There's No Place Like Home

I recently returned from a fun-filled four days at home where I celebrated my sister's graduation with family, spent lots of time relaxing, and enjoyed good food and laughs. Long weekends can be perfect for rejuvenating and coming back with a fresh perspective. Check out some of my snapshots from the trip.


Early morning flights are my favorite.


I always do the crossword puzzle while in flight. Thanks to my bf I knew the answer to this Star Wars clue.


Congratulations to my little sister!


I was obsessed with these suede cotton candy pink pumps. I need a pair of my own!


Me in the car on the way to the commencement ceremony.


Cupcakes from Baked and Wired served as the perfect sugary treat.


Baby Jackson joined the festivities and wowed me with some of his new tricks.


My mom had tons of little fresh flower arrangements all over the house. So pretty.


My sister and I shared sushi takeout after her long day of work on Monday.


Some of the first roses to emerge in my grandma's garden.


My favorite fruit in the whole wide world!


On the hunt for the perfect patio set for the porch. These chairs are definitely in the final running.


Perusing the rainbow of zippers at the fabric store for my new clutch.


My mom and I checked out a (new to me) New Orleans-style bakery in the neighborhood.


Cards with regional names were used to call you up when your order was ready.


We shared a French press coffee and a plate of warm beignets. They were amazing.


Enjoying my coffee.


Stained glass window art in the cafe.


I loved the decor, especially the glass window panes and vintage mismatched shutters.


Pretty turquoise necklace on display at my sister's store.


Waiting in the airport to head back up north.

The weekend could not have been more perfect (except for the fact that I lost my voice for 36 hours due to out of control allergies). I enjoyed every minute, especially the sunny, 75 degree weather! This trip really made me miss home. I can't wait to plan my next trip later this summer!

Taste the Rainbow

Disclaimer: I have two photos today! I couldn't narrow it down to just one.

I managed to squeeze in a quick trip to Sprinkles before catching my plane this afternoon. Their cupcakes are just so good! Apparently, Monday morning is a good time to go. There was no line and I was able to browse around the shop a little more than when I was there Friday afternoon. The staff is great and they have so many cute products, including these take-home mixes in a variety of flavors, t-shirts, and even doggie cupcake treats. I can't wait to go back during my next trip home.

Cinnamon sugar is my favorite flavor. For now though, I'm on a serious cupcake break.

Sprinkles!

My first day home was so much fun! I went out to lunch and did some shopping with my mom and then visited my sisters in Georgetown at their offices. The shopping here is a thousand times better than in Rhode Island! I love it. My sisters and I went out for a casual dinner and came home to sample some cupcakes from Sprinkles. My favorite was the cinnamon sugar. It's hard to judge though, because I'm on a self-imposed chocolate hiatus for 37 more days.

I'm beyond excited for our sisters' spa day tomorrow!

Weekend Sweet-Cap

My weekend was full of...sugar! I had an insatiable sweet tooth, which happens from time to time. Here's what I indulged in (thankfully not all at once):

freshly baked cookies from a local sandwich shop



flavorful cupcakes from a cute spot on Federal Hill



my favorite flavor was the rich choco dream



espresso frozen yogurt break after browsing at Nordstrom



It's back to the gym for me tonight! Did you enjoy any special treats this weekend?

Baking Bonanza

I've been reading way too many food blogs lately. My new favorites are Joy the Baker and Slow Like Honey. I especially like looking at their step-by-step photo process and how the final product is styled with various food props. I was inspired by their methods (and my nagging sweet tooth) to whip up a batch of cupcakes that I first spotted while on the treadmill. Ironic, right? The good news is these are really figure-friendly and definitely satisfied my craving for something sweet.

It all started with this recipe in Shape magazine:


I dusted off my KitchenAid mixer and put together the batter in no time.


Naked chocolate cupcakes!


Beating together all the ingredients for marshmallow frosting (aka fluff).


The final product.


Delicious!


I forgot how much fun baking can be, especially when you make some healthy substitutions. The final verdict? The cake was light, flavorful, and could have passed for a regular cupcake at any local shop. The frosting wasn't my favorite, but that's probably because I'm not a huge marshmallow lover. I might substitute a flavored cool whip next time. Honestly, is there really such thing as a bad cupcake?

Do you have any favorite cooking or baking blogs that I should be following?

Sweet Treat

peanut butter cup cupcake. basically a reese's in cupcake form.
xo

Cupcakes Gone Wild

Love these adorable animal print cupcake liners! What a fun way to dress up your baked goods.

Toy Story Cuties

I wish it was my birthday right now because I'd order up some of these adorable Toy Story cupcakes. Lyndsay of Coco Cakes has done it again (she is waaay too talented)! I think the Mr. Potato Head is my favorite, but the little aliens are adorable too! Have you seen Toy Story 3? If not, you must go. It was hysterical and maybe a bit of a tear-jerker. I cannot get enough of these cupcakes, though. Hurry up, birthday!

Weekend Project?

These look so yummy. I think I may have to give them a whirl this weekend. Don't they seem like a great summer treat? I remember one of the best parts of my trip to Key West a few years back was trying a super tart key lime martini (complete with a crushed graham cracker rim). It was amazing, and that's saying a lot because I'm not a huge martini fan. Ming's cupcake blog is so great; the layout is perfectly clean and crisp. I love how it's not cluttered by ads and the photos can take center stage. You must check it out. The hardest part is choosing a favorite!

Which cupcake would you like to bake?

Birthday Boy

Happy Birthday to my amazing boyfriend, Marc! I'm so happy that we're celebrating together today and I hope all of your birthday wishes come true.

Here's to many more!

images via beauty in everything

The Next Big Thing

I've had this conversation with a few people recently, and I'm curious to hear your take on it. I think it's safe to say that the whole cupcake frenzy has pretty much been beaten to death and is on its way out (case in point: the horrible DC Cupcake show that premiered last week). Sad, I know. That's not to say that a delicious red velvet cupcake will never be enjoyed again, it's just time for something new to take the spotlight. I have a few ideas, such as the somewhat healthy fro-yo craze (which I love) or even the crepe shops that have been popping up all over more recently. Personally, I hope it's something that's fun, tasty, and miniature (for built-in portion control & cuteness factor). I'd be happy with different variations on traditional coconut macaroons (not the French kind) or even bite-sized scones with unique flavorings.

What do you think? What's the next big foodie trend? And will anything ever blow up quite like the cupcake craze?

image via we heart it

Cup-Cakies

One of my new favorite blogs is Cakies, about a fun-loving family in California with three beautiful daughters. The family chronicles all sorts of exciting events like birthdays & gardening, and they even feature a special weekly polaroid series. I spent time over the weekend looking through the archives and am absolutely smitten! One of the best parts was coming across this recipe for a red velvet cupcake in a jar. It looks so simple and the result really does make a great gift. Be sure to check out their awesome blog, too!

What are some of your new (or old) favorite blogs?

Patriotic Perfection

I love these (seemingly) simple last-minute party ideas from the craft queen herself, Martha Stewart. The garland is so festive and that blueberry-topped sundae looks pretty tasty, too!

Hope you all have a fun and festive Independence Day!