Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes: My Ridiculous Month and My Big News

Gertrude's Nose, New Paltz, NY - Photo credit: Herb Chong

Big changes are afoot in my life, and thus in the life of this blog. April showers bring May flowers, and hopefully that's true metaphorically and not just literally, because I sure am overwhelmed right now. First came Passover and then came the preparations for the biggest change in my life in a good long time:

Gluten-Free By The Bay is moving to New York !

On April 29th I will hop on a plane to New York. After 10 years away I'm returning to the town where I was raised, in the beautiful Hudson Valley. I will be temporarily staying with my folks while I get my feet on the ground in New York. My body is the main reason for this move - I have several chronic pain conditions which have been worsening from me working so much. This move will open many doors for me, including the possibility of working less and of going back to school. I will, G-d willing, be transitioning out of this life as a frazzled, financially stressed, overworked city-dwelling cook, to something healthier, happier and more sustainable. I'll miss the Bay Area like crazy - It's been my home for over 6 years. But I have a strong feeling that I'm making the right move.

So what's to come for Gluten-Free By The Bay? Well, I will certainly be preoccupied with things besides cooking and blogging for the next few weeks! Moving is a pain in the tush. But stick around, because I will post as often as I can and I'll be back in full force in May, with the following changes:
  • A bigger and better equipped kitchen.

  • A new computer with more reliable internet access (maybe my first Mac!)

  • Better photos, thanks to being able to cook and take photos during the day when there is natural light available.

  • More time to devote to more labor-intensive recipes, though I will always keep the focus on simple recipes that are manageable for busy, working people

  • More heart healthy recipes. I just learned that my triglycerides are high, and I will be cooking sometimes for my father who has very high cholesterol that he is successfully managing through diet, exercise, and nutritional supplements. So, you will be seeing many more low-cholesterol and lower fat dishes 'round these parts.

  • A focus on eating locally and seasonally

  • A happier, more relaxed blogger... which is a very good thing indeed.

As of right now I'm undecided about whether or not I need to rename my blog to reflect my new location, and possibly move it to a new URL. What are your thoughts? I fear this could cause me to lose much of my web traffic. I will make these decisions once I get to New York, since I have my hands full right now... so for the time being keep it tuned to the same station!

28 comments:

  1. You could keep the name "For Historical Purposes" You started the Blog By The Bay. Teh Bay is part of who you are now, and will always be part of the blog, even if you re-named it. You are free to change it, of course, but I don't think you should feel obligated to.

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  2. Anonymous5:22 PM

    welcome back (in advance) to the east coast :)

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  3. You could do something like Culinary in the Desert did and leave everything the same but change your header - he crossed out "Desert" and added "Country."

    Good luck - moving sucks and I can't even imagine the logistics of moving to the opposite side of the country!

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  4. Hi and welcome back to the Hudson Valley. We're way up in Saratoga County where you can walk across the Hudson in five minutes when it's iced over in the winter, but if you're ever in the neighborhood, stop by our bookshop, Old Saratoga Books in Schuylerville and we'll can yak it up gluten-free!

    Good luck with the big move.

    -Rachel

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  5. Please don't change your blog name! If you're in the Hudson Valley, there are plenty of bays: Tappan Zee, Haverstraw and Newburgh Bay and, well, my memory fails. (Wikipedia has a list of Bays of New York.)

    The SF Bay area will miss you, but New York will be a brighter place for those of us here! Prospective welcome, from a long-time reader.

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  6. Congratulations! This is a leap of the heart, quite clearly. Those always yield unexpected grace.

    Keep the name. That's how we know you!

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  7. The Bay will be sadder without you.

    (And to Rachel—I'm originally from Tampa Bay and I went to college near Sarasota Bay; the San Francisco Bay is the only one that matters. Trust me on this one. ;) )

    And you've already covered all the awesome things about moving back to New York. So congrats! And it's too bad that we didn't get to hang out more while you were here.

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  8. And NY is much the richer for your move. I hope that all goes smoothly and easily for you. When you get settled in let me know, I'm down in Brooklyn.. :)

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  9. Keep the name!

    (just my vote)

    Good luck on the move and I will keep checking in to see what you are up to.

    :)

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  10. Best wishes for the move Bay. And welcome back to this side of the country :)

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  11. Anonymous12:05 PM

    Cnogratulations! I think you shoudl keep the name and just make some kind of fun graphic at the top Gluten Free by the "carrot" Hudson Bay, like you had once suggested! And like everyone else is saying!

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  12. Anonymous12:36 PM

    Good luck to you on all your big changes! The move will be what it is, but then you'll have this whole new next adventure in your life. Very cool.

    Definitely go Mac. Everything is just so much more intuitive than a PC.

    And regarding the name, how about "The Blog Formerly Known As Gluten-Free By The Bay"?

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  13. oh please keep the name! welcome to your new bay, the hudson bay!

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  14. I will miss your insights regarding the Bay Area, but I'll keep reading your blog, regardless of the name.

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  15. Welcome back! We've got bays in New York, as others have already indicated. I suggest keeping your name.

    Let us know if you pop down to town--many gluten-free goodies to be found.

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  16. You could start a new blog and leave this one the way it is until you move then link this one to your new name.

    Or you could continue on with the name and put a relocation in the header.

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  17. Beautifull post! I hope it all goes well. Please post about how it all goes. I'm in the early stages of the same process, for the same reason. My life is way too crazy, and I need to ease off and live the quiet life, for my peace of mind and my health!

    Good luck

    :)

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  18. WOW!!!! Welcome back to the east coast...hoping the move goes smoothly for you. We just moved back to PA from AZ about a year ago. EEEK.

    Can't wait to see what the changes bring...hoping good health is a huge one!

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  19. Anonymous1:22 PM

    I was born in NY, grew up near The Bay (Palo Alto) and have lived in Oregon 35 yrs. I agree with most...keep the name we've all come to love and cherish. Newcomers can poke around for what bay refers to...or not. Best of good moving luck. May God (why not just spell it out :-)) assist in many ways, and may your changing life be as positive as the blessings you have brought to others.

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  20. Good luck with the move. I say keep the name and simply change your profile to explain that you names it when you lived by the bay...kind of a twist on "by the by"...We'll be in the same state and many New Yorkers blog about all the GF dining places, so it looks like you'll be in for some great dining out experiences. HUGS

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  21. Anonymous1:41 AM

    Congrats on your move! My family moved 8 years ago from New Mexico to Washington State to slow down, but the slowing was only temporary. I am just as over-scheduled now, or maybe even more. Hopefully you can make the slow-down a permanent feature for you.

    My vote is to keep your name. (I have you bookmarked here!) As has been pointed out, there are bays everywhere on our coasts. I live on a bay, too, and I'm not near SF!

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  22. Keep your name - it is who you are. I agree with everyone who said that there are bays in NY - just change your profile to reflect the change. You've worked so hard to create this identity - I say keep it! Good luck with the move - stay in touch, we're only a hop, skip, and a jump from NY.

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  23. Keep the name (though Gluten-free by the Hudson has king of a ring to it). I hope the move brings you all that you are yearning for.

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  24. Stick a bay leaf next to your moniter.

    xD

    Good luck with your move!

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  25. Anonymous9:14 PM

    I'm going to break with the crowd here. I think Gluten Free by the Hudson sounds just fine! Of course, being from upstate myself, I am mildly biased. Best of luck to you out in the great white north. I'm looking forward to your exploits.

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  26. So, now it's Hudson Bay?

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