And now we step into September.

With fresh start opportunities, perhaps new faces in our lives, new or adjusted schedules and a steady shift into a new season, we've arrived, and this time of year gifts us each with the potential to be quite brilliant. 

As a change of schedule had arrived, I decided to make a simple change in my everyday life by rearranging my living room furniture. It sounds insignificant, but upon doing so, I asked myself why I hadn't considered this arrangement sooner as it feels quite perfect for how I enjoy spending my evenings relaxing and unwinding: settling into a cozy armchair, feet upon an ottoman, the boys napping on their favorite piece of furniture and I sipping a cup of tea either reading or watching a taped show of (at the moment) the GBBO or a US Open Tennis match. However, the larger lesson is that we often cannot know what we will see from a new vantage point until we actually arrive. And so, it is imperative that we continue to gather up our courage and step into new experiences, attempt new challenges and discover what we are truly capable of. Who knows what we will discover and how our lives and quality of life will change.

Such is the case with my foray into vodcasting. Tomorrow morning, the first season of The Simply Luxurious Kitchen will premiere. As I described to a few people closest to me, I wanted to challenge myself to see if I could indeed cook, talk and teach at the same time because if readers/viewers/listeners knew how enjoyable stepping into the kitchen could be all the while keeping it simple, healthy and delicious, I was confident the vodcast would be worth welcoming to TSLL online destination. By no means are my videos perfect or professional quality, but I am happy with the eight episodes that will begin airing each Saturday tomorrow through October 27th. Already I am making notes of what recipes, tips and ideas and ways to enjoy the kitchen I look forward to sharing next season as each of this season's episodes have already been taped.

I must admit, I remember more than ten years ago when a couple of my favorite Food Network cooks would have their new episodes air each Saturday morning (for some reason now they air Sunday afternoons/late mornings and very infrequently). I would look forward to the weekend with the eagerness of a young child in the eighties who had the brief opportunity to watch cartoons if only an hours worth early Saturday mornings (as that was the allotted television time for the week). It was a true treat, and I always walked away from these episodes of cooking learning something new as well as a new recipe to try in the week to come. 

So it is in the spirit of the joy I experienced of watching such shows on a Saturday morning to begin the weekend that I have chosen Saturday morning to post each new episode of TSL Kitchen vodcast on TSLL blog (you can also receive the vodcast wherever you download podcast episodes - iTunes, Stitcher, etc. - and each episode will be available on Youtube each Sunday). They are running about 30 minutes each, so grab a hot cup of tea or whatever sipping solution you enjoy, sit back and join me in my very own kitchen in Bend, Oregon. As a newsletter subscriber, you will have the exclusive opportunity to know what the episode will be about the day before it airs (check the News & Information box below). I want to thank you for your patience since the pilot episode aired in December and am confident you will walk away with at least one new piece of information whether it is a new recipe, a new way of approaching the ingredients in your kitchen, or new knowledge about the history of a particular recipe or ingredient.

But before the vodcast season begins, we have a newsletter to enjoy! This past week has been about stepping into fall and making our experience memorable and beautiful in the most wonderful ways - from simplifying our lives, zhushing up our wardrobe or savoring the simple luxuries September brings. Have a beautiful weekend everyone, and until next week, I'll see you on the blog!