More babies in cupcake gear

Becca and Jenna model another cupcake outfit.

Can't get enough!

(if you don't share that sentiment, well, too bad :))

Rude Sweets in Honor of Valentine's Day

This mean spirited sweets come to you from Alliance Bakery in Chicago.

I guess being mean by cookie provides a consolation prize...

Kuma's Corner

While in Chicago last week I took my cousin Max to Kuma's Corner, home of the best burgers I've ever had. I visited last September and have been dreaming of returning ever since. On my first visit I had the Kuma Burger which had bacon, cheddar, and a fried egg. This time I decided to venture into the less traditional burgers and had the Lair of the Minotaur: Caramelized Onions, Pancetta, Brie, Bourbon Soaked Pear:

It was amazing. The perfect combination of salty and sweet. Kuma's burgers are not for the faint of stomach. They weigh in at 10 oz and are served on a pretzel bun. They are so delicious you feel compelled to finish, even though you feel a little gross for about 24 hours after. It's probably a good thing that I live 2000 miles away! But, it's worth every bite and every calorie.

Given their delicious food, Kuma's is naturally quite popular. However Max and I went on Super Bowl Sunday and it was dead. So our timing worked out perfectly. Scott and I also had success in September by arriving right when they opened at noon.

Engagement Pics!

Scott and I had our engagement photos taken a couple weeks ago and we got the proofs this week. Our photographer is the amazing Joy Peters. Joy drove up from LA for our photo shoot. I think she captured Scott and I PERFECTLY. We wanted our pictures to have the feel of SF without being cliche (no GG Bridge), so we went with the following locations:

Dolores Park (probably our favorite spot in the city):

21st and Dolores (in the median):

Clarion Alley:

And Four Barrel Coffee (Joy wanted pics of us through a window at a coffee shop):

We had a lot of fun shooting with Joy and I can't wait to see the final photos and for her to shoot our wedding!

(friends and family who want to see the whole set can e-mail me and I'll send you the link :))

Computer Engineer Barbie!

OK this is amazing. I can't believe Computer Engineer is Barbie's next career.

I mean her shirt has binary print!!

Things that should not exist: the boot sandal

Seriously, which is it - a boot or a sandal? A sandal with a built in leg warmer? For when your toes are warm but your ankles are cold? It's like Uggs with a mini skirt all over again.

/rant

Dylan's Candy Bar Beauty Products?

I was at Sephora yesterday and ran across the Dylan's Candy Bar beauty collection.

This scent/flavor is chocolate cupcake. It's like they mixed lotion smell with chocolate cake smell. Not exactly the best scent. They also have a Birthday Cake Batter that smells pretty good. Personally, I'd just stick with plain vanilla scented beauty products if you want to smell like baked goods.

Jessica Fail

On my way from downtown Chicago to the airport on Monday, I decided to stop at Alliance Bakery for one last Chicago cupcake. I discovered Alliance also had a selection of French macaroons. I've recently become obsessed with French macaroons - when done right they are beyond delicious. So I picked 3 macaroons - raspberry rose, blueberry cream cheese, and caramel - in addition to my chocolate cupcake. I then made it to the airport and attempted to balance my bakery box on top of my coffee cup while wheeling my suitcase. That's when disaster struck.

Cupcake down!!! And it was pretty too. The verdict:

• cupcake - good but nothing special
• macaroons - blueberry and raspberry were more than amazing - perfect texture, fantastic flavor (especially the blueberry). Caramel not so much.

Valentine's Cupcakes @ Pier 1

Pier 1 has jumped on the decorative cupcake band wagon.

These ones are made of styrofoam though, so I guess they're only meant to be used as VD decorations. And yes, I did just call it VD.

Cupcakes, Google Chicago Style

Lunch at Google Chicago, Friday February 5.

Mission Pie

This past weekend Scott and I decided to try Mission Pie. In case you couldn't deduce it from the title, Mission Pie is a store that sells pies in the Mission. Scott loves pie. I would venture to say that Scott loves pie as much as I love cupcakes. But he rarely, if ever, gets to indulge in a good pie. The last time was probably Pi Day. Anyway - we tried Banana Cream (Scott) and Pear Ginger (me).

Scott wasn't in love with his slice (exact words: "I've had better"). I really loved mine, though. I love pears (and ginger) and the crust was divine. Would have been even better for some vanilla ice cream. Looking forward to making another visit and trying more pie - maybe a savory pie.

Also - wish I could have snapped a photo of it - but there was a man sporting a major MAJOR 'stache at Mission Pie. Like like the kind that combines with mutton chops. Or a beard without the chin hair. Awesome.

Little Cupcakes

Much like me, Scott's sister Christine is a huge cupcake fan. She picked out these adorable cupcake mobiles from Restoration Hardware for her two cuties.

And of course the cuties themselves have some adorable cupcake gear.

And a Jenna close-up:

Cupcakes and babies. Too cute.

Smuckers Magic Shell - Cupcake Flavor

I was shopping at Safeway the other day and saw this on the shelf:

Can cupcake really be a flavor? Cake is a flavor. Either way, looks tasty.

Things that should not exist.

The Gizmo skirt. As in the Gremlins.

And if you can get over how heinously ugly it is, chew on this - it costs $2100.

Look! It's Leno!

So while in SD, Scott and I stayed at the Hilton La Jolla Torrey Pines. Our room was out in the boonies, in the same area of the hotel as all the ball rooms. This turned into major win, though, on Saturday night when we discovered that the Diamond in the Rough Gala would be held in one of those ballrooms and that none other than Jay Leno would be the headliner of this swanky event. On our way back from dinner we caught about 10 mins of Leno's act.

Keep in mind this was just 24 hours after Conan's last Tonight Show. I considered yelling "I'm with Coco!" but didn't feel like sleeping in the rental car so I refrained. Jay's a little dirtier in person than he is on TV, but not much. Hate to admit it, but I did laugh. Don't worry, Conan, I still love you.

Review: CB's Cupcakes in La Jolla

When in San Diego a few weekends ago the plan was to go on a bit of a cupcake tour. However we were distracted by babies after our first stop so I only have one to review - CB's Cupcakes in the University Towne Center Mall.

CB's is in the food court at UTC. Next to Sbarro as you can see. They have a pretty simple concept which makes sense given their size - pick a cupcake size (mini or muffin), pick a flavor (there are 3 or 4 on any given day), pick a frosting (again 3 or 4), and pick a topping (like fro-yo!).

The store also has a bunch of other cute cupcake related items and food items like these Rice Krispie treats shaped like cupcakes:

Scott chose red velvet with cream cheese frosting and rainbow sprinkles, I chose key lime with vanilla frosting and crushed graham crackers:

The cake was just meh, but the frosting is really quite good. A nice creamy, thick buttercream. Which, as it turns out, works out quite nicely since, like Sprinkles and Butter Lane, CB's sells frosting shots! Not like your usual frosting shot, though. These suckers come in a little mini cup and you can add one topping!

Score. And tasty. We got one for Scott's sis and one for me. All in all, I dig CB's. Cool concept, cute store front, friendly service, and tasty frosting. I'm not going to go out of my way for one, but if I find myself in the UTC food court again, I'll stop by CB's for my sugar fix.

Big Eat 2010

7x7 magazine's new list is out - Big Eat 2010. I'm starting off 2010 right having already eaten 31 of these items (some are repeats from last year's list). Thrilled to see Humphry Slocombe and Anthony's Cookies on the new list, but still no cupcakes. Items I hope to try soon:

1. Roast chicken and bread salad at Zuni (actually have reservations there in a few weeks)

4. Fried chicken and waffles at Little Skillet (been wanting to try this one for a bit)

31. Guajillo-braised beef short-rib taco at Tacolicious (been hearing nothing but great things about this newcomer)

52. Coconut buns from King’s Bakery (hot damn they look good)

56. Nuevo Paloma at Beretta (been looking for an excuse to go back to this place anyway)

98. Bloody Mary with brunch at Foreign Cinema (been planning on a brunch here)

100. Menage a Trois at Ike’s Place (if it wasn't for the line I would have eaten there already)

After tasting many of last year's list, I am actually sorry to see that the following have stuck around:

49. Ginger snaps at Miette (WAY overrated)

54. Spiced-chocolate doughnut at Dynamo Donut with a Four Barrel coffee (LOVE LOVE LOVE Dynamo Donut and Four Barrel - but the huckleberry and salted caramel donuts are far superior to the spiced-chocolate)

73. Popovers with strawberry butter at the Rotunda (these are really good - but they aren't unique to SF or even the Bay Area - I had one in Woodland Hills - it's just the Neiman Marcus restaurant)

79. Onion strings at Alfred’s Steakhouse (really not that great)

And I still think the following are serious oversights:

• Three Twins lemon cookie ice cream (I know it's blasphemous, but it's better than Bi Rite salted caramel)
• Banana Caramel cupcake from Kara's or Elvis is in the Building from That Takes the Cake or any cupcake. Please.
• Really anything from the Patisserie at Citizen Cake (ginger creme cookies are to die for)
• Butternut squash enchiladas at Mamacita
• tasting menu at Andalu. Deep fried mac & cheese. 'Nuff said!
• butter fish from Zushi Puzzle. Best sushi in the city.

And if they can make room for new comer Tacolicious, where is Smugglers Cove?!

2010 - another year, another challenge. Can we get to 100 this year?

(spoiler alert: probably not since I refuse to eat the pig parts from Incanto.)

SNA

Can we discuss how amazing it is that John Wayne has his own airport in Orange County?


The Duke himself hangs out in front of the rental car desks. Freakin' awesome.