Cupcakes are never a routine. Sometimes, when it's been a particularly trying day, and the evening here in San Francisco is just the right temperature for a walk in a light sweater, I make my way out of my apartment building and head to a store around the corner that sells delicious red velvet cupcakes for $2.

When I buy a cupcake, I know I haven't bought one in awhile. It's an indulgence, a reward for something specific or nothing in particular. It signals something good, something sweet, a gift I'm giving myself. Cupcakes are like mini milestones that punctuate my days and remind me that no matter how busy life gets, there will always be a moment to enjoy something delicious.