Bland Brunch and Decadent Dinner

This weekend I went to a friend’s baby shower. It was a lovely celebration for a wonderful woman who is very excited to be a mom. She got all the love and support she deserved and we can’t wait for her to welcome her child into the world. It was a beautiful day.

Except for one aspect that involved me.

I went to the baby shower, which was a brunch, being told that the venue had been informed that a vegan would be attending (that’s me) and was preparing something special to accommodate my diet. Breakfast foods at restaurants and venues are usually tricky for plant-based diets like mine, but knowing they were prepared for me helped me feel confident I would get properly fed.

The vegan option. That was “specially prepared” for me. In the year 2025. Was plain oatmeal. With three blueberries on top.

To her credit, the mom-to-be took me aside and apologized for this. She’d wanted to bring me something more exciting to eat but the venue wouldn’t allow outside food. I told her, quite sincerely, that she had nothing to apologize for and that she had far more important things to focus on that day. As far as I was concerned, however, the venue owed me an apology. Plain oatmeal! In 2025! Really!

To make up for it, I dragged my family to my favorite restaurant, Veggie Galaxy, where the entire menu is vegan/vegetarian friendly. I ordered the biggest, most ridiculous burger on their menu; which that night consisted of two patties, two fried mac-and-cheese bites, cheesy sauce and slices of melted cheese, all smashed together between a big old bun and served with a side of fries. For dessert I ordered a hot cocoa cheesecake topped with whole marshmallows. I wolfed it down at record speed because it contained the first real flavors I’d experienced all day. It was the exact opposite of my brunch and it put my system back into equilibrium.

Obviously, the most important part of that day was my friend’s happiness, and the love and support she received at her baby shower. I couldn’t be happier for her and her husband, and the celebration dedicated to her was everything it was supposed to be.

But still. Plain oatmeal! With three blueberries?! In 2025?!