February–March Update: Travel, Food, and Photography
Hey there — long time no chat. I skipped a full “February Things” post because life felt pretty low-key, but a few nice moments did happen and I wanted to share them. Below is a quick roundup of the trips, good food, photography work, and small changes around the blog. If you’re here for recipes and photography tips, stick around — I’ll be back with a recipe tomorrow.
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Quick trip to Columbus. Earlier in the month Miguel and I drove to Columbus to visit my best friend, Candice. We ate at Tasi Cafe, Condado and Lemongrass — each spot had great flavors and a relaxed vibe. Before the game we stopped at Lineage Brewery, played board games and sipped craft beer. It turns out board games plus a few good beers makes a professional sports outing much more enjoyable, at least for me. We also attended a Columbus Crew (MLS) match at Miguel’s request. I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but the atmosphere and company made it a fun night out.
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Washington, DC wedding weekend. The following weekend we flew to DC for Miguel’s sister’s wedding. The ceremony took place in a lovely park followed by a casual reception at their parents’ house. It was refreshingly low-key — one of the most laid-back brides I’ve seen, and that made the whole event feel intimate and comfortable. I did indulge in way more food than necessary, and I have zero regrets about it. Celebrations like that are exactly why I love family gatherings.
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Movie recommendation. If you haven’t seen Get Out yet, I recommend it. It’s entertaining, more clever than purely scary, and has unexpectedly funny moments. It made for a great night at the movies and is one of those films that sticks with you after you leave the theater.
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Grandma’s birthday. We celebrated my grandmother’s birthday earlier in the month. I gave her an apron — I’m trying to bring aprons back into rotation. They’re practical for cooking, protect clothing, and mine sees a lot of use. It felt nice to give something both useful and a little nostalgic.
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Photography and cookbook work. I’ve continued assisting Jessica with her cookbook and recently shot photos for Kettle and Fire Bone Broth for their website and social media. Food and product photography can be challenging, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Shooting for a brand like Kettle and Fire gave me the chance to focus on lighting, styling, and compositions that highlight simple, wholesome ingredients — skills I enjoy bringing to client projects and my own recipe posts.
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Blog refresh and upcoming plans. You might have noticed a subtle redesign here on the blog. Julie from Deluxe Designs helped me create something simpler, a bit more minimalist, and hopefully timeless. The next task on my blog to-do list is adding more recipe categories so readers can sort recipes by meal type and dietary needs. That change will take some time to implement, but it will make it easier to find gluten-free, vegetarian, or other diet-specific recipes — so please be patient while I work through it.
All in all, February and March were full of short trips, good food, family moments, and creative work. I’m excited about the photography projects and the blog updates, and I appreciate the patience of anyone waiting for new recipe organization. Tell me what you’ve been up to lately — travel, food, or projects — and I’ll be back tomorrow with a new recipe and some behind-the-scenes photos from the shoots.