I awoke on the morning of Oct 24th at 830 am.
This, my friends, is a good thing...since my body really thought it was 930 am Utah time.
I was greeted by the two most adorable children I know, both of them screaming the Happy Birthday song at me and shoving hand made cards in the view of my half open eyeballs.
This was how I started my 31st birthday.
Not. Too. Shabby.
I enjoyed a lovely run around Davis.
The cool fall air and fantastic changing leaves made it for quite a sight.
My kids, Alma and Vera had decorated the house with birthday decor and I was treated to a hot oatmeal breakfast.
Yes...I requested oatmeal on my birthday.
I'm really 80 years old inside.
I'm ok with it.
I was also awaiting a much anticipated "surprise" that Vera and Alma had planned.
They had kept it a secret for days.
It was killing me.
They almost pulled it off....until Alma joked that I better not "be seduced by my masseuse".
Busted.
I was getting a rubdown for my birthday.
My muscles yelped with joy.
Let me tell you...it was probably one of THE best massages I have EVER had.
I didn't even care that my legs were prickly because I hadn't shaved (the downside to a surprise massage)...I was like jello on that table and almost fell asleep a couple of times.
Bliss I tell you.
Bliss followed by Chocolate Decadence Cake at The Ciocolate Cafe.
Bliss...and drooling.
That about sums it up.
We made a trip to my favorite...and I mean favorite in most every way...favorite grocery store: Trader Joe's.
I went a little nuts with the treats and such. But you only turn 31 once.
We ate chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
Nothing fancy.
Just straight from the box and can and made by my hubby and kids.
It was totally nostalgic..and delicious.
Dinner at Burgers and Brew.
Sorry 5 Guys...you have officially been knocked off my #1 burger place.
Too bad Burgers and Brew is....oh..12 hours away.
All in all, a splendid birthday with splendid people.
Oh yes....and that massage.
PS.
Guess what surprise arrived for me while we were in California?
Yipeeeee!
Tuesday was one of our "lazy" days.
But all in all....not really that lazy.
We headed out to Fairfield.
That translates to "we went to the Jelly Belly Factory".
Yes.
THE Jelly Belly Factory.
I have never seen so many jelly beans in my life.
The even had a cafe with jelly bean shaped pizza.
Yes.
It's true.
The tour was really fun....I almost passed out from just looking at all the sugar.
Crates after crate after crate....after crate, of jelly beans.
And samples along the way.
Can it get much better? I think not.
The "store" at the end of the tour even had a "sampling bar".
That's right.
You can sit there all day sampling jelly beans for free.
Every single stinkin flavor.
Call me cheap...but that's the best free sugar high ever.
That...and the fact that a huge bag of "Belly Flops"( aka "rouge" jelly bellys") is only $9.
I'm officially in love with jelly belly's now.
I've always like them, but now we may have an issue on our hands.
Oh...and my favorite flavor?
Has been, always will be a tie...between Buttered Popcorn and Speckled Pear.
After we all left in a sugar coma...we headed for real food and lunch before going back to Davis.
That evening Vera hosted a "cooking circle" for her ward.
The theme?
Spooky Food.
How appropriate that you host a "spooky food" cooking group...in a mortuary.
Yes.
Did you know that Vera is a mortician...and owns her own mortuary?
It's true.
In fact...her house is on top of the mortuary.
You'd never know it just being in the house...but it's true.
Thing it's creepy?
It's not.
In fact...it's pretty neat.
Especially when you get to host cooking circle in the mortuary...in the mortuary chapel...and serve the food out of a coffin.
Yes.
You read that correctly.
A coffin.
This is why I love Vera.
Because she serves food out of a coffin.
A girl after my own heart.
Oh yes...and because she is Vera.
We had deviled egg eyeballs, spider juice, pumpkin jello, zombie brains and maggot soup (butternut squash soup with orzo pasta), apple crisp, spider cupcakes, chocolate pumpkin cake...and of course, chocolate coffins.
And the company was fantastic. Seriously some of the nicest and neatest ladies I've met.
Best Cooking Circle...ever.
And how do you top an evening like that?
You run out the door after it's over while your husband puts kids to bed and Vera cleans up...and come back baring 2 orders of authentic handmade dumplings from The Dumpling House around the corner.
I'm still dreaming about them.
Authentic and divine.
I wish you could all taste them....then you'd know the torture I have just by thinking about them.
Needless to say, Alma Vera and I enjoyed our late night dumplings.
I went to bed full and happy...that is...until my bed started inexplicably shaking at 1130 pm.
But that's a story for another time.
This, my friends, is a good thing...since my body really thought it was 930 am Utah time.
I was greeted by the two most adorable children I know, both of them screaming the Happy Birthday song at me and shoving hand made cards in the view of my half open eyeballs.
This was how I started my 31st birthday.
Not. Too. Shabby.
I enjoyed a lovely run around Davis.
The cool fall air and fantastic changing leaves made it for quite a sight.
My kids, Alma and Vera had decorated the house with birthday decor and I was treated to a hot oatmeal breakfast.
Yes...I requested oatmeal on my birthday.
I'm really 80 years old inside.
I'm ok with it.
I was also awaiting a much anticipated "surprise" that Vera and Alma had planned.
They had kept it a secret for days.
It was killing me.
They almost pulled it off....until Alma joked that I better not "be seduced by my masseuse".
Busted.
I was getting a rubdown for my birthday.
My muscles yelped with joy.
Let me tell you...it was probably one of THE best massages I have EVER had.
I didn't even care that my legs were prickly because I hadn't shaved (the downside to a surprise massage)...I was like jello on that table and almost fell asleep a couple of times.
Bliss I tell you.
Bliss followed by Chocolate Decadence Cake at The Ciocolate Cafe.
Bliss...and drooling.
That about sums it up.
We made a trip to my favorite...and I mean favorite in most every way...favorite grocery store: Trader Joe's.
I went a little nuts with the treats and such. But you only turn 31 once.
We ate chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and sprinkles.
Nothing fancy.
Just straight from the box and can and made by my hubby and kids.
It was totally nostalgic..and delicious.
Dinner at Burgers and Brew.
Sorry 5 Guys...you have officially been knocked off my #1 burger place.
Too bad Burgers and Brew is....oh..12 hours away.
All in all, a splendid birthday with splendid people.
Oh yes....and that massage.
PS.
Guess what surprise arrived for me while we were in California?
Yipeeeee!
Tuesday was one of our "lazy" days.
But all in all....not really that lazy.
We headed out to Fairfield.
That translates to "we went to the Jelly Belly Factory".
Yes.
THE Jelly Belly Factory.
I have never seen so many jelly beans in my life.
The even had a cafe with jelly bean shaped pizza.
Yes.
It's true.
The tour was really fun....I almost passed out from just looking at all the sugar.
Crates after crate after crate....after crate, of jelly beans.
And samples along the way.
Can it get much better? I think not.
The "store" at the end of the tour even had a "sampling bar".
That's right.
You can sit there all day sampling jelly beans for free.
Every single stinkin flavor.
Call me cheap...but that's the best free sugar high ever.
That...and the fact that a huge bag of "Belly Flops"( aka "rouge" jelly bellys") is only $9.
I'm officially in love with jelly belly's now.
I've always like them, but now we may have an issue on our hands.
Oh...and my favorite flavor?
Has been, always will be a tie...between Buttered Popcorn and Speckled Pear.
After we all left in a sugar coma...we headed for real food and lunch before going back to Davis.
That evening Vera hosted a "cooking circle" for her ward.
The theme?
Spooky Food.
How appropriate that you host a "spooky food" cooking group...in a mortuary.
Yes.
Did you know that Vera is a mortician...and owns her own mortuary?
It's true.
In fact...her house is on top of the mortuary.
You'd never know it just being in the house...but it's true.
Thing it's creepy?
It's not.
In fact...it's pretty neat.
Especially when you get to host cooking circle in the mortuary...in the mortuary chapel...and serve the food out of a coffin.
Yes.
You read that correctly.
A coffin.
This is why I love Vera.
Because she serves food out of a coffin.
A girl after my own heart.
Oh yes...and because she is Vera.
We had deviled egg eyeballs, spider juice, pumpkin jello, zombie brains and maggot soup (butternut squash soup with orzo pasta), apple crisp, spider cupcakes, chocolate pumpkin cake...and of course, chocolate coffins.
And the company was fantastic. Seriously some of the nicest and neatest ladies I've met.
Best Cooking Circle...ever.
And how do you top an evening like that?
You run out the door after it's over while your husband puts kids to bed and Vera cleans up...and come back baring 2 orders of authentic handmade dumplings from The Dumpling House around the corner.
I'm still dreaming about them.
Authentic and divine.
I wish you could all taste them....then you'd know the torture I have just by thinking about them.
Needless to say, Alma Vera and I enjoyed our late night dumplings.
I went to bed full and happy...that is...until my bed started inexplicably shaking at 1130 pm.
But that's a story for another time.
2 comments:
Fairfield, CA is actually where I was born. BIG fan of Jelly Belly. A must-see for all sugar lovers. Looks like you had a STUPENDOUS trip. Love the food highlights...a girl after my own heart!
Oh my gosh, the food! It all sounds sooo amazing! I can't decide between that burger or the dumplings...may have to try both sometime!
Glad you had an excellent birthday, my friend. You deserve it! A massage is the cost Dustin has to pay for me to share my cake...every year without fail! Let's make a day at the spa sometime sooooooon.
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