It all started at 4am back in San Diego, where my wife and I met and where we welcomed our daughter into the world. Violet was only three months old, and I had just put her back down to sleep. The house was finally quiet and I had a few rare minutes to myself. At that moment I began developing an idea for a children’s book about a silly story I had made up on the spot earlier that day.
While in her nursery, Violet had been pawing at a small avocado plush toy while I intently watched on. The avocado had a smiley face and a belly full of small beads to give it that rattle noise. Without giving it much thought, I said to her “Does your avocado have a name? Does he have any friends? Does he need to go on an adventure to meet some?”
That was it. The genesis of The Guacamole Gang and where we are today.
My wife was born and raised in Valhalla, and for a long time we had zero inclination to move from California to New York. That all changed when Violet was born. Almost immediately, my wife said “If there is ever any chance to move east, we need to do it. We need to raise Violet around family, and we have no support system here.” The stars aligned in such a way that everything happened quickly, but it never felt rushed. We knew we were making the right decision. I work in spirits sales for Heaven Hill Brands, and when a position opened in Westchester last fall, we took it as our sign. From the West Coast to Westchester in about 90 days… What a whirlwind!
The three of us are now living in Valhalla where my wife grew up. Violet is about to turn one, and I planned the book’s release to coincide with her birthday. What started as a few rhetorical questions to my daughter evolved into a creative release for me in developing this project. It’s been quite the experience navigating writing and self-publishing a children’s book, being a first-time dad, working a full-time job, and relocating to New York from Southern California, the only place I’ve known as home.
About The Guacamole Gang
What happens when six ingredients decide to form a band? The Guacamole Gang is a story about friendship, music, and the magic that happens when everyone brings something different to the table.
Javier the avocado, the main character, starts the story all alone. He has big dreams of playing in a band, but he can’t make music alone. So, he sets out to find his crew. There’s Lorenzo the lime on drums, Omar the onion plays bass, Cecilia the cilantro with vocals, Julio the jalapeño on piano, and Samantha the saltshaker plays the trumpet.
Together, they discover that friendship is the secret ingredient. And the best songs, like the best guacamole, need every part to work. It’s a story about belonging, teamwork, and the joy of making something together. It’s also the most fun your kid will ever have learning to love guacamole.
The book is illustrated by San Diego-based artist Amy Laird.
I wanted this project to have a philanthropic element, so I reached out to No Kid Hungry, a national organization working to end childhood hunger in America. I’m donating five percent of gross sales revenue from The Guacamole Gang, sold at GuacamoleGang.com and on Amazon, from June 10, 2026 through June 10, 2027 to No Kid Hungry. 1 in 5 children in this country faces hunger, and a book about food, friendship, and gathering around the table should mean something beyond the page.
My wife and I are throwing Violet a Guacamole Gang themed party for her birthday. We’re planning food character decorations, a guacamole station, and of course family and friends around the table. The book launch and her birthday will happen all at once.
