Texas, Y'all!

Hello family and friends!

Well... what is she up to now?

Dallas, y'all. Dallas.

Where shall I begin...

First of all, I absolutely adore this city. I feel, for the first time in a very long time, that I am "home." And I am grateful beyond words to have a job that I love. I am working as a private chef for a

wonderful family in Dallas. I work the majority of the time at their breath-taking ranch (ab

out two hours from Dallas). My job entails a huge number of responsibilities... all menu planning, execution of creative courses/plating, daily honing of my culinary skills, challenging myself to prepare impressive healthy food... I love each and every single aspect. Is it a huge sacrifice? Of

course it is. I enjoy the hard work and opportunity to share my gift and passion of the culinary arts.

My apartment is inundated with culinary books. Seriously. And I love it. Is it wrong that I become more excited over culinary books/tools than jewelry? I love to learn and challenge myself to improve on a daily basis.

You know, cooking entails a huge amount of trust. While recipes are a great "backbone," I always change flavors by using different techniques, spices, herbs, etc. Trusting self by listening to intuition (although it is much more than just mere "intuition") is imperative. had to laugh a few weeks ago... it was a Friday evening and I was at the ranch making hand-made gnocchi and pasta with the Food Network playing in the background. Friday night.

I know... sweet life.

Hehe, I am kidding, of course. I truly love my job and the opportunity to grow and learn. It is easy to make food taste delicious if one adds enough butter, cream and oils. However, the challenge comes into play when creating healthy meals that do not sacrifice impeccable taste. I enjoy

researching/experimenting with ingredients that tickle your palate without leaving one feeling heavy and lethargic. And the plating is always my favorite aspect... edible art. I often finish the decorations with delicate micro-greens, vibrant sauce/puree colors, edible flowers, glitter, gold-leaf paper... good grief, I am such a girl :)

Enough food talk for now. I really do love Texas. I would have to say that of all of the states, Texas probably has the most loyalty and state pride. There is a true, genuine southern mentality and sense of hospitality that is second to none. I love meeting new friends, cheering for the Mavs and Stars at the games (I get SO excited!), enjoying the sunshine during winter and truly savoring the beauty of life. The streets are brilliantly decorated in glowing Christmas lights, Christmas music permeates the air and I am thankful to share my passion for life with others. I am attending a wonderful church that I adore and have been meeting brilliant friends on a weekly basis.

Ultimately, I am thankful. I am thankful for life. I am thankful for loving family and friends. I am thankful for this time in my life... to learn how to live loved and actually apply this to my life! I am thankful.

All my love to each of you from DALLAS!!

Love, sb :)

"Let the Rain Fall Down... I'm Coming Clean..."

Hi Family and Friends!

It is the little things in life.

The Arizona rain has inundated the mountains and desert for several days. The storms bring forth billowing clouds, menacing shadows against the mountains, a gloomy sky and ominous lightning... far opposite from the usual glorious sunshine and sparkling blue sky. Such are the storms of life...

(Photo of one of my brothers, Michael, and my little nephew - Jonah!)

Today I decided to take advantage of the few hours of dry weather, in between pouring rains, in order to hike South Mountain. As I am writing this, the clouds are beginning to encroach upon the evening... I am thankful that I ran quickly and made it home safely. And I also have those beautiful endorphins rushing through my veins... bonus.


The paths on the mountain were easy to maneuver... usually the desert floor is dry and rather slippery. However, the rain soaked into the ground and transformed the earth into greatly appreciated traction. Ergo, my usual jumping and leaping from one rock to another boulder flowed like a modern dance of the "Sugar Plum Fairies" (except no sugar plums, nor fairies were involved... so I suppose that analogy describing my hops and bounds up the mountain did not do my ascent justice. Ahh, such are the ways of life!) Upon reaching the top of the mountain, I decided to continue onward... witnessing more of the summit... warm earth-toned browns, vibrant coppers and desert reds...

When trials, tribulations and storms come into our life, we have the opportunity to choose how we react. It is very humbling to be brought to your knees, but is the only way to find true joy and peace which penetrate into our hearts... radiating only from above. One can also notice the small, but significant details of nature. The past few days have stormed. Hard. However, after the rain nourished the ground, delicate and almost imperceptible green buds began to spring forth between the rock crevices and the desert floor... breathing a new life. Mustard seeds among thorns. A chance for new renewal and reiteration that every single circumstance in life happens for a reason.

"Yeah it does."

Times of delay, confusion, uncertainly, frustration, inability to control a situation... it can be easy to doubt our inner selves... believing lies of inadequacy, dear, ineptitude...

Maryanne Williamson once said, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and famous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberated others."

Delayed/frustrating times or trials allow our hearts to grow and change... sometimes for the better, sometime for the worse. Ideally, the former! We have the opportunity to display our patience and faith during challenging times. How would our true characters be shaped if life was a continuous high of sunshine and butterflies?

No matter what the circumstance, there is always hope. All it takes is faith... the size of a mustard-seed.

So dance in the rain and allow the water to wash away the past. We do not live in guilt, but in hope. And that, my friends, is beautiful freedom.

All my love from Arizona,

sb :)

ps- I sent this in a previous update, but I have been uploading cooking videos onto youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/serasmile7
All impromptu, not-edited (obviously!) I hope you enjoy! :)