you know things in my life are crazy when a tuesday post turns into a wednesday post. mentally and emotionally exhausted is pretty much how i would sum up my state of being right now. i'm not saying things are bad, just mentally and emotionally exhausting. 

a week ago today we received word that the studio i teach most of my indoor cycling and yoga classes at was abruptly closing after almost ten years in that location. leaving me with out my most steady form of income literally the day before thanksgiving. while that is ultimately the source of the mental and emotional exhaustion, it isn't exactly what you think. 

i'm mentally exhausted from coordinating schedules and desires with my fellow teachers looking for a new home. i'm mentally exhausted from trying to track down a new home for myself and my yoga clients. the negotiating and renegotiating is taxing. but i have this gut feeling it will all work out so i'm pushing on. 

i'm emotionally exhausted by the outpouring of love and support i received from my students, my fellow teachers and the community in general. i know it may seem silly, and a bit unrelated to my life in food, but that studio community was my little family. when i moved to costa mesa with wes they took me in with open arms. welcomed me when i needed a job. they promoted me to teach and let me prove myself on the mat and the bike. they were the first to hire me for catering, supported me when i did meal delivery and they order my cakes. i've never felt the love like this before. 

right now, i feel lucky to be mentally and emotionally drained. but drained none the less. after i teach my last class at yas, the rest and rejuvenation will begin. this week i'm sharing with you a fellow blogger's recipe coupled with a tip & trick of my own. i'll be taking thursday off to recharge with family, but i want to leave you with something delicious you can make to enjoy thanksgiving morning. you can bake these up just as joy does. or, you can gussy them up a bit like i do with white chocolate & a bit of edible paint. 

you can find the original recipe HERE. the recipe was perfection. however, if you wanted to get creative, you could easily add some dried fruit or other nuts if you like. get creative. 

dipped biscotti
serves: about 24 biscotti
ingredients: 1 batch joy the baker candied pecan biscotti. 8 oz good quality white chocolate. pot of water. heat proof bowl that fits snuggly over the pot of water. heat resistant rubber spatula. parchment lined baking sheet. edible paint optional (you can purchase it HERE). once your biscotti are baked and cooled, create a double boiler and temper your chocolate. if all of that sounds foreign and you have no idea what i am talking about you can watch THIS VIDEO or THIS VIDEO. once your chocolate has cooled to about body temp, dunk your biscotti halfway into your melted chocolate. use the spatula to make sure there is an even coat. allow the excess chocolate to drop off and then allow the chocolate to harden on a parchment lined baking sheet. once completely hardened, you can use your edible paint to dress the up. serve with coffee or store in an airtight container for later. 

xo, a

lately, i feel like a broken record. friday comes and i tell you all what a crazy week it has been and that we all deserve a drink.

well guess what? this week is no different. in fact, it was the craziest week i've had since my life got turned upside down two years ago when i was laid off from my stable, well paying job and decided to become a yoga instructor and cook instead. 

let's say the week starts sunday. it was a great start to the week. i taught two great classes (some of my highest numbers in my very new time slots) to some amazing friends and clients and i just felt the most comfortable and happy teaching i have ever felt. it felt glorious. and i spent the rest of my sunday cleaning my house from the catered dinner the night before and getting myself ready for styled shoots on tuesday and wednesday.

then baking, teaching, cooking and shooting on monday, tuesday and wednesday morning. 

wednesday, as i was winding down my photo shoot and clearing up my stuff to head home, my phone started BLOWING up. suddenly i had a dozen text messages and missed calls. i checked my email to discover that the spin and yoga studio that i teach most of my classes at was closing. in one week. ONE WEEK. 

sure, i'm bummed that i will no longer have a steady paycheck, but my emotions run so much deeper than that over the sudden loss. i started taking yoga classes for the first time ten years ago at the location in venice. and while that is not where i really developed my love for yoga, it got me my start. and when it came time for me to find a teaching job, it felt like the most natural home. when i moved to costa mesa with wes, i didn't have many friends or a network to rely on. but the second i needed a job, they embraced me and it was my first job back to work after i got married. it was my first teaching job when i got certified. soooooo many of the clients have turned into food and swim lesson clients, but even more than that so many have turned into friends. and some of my fellow teachers turned into family. 

BUT. 

after my immediate rush of emotion and shock as i stood photographing cake stands to use for future wedding dessert bars, it hit me. this is not the end of something. it is just the beginning of something. yas closing is making space for me, my fellow teachers and my clients to find a new home. one where we can create the vibe and community we crave. 

so i'm opening up my eyes and my ears to possibilities as they come. and in the mean time, i'm going to TAKE a lot of yoga and spin classes and enjoy other teachers for a while. but first, i'm going to enjoy a drink. cheers to yas. a ten year journey that brought me to the person i was always meant to be. 

coffee martini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1-7 minutes (dependent on how long it takes you to brew coffee)
active time: 1 minute
total time: 8 minutes
ingredients: 4oz hot, freshly brewed coffee (whatever brew method you prefer). 2 oz vodka. 1 oz baileys irish cream. whole star anise or cinnamon stick for serving. micro plane. shaker. martini glass. whipped cream optional. 

in the shaker, combine the vodka, baileys and hot coffee. shake well to combine and to get the mixture a bit bubbly, about 30 seconds. be careful when you are shaking as the hot coffee will create steam pressure. you should use a dish towel to hold over the top of the shaker. 

pour the liquid into the martini glass. 

use a micro plane to grate a little bit of your whole anise or cinnamon and garnish with two whole stars or sticks. option to top it with whipped cream and serve. 

xo, a

coffee martini
serves: 1 cocktail
prep time: 1-7 minutes (dependent on how long it takes you to brew coffee)
active time: 1 minute
total time: 8 minutes
ingredients: 4oz hot, freshly brewed coffee (whatever brew method you prefer). 2 oz vodka. 1 oz baileys irish cream. whole star anise or cinnamon stick for serving. micro plane. shaker. martini glass. whipped cream optional.
n the shaker, combine the vodka, baileys and hot coffee. shake well to combine and to get the mixture a bit bubbly, about 30 seconds. be careful when you are shaking as the hot coffee will create steam pressure. you should use a dish towel to hold over the top of the shaker. pour the liquid into the martini glass. use a micro plane to grate a little bit of your whole anise or cinnamon and garnish with two whole stars or sticks. option to top it with whipped cream and serve.