Having a sweet time
It’s my birthday and I’ll have a half celebration! Huh? Yup, that’s the new and ODD trend nowadays. No, it’s not having a downsized birthday, but just the opposite: celebrating twice a year.
Maybe that’s the better way to go…two birthday cakes, double the wishes and party fun. Wonder if some ladies would prefer this kind of celebration versus claiming a birthday week? That might be a tough one…
Half-birthdays: The latest middle-class trend
news:lite
Not content with their little darling only having one birthday each year, many parents have started celebrating “half birthdays” too.
The half-birthday celebration — which includes the usual parties and gift giving — is said to be the latest odd parenting trend.
Celebrated 182.5 days (half a year) after the real anniversary of a child’s birth, the parties have become a hit with middle-class families.
And firms cashing in on the trend have even started producing special “Happy Half Birthday” cakes and cards.
Sonya Trent, from Birmingham, whose 6-year-old daughter was recently invited to a half-birthday party, said: “It is ridiculous, who needs a celebration every six months. The worst part is that the parents expect presents for the kids, too.
“While I have no intention of having these stupid celebrations for my daughter, it’s hard to tell her she can’t go to someone else’s party.”
—–
What do you think? Cool or crazy? Is this just another way to commercialize our birthdays or a creative way to celebrate as we creep closer to old age?
Do you still remember what your best birthday was? Anyone celebrated in an ODD way?
And speaking of birthday cakes, wonder if half birthdays mean only half a cake? Or how about having cupcakes instead? Here’s a sweet option to consider. I attended a tweetup last night that featured exotic and ODD cupcakes.
Founded by Pearl City grads Gary Atud and Robert Vargas in March 2010 as a way to help raise funds for their children’s sports team trips, Yummycups is the newest cupcake craze to hit Oahu. The pair doesn’t even have a store yet and they can barely keep up with demand.
Robert, left, and Gary showing the cupcake samplers at a tweetup.
At a little more than $2 a cupcake, the continuously expanding line boasts flavors such as Chocolate/Skor, Coconut/Lime, Chai/Latte/Honey-Ginger, Red Velvet, Strawberry Mochi, Banana Cream, Pina Colada, Chocolate Haupia and Chocolate Peanut Butter.
And then there’s the pulled pork cupcake that includes corn bread, butter cream frosting, pulled pork and BBQ sauce.
Both Gary and Robert said their favorite flavor is the Filipino Delight, which is a white cupcake consisting of sweet potato, butter cream and sweetened shredded coconut. And there will soon be a line of “pupu-type” cupcakes out. Hmm, poke on top?
But when it comes to picking out the top three flavors, Gary told me there were six. The Tiramisu and Strawberry Mochi tied for first. The Tiramisu cupcake includes a “secret ingredient” that makes most people who normally don’t like tiramisu falling in love with this not-so-coffee-like dessert.
The Orange Dream and Pina Colada tied for second. Gary said Jamba Juice was his inspiration for the Orange Dream, which was one of the original flavors he concocted while Yummycups was in the early stages.
And tying for third place is the Chocolate Haupia and the Chocolate/Skor.
So besides all the ODD flavors, what makes these Yummycups cupcakes stand out? Gary, a firefighter who has a passion for cooking, says their cupcakes have just the right amount of sweetness. He has also noticed that lots of folks take off the frosting when eating a cupcake and he wanted to eliminate that. I’m usually guilty of that and I didn’t have to do that when eating their cupcakes.
I sampled the Nutter Butter, left, and Strawberry Mochi.
The frosting had that perfect balance of thickness and sweetness and the cupcake contained white chocolate morsels.
The Nutter Butter had a light peanut butter taste and contained chocolate morsels in the cupcake.
Here’s what some other Twitter folks sampled and what they had to say:
Sara tried the Pulled Pork cupcake. She was surprised to find out it was corn bread but said the unique flavors complemented each other.
Other comments from those who ate the Pulled Pork one came from Twitter folks Dallas Nagata: “If you’re not in a super sweet mood, I would get this” and Mel Sumida: “It’s not as strange as I thought it would be.”
Phillip enjoyed his first bite into the Chocolate Haupia.
He said it was a good balance of flavors and you could taste the nuances of both. “It seems like it would be heavy, but it’s pretty light,” he said.
Lindsey was eager to try the Chai/Latte/Honey-Ginger cupcake.
She said she never tasted anything like it before and was happy how the flavor was sweet, but not too sweet.
A closer look at the Chocolate Haupia and Chai/Latte/Honey-Ginger cupcakes.
Phillip, who also tried the Chai/Latte one, said he liked the little surprises in the cupcakes. “There a happy ending in all of them,” he said.
A big thanks to @electric_bamboo, standing right, for organizing the tweetup at Antonio’s NY Pizzeria in Kahala.
Until Yummycups finds the funding to open a store, you can place orders at yummycups@yahoo.com. There are about 30 different flavors and Gary and Robert put out six flavors a week. More information and pictures are posted on their Facebook page. Cupcakes are done for weddings, birthday parties and fundraisers.
Tags: celebrations, cupcakes, Gary Atud, half-birthday, odd flavors, Robert Vargas, tweetup, Yummycups
July 28, 2010 6:00 am 106 Comments
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Shauna Goya is a senior account executive at Communications Pacific providing public and media relations services to clients. She is a former copy editor and livestream reporter at The Honolulu Advertiser.
By sally, July 28, 2010 @ 6:12 am
New post!!! Guud Morning Hive!
Half Birthdays? Seriously? Who thinks up this stuff? And who falls for it?
Shauna: hope you’re doing well, and hope to see you soon … somewhere.
By KAN, July 28, 2010 @ 6:24 am
Woohoo, #2!
By KAN, July 28, 2010 @ 6:25 am
I think the only folks entitled to celebrate “half birthdays” are those with b-days around Christmas. Otherwise, it’s just an excuse to get more presents, cake, and attention. Not that that’s necessarily a bad thing
Those cupcakes look awesome. I miss being able to eat stuff with wheat flour in it
By che, July 28, 2010 @ 6:27 am
Good morning and happy birthday or half birthday.
I don’t really understand the half birthday, Christmas in July or elementary school graduations but if I can get more gifts then I’ll go with monthly birthdays.
Have a good one.
By M, July 28, 2010 @ 6:32 am
Guud morning sally, KAN, che and da hive!
Half Birthday? that’s nuts to me…
Very creative cupcakes.
I think we are due for a pay-tay!
By Kage, July 28, 2010 @ 8:18 am
Good Morning Hive!
mmmmmm cupcakes….
Half birthdays…nah. It will give the kids unreal expectations for the rest of their lives.
That pulled pork, cornbread cupcake seems like a good one. I would like to try the chai one. I like ginger stuff.
By EMM386, July 28, 2010 @ 9:32 am
Half birthdays are retarded. Your day of birth is your birthday. One party a year is more than enough for a kid.
On another note, I didn’t know you knew @electric_bamboo, Shauna. I went to college with him. Bummer that I wasn’t able to make his tweetup.
By Shauna, July 28, 2010 @ 10:04 am
Morning! Hmm, interesting that the consensus so far seems to BEE thumbs down…
sally: Story says it’s a middle-class trend. Aren’t we all middle-class folks?
KAN: Yeah, I always felt bad for those born around Christmas. My sister’s birthday is in early December and she even feels people are too busy to celebrate!
che: Woo-hoo! Party every month!
M: I’m going to check out the new Side Street this week! That opso is slacking on the party planning!
Kage: Ooh, so you wanna try the ODD flavors! Fist bump!
EMM386: Cool, you went to school with @electric_bamboo! MayBEE you can make it to the next tweetup!
By turk fontaine, July 28, 2010 @ 10:39 am
What? There’s still a ‘middle class’? Well,I’ll be damned. have half a cupcake on me, cupcake.
By visitor, July 28, 2010 @ 10:49 am
Good morning. And happy whole or half birthday!
Sorry, I can’t get into the fancy cupcake “fad.” There’s a shop in the Aina Haina Shopping Center that sells those ‘gourmet’ cup cakes. I’ve tried several, it’s okay. Some oooh and ahhh over them…but I can’t see what makes a cupcake $2.50+ each.
By Adam, July 28, 2010 @ 12:42 pm
I have a twin and my birthday is a couple days away from that Jesus fella, so I get shafted on my birthday. I’m all for a half birthday!
By matt, July 28, 2010 @ 12:51 pm
afternoon, hive.
the problem i have with these cupcake (and most dessert trends) is that, ultimately, they cater to “common” taste and that means more and more sugar. ugh. I’m a huge fan of dessert, but I don’t like sweet desserts. I’ve stopped eating most chocolate desserts in restaurants because most of them are merely sweet. give me a good, deep, rich chocolate flavor and it’s on.
that said, there’s a new trend in the bay area where food carts (like the manapua trucks, but different kinds of foods) are the in thing. a few food stores and restaurants have trucks that make the rounds as well. one of them, Kara’s cupcakes has a store at ghiradelli square and a truck that works the streets. they have a fleur de sal cupcake that’s actually pretty good: chocolate cake with a salted caramel center and chocolate buttercream frosting with salt sprinkles on top. nice balance.
the haupia one sounds good.
By snow, July 28, 2010 @ 1:39 pm
cupcakes! yummy!
oh, where are my manners? good afternoon HIVE! sorry, kinda got distracted! heh heh…
half birthday? are you kidding me? i can’t even keep up with full birthdays!
sounds like another “keeping up with the jones” idea… and a bad one at that. kids are spoiled enough nowadays, without celebrating half birthdays. however, i can understand celebrating half birthdays under special circumstances, though.
By NaPueo, July 28, 2010 @ 6:03 pm
Half birthday, what a half baked idea.
Is this some retailers idea to beat the recession?
If they can afford to give birthday gifts twice a year, they’re not middle class.
By Alicia, July 28, 2010 @ 6:29 pm
When I was growing up my mom would celebrate my half birthday because my real birthday was so close to Christmas! You December babies know what it’s like to get 1 “Birth-mas” presents instead of a birthday gift AND a Christmas gift! And when we celebrated in June it was only a half a cake or something small… now that I look back, I think that my mom is awesome for doing that for me!
By chawan_cut, July 28, 2010 @ 7:54 pm
howdy.
i’d have half birthdays, 1/4 birthdays, 11/12th birthdays, hey, why not a birthday for me today!
haha.
By David In Oregon, July 28, 2010 @ 8:24 pm
Goooooooood evening QB and Hive.
Half birthdays? Hah! What a laugh.
What will they think up next 
With divorce rates so high, maybe we can celebrate half-anniversarys? Maybe your employer can give out a half-promotion, for those doing a half-a$$ed job. 
I wouldn’t dare bring up something like this to my middle class parents. They’d give me a couple of FULL slaps for having such a HALF-BRAINED idea.
Those of you complaining about a December birthday should be glad you’re not my brother. Not only was that poor guy born in December, he was born on THE DAY. How would you like only one gift, and a card that is simply signed, “Merry Christmas! Oh yeah, and Happy Birthday too” Ouch!
By Brother Love, July 28, 2010 @ 9:21 pm
b-day 1/2 1/4 or whatever it don’t matter to me, as long as “trigger” gets to come out and play you can call it whatever you want lol..
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 5:40 am
Why settle for HALF…go for the gusto with QUARTER or EIGHTH birthdays
You: How old are you
Me: Let me see….(brings out my soroban)…click..click…clack…click…clack….
Me: I just had my 5/8th’s birthday so that makes me 29 and five-eighths years old.
By matt, July 29, 2010 @ 6:27 am
morning hive.
DiO, no lie!! you were the one who gave that card to your brother, right?
By M, July 29, 2010 @ 6:34 am
Guud morning ankle and da hive!
By Ynaku, July 29, 2010 @ 6:54 am
Guud Morning you BBDs and HoneyBees.
Pass my a cupcake please. Thank you.
By Ynaku, July 29, 2010 @ 7:02 am
Hey Gang. What you doing on August 10 about 6:30 pm?
We trying to setup a blog pahty at the new Side Street. But we need at least 30 to reserve a back room. That place is packed every night, so in order to reserve we need to have at least 30.
Let Shauna know if you in and “SHE” can keep track since she not working YET.
I’ll be in town that day. Hope to see you there.
By M, July 29, 2010 @ 7:18 am
@Shauna, masako and I are in for Side Street on 8/10. I posted on Rodney’s blog too that we are in.
By matt, July 29, 2010 @ 2:31 pm
that pic of the nutter butter and strawberry mochi ones…are we going to have to call them “cupcakes” instead of chamingas/chamongas now? cup
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:02 pm
Rain & thunderstorm moooooosic time…
Bat for Lashes – Wilderness
http://youtu.be/1jrKUUMzOKo
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
2 Minute Hate – 31 Seconds
http://youtu.be/VJhrhkwGsJ4
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:05 pm
Pearl Jam – WMA
http://youtu.be/aQkeVJ_29qM
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:06 pm
Enya – Boadicea
http://youtu.be/xsYoF1E1DNU
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:08 pm
Iron Fire – Thunderstorm
http://youtu.be/juRTsfpB_Y0
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:09 pm
Breaking Benjamin – Rain
http://youtu.be/n_S8M5R01NM
By anklebiters, July 29, 2010 @ 3:15 pm
Cow mooooosic…
Kenny Chesney – There’s something sexy about the rain
http://youtu.be/FXf8EQp6A3E
By matt, July 29, 2010 @ 7:40 pm
cow moosic? rain?
here’s what I think of first when i hear that combo
Luke Bryan-Rain is a Good Thing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOGpTUMILbc
By David In Oregon, July 29, 2010 @ 10:40 pm
Goooood half evening QB and Hive.
By sally, July 30, 2010 @ 5:30 am
Guud Morning Hive!
…. counting days till I meet Ynaku!
By anklebiters, July 30, 2010 @ 6:11 am
….ichi, ni, san, …
By matt, July 30, 2010 @ 6:27 am
happy aloha friday, sally, ab and da hive.
By Kage, July 30, 2010 @ 8:23 am
Good Morning Hive!
HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!
finally
By snow, July 30, 2010 @ 11:53 am
good morning HIVE! tgif! kage, i agree… “finally.” *phew!*
i think i said to count me “in” on FB but just in case, i’ll say it here, too! “i’m IN for august 10th!”
By Shauna, July 30, 2010 @ 5:08 pm
Happy Friday! It’s another week gone by!
By Creative, July 30, 2010 @ 6:57 pm
Hi Shauna! Cupcakes look really good.
I hope to be able to make it on August 10, but it all depends on work. If it changes, let me know. 
By M, July 30, 2010 @ 7:54 pm
Guud evening hive!
By David In Oregon, July 30, 2010 @ 9:00 pm
Good evening cupcake lovers!!
By matt, July 31, 2010 @ 11:30 am
happy saturday…nice fb update, qb
By Shauna, July 31, 2010 @ 3:13 pm
Happy Saturday!!
I checked out our party digs. Very very nice!!!
Creative: Woo-hoo! Hope to see you then!
snow: Musketeer represent!
By HNL2LAS, July 31, 2010 @ 7:55 pm
oohh cupcakes! I’d soo try most of those… the pulled pork sounds onoz!! I’d heard of them, but seeing the pictures make it soo much more appetizing! haha..
Hmm.. half birthdays are okay if you’re a December baby… otherwise.. nah.. no big, bhahaha! Just waste really…waste time, waste money..
By HNL2LAS, July 31, 2010 @ 7:58 pm
awww man.. I wish I was able to go home around August 10, I could see the new Side Street, hang out with the hive…. my other friends who we haven’t seen each other in forever are having a get together then too.. sigh.. hmm of course, I THINK it’s the SAME dang day, so that wouldn’t work anyway..bahhah… Have FUN fellow hivers… I’ll be watching for the pictchas!
By David In Oregon, July 31, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
Good evening QB and Hive. Wish I could be there on the 10th but, like others, I’ll have to miss it. It would have been nice to see Prince Charming, or the fireman, or whomever the “new” BBD is.
By M, August 1, 2010 @ 8:35 am
Guud morning hive!
By sally, August 1, 2010 @ 9:06 am
Guud Morning Hive!
Shauna: Do we get to approve… er, … meet this new fella that changed your relationship status?
BEEyootiful day awaits! Trees are doing their happy dance!
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:31 pm
Relationship mooooooosic time……..
Marie Osmond – Paper roses
http://youtu.be/7eGHPCOqr7s
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:33 pm
Michelle Featherstone – Perfect
http://youtu.be/UTBgmHvF2Vg
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
My Chemical Romance – I Don’t Love You
http://youtu.be/SO9Lj0T93Xk
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:36 pm
Doro Pesch – Let Love Rain On Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jy68VCARnFM
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:38 pm
Seabird – Falling For You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iov8ClDsteo
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:42 pm
James Morrison – You Make It Real
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRxccy-zcJ8
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:47 pm
Eagles – Lyin’ Eyes
http://youtu.be/6R57u7mhAcs
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:49 pm
Ambrosia – How much I feel
http://youtu.be/jW_cdFZvabs
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:57 pm
Kelly Clarkson – Where Is Your Heart
http://youtu.be/kJzQZwnHIJI
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 4:59 pm
HIM – Love said no
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVxT5_yGoMM
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 5:00 pm
Darren Hayes & Delta Goodrem – Lost Without You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1guYTh_TVM
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 5:06 pm
Plumb – Boys Don’t Cry
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UbiX5Qp_nQ
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 5:08 pm
Vast – One More Day
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbRELg8iJvA
By anklebiters, August 1, 2010 @ 5:12 pm
Mandi Perkins – Why Pretend
http://youtu.be/bBM3Bqf2gcM
By M, August 2, 2010 @ 7:18 am
Guud morning hive
By matt, August 2, 2010 @ 7:27 am
Morning M and da hive.
By Kage, August 2, 2010 @ 8:27 am
Good Morning Hive.
By snow, August 2, 2010 @ 11:23 am
good morning HIVE!
qb – you know it! we need to get munch to come, too, especially since HNL2LAS can’t join us!
By anklebiters, August 2, 2010 @ 4:25 pm
Washington released Colt
By M, August 2, 2010 @ 8:29 pm
Guud evening to da hive!
By Shauna, August 2, 2010 @ 8:47 pm
Good evening!
snow: I hope munch is finally able to come out and meet us!
By David In Oregon, August 2, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
Good (late) evening everybody!!
By sally, August 3, 2010 @ 5:52 am
Good Morning Hive!
By matt, August 3, 2010 @ 6:30 am
morning sally and da hive
By M, August 3, 2010 @ 6:40 am
Guud morning sally, matt and da hive!
By che, August 3, 2010 @ 8:04 am
Good morning
By Shauna, August 3, 2010 @ 9:20 am
Morning! Countdown to Triad party!
By M, August 3, 2010 @ 9:31 am
Pah-tay!
By M, August 3, 2010 @ 10:57 am
Just got a new computer at work. It’s a Sam Sung 23.6″ wide screen SyncMaster NC240 PCoIP. So cool!
By Kage, August 3, 2010 @ 12:12 pm
Good Afternoon Hive!
@M – nice….enjoy the BEEg monitor.
By Shauna, August 3, 2010 @ 1:43 pm
Don’t forget to let us know if you’ll BEE making it next Tuesday. I got some BEEg news to share!! I’ll try and keep it a secret till then!!
By David In Oregon, August 3, 2010 @ 3:07 pm
Good afternoon QB and Hive.
By David In Oregon, August 3, 2010 @ 3:09 pm
What could the “BEEg news” BEE?
Ocean Lover is going to walk someone down the aisle?
Ocean Lover is going to be an uncle…again…
Someone got a beeeeeg job?
By snow, August 3, 2010 @ 3:21 pm
good afternoon HIVE! BEEg news? i want to know! i want to know! shucks, i gotta wait until next week… *sigh*
By Ynaku, August 3, 2010 @ 3:39 pm
Da BEEg news is that da BEEg guy from Hilo coming next week. No could wait for da Supah Fairy so gotta come on da company
By David In Oregon, August 3, 2010 @ 3:45 pm
Ynaku: Since no Supah Fairy, I thought M was supposed to pick you up on his SUP board?
By Kage, August 3, 2010 @ 5:41 pm
WAHAAT?
BEEg news? hmmmm. I wonder what it could BEE….
By HNL2LAS, August 3, 2010 @ 6:48 pm
hmmm BEEg news huh? Dang.. can’t us BEEps that can’t make it get a hint?? bhahaha
By M, August 3, 2010 @ 7:32 pm
Guud evening hive!
@Ynaku, to fa fo me to pick you up with my SUP board. I not going make it.
By matt, August 3, 2010 @ 8:56 pm
OL going be uncle
OL going be uncle…
or…
Q-STPpG get job? moving to the continent? moving to australia? the lay-off has taken its toll and Shauna’s reduced to eating only cheaper cuts of meat like chicken liver/gizzards/hearts?
what’s the news??? (Shauna, email me…I not going tell=))
By David In Oregon, August 3, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
Good evening QB & SO, and Hive.
By David In Oregon, August 4, 2010 @ 12:54 am
BEEg news?
Queen BEE is taking Brother Love up on his offer to teach her to drive a truck. Once she is licensed, she will BEE a long haul driver on the mainland.
By Brother Love, August 4, 2010 @ 1:03 am
lol, now that would be pretty cool DIO..
By Ynaku, August 4, 2010 @ 6:41 am
Good Morning….
Hey M, bring Masako and you guys can switch off paddling
Looking forward to seeing you folks again. Been a while yeah? WOW one year already.
By M, August 4, 2010 @ 7:00 am
Guud morning Ynaku and da hive!
@Ynaku, even if we do, going take us days to come get you. And if we make it, I don’t think we going be able to make it back.
By M, August 4, 2010 @ 7:01 am
@Ynaku, looking forward to seeing you again too
By matt, August 4, 2010 @ 7:31 am
good morning Ynaku, M and da hive.
M, just slam a sumo moco at Ken’s when you pick up y-naks and you’ll be all set to paddle back (just watch the kanak-attack around Lanai).
By M, August 4, 2010 @ 7:02 pm
Guud evening hive!
One more week till pah-tay time!
By David In Oregon, August 4, 2010 @ 7:31 pm
Good evening Razzleberry Queenie and Hive.
By matt, August 4, 2010 @ 8:19 pm
100!!
By David In Oregon, August 4, 2010 @ 8:46 pm
Does this mean it is time for a new post? (hint hint)
By Shauna, August 4, 2010 @ 11:09 pm
David In Oregon: New post already?
And yes, express over those razzleberry preserves!
matt: Did you count all the comments??
By che, August 5, 2010 @ 6:12 am
Good morning.
Shauna, any hint for those of us who can’t make it next week?
By M, August 5, 2010 @ 6:28 am
Guud morning che and da hive!
By matt, August 5, 2010 @ 6:54 am
good morning che, M and da hive.
QSTPpG: no, I went by the counter on the post page. (the main one, not the individual post).