Two weeks ago, a knock-knock-knock on the door set off my doggie alarm, and the two of us raced to see who could answer it first. (Even with two legs against four, I still won!) An old high school friend stood on the other side. She had tagged along on her husband’s mini road trip and snuck off during his boring work training to visit me! Read more →
Although not much of a picky eater growing up, I hated when foods touched on my plate. I only classified a few combinations as “acceptable”: butter and mashed potatoes, maple syrup and pancakes, chocolate sauce and ice cream. But I nearly threw a tantrum if… Read more →
I refused to eat tofu as a kid. It probably had something to do with the name: “toe”-foo. Toes reminded me of feet, feet were stinky, and I protested against putting anything smelly near my mouth. (Especially French Roquefort cheese. Bleck!) Read more →
Just before Easter, I met a close friend for sandwiches at her local Panera. We laughed, talked, and munched our way through the evening, catching up on the past year of our lives. Partway through dinner, Miss W revealed her big plans for a two-week tour of Europe (lucky lady!) and her resolution to lose weight before boarding the airplane. Read more →
With the wind whipping our hair around our faces, my high school friend and I climbed the streets of San Francisco. We had already meandered around the Westfield Mall, spotted movie producers filming behind the Ferry Building, and nibbled on free samples of caramel-filled milk chocolates in Ghirardelli Square. To end the evening, we rode the bus to Japantown for sashimi, sushi rolls, and crêpes. Read more →
As a self-conscious teenager, I spent many sunny afternoons strolling around the mall with my friends. I feigned interest in the tiny tops and tight jeans in their favorite trendy boutiques, but I always preferred the bath and body shops. There weren’t any “popular” scents of bubble bath or perfumed candles that I had to remember there! Read more →
A white porcelain Peter Rabbit cookie jar appeared on our kitchen countertop sometime during my early childhood. Too beautiful and fragile to touch, it almost never held cookies. Read more →
Any time I enter a donut shop, I immediately turn into a four-year-old kid. I run up to the display case, press my nose against the glass, and start judging each donut on its size, shape, fluffiness, and glaze. Read more →
My 9-year-old self dreaded the start of Girl Scout cookie season. While my friends skipped up the steps to ring each doorbell, I hid in my room, counting down the days until Camporee in May. As an introvert, I much preferred roasting marshmallows and staring at the stars to knocking on strangers’ doors and selling them sugary sweets!
But I still enjoyed eating the cookies, so my mom usually bought enough boxes for our family and friends to prevent my troop leader from frowning when I turned in my nearly blank sales sheet. My favorites were the samoas, closely followed by tag-alongs and thin mints. What’s not to love about chocolate cookies coupled with caramel, peanut butter, or mint?? Read more →
I met the love of my life in high school. Tall, dark, and handsome, he teased me from across the room at a birthday party, tempting me to come closer. A shy girl, I blushed and looked away, but I eventually mustered up enough courage to walk across the room. I approached, smiling, and…
I took a really big bite.
He wasn’t the star QB of the football team or the drum major in the marching band—he was a piece of chocolate cake! 6 layers of moist cake with 6 layers of fudgy chocolate frosting… My idea of perfection!
But alas, the romance was not meant to be… The chocolate cake came from Costco, and I’m not a member! So we parted ways after the birthday celebration ended, never to see each other again. Read more →
