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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OH – and as soon as you’re taking orders, you can bet your booty I’ll be a-knockin’ [;
awesome- thank you!
So thrilled for you, dahling!!!!
Awesome news!! Congrats. Best of luck to you.
FINALLY! Was it as hard for you to wait as it was for us?! 😉
SOO happy for you. You have been blessed to do things that you love, that don’t even seem like ‘jobs’ to you. I’m sure it will be a success. Too bad that it’s not opening next month – will be driving through to take my grandpa to FL.
Best wishes for much success.
WOW!!! Amazing news! Mega congrats!!!
Congrats! I am a personal trainer and have been making healthy lunches for a few of my husbands co-workers for a few months now. I was thinking about offering the “service” to my clients. Do I need to have a license for this? Does anyone know about this?
not if you’re a “personal chef”.. there are very few regulations for personal chefs. just have them sign a waiver giving you permission to make the food in your house.
Yay I am so excited for you!!! Good luck
What awesome news! Congrats and best of luck! You won’t need it though- you are fabulous.
thanks chava! (ps i LOVE your name)
Congratulations! This is exciting news, for you as a life goal, but also for all of us who really want to order your food! I can’t wait!
haha thank you!! <3
Congratulations!
Dang, lady. How exciting for you!
How exciting! Major Congrats! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for your online bakery. 🙂
Wow, congratulations! That’s a huge step in a great direction, and I can’t wait to see what it will look like! Congratulations again!
whats the name going to be???
we’re toying with that right now…
possibly “vegan heaven”? the name for the bakery is something different but under wraps until it launches 🙂
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!
Congrats, Gina! That is FANTASTIC!
Amazing! Good luck to you in your new business adventure!
that is so awesome gina!! congrats!!! definitely going to be ordering some macaroons. 🙂
Wow, that’s a lot of 😀 and a lot of great news! *Totally saw this comin, btw!! 😉
So happy for you, G! Have a great Vday weekend with the pilot!
Congrats, Gina!!! Amazing News!
There was a little vegan take out cafe really similar to what you’re talking about doing about 6 blocks from me at my last house in San Diego. High Raw, GF and SF and awesome. I wish you all the success in the world!!!!!!!
Hi! I was wondering what the name of this cafe is…I live and go to school in San Diego now and would LOVEEE to try it out! Thanks so much 🙂
You know just how proud I am, missy!!! Sending heaps of love.
That sounds fantastic! Congratulations.
I’ll look forward to reading how it goes 🙂
Congratulations! That is so awesome!! Can’t wait to eat those macaroonies!
That is GREAT NEWS! I will definitely be ordering some macaroons….I hope you don’t get too overwhelmed in the first few months! You’re going to be in high demand! 🙂
lol. i’m ready for it 😉
Congrats! That is so exciting. I wish you the best of luck. I’m down for some ‘roons 😉
WOW! First time commenter but I follow you every day and looooove your blog!!! Just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS and you can bet I will be ordering some raw goodies 🙂 Once again, congrats!
hi dana!
thank you so much for saying hi!
xoxox
yay congrats!!! i can’t wait to order some macarooooons!
Wow Gina, that is awesome news, I’m really happy for you!
I’m so excited and happy for you!!! can’t wait for the pre-order!
You are AWESOME! Wish I was closer so I could go there like….everyday! But can’t wait for the online bakery to open so I can get some Fitnessista yums over here on the west coast. Congratulations!
Congrats! Thats awesome b/c the macs look soo good but I can’t see myself buying the ingredients and not liking them! So excited I will get to taste them!
Congrats! This is such exciting news!! I can’t wait to order some macaroons! Everytime I see pics of them they look amazing!! I can’t wait!
that is SO GREAT!! congrats, you deserve it for all that you put out there!!!
congrats! that’s amazing news – i’ll definitely be ordering some of your macaroons when you’re up and running:)
That is totally awesome! Congrats! My guess was right in line, but not as INCREDIBLE! Congrats!!!
Exciting news!!! Well done, it will be fabulous. Who knows in years to come, you could go global and have an enterprise out here in Ireland. You deserve it.
gina i am so so so happy for you! congrats girl!
CONGRATULATIONS!!! How cool and exciting for you!!
Ooh weee!! This is a sign that good things happen to good people, what an exciting new adventure for you 🙂 Can’t wait to follow along!
SUCH exciting news! Congratulations–this is definitely meant to be. Imma start savin’ up. 😉
I’ve never commented before, but I’ve been reading for a little while now and I love your blog (especially your fur babies!), and just wanted to say CONGRATULATIONS!! It’s very inspiring to see someone pursuing something they’re passionate about! Can’t wait to hear more details about the food 😉
Congratulations Gina! I can’t wait to order some of those hugely coveted macaroons!
YAY!!! I’m sure you’ll be swimming in orders and probably back-ordered for a while….I will definitely be on that list. 🙂
eeeek this is so exciting!
congrats I can’t wait to put in an order =D
Congrats Gina!!! I’m so excited! I can’t wait to get up there and try your stuff!!!
Gina! I am *SO* Thrilled! Congratulations to you, way to manifest your destiny babe. Just so wonderfully excited for you!
Congrats!!! I’m so excited for you! I can’t wait to order some of your goodies!
Wow, congratulations! That is sooo exciting! Been reading your blog for a while now, and check in everyday to get new eats and workout ideas. You’ve totally made eating healthy and getting in way more vegetables seem so much easier than I ever thought.
Thanks for the inspiration!
Mari
Wow, that is such fantastic news!!! Congratulations!!! I’ll definitely be ordering when things are up and running. Have a great weekend!
CONGRATULATIONS !!!!!!! you’re so amazing! I’m soooo excited for you 🙂