Sheer Ambrosia Newsletter

June 2026

This newsletter is an 8-minute read.

Julien Kamga supporting me at my tent at Laird Park's

2026 Juneteenth Celebration.

I have to be honest. I did not grow up fully understanding Juneteenth.

My parents did not teach me much about it, and for many years, I did not really know the full history or significance of the day. I say that with humility, because now that I know more, I understand how important it is.

Juneteenth marks June 19, 1865, the day Union troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, and announced that enslaved people there were free. This happened more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation had been signed. So Juneteenth is not just a celebration of freedom. It is also a reminder that freedom was delayed, denied, and hard fought for.

To me, Juneteenth is a reminder to honor the people who came before me by making the most of the opportunities I have today.

This year marked my fourth year selling Sheer Ambrosia baklava and granola at the Juneteenth celebration at Laird Park. The neighborhood has hosted this beautiful celebration for years, and they first invited me to participate in 2023. I have been grateful to return every year since.

This year felt especially meaningful.

People came by our tent smiling. They told us how happy they were to see Sheer Ambrosia again. Some said we have become part of their Juneteenth celebration, and that truly touched my heart. We are part of a tradition!

We almost sold out this year. By the end of the event, we only had a few of the larger 12-piece boxes left...usually I only bring 2 and 4 piece boxes. But more than the sales, I felt grateful for the community, the warmth, and the feeling of belonging.

There is something very special about standing under my own bakery tent, selling something I made with my own hands, at a celebration that honors freedom.

That moment was not lost on me.

I am grateful for the invitation. I am grateful for the support. I am grateful for the people who keep showing up for Sheer Ambrosia. And I am grateful for the reminder that freedom is something we honor not only with our words, but with how we live, build, serve, and take care of one another.

It's still June so Happy Juneteenth!

And thank you, Laird Park and @yalecrest_juneteenth, for making Sheer Ambrosia part of your celebration for the fourth year in a row.

Hairnets, Baklava, and Big Dreams

He wanted it to be an educational field trip of sorts. He wanted them to see the behind-the-scenes of a real working bakery, but even more than that, he wanted them to see what a female entrepreneur looks like and more importantly, he wanted them to see what they are capable of.

When he asked if I could help him accomplish that, of course I said absolutely YES.

So on June 17th, David and his 4 girls came to Sheer Ambrosia. When they arrived, the two younger girls were visibly excited. The two older girls looked a little more like they were just along for the ride. And when I handed everyone hairnets, the older two looked at each other as if to say, “You have got to be kidding me.”

That made me laugh.

I showed them all around the bakery. We talked about baklava and all the steps that go into making it, from the buttery layering, to baking, to making the honey syrup, to packaging each box beautifully.

They asked so many thoughtful questions. They were lovely and so intuitive.

Then we made baklava ice cream together, and by that point, everybody was fully in. Hairnets and all.

We really enjoyed each other's company!

By the time it was over, I felt like I had made four new friends. They left with plenty of baklava, but I hope they left with something even sweeter than that.

I hope they left knowing that girls can build things. Girls can own businesses.

Girls can create beautiful spaces, make delicious food, ask smart questions, and dream up something all their own.

Female entrepreneurship is a real thing, and sometimes the best way to show that is simply to open the door, hand out a few hairnets, and let the next generation see it up close.

It was such a fun day.

And honestly, it was a giving back moment for me. A reminder that all the work, all the long days, all the building, all the learning, and all the dreaming can become something that inspires someone else.

That is a beautiful thing.

The Day Sheer Ambrosia

Got Her Stripes

Me with Helene plotting out our course.

Of course, signing a lease was only the beginning.

Before I could move in, there were approvals to get, plans to submit, an architect and contractor to find, permits to wait on, and a whole build-out to complete. There were so many steps before anything felt even close to real.

But one of the most meaningful milestones was the day I painted the bakery.

The photos from that day popped up in my memories recently, and they stopped me in my tracks. I spent 15 hours painting what would eventually become this beautiful little bakery of mine. Two coats of primer, two coats of robin egg bluish-green paint, and a whole lot of determination.

By that evening, my friends Desi and Helene (the mother/daughter darling duo) came by to help me paint the signature Sheer Ambrosia stripes on two of the walls. We worked until around 2:00 in the morning and somehow got it all done in one very long, very exhausting, very special day.

The first stripes were slow going. But we were so excited to see some progress.

Paint-covered clothes.

Tired feet.

Late nights.

Friends who show up.

And a vision you are willing to work for.

Those robin egg bluish-green walls and chocolate brown stripes are still bright and inviting, and every time I see them, I remember the excitement of bringing this space to life.

We were in our groove by this point. We had our rhythm and

we were getting it done!

When people walk into Sheer Ambrosia, I want them to feel welcome. I want them to feel like they have stepped into a little dream space. I want them to forget about the world outside for a moment and simply be happy while they spend a little time with me.

That is what I was painting toward that day.

Not just robin egg bluish-green walls.

Not just chocolate brown stripes.

I was painting toward warmth. Toward beauty. Toward a bakery that would feel soft, inviting, joyful, and a little bit magical. A place where people could walk in, take a deep breath, see something pretty, taste something delicious, and feel cared for.

Three years later, these walls still remind me that before Sheer Ambrosia became a place people could visit, it was a dream I was willing to stay up all night for.

The last stripe of the night! Desi felt we should document it with a photo. What amazing friends I have!

Fancy Shamcy and Full of Gratitude:

Our One Year Anniversary at Nordstrom Fashion Place Mall

I was so grateful and excited. Not just because it was an opportunity to sell my baklava, but because Nordstrom is Nordstrom. That beautiful, high-end, fancy shamcy store looked at Sheer Ambrosia and felt my brand aligned enough with theirs to invite me in.

That meant so much to me.

What started as a Juneteenth pop-up turned into a whole year of wonderful opportunities. I ended up doing two weekends last June, one in July, two in August, two in September, two in October, and then I returned this year for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, and Father’s Day weekend.

Every single time, I have met new customers, introduced more people to my baklava and granola, and made real connections with the staff, management, and community.

Nordstrom has been such a friend and advocate to my small business.

And I have to take a moment to honor Stephany Pierce, the manager who has been nothing short of an angel to me. Stephany is generous, kind, approachable, and so willing to help. She wants me to succeed. She wants me to rise. She wants me to GROW!

That kind of support is not something I take lightly.

Over this past year, Nordstrom has opened its doors to Sheer Ambrosia again and again, and in doing so, they have helped me reach people I may have never reached on my own.

So thank you, Stephany. Thank you to the Nordstrom team. Thank you to every customer who stopped by, sampled, purchased, encouraged me, and came back again.

What a beautiful first year it has been.

Fancy shamcy and full of gratitude.

What you ordered this month, and every month, is more than something sweet. It’s what keeps Sheer Ambrosia alive and thriving. Your support means everything. Thank you for choosing small, and for being part of our story.

-Peace, Love, and Baklava Forever,

Rita Magalde