Our family bakery opened in Des Moines, Washington in September 2010 and the Bistro followed in July of 2014.

 

My mother, Lucille, helped launch Blue Vanilla by investing in our dream.  More importantly, Mom is the one who inspired my love of good cooking and especially my love of delicious baked goods.  Many of the recipes we are using at Blue Vanilla are based on cherished memories from our own family.

 

My daughter, Ashley, is my partner in running the businesses.  She is a college graduate who has also found her niche in serving and entertaining others.  In addition to being the next generation's keeper of our family recipes, she is an experienced and skillful barista.

 

I was born and raised in South Seattle and have lived in King County my whole life (except the four years I was aways at WSU for college). I am a graduate of the Highline School District, and so are my two children.

 

I earned my college degree in advertising, and worked for 30 years in the advertising and printing industries.  However, my passions was always cooking and baking.  In college, I was the one who stayed up all night during finals week baking chocolate chip cookies for my friends while they were studying.  In every office where I worked, I was the one who brought hommade pastries to congratulate the team when things went well or cheer them on when things were tough.  My special birthday gift to my nieces and nephews each year was an elaborate personalized cake, and they sill recall the passage of years in terms of those cakes.  "That was my ninja turtle year," one will say to the other.

 

I have always provided catering services for friends and friends of friends in my spare time.  I have baked and decorated hundreds of wedding cakes and desserts for special occasions.  Until now, however, my baking remained on the sidelines of my "real life"

 

When I became a casuality of the drastic downsizing of the printing industry, I decided the time had come to work on realizing my life's dream and try to turn my passion into a paycheck.

 

And now, with the help of my family, Blue Vanilla Bakery and Blue Whale Bistro have become a reality.

 

When all is said and done, my goal is to use my love of cooking and baking to provide fresh, delicious food for my customers to enjoy in our cozy bistro or in the comfort of their own home--love from my family to theirs.

 

Margie Nelson, owner

Blue Vanilla Bakery

Blue Whale Bistro