Aroha Restaurant: Our Westlake Magazine Cover & In Other News: Interior, Meetings, Phone Calls, Repeat

This week has been one of the craziest, if not the craziest of the summer. I'm trying to think of the last day we weren't in constant meetings or on lengthy phone calls regarding Aroha.

We began the week meeting with our good friend and mentor, Elie Balas, of Menchie's Frozen Yogurt. After weeks of going back and forth on whether or not we'd need to hire a general manager, Elie's advise convinced us that we could in fact run the restaurant on our own. It's funny. That was our original plan. However, somewhere amongst the hectic summer days, we began to question if we'd need another hand. When there's enough time to overthink everything, plans can change drastically. Thankfully, Elie brought us right back to our original focus. We honestly couldn't have asked for a better mentor and are so thankful we met with him before this hectic week truly began.

The rest of this week has been a lot of running around and a lot of interior design. First of all, we found a fantastic muralist here in LA to paint the Auckland Skyline within our restaurant. He begins sketching it on Monday and we cannot wait to reveal it! Our 8 foot long water feature is also nearing completion. For the last two days, we drove back and forth around the valley looking at flooring, picking up samples, checking out equipment, meeting with various people, and spending our in between time on the phone or emailing. Among other things, we picked out the bathroom tiles and stalls this week. It's funny how when you plan to build a restaurant, there are just certain things you don't think about in terms of the design. I'd have to say that bathroom stalls were definitely one of them! Who knew there were so many different types and colors to choose from?!

We also picked out our beautiful floors and walls. We are still working on figuring out the cabinets and counter tops! Luckily, we're not quite there yet, so we have a little bit of wiggle room.

On Monday, the wires for the sign will be installed. We are still trying to determine when we want to put the sign up. Originally, we were going to wait until opening, however, with all of the buzz, we're now starting to think we should put it up sooner.

Construction wise, everything is progressing like crazy! At the beginning of the week, the crew was working on installing the air conditioning and heating system, as well as finishing the walls. By yesterday, half the ceilings were already up and the hood system was being installed! We are currently talking with someone to install our sound system and will hopefully have that underway next week. I am so excited for everyone to see the restaurant when it's completed.

Typing all of this, I'm still not sure how we've done so much in just a weeks time. Besides everything mentioned above, I have also created all of the employee job descriptions. They are now ready to go and we will most likely begin our search within the next two weeks. As of yesterday, we now have a very talented man creating our wine list.

Next week, we will be looking at more equipment, as well as picking out our seats and tables! We're cramming in a whole lot on Monday, as on Tuesday, we're taking off to Catalina Island for our final three days of relaxation.

If there wasn't any better way to end this crazy week, our cover story in Westlake Magazine came out yesterday! We are so pleased with the article and would like to thank everyone involved for this incredible opportunity including the magazine's founder Rebecca Grossman, writer Charly Emery, photographer Jane Gibson, makeup artist Nicola Gerboc, reporter Robyn Flans, and Liz Barrett from the Chamber of Commerce.

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30990 Russell Ranch Rd Unit C, Westlake Village, CA 91362
© 2014 Aroha Restaurant.

Cake Decorating!!!

For the past two weeks, I have been taking a cake decorating class at a local Michaels. I cannot express how much I love this class. Although, if you plan on taking it, do not be fooled by the ridiculously low price ($25) for all four classes. When they say you need to purchase the "supplies", they do not just mean the $30 Class 1 Decorating Kit. By the time you're done, you will probably have spent around $200 on all of the supplies. In some ways, I wish they just provided the supplies in class and had you pay $200 upfront. It would make it less confusing.

The class, however, is awesome. I've been wanting to learn cake decorating for quite a while now. I've learned a lot so far... and eaten far more cake than I should have. (I had been sugar free for a few weeks and was feeling so proud).

For the class, you have to bring your own cakes. I've been baking with the Betty Crocker Gluten Free Cake Mix, which tastes delicious. I made my very own homemade frosting for the first time and it turned out pretty good!

Here's a picture of the first cake I've decorated:

For the next two weeks of class, I will be decorating cupcakes and another cake. After that, I can't wait to sign up for the other courses where I will learn how to make flowers and use fondants.

My Love for Cake Decorating

My love for cake decorating stems from many years of my parents making and decorating cakes for my birthday. They never bought one from a store. Over the years, the cakes became more complex as I started challenging my mom with new ideas. As my mom started carving cakes, I ended up with awesome cakes that looked like The Titanic, The Potter B&B, Sunnydale High School (or West Beverly High), a Volvo C70, the "Friends" Coffee Mug, and The Auckland Sky Tower. Last year, my husband accepted the challenge and made a Sushi cake. It was so fun eating cake with chopsticks!

Titanic (15th Birthday)

The Potter B&B from "Dawson's Creek" (16th Birthday)

Sunnydale High School from "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" or West Beverly High from "Beverly Hills, 90210" (17th Birthday)

Volvo C70 (18th Birthday)

Central Perk Coffee Mug from "Friends" (19th Birthday)

Auckland Sky Tower Cake (20th Birthday)

Sushi Cake (21st Birthday)

My birthday is coming up in February and I have no idea what I'm going to want this year... although I have been begging my mom for an Eiffel tower cake for years! With my husband and I heading to Europe this year, it might just be the perfect time for that cake!

My "Stepping Stone" - The Love Story Behind the Song

I can't believe the day has finally come! My EP, "Stepping Stone", is now available on iTunes and Amazon MP3. You can also purchase a physical copy through my website. I appreciate all of the support everyone. Please continue to spread the word and help me out by rating and reviewing it on iTunes and Amazon.

Please follow me on Facebook and Twitter to stay updated on any future music...or to just see adorable pictures of my bunny. Whichever you prefer.

This is it. My final "Inspiration Behind the Song". I don't even know where to begin. There really are no words to describe how much the song "Stepping Stone" means to me.

The song is about my journey with my husband, Gwith. The beginning phrase, "There's a million sounds yet you're the only one I hear. There's a trillion moments, but I can only recall just one" was written before I ever met him. After I wrote that part, I never knew what to write next. I hadn't experienced it yet. Then, about a year later, I met him. Here are the lyrics for the first verse and the story behind them:

"There was something special in your eyes. The way you touched me, no words could describe. Your eyes danced in the moonlight. They shimmered and I shivered all over my spine." 

My family was traveling to Australia because my dad was racing as part of Team USA in a World's Triathlon. My mom decided that since we would, in her words, "never be in that part of the world again", we'd go to New Zealand too. Little did she know, I was going to find the love of my life there and most certainly be back there again!

My family stayed at a hotel in Auckland. This hotel had three different restaurants and the one we ate at the first night was so disgusting that we decided the next day to try the Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant. If my husband were typing this right now, he would love to tell this part. From the first moment I walked into the restaurant, our eyes locked. But because of my allergies to bell peppers (he was already cooking at another table), he couldn't cook for us. His best friend cooked for us instead. What I didn't know was after we had left, he told his friend that "Next time, I'm cooking for her." The next day, I encouraged my family to go back to the restaurant for lunch. After all, I wanted to get another look at this cute boy. This time, as fate would have it (or as Gwith made sure of it), he cooked for us. I can't explain it but there was this moment when I looked up at him and I knew. That little voice in my head said "He is going to be special to me." And I was right.

While cooking for us, Gwith offered to show my family around Auckland on his break. As he walked us down to the pier, he and I started to walk ahead of everyone else. Well, mostly everyone else. My older sister (who I love dearly) kept tagging along cluelessly! But she did get some photos of us from that very first day!

A few deadly glares later, she got the hint. Eventually, my family decided to head back to the hotel. Gwith and I decided to stay back for a little bit. Once we arrived back at the hotel, he asked me out. I remember thinking "I don't really know this guy. I'm not really sure if I should go out with this stranger in another country." So I told him: "I might be tired." Of course, that night, I went in to the restaurant to think about it and when he saw me, he was doing a juggling trick for a customer and dropped his spatulas. It was so cute that I knew right then that I had to go out with him.

We had an amazing night on the town. We danced. We talked. In just a matter of hours, we felt such a strong connection. But the next day, I left Auckland. That didn't stop us though. For the next 6 months, we wrote emails to each other every day and talked on the phone or Skype at least twice a day. There was never a day that went by when we didn't talk to each other. I remember, there was this one day we were on Skype for 12 hours just talking and telling each other stories. It was incredible.

And that's just verse one. Here's the inspiration behind the second verse:

"From the moment you came off that plane, the way you kissed me, I knew we were the same. Our lips danced, till the daylight. They flittered, my heart melted, throughout the night!"

After 6 months of waiting to see each other, Gwith flew out to the US for the very first time. I have two types of memories now every time I enter the airport. Our incredible hellos and our heartbreaking goodbyes. From the moment he came off the plane, we were inseparable. Even my parents have told me that after his 3 week trip, they knew he was the one. In those weeks, we fell so deeply in love.

Every time I read the lyrics to the next verse of the song, it takes me back to this amazing day.

"From the moment we sat by the brook, the things that you said, I knew my life had changed! Yeah my heart thrived in the sunlight. It pounded and I realized you'd be mine for life."

After Gwith's first trip to the states, I flew out to New Zealand a couple of times. The second time was for our one year anniversary. To celebrate, we traveled to Brisbane, Australia. Well, actually, we traveled to Coolangatta, Australia and quickly realized the error of our ways. Beds that felt as hard as blocks of ice, having to buy our own toilet paper in the hotel, and all of the restaurants and grocery stores closing at 5:30 (when we arrived from NZ at 5:35?). That adventure was pretty bad...in a funny way now, of course. Anyways, back to the romantic part of the story. And no. This is not when he proposed to me. But it was when I knew he was going to someday. We were walking along the brook in Brisbane and he sat me down on a bench. Yellow flowers were blowing around the bench, the water was drifting down the brook, and all I could hear was him. He looked me in the eyes and he told me, "There is one thing I want you to know. One day, I will marry you." That moment was the moment my whole life changed forever.

About 8 months later, Gwith flew out to Denver and when he saw me again, he realized he never wanted to leave my side. He proposed to me on a beautiful horse carriage ride in Downtown Denver!

The chorus of the song is about our wedding day. 647,568,000 seconds went by in my life, counting down until our wedding. 675 days were stepping stones of the beginning of our journey together. I've always believed that life is a journey. Everything happens for a reason and leads you in a certain direction. At 18 years old, there were a million of other things I could have been doing in the fall of 2009, other than going to New Zealand with my family. Yet all of my choices up till that point put me on a plane and I am grateful every day that they did. I don't know where I would be in life without my husband. He is my everything.

"And every second of my life was counting down until this moment. Every day was just a stepping stone. Leading me to you."

I hope you enjoyed reading about my inspiration behind the song and enjoy listening!