come alive.

(via)

It took me many of years to find out what I wanted to be when I grew up and I have to say it has been worth the wait.  I am more exhausted than I have ever been -- working FT, going to night school FT and volunteering with chefs when I have ANY free time. However, I would not change it for anything.  

I made a lot of mistakes and took a few wrong turns along the way.

Do I regret those? Not at all. I learned from each and everyone.

Plus if you never try, how will you ever know what you are good at?

I love, love, love school; 

love my fellow chefs-to-be.

I have already cultivated some super close and special relationships with these folks, who will later become my colleagues. 

You see? Being a Chef can become a competitive game, but we all really care about one another and want to create something good and succeed at it. 

It's a nice feeling.

(via)

Last night, I volunteered to help with a chocolate making class and learned a lot from a few pastry students that will be graduating in 2 weeks. 

They were super cool and we really liked them a lot.

They also told us that we will get some Chefs that are easier to learn from.

That is all I will say about that.

Oh and a perk of going to a culinary school is being fed by the culinary students.

Last night, we indulged in a huge buffet with some of the best food I have ever tasted. 

We all had our plates piled high.

I felt like a Queen.

Delish!

(via)

So, the weekend is now upon us. I have class til 11PM and then some classmates heading over to hang and chill on my rooftop. 

Then MOMMY arrives Tuesday night! 

I cannot wait to see her. 

And after Mom leaves, my MIL arrives.

Then we get a week free and up come my Aunt and MawMaw!

FAMILY ROCKS!

I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

I plan on it.

And a question before I go:

Are you living your life to the fullest????

Love,

Summer Athena.

(via)

Little Miss Baker Bee

  Beehive 

Apricot Brioche

 Pannetone and Pan de Mie

Breads are coming to a close for now.

We are starting on cakes.

You would assume I am feeling confident going into cakes since I have the most experience in it but I am actually feeling quite the opposite.

I am self-taught so a lot of my caking skills are not the best to have and I will be learning more and I am open to that. I just don't want to get too stressed with timing and doubt my ability. That seems to happen a bit in class. 

We shall see. I am excited and scared at the same time!

;)

Cheers,

Summer Athena

shoes shoes shoes & do we have a winner????

I have always loved Rachel Roy's shoe designs.
They are fun and affordable.
I was reading a post by Sweet Caroline this am and saw she loves Ms. RR too.
So, I had to show you my faves from her line.

And since we are on the subject of shoes, I would like to speak about

Tory Burch.

You see, I own her flats in lime green, her flip flops and a pair of sandals.

And I have to admit that I have been unhappy with each pair.

TB Flats -- The back elastic cuts into my heel and causes mucho pain.

I feel like the side of my foot is gonna fall out most of the time.

After awhile, they stretched out and no longer hurt my heel but flip flop off.

TB Flip Flops -- The only pair of flip flops that have ever given me a blister where the thong is (and a bad one at that). So bad that I had to see a doctor for it. Nothing more needs to be said.

TB sandals -- So pretty. Black and gold. After 3 months, the bottom part of the shoe came off and I brought it to the shoemaker to fix. It broke again a month later. Also, the thong hurt!!!!

Here are the deets:

I wear a size 8.5 M. Kinda average, right?

I do walk in my shoes because I live in NYC, but shoes are supposed to be walked in.

I am not running marathons here, people.

Is it just me or have others had this same issue?

PS -- i do love her clothes and bags. No issues there.

♥

♥

♥


And last but not least....


Winner of the IROCKSOWHAT Header Giveaway is . . .

ELISA 

from

Congrats, lady!!!
♥
One more thing:

Enter April's Giveaway but let me win!

Love,Summer Athena

time for tea?

♥ scones, croissants and stollen ♥




all delicious things, which lead me to tell you how difficult it is to try and lose weight when studying pastry arts. it is a skill to have just one bite and find the time to work out when you work a 40 hour a week job and go to class 3 nights a week for 5+ hours at a time. 
and also deal with all the crap that life is throwing at us and try not to eat our emotions.


i am desperate to get some of this weight off.
i just want to fit into my old clothes.
please.


help me. someone. please.

The Elvis

Weekend in Review


Saturday:

I worked the Serious Eats All-Star Sandwich Festival with Kareem (my FCI classmate) and even in the 125 degree heat, we had a blast.

We worked for Peanut Butter & Co. and had the pleasure of making the Elvis - peanut butter, banana, honey and bacon.

I was in charge of prepping the sandwich, while Kareem grilled them in massive amounts of butter.

{KC doing his signature pose}

{Sandwich maker extraordinaire}

{Worst photo of me ever. 
It was so hot and we were both the sweatiest we'd ever been.}

♥

Sunday:

After I slept the night away, I met up with my friends at Barbounia for brunch.

Good times. Good food. Good friends.

My cousin was in town visiting another friend so she stopped in to see me.

It was so nice to catch up with her.

Photos to come later.

How was your weekend?


Love,
Me

my soul shines and dims at the same time.

i've come to realize that i wanted to become

 an actress because i have a passion in me that is pretty special.

i feel more than most. 

i allow my heart to open in ways that others' won't.

i feel each and every emotion as it might be my last.

i feel a connection with people, nature, animals, the planet, everything.

some might see me as a bit kooky but i am me and that is the best person i can be.

 i have a heart that hurts deeply, that loves with everything i have.

that is confused and surprised.

that beats and flutters.

that skips beats and laughs when i smile.

someone recently told me that they could read me like a book.

i don't completely agree with that.

i have my secrets. i have special things i keep to myself.

i hide my hurt or my happiness well when i need to.

i'll admit that i often think back to the past and wonder if i took the right path, 

if i followed the one for me.

and i find myself never finding the right answer.

but there is a door with a light shining through that i still need to open.

one that will allow me to figure it all out.

people come into your life for a reason.

those reasons are good and bad.

some vanish in body but never leave your soul.

they can either haunt you, guilt you, make you regret or 

they whisper to your heart and remind you to just be.

to be happy, to be sad, to be angry, to be indifferent.

i think back on my life.

all the way to childhood and it really does seem like a movie.

an indie film that is small and unknown and then explodes and the whole world

relates. they get it. they get me.

i am older and wiser and sillier and sadder and happier than i have ever been.

are there things that are still missing from my life?

my goodness -- yes.

so much.  and i just try to either not think about it or wholeheartedly experience the emotions attached.

i want to get better at getting my small desires met but without force.

i like it all being organic.

i want more of my life to be that way, 

because i see that i have been forcing some things.

forcing myself to feel passion in another way.

forcing something that maybe is not right, because i am searching.

i want to feel beautiful on the inside.

i want to radiate sunshine.

i want to show my clouds shed rainbow colored tears.

that i can feel the happiest i've ever been making peanut butter and bacon sandwiches on the hottest day of the year, because i am doing something i love.

something that saved me from destroying myself.

i still have dreams that i want to see come true.

i still have things i need to do.

not just for me but to make a difference. 

and when i know what it is, i'll tell ya or 

you will just feel my rays shining down on your shoulders and know.

that is all.

~ me

Serious Eats!

Tomorrow, I am volunteering through FCI to work the Serious Eats All-Star Sandwich Festival on Governor's Island and I am super excited. If you don't read this blog, you need to.

There are plenty of volunteers but we are culinary and will be assigned to a chef.

This is a super cool way to network and put our skills into action.

It's gonna be a long day but so fun and man, I love what I do!

Lots of photos to come!

Have a happy weekend!

From top, clockwise: Locanda Verde's lamb meatball sliders, Taim's falafel, Banh Mi Zon's banh mi.

*all photos taken from SE blog

holla, challah.

(via)

This has been one, hectic week.

Husband is away (taking care of his Pops), so

 one of my gal pals from school is staying with me.

She had a bit of a bed bug problem at her place.

And honestly, I am having a blast.

She is helping me forget about my adult-life drama.

KC, L-Dog and I chilled on the roof after class.

We chatted it up.

Put our feet up and laughed our asses off.

Envision this:

Two girls on a deflating air-mattress with no one to help them out, while eating the Challah bread we made, which resembled a male body part. 

OOPS.

Had to be there hysterical.

Man, laughter really is the.best.medicine.

♥

Love,
Summer
Athena
B.

so me.

From FREE PEOPLE:

I am absolutely in ♥ with this look.

I ♥ graphic tees.

I ♥ florals.

I ♥ skirts.




Tomorrow + Me = a glorious shopping day.

Love,
Summer

B is for Bread.

HOLA.

I was recently asked to do a little interview over at B for Bel and of course, I said yepper.

She does this awesome series called, "Never Worked a Day in Your Life" and my interview was about working to become a Pastry Chef.

I don't think I am cool enough for interviews but I did my best.

Head on over and tell me what you think.

And speaking of work as in my paying, day job -- no comment.

I am in a mood that needs to pass quickly or it will cause me to get an ulcer.

And of course, I shall leave you with something else we baked . . .

Orange Swirl Cinnamon Bread

I have to admit something.

I am sure people will be in shock.

I 

do

not

like

cinnamon.

EEEEEK!

Love,

Summer Athena

hola.

Hello all.

Been extremely busy and a little stressed as of late.

Welcome to my new readers and thanks for all the compliments on my header.

Jess is awesome. I sent her a inspiration board and she worked her magic.

I am so happy with it and love that I simplified my background/layout too.

♥ Visit with Sister ♥

{Crif Dog, Meatball Shop, LES, Chinatown, Little Italy}

♥♥♥

We have officially moved onto breads and I am really digging it.

I have more photos to post but wanted to tease you with the above. ;)

I am not partnered up with my sweet friend, Lauren and she is my roomie for the week while Adam is away in Cali taking care of his Father (below).

My father in law, Lou.

♥♥♥

And I have a little surprise for you all.

Here is a sneak peek - - sorta.

Doughnut Plant

♥♥♥

PS - - Enter to win a header from IROCKSOWHAT here.

Love,

Summer

Like! Dislike? Enter.

See something new here?

Like the place?

I had a bit of help re-decorating from Jess of

She is super talented,

quite inspiring, 

a great mama to a cute little boy

and a damn good artist.

And because I love my new banner, I am giving you a chance to get one too.

Well, not MY banner, but you can have Jess do one up for you.

You just need to enter to win.

I suggest you do these things to enter:

1 entry:  

Check out Jess at IROCKSOWHAT and say hi.

2 entries:  

I would like it if you are a reader. 

So, just let me know if you are and what you enjoy reading over here.

3 entries:  

Tweet or Blog about this here, little giveaway.

♥

I've had a tough weekend, folks.

Really tough.

I decided to do a little giveaway to make everyone else happy.

So, enter and good luck.

Love,

Summer

friday hearts

Words to live by:

(via)

♥

Even though we keep ourselves busy and occupied, we are always hoping and praying for the child meant for us.

We don't care how, we just want to love and raise up a beautiful soul and give it all it needs and more.

Y'all know I have tons of love to give and I often find myself picturing me holding the baby and kissing the baby and running next to a bike knowing our child will keep going and not fall and if they do, we will bandage em up and have a dance party.

So, here are things that I like in the "child" area of my heart.

(via)

(via)

(via)

(via)

(via)

(via)

♥

And here are some of my faves this season:

(via)

(via)

(via)

♥

And of course, I cannot leave out the desserts.

I love making pastries and look forward to breads but cannot wait for cakes.

(via)

(via)

Happy weekending, all.

My sister and her husband are here and it has been so nice.

Cannot wait to be done with class tonight to run home and hang some more.

Much love,

S

baking

♥

♥

This will be the last of the puff pastries, friends.

The unit ends with our written and practical exams this Friday.

I am saving as much as I can to share with my sister and her husband (they arrive today)!


Regarding the exams:


I am a bit nervous about my puff pastries. 
We covered a lot of ground in this unit.
Could the baked Gods help me?


XO
Summer Athena