealand, but Iโm sending love all the same.
WAY TO GO GINA!!! Live THE DREAM!!!
Woo Hooo!!! Congratulations! Iโm so excited for you! (And me, I canโt wait to order your goodies!)
Congrats Gina!!! You have given me some hope (and extra confidence) as I try to figure out how to pursue my dreams!
Congrats on your exciting news! I love reading your blog and seeing all the awesome raw meals you create! And I totally am going to order some of those raw cookies (the heart ones with nibs!)
OMG!!!!! SO happy for you, iโm doing a happy dance (not quite as choreographed as zumba) for you up here right now ๐
Awesome! You deserve this and congrats! More cool things are coming your way, I can tell. ๐
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
HOLY SH!T!!!!!! I am sososososososo happy for you! Iโm even teary right now! Gina, this is incredible!!! FINALLY your kitchen genius will be shared with many, many more. GAH! Hope your Valentineโs Day was fabulous, too! xoxoxo
Congratulations! Canโt wait to try the macaroons. ๐
Holy moly Gina! Thatโs incredible! So so happy that youโre getting a chance to turn your talents into your career. And Iโm excited to order some macaroons! ๐
Woooot!!!! This is fab news! Congrats ๐
You have to love and believe in what you do with you days girl, this is so much fun! You are trading your life for a career or jobโฆ.I am so happy for you!
XXOO
Ah, this is fantastic!!! Congratulations!!!
So uh, I guess the executive chef thing didnโt happen
sick burn. it only took you 4 years to think of it