Hi you,
I don’t know how it is for you, but for me, things have been slowly starting to move again.
Not with big steps — more with calm, gentle mornings.
I’ve carefully started working again. About two or three mornings a week, I’m back at the bakery. And honestly, after that I’m completely exhausted, so I really keep it to those mornings. Still, it feels so good to be there again. To see everyone. To feel the energy of the bakery. It feels like coming home.
The rest of the time, I work from home, behind the scenes. And for now, that balance stays: partly in the bakery, partly at home. It actually works surprisingly well. At home, I’ve had the space to refine plans, work on ideas, and look at things with fresh eyes.
And maybe just as valuable: I’ve had so much quality time with my family. That led to many small moments worth celebrating. Sometimes with cupcakes or cakes from the bakery — and sometimes simply at home, because logistically it wasn’t always possible. But celebrating still happened.
Recently, we celebrated Maarten’s birthday. He turned 39. Just like me, earlier this year. And it made me smile — we’re both very much in the middle of life, enjoying it consciously, with attention, and grateful for moments like these.
Maybe that’s why Valentine’s Day feels extra meaningful to me this year. Not because it has to be big, but because it’s such a beautiful invitation to celebrate something. Love, attention, togetherness — in whatever way feels right for you.
If you like to keep Valentine’s small, our bento cakes are perfect for that. Bento originates from South Korea and literally means lunchbox. These are small cakes for one person, packaged in a box and meant to be eaten straight from it with a fork. A little moment just for yourself — or to share. For Valentine’s, we decorate them with soft colors, rose petals, a kiss, a heart. Small, but special.
If you’d rather celebrate a bit bigger — at home or maybe even at work — our cupcakes are there too. Mini cupcakes to share, or larger cupcakes as a centerpiece. Whatever fits your moment.
My mission stays the same: I want to help create moments that make people light up. That one moment in the day where you think, oh yes… life is beautiful. And if I can contribute to that with something sweet, I do so with all my love.
And then there’s something else that’s brought me a lot of joy lately. I’ve started a birdwatching course. Besides being a tea snob, it turns out I’m also becoming a bird enthusiast. The course includes theory evenings and outdoor excursions, and we recently had our first one.
We saw so many ducks — and what struck me was how often they swim in pairs. Northern pintails, tufted ducks, mallards, black-tailed godwits — all calmly floating by together. It felt like Valentine’s Day, but on the water.
Maybe that’s the common thread right now: slowly going outside again. Slowly returning to work. Slowly celebrating. With attention.
I’m now continuing with the preparations for Valentine’s Day.
Love,
Faryel
Amsterdam Cupcake Company