Thursday, June 3, 2010

Lucky Charms

Breakfast June 3, 2010

There are times in one's life when things don't really make sense. What I'm trying to say is that feeling good is not always linked to logical circumstances. This is okay. Actually, it's better than okay. It is preferred. It is how life should be. Predictability leads to boredom and eventually straight down to stagnation. I'll go so far as to say that a little illogical spontaneity now and then is required in life.

The air felt clean and cool this morning. Thick billowing clouds of fog rested on the bay. It was absolutely beautiful. I walked downtown with Chris and then began back up the hill without a coat. Not wearing a coat at 8:00am in San Francisco is a very big treat. It was the beginning of a perfect day.

Suddenly I was struck with a desperate craving for Lucky Charms. Yes, the cereal with sweet hard little marshmallows. I didn't beat myself up over it. I just popped into our apartment, grabbed a few dollars (it turns out $6.79 was required), and made my way to our corner market. They usually open at 7:30am, but they were still closed. I wasn't about to change my mind, so I walked around the block. When I returned, the open sign was lit. Yes! You see, I was very excited about this cereal.

I scanned the rows of colorful (cloyingly so) boxes and then I spotted him, the crazy little leprechaun. Seriously, he is pretty frightening. He's on the front and back of the box and holds a howling and manic sort of expression on both sides, it's actually worse on the back. I took him home anyway.

I set up my bowl and spoon, poured my cereal, and added my milk. There were more marshmallows than I remembered and they swirl some colors now, but it tasted just as I hoped it would. It wasn't at all one of those These really aren't as great as I recalled moments. Nope. I enjoyed every last spoonful.

Of course, my curiosity demanded I take a look at the first few ingredients on the label. First, Whole Grain Oats. Okay... Second, Marshmallows (sugar, modified corn starch, corn syrup (God forbid!), dextrose, gelatin, calcium carbonate, yellows 5 & 6, blue 1, red 40, artificial flavor). Oh. And third, Sugar. Well. Hmmm.

I lead a pretty good life. I care about my family and my environment. This is one small blip on a very big screen and I don't feel bad about it. Isn't it obvious in my photograph? They were kind of pretty. You can't tell me you aren't at least slightly drawn to my shallow pool of green milk.

In the moment, I sort of loved those pink, yellow, green, and blue sweet hard little marshmallows. Maybe I still do.

Also, I sometimes make pancakes with Bisquick.

27 comments:

  1. I hope I'm the first to say that your post was magically delicous! :) We all have our guilty pleasures.

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  2. Well, I'm the second to say your post was magically delicious. Your writing's so addictiver and thanks for sharing that perfect day. I love the unpredictability and illogical side of life too and often feel happy or sad without exactly knowing why. I'm often seized by desires for foods from my past or something of sheer indulgence; it's important to give into that and appreciate it.

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  3. Magically delicious, tick: am I the third? I hope you eke out the rest of the box for more of these happily reflective moments. Very happy for no particular reason is good, and personal.

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  4. my children try to convince me that if they eat lucky charms for breakfast, their day at school will be magical and they will magically get perfect papers and whatever else they can think of. hope your day was magical!

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  5. Slightly drawn? I absolutely love the photo. Lucky Charms was my favorite when I was little. I haven't had them in years (somehow I think I'll find some soon) but I can still conjure the exact texture of those tough little marshmallows. I have that maniacal leprechaun on a T-shirt I found on eBay!

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  6. They are the only marshmallows I like.

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  7. "Magically Delicious"....I agree with the other ladies!!!!!
    I actually wanted Lucky Charms or Cocoa Pebbles last night!!! Haven't had either in years, but wanted something sweet and crunchy, with milk!!! A feel good treat when sick, cereal!!!
    Love the blog, Dene!!

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  8. Hee-hee...! I can see the people at Farrow & Ball already coming up with a new paint color: Denise's Shallow Pool of Green Milk.

    I hope the rest of your day was just as magical as its beginning.

    xooox,
    -maria

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  9. i ate lucky charms way too much as a kid, but i never liked the way the marshmallows squeaked on your teeth when you chewed them. Ugh! Gives me the shivers.

    I have similar cravings for Captain Crunch, though. So I' right there with you. CC certainly not as pretty as Lucky Charms in the bowl.

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  10. Enjoy them as you will. Do not,repeat, do not feed them to your fish :)

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  11. Who doesn't love a guilty pleasure? I'm positive I have one every day, in varying degrees of badness. Virtue can be overrated. And for shame! Bisquick? (I've been known to have Jiffy Bake in the cupboard...)

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  12. heh heh. i always liked how LC looked, but couldn't ever stomach the taste - or that scary leprechaun.

    but... i'm a big proponent of following food desires - [even those that are off the par usual radar]

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  13. Sometimes we just need to throw caution to the wind and indulge.

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  14. I used to love those as a kid... at friends' houses, we never had them except at birthdays. Now I want lucky charms. I should buy some so my kids can experience them.

    but pancakes with bisquick? what's next, mac and cheese from a box? haha

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  15. Tracy, Yes, you are the first!

    Vanessa, Thanks. I like the way you think. It felt good to give in and it also felt good to eat things such as peas and dill and strawberries for the remainder of the day.

    Mise, It was fun, but I'm not so sure I'll be visiting the crazy leprechaun for a while. I suppose waiting is fine. With all of that sugar, they must last forever, right?

    counting dandelions, Your children are crafty negotiators. Do you tell them they can eat them when they grow up? We were more of a granola and oatmeal kind of family. I probably learned about Lucky Charms at a sleepover.

    Shae, Thanks. I can't believe you have that leprechaun on a t. Hilarious! I couldn't believe he always looked the way he does on my box, so I did a little research. He used to sit on a mushroom, nice grass and daisies below, fancy buckles on his shoes--way better!

    Erin, Very interesting. I would have never guessed.

    Jackie! I feel like you stopped by my my apartment and left me a note. Bummer that you are sick. I hope someone brought you a bowl of cereal in bed. Feel better.

    Maria, Now wouldn't that be cool, a paint named after my cereal milk. I'll have to give them a call ;)

    Lucy, Just let them sit in the milk for a while. They'll soften up. No squeaks. I don't know if I've ever eaten Captain Crunch. Maybe I'll try them the next time I'm feeling a little sugar cereal crazy. Now to figure out who is going to eat the rest of these Lucky Charms. Hmmm.

    flwrjane, Yes, I know what you mean. I wasn't in the same mood this morning. You think a few little marshmallows will hurt my fish? No...

    Julia, Jiffy! Ha! I haven't seen those cute little blue and white boxes in so long. I used to use Jiffy corn muffin mix, many moons ago.

    Lisa, I'm sure your body is much better off without Lucky Charms. I just read a bit about cravings/food desires today. The author said she waits three days and if the craving is still there, she gives in.

    Michele, Yes, sometimes it just has to happen...

    Annje, I know, I know, but here's a little good news. I do not crave mac and cheese in a box, ever. The last time I tried it I was reminded of revisiting the White Castle burger. How I ever found either edible is a mystery to me!

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  16. This is prefect. Brought a huge smile to my face. Sounds like you had a great morning.

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  17. Real marshmallows freak me out. I blame it on my grandmother. I was raised on homemade granola and yogurt, but when we went to Grandma's house she always bought us Lucky Charms. I loved those weird little sugar lumps. Now, I'm blaming you for the fact that I bought a box of Lucky Charms for the first time ever this morning and am currently sitting here eating them for lunch. ;)

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  18. Jessica, Oh, good. That makes me happy.

    Erin, Lunch? Ha! I'm not sure if I should be feeling proud or guilty. :)

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  19. My favorite thing about these sorts of food cravings is how other people's sound completely horrid :). You keep your Lucky Charms, but hands off my Corn Pops!

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  20. Your writing is superb, my dear. Love the magical journey you took us on. Also, that lucky charms photo has me salivating.

    P.S. I am so with you on the manic-looking leprechaun. It's surprising that they still allow him real estate on the cereal box. He scares children, too, right, and not just adults?

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  21. A charmed life you have! actually, that we all have---

    In our family, my sister was the Lucky Charms lover; I preferred Cocoa Puffs. I haven't been drawn back to them, but I confess making vanilla pudding with that instant Jello junk!

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  22. this is perfect.
    guess what i am buying at some point this summer?! lucky charms!!!
    i actually bought my kids twinkies for the last week of school. i think they almost fainted. they looked at me, like, what? you bought us twinkies?! i said yep.. in a smug sort of way... i think every kid needs to experience a twinkie. they ALL hugged me! :)

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  23. Molly, I see what you mean. You hold tight to those Corn Pops ;)

    Joanna, Thank you. I did a little research and he used to be much more charming, back when he was a young lad, in the 1960s...

    nancy, I have no complaints (not today). My grandmother used to make a dessert with pistachio flavored instant Jell-o pudding and pineapples (maybe Cool Whip?). We loved it and called it "Green Stuff"

    Leslie, Funny! Perhaps it's the perfect strategy. Maybe they won't find the Twinkies as intriguing if they aren't forbidden. My dad forbid Twinkies, but allowed Dolly Madison Raspberry Zingers, simply because he liked the Raspberry Zingers.

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  24. I love when things taste as good as you remember from childhood. I was eating Cookie Crisp a few weeks back and it really was just like I remembered it. (Too bad it wasn't as healthy as I had hoped for. :) )

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  25. Stephanie, Yes, the health part is the catch...

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  26. I bought Lucky Charms this week because of this post. They are more colorful now!

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  27. Annje, I hope you are enjoying those crazy & colorful little marshmallows and the mad leprechaun.

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