Change of Plans

Given that I have decided to focus on all types of cakes, my food-blogging friend won't be able to help me as much as he would like to. Although he's indulged in exquisite desserts, his expertise is not on cakes. For this reason, I turn to a bakery that is slowly but surely making its way to the top: Bokados. It's located in Miami and inaugurated about a year ago. To its surprise, it has had remarkable success so far. I already spoke with the store manager, who said she would be happy to answer some questions regarding the history of the bakery and what makes it so special. 

"BokadosMiami." Instagram. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Mar. 2016. 
     <https://www.instagram.com/p/BDjymFdvtL0/>. 

Inspo

Thanks to our teacher, Mrs. Stoklosa, I discovered Where Women Cook! SUCH a beautiful magazine that integrates delicate writing with stunning photos. On the introduction page of the website a phrase caught my gaze immediately:

"A shared love of food - whether it's cooking it, talking about it, or eating it - brings people together."

Unsurprisingly, this phrase inherently made me genuinely smile. This further reinforced my infatuation with all things related to cooking. Below are two examples of the layouts I had envisioned for the Sweet Escape from Where Women Cook Spring 2016.

"Where Women Cook Spring 2016." Where Women Cook. Stampington & Company, n.d.

     Web. 25 Mar. 2016. <https://stampington.com/
     Where-Women-Cook-Spring-2016>. 

Foodie Friend

I did not have a concrete idea of what the two-page spread would feature until yesterday. I stumbled upon a friend's Instagram account, which promoted his own food blogging account. Suddenly, I realized I could interview him and gain insight into Miami's famed desserts. I have already contacted him and he said he would be more than happy to help me. Every magazine has a silver lining! Although he is just getting started, he has visited more restaurants than I could fathom and has a palate for the finer things in life. I'm excited to hear what he has to say and I plan on seeing him next week.

Practice Makes Perfect

I am incredibly glad I chose to work with Adobe InDesign. While it has certainly not been easy for me to adapt, I could not be any happier with the look of the magazine so far. YouTube has witnessed my tears of sorrow and my tears of joy, but I can't complain! I had no idea there were so many people out there that put their time and effort to offer helpful and detailed tutorials. My frustration did not last as long as I had anticipated it would. I highly doubt I would have even known how to get past the welcome screen without them. A big THANK YOU to all of them!



Shoot the Cake

Finally! I had the chance to photograph a cake my mom decorated for my cousin's third birthday. Thankfully I was able to adjust the photos on a photo editing website. The last one I have chosen as the cover image of the magazine. 

Decisions, Decisions

After reading "The Psychology of Color and Fonts in Design," published by DoodleDog, I concluded that the masthead of the magazine would be in cursive. I tried a couple of different fonts and settled on Dancing Script (which is the same one I chose for the blog title) largely because it is associated with elegancy and creativity. Regarding the font color, I have chosen white because it is often associated with simplicity. Both the font and the color I firmly believe express the impression I wanted the magazine to give. 

"The Psychology of Color and Fonts in Design." DoodleDog. N.p., 17 Apr. 2013. 
     Web. 18 Mar. 2016. <http://doodledog.com/ 
     the-psychology-of-color-and-fonts-in-design/>. 

To Do or Not To Do

Although I have dedicated my time to plan the layout and content of the magazine, I have not once thought about the platform I will utilize. Adobe never seemed feasible to me, given my inexperience with its various programs. However, after thoroughly considering digital magazine creation tools like Glossi and Joomag, I began to take into consideration Adobe Illustrator and Adobe InDesign. While Glossi and Joomag are certainly user-friendly and fairly simple, I find that they do not offer the appearance that I had intended for the Sweet Escape. I've begun to watch a handful of tutorials and I realize that this will not be easy, but it will be worthwhile. I'm excited to see what I can accomplish and learn in the process!

"Illustrator CC tutorials from novice to expert." Adobe. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Mar. 
     2016. <https://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/tutorials.html>. 

Two Is Better than One

Yesterday I had the chance to speak with some of my classmates about the project and obtain some feedback. As I mentioned in my first post, I was unsure for some time what direction I was going to take in relation to the topic of the magazine. However, after discussing and explaining my vision for the magazine, I felt confident in the decision I had taken. Other students highly encouraged me to focus on desserts as they could detect the passion and enthusiasm in my voice. Soon after, I began researching sample magazines that I found aesthetically pleasing. I came to the conclusion that I want visuals to play an immense role in the Sweet Escape. For this reason, I started searching for the science of food photography, and all I can say is that it is incredibly fascinating. The New York Times published an article last year titled "Secrets of Food Porn Photos" and it shed light on the techniques that photographers employ to create appealing photos. The truth is that many dishes can be turned into stunning artworks by adjusting the lighting, composition, or angle, for instance (“Because even a brown stew, photographed in the right light, at the correct angle, with the correct bowl or platter or cutting board in the background, with a dish towel dropped just so or a crumb expertly flicked onto the border of a plate, can become beautiful. Its excellence can be revealed”). I appreciated each and every comment I received and feel ready to possibly begin photographing next week.





"Cake Central Magazine - Volume 3 Issue 8 - PDF." Cake Central Magazine Shop. 
     N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://shop.cakecentralmagazine.com/ 
     products/cake-central-magazine-volume-3-issue-8-pdf>. 

"‘In the kitchen with Lindy Smith’ – Cake Decoration Heaven Spring 2013 
     magazine feature." Lindy's Cakes Ltd. N.p., 21 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 Mar. 
     2016. <http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2013/01/21/ 
     in-the-kitchen-with-lindy-smith-cake-decoration-heaven-spring-2013-magazine-featu 
     re/http://www.lindyscakes.co.uk/2013/01/21/ 
     in-the-kitchen-with-lindy-smith-cake-decoration-heaven-spring-2013-magazine-featu 
     re/#sthash.tXPfJxvt.dpuf>. 

Scrivani, Andrew. "Secrets of Food Porn Photos." The New York Times. N.p., 11 
     July 2015. Web. 11 Mar. 2016. <http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/03/12/ 
     secrets-of-food-porn-photos/ 
     ?action=click&pgtype=Homepage&version=Moth-Visible&module=inside-nyt-region®io 
     n=inside-nyt-region&WT.nav=inside-nyt-region&_r=0>. 

Let Them Eat... Cake!

Throughout the years, I have come to the conclusion that the world of cooking is one that comprises far more than just the satisfaction of hunger. Cooking is an enriching experience that is fundamentally a mix and fusion of cultures. I was watching the first episode of the Netflix original series “Cooked,” and something immediately drew my attention in the beginning. Michael Pollan stated that the art of cooking is in the very foundation that makes us human. I couldn’t agree more; it’s certainly something that distinguishes us from other species. Thus, cooking has become much more than a necessity for me. After spending two years in the south of France with a croissant on one hand and a chausson aux pommes on the other, I learned a great deal about the art of baking. Besides learning how to bake, I developed a deep appreciation for haute cuisine and all that entails. Baking has become an immense part of my life and it has led me to discover new scents and tastes, which is why I have decided that the magazine will revolve around desserts (cakes in particular). Generally, food magazines are targeted towards women aged 25-50 of middle and high socioeconomic status. What I have visualized so far is a magazine that is simple yet sophisticated. 

The Beginning of the End

As graduation approaches, I look forward to ending my senior year with a project unlike any other. The concept of creating a magazine about something I hold so dearly thrills me. What I have envisioned so far appears at times overwhelming and at others purely inspiring. Ultimately, however, the idea of combining two of my favorite things, cooking and photography, sounds ideal to me. From the moment I decided to do a magazine, I was convinced it would be related to gastronomy.
 I've been inspired by Instagram accounts such as @deliciousmartha and @sweetambs.



My only concern at the moment is what exactly the focus of the magazine will be. While I wish that the Sweet Escape could encompass all types of cuisines, I think I should specify what type of food it is that I am going to feature. Given that I adore all things sweet, it wouldn't surprise me to go with desserts, but for now, I am undecided. I invite you to channel your inner chef and follow me as I embark on this journey of stained aprons, succulent entrées, baked goods, and well...love in large servings! 

To briefly articulate the significance of this topic to me, I include the wise words of Elsa Schiaparelli below:

“Eating is not merely a material pleasure. Eating well gives a spectacular joy to life and contributes immensely to goodwill and happy companionship. It is of great importance to the morale.” 

"Delicious Martha." Instagram. N.p., 10 June 2014. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. 
     <https://www.instagram.com/deliciousmartha/?hl=en>. 
"Sweetambs." Instagram. N.p., 2 Feb. 2015. Web. 9 Mar. 2016. 
     <https://www.instagram.com/sweetambs/>. 
Kennedy, Mary. What Matters: Reflections on Important Things in Life. N.p.: 
     Hachette Books Ireland, 2016. Print.