About Brett

Hi, I’m Brett—thanks for stopping by my home on the web!  My actual home is located in the hills of Berks County Pennsylvania, about an hour and a half west of Philadelphia.  Along with my partner Rich, I’ve been restovating (restore + renovate = restovate!) nonstop for 15 years.  And when I say nonstop, I. Am. Not. Kidding.  Victorian era beauties.  Total rehabs.   A lot of work.  Before the first renovations began, I had hobbies.  Hobbies that didn’t require being coated in plaster dust.  Or, wet paint.  Or, the possibility of being electrocuted.

Just when I thought the road to rehab ran to infinity, something ridiculously awesome would happen.  Like winning a kitchen makeover and seeing my kitchen featured in House Beautiful magazine.  Or, the time when a bathroom renovation appeared on the pages of Better Homes and Gardens followed by the pantry and laundry room popping up in This Old House magazine.  Crazy, huh?  It’s things like this that makes all that hard work just a little more rewarding and provided that extra boost to move on to the next project.

I’ve always loved to cook and garden.  Some of my earliest childhood memories are of sitting on my southern grandmother’s counter while she let me “help.”  Or digging in the dirt in my grandfather’s garden learning lessons that I still use today.  Gardening is my passion and I treasure every second I spend there.  Eating what my garden produces makes me feel more connected to the food I grow and inspires me to be a better cook.  I’m excited to share my love of garden and kitchen with you!

That first win of a kitchen makeover, added to my love of garden and kitchen, led me to the world of competitive cooking.  I’ve had great fun, met famous chefs and celebrities, and won some amazing prizes, but the best prize of all is the friendships I’ve made.

I’m a flight attendant and get a lot of my inspiration from my travels.  One of my favorite things to do is visit the local market in whatever city I find myself and check out the local specialties.  I also chat with passengers about their favorite restaurants, food trucks, and hidden gems in their hometowns.  I’ve also been known to stick my head in the hotel kitchen on a layover and ask what’s cooking!

I’m a cookbook collector and recipe wrangler.  Dreamer of chickens and honeybees.  Creative crafter.  Resolute renovator.  Grower of way too much in the garden but I love to share.  My friends have said that if Martha Stewart and Bob Vila had a love child, they would name him Brett.  That’s me!

I’ve learned a lot along the way, lived to tell about it, and I’m excited to share with you!  Join me on this journey and we’ll grow, eat, make, see, and do something.  Together!