spare change

It's been a long time....

2011-12-13T19:53:00.001-08:00

I have started to move everything over to tumblr. Currently it is easier for me to use. Anyway check out my new site and feel free to leave comments :)
xo

Karla

vegan sweet potato and blackbean empanadas

2011-02-02T19:55:00.001-08:00

vegan sweet potato and blackbean empanadas, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

blackbean tacos with guacamole

2011-02-02T19:54:00.001-08:00

blackbean tacos with guacamole, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Project 365

2011-01-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

I talk a lot of pictures so when January 1 rolled around I decided to start a project 365 folder on my flickr page. I am only 19 days into it but I really plan on sticking with it so at the end of 2011 I can look back and see what my life really looks like one photograph at a time. :)

beach grass

2011-01-17T19:52:00.001-08:00

DSC09836, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Reflections

2011-01-17T19:51:00.001-08:00

Day 15, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

reflections on ice

2011-01-17T19:50:00.001-08:00

ice, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Gluten Free Brioche

2011-01-14T21:52:00.001-08:00

Gluten Free Brioche, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

I bake bread!

sometimes I do this... when I am not baking that is!

2011-01-12T16:55:00.000-08:00

My styling portfolio

collection

2011-01-11T16:42:00.001-08:00

collection, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

reminiscing indy motogp 2010

obsession

2011-01-10T18:19:00.001-08:00

obsession, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

cookbooks and such...

Bruschetta

2011-01-03T13:24:00.001-08:00

Bruschetta, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Lunch mmmmm....

boots

2011-01-02T13:04:00.001-08:00

DSC08995, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Grotesa

2010-12-27T08:57:00.001-08:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

crispy black bean tacos

2010-12-26T13:27:00.001-08:00

crispy black bean tacos, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

gingerbread

2010-12-22T14:22:00.001-08:00

gingerbread, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

hey I got a new scarf!

2010-12-19T12:31:00.001-08:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

snow cat

2010-12-19T12:30:00.001-08:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

fun in the snow

2010-12-19T12:29:00.001-08:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Josh Brookes over the mountain at Cadwell Park BSB Aug 2010

2010-12-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

The Hellacopters - Kick Out The Jams (Rock am Ring 2005)

2010-12-15T11:24:00.000-08:00

The Bronx - "False Alarm" White Drugs

2010-12-05T18:51:00.000-08:00

Choices...

2010-11-28T17:35:00.000-08:00

“Quando si fa una scelta, comunque vada, è una scelta coraggiosa.
Non sempre fila tutto liscio, ma il coraggio ti fa fare cose di cui non ti pentirai mai. Io non smetterò mai credere all’istinto”.

Valentino Rossi

Bologna, 5 agosto 2010

Mesrine: Killer Instinct - Official Trailer [HD]

2010-11-15T10:50:00.000-08:00

I saw this movie this weekend at a film festival... It is AWESOME! In the US it is chopped into 2 parts, killer instinct and public enemy number 1. I didn't realize it is based on a true story until I got there... go see it!!!

Valentino Rossi makes his first outing with Ducati

2010-11-15T10:45:00.000-08:00

I had a late night out with some friends, and like many people forgot about DST. Got home at 2:30 am and laid down to go to bed for a bit, when my phone started going crazy. With zero sleep I got back up and realized it was the moment we had all been waiting for, the first glimpse of Valentino Rossi on the Ducati. I turn on my laptop to witness a wet track and riders in their street clothes and NO action. My twitter feed was the only thing that kept me awake... and I soon realized all my friends that had woken me up were no longer awake! As I too was about to give up I noticed Rossi walk over to JB and whisper in his ear and JB shrugged and gave a jester like go ahead. The same sort of conversation happened with a few others in the garage and off Vale went. A few moments later he reappeared suited up in his leathers and off he went on his new ride. On a damp track and on a new bike. Next season is hopefully going to be a nail biter! I never got the opportunity to take a nap... I tried it just never happened. Oh well up for over 24 hours just to see Rossi on a Ducati, was it worth it? Of course ;)

babycakes

2010-11-15T10:34:00.001-08:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

cupcakes from babycakes... yum!

Philadelphia

2010-11-15T10:31:00.001-08:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

I went to a signing by Nigella Lawson and can't believe how long it has been since I lived in the city of brotherly love. I took a lot of photos... go figure and while editing through them noticed this one. Not intentional but my old college popped up in the corner... random! Oh what fun was had during my short time at UArts. xo

November... where did October go?

2010-11-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

I know it has been a while since I have posted anything, but I have been super busy. October came and went so fast I hardly had a chance to enjoy it. Between motorcycle races and trips to New York there was hardly anytime to sit down and relax.

I have moved back up north and forget how fun it is to live so close to so many fun cities. I miss everyone in Atlanta, but I feel it is time for a fresh start. Have I mentioned how much I love New York? I never thought I'd say that but its true...

I have experienced a lot of great new things in life recently and have met tons of new people and I just have to take a moment and reflect on how great life can be if you just let things happen instead of constantly planning and making lists. My life will always be filled with lists but I am not letting my pile of to dos and ideas overtake my life like they once used to. I feel free and happy... and its been a long time coming.

Enough about all that... Halloween, one of my favorite holidays was spent in New York and I must say it was awesome. The weekend started at Chiller Theater in New Jersey a convention I used to work a long long time ago when I was involved in doing special fx makeup and props. I used to look forward to it every year... now I realize I have grown out of it. Trust me I love old horror movies, but the people this year just really got on my nerves. I can't explain it but its a weird feeling. However, with that being said, it was a great time! After the convention we headed to the city and went to the halloween parade in greenwich village. Wow! There is a tradition every year in Atlanta to take part in the L5P halloween parade and I really miss it, but this parade was so much better. I now want to go every year! After the parade instead of going to a noisy bar we went and had a nice relaxing time in an Irish publike restaurant and had dessert and a much needed glass of wine. New York always puts me in such a great mood, the energy of the city is so great... I think it might be my new home soon ;)

No trip to New York is complete without a trip to my new obsession Babycakes bakery. The smell of this little bakery is like heaven and I can never leave without a bag of sweets for the trip home.

Between trips to New York and my life being completely overtaken by motogp, time has flown by. The motorcycle season has come to a close and March can't come soon enough. There is so much speculation for next season and I like all my other motorbike buddies can't wait to see Rossi back in action on the Ducati and Stoner on the Honda. Hopefully like this summer the winter will fly by and spring will be here before I know it.

Heaven

2010-10-28T22:31:00.001-07:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

The most amazing bakery ever!!! If you are ever in nyc make your way to les and go to babycakes... you won't regret it!
xo

my love affair with my camera ;)

2010-10-28T22:29:00.001-07:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

I take too many pictures of myself....

Compulsive Gamblers - Stop & Think It Over

2010-10-19T08:31:00.000-07:00

Reigning Sound - Stick up for me

2010-10-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

2010-10-11T12:36:00.001-07:00

DSC07457, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

2010-10-11T12:34:00.001-07:00

DSC07484, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

silly thougths from a silly day

2010-10-11T12:00:00.000-07:00

In healing there often lies confusion. I have mentally come a long way since the month of June! My head is clear. I am happy again! I know can you believe it! Woohoooo!!!
My new found outlook on life has been a great turning point for me.

Steps to healing a broken heart and confused soul.
#1. Surround yourself with your closest friends and laugh your pants off. Enjoy a bottle of wine, or 3 or 4.
#2. Do something for yourself, step outside of your comfort zone. Trust me on this one, it will make you feel like a million bucks! :)
#3. Travel. Even if you can't afford it, make it happen. See the world through your new set of eyes.
#4. Socialize and meet new people. this has been the BEST therapy for me. It is a combo of #2 and #3 but I feel it needs its own number haha! Stepping out of my comfort zone and being open minded in my recent adventures has made me meet some amazing new people, I honestly would have never met in my past life.
Out with the old and in with the new!

Drama - we all love it right?
There is a joke between me and a friend of mine that our "script writers" are working overtime. Yes! It is so true!!! 2010 has been a year I could have never predicted, and yes filled with loads of you guessed it.. drama! Would I change a thing? Hell no! Yes, the first half of this year has sucked but all and all was a great learning experience for me. The second half, in turn has been awesome so far and I'm pretty sure that is because it has been all about me and what I want. :)
Lets see what I have learned so far this year.
#1. I don't play well with others. Especially if you are a woman.
#2. Don't trust anyone.
Yes- I am bitter. I have been burned this year by two really close people in my life. So guess what, you have to prove your trust to me... deal?
#3. Italians know how to have fun... hahaha!!!
Sorry I had to throw this one out there, because it is SO true!
#4. Boys like girls, sometimes throw you under the bus.
See, I have this friend who is a lot of fun to hangout with, but betrayed me for no good reason... not cool! I am a very upfront person... I lay all my cards on the table ( well most of them) and I don't appreciate high school games... there I said it!
#5. Let go and have fun! Duh!
#6. Baking is the best therapy, because it makes everyone around you happy!

So what is next for me you say?
Well I am working on a new business plan in between my new life of leisure. Not to keep you in the dark... but details to come soon I promise! ;)

In other news, motorcycles have completely 100% taken over my life! I think I need a support group... Ha!

I was reading an interview the other day with Kara from Kara's Cupcakes in SF. It referred to her as a "veteran of cupcake wars." I think those of you that know me, know how much I love to forget that cupcake wars even exist and even more so how much I LOVE to forget I was on that silly show in the first place. Well guess what... I guess that gives me a new fancy title too!!! Hahaha! So I am now... drum roll please... Karla - veteran of cupcake wars/cupcake queen of Cincinnati! ( thanks Mike for that one... no really...thanks!) And no... for the record... I don't wanna taste your cupcakes. ;)

So boys and girls what have we learned today (besides the fact I like to ramble on about absolutely nothing).... well lets see.
I have grown a lot in 2010. I still hate girls (most of them at least.) Boys are fun but sometimes cannot be trusted... can we blame them? I am associated with a show and food category I despise...cupcakes! ( but if you ask nicely I will bake them for you!) And last but not least... you never know what is going to happen tomorrow!

Ciao!

xo

10/10/10

2010-10-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Whether any of us are really excited about this, Lorenzo is the new World Champion for MotoGP. Don't get me wrong, I think Lorenzo is a great rider, but sometimes his attitude rubs me the wrong way.
Sepang did not let us down this weekend, providing us with 3 great races and two World Champions! I am so happy for Elias! There is no one more deserving of being the first Moto2 World Champion. I can't believe how long he was running around in his silver leathers after the celebration considering how hot it was. And lets not forget the highlight of the weekend, Rossi is back and on top again!!! It was so great to see him recover from his awful start, leaving him in 11th after T1, to come back, fight through the grid and take the win. This was Rossi's 46th win for Yamaha, and he made a point to let everyone know. With the championship done and dusted, we all sit with anticipation to see what exciting battles lie for us in Phillip Island. I can't wait! Am I the only one that is excited to hear the Italian anthem being played again?
The 125cc championship is heating up with Marquez being the man to beat. Polyccio and Terol are not giving up the fight and are mixing every race up with lots of excitement. Will this battle go down the wire in Valencia? Only time will tell. Until then we will just have to wait and see what drama is created in the media to make this already silly season more ridiculous!

I leave you with Lorenzo's rendition of We are the Champions... enjoy!

Tiger! Tiger! "Cheap Imitation" Atlanta 11/29/06

2010-10-07T21:03:00.000-07:00

.

2010-10-06T19:06:00.001-07:00

., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Cafe Racer TV Promo: Airing on Discovery HD Theater October 13th @ 9PM EST

2010-10-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Its been about a year since this show was due to air. There was one episode and then it vanished. Let's hope it meets all of our expectations!

Turbonegro Get It On

2010-10-04T17:25:00.000-07:00

Turn It Off Guilty Hearts DAH2 soundtrack

2010-10-03T22:24:00.000-07:00

Great band live, real good guys...

A little taco history...

2010-10-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

Tacos

What an awesome day!

2010-10-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

Not only is today one of the greatest days, National Taco Day, ( I can't decide if I like it better than National Nacho Day though) but was also one of the best battles in Motogp racing that we have seen in a long long time. There is a small part of me that likes Lorenzo, he is a great rider, but there is also a part of me that loves seeing him lose. I know that sounds mean, but when he loses and doesn't get his way he has the best temper tantrums and comes out with the best comments. I would love, absolutely love to see him throw something inside of the garage, maybe a chair. Haha! What is with the new breed of motogp riders that they are such sore losers! I know in the past we had a few that were unhappy about losing but these guys are down right hilarious. Rossi is the man and I love seeing him battle like he used to. I honestly was enjoying watching the 125s fight it out much more than watching the GP races... yawn. Thank god, todays race was awesome! I was honestly squealing and yelling at my computer screen and sitting on the edge of my chair, which I can honestly say I haven't done in a long long time.
On a side note, is everyone else loving what twitter is doing to the sport? I personally think it is adding a whole new dimension to racing. It is making it more personal. And if anyone has spent anytime in the paddock, it is bringing the fun and the jokes to the forefront, which I think is great. The motogp riders and crew are so much fun to be around and I think twitter is making it possible for everyone to join in on the fun. A big thank you to the folks at Yamaha for letting Alex Briggs take us inside the garage and show us first hand what its like to be a mechanic in the motogp pits! Simply brilliant!
Alright... enough rambling... its taco time!
xo

Cafe Racer

2010-10-02T14:21:00.000-07:00

A quick video from the New York Vintage Motorcycle Show back in August 2010

2010-10-01T20:57:00.001-07:00

, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

2010-10-01T20:50:00.001-07:00

, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Riverboat Gamblers - "Victory Lap" Volcom Entertainment

2010-10-01T20:39:00.000-07:00

friday night and motogp

2010-10-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

I kinda like when the races are in Japan because I can actually catch the entire weekend. What an interesting session FP1 was last night. With Pedrosa fracturing his collarbone, the championship has basically been handed to Lorenzo with his two opponents injuring themselves during the season. And how great is it to see Rossi back on the top of the time sheet!!! I'm can't wait to see what happens tonight.

swoon!

2010-09-30T19:36:00.000-07:00

I have started a food blog, which is originally what I intended on doing here but this site became more random thoughts than anything else. I take way too many pictures but especially when I bake so if you are interested here is swoon!

In other news, I have been focusing a lot on moving, in the process I have started writing another menu for another business I want to start. Yes! Right now inbetween trying to figure out where to move I have decided to start a vegan/gluten free bakery. I hopefully will be up and running in a few weeks! I am starting pretty low budget, orders only without a store front. I am so excited!!! Stay tuned for more details :)

The Gaslight Anthem - Stay Lucky

2010-09-14T22:22:00.000-07:00

in need of coffee...

2010-09-14T22:14:00.001-07:00

in need of coffee..., originally uploaded by --Karla--.

My most favorite shots have been taken in the rain. The lighting is always perfect :)

track shoes

2010-09-14T22:13:00.001-07:00

, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Clouds

2010-09-14T22:11:00.001-07:00

, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

notice

2010-09-14T22:05:00.001-07:00

notice, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Life and other random thoughts

2010-09-14T21:13:00.000-07:00

Age.
I am beginning to think that everyone is right that turning 30 is the best time of my life. This year has thrown a lot of curve balls at me that I never expected and if anyone told me where I would be at this moment back in January, I would have never believed them. Emotionally this year has been the worst, I feel I hit rock bottom. Luckily I have great friends and a wonderful family that I couldn't live without. I have a lot of questions I used to feel needed answers, but I have decided to just let go. I have a new lease on life. Turning 30 is a milestone I never quite understood. To me, it was just another birthday, another year older, no big deal. Now I get it. Its a time of change, a fresh start. I am embracing life and loving every moment. I am doing things I never let myself do in the past. In the past two months I have met the most amazing people, people I would have never met had my life not changed so dramatically.

Life.
I lost a part of me somewhere and I am finally getting it back. I became so used to being part of a "we" situation, that I forgot who I was. My life became so monotonous and boring and I didn't realize it. I think it is going to be awhile before I get into another relationship. I never realized how much fun it was to be single. I can just get up and go and not have to worry about what anyone else wants to do. It is great! Sure, its nice to always know you are going to have someone by your side, but what happens when that person decides they don't need you anymore? I don't need the security of anyone but myself right now. To be perfectly honest, I don't miss having a boyfriend at all, its weird!

What am I doing.
I just read some journal entries from May, when my life completely went to shit. I was in a fragile state of mind... to say the least. I don't know why I have waited so long to read them but I feel right now I am at a turning point. I have spent the entire summer being a bum. Seriously. I have traveled more than I have in a long while and I have realized how much I miss it. The people around me think I am crazy for driving so far all the time, but it is relaxing for me to be in my car on the open road. Very cliche' I know, but true. I sometimes even find myself driving in silence, just me and my thoughts, its nice. I have accomplished everything I wanted to do this summer, and that is a first. I have gotten to spend time with my family, catch up with old friends, and go to motorcycle races; all things I thought I wasn't going to be able to do. But the time has come, I have to make some decisions, no more putting them on the back burner. What am I going to do? The answer.... I don't know. Hahaha! Right, and I can't say I care. I used to care so much about everything and recently I have found it is so tiring to constantly worry about things and it is simply just not worth it. I will figure something out, and I can say I have a few things up my sleeve, but it will all work out. And if it doesn't, it is not the end of the world. I just have to find my niche.

Upcoming.
I am going to set some goals. #1. Next year I am going to take a trip to Europe. Enough with the I'll get to it one of these days... now is the time. #2. I am going to learn to ride. I am sure my family is freaking out by this but again, its time. I am going to do it.

09/09/2010

2010-09-09T20:59:00.001-07:00

chili glazed sweet potato and black bean tacos, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

I bought sweet potatoes at the farmers market and couldn't resist making these amazing tacos...

Why I love the farmers market!

2010-09-09T20:57:00.001-07:00

heirloom tomatoes from the farmers market, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Moving forward...

2010-09-02T20:11:00.000-07:00

I heart me!

strong handshakes and cocktails made with Yoohoo?

2010-09-02T17:58:00.000-07:00

I have just returned from my annual MotoGP weekend in Indianapolis. This year was different from years past because I went solo this year and I must say, it was totally worth it! I of course ran into lots of old friends and met lots of new ones. There are a few things I have learned from this trip, #1 I have a really firm handshake. After much debate I guess it is assumed that all girls are supposed to have extremely wimpy and soft handshakes. Charlie Cox from BBC sports even boasted that I hurt his hand and he could no longer work for the day, of course he was joking and wanted any excuse to get out of commentating for the day. #2 It is odd that I do not ride a motorcycle. I never really thought about it but I suppose it is kind of strange that I never learned how. Maybe I should work on it. #3 It is also assumed that I work in the motorcycle industry. I wish! I suppose when you are surrounded by a group of friends that are all working you should be too? My new friend Charles Herron suggested that I just have to find my niche, and one day it will happen. I think its possible, since I have never actually pursued a career in the motorcycle industry why couldn't it happen? #4 Who am I with. Since when is it not acceptable for a girl to go somewhere alone? I will just put this one to rest since I think that its just silly. Because I think we all know going alone is a WAY better experience, after all this weekend just proved that for me :)
Moving forward this weekend was amazing! Not only did I have a VIP paddock pass but I got to meet lots of great people and experience the race in a completely different way. Working in an industry where I am always behind the scenes, I find comfort being in the paddock. The energy in the paddock is unexplainable. The conversations are more entertaining and everyone is "usually" in a good mood laughing and joking about. I even got to watch the beginning of the Moto2 race from the start/finish line! The only thing I regret is not taking enough pictures, which I know is a crazy thing to say because I ALWAYS take lots of pictures. This weekend was different, it was more about having fun and the experience rather than dragging the camera out every five seconds. The memories will linger in my head for sometime I'm sure. One of the highlights of my weekend was meeting the Pramac Ducati satellite team of Aleix Espargaro and getting a personal tour of the garage. I learned so much! It is so amazing to learn about the motogp bikes and how different they actually are from what you think. It was like motogp mechanics school haha!
Going to the flat track on Saturday night was also a treat, I had the opportunity to meet so many of the riders that I had only read about or heard about in the past. Bryan Smith was one of the riders I met, actually as soon as I got to the track. All his family and crew could talk about was how much a Kawasaki win would mean to them in front of an international crowd. Everyone told him he was crazy to try and race a Kawasaki, well I think he has proven them wrong! I love being a part of an environment where everyone is so laid back and welcoming. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime.
My next race is hopefully going to be in Europe next year, the only problem is that it is still up for debate as to which one to go to. I have created an inside joke between a few people because if you ask anyone in the paddock the "best" track to go to, they eventually list every track on the calendar! I will say only one person has said Qatar, which I never thought about even ever going to until now. If you don't think about where it is located and just think that you can lounge by the pool all day, take a nap, go to the track, go to the hotel and party, sleep and then lounge by the pool and start again it doesn't sound so bad! Currently I think I am leaning towards Mugello, Brno or Valencia. Luckily I have a little bit of time before I have to start planning! Right now I am still laughing at all the adventures I had in Indy and how ridiculous Friday and Sunday night were, those of you involved in either know what I am talking about ;)
This weekend has a lot to live up to, considering this will be weekend #3 of motorbikes.
For more pictures of my weekend click here: Indy Motogp 2010

NEW BOMB TURKS - leaving town live 1998/2002

2010-08-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

Dinner

2010-08-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

So tonight my mom requested an old favorite of mine, basic risotto. No frills just the basic, so I had to make it for her, the way she wanted... plain and simple.

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad
A while back I had dinner at Five and Ten in Athens, Ga and had this amazing salad. I have come close but I have never been able to match the exact salad. Tonight I paired it with a dijon vinaigrette, some parsley, fresh roasted peanuts and some shaved Parmesan cheese.

Vegan Peanut Butter Cookies!

2010-08-18T16:00:00.000-07:00

mise en place

getting ready for the oven!

yum!

It has been a while since I have baked or cooked anything for that matter. I have been in a weird mood lately. Today I woke up and it was a gloomy rainy day so I decided to make some vegan cookies. I replaced the whole wheat flour from the original recipe with spelt flour just to make them a little healthier. And the best part is that in place of sugar I used maple syrup! I think I have fooled everyone in my family that they are "normal" but they are far from what they are used to!

words and other fun things I have run into lately... enjoy

2010-08-15T11:28:00.000-07:00

dead end

2010-07-15T16:26:00.001-07:00

dead end, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

I was feeling a lot lately like I had hit the bottom, I had hit the bottom of the road... but in reality I haven't. I have now realized that I am not at the dead end, just the beginning of a new life.
I am so excited! I am packing and leaving for a month and adding a final closure to my past. I have been really nervous about this trip. In the end I have realized I have nothing to be nervous about. I am who I am, and I have to remain positive. Not to sound like a cliche but recently I have watched a person overcome a very unfortunate obstacle in his life and overcome it in record breaking time, looking more joyful than ever. So when things get us down, don't let the negativity absorb us. Remain positive and great things will come :)

Supersuckers 20th Anniversary Show: "Poor"

2010-07-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Supersuckers - 17 Poles & Coattail Rider.MP4

2010-07-14T18:09:00.000-07:00

And the storm rolls in...

2010-07-14T17:06:00.000-07:00

Today I woke up to a streak of sunlight shining through my window, I knew I was going to have a great day. Living on the coast the storms come and go, so similar to my emotions lately.

I have control now. I know where I am headed.
I drove down to the beach today after one of the storms blew over and it was gorgeous.

There were sailboats everywhere and it was so peaceful.

Today after so many days of wondering and speculating, I have realized that my life is in my control. I am currently in the best position I could ever be in, and I have been so upset that I have not realized it. I am free, I can do whatever I want. I can move where ever I want. The world is in my hands. I have no responsibilities, no attachments. I have family and friends that love and support me, no matter what. I feel so special. My destiny is in my hands.
Today I have let go!

I am working on finding out who I am, and I know it is going to be a long journey. I think I know where I am headed, but there is no rush. I am just going to enjoy my life with those who love and support me. Why bother with those that don't. Negativity is in my past. I am moving forward with a positive and healthy outlook on life.
I am happy!

photo story

2010-07-14T17:01:00.000-07:00

June 12 2010 Day #2

2010-07-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

I know I am posting this a little delayed but hey, I'm human I am allowed to get a little sidetracked right? I am focusing on goals and well its hard I will admit.
But I have found that rather than writing because I suck at it, I will take more pictures!
:)

I just have to keep reminding myself that I am on a journey that is leading me on a path, a path that is full of adventures, twists and turns. In order to heal my emotions I must let go and only on then will I truly succeed.

In order to regain control of my life I have to remember one very important thing...
I have to feel good about who I am.. I have to love me!

Lazy Cowgirls - Goodbye To Yesterday.

2010-07-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

playing in the rain

2010-07-13T19:36:00.001-07:00

playing in the rain, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Gloomy day, off to a rough start. Anxious about being on National TV again.. but so great to know I have so many great friends that love me. Overall a rocky day but ended on a high! I feel loved!
xoxo

KING AUTOMATIC "here comes the terror"

2010-07-12T12:26:00.000-07:00

Letting go never felt so good!

2010-07-11T19:16:00.001-07:00

DSC05515, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

All things blue!

2010-07-11T19:15:00.001-07:00

yum!, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

During my recent road trips I have become addicted to these.. I know they are fake healthy but so good when you don't have a blender and a fresh bunch of berries sitting in front of you!

Corn Chowder

2010-07-11T18:45:00.000-07:00

So today my mom was feeling under the weather, so I decided to make chowder! Nothing soothes the soul better than a home-made soup!

onion

mise en place

a little garlic

grated and whole corn fresh from the farm!

rendered salted pork

roux

voila!

and a fresh loaf of bread!

June 11 2010 Day #1

2010-07-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

Ok so here goes nothing...
To move forward I have to recognize the things that are holding me back. So I am planning to work on one item at a time. Today I am working on the hardest. But first I have to ask.....
For so long have I let who I am go by the waist side in order to make those around me happy. So I ask Who am I? So I made a list.. and it was hard. Should it be so hard to make a list about who you are? Where you've been, what you have accomplished, who you want to be? What is my purpose? Stepping back, and looking into my soul, past the obvious... was a difficult task.

So I begin my journey...

Step one acknowledging problem #1 and facing it head on. This by the way is probably my most raw and hardest problem to overcome because it includes so many that are so close to my heart.

How do I overcome this negative feeling I have? Well I have to think of what goals I need to work towards to free myself from negativity.
I can let go, I can be happy, and I can be strong. I can overcome.

I will grow emotionally stronger today, and I WILL feel GOOD things about ME today!!!

My affirmations for the day: I will smile, I will let go! I am in control, I will be strong, I will be happy! I will laugh today!

Letting go is best for them and for me because I love myself for who I am!

I knew today I was starting fresh.. and it started on a high, I woke up to a beautiful blue sky and a phone call from a great friend. Someone who probably shouldn't still be a part of my life but is. It put a smile on my face and gave me a great laugh. From there, I sat and sipped on my coffee and relived old songs that had made me happy in the past. Smiles and positive memories fill my soul. Today I am happy to be me!

John Schooley and HIs One Man Band- "Drive You Faster"

2010-07-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

affirmation

2010-07-10T19:17:00.001-07:00

DSC05438, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

I deserve to be happy

2010-07-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

I am going through a lot right now and so I am going to document my process of trying to work through it.

Day 1
Overcoming negative beliefs.

I often feel I am not good enough.
I often have a negative self-image of myself. I feel I am not pretty, I feel I have issues with my weight.
I feel I have a fear of succeeding in life.
I currently have feelings of anger and resentment towards a few people in my life. I feel I have been mistreated which has immobilized my emotional growth and has made me feel negatively about myself and life in general.
I have denied myself rewards for goodness, hard work and caring by not taking time for myself. I am afraid to let my guard down and relax.
I have feelings of "over-responsibility," I feel that I have to take care of others in my life and I am responsible for them no matter what.
I have feelings of failure for mistakes I have recently made.

What is the outcome of believing in negative self-scripts?

Lack of self-esteem and low self-concept: You have an inability to believe in your own worth, inability to see any value in your own life, a poor self-image and a lack of belief in your competency to succeed in life.

Negativity: Your negative view of yourself leads you to see all of your world in a negative light.

Cynicism: You take a "yes-but" cynical look at every suggestion for change in your life. You begin to doubt in the sincerity, kindness and love of others who are trying to help you. You create a barrier of cynicism to block them out, thus convincing yourself when they leave you that they really didn't care.

Depression: Because of the anger, resentment, rage, hurt, disappointment, disillusionment and suffering you experience from your negative self-scripting you are a good candidate for firm and long-lasting depression. Your emotions can become so stuck, rigid, and constricted that you can be embedded into a deep sense of melancholy, blue funk and loss of hope.

Self-affirmations:
Healing, positive self-scripts you give to yourself to counter your negative self-scripts.
Vehicles by which you can free yourself from the over-dependence on other's opinions, attitudes or feelings about you and feel good about yourself.
The visualization of a new order and sense in your life, which you can work toward achieving.
You take personal responsibility for your health and emotional stability.
You let go of negative emotional baggage you have been carrying. Only then will you be able to deal with your life in a realistic and positive manner.
The resolution of feelings from the past so that you can face the present with a less obstructed view.
You give yourself permission to grow, to change, to take risks, to rise up, and to create a better life for yourself.
You take a healthy self-oriented route in your life so that you can let go of these people who drain your resources and keep you from experiencing full personal health.
The recognition of your rights and affirming your claim on them, giving you an equitable chance of achieving your fullest potential.
Success prophecies that, when visualized, imagined or believed in, do come true.

"I" statements:

I am competent
I am strong
I am intelligent
I am beautiful
I am a good person
I am trusting
I am caring
I am generous
I am loving
I am smart
I am creative
I am open
I am talented
I am sharing

short term 3 to 6 month goals

I can heal
I can let go of guilt
I can gain self-confidence
I can be positive
I can be strong
I can handle my own problems
I can laugh and have fun
I can be honest with my feelings
I can succeed

positive affirmation of a change you want to achieve.
I will like myself better each day.
I will gain emotional strength each day.
I will give others responsibility for their lives today.
I will grow emotionally stronger each day.
I will smile more today.
I will feel good things about me today.
I will feel less guilt each day.
I will take on only what I can handle today.
I will take care of me today.
I will challenge myself to change today.

Next Step:
Creating Goal words to help visualize who I want to become and what I want to accomplish.

Visualize what I want to accomplish and what my abilities are.

Start surrounding myself with photographs of my goals.
Start believing that it is possible to achieve my goals. This motivation is the most important step on your journey to success.

Self-Affirmation Statements
creative
intelligent
successful
smart
loving
caring
pretty
think happy
be calm
take a risk
seize the opportunity
get in control
let go
let it be
I am the best friend that I have
I have the ability to handle this
I deserve to love and to be loved.
I am a skillful and artistic person.
Letting go is best for them and for me.
Nothing is worth losing my sanity over.
I am responsible only for my own feelings.
I deserve to enjoy the fruits of my labor.
I deserve to be rewarded for what I do.
I love myself for who I am.
I like the way I handle problems.
I am able to handle any problem I face.
I have the right to feel the way I do.
I deserve to relax more and take it easy.
There are beautiful things happening in my life daily.
Change is a blessing I am working toward.
Say hello to a new person today.
Open up to be loved today.
Letting go is loving
Be free of guilt today.

To be loved I must love.

There are opportunities in life to be tried.
My possibilities are endless.
Success is to be enjoyed.
There is nothing I cannot handle.
Smile

guilt

2010-07-10T09:41:00.000-07:00

I woke up today not feeling so great. My head is hurting and my self esteem is at an all time low. I am trying to find closure in my past relationship but it is so hard. I am a person that needs answers. I feel I am a person that is always aware of my surroundings but recently I feel a lot of things have slipped past me. I had a long conversation last night and realized that a person I thought I knew, a person that I was so in love with was afraid to open up to me. How is that possible? I feel a part of me is gone forever. Bad decisions have been made in my life but how could one that felt so perfect be so bad? When I was having a bad day I looked to him for comfort and support. He made me smile, he made me happy, he made me feel good. I shared my life with him, I was an open book and he kept his closed. I just don't understand how you can be in a relationship for so long and be so unhappy, and hide it from the person you say you love. I am so confused. I am trying to move on but the pain and the guilt are so hard to overcome. I think the memories hurt the worst. Right now I don't feel I can trust anyone. It is a horrible feeling. I just want to be happy again. I just want to laugh. I just want to be loved and have it be sincere.

procrastination

2010-07-09T07:41:00.000-07:00

So there are very few bands I have always wanted to see that I haven't. One being Iggy, Alice Cooper and the New Bomb Turks. I know totally opposites! Anyway being so caught up in myself lately, I have just learned that TOMORROW of all days the NBT are playing a free show in Columbus,OH. If only I was still in Cincinnati, I would be there! Oh well it will happen again.. someday....

A motorcycle I used to know....

2010-07-08T20:55:00.000-07:00

For a period of time part of my life revolved around this bike. It came into my life about 5 yrs ago. Back then it looked a lot different. It is funny how my relationship with the bike is so similar to its relationship with its owner. We had a lot of fun, we went a lot of places. We learned and grew a lot together, but also changed together. I had ideas for her and I'm sure she gave a lot of advice about me. Being much older and wiser, I hope her wisdom continues on as her owner trusts and loves her more than I will ever know. Hours of pampering and miles of road, she will never let him down. Even when she gets a little grumpy. In turn a new project arises and more time for her and her owner to bond. Once a bike for two, soon she became a bike for one, and with that my life with her ended. I can't wait to see how she evolves. I'm sure one day I will not even recognize her, even though she was once one of my favorite subjects to shoot. xoxo

Chocolate Cake with caramel, ganache frosted with Coconut Cream...

2010-07-08T20:43:00.000-07:00

So for my brothers 39th birthday he requested a cake with a lot of ingredients, so I conquered it and I think it was a success!!! Probably the heaviest cake I have ever made!

Bittersweet chocolate

2010-07-08T20:37:00.001-07:00

DSC05283, originally uploaded by --Karla--.

Making Ganache

Banana Cream Pie

2010-07-07T14:08:00.000-07:00

The photos are posted in the opposite order but I'm sure they read ok anyway. I have been doing a lot of baking to keep myself busy. Plus my dad has been dying for a pie!

back to basics

2010-07-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

Today I am working on making my first from scratch pie. I have made lots of pies in the past but none completely from scratch. I think this will be a great way to spend my day. Lots of steps to keep me busy and to keep my mind off things that are bugging me. Fourth of July weekend is always a hard one for me. I am usually in North Carolina with friends and this year I am not. Actually come to think of it this same weekend five years ago was the year I met the man who has started to ruin my life. So back to this pie and enough of this negative energy. I will post pictures as I am making it :)

bad choices.

2010-07-03T09:54:00.000-07:00

I usually keep my personal life very personal but right now I am going through a lot. My relationship with the love of my life for the past five years is ending. I feel very stagnant. I don't know what happened. Its hard when you care so much for someone and one day they wake up and decide they don't want you in their life anymore. For five years I gave every bit of my heart and soul to someone for them to just walk away when times got tough. Life if about learning and overcoming obstacles together, and its hard when you are always there for someone when they need you most but when the tables turn they leave and runaway. It is an awful feeling. Right now I am confused, and angry. I feel used and taken advantaged of. Maybe I'm just too nice. Maybe I open the door for people to walk all over me. I suppose the signs were all there all along and I just ignored them. I used to constantly think of things I could do to make him happy and the favor was never returned. I spent lots of money planning trips to motorcycle races to make him happy. What did I get in return? I searched the internet for rare magazines on cafe racers that I knew he would love, what did I get? I payed his way for 3 years and gave him place to call home and what did I get? I pampered him with gourmet home cooked meals and in return I got nothing. I suppose I am the stupid one, for not seeing I was not a priority, more a habit. I was always there. I always had answers. When I needed him most he was unavailable. He would rather run off with a band than be at my side when I needed him most. Yet through all this I am stupid enough to still care about him. Why does love do this to us? I was planning a future with him by my side and he was planning a life about himself without me. I have lost trust in everyone around me lately and it is so painful. I have been burned for the last time. I deserve better and I am going to be a successful person on my own without the help of anyone.

I have a lot of soul searching to do, I have ideas and goals I want to achieve, and I suppose this couldn't come at a better time. There are things I'd like to do and yeah sure it would be nice to share some of my experiences with another person but right now I have adventures I must do alone. When I am alone I have no distractions. I don't have to worry about anyone but myself. I don't have to listen to verbal abuse of how "stupid" I am or that I can't handle relationships. Anyone that really knows me knows I am always there for the ones I love. Sometimes too much. Lesson learned..

There have been so many changes in my life recently...

2010-06-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

For the past year every detail of my life has been about cupcakes. From the moment I woke up in the morning until I would go to sleep at night. I love it, but in the process of doing what I love I have put other aspects of my life on the back burner. I have decided that it is time for me to leave Sugar Cupcakery and am going to focus on another project I have in the works. I have loved meeting all of my loyal customers and hearing all of your feedback. Don't worry Sugar Cupcakery isn't going anywhere, things will continue on as they have for the past nine months. Right now I am taking some much needed time for myself so I can regroup and start working on my next business venture. It has been a dream to be able to create and design such a wonderful business and I wish it much success!

organic...

2010-06-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

The second question I always get asked, after the obvious "why cupcakes?" is "why organic?" Recently anyone that knows me gets to hear me go on and on about why knowing where your food comes from is so important. I was walking pass the television today and even heard Rachel Ray commenting on how large grocery store chicken breast are lately. I am sorry, it is not normal for chicken to be so big! Has anyone noticed the spike in cancer and other medical problems that are popping up all over the country? Do you think it might have anything to do with the food we are consuming? I am a firm believer that the TV dinner era has ruined our health. Foods packed with artificial ingredients and preservatives cannot be healthy for us.
I make a decision everyday to try to eat local or organic foods whenever I can. When my sister and I sat down and made the plans for Sugar Cupcakery, we decided that we were going to be organic. This meant higher cost, but we felt it was worth it. I felt it was necessary to also make everything from scratch, only the basic ingredients were going to be purchased. I wanted to keep the ingredients simple, but I wanted to create interesting flavor combinations that weren't diluted by artificial ingredients. Its amazing how many people don't really know what actual fruit taste like, they only know the artificial taste. When you make a strawberry cake it is not hot pink, rather a pale pink. I think the problem comes from mass producing our food, taking the quality away for quantity.
When we opened the doors in September I never realized what an impact we were going to make on the community. The need for gluten free and dairy free options was off the charts. I knew what I had to do, I immersed myself in books and started to do lots of research. What I found was that I was changing the way I was eating. I started cutting sugar and wheat flour out of my diet and I actually started to have more energy. I wanted my cupcakes to taste the best they could even if they were gluten free or vegan. One of my favorite cupcakes on the menu is vegan. Lots of people turn their heads when you introduce them to a vegan cupcake, they just don't understand what it is. But once they try it they realize it isn't much different from what they are used to. I guess the same goes for organic, a lot of people just don't understand what the word means. I had a customer once that asked "what exactly does organic milk taste like?" I replied, "milk?" He then asked "will my son like it?" to which I said "does your son like milk?" Its really funny how one simple word can scare so many people. What should really be scaring everyone is where their food comes from and how it is being handled before they buy it.

A bit about me...

2010-06-15T14:05:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure where to begin. So maybe I will take a moment and reflect on where I have been. The spring of 2009 was a life changing time for me. My life as a freelance photo stylist was about to change.
In 2008 while traveling through Washington D.C. around Thanksgiving, my sister and her husband walked through the doors of Georgetown Cupcake. They were in love with what they saw and decided to start planning a cupcake venture of their own back in Cincinnati Ohio. Phone calls to real estate agents began and soon they were in possession of a space to start their store. This is where I come into the picture. In March of 2009, I took a trip to Cincinnati to celebrate my little nephews 1st birthday. It was during this trip that I was taken to look at the space they had found. I walked through the doors and into a sea of turquoise blue and instantly started envisioning what this place could be. It needed a lot of work. The building was originally a bakery, then a clothing store followed by various antique stores. Ground was about to break on a complete remodel of this 1800s building so we had free reign on the design of the space. I joined forces with my sister and started flipping through all of my design swipes, ideas I always wanted to use. It felt great, for once I got the opportunity to be the art director and designer. I soon found myself flooded with emails and constantly flying back and forth between Atlanta and Cincinnati to meet with the contractors and to help pick out all the materials we would need to make this place one of a kind. I must say I loved it, the deadlines, the energy, the flood of new ideas. I was very stuck in my ways of how this place should look, and butted heads with the contractors all the time. I am so glad I stuck to my guns because the store came out better than I could have ever imagined. There is nothing like watching an idea transform right in front of your eyes! It almost happened overnight, or so it seemed. Months of walking into a construction zone and then one day it was finished. Working in a world where you spend all of your time working on a project for it to be ripped down as soon as its done, I keep waiting for it to disappear.

My job in the beginning was to design the space, with that done, I was ready to head back to my life as a photo stylist. But there was one problem. Who was going to bake? We started to interview potential pastry chefs but none seemed to meet our high standards. It was then that I decided to take on the job of being the chef of the store.

In the beginning, I was just going to stay to get things started but that's never how things really work. The store grew faster than I think any of us could have imagined. With in one month of Sugar Cupcakery being open we found our store converted into a movie set. A Cincinnati Bell commercial featuring Nick Lachey was being filmed in our little store. I was even an extra in the background. It was hilarious! I am used to being on sets but not in front of the camera.

Of course we had a lot of people against us. "An upscale organic cupcakery in the heart of Milford Ohio, they will never last." "You only sell cupcakes?" Then comments kept coming, but so did our clientele. Business was soon expanding and we found our cupcakes being sold at the ebar in Nordstrom, various coffee shops around town and even an organic delivery service. Things were on the up and up. Then came... the phone call!

It was the middle of the afternoon, I was babysitting my little nephew. The phone rings, on the other end is the frantic voice of my sister. "Are you sitting down?" she asks, "Why, whats wrong?" I reply, "You are not going to believe who just called the store!" She informs me the Food Network has called and they want us to be on a new show they have created about cupcakes. I instantly refuse and ask if she was sure it wasn't someone playing a joke on her. We have at this point only been open for 6 months and I don't feel I am ready to face the viewers of the Food Network. Also, being a self taught baker I feel my skills are not at a level where I could hold my own in a competition against other bakeries. After a few days, I finally give in. Fine lets shoot an audition video and let them decide. I remember being so against wanting to be on the show, that we put zero effort into the audition. Of course, we get the call back a day later. It is exciting and nerve racking at the same time. The phone calls become more frequent and our contacts are constantly changing as we make it past round after round of eliminations. The day we received the all important phone call I was sitting on the couch watching Yo Gabba Gabba with my nephew and Tony. On the other end of the phone I was told we had made the show. I think I started shaking, how were we going to pull this off? Was this really happening? The reality of it started to sink in once the phone calls became more frequent. I think the hardest part was not being able to tell anyone. I started spending more hours in the kitchen and our employees started to become suspicious. I wanted to make sure I was ready to be at the top of my game so I wouldn't completely embarrass myself on national TV.

The day finally came for us to fly to LA and I actually wasn't nervous, I was excited because I had never been there before. In a way this was a mini vacation, a few days away from the normal routine of being at the store. It was in no way a real vacation, the hours were still long and it was mentally draining. Not to mention the jet lag. The day of shooting, we were woken up at 4am by an earthquake. For the first time I experienced sea sickness. We were staying on the 21st floor of a high rise hotel and the aftershocks caused the building to sway back and forth. An experience I don't really want to relive anytime soon! My experience working on films and in the photo studio made me feel at home walking onto the sound stage. It is so much harder to be in front of the camera! I just had to put my head down and work through it. In the end I am proud of what we accomplished. I didn't expect to make it pass round one, but I proved myself wrong. We met so many amazing people, it was kinda sad to leave. Go team Red Velvet! I left this experience learning so much. You are never prepared for this type of competition even if you think you are. I made so many mistakes, you never realize how hard it is to bake outside of your kitchen, even if you bring half of it with you. Returning to Ohio I was very eager to get back in the kitchen, but first I had to sleep off the jet lag. I have never been so exhausted in my life, I felt sick. I think it was a combination of the long hours of the competition and the red eye flight back (which totally sucked I got zero sleep!)
When I walked back into the kitchen I felt I had grown so much, the way I thought about my ingredients completely changed. I have always been very aware of how I have prepared everything, but now I was seeing it in a different light. The judges critics kept playing over and over again in my head. I have gained so much from this experience, but I still have so much to learn...