The Road to Mazama, Washington

After uprooting my life in Chicago, moving back to Los Angeles to be closer to family & friends and to be given the opportunity to 'do it differently,'  I am dumbfounded and awestruck at the current turn of events in my life.

I moved here and working with a local hospitality recruiter, was given a variety of opportunities to work at some fantastically chef-driven restaurants, with well known owners.  Nothing appealed to me.  I know I could go back to being a General Manager but I just didn't care.  It didn't scare me.  It's something I know that I could do.  "Egh," I said to my friend Ellen.  "Oh my God, do you know who they are!!??" she exclaimed back.  "Yeah," I would say feeling sick to my stomach, "I just don't want to."

One day last week I went on a long, luxurious walk and listened to Wayne Dyer's '9 Principles of Manifestation.'  On this walk, I get an e-mail from my aunt:

"Why the move back to LA?  Want to spend the summer here in the middle of nowhere?  We have a full time baking position in a very busy bakery..."

I laughed with joy and just thought, "OF COURSE."  My aunt has always said she'd open a bakery with me if I wanted to move out to Nowhere, Colorado when she lived there but I always had a job, rent, plans... Now that she's moved to Mazama, this was the first time she offered something like this where I had NOTHING going on but boxes waiting to be unpacked.

I took a few days to think about it...

"Is this reeeeeeally what I want?  Do I want to be out in the middle of nowhere?  Wasn't Los Angeles the end game?  What happens if I commit to it and hate it and I'm stuck there for months?  Am I putting my life on hold?  Are you escaping your life? "  

After a see-saw of deliberation, I knew it was divine intervention.  It's the only opportunity I've had that truly excites me.  It's the only opportunity that causes me to grow in a big way. And even more importantly, it is EXACTLY the life I want for myself!!!  I manifested this!!!  What did I want my life to be?  Baking and acting (doing what I love) to give me the freedom to have travel and adventure...  This job then becomes a DREAM.

When I revisited this letter I wrote to myself from the future, I was amazed at all I got to do in two years.  As I have begun another 2 years, how exciting that so soon into it, I'm already adding some notches to my belt of adventure!  I've never been in the Northwest, I've never been to Seattle.  Aside from Montana & the Dakotas, it's the only area I haven't driven through.  I will get to work full-time as a baker in a busy environment which I LOVE.  I will get to learn breads professionally. I will get more experience with wedding cakes.  I will get to see one of the most beautiful places in the country- maybe learn how to ski.  I could even attempt more rock climbing if I'm feeling really fearless! I will also have a more health conscious lifestyle.  I will get to meditate next to babbling brooks.  I will get to create new recipes, work with new concepts and I will get to blog about all of my adventures. It's my 7 month ashram in India.  It's perfect.  It's exactly the life I dreamed.

Soooo... there you have it, you guys!  Hannah Honda & Big Toe we're moving to Washington!!!

I TRULY hope to see you all there...  :)  :)  :)

Adventure Is Out There,
MandiCrocker