Stop by and visit us at the Holiday Open House

The holidays are upon us -- and with them, the first annual Studio City Holiday Open House & Light Festival. Stop by on Sunday, November 26 to get a first look (even if it's just through our new windows) at what's in store. And why not try a little something sweet from the Bakeshop while you're visiting?

We look forward to seeing you there.

A cake, a card and a gift.

Part of what makes Big Sugar Bakeshop so distinctive is the amazing mix of dessert items and unique gifts available at the store.

Both of us live in this neighborhood, raise kids in it and work in it. We know there's often not a lot of time in a day to accomplish the seemingly thousands of tasks that need to get done. To that end, we wanted to create a shop that not only had the best baked items in town, but also offered one-stop shopping convenience for harried stay-at home parents and pressed-for-time working people. How could we help? Our friend Sara, mother of three, knew the problem: The running-around takes me more time than the shopping. And the solution: I need a place where I can make one stop and get a cake, a card and a gift.

That's Big Sugar Bakeshop. We're located on a lovely stretch of Ventura Boulevard which caters to pedestrians and commuters alike. With one stop, you (and your family -- please bring your kids, your kids' strollers and your kids' friends. We're family-friendly despite the shiny glass bakery cases and luxury merchandise!) you can pick up not only the birthday cake, candles and card, but a lovely gift as well.

Pressed for time before a big dinner party? Drop in and we'll help you choose just the right dessert for your special occasion. Need a really appealing icebreaker for a challenging business meeting? Let us put together one of our stellar breakfast boxes or cookie jars to get the business ball rolling. And, while you're here, why not pick up a bag of fresh lemon shortbread and maybe a nice tea set for yourself. Really, who deserves it more?


By the way, all the cool merchandise we have at the store didn't get here by accident. The beautiful imported platters, gorgeous stationery and one-of-a-kind vintage finds are the work of our talented friend and merchandise manager Lizzie. She's got a good eye, really good, so when you're next in the store and you need a lovely hostess gift or anniversary present, feel free to ask for some guidance. I'm sure she'll know just the right gift to go with that cake and card.

"Would you consider???"

That was the subject heading of the email I sent to my friend and neighbor Lisa back on January 10, 2006.

I'm sure she wasn't surprised to get an email from me. Over the last nine years or so, we've been emailing each other pretty regularly, discussing everything from playdates (our kids are the same age) to technology (me: Blackberry, she: Treo). In any case, the subject of this message was a little bit different:

"Since it looks like The Amazing Race will have to wait for us for two years, would you consider . . ."

And then I suggested to her the idea of opening a small, neighborhood bakery on Ventura Boulevard in Studio City. Perhaps the idea sounded a little crazy to her at the time -- as it certainly may seem nuts to you, the reader. The thing is, over the course of our relationship, Lisa and I have taken on a lot of challenges together. We've raised happy kids, set up campsites in the cold and dark, walked a marathon and a half to raise money for breast cancer research and played together on a very fierce women's soccer team, among others. These experiences, combined with our general stick-to-it-iveness had led us to consider ourselves prime candidates for the CBS reality show "The Amazing Race." Typical of our thinking, we planned not only to make it on to the show, but to be the first all-female team to win. That is, until a little hitch in our plans (Lisa's husband's employer makes her ineligible as a contestant for the next couple of years) put us on this new and interesting path.

"Okay," I wrote, "It's not like bungee jumping or drinking pig's blood (past Amazing Race requirements) but it would be fun and interesting to say the least!"

Lisa agreed.

And so, a year later, we're on the brink of a bungee jump of an entirely different sort. In December, we'll be opening Big Sugar Bakeshop, a warm and inviting neighborhood spot offering extraordinary, handcrafted desserts, a beautiful array of gift items and a healthy helping of Studio City hospitality. We'll be using the skills we've honed separately -- unparalleled business acumen (me) and old-fashioned baking know-how (Lisa) -- along with the cooperative nature and vision we share, to bring you a great new place to enjoy a fudge brownie, choose a sweet end to your next dinner party or find the perfect gift for a cherished friend.

We look forward to sharing Big Sugar Bakeshop with you.