Hey y'all and welcome to KindaWanda.com! My name is Ariel… and I know you might be wondering, "Why Kinda Wanda if your name is Ariel?" Well, here's the story. My middle name is Wanda. I don't use it much, but it's still Kinda part of who I am. I was named after my grandmother Wanda, and this site is dedicated to her and everything she's taught me.

You know those TV grandmas who always have fresh cookies waiting when you walk in the door? That was my Nana. She was always baking up a storm and somehow managed to have something delicious ready anytime you dropped by. She was also full of life, always doing something, curling her hair, painting her nails, sewing a dress, or reading a book at 6 a.m. (yes, really!).

I grew up surrounded by both my grandmas and my two great-aunts, all incredible women who carried their own kitchen traditions. Sadly, I didn't get the chance to collect any of their recipes. So I'm Kinda on a bit of a mission to reconnect with that part of my family by learning to cook through the stories and recipes of other people's grandmas.

As a tribute to my Nana, and to myself, this space is about living fully, cooking, creating, and connecting. So if you're a lover of food, travel, photography, and most importantly, people, I'd love for you to join me on this journey.

I'm kinda new to this whole thing, but I'm psyched to get started and can't wait to share my crazy life and kitchen adventures with y'all!

Outside of Kinda Wanda, I also work in food styling. That work is being given its own home so this site can stay focused on recipes, family stories, and the grandmothers who inspire them.