Food is a Love Language

I've always been very awkward about celebrating my birthday. The pressure that comes with reaching a certain age, the attention, the plans (or lack of), the expectations, etc. I've never quite worked it out.

Photo caption: I wasn't lying about birthdays being awkward.

But after these past few years, I've realized it's important to celebrate all of the things - no matter how big or small. So as I look ahead to my birthday this year on March 20th*, I invite you to celebrate with me by sharing my love of food with others.

 

Not a surprise to most of you, but food is my love language. It's how my parents showed that they cared growing up. It's how I stay in touch with childhood friends as an adult. It's how I meet new friends as I travel to different countries. Know that if I'm saving you the last bite of the basque cheesecake or giving you the last perfect french fry, it's because I LOVE YOU.

 

Instead of buying me a birthday drink or gift this year, it would mean the world to me that you donate to World Central Kitchen. They serve chef-prepared meals to communities hit by all sorts of emergencies. From the hurricane in New Orleans to long voter registration lines to the current refugee crisis, WCK sets up kitchens with local chefs and prepares delicious, hot meals for the community. I've always found food to be comforting and I'm glad that WCK figured out how to offer this during the most trying situations.

 

Donate whatever you can (even $1) and you'll give me the best birthday I could ever ask for. I've seeded the GoFundMe with a $500 donation and will be matching all donations up to $500 (total of $1,000). To further lean into "food is my love language," for those donating over $75, I'll be returning the generosity with a nice slab of Mama Thu's pork belly as a thank you. IYKYK.

 

Thanks for helping me enjoy my birthday this year and making it so much less awkward :)

Here are all of the amazing things WCK has done in 2021:

 

And since you made it this far, here's me celebrating my cousin's birthday... hence I'm noticeably happier than in the picture above. :)

*I know you're asking. My "real" birth date is March 22nd but somehow the doctor wrote down the 20th on my birth certificate. And the rest is history.