I once watched an interview with Pharell Williams – the man is a genius. He is one of the most down to earth people in the music business and is constantly on the frontline of creative endeavours. During his interview he mentioned the importance of having the right team around you. An idea can only go so far if you are the only one behind it; if you have a group people who believe in your vision as much as you do the possibilities become endless. It is what separates a good idea from a great idea. This concept is a simple one, but we often overlook it. I am guilty of it myself. Once I am done with writing this entry, I am going to make much needed phone calls and get friends involved with O.F.D. on a level that they should have been on to begin with.

The pace in New York City is energetic and undeniably alive, but it can make life a little blurry at times. We need to slow down every now and then to reevaluate our ideas. Whether that means subtle tweaks or massive changes that is up to you. As long as you are able to pass your ideas through people you trust and want to build with you, that subtle tweak will look and feel gigantic. The changing of seasons is a good transition period and that is currently what is happening behind the scenes. A new website aesthetic and recipe feature on the blog is being worked on. I am excited to share both with you as well as introduce the new faces of Oven Fresh Dreams.

I had the pleasure of talking with one of my friend’s in the pastry industry last week. Aside from catching up, she wanted to know why bread? It is true, we all learned a lot of techniques and were introduced to a lot of recipes while we were in school. I told her it was a passion of mine – it has been that way since I was young. The desire of being a master of a trade, to be connected to the old world, it all seemed appealing. I told her to go home and watch a video I stumbled upon three years ago. The video focused on a bakery in Brooklyn named SCRACTHbread. If you haven’t been, you should pay a visit.

SCRATCHbread: A Brooklyn Chef Creates Food from Scratch to Start A Movement from SkeeterNYC on Vimeo.

There are times when I sit down in front of my laptop keyboard and think. More often than not, I wonder and contemplate when was the last time I sat down and wrote. Do not get me wrong, I write a lot; Odessa Magazine and Hide Your Arms keeps me busy. But there is a sweet joy that comes from writing for yourself – about your life or something creative.

I would be lying if I told you I wrote (or baked) every day, but it is a goal I am working towards achieving. At times I think I get caught up with other aspects of my life; working in coffee and finishing my English degree are two major components. The third component would be my beautiful girlfriend – totally understanding, but deserves the world. There are times where I am dedicated to one aspect and struggling with others. Evaluating our priorities is important and it is simple. What I am writing now, what I have been thinking today should have be occurring a long time ago. Luckily, that will change sooner than later… it begins today.

We all have voices to be heard and when look forward to hearing your next stories it is great. However, sometimes our voices grow quiet as we live our lives. These are the times where we must stop and evaluate. Our lives are important and there many that we experience on a day to day basis – we should always have a story to tell. Our voices will be heard.