I can’t talk about our time in Jeddah without mentioning The Cheesecake Factory, or “The Cheesecake” as it’s called here. As cliché as it may be, it’s our place of choice for any celebratory occasion.
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The restaurant is more than just a hearty American meal and familiar atmosphere to me. Growing up, we didn’t eat out much, especially not at “fancy” places. Not to mention the nearest Cheesecake Factory was about two hours away, so meals there were few and far between.
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Eventually, my grandma learned of my love for the establishment and she began a tradition of gifting me a whole, plain Cheesecake Factory cheesecake each year for my birthday, complete with fruit toppings. This even continued into my college years, which is when I really appreciated the indulgence of an extravagant dessert after enduring a semester of cafeteria cookies and SnackPack puddings.
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So when I go to The Cheesecake Factory in Jeddah with my family and Mayer Hawthorne is playing over the speakers (one of my favorites), and I order lettuce wraps and Godiva cheesecake, I’m flooded with memories of special moments, trips to the city, and birthdays made a little sweeter by a thoughtful grandma. 💕🍰
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Check the comments for a video of Sean and Ezra’s joint birthday meal at The Cheesecake 😆
Our Journey through the Land of Midian in Saudi
When I was a child, learning about Moses in Sunday school and watching VeggieTales and The Prince of Egypt, I thought of places like the
