Eight years ago today, I wrote my very first blog post here. I was living in a ground-floor apartment with friends in Chelsea then, commuting by foot to my office just a few blocks away. I had a window that looked out onto noisy mail trucks rumbling down 18th Street, there were massive black cockroaches who periodically liked to terrify me in the kitchen (water bugs, to get specific) and I had to tiptoe into my roommate's bedroom each morning to take a shower while she slept. But it was glorious! (Well, except for the water bugs.)
One year was the time limit I gave myself to write the blog. Just a year and then you'll be done.
Ha.
Eight years later, I live in an apartment at the very top of an old building in a quiet neighborhood in western Berlin. I have a toddler who is (blessedly) asleep in his room, a lovely husband who (still) works in another city, I'm the author of a book, a book that will be published in paperback in a few short days, and I'm still blogging.
Ha!
To celebrate, I wanted to give you a cake. The tender, gorgeous, simple cake my friend Gabriella made for Hugo's first birthday, the one that made him faceplant into a slice of it (though, admittedly, it might have just been CAKE in general and not that cake, but I'm sticking with the first version). However, my life these days is not conducive to cake-baking. It is not conducive to any kind of baking or cooking or time in the kitchen at all beyond making Hugo's meals and cleaning up after them. I realize this sounds sort of complain-y (I do sometimes fantasize about live-in help), but really, more than anything, I'm just trying to be honest. Life with a toddler – newsflash! – is like living with a crazy person? Who can't speak? Or walk? But has OPINIONS? And NEEDS? And FEELINGS, LOTS OF THEM? I'm still trying to figure it out. (Don't worry, I'll get you the cake eventually – give me another week or three.)
But I still want to celebrate. I mean, eight years! My book in paperback! Me, still here! You, still here! So instead of cake, let's do books. I want to thank you for being here, for reading me, for being my lovely audience and for being patient when I take a little time off. So, if you'd like to win a copy of the paperback edition of My Berlin Kitchen, leave me a comment and by the end of the weekend, I'll pick eight people to send a copy to. Sound good?
Eight years!
xo
Update: The comments are now closed. The eight winners are Carol, Lynn, Kara, Jen, Helena, Yvette, Laura and Abby Lutman. Congratulations!
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384 responses to “Eight Years”
Happy anniversary! I’m thrilled that your book will now also be available as a paperback! Any ideas when it will be published in German?
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Congrats! And thanks for the blog!
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I started reading your blog this past summer and have started from day one reading your archives also. I purchased your book this summer, but am saving it to read when I take vacation time in December. Hopefully I will be able to read it uninterupted.I hope to travel to Europe one day, so I love the pictures you post here and on Instagram. I enjoy hearing about Hugo and think he is just adorable. Here’s to 8 more years!
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From a very first rented, faulty, not ever renovated and absolutely magical apartment in a small town in the north of Croatia that is a love nest, a restaurant, an office and a dreams runway – a hello, a thank you and a cheer!
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Congrats on the blogging anniversary! Life sure does sweep one around different bends.
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Hi Luisa, 8 years is contantly blogging is an archivement. I have been starting blogging 7 years ago, but my blog is ages away of you quality of text and photography.
I would like to read your book. Do you have any idea when it will be published in German? But I would read a english paperback as well.
Thank you for the many receipe you shared with us. As a reader I can always be sure that the receipes will work out when you blogged them. And your cooking mojo will increase with each day Hugo is getting older.
Hugs Katja aka Kaffeebohne
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Congratulations on 8 years!!
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Glad your blog lasted more than a year! I’ve been following it for about 5 years now and love it. Looking forward to using your recipes for Hugo sometime next year when my little one is ready (due in November!). Keep up the great work 🙂
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This is my first time commenting, but I’m always beyond thrilled when a new entry pops up in my reader. (I think when I first came across this blog, I was so taken that I spent the rest of evening working my way backwards through previous posts, not wanting to miss anything!) Congratulations on 8 years!
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As a fan of your blog (and currently non-owner of your book) and as somebody who just moved back to Germany after nearly 10 years abroad, I would love to read your book. I have currently given up on the blogging but admire all you people who manage to stick with it despite having incredibly busy lives… And eight years. Wow. Congratulations. 🙂
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I see that there are already 97 comments by the time I write this one, and conclude that I wasn’t alone in checking in daily to see if you had posted and am among a lovely crowd in hoping for a copy of your book in paperback. Congratulations, by the by, on eight years of blogging! As well as on achieving your dream of publishing a book! And on achieving all those new dreams that you discovered in the process of blogging and publishing! It is a little crazy to think we we were neighbors when you started, me in my dream apartment on 16th after finally miving my way out of my first Manhatten apartment and all its ground floor “pets” (ahem!), and I still feel as connected and inspired by your posts even as you write from Berlin and I read from a rock in the Gulf off Alaska. I am actually on my way to the local library to check out your book because I managed to whisk away 10 pounds of Italian prune plums from a brand new shipment and have been waiting a very long time for such a gift to make your plum cake. I also had plans of making some plum preserves, but it seems someone else was lucky enough to pick up the entire shipment of pectin……..I hope you had a lovely summer break and eagerly await each future serendipity that gives you an opportunity to post again. Life with toddlers truly is crazy, and I am so grateful that you have found away to infuse your food writing witha bit of it. All my best, Aileen
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Congratulations, I enjoy your blog.
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Apologies for all my typos. My toddlers are pulling me away every 30 seconds to pretend I am the Mama Bear and I figured I would be the 2,345th comment if I waited until they were corrected to hit post.
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Congratulations! I loved when you were a guest on Pink of Perfection- such a funny moment but I could totally relate!
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Wow. 8 years! That’s so cool and puts a little into perspective for a budding blogger. Thanks for the giveaway! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have a copy of your beautiful book!
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Congratulations on 8 years! That is such an accomplishment!
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8 years! Thank you for everything you have shared; your humor, your grace, & your recipes are all equally delicious!
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inspiring blog-congratulation- I am so curious about your new book
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Being German living in German but (being married to a Brit) speaking more English than German most days love your blog.
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I’ve been reading your blog for about a year now. Being a multi-culti child or better woman, this summer I found myself reading one of your posts and realizing just at the end that it was not Italian I was reading, but English… I don’t really know how to explain it but it felt like home: I guess I found some of the things I cannot explain to myself about not having roots, or maybe having too many of them 😉
AUGURI!!
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I’m fairly new to this site, but enjoy it tremendously. Your book sounds so interesting. Loved Berlin while vacationing there some years ago. Congratulations on 8 years of blogging!
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Congratulations, Luisa! I’m so glad I discovered your blog a few years ago 🙂
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I’m also on toddler duty, having one of my bloggers go through and write about the experience slightly ahead of me has been very helpful.
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I have read through your archives and look forward to each new post. I would love a copy of your book
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I would love to read more of your story and receipes in your book. I started reading your blog when I moved to Europe, Belgium to be exact, 3 years ago. Although I don’t know you and have never commented before, I love reading your blog as it always seems to be like an old friend to me who understands my feelings of being from many places, feeling at home everywhere and nowhere at the same time and loving/living food throughout it all. Being Irish originally, moving to italy to then find love in America and moving there to be with him, to us both moving to Belgium where neither of us has ties has only reinforced my interest in food, food cultures and why we eat the way we do. I love that your blog reflects so much of what is familiar to me! Now I am expecting my first baby so I have been reading the feeding Hugo series intently and hope your next book will be on this topic! Congratulations on 8 years of this blog, what an achievement.
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Happy anniversary and congrats!
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Congrats on 8 years! I would love to read your book!
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I would so love to have my own copy.
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I love your blog and would love to have your book. I can’t imagine blogging for eight years- I don’t even update my grocery list regularly. Congratulations!
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Congratulation! I love Berlin and to cook… so when I found your blog, it was the perfect fit. I have discovered fantastic things in it – including Serifos! I read about that island in your blog when I was planning our babymoon this year… and went for it. We had a fantastic time on the island and was silently grateful with you. I am looking forward to reading your book… it is on my wishlist… but for the time being I am devouring pregnancy/baby books. Nonetheless, it would be great to have a copy to have a good read in a while. Congratulations, again!
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Congrats! It’s so funny to hear that you once lived 7 blocks from here. I’m glad we’ve never had water bugs, but we did have an invasion of fruit flies waiting for us when we returned from across the pond a couple of months ago. I’ve read your book and would love to have my own copy.
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Eight years, one baby, and countless recipes is something to shake a stick at, pretty lady. Congratulations.
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Congrats! I have a toddler son too so I feel your pain. I love reading your blog and watching Hugo grow.
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hip hip hip hoera! tanti auguri, blog!
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HA!! A crazy person who can’t speak but has opinions and needs – love it!! Congratulations on 8 years of your lovely blog – and the paperback version of your book. I love the cover!
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Ohhh! Please enter me to win a copy–then I won’t have to keep using the food-covered photocopies that I made from the library book! 🙂 LOVE the Ragu recipe and the spaghetti and breadcrumbs and so does the family! 🙂
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A bit belated, but thank you for the recipe for roasted apricots. My mother used to can apricots and I loved how soft and lovely they became. I make jam but haven’t quite gotten around to canning apricots, but the roasted apricots are just as good and so much easier. I don’t even know how many times I have made them this summer! Hugo is a lucky boy!
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Congratulations! I really enjoy your blog, love the recipes and I enjoy hearing about your family and Berlin (and Italy now and then). Also, love the spelling of your name, it seems much more feminine than mine.
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How sad to have bugs in the kitchen.
Oh the downsides of New York City livin’.
Eight years of delicious.
Not to mention nutritious.
Here’s to another fine Wednesday of cookin’.
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Congratulations on blogging, your book, your life–everything! 🙂 Here’s to many, more years of reading your beautiful words.
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Congrats! Glad you’re still here blogging!
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Congratulations! Your blog is beautiful and your writing is some of the best. I look forward very much to reading your book – glad that it is now out in paperback (and with a very cute cover!).
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happy anniversary from a fellow expat!
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Congratulations! Eight years is a very impressive achievement.
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I love your voice. I love your recipes. I also love how, because of the way you write — and even moreso, just simply who you are — so many, many readers truly connect with you, very naturally and easily so, it seems. I’m always struck in the comments by how you draw out people’s hearts. It’s lovely, Luisa. Thank you for sharing with us for so many years!
And, oh, is it nice to hear your comments on cooking (or, erm, NOT cooking) while parenting a toddler. I’m a decent multitasker, and I adore cooking, but with the small person around, damn if it isn’t — strangely — so difficult, time-wise, to make a meal, get it into us and clean up afterwards. Which seems … crazy. (But? Not as crazy as my little son.) Thank you, as usual, for sharing your humanity with us.
Raising a glass o’ bubbly to eight more — nay, eighty more — years of your sweet self blogging and writing!
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Congratulations on making it this far with blogging! I discovered your blog a few months ago and instantly became a fan. It is fascinating to read about life in Europe, especially regarding food and culture. I would love to win a paperback of your book!
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Ah bless you! Being honest is good. It’s the personal that makes your blog, well your blog, and your cookbook yours too. And eight years?! Wah! That’s great. I would cherish one of your books in London town very dearly x
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Congratulations! Eight years… that does indeed call for cake!
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I remember when my kids were toddlers. I worked 3 days a week and it was a shock to realize that the days I worked, even though I worked in a high-stress area, were less stressful and less tiring than the days I was at home . When I needed to accomplish something, I hired a sitter for a few hours.
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Congratulations on 8 years! It was lovely to meet you at the Hive in May, I really enjoyed your talk. I would love to read your book, fingers crossed. Best wishes, Jenni x
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