Many of you know or have heard whispers of my permanent move to Seattle in Spring of last year on Facebook or Twitter. I’ve been in Seattle (Edmonds) for just over a year now.  It’s hard to believe I left Austin, TX and have been in “Emerald City” over a year already.  It’s no joke, life gets busy, time flies . . . and things fall by the wayside.

I moved to the Seattle area to take a promotion to a project manager position on Whole Foods Store Development Team in the Seattle, WA area.  It’s a move back to the work I was doing before coming on board with Whole Foods just over four years ago. I have to say it’s been a stressful year (my house is not completely un-packed; e.g. garage is full of storage boxes) with relocating my life across the country, but it’s also been a ton of fun and a growth period for me as well.

I like to be the best at what I do, and now approaching 46 years old, I also know there has to be balance where this is concerned.  I have many interests in my life outside of my job, this blog being a major one.  I’m also a working artist and a part-time student at Harvard.  So balancing my schedule is tough and I’m even tougher (sometimes brutal) on myself when I don’t make personal deadlines or do as well as I think I should.  Friends and Co-workers say to me routinely “I don’t know how you find the time to do everything you do”.  I always joke “I’m not married and I don’t have kids,” so that’s how I find the time.  But as I’m getting older, my priorities are shifting, which was part of why I moved to the Seattle area.

Why am I sharing all of this? Life is short and I’m refocused on the blog and making time where the things I really enjoy.  I’m so incredibly grateful for the success I’ve had with my blog and the partnerships it’s provided. Who would have every guessed one of my recipes would be featured on Today.com?  I’m grateful for the time I spent in Austin, TX and the food community that were really good to me and were the foundation for what is Blinded by the Bite! blossomed.  I cannot say thank you enough to everyone in the Austin food community who embraced me.

Chef’s and PR companies who welcomed me into their restaurants and events.  Farmers who invited me out to come work in the fields or just hang out on the farm.  The Austin Food Blogger Alliance – this small group started thanks to Addie Broyles with potlucks.  I attended my first in 2008 and now AFBA is a registered non-profit that gives back to the food community.  Edible Austin – Thank you to Marla & Jenna for allowing me to be part of your food magazine.  It was a pleasure for the short time I got to be part of the magic that is Edible Austin. I will never forget getting to sit next to Amanda Hesser and Paula Disbrow at one of the many fabulous events the two of you have.

Austin FOOD + WINE Festival gave me four amazing years of  awesome interviews, delicious food, sumptuous cocktails and fun, fun, fun!  Christina Grdovic & Sarah Abell, thank you for always being so gracious and kind to me, giving me such great access each year.

Keeper Collection – where do I start with Diane and her team?  From weekly #SOMMCHAT‘s to “The Wine Ride” thank you for being so good to me and always including me.  Our dinner during Foreign & Domestic’s #IndieChefsWeek just after my grandmother passed away I will never forget Diane.

West Elm Austin for partnering me on a Thanksgiving story for KitchenAid’s Blog “Kitchenthusiast” and an in-store DIY event. For all my foodie and non-foodie friends – there are too many to list but know I cannot thank you enough and miss you all deeply. Being welcomed home by friends who want to take you to the newest Austin restaurant really is what makes coming home to Austin so sweet.  To The Daily Meal Team – I cannot say thanks enough for the fun  and opportunities provided to me. I enjoy writing about food and travel!

My hopes are to find this same community here in Seattle, WA.  I’ve got a head start being I’ve spent the last two-year prior to my move visiting Seattle for work/pleasure.  I have several friends here that are also part of the thriving food community in and around Seattle.  I have friends in Austin (Valerie Broussard) who have introduced me to restaurants, farmers and new friends here in Seattle. Now that I am finally getting settled in and have found my grove with the new job, I will be able to find the time to take a deep dive into the food community and circle back with some of the fabulous contacts I’ve met here at events.  Book Larder is a gem I’ve discovered thanks to my friends Annelies Zijderveld (author of “Steeped“) and Jeanne Sauvage (author of “Gluten-Free Wish List” and “Gluten-Free Baking for the Holidays”) who have both had book signings and demo’s at the space.  I still miss Metier Austin, but Jessica said they’ll ship goodies to me here in Seattle (thank you Jessica Maher).

School starts back up again for me full-time in September at Harvard.  I took the spring and summer off from classes at Harvard much to my chagrin, especially since I wanted into a food writing class that was offered this past semester. Ultimately the timing didn’t work out, but the class is going to be offered again this coming fall so it’s on my radar and I’m on the professors radar.

In my recent explorations in and around Seattle, I found Gage Academy of Art.  I haven’t been painting at my usual pace for the last eight years.  I just haven’t been feeling it to be honest.  I did show at the Arthouse of the Jones Center (which is now The Contemporary Austin) and Dunn and Brown Contemporary (now Talley Dunn Gallery) as part of the annual FIVE X SEVEN exhibit.  I stumbled upon Gage actually on my way to find a church that overlooks downtown Seattle.  I like to think it was divine intervention or the universe giving me a swift kick in the ass telling me it’s time to pick up my brushes and put some paint on a canvas.

Life is good.  I’m being fed well here in Seattle and I’ve been traveling to Canada on the regular.  I ‘m grateful for those in my life and where this new journey is taking me.  I hope you will continue along for the ride!