Birthdays at The Olive Garden

My black Dansko clogs squeak-stuck to the kitchen floor while I typed in my table's order. Tour of Italy, Chicken Parm and a Fettuccini Alfredo. I tried to look busy while, Josh with the tattoos, was rounding up servers to sing the Olive Garden birthday song, but it didn't work. 

"C'mon! I've got my lighter and the cake is ready. You're not running any food so you're singing". 

"Is it really a birthday or are they faking it"? I asked as I readied myself for another round of Olive Garden's time honored tradition of singing Buona Festa.

I'm not even sure why we asked if it was a real birthday because 75% of the time, they were faking it. We were also faking our enthusiasm, but we sang anyways. Who doesn't pick a random person in their party celebrate when free cake is on the line? 

Four grumpy servers and I slapped on our happy face and started loudly clapping hands ending with a rowdy "we're so glad you came to celebrate with us today...hey!" Bonus points from your shift supervisor, Dave, if you threw in a fist bump to the ceiling for the big finale. Very contrived, but I couldn't get through a single shift without at least two rounds of Italian merriment. 

The biggest lesson that I took away from singing to fake birthday celebrants? 

You don't need it to be your birthday to celebrate. You don't need to wait in order to enjoy something delicious. 

Make every day a reason to celebrate. Have ice cream because it's Monday or Tuesday or Groundhog's Day. Make brownies and cookies because they're delicious. 

My ten year old knows how to make really delicious desserts. She's always cooking up something in the kitchen. Last week, she asked me where we keep those mini party drink umbrellas so she could stick one in a cookie ice cream sandwich she made. I asked her why she wanted the umbrella and candle and she said quite seriously, "I deserve a candle tonight". 

We all deserve a candle. 

We all deserve things, including food, that bring us joy and pleasure.

I want you to pick a day to celebrate yourself this week. Pick something delicious that, as a dieter, you would've "saved up" for or had to "earn" and eat it with delight. 

I'll be celebrating my retired era of Dansko clogs this week while I sing that song to my kids for the millionth time. They know it by heart, so I'm sure they'll join my fake operetta. We'll eat our newly created flavor of Van-Straw-Cream ice cream. 

xoxo, 

PS. The dieters were so easy to spot at the OG. They were always saying please don't even bring those god forsaken breadsticks to my table!!! Only soup and salad for me. Don't even consider dressing. I mean salad dressing, but the white shirt, tie and black pants were an annoying part of dressing for the job, too.  

PPPS. Our favorite brownie recipe.