Dessert Darling

Bethenny's Brownie Cookies From The Skinnygirl Dish

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Swooning. Melting. Dying. These are some of the best cookies I've ever made, and I've made a lot of cookies in my day. In fact, I failed miserably at Nestle Toll House cookies three times this month! I was beginning to blame the oven (because truth be told, the dough was amazing), but now that I've made Bethenny's cookies from The Skinnygirl Dish, and they turned out perfectly.. I'll never go back.

 

Agh! I'm so excited! Who knew that fibrous Oat Flour, Raw Sugar, No eggs, and halving the "butter" fat, could yield such delicious treats?? I don't Miss ANY of the old ingredients.  I'm Shocked. I believe these are even vegan and gluten-free!! (at least, they're very low-gluton)

Bravo Bethenny! I loved you before for being a hilarious, intelligent woman with an inspirational fairytale that unfolded before my very eyes, but now I'm a Devotee! Of course, Chocolate sealed the deal. ;)

If you're not familiar with Bethenny from BRAVO's The Real Housewives of NYC and Bethenny Getting Maried, you must at least check out The Skinnygirl Dish from where I got this recipe. I bought this book because like me, Bethenny believes in eating real food.

To see step by step pictures of my baking process, click below :)

 

Vegan Banana Cupcake at Lark Cake Shop

 

Ok, this vegan cupcake from Lark Cake Shop was pretty awful.  I actually spit out the "frosting," which was really just saccharine sweet rubber.  I mean, the groves in the "icing" wouldn't budge when my tongue licked it.. I think a Jolly Rancher is softer than this stuff! Oh gosh- completely completely terrible.

However, the banana cake muffin below it really wasn't that bad.  Lark Cake Shop would be much better off just selling this item as a Banana Muffin instead of trying to pawn it off as a cupcake. 1.5 cherries for the marginally successful Vegan Banana bread base.  

 

 

At least their normal cupcakes that I reviewed on Monday are much better!

For more info on Lark Cake Shop, click here. 

 

 

Tasty Tuesday - Searching for the Best Mint Chip Ice-Cream

Wow- if you haven't heard, we've been having RECORD temps in Los Angeles.  My car thermometer read 117 degrees yesterday! I can't think of a better treat to have in this weather than cool Mint Chip ice-cream! But which store brand do we like the best?? Watch today's Tasty Tuesday video and find out! ;)

 

 

 

Don't forget about the Giveaway!! Click here for details on how to get $ and free cupcakes! :)

 

Cupcakes from Lark Cake Shop in Silverlake

Today I met a guy who raved about the chocolate cupcake at the Lark Cake Shop in Silverlake. Since I was half way towards that end of the world anyway,  I promptly headed over to the bakery to see the goods for myself. I can't say I fully loved everything about any one cupcake, but that said, they each had strong qualities.  I shall break it down by flavor!

Chocolate/Chocolate Cupcake: the frosting on this cupcake was more like a really smooth, yet thick chocolate mousse.  It had a deep but mild cocoa flavor and I believe I detected hints of cinnamon, which evoked Mexican chocolate to me.  The frosting didn't quite wow me as I thought Mrs. Beasley's chocolate frosting did the mousse thing better. However, I did love the chocolate cake iteself, which tasted just like my grandma's famous recipe in the family!  Finally, there's a delightful whipped-cream filling inside this cupcake that nicely balances the heaviness of the mousse frosting.

Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcake: ok, if you haven't heard me state it before, let me be clear for the record: I do not like icing that is overly whipped into a thin poof of saccharine nothingness! Frosting is not meant to be whipped-cream!  Give me some consistency people! A little resistance against the teeth.  Hoy, I did not like this icing. Thank goodness for the purple sugar sprinkled on top to give it a little texture. This all said, I did like the vanilla cake.. but I ask you, what's a great cake without good icing? Not much, I'm afraid.

Red Velvet Cupcake: This cupcake was my favorite of the batch.  Compared to the vanilla cupcake, the frosting on this one tasted very sour, but on it's own, it tastes like fresh, cream cheese frosting. And while the consistency of this icing was also whipped very smooth, it still had some weight to it. Unfortunately, the red velvet cake itself was a little dry. Otherwise, it would have been a decent cake.

Finally, I tried their Vegan Banana Cupcake.  Because this cake stands in a category unto itself, stay tuned for its separate review tomorrow!

For more info on Lark Cake Shop, click here.  

 

Best Ice-Cream at Baskin-Robbins

Baskin-Robbins is more than just childhood in my mouth, it's the quintessential ice-cream. Many ice-cream brands have played serious roles in my life: Dreyer's in the home fridge, Buds after school (just down the street), Häagen-Dazs after the dentist (er, also just down the street, sorry doc.), and Ben & Jerry's in college (right by the factory). None of these other brands, however, encapsulate joy quite like walking into a Baskin Robbins, where scoops of ice-cream sport happy clown faces with cone hats and pink spoons and polka-dots abound.  

 

With 31 traditional and idiosyncratic flavors, there's something for everyone and every memory. Dad's Pralines and Cream, Mom's Jamoca Almond Fudge, my brother's Mint Chip, and I was Rainbow Sherbet and Bubble Gum as a kid (when gum was strictly forbidden in my house), Gold Medal Ribbon in middle school, and Light Cappuccino Chip for life. 

 

 

I don't extol the virtues of Baskin-Robbin's ice-cream simply for nostalgia's sake.  In addition to the colorful joy of this all-American brand, the ice-cream is downright delicious. BR ice-cream boasts the perfect consistency (not too packed like Häagen-Dazs, not too fluffy like Breyers), the perfect chunkyness (not intrusive like Ben & Jerry's hunks, not minimal like Dreyer's) and finally, the perfect flavor (not too mild, not too intense).  

Honestly, eating this tasty ice-cream and reading their history here, well... it's enough to make me proud to be an American.~

 

 

Vote for Your Favorite Design

Hi everyone! In lieu of Thinny Thursday this week, I'm asking your advice!  My amazing friend and artist extraordinaire, Stephanie Day, drafted some Dessert Darling "winner" images for bakeries to display on their store fronts as well as advertise on their websites when they win the coveted Golden Cherry!  (like Yelp and Zaggat stickers) 

Which image/style to you like best?!  Please keep in mind:

-What would entice or excite you most as a customer?

-If you're a store, what would you most like to put in your window or website?

 

(A) GOLD RIBBON

(B) GOLD RIBBON on a PLAQUE

Blissful Brownies from Williams-Sonoma

With the holiday season around the corner, I thought it my duty to investigate some of the catalogue goodies that I see in my daily mail.  Luckily, I had a William-Sonoma gift card, which made me feel less pathetic ordering treats for myself. It's what my aunt would have wanted me to buy with her generous gift... right?! 

So far, only the "Blissful Brownies" have arrived, and while they're good,  "Blissful" might be a stretch. The ingredients are your basic, traditional brownie items with an added dash of "Guitard Chocolate Liquor." This Liquor must be a "secret" ingredient of sorts. Unfortunately for this big hunk of uncut brownies, I just don't think they travel well.  Perhaps they were "blissful" fresh out of the oven, but my biggest, and really only complaint, is the chalky texture... especially from the top crumbly layer.  As you get deeper in, you do hit some sweet spots that are rich and smooth... but eeg, those chalky moments really besmirch the overall experience. 

These brownies won't totally disappoint you,  but they won't make you die and go to heaven either. With their natural ingredients and fantastic flavor, these brownies still garner a 3.5 cherry rating. 

 

They come in one big hunk, but this image advertises the brownies when cut into squares

 

For more info on William-Sonoma, click here. 

If you're local and want absolutely divine brownies, I recommend the "Chocolate-Caramel Brownie Puddle" by Bountiful Desserts. Now these goodies will send you directly to Bliss!

 

Tasty Tuesday - Gotta Have S'more S'muffins!

Hi guys! I was so thrilled and honored that LinzLoves collaborated with me to shoot a Tasty Tuesday video! Linz both Loves and is Lovely, so it was a wonderful afternoon eating S'muffins together. :)  What are S'muffins, you ask?? Well, watch the video and find out!  Enjoy~

 

 

 

For more info on S'muffins and all the fun flavors, click here!

 

Yogurt Stop Frozen Yogurt

You know you're in West Hollywood when the names of the yogurt flavors are "Milk My Harvey Chocolate," "I'm Comin'Out Cake Batter," and "'Fierce' French Vanilla."  I can't say that the vanilla was really that Fierce and the Cake Batter tasted disturbingly like.. well, real cake batter, but overall, the frozen yogurt at Yogurt Stop was especially creamy and pretty delicious.  My favorite flavor was the unique and devine "Red Velvet Cake."  I also enjoyed the "Girl Power Pistachio," but found the "Original WeHo Tart" to be a bit too tart. 

Overall, I enjoyed my experience in the clean, chic, orange and white shop, listening to hip tecno tunes while watching old reruns of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on the flat screen TV.  You're sure to get a delicious cup of rich tasting yogurt here, but with only ten yogurt pumps, half of which are devoted to sugar-free or low-fat options, your choices are more limited than Yogurtland's, from where you have sixteen fabulous flavors to choose.  I'm rounding up to give Yogurt Stop 5 tasty cherries.~

 

 

 

 For more information on Yogurt Stop, click here. 

 

And don't forget about the GIVEAWAY! Money and Cupcakes could easily be your's! Click here for details :)

Hazards of Being the Dessert Darling - An Open Letter to my Dog

Dear Charlie, 

You are the sweetest, most wonderful living thing on the planet Earth. I am So incredibly sorry that I left that bag of chocolate chips on my desk. I "hid" them behind my laptop screen so that for me, they were out-of-site, out-of-mind. But you and your super doggy-senses are too smart for that. You sniffed them out, jumping up on my chair and on top of the table while I was blindly skipping off to Bar Method class.

It is not your fault Charlie, you're just too smart, and frankly my love, I would have done the same thing.  What kills me though, is that you could have gone into cardiac arrest over something as crap awful as Nestle Tollhouse Chocolate Chips.  If you were going to go, it should be from something fabulous like Jacques Torres or John Kelly Chocolates. Bullocks.  I hereby swear from this moment on to never snack on terrible Nestle chips just because they're the only chocolate in the house. Let the lesson be learned!  I'm relieved to hear from the vet that you are doing much better, but I miss you terribly as I write my first post ever without you by my side. Boo :(

All my love,

Your Dessert Darling Mama~

You at the Vet

the Awful evidence

 

ps: the vet said that they take in about three dogs a day for Chocolate Poisoning. Be careful with your pooches!!!

Update:  The Vet said Charlie is "very Happy and Peppy" and that he didnt' have any seizures during his whole visit. Thankfully we caught it in time and got all the toxins out quickly!  THANK YOU everyone for your kind wishes and loving thoughts. They Really helped! xo

Al Gelato

Taking advantage of the last sunny days before autumn cloaks us in cold, I dropped into Al Gelato on Robertson for some Italian ice-cream.

((Sigh))- it really wasn't that great guys.The flavors were so mild that one scoop didn't vary much from the next. Furthermore, the consistency was a combination of super fluffy, yet thick. Your mouth really had to work to make it's way through it.  While they insisted that they use milk (the way gelato should be made), these scoops tasted suspiciously creamy to me. Finally, I saw a woman by the garbage with her's, telling a friend "I'm just going to take one bite and then throw it away." And then she did. Folks, that's not good gelato when you can just throw it away like that (even if they are Beverly Hills women).  I have to say, a pretty average experience.. two and half cherries.~

 

 

For more information on Al Gelato, click here. 

And don't forget about the Dessert Darling GIVEAWAY! 

Thinny Thursday Tip 8

Hi guys, it's Thinny Thursday, where I share my personal tips and tricks to maintaining a healthy life while still enjoying plenty of desserts :)

Tip #8- Enjoy Eating! Never starve Yourself

For me, over thinking food is the kiss of death. As I mentioned in this post here, I grew up during all the food fads. Some had me avoiding fat grams, then calories, then carbs, then sugar, etc. etc.  Food diets play a mind-game on you that consequently make you obsessive to the point of planning out your meals the night before in bed, calculating and counting calories (oh how I do NOT miss those days!!!). 

The real trick for me is to not think about it. The trick is to eat Real food, and enjoy. Once you do that, you no longer need to obsess, because then you're actually satisfied.  

Now for "Never Starve Yourself"-  When you fast, you're signaling to your body that you are in a famine. Your body then goes into self-preservation mode, which slows down your metabolism. Yikes! Our metabolisms are our friends guys! If this is the case about NOT eating, I have to think the reverse is the same for indulging.  Right?!

 

You can never have too many of these goodies!

 

Holy Cupcakes, More to Give Away

Oh Wow- if you don't know it yet, I'm having my first giveaway, where you can score a $35 gift certificate to use at any CSN store online.  Now, in ADDITION to thirty-five dollars, you will also win "filled" Red Velvet Cupcakes from Cupcake Wars' very own Red Velvet Stefanie!  These things look insanely delicious.

 

Red Velvet Stafanie earned her name from winning a contest at the Cheesecake factory before she was even a contestant on Cupcake Wars. I can only imagine how delicious these are. Heck, I want to win this contest. Look at that frosting inside!

 

It's so easy guys, if you want these cupcakes and the CSN shopping credit, just spread the Dessert Darling love!  Blog, Tweet, Facebook, and Share the Dessert Darlingness any way that you know how.  The person who works the hardest to gain the most DD fans wins at the end of the month!  See more details here. :) 

In the meantime, let's admire this gorgeous slice of Red Velvet Stefanie's latest take on Red Velvet Cheesecake. Mmmmmmmm :-9

 

Thank you Red Velvet Stefanie! You are going to make some people very happy on Oct. 1rst!  Be sure to check out Red Velvet Stefanie's site where you can order a ton of other tasty cupcake flavors and cake mixes.  Don't forget about her Twitter and Facebook!.

Alright- now get on it my fellow Sweet-Teeth!  ;-) 

Tasty Tuesday - Ralph's Strawberry and Cream Cake

Hi guys! This is a super short but sweet Tasty Tuesday video. Ohmygosh, I was literally dreaming about this cake in bed last night. Quite simply, it was Heavenly.  Ralph's can really pull through in the baked goods department! What a delightful surprise :)

 

My First Giveaway

Woo! I'm a HUGE, MASSIVE, HUMONGOID... online shopper. HA.  I'd much rather buy things with the click of my fingers then brave LA traffic to go find what I need. Furthermore, online shopping doubly rewards me by sending an exciting package to my door when I least expect it!

That said, I've been cruising the CSN site, which sells everything from dining tables to yoga mats and DVDs, and am excited to share that the lucky winner of my Giveaway will receive a $35 gift certificate to use at any CSN store! 

This contest couldn't be any easier, guys.  All you have to do is spread the DessertDarling love and the person who does the best job gets the $35 certificate, just in time for the season of entertaining!  

Let me know: did you Blog about the DessertDarling? Tweet and ReTweet me? Get your whole family to follow me on Twitter?  Get your whole team, class, or club to check out my site and become FB friends? Did you do ALL OF THE ABOVE!?  

The person who sprinkles the most DD-dust on his/her friends, fans and loved ones wins this Giveaway at the end of the month.  EASY. PEAZY.

I'll announce the winner on Oct. 1rst.

You can write in your efforts to [email protected] or comment below. Now start your engines and... GO!

Woooo!!! So fun :)

 

ps: image from this site. 

Cupcakes at Mrs. Beasley's

The other night at Book Club my friend brought over a dozen Mrs. Beasley's cupcakes. We all dug in, ooeying and aweing, and sampling every flavor.  I had two immediate thoughts upon first bite: one was that these were very moist and tasty cupcakes, but the other was that the icing was way overly whipped.

Another point of contention was the Red Velvet frosting. A couple girls loved this cupcake anyway, but most of us missed the fresh cream cheese flavor that makes a red velvet cupcake so special.  The Chocolate Chocolate cupcake, however, was AMAZING. I've never had chocolate "frosting" quite like it. It was like a deep, rich, chocolate mousse whipped up onto a delicious, moist little cake.  

Overall, these treats lurk somewhere between a 3.5-4 Cherry rating.  While these cupcakes would surely delight your party guests, they're almost $5 a pop!  At 1/5th the price you can get Hansen's cupcakes on Fairfax.  They taste a little more artificial, but they're still enjoyable and will be easier on the wallet!

 

 For more info on Mrs. Beasley's and their other baked goods and locations, click here. They ship nationally!

Coconut M&Ms vs. Almond Joy Pieces

Today I found myself at the gas station, staring at the colorful rows of candy, when I decided to take it upon myself to investigate the differences between Coconut M&Ms versus Almond Joy Pieces.  These two coconut-chocolate candy treats turned out to be very different experiences that will surely have fans and dissenters on each side of the table.

 

 

Coconut M&Ms

You might recall from this entry here that I wasn't that big a fan of the Coconut M&Ms.  The lack of real coconut shreds inside disappointed me and I found the coconut flavor to be disturbingly artificial. Indeed, these M&Ms taste a bit like the way some tanning lotions smell!  That said, these candies are a much heartier and more chocolate-y treat than Almond Joy pieces.

 

Almond Joy Pieces

The Almond Joy Pieces have thin candy shells that instantly crack in your teeth with very little resistance due to the soft, shredded insides. Yes, these candies have real bits of coconut shreds inside- Hooray! These treats are a "lighter" candy with a much nuttier flavor.  While I preferred these to the artificial tasting M&Ms, some people might really miss the presence of actual chocolate in these candies (which they do have, but just very little of it.).  

 

Coconut M&Ms  vs.  Almond Joy Pieces

 

Ultimately, both bags of candy have made me a bit sick to my stomach and are reminding me why I don't eat pre-packaged, mass produced sweets with artificial ingredients and colors in the first place!  Hmm, well, I hope this investigative report was well worth the tummy-ache and that you learned some very important and valuable information! 

 

Thinny Thursday Tip - My Favorite Ways to Workout

Hi guys! As I promised in last week's Thinny Thursday Tip, this week I'm dishing on my Top 7 favorite workouts. Hopefully they'll inspire you to get your body moving, try something new, or hey, write in and teach me something new! Again, I average about five hours of real exercise a week, so no suggesting that I attempt a triathlon anytime soon! 

In no particular order, the various work-outs that I rotate betweeeeeen... ARE:

1) Kick Boxing/Tae Bo- Alright folks, I have a VHS of Billy Blank's first Tae Bo tape that I still use from almost a decade ago! Seriously, the thing works.  It's great for a rainy day, or when I just don't feel like putting clothes on and being seen.  Since we're now well into the 21rst century though, I also bought some Jillian Michael's DVDs which also do the trick.  Finally, live classes are great. When I lived in Brentwood, I liked dropping in on Keith Cooke's classes.

 

2) Yoga- increases flexibility, increases lubrication of the joints, ligaments, and tendons, massages all the organs of your body, detoxifies your system, tones your muscles, builds strength, increases cardio, and cultivates peace of mind, all in one. Um- hello, what now? I can live for-almost-ever if I maintain a yoga practice? Hellz yeah. I plan on doing backbends and Down-Dogs when I'm 95. Stay tuned a handful of decades and watch me do it. My fave studios include Yoga Works, Earths Power Yoga, and Maha Yoga. 

 

3) Eliptical Machine- this machine is great on your joints and I also happen to have one in my place. My rickety and archaic "machine" has got to be from 1989. It makes me do all the work, but when I pop in an episode of 24 and watch Jack Bauer save America, my heart starts pumping and I lose all track of time. I just get so jazzed by Jack!  

 

4) Jogging- Bleh, this is the exercise that is Soooo hard to motivate to do. Ugh, You have to put clothes on and go outside, yet there's no teacher or class encouraging you to keep go-go-going.  To me, the time before running is Hell, the time during running is Purgatory, and the time after running is Heaven.

 

The Best Workout Buddies

 

Apple Pie at Swingers Diner

  

La la la la LaaAAaaaAaa!!!

Golden Cherry desserts always make me want to sing it from the roof-tops! This Apple Pie from Swingers Diner on Beverly Blvd could not have been more succulent if it tried to be. Oooohmygosh- the apples were not sassy, tart and firm, nor were they saccharine sweet and mushy, but rather, they were demure in their simple Perfection.  

The crust was the most remarkable aspect of this tasty dessert, and I'm not even a crust girl! The warm, buttery layers literally melted in my mouth and could almost stand alone, earning freshly-baked cookie-status.  

And look at that heaping scoop of ice-cream on the side! Yet, this is the first and only Apple Pie I've ever consumed that was so delicious it didn't even need ice-cream or whipped cream.  That, my friends, is the true sign of a Golden Cherry worthy Apple Pie.  Mmmmmm.  I ate the whole thing in T minus two minutes.

 

For more info on Swingers Diner and their other locations, click here. 

To see my thoughts on their great cupcakes, click here.

To see my thoughts on their awesome milkshakes, click here. :-9

 

Happy Labor Day

Happy Labor Day everyone!  I don't know about you, but the theme of my whole weekend has been FOOD, FOOD, and then some more FOOD. OH-my, I'm in serious need of following my own Thinny Tips! Ha.

On Saturday night I attended the glorious Taste of Beverly Hills at the Hilton. Serious kudos to Food and Wine and all the organizers for putting on such a successful event!!

Photo from DiannaTakesaBite! :)

Instead of reviewing everything, I'm just going to share snap-shots of the sweetest highlights! 

 

The Chocolate Pudding from Nate 'n Al's was thick, rich and delicious. The consistency was almost as dense as cream cheese and the strong cocoa flavor was totally decadent.

The fresh Rugelach from Nate 'n Al's melted in my mouth!

 

This "Blum's Coffee Crunch Cake" from Valerie Confections completely delighted me. Two layers of chiffon cake frosted in coffee whipped cream and topped with chunks of coffee honeycomb! So fun!

 

These 'smore cups were a great idea, but my marshmallow was a bit hard. I would have better enjoyed the treat if a warm and gooey marshmallow melted in my mouth.  The textured layers below with crunchy chocolate balls, though, salvaged the dessert.

 

The salted caramel ice-cream from Carmela Ice-cream was a bit salty and burnt in flavor for all of our tastes, but the strawberry-cream scoop beneath it was perfection.

 

These Zucchini Terrine bites from District with spiced mouse and walnut praline were original and surprisingly good.  More importantly, District had one of my favorite offerings at the whole event! Their Venison Relleno with Goat Cheese and smoked Corn Puree was truly an amazing experience!

 

I had these divine Dulce de Leche cheesecake bars with sprinkled sea-salt on top at a BBQ last night.

 

Perhaps one of my most FAVORITE treats of the weekend were these To-Die for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies, made my by friend, "the Dainty Vegetarian," Leslie Sarna! It's unbelievable that these cookies are also Gluten-Free and have no animal fats!  Click here for this awesome recipe!

 

Wow- and that's just what I had pictures for!  Well, I hope you all had Labor Day weekends as Tasty as mine, and if not, may you have been working out every day for me!  

Coconut Cake and Chocolate Cake at Chado Tea Room

For a dignified ladies' lunch or afternoon high tea, the Chado Tea Room is a lovely escape.  The lilac room, classical music, tiered trays of petit fours and delicious sandwiches, make me feel like I'm in an English spot with Indian influences.

 

I really do love this little place on 3rd Street (though there are others!), and I especially enjoy their tasty soups, salads, and extensive tea menu!  That said, my dessert experience there was somewhat disappointing. My lunch companion and I ordered the Coconut Cake and Double Decadent Chocolate Cake, and found both to be rather average.

The Coconut Cake had delicious Bavarian cream layers inside that we really enjoyed, however, the outside had a layer of whipped cream instead of frosting. Substituting whipped cream for icing on cake is officially a No-No in the Dessert Darling's book.  

The Double Decadent Chocolate Cake yielded the opposite experience from the Coconut Cake.  Here we loved the chocolate frosting on the outside, but were unimpressed with the vanilla custard filling. I'm not sure what makes this cake "double decadent chocolate," but I'm calling foul.

Overall we enjoyed ourselves tremendously at this cozy little spot, however, I wouldn't seek out a Chado Tea Room for their desserts. 

For more information on Chado Tea Room and their other locations, click here. 

 

 

Thinny Thursday Tip 7

Move Your Body

Hi everyone, here's your Thinny Thursday tip of the day: Move Your Body.  Note that I didn't simply write "exercise." We all know that exercise is a key component to a healthy, happy life. We also know it's a pain in the arse to allot time to do it and sometimes even worse yet is actually doing it if you're out of shape. Whether you have time to run a marathon every morning or haven't seen the inside of the gym in 4 years, you have ample opportunities to use your body during the day.  

For example, I'm someone who always uses the stairs. Even at the airport with my two heavy carry-ons, I'm cruising right up those steps past the lallygagging people on the escalators.  And woo! Extra calories burned for lugging 30lb bags in each hand! 

Waiting in line somewhere? Stand tall, engage your abs, roll your shoulders pack. Heck, get a calf workout in and go up and down on your toes.. Ok, you might look like an antsy kid in need of a bathroom, but your legs will look fabulous later on when you throw on those heels! The point is, don't be lazy. Always engage yourself when you have the opportunity.  These in between moments of physical exertion add up and count.  I know someone who hasn't been to a gym years, but he's always on the go and has so much energy that he can still eat everything in site and maintain a sleek physique. 

 

Cupcakes and Sugar Cookies at Porto's Bakery

 

Just down the street from Yummy Cupcakes in Burbank is Porto's Bakery.  I walked into the large family-owned lunch and dessert stop and couldn't believe the hordes of people lined up to get their goods.  This place must have some seriously delicious food, I thought!  I admired the rows of colorful desserts that stretched as far as the eye could see and finally decided on an iced-sugar cookie, two cupcakes, and a slice of chocolate cake.  

Rows of Colorful Cakes!

Red Velvet Cupcake:  Mmmm, the icing was Perfection.  Not too sweet, not too salty, yet, it had a wonderful flavor.  Furthermore, it was smooth, cool, and generously whipped up so that it was nice and light! I inhaled it.  The icing that is.. the cake was good, but a little on the dry side.  

Vanilla/Vanilla Cupcake: the icing alone was a bit sweet and flavorless, but it perfectly complimented the cake which had an appreciated hint of salt.  These cupcakes are shaped like muffins, so it's very easy to just eat the top off and then neglect the remainder of the cake.

Sugar Cookie: This was the most disappointing purchase.  The cookie was too crispy/buttery and the icing had a rubbery/waxy glaze feel (versus fresh frosting).

Chocolate Cake:  overall this cake was very fluffy, so if you're into dense, flour-less chocolate cakes, this might not be for you. Between fluffy layers of cake lay whipped, anemic chocolate cream. Shavings of real chocolate on top really pulled the cake together for me.  

 

For more info on Porto's Bakery, click here.