Lunchtime Links for March 31st, 2011

• Jersey Shore: Recap from TVGasm.
• Picky Palate: Cookies and cream peanut butter. 
• Really Petite: 10 rules for petite clothes shopping.
• New York Times: "Don't call me, I won't call you". 
• My Baking Addiction: Tagalong parfaits.

Sprinkles Cupcakes - Free Cinnamon Sugar Cupcake

For two weeks before the Sprinkles in Georgetown opened, the Sprinklesmobile was roaming around the city each day, giving away a limited number of cupcakes.  I was expecting to not be able to get any given that the locations were on weekdays in DC, but as it turned out, one of their scheduled stops was in Friendship Heights on a Saturday, woo!

I spent some time shopping in the area, stopping for a drink at Tynan Coffee & Tea, and possibly checking the Twitter feed, oh, every, 4 minutes or so, haha. 

Finally, FINALLY, the Sprinklesmobile location was posted.  I ran out of Bloomingdale's (after I paid, thankyouverymuch) and hauled my butt down Wisconsin Avenue to the truck.  The poor girl hadn't even really set up anything yet and there I was, staring up at her like an overeager puppy.  To keep myself occupied while she set up, I started talking to some of the people that had started to gather around to check out the truck, inviting them to get in line (BEHIND me, ha) for a free cupcake.

As you can see, the truck display is laid out pretty nicely.  The only issue that I'm assuming the girl had was having to repeat the flavors to virtually every customer, since there was only the one open box in the front to show what cupcakes were available, and no signage about the flavors. 

After a little bit of internal debating on what flavor to get, I ordered a free Cinnamon Sugar cupcake (plus a fork and a cute mini button they were giving out as well) and headed home to try it out.

I picked the Cinnamon Sugar one mainly because I had seen it mentioned on "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" by Candace Nelson, the owner of Sprinkles.  She was talking about a doughnut muffin that she loved, saying it was the inspiration for her Cinnamon Sugar cupcake. Also, I have tried their Red Velvet cupcake in the past on a trip to LA a while back, so I wanted to try something different.  The cupcake is a "lightly spiced buttermilk cake dusted with cinnamon sugar", which is interesting because it's a frosting-less cupcake.  I really enjoyed this cupcake a lot- it's a bit messy due to the cinnamon sugar, but definitely worth the mess!  I didn't even miss the frosting because the cake was very moist and went well with the crunch of the cinnamon sugar topping.  I would definitely get this cupcake again!  Thank you Sprinkles for having a great giveaway promotion before your store opened! 

Lunchtime Links for March 30th, 2011

• The Pioneer Woman: Grilled chicken and roasted red pepper panini.
• The Budget Babe: LC Lauren Conrad for Kohl's roundup. 
• DC Cupcakes: Cream cheese frosting by Georgetown Cupcake.
• I Heart Heels: Essie's spring collection.
• Serious Eats: Doughnuts in NYC.

The Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor

 

I had heard about the new flavors of Laughing Cow cheeses, but was especially excited to try out the Queso Fresco and Chipotle flavor.  Partly because I love Mexican food and flavors, but also because it seemed so different from the regular Laughing Cow cheese.  

I have tried out these cheese wedges on crackers, on carrot sticks, and by itself.  The cheese is creamy like a regular Laughing Cow wedge, but has a nice little kick at the end.  It's great for a little snack or as a side component to lunch.  I wonder if heating this on a pita or a tortilla would be good as part of a sandwich- I will have to try that out soon! 

Lunchtime Links for March 29th, 2011

• Jersey Shore: Recap from NYMag.
• All Things Cupcake: Running for cupcakes shirt. 
• People: Lady Gaga's beauty routine.
• Serious Eats: Mixed Review of Betty Crocker cookie brownie bars. 
• The Kitchn: Shrimp and grits.

Martha Stewart Lemon Squares

 

Normally, I'll pick out a chocolate dessert over a fruit-based one, but I had recently bought a bag of Meyer lemons on sale at Whole Foods and no idea what to do with them, haha.  I found this recipe for Lemon Squares in the Martha Stewart Cookies book, and figured it was a great chance to use a few lemons up!

Since I don't have a juicer, the most time consuming portion of this recipe was actually manually juicing the lemons.  However, the rest of the recipe was easy.  Just remember that since you have to chill the crust before baking it, the recipe doesn't come together as quickly as a regular bar cookie.  

Overall, the use of Meyer lemons made these much more sweet than regular lemon bars, so keep that in mind if you're looking for a sweet bar, or a really tart, "real" lemon flavor from using regular lemons.  They are v. pretty in person and were a big hit at work!

Lunchtime Links for March 28th, 2011

• Serious Eats: Yeah! Burger in Atlanta.
• The Budget Babe: Trench coat roundup. 
• The Kitchn: Pasta with cauliflower, sausage, and bread crumbs.
• Bethenny Ever After: Recap from TVGasm. 
• Michael Ruhlman: Behind the scenes at Bouchon Bakery.

Happy Birthday Lady Gaga!

I'd just like to take a minute to wish a Happy 25th to Lady Gaga, because clearly she's reading this... haha. 

I hope you all take some time today to dance around to her songs to celebrate!

Lunchtime Links for March 25th, 2011

• Serious Eats: Koreatown's Food Gallery 32.
• Washington Post: Upcoming ramen spot in DC. 
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from TVGasm.
• Endless Simmer: NCAA tournament teams' drunk college food. 
• Beauty and the Blog: Benefit's boxes of powders.

DC Food Bloggers' Dessert Meetup

 

A group of lovely food bloggers got together for a dessert meetup recently, and I wanted to share all the goodies that we brought to share!  We met up at Casa Nonna for a dessert happy hour- it was a great way to try out all of their dessert offerings, all while meeting/catching up with local food bloggers.  

Some of us brought little snacks to swap with others, which is the pile you see above :o)  We have:

- Cinnamon nut cookies from Bon Appetit Foodie

- Macarons from One Vanilla Bean

- Gingersnap cookies from Thrifty DC Cook

- Toasted hazelnut Nougat from Cherry Tea Cakes 

- My contribution of matcha cream cheese swirl brownies 

Also, be sure to check out I Eat Cupcakes for Breakfast, Brunch and the City, and French Twist DC's blogs!

It was a delicious goodie bag to say the least!  Thank you to Thrifty DC Cook for organizing a fun meetup!

Lunchtime Links for March 24th, 2011

• Jersey Shore: Recap from TVGasm.
• Serious Eats: Pizza monkey bread. 
• Mango & Tomato: Ted's Bulletin restaurant.
• The Pioneer Woman: Sour cream noodle bake. 
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from The Kitchn.

Zoya Nail Polishes

Super excited to show you all my new Zoya nail polishes!  I got these during an awesome promotion on the Zoya website- Three free polishes (and pay $7 for shipping).  I had never tried Zoya polishes before, but I've seen it on various beauty blogger reviews, and figured it was a perfect time to try it out.

The first three that I got are the Lo, Madison, Cassi shades.  Pretty, feminine, and cute for spring and summer!  My favorite has definitely been the Cassi- it's a creamy pearl-y shade that's a little different than your normal pink polish.

To switch things up a bit, I figured I'd order another set of not-so-pink colors, haha: LC, Harley, Elke.  I liked these because they were different than the original set above- I got the LC and Elke colors especially for bold pedicures.  I haven't tried the Harley yet but I think it'll be a nice neutral for short nails.

 

Just as an aside- Yes, I totally bought LC and Lo specifically for their names- gotta love Laguna Beach/The Hills!

Lunchtime Links for March 23rd, 2011

• Serious Eats: Burgers at Pearl's Deluxe Burgers in San Francisco.
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from TVGasm. 
• How Sweet It Is: One bowl vanilla cupcakes for two.
• The Budget Babe: Target's Go International designer collective. 
• metrocurean: Mini doughnuts at Art & Soul.

Love, Love, Love: Zentan Restaurant's Singapore Slaw

 

Of all the dishes that people talk about at Zentan in DC, the one that kept coming up was the Singapore Slaw- I knew that I had to order it on my first visit.  During the last season of Top Chef Masters, I always enjoyed seeing Chef Susur Lee's dishes, and I had high hopes for Zentan.  I'm really happy my friend R thought to snap a photo of the Singapore Slaw during our recent dinner there, because describing it in words would not be sufficient!

The dish consists of 19 ingredients, which all add specific layers of flavors and textures.  Not to mention it makes the dish really pretty to look at.  This dish was DELICIOUS.  I would recommend anyone going to Zentan to get this dish, definitely!  I also had the Salmon Lover's Roll, which was fresh and tasty as well- but the highlight was definitely this slaw.  I would absolutely go back and have this dish again.  To put it another way, if I lived closer, I would go there and sit at the bar JUST for this dish.  Side note: If anyone is feeling extra adventurous and wants to try making this dish- here's the recipe.  And if you do make this- invite me over!! :o)

Zentan - Donovan House

1155 14th Street NW

Washington, DC 20005

202.379.4366 // On OpenTable

Lunchtime Links for March 22nd, 2011

• Serious Eats: Pizza at Faccia Luna in Arlington, VA.
• Recipe Girl: Peanut butter s'mores turnovers.
• Oatmeal: Things you don't really need to take a photo of, haha. 
• The Kitchn: The anatomy of a cupcake.
• Real Housewives of Miami: Recap from TVGasm.
   
   
  
  

Georgetown Cupcake - Free Vanilla Hazelnut Cupcake

 

One great thing about the free daily cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcake (besides a free cupcake, haha) is a chance to try out cupcakes that are not normally offered on the regular menu.  One example would be this Vanilla Hazelnut cupcake, which to my knowledge has never been on the Georgetown Cupcake menu before.

I'm a big fan of their Chocolate Hazelnut cupcake, so this cupcake was definitely right up my alley!  It's a vanilla cake with a thin chocolate ganache layer, topped with chopped candied hazelnuts.  I love the chopped candied hazelnuts- they add a ton of texture and flavor to the cupcake.  I wasn't expecting there to be chocolate on this cupcake at all, but of course it was a welcome surprise.  I really liked this cupcake and wish they would put it on their regular menu- maybe one day!

Lunchtime Links for March 21st, 2011

• Serious Eats: Japanese soba noodles.
• Eat Drink Pretty: Buffalo chicken salad and biscuits. 
• Real Housewives of Orange County: Recap from TVGasm.
• The Budget Babe: Sally Hansen Salon Effects nail strips. 
• La Fuji Mama: Dark chocolate buckwheat brownies with Nutella ganache.

Honest Tea Passionfruit Green Tea

When I went with M to a Yelp event in DC earlier this year, I was happy to see that Honest Tea was one of the vendor sponsors.  Based in Bethesda, Maryland, I've always enjoyed all of their various teas and other beverages. 

That being said, this might be the first flavor of Honest Tea that I did not enjoy.  At all.  The idea of it sounded really good: Organic Passion Fruit Green Tea with Maqui Berry.  However, there was definitely some sort of an odd aftertaste with this one, like a sugar gone awry.  Maybe I'm just not a fan of Stevia, which is what is used in this drink?  I tried this drink a few times over the course of 3 days, just to see if the taste was due to something I ate, but no dice.  I can't quite put my finger on it but the berry taste especially did not work out so well for me.  I still love you, Honest Tea, but from now on I'll be drinking the many other flavors you make that I love instead!

Lunchtime Links for March 18th, 2011

• Serious Eats: Pasta e broccoli.
• Glee: Recap from TVGasm. 
• The Nifty Foodie: S'mores.
• Tasty Kitchen: Chipotle-spiced sweet potato chili. 
• Little Pink Book: Georgetown Cupcake profile.

Jersey Shore Recap

Thanks to B, I'll be singing "I put my hand up on your hip..." all day after reading this.

J Shore Recap (The When I Dip You Dip We Dip Edition)

It's like the sequel to My Cousin Vinny:  Pauly D and Vinny go on a road trip to Vinny's parents house in Staten Island.  Can Joe Pesci come along??

Let's tell him about Manhattan later:  Vinny didn't know Staten Island was an actual island.

Like an actual circus, with more noise and freaks:  Vinnie tabs his visit as a guido circus because so many people are there to welcome him and Pauly D.

Is the toilet broken again??:  Mike gets ditched again by the group.  To get even, he lets JWoww's dogs gorge on old pizza, peanut butter, and other leftovers so they can piss and defecate all over the house.  Good friend.

"A man is but a product of his thoughts.  What he thinks, he becomes":  Great point Gandhi, because I've always thought Mike was a piece of shit

You think they would be used to the smell of shit by now:  Considering the group left a toilet full of feces for two weeks, you'd think the smell of dog poop wouldn't be that big of a deal.

Detective Deena and the case of the dog poop:  Deena, using her excellent powers of deduction, determines Mike let the dogs out.  This is the same girl who failed to realize it should not take an hour and a half to get to a location 10 miles away from your house.  See maps:

        Exhibit A:  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl 

        Exhibit B:  http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl

Hey, I thought you died!:  Uncle Nino's back, and he still hasn't figured out the top 4 buttons to a shirt.

Not on the list, a college degree:  Whoever Snooki has babies with must have a vowel at the end of their last name...and be tan.

It's about time Vinny completed the GTL trilogy:  Vinny pops his spray tan cherry.  Congrats buddy!

Remember when I said I found myself....just kidding:  Sam lets her guard down and smooches Ronnie a few times.  This is such a shitty merry-go-round.

Talk about a crappy insurance plan:  Snooki drunkenly cuts herself, and is tended to by Dr. Nick (not a real doctor).  As repayment, he gets it in.  I'm going to assume Vinny will start crying in response

Things I see no need to remember:  JWoww is driving the group when they spot Roger in his car.  She tries to get his attention, but he ignores her.  The roommates think he was with a girl, and was giving her “the dip”

Guido Ebonics:  What the hell is the dip?  How do they all know what it means?

Get Detective Deena on the case:  Was Roger with a girl?  Is he cheating on JWoww?  Do you think he knows what the dip is?  I hope JWoww gives him a chance to explain...

You used the ellipsis Bill, I'm guessing that's not what happened:  Very good, you must have gone to Deena's Detective School.  JWoww gets Rogers voicemail and rips him a new one.  It would be so embarrassing if it turned out he actually didn't do anything wrong...

Wait, you just used the ellipsis again!:  Oh man, did I ever.  It turned out Roger was by himself, didn't see JWoww, and never gave anyone "the dip".  Roger turns the tables on Jenni, who can't help but feel ridiculous getting torn a new one while talking on a phone in the shape of a duck.

It's amazing what someone can discover in one week:  Ronnie decides to un-find himself and tries to get back together with Sam. 

Is the bar set a little low?:  Sam sees significant changes in Ronnie.  It's true, he has not thrown any furniture around in the three days since she returned...

I assume she means for her life:  Sam says she is scared about getting back together with Ron.

Who's up for a trip to Times Square???:  Oh wait, they're really going to Jenkinsons this time.

Seriously now Deena and Snooki:  How did it take you so long to figure out you weren't heading to Jenkinsons?

No, really:  How hastatic are you two?

Duuuuuuuuh Duh:  Mike sees his old friend Arvin at Karma.  Arvin tells Mike he's there to meet Sam.

Duuuuuuuuh Duh:  Arvin shows Mike the text messages to prove it.  Mike shows the roomies.

Dududududududududududu:  The girls confront Sammie, who denies it all.

Dudududuhhhhhhhhhhhhh:  Ronnie finds out what is going on. 

I'm also not a professor, but let me do my best to explain BBM:  If a message exists, someone (i.e. Sam) needs to type the message and send it.  The message comes from a person's phone number (i.e. Sam's phone number).  You can even include your picture in the message (i.e. like Sam did).  In other words, you're busted.

Hang on, you are a "celebrity":  Just claim your phone got hacked!  Hmmm, outside of a group of 13 year-old girls from Upper Saddle River, no one likes you enough to care what your number is.  Damn!

I thought he was "that guy Arvin":  Now Sam claims to know Arvin from home.

This story is collapsing faster than Two and a Half Men:  Now Sam is claiming to have known Mike longer than Arvin?

I'm no lawyer but...:  How are you going to get around the content of the text messages?

I bet Xenadrine is looking for a new spokesmen:  Ronnie tells Sam he is done.  He also tells her "I had all the chances in the world to bring back the hottest girl in the club, but was at home crying like a little bitch".

Sam is doing her best impression of Ron:  She tries to shift the blame on Mike.  Fish aren't biting...

It's like rain on your wedding day (or quite possibly a free ride after you already paid):  If anyone could help Sam get herself out of this situation, it would be Ronnie.  

Snooki, will you please teach Ronnie about analogies:  Yes, Sam technically got her hand caught in a metaphorical cookie jar.  And yes, it would be accurate to say she had crumbs on her lips.  But it's no bed frame to narrow hallway is to large penis and pinhole.

Couldn't have said it better myself Pauly:  I will kill myself if Ron and Sam stay together.

Ron, you're really sending mixed messages here:  Don't tell Sam to go home, and then prevent her from moving. 

On top of not being a doctor, lawyer, or professor, I'm also not a cop...:  But you might want to tone down the intensity Ron.  You're getting awfully close to assault here.  Can we get the roommates on standby in case things get ugly...

Lunchtime Links for March 17th, 2011

• Grin and Bake It: St. Patrick's Day cupcakes.
• Cooking Channel: Green velvet cupcakes.
• Peanut Butter & Co.: Cakespy's St. Patrick's Day peanut butter truffles. 
• Serious Eats: Irish "potato" candies.
• My Baking Addicition: Chocolate stout cake.

Georgetown Cupcake - St. Patrick's Day Cupcake

 

Happy St. Patrick's day everyone!  Hope you're wearing something green so you don't get pinched.  Or better yet, carry around one of these cute cupcakes from Georgetown Cupcake :o)  

These are a holiday version of their Vanilla Squared and Chocolate Squared cupcakes- as you can see I picked up a Vanilla flavor.  I LOVE the light green color of the frosting, so pretty!  This cupcake is so spring-y and fun, with a cute fondant shamrock on top.  What a great way to celebrate St. Paddy's Day!

Lunchtime Links for March 16th, 2011

• Serious Eats: S'mores brownie bars.
• Real Housewives of Orange County: Recap from TVGasm.
• Tasty Kitchen: Snickerdoodle muffins.
• The Bitten Word: Sweet potato doughnuts.
• The Budget Babe: Spring designer shoes at Payless.

Pittsburgh Lady Gaga Weekend Eats

I recently went on a fun-filled weekend in Pittsburgh with my friend S- the main focus was visiting our friend B and our other friend Lady Gaga, haha, but of course we had some good eats all weekend as well!

Starting off the weekend (literally, we had just walked into B and C's apartment)- BLITZBURGH CRUNCH ICE CREAM!!

One of the reasons I was so excited to try this ice cream is because it's only sold in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area - aka NOT by me, haha.  The cookie and cake crunchies were so good, mmm.  So happy I got to try it!

We've gone to Pamela's Diner a few times in past visits, but we never tire of it.  Look at those hotcakes!  The edges are crispy and buttery, oh-so-bad for you.  It also doesn't hurt that it's super cheap for the ridiculous amount of food you get.

We also hit up one of the Dozen Bake Shop locations for a mid-day snack.  I love the space and all the different treats that they offer here.  I wouldn't normally seek out a vegan cupcake, but I thought this Mostess (a play on a Hostess cupcake) was cute and tried it out.  It definitely didn't have the same richness that I normally expect in a normal cupcake, but the topping was rich and chocolately which was good.

For our pre-Gaga dinner, we all hit up BRGR, a gourmet burger bar.  They had lots of tasty choices on the menu, but I finally decided on Fire In The Hole: guacamole, jalapenos, pepper jack cheese (which I omitted), and chipotle mayo.  There was a pleasantly noticeable amount of heat in this burger, which went nicely with the creamy guacamole.  I don't know how people manage to eat a burger with fries AND a boozy shake here- the burgers are definitely not small!

 

My favorite part of dinner though had to be the FRIED PICKLES.  I love frickles in general but these were pickle spears, as opposed to the pickle slices that I'm used to seeing.  SO good.  A crunchy, hot, thick batter coats the salty pickle...mmm.  Might not be everyone's favorite but I definitely think it's an addicting taste!  

Once again a fun and tasty weekend in Pittsburgh- thanks to B and his sisters for hosting us/driving us around!  

Pamela's Diner - Shadyside

5527 Walnut Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15232

412.683.1003

Dozen Bake Shop - Lawrenceville

3511 Butler Street

Pittsburgh, PA

412.621.4740

Brgr

5997 Penn Circle South

Pittsburgh, PA 15206

412.362.BEEF 

Lunchtime Links for March 15th, 2011

• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from Serious Eats.
• Real Housewives of Miami: Recap from TVGasm.
• Jersey Shore: Recap from Gawker. 
• The Pioneer Woman: Crab dips.
• Bethenny Ever After: Recap from TVGasm.

Athenos Greek Strained Yogurt

• I Paid: $2.00 for all three (booyah!)
• Description: Greek Strained Nonfat Yogurt

I normally stick with specific brands for Greek yogurt, but I couldn't pass up using a "Buy 2 get 1 free" coupon on a 10/$10 deal at Harris Teeter.  Conveniently, they had three flavors available, so I picked up one of each - Honey, Strawberry, and Peach.

Overall, I enjoyed these yogurts, but wouldn't choose it over the other ones that I normally buy.  What I liked most about them is that the flavor came in a little side cup, meaning you can mix in as much or as little of it as you like to the plain Greek yogurt.  Considering I usually eat plain Greek yogurt by itself, this was a welcome change from other pre-mixed flavored yogurts.  I didn't dislike the honey one per se, but if this wasn't on sale I wouldn't get this.  I think it'd be much cheaper to buy a big tub of Greek yogurt and just use your own honey, but I guess for some people having it in one container is more convenient.  If you eat toast with yogurt in the morning, this might be a good one to buy, as you can use any leftover honey/strawberry preserve/peach preserve on your toast as well, haha. 





Lunchtime Links for March 14th, 2011

• Serious Eats: Late Night Snack ice cream from Ben & Jerry's.
• Jersey Shore: Recap from TVGasm.
• The Kitchn: A new hot pink KitchenAid stand mixer!
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from TVGasm.
• The Budget Babe: Lauren Conrad for Kohl's jewelry line.

Mad Hungry Cookbook - Crisp Toffee Chocolate Bars

I received a copy of Lucinda Scala Quinn's Mad Hungry cookbook some time ago, but hadn't really had a chance to cook much out of it.  When I did flip through it recently, the Crisp Toffee Chocolate Bars recipe definitely jumped out at me.  It looked tasty, easy, and I had everything on hand to make it- woo!

These bars were a little more crumbly than most other cookie bar recipes I've tried, but not in a bad way.  It did make things a little difficult when I tried to cut them into squares, but for the most part wasn't an issue.  They definitely went quick in my office kitchen- there's something v. familiar and nostalgic about a classic cookie bar, I think.  These had a really rich texture and flavor, studded with lots of chocolate chips and nuts.  Variations on the mix-ins would be easy to suit anyone's tastes.  I can't find the recipe online from my search, but if anyone's interested let me know and I'll send it to you from the cookbook. 

Lunchtime Links for March 11th, 2011

• Bethenny Ever After: Recap from TVGasm.
• Serious Eats: Best fried chicken in America.
• The Pioneer Woman: Short ribs in tomato sauce.
• Blondie & Brownie: Late Night Snack ice cream.
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from The Kitchn.

Valentine's Chocolate Strawberries

What a great surprise- my friend T sent me Valentine's chocolate-covered strawberries from Shari's Berries!  They actually came in a box of six but my mom and I ate two before I put the rest into a container, haha.  Aren't they so cute!  Each one had a fun design to them, and the strawberries themselves were huge.  Thanks T for a fabulous surprise Valentine's gift!

Lunchtime Links for March 10th, 2011

• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from Serious Eats. 
• Gossip Girl: Recap from TVGasm.
• Diamonds for Dessert: Turtle icebox cookies.
• Jersey Shore: Recap from NYMag.
• Bell'alimento: Nutella turnovers.
   

Starbucks Petites

In case you wanted a little sweet pick-me-up, or something to get you through the afternoon slump, good news!  Starbucks is giving away free Starbucks Petites starting today with any handcrafted drink purchase, yum.  I've definitely got my eye on the mini red velvet whoopie pie!

Here are the details, courtesy of Starbucks:


Good Things, Little Packages

What are Starbucks Petites? They're super-delicious Cake Pops, Mini-Cupcakes, Sweet Squares and a Red Velvet Whoopie Pie And at just $1.50* and less than 200 calories each they're a deliciously well-deserved afternoon treat.

Try one free during Starbucks Tribute Days**

Come into a participating store between 2-5 p.m., March 10-12, purchase any handcrafted beverage and enjoy a Starbucks Petite treat on us!

Lunchtime Links for March 9th, 2011

• Serious Eats: Chipotle mac n' cheese.
• Real Housewives of Miami: Recap from TVGasm.
• Martha Stewart: 10 coffee cake recipes.
• Bella Nutella: Nutella cream cheese swirl heart brownies.
• Self Magazine: Dance like Lady Gaga.

Jersey Shore Recap

Guess who's back, back again... B with a Jersey Shore recap!

I'm going to press 911, and keep my finger near the send button just to be safe:  Hey, Sam's back!

Translation for "I totally found what I was looking for when I went home for one week":  Shit, I don't want to end up like Angelina!

What a waste of a good batch of Ron Ron juice:  Adios Single Ronnie!

Deena's definition of "hastatic":  When you're super happy and...really happy

Actual definition of "hastatic":  Someone that is a fucking retard

Example of someone who is hastatic:  Oh my god Deena, I'm totally excited about Sammie coming back also.  I mean, you only knew her for like 3 three weeks...and I'm totally going to forget the part about how you hated her during that first week....not to mention she wasn't around the third week...but you two totally connected during that middle week.  I totally love her also and missed her just as much...

It's like falling in love with the stripper:  Snooki it's just not a good idea to have feelings for Vinny

Vinny's already on TV girls:  He has no reason to sleep with Snooki now, so stop pushing him to do it Sammie.  That goes for you too JWoww.

Nickname that has nothing to do with literature:  Moby Dick, the name Snooki has given to Vinny's penis

Side effects of Xenadrine include:  Looking like a massive douche.  Come on Ronnie, quit following Sammie around like you're Siamese twins.  Even Charlie Sheen is embarrassed for you.  Winning?  No.

I spoke too soon:  Are those tears Ron? 

Guys, you do know what the "smush" in smush room means right?:  Vinny and Pauly D bring back two Dominicans (thanks for clarifying that Vinny), and decide to take them back to the same room...at the same time...while the guest room was empty

I'd ask Snooki to spell hypocrite, but that would be cruel:   You can't bring Bernard back for a roll in the hay, and then get mad at Vinny for doing the same thing

Cleanest moment of the night:  JWoww pees in the street, and it gets on Deena's foot.  I'm serious about the cleanest moment...

Best impression of James Brown's mugshot:  Hungover Snooki the day after she professed her love to Vinny

Best impression of a DUI:  Deena driving...sober

Viewer discretion is finally advised:  How is that toilet still broken? And why does it look like it has been used recently?  I'm looking in your direction Deena...

Hey Danny, you realize you own the house?:  You're going to trust 8 idiots who became rich overnight to fix a toilet??

You know I don't speak Spanish!:  It took me five minutes to figure out a wifebeater was flushed down the toilet.  I still don't know what they were calling it.  Something "G.... tee".  How is it MTV can let everyone know Deena licks buttholes, but they can't tell me the name of the shirt that clogged the toilet.  I feel so hastatic right now...

Better supporting character:  Sammie or the dirty broken toilet?

Cleaner supporting character:  The broken toilet or Roger?

More repulsive moment for the plumbers:  Fixing the toilet or getting hit on my Snooki?

I guess we can all laugh about the letter in Miami:  Snooki has sober night with Ronnie and Sam.  She really must be depressed about Vinny to hang out with these two

The best part of waking up...is moldy cheese in your room:  No, I wasn't make a Snooki joke.   Sammie, Ronnie, and Snooki play a prank on Mike and spread a cornucopia of cheeses under his sheets.  I assume this smells better because Ronnie sleeps in the same room, and would be committing prank suicide otherwise.  Then again...

That's what I love about these high school girls, man.  I get older, they stay the same age:  Hey Mike, when a girl says she's 21 but quickly adds that her hair is a different color in the ID, you might want to run as far away as you can...

Mike is clearly hastatic:  If the girl really smelled like cheese, getting a BJ is just a bad idea..

Maybe Deena has the right idea:  Yes Mike, you can get an STD from that orifice also...

Penicillin is so 20th century:  Why wash your STD covered sheets, when you can just just shoot some body spray on them?

There's no business like show business:  Wait, all I have to do to get on TV is blow the guy from Dancing with the Stars, while being accused of having a yeast infection?

No one puts Vinny in a corner:  Snooki apologizes to Vinny for the whole feelings thing, and agrees he can smush in the house.  Thank god, because without the shenanigans of Vinny and Pauly D this show wouldn't be watchable.  Now find Vinny some Dominicans ASAP...

Lunchtime Links for March 8th, 2011

• Serious Eats: All of the secret menu items at In-N-Out. 
• Jersey Shore: Recap from TVGasm.
• The Kitchn: Hot chocolate recipes. 
• Food Network Humor: Paula Deen riding things.
• Midtown Lunch: Momofuku Milk Bar's pretzel cake truffle.

Bitter Almond Kit Kats

Before I review this, can I just say that I get a kick out of this Kit Kat being called Bitter Almond?  I just get this mental picture of a distressed almond who was scorned by a lover or something, wearing all black and slashing tires on a car. 

....ok moving right along...

This is another Kit Kat flavor courtesy of my mom, who got me a box from Japan.  I enjoy these little 2-packs of Kit Kats because they're the perfect size snack, but you don't have to commit to all 4 sticks at one time.  As you may tell from the photo, these Kit Kats are much darker than regular milk chocolate Kit Kats.  Also, the little light flecks you see are bits of almonds.  Taste-wise, these Kit Kats are excellent if you're a fan of dark chocolate especially.  The almond pieces were abundant but didn't compete with the dark chocolate coating.  This went really well with a cup of tea because it wasn't overly sweet or cloying.  I would definitely get these again!

Lunchtime Links for March 7th, 2011

• Gossip Girl: Recap from NYMag.
• Serious Eats: Pancakes across America.
• The Budget Babe: Picture frame necklace holder.
• Tasty Kitchen: Nutella cookies.
• Bell'alimento: Linguine with clams.

Taylor Gourmet: Franklin Square Pastina Salad

Another tasty salad courtesy of Taylor Gourmet, yum!  Arugula, pastina, cannellini beans, crispy prosciutto, and parmesan cheese, and Taylor vinaigrette on the side. As you may or may not be able to tell, I got this sans parmesan cheese this time around. 

Seriously, this salad could've been a box of sand- as long as the crispy prosciutto was included, I would've happily eaten it.  However, the other ingredients are much better than a box of sand, haha.  This salad was enough for two separate meals which is also nice.  I'm not a huge fan of beans in general but they added some volume to the salad which I liked.  Onto the next one!

Lunchtime Links for March 4th, 2011

• Serious Eats: Nordstrom's tomato basil soup.
• Tabatha's Salon Takeover: Recap from TVGasm. 
• Eat Drink Pretty: Crepe wedding cakes.
• Blondie & Brownie: Bon Appetit magazine's brownies. 
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from TVGasm.

Japanarama Review: Matcha Milk "Bamboo" Biscuits

If you're a fan of Japanese candy/snacks at all, these may look somewhat familiar to you.  Meiji makes a line of cookie/chocolate snacks in random "nature" themes, the most popular ones being mushrooms, tree trunks, and these bamboo shoots (above).  Normally they are regular biscuits with milk chocolate tops, but this was one of the first time I'd seen a matcha (green tea) version.

The bamboo biscuits are individually wrapped inside the box- not exactly environmentally friendly, but nice for bringing a few along as a snack, or sharing with others.  With the regular milk chocolate mushrooms, it's really easy to mindlessly eat the whole box in one sitting, but these made it more tedious to do so, which is probably a good thing.  They run pretty true to size compared to the drawing- you can see a real one sitting on the top of the box, compared to the drawings on the bottom left. 

Taste-wise, these have a great sweet matcha flavor that goes really well with the somewhat bland biscuit bottom.  They're bite-sized nuggets of matcha fun, haha.  Plus, they sort of look like mini Christmas trees so it'd be fun to used them for holiday food decorating... just me? Haha.

Lunchtime Links for March 3rd, 2011

• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from Serious Eats.
• Serious Eats: Grilled cheese in Philly.
• Jersey Shore: Recap from NYMag.
• The Kitchn: Individual chicken pot pies.
• Cookie Madness: Peanut butter and Nutella brownies.

Georgetown Cupcake - Chocolate Banana Cupcake

Check out that awesome frosting swirl!  One of the better ones I've seen to date from Georgetown Cupcake, haha.  Perfectly centered with even top and bottom swirl layers.  Yeah there's a few air bubbles but structurally, fantastic. 

Anyway, onto the actual cupcake, haha.  This one is their Chocolate Banana cupcake: "Valrhona chocolate and fresh banana cupcake with a banana frosting topped with a yellow fondant flower" (or in the wintertime, a yellow fondant snowflake).  I liked the cake, as it was a nice mix of chocolate cake and banana bread in both flavor and texture.  The frosting I could probably do without, as the banana flavor is very strong, in an artificial way.  I would probably prefer their regular vanilla cream cheese frosting with the cake as is, if I was able to choose.  If you're a fan of chocolate and a strong banana flavor, I'd recommend this cupcake for sure.  Worst case, if the banana frosting is too strong, just scrape some of it off :o)

Lunchtime Links for March 2nd, 2011

• Chocolate and Carrots: Funfetti cake balls.
• Top Chef All-Stars: Recap from The Kitchn.
• Serious Eats: Best banh mi in Manhattan.
• La Fuji Mama: Sweet potato pancakes.
• The Pioneer Woman: Devil dogs.

Sephora by OPI Urban Ballerina Collection

I was super excited to see the colors of the new Sephora by OPI Urban Ballerina collection- the perfect balance of nude and trendy shades!  For $18, the mini collection is a great way to try out all four shades: Leotard-Optional, The Way Tutu His Heart, Who's Spinning Tonight?, and Break a Leg-Warmer!

Overall, I'm v. happy with the colors in this set - they all look great on short, rounded nails, especially the Break a Leg-Warmer! (dark grey shade to the right).  If you're looking to switch up your winter-to-spring nail color options, this set would be a great choice!

Lunchtime Links for March 1st, 2011

• Modern Domestic: Hazelnut brownie truffles.
• Glee: Recap from NYMag.
• Chocolate and Carrots: Chocolate peanut butter cake.
• YumSugar: Crispy pizza crust without a pizza stone.
• The Bella Nutella: Vanilla whoopie pies with Nutella filling.

"Born This Way" Music Video

Lady Gaga premiered her music video for "Born This Way" yesterday at 11am EST.

Holy.............................................. wow.

Verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry interesting, to say the least.  Definitely a lot going on, haha.

Also, her body looks AMAZING in the bathing suit scenes.  Hello, inspiration to work out A LOT.