A Good Foodie Kind of Day

So today was new refrigerator delivery day--I am sure everyone will be happy that I can stop my whining about not having a refrigerator! It is here, cleaned out, plugged in, but not without a bit more minor trauma (having to do with a size change in this model, having an old house built "around things", bad wiring and lack of electrical plugs in kitchen, etc.) but I won't bore you with all the details of that--instead I'll focus on all the good foodie things today:

Good Foodie Thing #1: I planned to work at home today not knowing until 6:00 PM last night from Sears, that my delivery window wasn't going to be until 4:00 PM, but since I had already told the world I would work from home I went ahead with the plan. I spent part of the morning at a local coffee shop with free wireless access working and having an Iced Chai Latte and an Acai Bowl for breakfast. If you aren't familiar with Acai, a super antioxidant-rich berry from the Amazon--you can read about it and the health benefits here. (if it doesn't go to the Acai info page--hit the Acai tab at the top). An Acai bowl is like a chunky smoothie layered with granola and fruit and topped sometimes with a bit of honey. This was research because one of the brands we have has an Acai Cup, so we like to try the competitors. This Acai bowl was actually one of the better ones I have had, even if it took them almost 20 minutes to make it and bring it to me.

Good Foodie Thing #2: I actually got a lot done today--limited interruptions, so I decided to go get a light lunch (no fridge remember!) and as a special foodie reward...a cupcake!. For lunch I went to Gyotaku, a local Japanese Restaurant with about three locations, the newest one about a mile or so from my house. I had the Gyotaku Lunch Special, salad, miso soup, assorted sushi, teriyaki chicken, a few pieces of tempura and green tea all for $9.95. It's was a nice, cool, relaxing place with friendly service and pretty good food--great to have a quick but relaxing lunch in between working.

And don't forget the cupcake! I was hoping the special gourmet cupcake would be something exciting today but since it was Chocolate Haupia again, I went with Orange Creamsicle. YUM!

Good Foodie Thing #3: (and Best Foodie Thing of the Day Winner!) Yesterday there was a message in my mailbox saying there was a package to be picked up at the post office for me from Singapore. I recognized the sender's name and it was Laureen from Eat & Be Happy. What a surprise! Back in June, Stephanie, from Dispensing Happiness was looking for some help to get boxes to some Blogging By Mail participants who never received their box for whatever reason from the event in February. Although I haven't participated in this event yet (where you send a box of small items to a randomly assigned fellow blogger), I love Stephanie, have been wanting to take part for ages and I thought it would be fun to put together a box for someone so I sent one off to Laureen. Laureen was away in Australia and in addition to my box, she also received her original box which had gotten very delayed somehow. Being the generous person she is, she decided she wanted to put a box together for me. How sweet is that and how unexpected!

So I picked up the box on my way back from lunch and got the fun of opening it up and seeing all the great things she put in. The best thing was a great note from her, explaining that since I told her I had spent time in Singapore, she had filled it with things she hoped I'd remember and enjoy and some things she likes too.

Here's what was in it:

• Hainanese Chicken Rice Mix (I used to eat this often at the hotel after a late flight into Singapore--comfort food at it's best) Can't wait to try the box mix.
• Sugar Peanuts--have not tried these but they look delicious.
• Singapore Coffee Flavored Sweets--I remember the strong, sweet coffee there so these should be good.
• White Rabbit Candy--kind of a taffy-like candy wrapped in rice paper that I have not had in a long time.
• Cream Biscuit Rolls--I'm a bit afraid to open these as I think I will become addicted.
• Frutips--kind of a soft gumdrop like fruit candy (I had a grape one-yum!)
• Strawberry and Chocolate Yan-Yan's--biscuit sticks you dip into a sweet dip which I love as they are fun to eat.
• Fisherman's Friend Lozenges (original and apple-cinnamon)--I remember everyone having these and passing them around when I was there.
• Lupicia Tea (Kirara Rice Tea) I love Lupicia teas and love green tea with roasted rice so can't wait to brew some up.

I can't believe she put all this together! I really had fun putting her box together as did Max (see him helping here) and I never expected to get anything in return. So not necessary but so much fun and so appreciated. I guess I really did participate in Blogging By Mail--can't wait for the next one!

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Thank you Laureen! Since I had the cupcake already today, I just had a Frutip but I really look forward to trying everything you sent!

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All in all it was a very good day.

This is how productive Max was today! ;-)