A New Valentine's Day

This was the first year in 8 years that I spent Valentine's day without my sweetheart, or ex-sweetheart. Since our mutual break up this summer, I have spent many days and nights missing my ex and the good times we had together.  It reminds me of what it can be like to go off of wheat/sugar/dairy.  Just like you spend 8 years waking up to a good morning kiss, you also become accustomed to your sesame bagel with scallion cream cheese for breakfast.  So when your world suddenly changes, and you are without that person or without your bagel, it is hard not to feel the cold emptiness they leave behind.  How do you function in a new way when you are so used to the life you were leading before? Well, with food and with love, you have to honor your loss and then move on!  Nothing in life is permanent, so if you become too attached to anything you will only suffer.  Change is good.  You have to remind yourself that your relationship with that person or with sugar wasn't working, it wasn't making you or your tummy happy.  Instead of obsessing about all that you have to give up- that intimacy of a romantic partnership or chocolate almond croissants- you must appreciate all that you have, and open up to new forms of happiness. Rather than seeing my life through the lens of scarcity, I am trying to see it through the lens of abundant gratitude.

On Valentine's Day I practiced this attitude of gratitude and stepped into the field of infinite possibilities (as Deepak Chopra would say).  Rather than feeling the emptiness and longing I had been holding onto since the break up, my day became full to the brim with love, joy and delicious food.  My dear friends Eliza and Liz were in town visiting from New York- and being with them is like being a child again-giggling, dancing down the street, and making up songs about the people we see.  We started the day at Thai Brunch in Berkeley- feasting on sticky rice and chicken curry.  We checked out some local citrus fruit at Berkeley Bowl.  Then we took a sunny stroll to my new lover and sweetheart- Mariposa Bakery.  Located in Oakland on Telegraph, this bakery is all gluten free!  The desserts mostly have raw sugar in them (which I don't eat), but the bread and bagels are heavenly clouds- light and airy and chewy- like the real thing.  Not like the frozen bricks they call gluten-free "bread."  My friends, one of whom is gluten-free, finished every last bite of their brownie and cupcake.  I bought a baguette (yes- like the french kind!) and of course a medley of bagels.  We stayed until closing enjoying our leisurely afternoon treats. Back in the city, we put on our Valentine's day dresses to go to the theater and see a show entitled, Luxury Items.  Indeed, it was a luxorius day.