Sometimes life is...you know. Just life.
But sometimes, life is magical.
For instance. Not long ago, I flew into the Chicago area for the Wilton Workshop (remember how much fun that was?). And when I got to the hotel, I learned that my friends at Wilton had been kind enough to leave an agenda for me at check-in...as well as a plethora of goodies (say it: "Swag!"). At a certain point I joked with the clerk, "if I keep standing here will you keep giving me stuff?".
To which he said "wait...are you Jessie Oleson-CakeSpy?"
"Yes..." I said.
And at that, he disappeared for a moment, and when he re-appeared, he had what I think were the biggest boxes of cupcakes I'd ever seen: 2 dozen sweet treats, hand delivered courtesy of Pam, owner of Swirlz. Upon learning that I wouldn't be able to make it to visit her Chicago retail location, she was kind enough to bring the party to the suburbs for me!
MAGIC!
Like, OMG. Of all of the moments in my life, I think this is the one where I felt most like A Big Deal. People bring me cupcakes!
Well, as it turns out this was a very feel-good moment indeed. Because, realizing that I would never, ever be able to finish 24 cupcakes in the 24 hours I'd be in the Chicagoland area, I was kind enough to share.
The hotel staff was more than happy to relieve me of a couple of cupcakes--right away, I was their bff. They loved them. They loved me. Why didn't I ever do this in high school? I would have been so much more popular.
Then, I caught up with my fellow Wilton Workshoppers, and shared a few more with them. LOVE! Lesson learned: the kid with the cupcakes is always the cool kid.
I even shared a few with the restaurant staff. I forget the name of the restaurant, but it was some sort of chain. Regardless, they were so pleased with the free cupcakes that they let me bang the gong. Not once, not twice...but thrice!
But the one I saved, all for my greedy little self?
The cookie dough one, duh.
If there is such a thing as a revelation in cupcake form, the cookie dough cupcake is it. Incredibly moist and even almost gooey, it's like cake and cookie all at once, both rendered better by adding a big dollop of frosting (and more cookie dough) on top.
A most sincere thanks to Swirlz for adding a little magic to not only my day, but the days of so many other sweet people who happened to be close by. It's just proof: 24 small cakes have the power to make huge amounts of happiness.
Get some sweet cakes for yourself at Swirlz, 705 w. Belden, Chicago; online here.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011 
CakeSpy Note: if you follow me on facebook or Twitter, you probably know I'm partial to observing (and sometimes adding) sweetness in the natural world and urban landscape. Here's where I post a daily feel-good photo or image, for no particular reason other than to showcase these sweet little nothings, in hopes that they'll make you smile!
