Building Little Loaf Bakeshop

During our session today, my therapist reminded me about how, when we first started working together in 2018, I would often say “what I really want to do is open a cafe that serves as a community hub, where people feel connected and like they belong.” And now, six years later, I’m doing just that.

In recovery circles, those who had an affinity for alcohol call that a “barstool dream.” You’d always talk about wanting to do it, make declarations that you would do it, then ramble on with coked-up plots and plans about how you’d go about getting it done. But nothing ever happened. Drugs an alcohol are funny like that. Endless ideas, with none of the follow through, but plenty of self-sabotage.

Anyway, thank god I got sober almost seven years ago. Thank god I started going to therapy. Thank god I met Colleen during my brief second stint in Oakland. Thank god we moved to New York. Thank god for the countless steps we’ve taken between then and now—because “now” has us owning and growing a vegan bakery with a cult following here in the Hudson Valley.

I have bits and pieces written down of this process in various journals, but nothing consistent. So, this will be my attempt at that. Nothing profound, no catchy articles with titles like Seven Tips to Handle X Challenging Situation. Just notes on where we are, so I remember how far we’ve come.