May 2011 – Ravenous Woman

May 27, 2011

Colossus

If you haven’t seen photos of Colossus from the Maker Faire website, you really should take a look. This art installation, brought over from Burning Man, was like the Empire State Building of Maker Faire. It was quite literally the center of the festival, and …

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by sydneybfrancis

May 26, 2011

Lockpicking Village!

Now that I’m back and slowly catching up on sleep, I have so much to share with you about my weekend at Maker Faire. So much that I’m going to share it over the rest of the week. I think it’s fitting that the first …

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by sydneybfrancis

May 19, 2011

Maker Mania

I need to go to bed soon. I’m helping out with Maker Faire, a huge weekend in the south Bay full of crafters, makers, hackers, techies, and other DIY folk get together to show their work. I can’t wait.

This is all part of my new adventure working for a cool media company. It couldn’t be more different from the kitchen, but I welcome the opportunity to foster another skill set. Change is something that finds me easily.

I will disappear for a few days, but can’t wait to come back and share my weekend with you. I know it will be amazing!

In the meantime, let me put a plug in for the event. If you are a local Bay Area-er, I totally think you should go to San Mateo on Saturday and Sunday. I know that sounds weird, since I’m a first timer myself, but this is so different from a music festival and seeing the heart and soul that goes into it … I’m just so proud to be a part of it.

Good night, world!

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by sydneybfrancis

May 17, 2011

When Pictures Can’t Do Justice

Warning: on one of the most breathtaking days I’ve had in months, my camera A) could not capture the events quick enough and B) stopped working properly altogether. It’s probably for the best, since we all know pictures rarely are as great as the real …

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by sydneybfrancis

May 16, 2011

One Week Later, Still Recovering

I live in a pretty special place. So special, that on a random Sunday afternoon, I can walk into a random local bar with a friend and see an Elvis impersonator performing all day. I’m not going to lie. He was good. The crowd loved …

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by sydneybfrancis

May 12, 2011

Confession

There’s something I’ve been wanting to get off my chest. I’m not who you think I am. There are things about me you don’t know and it’s time I come clean.

I am a classically trained professional pastry chef, a food blogger, and a cookbook author. I also have some of the worst eating habits of anyone you know. I’m addicted to junk food. I skip breakfast most of the time. I even have bouts of smoking for months at a time.

Sometimes I go a week without cooking an actual meal for myself. (This is more apparent when I work in restaurants.) When I cook all day at work, I crave snacks and cereal when I get home. I can’t live without Annie’s boxed mac and cheese.

You may be shocked. There are so many lovely food blogs with healthy yoga girls and former editorialists showing you how to live a better life. I want to have something to share with you, even if it gets a little gritty from time to time. I put a lot into finding interesting experiences to write about, even weaving in a metaphor or two with the food adventure. But if I ever let you in to see the real me, you need to know that I am often just a single gal who drinks milk right out of the container and struggles to find enough plates when the neighbors come over.

I’m a simple girl. With lots of vices.

But you know what? I want to change. I want to be healthier. I want to kick the smoking for good, even when I’m feeling Anthony Bourdainish. I’d like to exercise and not feel like running is on par with torture.

The truth is, we each have lots of things to work on. Mine just involves a major change in lifestyle. Don’t get excited, I’m going to do this in baby steps.

And the good food stays, including all the things with butter and bacon. I’m just going to scale down on the bachelorette-cavewoman tendencies.

Just thought I’d clarify.

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by sydneybfrancis

May 12, 2011

Free Food Photography Workshop!

Thanks to the Pioneer Woman for posting this photography opportunity! Penny de los Santos, a photojournalist for National Geographic and Saveur has posted this video showing some of her work and announcing her class. If you tune into her workshop live May 13 – 15, …

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by sydneybfrancis

May 10, 2011

The Things that Spring Brings

Love. New Beginnings. Reinvention. Better Sleep. Longer days. The promise that all things are possible. Daffodils. Asparagus. Sunshine. Hope.

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by sydneybfrancis

May 9, 2011

Ode to My Mama

Typically on Mothers’ Day, you think about your mom. This year, I actually thought about my mom the whole day. I’ve actually been thinking about her a lot the past few months. She’s been through a lot this year, taking on my grandfather’s caretaking for six months, and losing her older sister and both her parents all within that time period.

I’m happy to know that through her grief, she’s remembering to take care of herself. A lot of moms forget to do that.

I’m also happy to know that she’s a big part of my life at present, and that we’ve worked through our ups and downs typical of the complex mother-daughter relationship.

I’m lucky that she’s there for me for late night meltdowns and emergency care packages filled with candy and new sheets (I usually keep mine long after there are holes in them). For the miles of sandwiches she’s made just the way I like over the years, the unconditional I love yous that so often elicited no response, for giving me space when I needed it, yet knowing when I needed her at my side and being there.

I’m glad she is full of life, love and laughter.

I’m glad she’s made me the woman I am.

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by sydneybfrancis

May 1, 2011

Vegas, Baby

I realized that I still hadn’t posted about my trip to Vegas the other weekend. Bad blogger! My best friend is getting hitched this summer (ahem, to a lad from college in which I which I may have had a hand in arranging the match). …

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by sydneybfrancis

Month: May 2011