For The Love of Cupcakes

Tonight is a new friends birthday and he loves red velvet cupcakes. More specifically, he loves red velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles. In fact, when I asked his brother what I should get him, I was told that was the ONLY desert the birthday boy enjoys.



Fine. Sprinkles it is. Now, I'm new to LA, but I figured acquiring a cupcake in this city would be fairly simple.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

I arrive in Beverly Hills with the traffic, the lookie-loo's, the hustle and bustle and by the grace of God find a parking spot a couple of blocks down from the store. As I approach the address I see a huge line of people extending around the block. I assumed the crowd was for some kind of event, perhaps a fancy Holly Wood opening or something. Wrong. The massive line of stylish people was for Sprinkles!

I was seriously shocked - All these people were waiting in line for cupcakes??!! My instant thought was "Everyone in LA is crazy". And then I took my place at the back of the line.

I've mentioned before that its hard for me to admit my flaws, but being honest is a key part of this whole transformation I'm undergoing. So I'll go ahead and admit it - I don't wait in lines. Waiting in line makes me feel lame and uncomfortable, unimportant and common. My little ego shrieks at lines...

For 3o minutes my ego shrieked. When the double-decker bus with all the Holly Wood tourists stopped to take pictures of us standing there like sardines I wanted to die. When the bus driver began to comment and poke fun of us over the loud speaker I did die.

By the time I made it into the store I was thoroughly humiliated. I wanted to get the dang cupcake and get out. Nope. I proceeded to wait another 15 minutes while the smiling workers behind the counter scurried to get a special order for an apparently very important woman in pearls.

It was then that I busted out laughing. It finally occurred to me how absolutely hilarious the entire situation was. My total discomfort, the tourist bus, the women in $500 dollar heals waiting for icing was priceless!

Realizing the ridiculousness of it all, especially the absurdity of my discomfort, totally changed my attitude. With a smile I ordered not one, but 4 red velvet cupcakes, and when the peppy girl behind the counter apologized for the long wait I sincerely replied it was no problem.

My friend is going to love his gift.
And thanks to his sweet tooth I learned to not take myself so seriously.

Here's to a great night!