Friday, December 7, 2007

December? Seriously?

Yikes! Next weekend is cookie baking, which means I have to finish shopping AND decorate this weekend.

Ah! Ok, I feel better.

It's going to be a busy one: mucho shopping, cleaning...and decorating. Ahem.

Not much new to report. Slight driving incident the other day, I now have a nickname in my house...
Donald Killer. You can pretty much figure that one out. *sigh*
Sniffle.

It is Friday yet?
Oh. Wait.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Ah, Gingerbread and Peanut Butter Kisses

Soon, soon the Christmas Baking will begin! Whee!!!

I survived Thanksgiving, only having one slight issue - pulled a muscle or tendon in my leg and spent the next six days limping and swearing. A lot. As the parents made cracks about me pulling up lame.

Ahem.

But I got to try Sweet Potato pie. And? I'm in LOVE. Yum-o.

It's Thursday, the new Friday. This weekend promises to be packed and fun: Christmas Lights, Disneyland, the whole bit.

The Mom's birthday is coming up and we're going out to dinner. Whee!

And two weeks until the Chicago Cookie Day 2007...the low on Monday is going to be 11. 11 DEGREES! Yikes. I need more layers!!!

Wednesday, November 21, 2007

T-Minus 0 Days until Turkey!

Almost finished? Are your pies in the oven? Is your turkey defrosting? Didja call Whole Foods for the back-up meal? Ha!

First we have the Turkey Trot (gobble!), then we're going to the Aunt and Uncle's house for dinner, which should be entertaining.

This weekend will be a whirlwind of...shopping and pampering. Pedicures, massages, South Coast, Thanksgiving Deux...

I'm happy to report that the slide show rocked. Check it out:
http://www.charlesphoenix.com
Ha!

Hugs to all!

Sunday, November 18, 2007

*sniffle* No, I'm not crying!

Ok, I was crying. Ahem.

One, Meet the Robinsons. Rent the DVD, buy the movie, get it off Netflix or itunes, whatever. See the movie, it's cute and sappy and cute.

I cried.

Two, Long May She Reign. Buy the book. Ok, first buy the first three Ellen Emerson White books, then buy the fourth. And read it. It's emotional and powerful.

I cried.

Preston and Meg forever!

Friday? Ratatouille and Newsies. I'm going to owe Mom big time for this.

Friday, November 16, 2007

Life Without Mochas

I'm on day 7 without my beloved mocha. Grr. If only the syrup didn't have HFCS in it! Wah.
But I'm mightily confusing all the baristas.

Snerk.

It's Friday. A busy weekend ahead...got to do a little super secret stuff, then the boring grocery shopping.

Sunday we're going to to a slide show! No, seriously. We're going to a slide show.

We're either really hip, really comfortable in our hobbies or really geeky. Let's go with a mix of all three, OK?

Inching closer to Turkey Day - do you have your turkey? Your sweet potatoes? Your PIE???

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Holiday bits and bobs

Yeah, I don't know what the means, go with it.

Whee, another Saturday - and, for the first time in ages, an actual plus to my current job...I have MONDAY OFF!

Ahem. Whee!!!

In other news, not much happening. A bit of Christmas shopping and a relaxing weekend. I'm all for that!

And? It's almost time for PUMPKIN!

Wednesday, November 7, 2007

Brrr! Baby, it's COLD outside!

I am so in trouble...I'm already freezing and it's not even December. Or Winter. Ahem.

Almost two weeks from Turkey Day! Whee!

The Mom and I are doing the Turkey Trot in the morning. Yay! Dinner is still under negotiation. Stay tuned. And Friday (aka, Black Friday, which I don't do at all!), we're having Thanksgiving Deux, our version. Hee! There may be Christmas movies and pie involved, I'm just saying.

In other news, still reading the book. I got so upset (crying, everything), I had to stop on Sunday. I'll report back when I finish. But it's good - Publisher's Weekly named it one of the best of 2007.

On the horizon? Christmas Shopping...the Mom's birthday...Bauer Sale...Auntie Em's!
And? Cookie Day!!!

Saturday, November 3, 2007

Fall Fun

I'm trying to be more bloggy and less...well, cranky.

The highlight of Thursday and Friday was eating my lunch backwards. Now get that image of me eating facing the wall...or something much worse...out of your head. I mean backwards - my cereal treat first, grapes second...the exact opposite of how I normally eat.

I am soooo bored. That was my HIGHLIGHT! Ahem. And it took me 21 minutes to eat exactly 3/4s-cup of Cinnamon Bunnies. Snerk.

It's Saturday, which is...wait for it...BOOK DAY! WHEE!!! I've been waiting years for this...since 1989, to be exact. I have the book. I have the makings of dinner (peanut butter, duh!) and I have pie. I'm all set.

Fall is also key for another reason - pumpkin treats return. Just had a pumpkin muffin top from Bristol Farms. Which was pumpkin-rocking good! Ha!

Hugs to all...will update later. :)

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Gobble-Gobble!

So, it's November. Since October sucked beyond the telling of it, with the cold and the work crap, I'm kind of glad.

Ok, I'm really glad. I'm going to make an effort to be more positive and not let the soul-sucking...well, suck my soul. Snerk.

Anyway, onward to better things. Many exciting things are in the works around here - days off, Turkey, pie...
:)

Saturday is "Long May She Reign"-Day, which is kinda like the Harry Potter weekend - only much smaller, doesn't involve going away or getting the book at midnight. Because I got the book last week, a full four days before it was officially published. Ha!

Sunday? We're dragging Dad to Disneyland. Ahem. Oh, and that show (whee!) starts again.

Saturday, 11/3: Book Day! Starbucks, Pedicures, Shopping, Pie...and READING!!!
Sunday, 11/4: AR Day! Disneyland, Olives and Amazing Race!

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Yeah, that was swell.

I had such high hopes for this week.

~I am almost well. Almost.
~I am currently employed. Currently.
~I am going on vacation. Going.

Of those three statements, two are *yay!* worthy. Which two, I wonder?

Sometimes I wonder why I am even surprised at the drama that occurs. Really.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Fun-o!

Ok, I'm finally starting to feel better.

Yes, finally.

Survived my second orientation, which means I'm kind of official - well, unofficially official, I'm not official for another year. Yes, a year. I don't get it either.

Not much other news to report, just trying to spread my germs far and wide. Hmm...

:)

Friday, October 12, 2007

Sniffle.

Whatever.

It's Friday, which means we're doing stuff this weekend (phlegm or no phlegm):
~hair cut
~coffee
~shopping
~Disneyland (again)
~returning the pants

*wheeze*
*sigh*
*thud*

Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The Sick Girl Does Lunch


What do you eat when your throat hurts and you're cranky...?

A cup of Cold Care Tea with Brown Sugar (the honey was weird.).

A Choco-Walla Odwalla Bar...that you stopped to buy on the way home because you wanted one that much.

A peanut butter cookie.

Snerk.

Wheeze...sputter...

Ewww. Sicko-girl is not having fun.
Enough about that. *sniffle*

The weekend was a blast, loved Ames telling us she had a melt down "because she didn't have a nap..."

Ahem.

*sniffle*
This is getting annoying.

Friday, October 5, 2007

Yawn. One week down, an unknown number to go.

Yup, it's finally Friday. Whee. *thud*

You know, like 4-solid hours of sleep would be so nice right now. Yawn.

Weekend Plans...
Saturday, 10/6: Eyes, Bristol Farms, See's, Starbucks, Wild Oats, Ralphs...how mundane!
Sunday, 10/7: Brunch, Starbucks, Downtown Disney, Disneyland...whee, Halloween!

Other than that, just working on Italy and Portland plans...ha!

Thursday, October 4, 2007

Faux Friday

Ok, I so want to believe that Thursday is the new Friday, but I'm having issues.

Mainly with the whole "still got to get up at 5:00am tomorrow, which I wouldn't have to do it it *really* was Friday"-thing.
Ahem.
Have I mentioned that I'm literal?

Since today is Thursday, it is a good day...no students around! Quiet day, whee!

Is it 5pm yet?

Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Day One, Version 2.0

So today was my first official day.

I had a safety orientation. FYI, you should scrub your hands for at least two renditions of "Happy Birthday" - either sung to yourself or out-loud, your choice.

Then I went to Human Resources, who had nothing for me to sign or look at. Payroll was equally stumped as to why I was there with my forms of ID.

I'm not sure if I should be worried. Thoughts?

In other news....
~That problem is slowly clearing itself up. SLOWLY. Grrr.
~The Chicago clan will be in town this weekend, Whee!
~Portland!

Friday, September 28, 2007

Uh, Ok.

So, I just bought a ticket to London (it's our stopping off point for both the Rome and Venice flights...)...
For a lot of money, I might add.

But my question is, since I requested the *fruit plate* (stop laughing, right now!), how much fruit do I get for that much money???

I can't stop snickering. *ahem*

MaxJet

A Whirlwind of Nothingness

Yay, I made it through another week. Monday will mark my official first day at work, which I suppose is a good thing. ;)

Many good things in the works, but I'm afraid it's kind of boring and quiet for now. There are four (4!) trips in the next 8 months, which is cool-o. Last weekend the Mom and I walked to the Farmer's Market - try the scones from Sconeage, they rock! Next weekend we're going to Disneyland to check out the pumpkin-ness.

But, for now? Quiet.

Saturday: $, Coffee, Pedis, Bristol, Wild Oats, Market
Sunday: Newport Beach

Monday, September 17, 2007

Meg!!!

Yeah, I am so not talking about the Aunt. Ha!

I am super excited, one of my favorite author's ever (!) is releasing a new book...a fourth book in a trilogy I read as a child/teen. Then rediscovered as an adult.

And hunted ebay for, ha! Whee!

Check it out!
Long May She Reign

Hugs to all...
Joan Jett rocks. Ha!

Friday, September 14, 2007

Yawn. What?


Is it wrong to want to sleep all weekend? Anyone? *yawn*
Have a cookie, it's Friday.

We're sticking kind of close to home this weekend, after the Mom being in Boston last weekend and my trip to Chicago the previous one.

Saturday, 9/15: Coffee, Pedicure, perhaps some Jean Shopping, Bristol Farms, Pie, Wild Oats, Market

Sunday, 9/16: Coffee, Coach (?), Olives

I need to plot out some Italy stuff (whee!) and buy tickets for Chicago for the cookie baking. Does anyone have a diabetic-friendly cookie recipe that does NOT involve fake sugar?
(We're screwed, he's on low-sugar, I don't do fake sugar...)

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Complications

Life is hard sometimes.

~The Uncle is recovering nicely, thank you.

~Apparently I'm gainfully employed again. Or about to be. I'm not entirely sure.

Is that vague enough for you all? Ahem.

Hugs.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

*blink* What?

September? What?

Yup, it's back to school time! Whee! Ames started PRE-SCHOOL! She was adorable...I just got back from Chicago and...so want to be there!

Not much to update beyond that: G-Ma was here, G-Ma flew home after a lovely BBQ here at the house. I got a migraine and went home sick. I flew to Chicago with AJ1 and hung out with the kid for AJ1's birthday...mmm, Sweet Mandy B's!

In the works: Cookie day plans! WDW plans! Georgia plans! Italy plans! (note to self: PASSPORT!)

Hugs to all...

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Hmm.

Well, the grandmother is safely tucked away in my room...which means I'm on the floor. Uh, yeah. That's loads of fun. No sleep, my body is aching...going to be a LONG week.

In other newsiness...um, I'm having a major crisis. I'm not even sure I can articulate it. And whatever you think it is...it's not. Not work, not a boy issue, not anything like that.

*sigh*

I just wish life were easier sometimes.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Drama!

Yeah, I don't know how much more I can take. That's all I'm saying about that.
*ahem*

It's Thursday, which means one thing - weekend plans! This weekend is all about the clean-up for G-ma's visit. Which means I have to dust.

Dusting sucks. Hee.

In other news:
We're getting our hair cut. We're going to Bristol Farms. We're going to Starbucks. We're watching Feasting Asphalt 2. We're replanting the backyard.
A fun weekend.

And next week, I get off early Monday AND I have Friday off. Whee!!!

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Mmm, Saturday.


Yup, I made it. It was touch and go, but I didn't end up in jail for killing several co-workers.

So yay.

Anyway, it was a pretty long week. Lunch was a blast, I need to plan another with AJ1 before she goes back to work.

So far today, we've been to Doughboys (whee!), the bank, Lowe's and Bristol Farms. And, duh, Starbucks! Ha.

Tomorrow? The Simpsons Movie. Hee.

In other news, I love this time of year - it's Back to School time! All the backpacks and lunch boxes and clean notebooks? *swoon*
This backpack is for the Long Beach Rescue Mission - some little girl is going to totally love my carefully chosen notebooks and crayons. Yay!

Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Whee!!!

It's finally Wednesday.

So far my week has been highlighted by getting yelled at and swearing violently under my breath.

Yeah, this is a good fit for me, huh? Snerk.

No matter, it's Wednesday. Lunch date, oh I feel soooo adult. Of course I'm not coming back, but whatever. Whee!!!

Monday, August 6, 2007

The best laid plans...

Ugh. The weekend didn't quite go as planned.

First of all, traffic sucked. So no red velvet. *sniffle* Next weekend, for sure.

Then? My grandmother is coming to town in a few weeks, which means the house has to be straightened. This included the garage - took all three of us most of Sunday to figure out what was in the garage and where it actually lived. So no Simpsons movie.

And this week isn't going to be much better: there is drama at work. Enough said. And I feel icky.

I'm living for Wednesday - lunch with AJ1! Whee! And for Saturday - red velvet! Whee!

Ahem. Is it Wednesday?

Thursday, August 2, 2007

Thursday...the new Friday!

Yeah, I don't believe that, either. Snerk.

Oh well, on the fun stuff. It's almost the weekend, which I pretty much live for now. So...

Saturday, 8/4: Late Pedicure, Red Velvet from Doughboys, Bristol Farms (we're GRILLING!), shopping and watching Alton Brown.

Sunday, 8/5: Target and watching The Simpsons Movie. And working on my resume. Ugh.

A whirlwind of fun, I tell you!

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

The Long Hot Boring Days

Wow, August 1st. Where has the time gone?
Oh, wait. I know. Counting down to Harry Potter. Ha!

Time has also disappeared because I am suffering from a major, major, MAJOR sadness. I'm not depressed, I'm not cranky.
I'm just sad.

I loathe work with a passion and every day I am there...I am miserable. But my sense of loyalty is...well, forcing me for a lack of a better term, to complete my term as agreed.

*sigh*

Yeah. Just sad.
Sometimes being an adult really sucks, you know?

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Love, love, love it!

Oh, I'm sad in a "wait, it's over?"-kind of way.

But?

It also rocked and I so giddy. Yup, I'm back in Los Angeles and on my way to work. Blech.

But?
I loved it! The book was fun, the weekend was fun, the cake was fun.

Whee!

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Ahem.

Yup, just hours to go.

I'm off to the airport in a few minutes, then on to Orlando. Where it's hot and steamy.

But no matter, all I need is the book and a hotel room.

And, duh, cake! *G*

Sniffle. It's all going to be over soon. Wah!!!

Saturday, July 14, 2007

Mmm, cake! Black Hound New York


You know, I love a quest. And I am looking for the perfect miniature cake.

Here we have, from lovely city of New York, a mini Busy Bee Cake. The larger version is Black Hound's signature cake, so I had to try it.
Plus, come on...look at the little bees!

The 3-inch cake, per their website, is layers of chocolate butter cake and almond butter cake with bittersweet chocolate mousse and marzipan. It is covered in marzipan and bittersweet chocolate, decorated with marzipan bees.

Yum-o. This cake was rich and moist, the almond and chocolate flavors playing off each other. The marzipan was lovely...and, hello, chocolate mousse. *thud*

Thumbs up. If you aren't in the area, you can buy them off the internet. I'm working on clearing space in our freezer right now. HA!

Busy Bee Mini Cake - A+

Black Hound New York
170 Second Avenue
New York, New York 10003
212) 979-9505
http://www.blackhoundny.com

Friday, July 13, 2007

Comfort Weekend

Sometimes you just need to curl up and not think too much.

It's been a hard week. I was going to be unemployed, I was all excited about a new chance to try out some other department or company and next week is Harry Potter week.

Then my replacement left and I was forced to deal with the aftermath, which included extending my assignment. I'm not dumb, I knew it was practical to do so - so I told them I had the following days off planned and to deal with it.

But it's all still kind of depressing, in a "I thought it was over"-way.

So I'm going to not think this weekend.

Saturday, 7/14: Coffee, Pedicure/Eyes, Target, Bristol Farms, Hof's Hut, Market, Walk, Watch Newsies, Have a PB Sammie and Pie

Sunday, 7/15: Harry Potter and the OotP at Downtown Disney, Re-wire my TV, watch the Next Food Network Star, Pack

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

The Drama Continues. *ahem*

As I expected, I was asked to extend my temporary assignment with the Department of Social Work.

Reality (and Hedwig payments!) made me agree - and, well, let's be honest...I'm a nice girl and I want to please everyone.

I was told I could apply for the job and I snickered.

So not happening.

But enough about that. It's almost the weekend and then? HARRY POTTER WEEK! Whee!!!

Friday, July 6, 2007

Mmm, brownie! Sweet Jill's Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie


I don't know what they put in their baked goods. Besides sugar and maybe some other type of sugar.

Thinking about it makes my heart race and my teeth hurt.

We have a huge-o chocolate brownie. Dense. Fudgey. Rich.

And how do you make it "better"? Why pile *raw* cookie dough on top, in this case, peanut butter cookie dough. I'm assuming that, you know, it's not full of raw eggs, because ewww!

You know, all their (Sweet Jill's) stuff looks so good. And then you start to eat it and your body shuts down and screams silently.

Ahem.

Sweet Jill's Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Brownie - B.

Sweet Jill's
5224 East 2nd Street
Long Beach, CA 90803
562) 438-4945

Cosmic Joke

My life amuses someone, for sure.

So, you know that I was "replaced" and my last day with CSULB is July 13th...only, wouldn't you know it...my replacement got another position and her last day with the department is today.

Yeah, she started Monday and her last day is today.

It would be funny, only it's not. Not at all.

*sigh*

But it's Friday, woo! And last night I dreamed about pie. Hee.

Saturday, 7/7: the Dad birthday! We're running some secret errands, getting coffee and then grilling and having cake. Mmm, cake!

Sunday, 7/8: Nada. Nothing. Reading and setting up my new tv. Woo!

Wednesday, July 4, 2007

Happy Fourth of July!

Woo!

It's the day we celebrate America by blowing bits of it up...what?
(In my own defense, I am really tired. Just a warning!)

Nothing big going on here, the Dad is pulling a 12-hour shift tonight, so we're just going to grill early and then call it a night.
Watching movies and having some pie. :)

Have a good day!

Tuesday, July 3, 2007

W'sup, Siggy?

So.

What does it mean when you dream about eating a peanut butter sandwich?
Anyone?
Bueller?
Sigmund?

*snerk*

Friday, June 29, 2007

This and That

Yawn. I am so over the job, it's not even funny. Moving on.

This weekend will be both busy and really quiet. Figure that one out, would you?

Saturday: Disneyland, Secret Mission, Bristol Farms and Starbucks...watching a sappy movie, too.

Sunday: Starbucks, Pedicures and Jack party...dinner will be Angelo's and watching the train wreck that is the "Next Food Network Star"...

Ahem. And applying for jobs, naturally.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Job Update

So.

Due to Union wrangling, I wasn't even given the chance to turn down the Social Work job...my last day is July 13th, Harry Potter movie day!

Ha!

I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad or what. They are trying to rush through a position for me.
*shrug*

New York, in pictures...










Friday, June 22, 2007

New York, what we did...

It's more like what we didn't do. *ahem*
Which, if you ask the Mom, was nothing. I walked her to death. And then some.

Friday: Caught a super early flight and had SkyMeals. I love SkyMeals. Peanut Butter and a Banana Sammie, made just for me...with cookies! *thud* The flight was uneventful and I read. Woo. We landed on time and then took a wacky Super Shuttle Van into the city.

Let's just say that I now know all about JFK and the various terminals. Snerk. We were the first dropped off at the lovely 70 Park Avenue Hotel. Kimpton Hotels ROCK. It was beautiful and clean and they left me a welcome gift of water and snacks. Hee.

First up? Duh, a BAKERY. We took a cab to the Black Hound Bakery, because we weren't quite sure about the subway yet. It cost $10 and was worth it. The bakery was adorable - itty-bitty yum-o cakes! *thud* Back to the hotel and onward to Top of the Rock.

I hate tall buildings. I went up and took pictures. Enough said. Dinner was take out from Dean and Deluca, then....duh, cake!!!

Saturday: Woke up and hit Starbucks (literally 600-feet away, I love New York!). Then we took the Subway to the Met, where I hit Egyptian and Impressionist over-load. HA!

Back to the Subway and on to the Village - for, of course, Peanut Butter & Company. Which was much smaller and much better than I thought it would be. We only got lost a few times trying to find the place (the Subway maps sucked and the hop-stop maps sucked), but it was worth it. Mmm, peanut butter - cookie dough surprise: creamy pb, vanilla cream cheese and chocolate chips! We wandered the Village, then went back for Starbucks. And a mini nap.

Hee.

I convinced the Mom to get back up and wander up Broadway, walking by the Empire State Building, Macy's and Herald Square, ending up in Times Square. It was crowded and not fun in a "Vegas Strip" kind of way. Then it clouded up and we ducked into Coach to get out of the rain. We ended up at Grand Central, wandering and getting food. And cheesecake from Junior's.

Sunday: Ah, Father's Day. Spent at Ellis Island and Ground Zero. We took the Circle Line Ferry to the Island and wandered, it was kind of interesting and strange - the main building is all done up as a museum, but content was kind of light. The outlying buildings were totally falling apart. We walked up to Ground Zero, which was over-whelming.

Enough said.

Back to the Subway to head to Chelsea...for snacks and to take pictures of my Great Uncle's Brownstone. We found the Food Network and Chelsea Market easily and had...wait for it, sammies from Amy's Bread. Mine was peanut butter. We shopped a bit (brownies! cookies!), then hunted for the Brownstone.

I went out by myself later for...shopping...and I only got lost once! I am proud of myself. Hee.

Dinner was from an organic place, Josie's, the hotel recommended. It was YUM-O! And we had pie, from the Little Pie Company. Mmm, pie.

Monday: It was all about the running around. We went to the Levain Bakery first, it's way up on the Upper West Side of Central Park and not near anything else we wanted to see, but....they have huge-o cookies! So we took the Subway, trying to avoid rush hour.

We weren't successful. At all. It was hot and bad.

We dropped the cookies (oh my god!) off and then headed back to Bloomingdales, walking/shopping down 5th Avenue. It was hot. And fun.

Then? Subway to City Hall. Where we walked ACROSS the Brooklyn Bridge. Remember how I said I don't like Tall Buildings? I don't like walking across high bridges either, OK? But I didn't. It was hot. Ahem. Memorable, but HOT.

Luckly, I had a plan. At the end of the Bridge, in D.U.M.B.O. was Mr. Chocolate and his $5.00 ice cream sammies. And trust me on this, they were worth $5.00. You have to love a place that dips CHEERIOS in chocolate. Ahem.

We dragged our hot tired butts back to hotel, where we crashed. Then I convinced the Mom to get back up and go to Union Square Park - to see the Union Square Green Market, walk up to Madison Square park to see the Shake Shack and the Flat Iron Building, then get dinner. She fell for it and we hopped back on the Subway.

The park was hopping, Broadway was hopping, we shopped and avoided a huge traffic accident. Dinner was...'wichcraft...and a peanut butter sammie for me...and a massive cookie...

Sense a theme?

Tuesday: Awww, time to book. We left New York and got to JFK in record time...it was early enough that we were BOTH able to upgrade on the way back. Nice. I got to sit next to Robert Klein, who is really nice. And they gave us warm cookies! Ha!

Pictures will follow...

Hey, it's Friday!

Got to love these weeks - go back to work and it's already Wednesday.
Ha!

This weekend is all about catching up on things - sleep. Laundry. Peanut butter. You know, important stuff.

Saturday: Breakfast with AJ1 (pictures!), Susie Cakes, Starbucks, Bristol Farms, Pie and catching up on DVRed shows while having pb and pie.

Sunday: Drop off kid presents, get sammies at Olives, catch up on DVRed shows while having sammies and a whoopie pie.

Yup, it's a full weekend. HA!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Whee!

I'm back!

It was four days of constant walking, heat and humidity, people, subways, bakeries, getting lost and going in circles...and shopping!

It was soooo much fun.

Yay!

More details to come...I'm super tired and very much not looking forward to work today.

Monday, June 11, 2007

*whimper*

Is it Friday yet? Ugh.

Let's see, the weekend was fun - got lots of stuff done for the trip. My toes are now "Espresso your Mind"...ha!

But? I probably caused a mini-panic at work on Friday and there will be hell to pay today. I have an *interview* at 1pm, then a dentist appointment at 3:30pm today.

And? Wednesday, another interview.

I think I'm going to puke.

*sigh*

Saturday, June 9, 2007

Mmm, pie! Hof's Hut Restaurant and Bakery


You know, I think I'm becoming swayed by the pie. Ahem. :)

This is a mini 5-inch Peanut Butter Cup pie. Dude! Ha!

It's got a butter crust, with cookies mixed in. I'm assuming, from the taste and texture, that they are peanut butter cookies. Then there is a base layer of chocolate cream, followed by a nice layer of peanut butter cream. The pie is decorated with rosettes of whipping cream, peanut butter chips and an artful drizzle of chocolate.

Is it like a peanut butter cup? No. But that doesn't really matter, it's chocolate and peanut buttery and yummy. That's what matters.

Again, it's real custards and whipping cream. This is a nice pie. It's not some crappy icky pie.

Mmm, pie. *thud*

Hof's Hut Peanut Butter Cup Pie - A+!

Hof's Hut - Long Beach Marina
6257 East 2nd Street
Long Beach, CA 90803
562) 598-4070
http://www.hofshut.com

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Mmm, cake! La Maison Du Pain


Oh, my. Chocolate Royal Cake. *thud*

The Aunties found a local bakery that we haven't visited (shut up, So Cal is huge, there are plenty, trust me), so after our breakfast, they went off in search of baked goods.

And I insisted they get me something cool. Ahem.

After the lady stopped laughing at their question ("Do you have anything pumpkin or peanut butter-flavored?"), she suggested the Chocolate Royal Cake.

Nice. It was 1.5-inches wide by 4-inches long by 2-inches high. It was a bar of goodness.

The cake was topped by a hand-rolled chocolate truffle and dusted with cocoa powder. The cake itself is a a layer of chocolate mousse over a layer of crunchy almond cake, separated by a strict layer of what I imagine were almonds.
*drool*

The mousse was nice, a deep rich chocolate ganache. The cake was moist and delicate. And the crunchy cake playing off the mousse? Oh, the texture!!!

It was chocolate-y and lovely. Yum-o!

La Maison Du Pain - A+!

La Maison Du Pain
5373 West Pico Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90019
323) 934-5858
http://www.lamaisondupain.net

Thursday...what?

My eyes hurt. My whole body hurts. *yawn*

Sleep would be good. ZzzzzZzzZZZzzzz....zzzzZzzz

What?

It's Thursday, yay! We head off to New York in like 7 days, so this weekend is all about getting ready.
And apparently that means pedicures and going to Barnes and Noble. Ha!

Saturday: Starbucks, Pedicures, Barnes and Noble, Pie, Hair Cut, Olives, Movie (????).

Sunday: Starbucks, Sweet Jill's, Laundry.

A whirl-wind of fun, I tell you. Oh, and? I saw Erg-boy at Bristol Farms last week.
AHHHHH!

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Mmm, cookie bar! Doughboys Bakery


You know I love the peanut butter. So when I saw that Doughboys had a peanut butter bar...I had to try it! :)

Mmm, peanut butter.

This cookie bar is 3.5-inches by 3.5-inches. It's got a walnut cookie base, a layer of peanut butter filling and then is topped by a layer of roasted peanuts.

First thoughts: soft. Gooey. Peanut buttery. The bar manages to be light, sweet and nutty all at the same time.

The crunchy peanuts topping the cookie play off peanut butter filling well - salty contrasting with the sweetness of the peanut butter. The walnut base is soft and works with the peanut/peanut butter. The walnuts come off as slightly sweeter, different than the peanut-goodness of the rest of the bar.

The whole bar is moist and nutty - thumbs up!

Doughboys Bakery - A!

Doughboys Bakery
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323) 651-4202
http://www.doughboys.net

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Mmm, breakfast! Doughboys Bakery


Now this was a fun outing. We hit Doughboys for a very casual Saturday Morning, to catch up after our trip to Chicago with the Aunties. It was very relaxing and service was fabu - prompt and not rushed at all.

Yay! Decompression rules when you're all stressed. *snerk*

Auntie J2: Breakfast Special - Scrambled eggs with apple raisin griddle cakes, coffee.
Auntie J1: Toad-in-the-Hole, coffee.
The Mom: Breakfast Quesadilla, latte.
Me: Spiced pumpkin muffin and a bowl of fruit, earl gray ginger tea.

AJ1's breakfast looked sooooo good when she got it that she drooled. I think we all drooled. It was covered in olive tapenade and goat cheese. Wow....yum-o! AJ2's griddle cakes rocked and the Mom loved the breakie quesadilla, it was huge and filling.

And do you have to ask about the muffin? Really?

Doughboys Bakery - A+!

Doughboys Bakery
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323) 651-4202
http://www.doughboys.net

Friday, June 1, 2007

Birthday Weekend, Version 2.0

Woo! It's my birthday!!!
(Well, OK, my birthday is tomorrow, but it's my birthday!)

Whee!!!

Saturday: Wake-up early and have brunch with...Chip and Dale! Oh, the Mom and AJ2 are so going to kill me. Hee! And then hang out with the family, because...I'm really tired.

You know I'm old now. *snerk*
But it's OK, there are going to be presents. And cake.

Sunday: Cake for breakfast (a post-birthday tradition!), then finalize the New York plans. Woo!

Did I mention it was my birthday? Whee!!!

Thursday, May 31, 2007

Mmm, cookie! SuVan's Cafe and Bake Shop


Mmm, peanut butter.

This is a cute little bakery across the street from Starbucks near my Aunt and Uncle's house. I saw them. I read about them in TimeOut. I had to go.

So the Mom went to Starbucks and I went to SuVan's.

A peanut butter chocolate chip cookie. It was 3-inches round, very home-made-y. The peanut butter dough was studded with bittersweet chocolate chunks.

It was moist, it was buttery. It was good. Yum-o!

SuVan's - A!

SuVan's Cafe and Bake Shop
3351 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
773) 281-0120

Hedwig!


*ahem*

Tuesday, May 29, 2007

*clutching my head*

Is it possible to be hung-over without, you know, actually drinking?

My head is thumping, I think it's finally getting over the cold/sinus-thing and is now protesting everything that happened this weekend. *snerk*

It's a short week, and yet it will be so long. I have graduation tomorrow...well, the department has graduation tomorrow and that means I have to haul ass today to finish up projects that I never got last week (re: name-tags and programs, I'm having KP-issues!).

What I'm thinking about? Hedwig. Coffee. Friday. Breakfast with Chip and Dale on my Birthday. And? Watching The Muppet Movie with my parents on Saturday, in celebration.

I'm not sure if that's sad or not. Let's go with NOT, OK? ;)

Monday, May 28, 2007

Birthday Fun (part one!)...


Yum-o!

And? I got many Mini-themed presents. Snerk. Too funny.

The party was relaxing and fun. The food rocked and the red velvets? Dude. :)
Everyone climbed all over Hedwig and checked her out - they all approved. *ahem*

Sunday, May 27, 2007

Well, would you look at that?


Huh. Those look like keys to a Mini Cooper.

Saturday, May 26, 2007

Mmm, cake! Rolf Patisserie (Whole Foods)


Seriously, what is not to love with a cake named Death by Chocolate?

Hee.

This was my back up cake, in case the Tiramisu was lacking. And it was. But that was for another review, this is about the chocolate goodness that was Death by Chocolate.

It was a wedge of sliced cake, in a cute little plastic container with a spork attached. Hee.

And wow, was it chocolate. Chocolate walnut brownie base, two layers of chocolate cake with chocolate buttercream filling, iced with chocolate buttercream and decorated with chocolate curls.

Ahem. I wish I had more now.

It kind of looked like it had been dropped a few times, but that didn't really hamper the chocolate-y coma that resulted. In fact, the layers had completely separated into individual segments, but the it tasted good - I think that speaks to the quality of the product, really.

The whole mess was moist, buttery and yummy. The buttercream was kind of grainy, but really, that was because it was ice cold and I was impatient and didn't wait. Snerk.

Rolf Patisserie - B+.

Rolf Patisserie
4343 Touhy Avenue
Lincolnwood, IL
847) 675-6565
http://www.rolfpatisserie.com

Whole Foods Lakeview
3300 North Ashland Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
773) 244-4200
http://www.wholefoods.com

Friday, May 25, 2007

Mmm, entrement (mousse cake)! Vanille Patisserie


I so wanted to be impressed by this place and the mousse cake. And I was. Kind of. It was as small store front in Chicago and it felt both homey and very refined, all the cakes and macarons beautifully displayed.

I got a tiramisu entrement and a chocolate macaron. I ate the macaron first, but the picture sucked. Sorry.

French macarons are made with egg whites, creating a pastry that is crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside - think of a dome of meringue, with filling. Yum. This one was delicate and chocolate-y. It was about 1.5-inches in diameter and a nice treat.

The tiramisu was light and delicate, made of marscopone mousse, coffee mousse and a thin layer of cake. It was soooo pretty, 3-inches round and about 3-inches tall. It was decorated with lines of chocolate and a little chocolate sign for the pastry shop.

Adorable!

But kind of lacking in execution. It was airy, it was kind of just there. All I remember is that it tasted lightly of coffee. That's it.
Oh well.

Vanille Patisserie Macaron - B.
Vanille Patisserie Tiramisu Entrement - C.

Vanille Patisserie
2229 North Clybourn Avenue
Chicago, IL 60614
773) 868-4574
http://www.vanillepatisserie.com

Mmm, frozen custard! Scooter's Frozen Custard


When we were in Chicago after the big birthday trip last year, it was freezing. It was November and it was COLD! Well, cold to me. Anyway, one of my Aunt's teacher's was newly pregnant and craving a milkshake.

In Chicago.
In November.
Brrr!

The Aunt, in an effort to make the girl happy, suggested the Uncle try Scooter's. I was intrigued. Scooter's?

Scooter's, it turns out, is a local frozen custard shop in Lakeview. It's like all of four blocks from their house and was closed. *ahem*
But I was intrigued. They close for the winter and re-open in March. So when we went in May, I insisted we go to Scooter's.
And, comically, it was all of 51 Degrees when I ate the custard. *snerk*

By their definition, frozen custard is ice cream that has less air whipped in and has less ice crystals, making it look like soft serve but taste very creamy. That's way too scientific for me, I don't really care. All you need to know is that they have several standard flavors, they make a special flavor of custard and ice every day, they make concretes (custards with mix-ins) and shakes and are now open.

By the way, today's flavor: Key Lime. Concrete of the Month: Blueberry Pie

I got a small concrete: chocolate custard with peanut butter and peanut butter cups. And wow, was it creamy. Creamy goodness. The peanut butter butter, because the custard was cold and it was cold out, was frozen slightly. It was all chunky. And the peanut butter cups were huge chunks.

Yum-o. It tasted like a mix of my two favorite ice creams: Ben & Jerry's Peanut Butter Cup (peanut butter ice cream with peanut butter cup chunks) and Haagen Dazs Chocolate Peanut Butter (chocolate ice cream with swirls of peanut butter).
*thud*

Go to Scooter's.
Scooter's Frozen Custard - A.

Scooter's Frozen Custard
1658 West Belmont Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
773) 244-6415
http://scootersfrozencustard.com

Birthday Weekend, Version 1.0

Yes, I'm a princess - my birthday is more like two weeks of planned fun. Woo!

*Ahem*

Now if I could just shake this cold/sinus thing, life would be perfection...*snerk* Sunday is the family celebration, which means they will all be here...cleaning is required!

Saturday: Dust, Bristol Farms, Market, Starbucks, Vacuum, Finish Favors, Hof's Hut
(I'll need pie after the dusting and favors, trust me.)

Sunday: Doughboys (first thing, ahhh!), Deliver cake to Auntie J1, Starbucks, PARTY!!! Oh, and red velvet, yum-o!

Monday: Crash, big time. Hang with the parents and just crash. We're going to enjoy the new backyard and BBQ. Sounds so nice right now.

Hugs to all!

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Mmm, cake! Dinkels Bakery


Awww, Dinkels. The Aunt and Uncle better not move from Lakeview, because I love Dinkels. It's sooo cute and old-fashioned.

Dinkels is famous for their butter cookies and other baked goods. Me? I love the huge-o cupcakes! Hee.

This is a Dinkels Chocolate Chocolate Dessert Cake - it's awfully cute. It came in a little round saucer container and I fell for it immediately when I saw it in the case.

It's a 3-inch round mini layer cake; it has layers of yellow cake with chocolate buttercream filling. It's iced in another layer of chocolate buttercream and then has a layer of chocolate ganache with a cute little design in white chocolate on top.

The cake was super yummy and moist. The chocolate buttercream was light - it's real buttercream, as opposed to the toxic faux-buttercream stuff. It was slightly chocolate and balanced well with the cake. But? The ganache, which I LOVE, was grainy. It tasted grainy, it looked grainy, it was grainy.

I did some research online - grainy ganache is due to over-mixing it, this caused the cream/chocolate mixture to actually get too cool too quickly. Who knew?

So, the cake kind came across as ehhh....Props for the cake and buttercream, major points lost for the ganache.
Dinkels - B- (for the ganache, basically).

Dinkels Bakery
3329 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657
800) 822-8817
http://www.dinkels.com

Monday, May 21, 2007

Joining the Real World


Do you ever get the feeling that you are one step out of sync with everyone else?

No?
Ok. Just me then. ;)

Our weekend was really successful, even though I got sick. Sore throat. Ick. No sleep and a sore throat. It's going to be a fun week. But the party is this weekend (yay!) and Monday is a holiday. Woo! Day off!

Hugs to all!

Saturday, May 19, 2007

Mmm, cake! Creative Cakery


Another local product - this one available around Southern California and online nationally. They started in Long Beach and expanded...

Creative Cakery Bakery took over the spot of my favorite bakery EVER in the Market Place. Yes, I'm still bitter, it's been like 15 years and I STILL miss Revels. Mmm, cake. Marble cake, chocolate buttercream...*thud*

Where was I? Oh, yeah. Creative Cakery. They make bundt cakes, which are kind of nostalgic and cute. I understand that baking them is often a bitch, because they sometimes refuse to un-mold themselves, but I've never tried it.

This is a "Just For You"-sized Chocolatey Chip Bundt Cake. It's roughly 3-inches round and 2-inches high. It's a chocolate cake with chocolate chips covered with a cream cheese frosting.

Ehhh, this one was just OK. It was actually a dry chocolate devil's food cake, kind of disappointing. The chocolate chips were semi-sweet, which provided a nice bit of tang to off-set the chocolate cake, but the cake was just dry.

The cream cheese frosting was sweet. Way too sweet. I like a sharper contrast to the sweetness of the cake and this just added to the sweetness, too much so.

Well, they can't all be winners. Ahem. Sweet, bland and boring. Oh well.

Creative Cakery - C.

Creative Cakery - The Market Place
6467 East Pacific Coast Highway
Long Beach, CA 90803
800) 224-4261
http://www.creativecakery.com

Mmm, pie! Hof's Hut Restaurant and Bakery


Another local entry. I always imagine I like pie. I like the concept - something in a crust. I imagine that I love the filling, the buttery texture of the crust.

Then I have it and I get cranky - the crust makes me annoyed because it lacks flavor and the filling? Ehhh. Thanksgiving is always a battle for me. I mean, pumpkin pie and I should be thisclose, you know?

But I liked this pie, from Hof's Hut. Hof's is a local Long Beach institution that spread through Southern California, but it started here in Belmont Shore. That one has been replaced, but it's still a local hang-out. It's almost a "chain" (ack!), but not quite, from my perspective. Honestly, we haven't eaten there in years...I think I was in high school. I was always terrified of the place as a child, they had a magician. I hid from him and what could possibly be more fun that having dinner while keeping your eyes dead center on your tablecloth to avoid the wandering annoyance?

The individual size pie is 5-inches round by 3-inches high. It's chocolate cream, the filling in a buttery crust and topped with a round swirl of whipping cream and chocolate jimmies.

First impression - this isn't a canned version of whipping cream, this is the real stuff. Light and airy. Very nice.

The chocolate cream filling is delicate and light, not over-whelming. It's a real custard, as opposed to chocolate pudding. It's yum-o!

The crust is buttery and flaky, freshly baked. It has the perfect amount of crust-to-filling for the small pie, not too much for the little dessert.

Hof's Hut Chocolate Cream Pie - A+!

Hof's Hut - Long Beach Marina
6257 East 2nd Street
Long Beach, CA 90803
562) 598-4070
http://www.hofshut.com

Friday, May 18, 2007

Plans, Plans, Plans

Ah, I love weekends.

This weekend is all about catching up before the birthday party. Well, that and having red velvet cake. *ahem*

Saturday: Breakfast with the Aunties, because...well, because. Then running around to finish up details for the party. Job searching. And peanut butter. Hee.

Sunday: Pedicures, shopping for plants, parking practice (*grrr!*) then New York plotting. New York! Yay!

I'll probably update a few times, I have a backlog of reviews. Ha!

Chicago, continued...


Ah, where were we? Oh, yes.

Sunday, Mother's Day: We all woke-up rather slowly that morning. The Uncle made all the Moms a great breakfast, lucky for me, cousins/faux-Aunties could have it also - fruit, eggs, bagels and bacon. *thud* Ames got her Mom a new cell phone, mine got a Starbucks card. Ha!

We went to Armitage (neighborhood/street) to shop, where I got a great new blouse and a custom designed handbag. *drool* I don't have an addiction, I don't! Then we went to the Aunt's parents house for a Mother's Day/Birthday dinner. It was yummy (Pompeii!) and fun to catch up with them all. I love hanging out with her family, it's soooo....filled with brothers and sisters! ;)

Oh, and there was Dinkels. *thud*

Monday: Going home day. The Aunt and Uncle went to work, Ames went to Grandma's (with syrup on the back of her dress, how I ask you?). The Mom and I went to Dinkels to search for chocolate croissants (weekends only!), then had breakfast at Wishbone. Mmm, warm banana bread...

And? The waiter at Wishbone told me I was the healthiest ever - carrot juice (interesting), banana bread and a big bowl of fruit. *snerk*

Anyway, we went to Whole Foods to stock up on travel supplies, then dropped the stuff off before going to Starbucks. And Su Van's, a neighborhood bakery I hadn't been to, for a peanut butter chocolate chip cookie, because HELLO....?!?! That's when the fire erupted, after we got back to the house and we were waiting for the town car...

Sirens, fire trucks, traffic, helicopters...Lakeview is relatively quiet and suddenly? Smoke, confusion. Luckily it wasn't any neighborhood icons. Whew.

Onward to O'Hare, then a LONG flight home.

I want to go back. NOW!

Thursday, May 17, 2007

Chicago...what we did...


It was a fun weekend, for sure. After getting up way too early on Friday and watching two American Airlines employees fight in the Starbucks line (*seriously*), we hit the Windy City.

Friday: Airport Express stood us up and we took a taxi to the house. Ahem. We dropped our stuff and the Mom got to look around the newish house before we headed for coffee and...well...cake. Ah, Dinkels. Mmm, Dinkels. The Aunt came home and we headed to pick-up Ames. Dinner was a nice place in Bucktown, Jane's Restaurant. People kept telling us how cute Ames was. *snerk* Got custard at Scooters and fell asleep.

Saturday: Woke-up and headed to breakfast at Victory Banner. Where I resisted the peanut butter and jelly-stuffed French Toast. Hee. We headed to the Lincoln Park Zoo, where every animal was asleep. Hee. On the way back home (*nap time*), we stopped at Vanille Patisserie, which was very French. Got a treat for dessert, then on to Whole Foods to prep for our baby-sitting gig.

The Lakeview Whole Foods is so much bigger and well-stocked. I'm just saying. Dinner was, of course, a pb sammie. Ha! The tiramisu was OK, very light and airy and yummy...just not what I was expecting. We crashed shortly after the kid did and the parents? They made it home from the fundraiser at like1:30am. Ha!

To Be Continued...

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Sigh.

Is it Saturday yet?

How about now?

I don't want to go to work today. I don't want to work tomorrow. I pretty much don't want to go at all.

They can all pound sand.

Did I mention that I'm tired? Just a wee bit?
*ahem*

Oh, well. This weekend will be fun:
Doughboys breakfast and planning for New York. Yay! New York!

Monday, May 14, 2007

Um, FIRE!!!

For a minute there, I was really worried...
Massive amounts of black smoke and fire trucks and news helicopters...
Dinkels? Starbucks? Whole Foods? Wishbone?

Actually, an office building across the street from all those places, right near the M&M house though.
Dude. We need to get to the airport soon and Lincoln is shut-down. D'oh!

Sunday, May 13, 2007

Happy Mother's Day!

So, I'm not a Mom, but my Uncle made all the Moms brunch, so yummy! :)

Happy Mother's Day, everyone! We're off to do some window shopping (oh, shopping!) and then have a nice dinner with the Auntie's family.

Last night was kind of successful:
Dinner was yummy (peanut butter sammie!), but the Vanille stuff was just OK. Kind of ehhh. A review will follow.

Fun. Yay!
Bacon. Mmm, bacon...
*thud*

Saturday, May 12, 2007

Ouch.

You know that headache I get from not eating enough and clenching my jaw and traveling? Yeah.
*ooowww!*

Ahem. It's a beautiful sunny day in the Windy City. So far we've:
~Walked to Roscoe Village and had breakfast...at a vegetarian restaurant...promoting...spiratualism and transcendentalism...or something. But the pumpkin bread was warm and rocked. Ha!

~Went to Starbucks.

~Went to the Lincoln Park Zoo, where we saw the Lions (sleeping), the Bears (sleeping) and other animals. Hee. I bought Miss Ames a cow. Stuffed, of course.

~Went to the hoity-toity Vanille Patisserie place. It was...snotty, in a good way. Tiramisu for tonight, yum-o!

~Walked to Whole Foods. Got cake, just in case the Tiramisu blows. Ahem.

Hugs!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Chicago, the Windy City...Brrr!!!

Well, we made it. And so far we gotten coffee and I've gotten cake at Dinkels, so life is normal for the Mom and I...
Ha!

The flight was good, I read the whole way. It was a huge 767, but not totally packed. Nice.

I'm not quite sure what the plans are, but O'Hare is lovely, as always. It's sunny, but very windy and chilly. Well, chilly to me, at least.

And? Dinkels! Hee.
Updates to follow!

Thursday, May 10, 2007

Mmm, cinnamon roll! Sweet Jill's


You know, occasionally, I go insane. I haven't reviewed many local places (local is Belmont Shore local) and I had promised myself a cinnamon roll and coffee from Sweet Jill's the first Monday I was unemployed.

But that Monday I got dressed up and went on a job interview, so no walk to the Shore.

So I decided to end my unemployment with coffee and cinnamon roll. Because they smell so good when we walk by and...what's not to love? Gooey! Warm! Gooey.

Uh, never again. Ever. *thud*

The huge-o cinnamon roll from Sweet Jill's is literally 4-inches by 3-inches. It's huge. It's gooey. It was cinnamon-y. It was iced. It was...over the top.

It had layers of cinnamon sugar. It had layers of icing. It was buttery. It was gooey. Did I mention gooey?

Mmm, sugar. Gooey, gooey sugar. It was soooo sticky that I ate it with a fork. I got an end piece and it was crunchy and yummy.

Until about two-thirds of the way in, when I felt ill and shaky and wanted to die. I think I went into a sugar coma. Even now, remembering, I am craving a huge glass of water.

So it was good. But never again. *ahem*

Sweet Jill's Cinnamon Roll - A (at the beginning)/C- (at the end).

Sweet Jill's
5224 East 2nd Street
Long Beach, CA 90803
562) 438-4945

Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Chicago!

Yay! I so can not wait - in less than 48-hours I will be on the plane to visit Miss Ames! Yay!

*ahem*
I'm excited, can you tell?

So far, our plans are pretty loose. I want to go to Vanille Patisserie and Scooters. Mom needs to be shown Dinkels (*ha!*) and the neighborhood. We're baby-sitting Saturday night - Whole Foods run! Ames wants to go the zoo. Yay!

It will be a fun Mother's Day, for sure! :)

Mmm, cookie! Marceline's Confectionery (Selma's Cookies)


Now this is a chocolate chip cookie. *thud*

Per Marceline's (and Selma's website), this is a Chocolate Chip Supreme. It's 3.5-inches wide, like the Snickerdoodle. I just love that word, snickerdoodle. *ahem*

There are three types of chocolate in this cookie: semi-sweet, Bavarian chunks and milk chocolate. It also has toffee chunks, a little surprise. I warmed it up (and had it with ice cream) and dude....! It was gooey and warm and gooey and warm and gooey and warm...it smelled fresh baked!

Like the other cookie, this one isn't overly sweet - despite all the chocolate and toffee. It's nicely balanced, slightly salty. Because I warmed it up, it was hard to really tell the consistency of the dough, but it was cake-y like the snickerdoodle. And warmed? It was perfect!

Mmm, chocolate chip cookie. *thud*

Marceline's Chocolate Chip Supreme - A+!

Marceline's Confectionery
Downtown Disney
1580 Disneyland Drive
Suite 104
714) 300-7922

Selma's Cookies
http://www.selmas.com

Tuesday, May 8, 2007

Mmm, cookie! Marceline's Confectionery (Selma's Cookies)


Oh, how do I love these cookies?

Marceline's Confectionery is the candy shop in Downtown Disney. A little research revealed that they don't bake the cookies...in fact, the cookies are made by Selma's Cookies - they make cookies for two major (*ahem*) theme parks in the United States at two bakeries...one in Las Vegas and one in Orlando. *snerk*

Whatever, cookies.

The snickerdoodle is 3.5-inches wide, yum-o! It's a pale pretty yellow, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. Snickerdoodles are defined as sugar cookies with a crackle-y top. Only I would say they aren't that boring, because that just sounds...boring.

The snickerdoodle is cake-y, dough-y. It's dense and rich. The exterior is perfectly crispy, the interior thick. The cookie is slightly sweet, but not like a sugar rush.

I love this cookie, it's plain and simple. It's not too complicated or over-done, it's a cookie.

Mmm, cookie.
Marceline's Snickerdoodle - A.

Marceline's Confectionery
Downtown Disney
1580 Disneyland Drive
Suite 104
Anaheim, CA 92802
714) 300-7922

Selma's Cookies
http://www.selmas.com

Monday, May 7, 2007

Hot!

Oh, I love Santa Ana winds! Hot! Warm! Hot! Warm!
Hee.

~Did much running around Saturday, got most of the birthday party sorted out. Yay!

~Night at the Museum was cute, in a the kids would love it way. Not quite what we wanted, but it was good.

~Mmm, peanut butter sammie!

~Doughboys was lovely, as always. Mmm, Red Velvet! Muffin! Cookie! Coma! *snerk*

~Amazing Race is finally over. I know, I love the show, just not so much this season. New season starts when???

And it's a short week, woo! Yup, I'm off to Chicago on Friday - the munchkin wants to take us to the zoo...and I found a new bakery...and Scooters! Woo!!!

Sunday, May 6, 2007

Mmm, muffin! Bristol Farms


Ah, pumpkin in May. Well, April, it's from last week, but yeah. Pumpkin in the off season!

Is it Fall yet? *thud*

Well, here is Bristol Farm's version of a pumpkin muffin. It's smaller than Doughboys, 2-inches wide by 2-inches tall. It's kind of plain and unadorned...there were some random crumbs on top, but I have no clue what they were supposed to be. Just crumbs, I guess.

It smells sweet and spicy, but as you can tell it's much paler than Doughboys muffin. It's kind of blah looking. The pumpkin flavor is slightly stronger, but it's also much sweeter. The muffin itself is much dryer and crumbled as I broke it apart.

You know how much I like dry stuff. Ugh.

Sweet seems to be the over-riding thought. It's not as yummy as Doughboys, in fact, I'm kind of unexcited by the muffin. It tastes more canned...not as fresh as Doughboys, which I mean...come on...I know it's April, they are all canned at this point. But the Bristol Farms muffin tastes canned. This muffin tastes exactly how you think a pumpkin muffin should taste, which is fine.

Boring, but fine. My fingers didn't' turn orange. *shrug*

Bristol Farms - B-.

Bristol Farms
2080 North Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90815
562) 430-4134
http://www.bristolfarms.com

Saturday, May 5, 2007

Tag, I'm it!

A - Available or Single? Single...and my dating pool just really expanded...cute boys!!!

B - Best Friend: Hmm...Planner Nazi!

C - Cake or Pie: Please. CAKE.

D - Drink of Choice: Starbucks Non-Fat, Decaf, No-Whip Mocha. The non-drink.

E - Essential Items: Cell phone and lip balm.

F - Favorite Color: Pink.

G - Gummi Bears or Worms? Gummy anything!

H - Hometown: Long Beach, CA

I - Indulgence: Coach. Coach. Did I mention Coach? And flip-flops.

J - January or February: February...now that I don't have to build baskets for Valentine's Day!

K - Kids: Fill them full of sugar and return them! Quickly.

L - Life is incomplete without: Cake.

M - Marriage Date: As if.

N - Number of Siblings: None...explains a lot, huh?

O - Oranges or Apples? Apples.

P - Phobias/Fears: Dying. How boring.

Q - Favorite Quote: "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face... Do the thing you think you cannot do." -- Eleanor Roosevelt

R - Reasons to smile: Cake, travel and coffee.

S - Season: Late summer, when it's not too warm and So Cal is pretty...much...on fire because my favorite are the Santa Ana winds. D'oh! But I love me the warm winds!

T - Tag Three: Chris and Creedence, Planner Nazi!

U - Unknown Fact About Me: The only Californian that drives less than people in New York City.

V – Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animals? Uh, both. I'm a freak - I'm mostly veggie (due to the diet), but occasionally...dude, BACON!

W - Worst Habits: I like to be in control. Of everything.

X – X-rays or Ultrasounds? Ultrasound. I don't know why, though.

Y - Your Favorite Foods: You think I'm going to say cake. PEANUT BUTTER anything. Well, maybe not peanut butter fish/seafood. But anything else.

Z - Zodiac: Gemini...

Mmm, cake! Doughboys Bakery


Another huge-o mini cake/cupcake. *thud*

This one is a Double Chocolate Brownie Cake. And is it ever. Ha!

Like the Red Velvet (*thud*), this one is 4-inches round by 3-inches tall. I love it. Massive and tiny, all at the same time. It's pretty simple, a brownie base topped by chocolate ganache with a single walnut on top. It's ratio is about 2-inches of brownie to 1-inch of ganache.

The brownie is fudge-y, which I like, rather than more cake like. It doesn't really crumb and break apart when you eat it, rather it breaks off in chunks - it's moist, as is everything I've had from Doughboys. The dough has massive walnuts throughout, a great counterpoint to the chocolate.

The chocolate ganache isn't as rich as Auntie Em's, but that's not a bad thing - it's just less dark chocolate, more semi-sweet. Mmm, semi-sweet. It's luscious and creamy, thick and chocolate-y. Yum-o.

It's like free-basing chocolate. And trust me, that is never a bad thing.

Doughboys Brownie Cake - A+!

Doughboys Bakery
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
http://www.doughboys.net

Friday, May 4, 2007

Yawn. Yeah, what day is it?

It's Friday, right? Right? I am so confused, nothing like going from unemployed to employed mid-week to cause brain meltdowns.

D'oh.

Well, it's almost the weekend, which is cool. You know I love the weekends.

Saturday, 5/5: AKA, the day we run around like mad
Haircut!
2nd Street Beauty (product!)
Bristol Farms
Just Alterations
Creative Cakery (*ahem*)
Starbucks
Market
Watch Movies, Eat PB Sammies

Sunday, 5/6: Amazing Race Finale Day
Doughboys (*ahem*)
Alin Party
Amazing Race

Oh, I'm the life of the party!!! Oh, and I need to look for a jobs again. Just in case. ;)

Thursday, May 3, 2007

Day Two...and? The Weekend!!!

Well, I lived through Day One...which means today is Day Two, or the day it starts to make more sense. Hopefully today I can wander around campus more and get my bearings.

You know, find the Starbucks. Important stuff like that. Hee.

But I'm kind of glad to be back in a routine, even if the academic world is completely opposite of everything else. Because...I love hearing that my hours are "8am to 5pm, for you, I guess..."
*snerk*

As for this weekend...running around...getting coffee...watching movies...cake...
More on that tomorrow.

Hugs!

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

A Poll for Saturday

Ok, readers...all three of you, I believe...

I'm conducting a poll for the upcoming weekend. The Dad is once again working early, so we (the Mom and I) are left to entertain ourselves.
And feed ourselves, but that is a whole other issue. *ahem*

On the subject of movies, which should we watch:
~Armageddon (the Mom hasn't ever seen it - I think we need Animal Crackers)

~The Muppet Movie (a classic)

~Night at the Museum (neither of us has seen it)

~Pride & Prejudice (the new version, neither of us has seen it)

I wanted Newsies, but was told that to endure that she'd have to make me watch one of the Lord of the Dance DVDs and I couldn't do it. So no singing newsboy hotties.

Thoughts?

Mmm, cookie! Doughboys Bakery


Now this is a cookie. Check it out on the bread/salad plate! Dude!

The double peanut butter cookie (*thud*) is 5-inches wide. 5-inches!!! It's huge-o! It's a soft yellow color, covered in peanut chunks and smells divine.

It's buttery to touch, but not greasy. As with all the other fresh baked items from Doughboys, it's moist - breaking off pieces, the cookie doesn't crumble, it just gives. An added bonus? Some of the peanuts fall off, leaving left-overs for the post-cookie sadness. ;)

The cookie itself is sweet and nutty, just right...Baby Bear. It's not too much peanut butter, it's not overly sweet. The dough is cakey, doughy - just on the verge of being underdone, which is my favorite because it's not DRY. There are also peanuts in the dough, nicely mixed in.

Mmm, peanut butter goodness. The cookie rocks, it's soft and peanut buttery. Yay!

Doughboys Bakery - A+!

Doughboys Bakery
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323) 651-4202
http://www.doughboys.net

Monday, April 30, 2007

Bits and Pieces

Hmm, a nice relaxing weekend. *yawn*

~Pedicures are fun. My toes are now painted Nice Color, Eh?

~
I found a girl smaller and thinner than me at the alterations place - remind me never to buy a brown shirt dress that makes me look like a four-year-old dressing in Mommy's clothes...and I'm going to Hell for telling her it was cute!

~Elizabethtown is a nice movie. Check it out. Cool soundtrack (*duh*), Orlando is a hottie and the plot is actually sweet and meaningful. Solid A.

~Disneyland is packed. Go early. The Finding Nemo Sub ride opens/re-opens on June 11th.

~Amazing Race is annoying. STILL.

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Mmm, cake! Doughboys Bakery


Ah, the holy grail.
Doughboys Red Velvet, loved by millions and Oprah...or actually, Gayle. But yeah.

See, Red Velvet I didn't get before. It's just cake and if I want cake, I want marble or chocolate.

But having tried it, now I get it - it's chocolate, just lighter and more subtle. It's different and it rocks.

Doughboys Red Velvet cupcake/mini cake is just that - a massive little cake. It's 4-inches round, 3-inches tall, topped with at least a 1/2-inch of cream cheese frosting. The frosting is topped with crumbles of red velvet...in case you forget the red-red-RED cake is red velvet. ;)

It's moist. It's moist to the nth degree, it's literally wet...which is a good thing, trust me. The fork even makes a slight splotching noise as it cuts into the cake.

*thud*

The cake is delicate, the cocoa coming across just enough to let you know that it's chocolate, but not overpoweringly so. Cutting into the cake and seeing the red, you expect something harsh, vibrant...and the light flavor is the opposite of that.

It's a mystery. A yummy, yummy mystery.

The cream cheese frosting rocks. It's creamy, it's rich. It is just tangy enough, has just enough of a kick to remind you it's cream cheese, but it's also sweet. You can taste the sugar and it actually has a bit of a...well, granular feel, when you bite into it. But it's not too sweet, just sweet enough. It's a nice contrast to the light cocoa-ness of the red velvet, balancing well.

Did I mention that it's moist? Oh, is it moist. It leaves a red ring in the bowl. It leaves red marks on the fork. But? Not in your mouth! Ha!
*drool*

Doughboys - A+!

Doughboys Bakery
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323) 651-4202
http://www.doughboys.net

Friday, April 27, 2007

Mmm, muffin! Doughboys Bakery


Because I HAD to go to Sur la Table for baking supplies (the pb tart project continues!), we stopped off at Doughboys for cake and other yummy baked goods.

First up, the spiced pumpkin muffin. We already know my love of the pumpkin in baked goods - pumpkin muffins, pumpkin scones, I want it all. Now. I don't care if it's April, I want it now.

I have to say, aesthetically, this muffin isn't much to look at. It's short and squat, kind of the opposite of Great Dane's massive mushroom muffin. This muffin is 3-inches round by 2-inches high, stubby. It's topped by a single, off-center, walnut.

It looks homemade. In fact, it looks like something I would make - very homely.

But looks can be deceiving.

This muffin rocks. It's moist, it's buttery. It's spicy...the love of the pumpkin baked goods for me is the spicy sweetness - not exactly over-whelmingly spicy, not sickeningly sweet, it's a blend of both. The muffin batter has tons of walnuts inside, whole and chunks throughout.

The muffin is so moist that it holds together when torn, not crumbling very much at all. It's sweet, it's spicy, it tastes like a nice pie...mmm, pumpkin! My fingers even get slightly orange when I'm tearing it apart.

The middle isn't close to dry...it's doughy, it's sooooo good.

Did I mention that it's moist?

I want another one now.
Doughboys Muffin - A+!

Doughboys Bakery
8136 West Third Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
323) 651-4202
http://www.doughboys.net