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Last week, I attended the Altitude Design Summit, a yearly design and craft blogging conference held at the chic Grand America Hotel in Salt Lake City. Being a graphic designer, design in all its forms is a passion of mine. I follow dozens of design blogs from which I draw inspiration on a daily basis. That's how I first heard about the Alt Summit last January: suddenly, all my favorite blogs were posting about it, and in fact, after checking out the schedule, I realized that all my favorite bloggers were speakers at the conference. My first thought was, "Why haven't I heard about this conference before now?" then, "I have to make sure I make it there next year".
I knew attending the summit would be fulfilling from a creative point of view, but I wondered whether I would draw true relevant advice for my work and my blog. My blog isn't about design but about food, after all, but I figured I would give it a try. I registered for the conference, reserved a hotel room, booked my flight and waited for January 18 2012 to arrive.
As I fly back home, I can say that Alt was one of the best conferences I’ve attended so far. Many other attendees share my enthusiasm and several happy posts have already been written on the subject. Although I share everyone’s super happy, positive, creatively charged state of mind, I thought it would be great to round up the five objective reasons why I loved Alt Summit – and, if you have a blog as well, I think you will too.
Continue reading 5 {Objective} Reasons Why I Loved Alt Summit »
The start of a new year is the moment when I reflect on the 12 months that have just passed (oh, so quickly!), and I like to identify the best things that happened to me over the past year. I believe firmly that my life is driven by each and every decision I make, every day. I rely on my intuition to make decisions and I try to analyse the outcome, be it positive or not. Understanding helps me hone my intuition skills, which helps me take better decisions. And so on.
Of course, I make mistakes, and of course, I take bad decisions sometimes. Some areas in my life have always given me a hard time (like budgeting, ahem!), but I try to keep working on them to get better. Because life is usually good at throwing curve balls, I never stop learning and can always count on being surprised.
In 2011, there were several things I’m especially thankful for:
- The inspiring people I’ve met online over the past year: I feel as though my circle of friends has grown exponentially;
- My friends, here in Quebec City and abroad, and my family, which is always behind every decision I make;
- E, who has been in my life for close to 10 years now. He’s the most patient, generous and supportive person I know. He’s the best person I could ever wish to have as a life partner, and I cherish every day I spend with him;
- The continued growth of my blog and the fact that my passion for maintaining it hasn’t faded one bit;
- The many places I was lucky enough to visit in 2011 (New York – twice, the Bahamas, Amsterdam, Toronto, Rhode Island, Cape Cod, Nantucket, Austin and J-A-P-A-N!). Every time I come back from a trip, I feel enriched;
- All of the great food I enjoyed over the year, the new dishes I felt inspired to try, and the new techniques I learned.
Professionally, I feel very lucky to be a freelancer. I'm so happy working from home, and this is also what allows me to play around with my schedule and cook or write blog posts during the day (not sure I would’ve kept up with the blog if I had to update it only on nights and weekends!). Last January, I wrote a six-page year plan detailing personal and professional objectives, and reading it again now I realize that I’ve accomplished many of these goals, but I also still have a lot to do. I will update this plan in the next few days – setting the bar higher every year is a great motivation to work hard!
Every year, I send a little thank-you present to my clients to show that I appreciate working with them. After all, they contribute to my happiness by allowing me to work from home. Last year, I offered a colorful box of macarons. This year, I kept with the sweet theme and sent caramels, biscotti and madeleines. I’ve had good feedback, so I think my goal of showing that I’m thankful and that I care has been reached.
Like I did last year, I thought I would share a few pictures of my thank-you craft project. Perhaps it’ll inspire you to hand-make some of your own gifts this year?
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An Edible Thank You Gift
1. After baking the sweets I decided to include in my thank you gift, I designed and printed labels to identify each package.
Continue reading A Crafty and Sweet Thank You for 2011 »
Every year, E and I reserve one night over the holidays to celebrate Christmas together, just the two of us. On that night, I like to cook a special meal, something fancy with many courses, usually inspired by a recent trip or cuisine discovery. This year, of course, it had to be Japan. Since we returned, I hadn’t yet tackled this fascinating country’s cuisine, and I admit I was rather intimidated by it, probably as much so (or even more) than before we’d been to Japan. You see, fine cuisine in Japan is all small servings of beautiful, meticulous dishes. I like to think of myself as a meticulous person, but since I don’t have a full kitchen’s restaurant staff on hand, I was a bit wary that creating a 5-course Japanese menu might be an impossible task.
I almost dropped the project, in fact. A week before Christmas, I vented to E, telling him I didn’t know where to start, that I wasn’t familiar enough with the techniques, that I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to find the ingredients. I glanced through a book that I’ve owned for many years and from which I’ve never cooked anything but miso soup and it just worsened my fear of not being able to pull it off. The dishes felt too traditional, a bit fussy, and nothing like we actually had when we were in Japan.
Continue reading An Elegant Japanese Dinner Menu »
In the last crazy few hours before Christmas, last minute inspiration is always welcome, isn't it? Many of the recipes I have published on Food Nouveau's sister recipe site, Just Recipes, are deliciously fitting for the holidays. Quick and simple, creative and delicious, they could be the best additions to your menu, whether it's a family dinner or a cocktail party with friends.
Have a delightful Christmas – don't stress too much, relax with your loved ones, and enjoy every bite.
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SAVORY TREATS
1:: Leek and Rice Tart with Roasted Bell Pepper Sauce (make this tart in mini-cupcake molds to turn it into the perfect bite!)
2:: Sesame-Infused Shrimp and Avocado Salad on Endive Leaves
3:: Warm Roast Cauliflower, Chickpea and Quinoa Salad
4:: White Bean Spread with Rosemary and Toasted Almonds
5:: Baked Herb & Pistachio Falafel Bites with Mint Yogurt & Cashew Dressing
6:: Zucchini and Hazelnut Salad
7:: Red Lentil & Goat Cheese Croquettes with Zesty Avocado Sauce
8:: Asian Cole Slaw with Wasabi Dressing
9:: Turkey Cakes with Wasabi Guacamole
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SWEET TREATS
This recipe concludes my macaron week! I hope you enjoyed it and that my posts will inspire you to try to make these little wonders at home.
YUZU & GINGER MACARONS
This flavor combination was inspired by my recent trip to Japan, where I was able to indulge in my love for yuzu – its tart, grapefruit-like flavor with hints of mandarin is intriguing and unique. Because I can't find that citrus at home and it was impossible to bring fresh yuzu back for duty reasons, I brought bottled juice and dehydrated zest back and made them central ingredients of this recipe. If you can't find fresh yuzu, or yuzu juice and zest, you can simply substitute regular lemon for an equally delicious result.
Continue reading Macaron Week: Yuzu & Ginger Macarons »
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