The Baker's Bar: Hitting the Bar on my lunch hour

October is here! Many people are excited because it is officially Halloween month. The leaves have started to change color, fall decor is invading our indoor spaces and some women have put away their white shoes, and stepped (albeit prematurely) into their winter boots as if their efforts will summon cooler temperatures. It doesn't appear to be working — temperatures remain plenty warm. Maybe wearing Sherpa pullovers next week will help? It's worth a try.

If you've been paying close attention, you may know there is something even more special about October: It is my birth month. That's right, yours truly entered the universe in what is arguably the best month of the year. Many people look forward to celebrating their birthday. Some celebrate their birth week. Others even observe their birth month. Me? I have a weird relationship with my birth "day" — it is my reminder to be grateful and celebrate as many of the 365 days that follow as I am blessed to have. Why celebrate just one day? I'm reminded to savor the minutes, hours and days I am given and to share them with people I love and no one I don't. When I feel like doing something, I am just as likely to justify it by using the excuse "for my birthday" whether it is February, December or something in between. I confuse some people and I am OK with that.

The Baker's Bar offers fresh made macarons in a variety of flavors.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

I make it a point to spend my birthday doing exactly what I want and nothing I don't. This year was no exception. Coffee. Books. Art. Music. Food. Flowers. Football. Fashion. I indulged myself then, I ran out of time. I never got around to the "cake" part of my list.

I had been driving past a sign for The Baker's Bar on my way to and from work for weeks. I checked out their Facebook page. They bill themselves as the place "Where It's Always Happy Hour" and even posted a video of themselves doing a popular TikTok dance. Macarons. Custom cakes. Cake pops. Cookies. Ice cream. Dancing. This was my kind of happy hour. I thought about stopping by "for my birthday" but by the time I got off work I was too exhausted.

When I hear "happy hour," I think of people heading to a local bar after work to knock back a few beers. Happy hour at The Baker's Bar meant I could imbibe a sugary treat any time of the day without breaking any rules (or laws). I headed over on my lunch break and came face to face with the "bartender": Jodi Hollandsworth.

Owner Jodi Hollandsworth encourages you to take one day at a time, lick the bowl , and find the joy in the day.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

The Gooey Butter Cake-flavored ice cream was highly recommended. I was tempted, but ultimately my love for everything blackberry won out as I settled on a blackberry cobbler ice cream cone and a salted caramel macaron for the road. Hollandsworth explained their supplier, The Ice Cream Factory, adds chunky bits of real pie to the ice cream. With each lick, my taste buds were singing "happy birthday to me." I later scarfed down the macaron during a moment of stress at the office. It was the perfect size of salty sweetness to inject a moment of bliss into the afternoon without a doughnut-esque sugar crash. Maybe Hollandsworth should market them as emergency macarons? Teachers, nurses and others could keep one or two on hand for those moments of desperation in the day. It would be like the "Calgon take me away" commercials ...but with a macaron. Maybe I missed my calling as a marketing genius? Maybe not.

The best gift of the day? Inspiration. Hope. Celebration. Hollandsworth shared her journey to The Baker's Bar with me. It started with the "C" word: Cancer. During her fight against breast cancer, she didn't have the money to buy a cake for her daughter's 16th birthday. In the midst of everything and with heaping scoops of love she made the custom cake herself. It turned out so well she began receiving custom cake orders from family and friends. The rest, as they say, is history. She continues to celebrate the good days and gets through the bad days with love and help from family and friends. She stresses the importance of positivity, can attest there is a "light at the end of the tunnel," and encourages others facing obstacles to "just get through today."

Talk about"happy birthday to me" moment. Cheers to 48.

Don't wait, go celebrate. Happy birthday to you!