7 days in... and a call for support for our friends and neighborhoods
I first want to thank you for being here and reading the stories.
The last seven days in Altadena and Santa Monica Mountains have been a lot to hold for us. Frido and I gained very brief access to our studio on Thursday afternoon. We are grateful to report that the building was still standing, and inside of BK was safe from the smoke or any other damages even though we were only half a block from the heavily impacted neighborhood. We were and still are under a mandatory evacuation order, so we quickly took a video recording of the inside space in case of additional damages in the coming days and picked up as many pending orders as possible from the studio to ship them from our home. Yesterday, we tried to go back to the studio, but there is now a hard boundary by the National Guard around the parameters of our Altadena neighborhood, so we are holding back behind the line with anticipation of being able to safely go back to our BK studio soon.
Before I go into sharing what’s next for BK, I would like to take a moment and breathe deeply for our friends and neighborhoods who have lost their homes, their kids’ schools, places of work, and so much more to these fires.
On last Wednesday, one of our very close friends, Natalia, and her family found out that they lost their home in Altadena to the Eaton Fire after they evacuated their home the night before. Natalia has been my dear friend for over ten years since our kids were in preschool together. After our kids graduated from their preschool, we collaborated to homeschool them for many years, often on beautiful hiking trails in Altadena. What I have always been in awe about Natalia and her family is how much they give to their community. Whenever I see Natalia, she is always checking in with folks around her to make sure that everyone around her feels heard and seen. She is a special kind of human being, and so are her kids and her husband, Brett. I also personally got to know how much her home and her garden meant to her family. It has been a safe haven during and since the COVID-19 pandemic, and Natalia has been deeply connected to all the plants and animals she tended on her land and loved their Altadena neighborhood so much.
I know that the media is showing a glimpse of what is happening in the impacted areas, and it’s absolutely heartbreaking and so very real. It is also beautiful to watch how the community is coming together to get through these moments, both from inside and outside the community's physical boundary.
Please continue to send collective positive thoughts to individuals who make the community of Altadena, Topanga, and all other unique neighborhoods in Los Angeles special and so deeply heartfelt. They are definitely more than clichés that the media might portray as “LA.” And if you have ways to contribute financially, many local organizations have opened up platforms where support can be received from outside Los Angeles. Also, Natalia’s friend opened a GoFundMe page for her family. I know any contribution will be helpful as her family finds a way to take the next step in this challenging time.
Back to the Baum-kuchen situation, this coming week, while we stay away from the evacuation line and our studio until it’s safe to do so, Frido and I are collaborating with our studio team members to take on BK creative projects they can accomplish from their home so they can continue to safely work with us and sustain their livelihood. Our remote team members, Eunice & Kei, will continue to support our communities online if there are any questions or concerns.
Please kindly know that we are still accepting online orders via our website with the intention to prioritize fulfillment and shipping as soon as our team and I can get back in. I am reminding myself that we got through Covid together as a team and as a community, and we can get through this season, too, with grace and comradery.
Lastly, I am so grateful to be surrounded by a loving community of BK, friends, and families, and I can not wait to give big hugs to everyone when we can open our store again.
Sending so much love your way. I am grateful to have visited both studios in person and hope to see this one again, safe and sound. Thank you for sharing your story from there. 💗
It’s been such a relief to read your updates, you’ve been on my mind since I found out the fires were in your area. Wishing the best to you, your family, friends and the BK family. I’ll be waiting for you when you are back on track.
XO