Taste of the Valley

We had a lot of fun at the Taste of the Valley event this weekend. So much food to be had! There were a lot of great things to try, including some of our favorite foods like red velvet cupcakes from Cupcake Chic, and lettuce wraps from P.F. Chang’s. The frozen lemon chiffon custard from Coney’s was so good we were both wishing we could have more! The frozen yogurt and shaved ice were welcome treats too, we really needed to cool off, it was HOT that day!

The most impressive was Cafe Paesan, not only was the food excellent, but they were so generous with it! That photo above is all from them, and we didn’t even take all there was to take. We will absolutely be eating there again. Another happy surprise was Crio Bru, which is brewed hot chocolate (I really want this starter set).

There were a few disappointments, like not getting there in time to try everything, and Tucanos running out of food and not preparing more (unlike everyone else who made sure they fed everyone who went). Even more disappointing considering they were set up right outside of their restaurant, you would think they could manage more samples, especially since people paid to be there. Also kind of a bummer was that the misting stations weren’t really misting anyone! It was so hot out, the hot air rising just pushed the cool mist up and away from everyone.

It was a great event though, live music, loads of great food, and friends. Can’t beat that!

The Great Fundraising Act

One thing that I simply LOVE about the blogging community is how we pull together for fellow bloggers when things go wrong. Right now there is an auction taking place to help benefit a blogger named Susan, who has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Tons of bloggers have put together some amazing prizes to bid on, and you can donate directly as well if you choose.

I don’t know Susan, I only recently discovered her blog through a friend, Kristina, who is donating some awesome sugar scrub and spa goodies to the cause. She seems like a wonderful person, and obviously many others agree, you should see the bidding going on in the auction! It’s heartwarming to see so many generous people out there joining in to help someone they likely have never met in person.

If you click the image in this post you will be taken to the auction page where you can see all the categories of items to bid on. There are all kinds of goodies from baked goods and clothing, and things for the home, even an amazing sounding trip. Please take a look and if you have the means, consider bidding on something for this lovely lady. Each item has it’s own page, and you bid in the comments. Bidding opens at $10. Thanks!