Meet Reeva Paluri | Food Blogger & Doctoral Student

We had the good fortune of connecting with Reeva Paluri and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Reeva, what principle do you value most?
It is most important to me to incorporate my passions into my everyday life, because that is what keeps me motivated to creating the life that I want. It sounds typical as we’ve all probably had people tell us to “Do what you love.” But, this does not just have to apply to the context of a career, rather it deserves to be apart of every facet of life. Incorporating my passions into my everyday life has allowed me to live authentically, take care of myself, and focus on what I am capable of rather than the things that hold me back. I moved to SoCal to pursue my doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology which is a field that is near and dear to my heart. But as I pursue my vocational passions, I make sure to keep my own personal interests in cooking, baking, and food blogging alive as it a form of self-care and also as a creative way for me to stay involved in my community.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am currently a graduate student pursuing my doctorate in Clinical Psychology, and I moved from New Jersey to California this past year to pursue this degree. I am also a Food Blogger who started out for fun at the beginning of my undergraduate career, but has grown it into a personal creative platform. I use it as a platform to share my own recipes as well as those of others, as well as promote my favorite small businesses. During my time as an undergrad, I worked early mornings at my favorite bakery and learned about the impact and love that small businesses provide. Being a part of a team that was like a second family to me made me want to not only grow my own platform but use it as a vehicle to promote other hard working small businesses and their families. I knew this was something I did not want to give up even when I moved across the country for graduate school because it has grown from a mere hobby to a full blown passion of mine. I hope to own my own business one day in which I can combine my love for Psychology with my apparently relentless need to satisfy people with good food. These two passions have helped me provide a pocket of positivity to the people around me in the best ways that I know how, and I will continue to make it my life’s journey to do so.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Some of my favorite site seeing spots in SoCal include the Griffith Observatory, Huntington Beach, and Old Town San Diego. For the best food spots, I would take my best friend to Orange County, especially Omomo Tea Shoppe in Irvine and Mayfield in San Juan Capistrano. To me good food is the center of a great occasion and it starts with restaurants that are immersed in their own culture as well as a dedication to serving the best food. SoCal also has some of the best local farmers markets, and I highly recommend grabbing some produce from vendors and use it as an opportunity to cook up a feast. It’s also a great way to support local small businesses and know exactly where your food is sourced from.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This article is dedicated to my family, specifically my dad, mom, and my little sister, who are the people who have supported me and watched me grow into myself. They supported me in my move across the country, and continue to encourage me to nurture my passions as I begin to build my life independently.

Instagram: @semisweetfood