One of the best things I love about my life, besides sleeping and eating freshly baked oatmeal cookies, is girlfriends.  I wouldn’t know what I’d do without them.  Through the years, they cried with me, prayed for me, traveled with me and celebrated the big and small accomplishments of my life.   The times we shared together were always filled with laughter, food, deep talks about life, words of encouragement and simple acts of kindness. A few weeks ago I had spent a lovely Saturday afternoon with two friends I had known for about 20 years, Trisha and Sarah.  It had been our tradition to celebrate each other’s birthdays by eating out, getting a pedicure and manicure, and then shop, shop, shop!   This time, however, we weren’t celebrating a birthday.   We just wanted to hang out and celebrate each other.

We began our outing by dining on finger sandwiches, scones, pastries and sipping tea at a tea house located in Pasadena California.   Each bite of our lovely food was delicious and each sip of tea was soothing.  As expected, we chatted away like only girls can do.   We listened to one another, empathized, laughed and supported one another.  Somehow, food always tasted better when I was with them.

With a satisfied belly and a happy heart, we headed straight to the mall.   Our first stop was the make-up counter.   So many things to choose from, and so many new products to try out!   But with several other places to visit, we cut our time short and journeyed forward.   In lieu of a pedicure and manicure, we made our way to a store that carried only nail and skin care products.  It was an adorable store with very interesting and intriguing products.  I mainly focused on the nail polishes. I tried out five different nail polishes and ended up buying pink and purple, two colors that my daughter loved and that we both could use.

One of our last stomping grounds was  an outdoor mall located across the street from where we were.  My friends and I had our own favorite stores we wanted to visit.   In order to save time, we went our separate ways and met up again at a designated place and time. With about an hour to shop I made a beeline to my favorite quilted handbag and accessories store.  For weeks, I had wanted to purchase some cloth napkins to make a quilt.  To my delight, they had a huge selection, and after much consideration, I chose a green and blue floral design with a hint of retro.   Now that I have them in my possession, the next feat would be to find the time to make a quilt!

We concluded our day by stopping at a Cuban restaurant known for their savory pastries and yummy baked goods. I ordered pork tamales, chicken croquettes, chicken empanadas, potato balls and a sandwich called Medianoche.  It was my first visit to the restaurant, but it was my second time eating their food, which was delicious.  The lines were quite long, but it was a testament to their reputation for good food.  Unfortunately, however, I was distracted by the mesmerizing atmosphere and aroma, which made me forget to take pictures of the restaurant and my food.  My apologies for not being able to share the visually tempting culinary treats I had happily consumed.

It was a wonderful day to be out and about with Trisha and Sarah.  Casual, fun, light-hearted moments with people whom I love very much.  There is a time to be serious and deep with our girlfriends, and there is a time to be fun and frivolous.   That day was about fun and frivolity.   They reminded me about having fun, to care about myself on occasion and to enjoy the simple pleasures of a friendship that’s been tried and true.  Trisha and Sarah are like whipped cream on my iced frappuccino, they are the essential ingredients that add depth and flavor to my life.

So yes, it is true, girlfriends rock!!