I am so excited for my friend, Stefanie! Today’s the big day where she’ll head off to school. I feel like we all go through so many first days of school — there’s the first day of school for 12 years straight (elementary, middle, and high school), then there’s your first day of school for 4 years in college (hopefully it’s just four years), and some people go on to grad school and some take their education on even further. But there are just so many first days it seems like; but on this very day my good friend Stef is heading off to culinary school. And when I say heading off, she’s not even leaving the island of Manhattan (thank goodness, I don’t know what I would do without her)!!!

Yesterday I semi-begged Stef to take a photo of herself in her culinary school uniform. In a nut shell, Stef didn’t sound too thrilled to do this. But when I opened my email this morning I discovered in my inbox a photo of her all dressed up in her hat, white jacket and checkered black and white pants. The text of the email said “not to be posted on the internet hahahaha.” I’m totally respecting Stef’s wish, but I have to tell you all how fabulous she looked in the picture!

I had to post a photo of us though! I love this picture, it brings back so many fabulous memories of the summer we met when we were interns at the Food Network Magazine.

Stef, good luck on your first day! You’re going to be fabulous! (**and I can’t wait for you to cook for me some day soon!)