Readers have been asking about my references to leaving Texas, and since I promised to make the blog more personal anyway, it’d probably be good to elaborate. If you’re only interested in recipes, feel free to skip this post; the recipes will continue soon.
I’ve always been a passionate person.
This can either be a good or bad thing, depending on the situation. From the moment I decide to do something, I will throw all of my energy into it, can’t be talked out of it by anyone (including myself), and stubbornly refuse to give up until I’m successful. Or until I’m dragged away, kicking and screaming.
(My apologies to anyone who knew me as a two-year-old and witnessed one of my epic temper tantrums.)
In terms of the blog, this passion could mean baking seventeen batches of brownies in the span of two days to perfect the recipe… it could mean staying up until 3 am writing and editing a post I’m dead-set on publishing the next morning… it could mean reading through an entire computer self-help volume in a night to figure out how to implement one piece of coding… All real examples of things I’ve done.
And in my non-blog life, this passion manifests itself in the risks I take, some of which people would consider to be crazy.
Like when I quit college to write a food blog…
In mid-October I decided that I wanted to was going to move to New York City, and I was going to do it before the month was over. So after planning everything down to the minutia, I packed my belongings into the car and commenced the long drive, pausing only for what was supposed to be a short detour to stay with cousins I’d promised to visit, directly along the way.
However, life decided it had a better idea than mine.
The morning I was scheduled to finish the trip, I woke up with a 102-degree fever; only the third time I’ve been sick in fourteen years. No big deal… I called my sister in New York (at whose apartment I’d planned to stay while looking for my own place) and told her to expect me the next weekend instead. Friday night before the next weekend: little sister calls me this time, saying she’s dealing with a gas leak at the apartment and could I please stay where I am for the moment? And then an unseasonably-early ice storm hit, rendering the roads un-drivable.
Meanwhile I found myself developing close relationships with some amazing people around me. Every day was a new adventure–from a Washington, D.C. socialite gala to a Rob Zombie concert, and everything in between. I was experiencing life in a way I’d never experienced it before, and it made me wonder…
Once I got it in my mind to stay?
Of course there was no talking me out of that decision either.
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Welcome to the East Coast! Happy to have you in the area, so much to see do and love in DC, VA and MD!
Good for you, Katie and best of luck with everything!! btw, you look AMAZING!!! so healthy and HAPPY! 🙂
So where did you end up? This enquiring mind wants to know…
I think the biggest risk I’ve taken lately was when my husband and I signed up for training to become volunteer pictograph tour guides at our local state park, here in far west Texas. Being in my late 60s and never being at all athletic made this a real challenge, because to do this job you have to be able to scramble around on big rocks, which really means climbing on them. I’ve managed to do that and get to where I really enjoy it.
As a post-script, political stuff aside, I’m really enjoying living in Texas. 🙂
Washington, D.C. 🙂
What neighborhood did you choose? The view from your apartment looks like Crystal City or Pentagon City to me! We just moved from D.C. to New York, but enjoy yourself! There is great vegan food at Elizabeth’s Gone Raw (D.C.), Sunflower Vegetarian Restaurant (Vienna, Va.), Sticky Fingers Sweets and Eats (D.C.), Loving Hut (Falls Church, Va.), and Everlasting Life Cafe (D.C.). ENJOY!!
Thank you so much for all the recommendations. I will definitely have to check some of them (read: all of them) out :).
I am happy for you but!! When I read you are about to move to NYC I was so excited, thinking I might bump into you haha
What am incredible story. Life really does work out to what is best for us. The great thing about DC is that NY is only about a 40 minute flight! You can see your sister so easily on weekends. I’m so excited for you! You are going to LOVE DC! And there is no place to have Christmas than in Washington. 🙂
How exciting Katie! I wish you all the luck there is.
Katie, so you’re in DC then? I just moved from there last year! I LOVED DC – easily one of the most intense, incredible moves of my life. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. I lived there for 5 years and recently moved back to Houston to be near my family again after being away for more than 10 years. All the best and definitely let us know about some good vegan restaurants around there!
I live in DC and just know you’re going to love it! Besides having a great vegan restaurant in Mount Pleasant (Woodlands Bistro/ Everlasting Life Cafe), there are so many great running routes around the monuments etc you’re going to love!
Congrats Katie! I did my undergrad in DC and LOVE LOVE LOVE it there! It has a much different feel than NY (I grew up in the suburbs) but it is such a wonderful city! Checkout Elizabeth’s Gone Raw, Everlasting Life Cafe, Puree Juice Bar, and Busboys and Poets,