Make Thanksgiving dinner like a 3-year-old.

Thanksgiving is a holiday that requires no shopping, no wrapping paper, no major responsibilities aside from cooking and eating. Family and friends, just cooking and eating together for an entire day every year. There is no mystery behind my affinity for this holiday. I've already pulled out my favorite spiked cider recipe that I plan to have brewing all. day. long.

I have to say, I've never really been into the savory side of the menu. The turkey, vegetables, biscuits are all fine and good, but the desserts are what really win me over. Brown sugar, pumpkins, marshmallows and cinnamon-covered apples are around every corner--the scents that begin to linger in the air are enough to make me swoon.

I'm borderline embarrassed to admit that I love when I take a shower after a day of baking and that familiar butterty-brown sugar smell starts to emanate from my hair. Actually, I'm not embarrassed at all. It's everything you could ever want in a fragrance.

My family members are stout traditionalists when it comes to holiday meals. The stuffing must be Grandma's, the sweet potatoes must have marshmallows, and so on and so forth. While I'm on pie duty (pumpkin, apple and coconut custard), I'll admit that this year I'm tempted to make cupcakes. Pumpkin cupcakes, but cupcakes nonetheless.

Strange, you say? Watch this video and see if you don't find yourself completely sold on the idea:

Right?? Did you see how happy he was? C'mon, give these babies a chance!

Happy and healthy Thanksgiving to you all!

Things I know...now.

I celebrated my 28th birthday this week. Twenty-eight! This year I wanted to have low key day--partially because I gave up my birthday for charity:water--and that's exactly what I got.

The one thing I wanted needed, which I not-so-subtly hinted at, was a cupcake from Babycakes, my favorite bakery on the Lower East Side, dangerously close to our apartment.

I had a cupcake. Ok, I had two, but hey, it's a birthday, so no judgements. Good times.

After a simple and delicious dinner at Birreria, I took time to do some thinking. You know, the whole introspection thing. Twenty-eight years later, I've learned a few things.

Things you might have figured out years ago (I'm a little slow) and things that might hit you over the head five years from now (I'm advanced):

-The right decision is almost never the easy one.
-It's okay to show vulnerability.
-Get to know your gut. Like, have a relationship with it. The better you know it, the easier it is to trust.
-One amazing friend is worth one hundred mediocre ones.
-A smile goes a really long way. And so does red lipstick.
-Don't undermine your dreams, empower them.
-If someone isn't feeding into your life--with love, challenges, inspiration, friendship, loyalty, happiness--they're taking away from it.
-Ask for help when you need it.
-Great relationships boil down to honesty and respect.
-Make laughing a priority.
-Like yourself.

Let's see what lessons this year brings...

Water, No Cupcakes.

Sometime between third grade and today, I fell out of love with birthdays. Not just any 'ol birthday...but mine. After all, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to deduce that the former shy girl wouldn't like everyone circled around her watching her blow the candles out and awkwardly open presents.

Still, every year I have a little shindig. Friends, family, cake, cocktails...the usual.

Not this year.

This year, I'm giving up my birthday. I'm forgetting about the $14 cocktails, the obligatory gift I always need to buy myself (because I 'deserve' it), the gifts I ask for but don't really need, and the party that usually ends with a 2am stop at a dive pizza joint.

I'm asking only for water, not cupcakes.

Instead of the gifts and grandeur, can I ask you a favor? Can you take three minutes to go to Charity Water's web site and change your view on the world? Wait, no. Event, faster, I'll give you the Spark Notes' version. Charity Water has shed light on the fact that dirty water is the number one killer in third world countries. Not war. Not incurable diseases. Dirty water. Check it out:

Who needs new fancy shoes when we can be drilling for liquid gold?

Here's my campaign: www.mycharitywater.org/waternocupcakes

Big hugs.