Sweet Macarons from Sweet in Houston with Momma

Both my mom and dad have worked really hard my entire life. I know that’s something we all say about our parents, however, my parents worked on holidays and weekends. They owned a convenience store that kept them tethered from 7 am to 10 pm every day, weekends and holidays included. It explains how I was never a big fan of Christmas. They have taken a total of 4 days off the last 20 years and it was to attend the high school and college graduations of my brother and me. So I was excited when they finally retired this year. I can finally hang out with them outside of the store and our home! I’ve dreamed of this for so long!

A couple of weekends ago, I was in Houston for a wedding and was preparing to drive back to Austin on a Sunday. I’ve been inviting my parents out every time I’ve come to Houston after they’ve retired but they usually resist me. I have also been planning a return trip to New York City with a few friends for Halloween weekend. One of the food stops I planned on making was to go to LadurÃ©e to eat their macarons (I experienced them in Paris and learned they have storefronts in NYC). Since planning this, I’ve been craving macarons and luckily, I have a favorite spot for macarons in Houston, which is much more accessible than NYC or Paris. I offered to take my mom with me to make a macaron and coffee run. Much to my surprise, she actually accepted my invitation!

One of my biggest joys in life is introducing people to new experiences. My dear mom has never killed time at a coffee shop or eaten macarons. She’s never lounged in public or enjoyed leisurely people watching. I bought some of my favorite flavors from Sweet. Green tea, honey and lavender, earl grey, and coconut. I also bought a couple of new to me flavors, pumpkin, and chai tea. We parked ourselves on a bench and nibbled on the dainty pastries and sipped on drinks. I spent hundreds of hours through the years at coffee spots with my friends and they’re some of my happiest moments in life. To have this with my mom for the first time felt like a dream. She giggled and confessed, “I never want to leave!”

That’s when we decided. Every time I’m in Houston, the day I drive back to Austin, I’ll spend a couple of hours with my mom sitting in public and gazing at the world together. Macarons optional.