About Arden

I grew up learning pretty early that life can be both a lot and also really beautiful…sometimes in the same day. Somewhere between trying to be a good kid, discovering dance floors, and figuring out how to be a decent adult, I became this person who cares a lot about connection, feelings, and making things and experiences that help people feel a little less alone.

I’ve worn a bunch of hats over the years: event producer, DJ, craft maker, payments nerd, caregiver, home cook, rave kid, “let’s put this in a spreadsheet” planner, and the friend who will absolutely ask “but how are you really?” and mean it. None of those roles are the whole story on their own, but together they’re pretty close to who I am at the core.

The heart stuff

The biggest through‑line in my life is people. I’m married to Brian, who is somehow both my safest person and still one of the most exciting humans I’ve ever met. We’ve lived a lot of versions of our life together…different jobs, different levels of chaos…and we’ve somehow kept choosing each other through all of it.

Around us is this constellation of chosen family: people from raves, festivals, old jobs, weird side quests, and quiet nights in who’ve become the “call at 2am” humans. They’re the ones who show up for birthdays and ER visits, camping trips and grief days, big wins and tiny tender moments that never make it to social media.

As I’ve gotten older, and especially as I’ve been helping my dad navigate the after‑effects of a stroke, the importance of that kind of community has landed even deeper. Aging, illness, caregiving…none of it feels theoretical anymore. Social connection isn’t just a nice‑to‑have, it’s one of the things that literally helps us stay healthier and live longer.

Raves, music, and chosen family

I came up in and around rave culture…the kind that still remembers what PLUR feels like in practice: peace, love, unity, respect (and I’d add responsibility). The dance floor has always been a kind of church for me… a place where bodies of all kinds get to be free for a few hours, where strangers become friends, where “too much” isn’t a thing.

DJing and making long‑form mixes grew out of that. I love telling a story over a few hours…starting somewhere familiar, wandering through deeper and weirder emotional corners, and landing in a place that feels like a soft exhale. My favorite sets feel like you’re holding hands with a room full of people you love—even if you’ve never met them.

Raving also gave me the language and lived experience of chosen family: the people you’re not related to by blood, but who are absolutely your family in every way that matters. That idea shows up everywhere now…who I cook for, who I text when my heart is heavy, who ends up on my couch on a random Tuesday.

Food, health, and taking care of future me

I love comfort food. I also care a lot about my heart, my labs, and still being able to dance and live fully as I get older. Somewhere along the way I realized those things don’t have to be at war with each other.

The recipes on this site are a reflection of that: heart‑forward, longevity‑minded meals that still feel like real food. Think turkey chili that actually supports your cholesterol, Mediterranean‑leaning fish dinners, big salads that don’t suck, cozy dal, rave‑recovery breakfasts…the stuff I actually cook for myself and the people I love.

Cooking has become one of the ways I practice self‑care and care for my future self—quiet nights in the kitchen, making something that tastes good now and nudges my body in a better direction long term.

Making things with my hands

I’m one of those people who can’t not make things. That’s shown up as laser‑cut earrings, small pieces of art, shirts, and random experiments that start with “what if I…” and end with something unexpectedly sweet.

There’s something grounding about taking an idea and making it physical—something you can touch, wear, hang on a wall, or give to a friend. It’s the same impulse as DJing or cooking: make something that carries a little bit of care in it, and send it out into the world.

Where I am right now

Right now, I’m in this middle place: still chasing joy and glitter and late‑night dance floors, but also scheduling doctor’s appointments, managing responsibilities, and thinking a lot about aging, caregiving, and what kind of life I want to build for the next decades.

I work a very normal‑sounding day job, lift weights, go on walks, track my food, try to sleep enough, and also make space for music, community, and feeling things all the way through. I’m trying to build a life that can hold both the rave kid and the adult who reads about heart health and calls his dad’s doctors back.

Why this site exists

This little corner of the internet is where all of that comes together:

• The mixes that soundtrack drives, chores, and big feelings.
• The recipes that feel like care now and later.
• The crafts and small things I make with my hands.
• The thoughts I’m trying to put words around about raving, family, aging, Barry, grief, and joy.

If you see yourself in any of this…if you’re a little tender, a little neon, trying to take care of your body and your people while still squeezing the magic out of being alive…I’m really glad you’re here.