Thank God Thank God Thank God,” was JD's response when I told him I signed up for a cooking class. What I didn't tell him was the class was FOR THE BOTH OF US! Surprise! I mean, com'on, did he really expect me to walk into a kitchen…by myself?! Don't think so. We joke that the best thing I make for dinner is reservations, so signing up for the class was the first step to becoming the next Julia Child.

I'm actually obsessed with buying kitchen goodies (julienne slicer, quiche tins, magical bean stock seeds), but I don't actually use them. I tell myself they'll act as incentives to party in the kitchen, but it never happens. The good news is that if my neighbor ever needs to borrow a petrified wood rolling pin from Uganda, I got her covered.

Last Sunday night we walked into Hipcooks for a crazy night of paella making. I could be wrong but our dinner guide, Bonny, knew I was going to be as helpful as a blind baboon, so while other students were asked to cut, slice, and prep for dinner, I was asked to…wait for it…wait for it…stir. Yes, I was asked to stir a wine reduction to later be used for dessert. And, yes, I tasted every few seconds to make sure I was stirring right. Obvs. And let's be serious for a second…can we just say this sight is intimidating?

Paella prep…

Why, hello there, I'll be your official STIRRER.

This is Bonny walking through the cooking directions…and secretly sprinkling her awesomeness over the food. Which explains why I won't be able to recreate this dish on my own later…

JD actually likes to cook…and he's really good at it. Thank the sweet lord or else we'd likely starve…or eat the best bowl of cereal ever poured.

Leave it to JD to make friends…he's quite the charmer in his own quiet way.

The chef's assistant, Lisa, kindly grabbed my camera and took this photo of me and JD. I love this moment. A couple from across the kitchen challenged us to a paella cook off and I think this is the moment when I yelled, It's SO ON, SUCKERS!!!

I'm not-so-officially a Spanish chef,
j*