Exciting News
Hey everyone! HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀 Hope you have fun things going on this weekend. We’ve got an air force dinner tomorrow night and a valentine’s getaway on Sunday- should be bueno 😉
So I thought going to 105degrees was just going to be something I did for fun.
I’ve always adored cooking and creating healthy dishes, but never really considered the fact that it might eventually be an actual job. I’m very fortunate in the job factor because they’ve always been areas that I didn’t 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 couldn’t 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. (I’d do it for free, but the ingredients aren’t 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 “no”, as I didn’t 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 doesn’t 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 “publish”), 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.
I’ve also made them quite a few macaroons 😀
While I was taking lunch over last week, my client’s 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 no… and he offered to build me a space to make my raw and vegan meals and treats.
So here’s what’s 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 “special” along with raw treats and vegan snacks that we’ll 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 🙂
-While I won’t own it (since we’re moving in a year), I’ll be executive chef, planning the menus and training employees
-I’ll 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 I’ll be training on a contract basis and it’s time for something *fresh and new*.
I’ll still be teaching Zumba 😀
I’ve very excited, a little nervous, and can’t believe that in two months everything in my life will be quite different.
As soon as I get certified for the bakery, I’ll hit publish on the website and let ya’ll know. In about a month, I’ll start taking pre-orders for macaroons and raw cookies 😀
Get stoked, bloggies! Good stuff is coming 😀
xoxo,
Gina
PS. It’s supposed to SNOW in Valdizzy today! I’ll believe it when I see it 😉
273 Comments
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whoo hoo!!!!! congratulations! 😀
Wow!! Congratulations!! That sounds like such a fun and exciting thing coming up in your life!!
Congratulations! You’re right, you pretty much hve a resume of the world’s greatest jobs. You seem like someone who stiks to her guns and isn’t afraid to do what she thinks is best for her, no matter what others think, so that probably has something to do with the fact that things are working out so well. Again, congratulations.
Wow this is so great & I cannot wait until you get your online ordering up & going, been dreaming about those macaroons! Someone needs to contact the “Food Network” about you sister, you are the new up & coming chef alot of people are looking for out there for different food alternatives….hmmm…can you see yourself on the Food Network! 🙂 Have a fantabulous day!!!
thank you so much, shannon!
i’m hoping that once i get the cafe up and running that someone will find out about it… food network would blow my mind.
xoxo
Congratulations, Gina! I bet you’re so stoked 😀
This is such a great opportunity. Oh, and I can’t wait to try your infamous macaroons!
YAY! That is awesome. Can’t wait to try your macaroons!
YAYAYAYAYAYY!!! THIS IS SO EXCITING 😉 so happy for you! can’t wait to buy some of the macaroons wooo
this is great!!! can’t wait to place my order for my first raw cookies.
Oh my gosh, Gina!!! So excited for you!!!
(please add “shipping to Canada” to your majorly long list of things to do!!)
CONGRATS!!
thank you!
haha, i will 🙂
Congrats!! Can’t wait to order some goodies!
Wow, how amazing!!! You deserve it! Can’t wait to try the ‘roons!!
That’s Amazing, you must be so excited!! Congrats to you!
How exciting!!! Good luck.
Congrats! I’m so happy for you!
How amazing- what a great connection! I can’t wait to order something!!
GINA!!!! ahhhh! as someone who has been following you for a long time i am SO proud of you!!! congrats girl, and you deserve it! glad that there are wonderful supporting people(besides your wonderful bloggy friends haha) that can help make your dream come true! i am truly envious(but in a good motivating way) of you! and believe me, ill be one of the first to order something online ;)!!!!
love, becka
Congratulations on the exciting news!!
CONGRATS! I am so buying macaroons! Huge kudos!
That is very exciting!! How nice of that gentleman to offer to build a space for you. Will you be working there a lot? Most importantly, will you be shipping to Canada? 🙂
K
yup it will be my new full-time job. and yes, i’d love to ship to canada when i can get all of the shipping figured out 🙂
How exciting!!! Congrats!!! I love to hear when people have a dream come true like that, seems you have great karma & know how to get something accomplished when you really want it!
This is so exciting!!!! 🙂
Congrats Gina! Cant wait to order some of your macaroons 🙂
That is GREAT news! So excited for you!
thats awesome! i’m so happy for you! can’t wait to try out those macaroons 🙂
Congratulations!!! Very very cool 🙂
Ahhh! That’s so exciting! Congratulations you’re going to do fabulous and I’m so excited for your raw macaroons to be sold online! Congratulations again!!!
Omg that’s so exciting! Congrats 😀 I would love to order some of your treats
That’s so exciting!! I’m so happy for you girl! 🙂
Can’t wait for the online bakery to be up and running!!
Yea for you and US! What a great opportunity for you…..Fun stuff!
YAY! I’m SO SO SO excited for you! And to order your macaroonssss CAN’T WAIT!
congrats! great news!
cant wait to try macaroons!!!
Congrats and you go girl!
Enjoy!
Yay!! Congratulations, Gina! Sounds like a dream come true- amazing and deserved! I can’t wait to order one of everything 😉
That’s amazing, Gina! Congratulations!!!
That is SO FANTASTIC! I can’t wait until I take my next road trip up from FL to GA and actually have something healthy to pick up on the way to go! Congrats to you! So awesome, and what a blessing to be able to continue to have job(s) you love!
Congratulations!
That all sounds so exciting. I completely understand the need for something *new and fresh* every now and then. 🙂
I just found your blog and love it. I am really impressed with how you are a “doer”. You take action to fulfill your dreams, even if it is a little scary etc. Very impressive! I wish you the best of luck!
– Christina
Congratulations on your future endeavors. You seem to be a successful person that takes on every opportunity available,so, good luck!
Oh wow!! How exciting! I have been drooling over those maccaroonies for a while, can’t wait to order them online!!
CONGRATS! That sounds like an amazing adventure, and I can’t wait to see how it all goes!
Congratulations! This sounds like the perfect adventure for you!
That is super exciting news! Congrats- it’s so awesome that you actually DO things like this and don’t just dream about them.
Also, it has been snowing here in northwest Louisiana since about 7:30 yesterday morning – it’s even a snow day for schools – so you never know!
its so nice when great things happen to great people 🙂 you deserve this.
congrats!
Congrats I can’t wait to purchase your macaroons!
That is so awesome, Gina! I’m quite excited for everyone to be able to try your oh so yummy macaroons. I know I love them! Congrats on all the wonderful changes.
So awesome!!! Congratulations!
Congratulations that is amazing! One day when im older I want to attend 105 degrees too!! Can I get on that ordering list early 😉 As a fellow zumba sista?
That is super fantastic. I am so happy for you. I know the cafe will be a huge success.
wow! that is absolutely fabulous!!! congratulations 🙂
Congrats! I can’t wait to read about this new chapter in your life.
OMG! That’s so exciting! Congratulations!! Will you be shipping to Canada or staying in the states?
i’ll ship to canada as soon as i can figure out all of that fun stuff 🙂