Let’s Gab: December

Let’s gab! With the start of a bright new year, I thought it’d be nice to have a monthly gab sesh where we talk about things other than food. Like what’s going on in life and the world and things to be excited and happy about. I think that’s the definition of gab?

Hello, America!

This year has been packed full of change in the Live Eat Learn household, the biggest being that I moved back to the U.S.! Those who have been reading along for a while know that I’ve lived in the Netherlands for the last 5 years.

Quarantine was an unexpected catalyst that kicked off a spiral of events leading to me moving back to the states permanently. The move was a hard one, and meant having to say “see you later” to many amazing friends and what had become family. Here’s my last peak at the gorgeous Dutch coast!

In the 5 years that I’d been gone, my American friends and family had scattered all over the states, which left me with the existential question: “where in the world am I going to call home?”

I’ll be forever grateful to my newly engaged best friend and her fiancé (and their 8 week old golden retriever puppy), who didn’t hesitate to take me on as their roommate and resident “sisterwife” in San Antonio, Texas while I figured out life.

The result was a summer and fall better than I ever could have imagined. I met amazing new friends and went on adventures and danced on rooftops and ate tacos everyday. I healed, and I found direction again.

The mountains are calling 

And that direction? Denver!

As if by throwing a dart at a map, I set my eyes on Denver and suddenly that was it. Between the mountains (feeding my love of skiing) and the city (feeding my love of food), Denver won my heart immediately.

And it won the heart of another special person in my life…my sister! Having lived in Hawaii for years (aka the other side of the planet from the Netherlands), she was ready for a change too. And so the Bond sisters are taking on Denver together, and the future feels colorful.

New site, who dis?

As if that wasn’t enough change for one year, Live Eat Learn got a major facelift in the exact week that I moved to Denver!

We rebuilt the blog from the ground up, making it more streamlined, fun, and in line with our mission – to get easy vegetarian recipes on your table!

This feels like a new chapter in the Live Eat Learn history book, and I’m so excited to start exploring and creating new recipes in this new space.

Having spent the last 9 months cooking and shooting recipes wherever I could manage (the bedroom of my parents’ house, a porch in 100 degree heat, to name a few), having a gorgeous new kitchen to cook in and (even more) gorgeous site to share the recipes on feels like a dream come true, and I thank you for sticking with me in 2020 and helping to make this amazing job possible.

Loving lately

This year has had its ups and downs, but I’ve found joy in so many things, so I thought I’d just write ’em all down!

I’ve been loving hitting up all the Goodwills in Denver to furnish our new apartment! I’m starting from scratch when it comes to all things furniture, cooking appliances, and food photography props. Goodwill has been a treasure trove and it’s safe to say I am obsessed.

I love the access to ingredients and food that you get in a big city like Denver! I live right above a grocery store where I can find everything from nutritional yeast to farro. Those would have taken me a full day of searching to find in the Netherlands!

I love finally being closer to friends and family. Gone are the days of once in a blue moon 12 hour flights to see my favorite people!

And, perhaps most important of all, I love the close proximity to amazing tacos (Torchy’s Tacos shoutout). 😛

So that’s the gab I’ve got for you. As we wave goodbye to the dumpster fire that was 2020, I feel so much hope for 2021. With this new city, beautiful cooking space, amazing friendships, and a vaccine coming our way, 2021 will be one for the books.

Happy New Year, friends!