Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Georgetown Cupcake - Butterscotch Pudding Cupcake





Merry Christmas everyone!  I thought it would be appropriate to post a holiday flavor from Georgetown Cupcake!  This Butterscotch Pudding cupcake is a new one in the holiday lineup, which makes it extra fun, haha.  It is a "Butterscotch cupcake filled with butterscotch pudding and topped with a butterscotch-infused buttercream frosting, a butterscotch star, and a fondant holly leaf".  

So... I know I say this about a lot of the cupcake flavors - but this one was AWESOME.  The butterscotch pudding inside the cupcake tasted more like a vanilla custard to me, which I LOVE. It might sound like a complete overload of butterscotch flavor, but I really thought the flavors were balanced well and really delicious.  I hope they keep this one in future the future holiday lineup! 

This will be my last post for 2012 - here's to lots more fun and great food in 2013, everyone! 



Monday, December 24, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 24th, 2012


Starbucks 2012 Ornament



Every year I look forward to different stores offering limited edition Christmas ornaments, particularly Starbucks.  I have a few of these cute coffee cup ornaments, and it's fun to have something that I collect every holiday season.

This year, Starbucks offered two different cup designs. One was a gold-painted cup, and the other was this winking snowman. I went with the snowman, mainly because my other Starbucks ornaments are the "red cup" theme as well.  It is a cute little stocking stuffer or gift for anyone that is a fan of Starbucks!

Friday, December 21, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 21st, 2012


Georgetown Cupcake - English Christmas Cupcake



In addition to the usual holiday offerings at Georgetown Cupcake, they introduced two new flavors this season- one of them being English Christmas.  This cupcake is "Georgetown Cupcake’s version of the traditional English Christmas spice cake, baked with fresh cranberries and orange zest and topped with classic vanilla cream cheese frosting and a fondant holly leaf".




As you can see from the cross-section of the cupcake, there are lots of cranberries (and orange zest, if you look closely) throughout.  Although I can't say that this is a favorite of mine given my general dislike of fruit desserts, I actually liked the cranberries which added some tartness to the cake.  Fortunately, this tastes nothing like a dreaded fruitcake, haha.  It's a very pretty addition to the holiday lineup!

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 20th, 2012


Shake Shack - Gingerbread Custard + Ornament



Mmm... yet another delicious trip to Shake Shack!  Here we have the Gingerbread custard, which is available on Saturdays in December.  It has a strong, spicy flavor that definitely tastes like a real gingerbread cookie.  Anyone that is a fan of gingerbread cookies will love this one! 




In addition to the tasty dinner, I also came in for another reason - to get this year's Shake Shack ornament!  This little beauty is free with a $25 gift card purchase during the holiday season.  Since I would very easily spend $25 at Shake Shack, this was an easy decision for me haha.  It's a cute scene of the original Madison Square Park Shake Shack with the Manhattan skyline in the background.  I'm excited to have this ornament for future tree decorating :o)

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 19th, 2012


Georgetown Cupcake - Hanukkah Blue Velvet Cupcake




I always love how Georgetown Cupcake has different cupcake flavors for each of the holidays year after year.  This year for Hanukkah, Georgetown Cupcake offered a Hanukkah Blue Velvet cupcake.  It is a blue velvet cake topped with their signature cream cheese frosting and a fondant Star of David.  Despite the deep blue color, this is just like their regular red velvet cupcake, which is delicious.  I got this one for a friend of mine during Hanukkah - it's a nice gift for any friends that celebrate Hanukkah and love sweets :o)

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 18th, 2012


Shake Shack - Halloweenie Dog + Peanut Butter Marshmallow Swirl Custard







I think this may have been the first time I did NOT get a Shackburger at Shake Shack, haha.  Well, if I'm going to stray from my usual, it might as well be for a special menu item!  

This is the Halloweenie Dog that I tried back in late October.  It's a "Vienna all-beef hot dog split and griddled crisp, topped with pumpkin mustard, crumbled bacon, cranberries and sage".  At first I was a bit skeptical of the mustard since I don't usually like it, but I found it to be a welcome addition to the other toppings.  I loved the combination of bacon and cranberries - a nice mix of sweet, salty, and tartness to go with the hot dog.  

In addition to the Halloweenie Dog, I tried the Peanut Butter Marshmallow Swirl custard.  I knew this was going to be good before I even tried it, haha.  This was super delicious, with a really strong peanut butter flavor.  There wasn't much marshmallow that I could really detect, but it was likely mixed in to the custard - either way, I'm glad I tried this tasty custard!  

Monday, December 17, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 17th, 2012


Crate & Barrel - Gingerbread Man Collection



As soon as I saw the Gingerbread Man collection in Crate & Barrel, I KNEW I had to buy something.  Everything looked so cute!  There were platters, dessert plates, mugs, children's mugs, and a few other pieces in the collection.  Unfortunately, I have negative cabinet space in my kitchen as it is, so I knew I couldn't buy all of it... but two mugs wouldn't hurt, right?




These mugs are super cute and a perfect festive addition to my ever-expanding mug collection.  They are perfect for drinking hot chocolate out of all winter long :o)

Friday, December 14, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 14th, 2012


Starbucks Holiday Cups

There's just something about the Starbucks holiday cups that screams HOLIDAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! to people.  When those red cups come out, it's as if the floodgates of garland, tinsel, presents, holiday music, and all around holiday spirit to the face, in so many words.

Below are just two of the several holiday designs this year - what I like to call the Faceless Caroler and Sassy Fox.  They aren't the best designs that Starbucks has offered, but there's just something about the bright red cups that always make my latte much more festive :o) 







Thursday, December 13, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 13th, 2012


Seattle Eats - Fumie's Gold, Seabell Bakery, Red Mango

Of course a trip to Seattle wouldn't be complete with lots and lots of sweets as well, haha.




Here we have an assortment of delicious Japanese desserts from Fumie's Gold: Strawberry Shortcake, Matcha (green tea) Tiramisu, Sweet Potato Roll, and a Cream Puff. SO SO SO SO SO GOOD. I NEED this in DC.




I also checked out Seabell Bakery, which I had not been to before. It's a cute little shop with the standard Japanese sandwich bread, filled rolls, and sandwiches. Of course I had to try the Hello Kitty and Panda chocolate-filled breads, haha.




Finally, while this is not specific to Seattle, I tried out the pumpkin frozen yogurt at Red Mango - delicious!  I got it with sliced almonds and crushed graham crackers, which added a lot of texture and made it even more "pumpkin pie" ish. 


Seabell Bakery
12816 Factoria Blvd. SE
Bellevue, WA 98006
425.644.2616

Red Mango - Bellevue Square
1031 Bellevue Square
Bellevue, WA 98004
425.451.8073



Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 12th, 2012


Seattle Eats - Din Tai Fung and Preservation Kitchen

Of course a visit to Seattle wouldn't be complete without some delicious food! While I was visiting my parents over Thanksgiving, I had great meals at both Din Tai Fung and Preservation Kitchen.  I'd highly recommend both restaurants for anyone visiting the Seattle area.


My mom and I tried out Din Tai Fung while we were out shopping in Bellevue Square - even at 2pm, the restaurant was packed!  The hosts will take your cell phone number and text you when your table is ready, which worked out well.  The food was great and the service was quick and friendly - I'm sure they get questions about their famous soup dumplings, and our server was happy to help out.

In addition to an order of sauteed spinach with garlic, we got:   




Pork and Crab Soup Dumplings




Vegetarian Shanghai Rice Cakes




The super cute soup dumpling mascot, greeting everyone at the front waiting area.


On another day, my parents and I tried out Preservation Kitchen's Dine Around Seattle menu, where participating restaurants offer $15 three-course lunches.  The restaurant is located outside of Seattle in what was originally home to the mayor of Bothell, WA.  This was a great deal, and the atmosphere of this small restaurant was wonderful as well!




Appetizer: Polenta Tots with Chipotle-Lime Aioli




Entree: Wild Boar Ragu- Pappardelle, Boar Shoulder Ragu, Parmesan Reggiano




Dessert: Pumpkin Bread Pudding


Din Tai Fung - Bellevue
700 Bellevue Way NE #280
Bellevue, WA 98004

Preservation Kitchen
17121 Bothell Way NE
Bothell, WA 98011
425.408.1306


Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 11th, 2012


Panera - Pumpkin Pie Bagel


We finally meet, Panera Pumpkin Pie bagel! It's not so much that this bagel was hard to find, but more that I wasn't really by one in the morning when I could try it out.  I had my mom pick this up for me as I was en route to Seattle to visit them, which worked out well :o)

First off - if you're a fan of coffee or crumb cake, you will love the top of this bagel.  It's got the same crumbly sweet topping sprinkled liberally on top.  The rest of the bagel smelled like any other pumpkin baked good.  This really didn't resemble so much a bagel as a round, dense, pumpkin crumb pastry haha.  Which isn't to say it's bad, it's just incredibly sweet - but clearly, that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.  I'm glad I tried out this seasonal treat!

Monday, December 10, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 10th, 2012


CVS Deals - Week of 12/9

This week's CVS circular has a lot of holiday candy and cold medicine deals, which makes sense since both of those are prevalent this time of year, haha.  So, if you are sick and/or craving holiday candy, head on over to CVS this week for some great deals!

- Four M&M holiday bags: 4/$10 on sale, two $1/2 manufacturer's coupons, $3 Extra Bucks back.  This includes the cute mini holiday baking M&Ms, which are great for holiday cookies and other treats.

- Buy 2 Advil, Robitussin, or Dimetapp medicines, get $3 Extra Bucks:

  • 50-count Advil tablets: $4.99 on sale, $1 manufacturer's coupon;
  • 10-count Advil congestion relief: $4.99 on sale, $1 manufacturer's coupon.
Happy shopping everyone!


Friday, December 7, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 7th, 2012


Georgetown Cupcake - PB Fudge Cupcake


I've definitely had the PB Fudge cupcake from Georgetown Cupcake before, but once I realized I had never written about it, of course I "had" to get it again.

This cupcake is a "Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a fudge core topped with a peanut butter frosting and 
fudge star drizzle".  Anyone that's a fan of Reese's or peanut butter and chocolate in general will LOVE this cupcake.  It's really rich and the gooey center adds extra decadent flavors to the cupcake.  The peanut butter frosting especially is really delicious, I could eat just the frosting on its own, haha.  You just can't go wrong with a good peanut butter and chocolate combination! 

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 6th, 2012


Shake Shack - Heirloom Tomato Custard



Back on my birthday weekend, I met up with a group of friends at Shake Shack, so of course I had to try out the Heirloom Tomato custard which was available that day.  Yes, it sounds really weird and probably sort of gross.  However, curiosity clearly wins out for me in these cases, as it usually does.

The custard had sort of a yellow-orange hue which you may be able to tell in the photo above.  The custard smelled and tasted like, well, tomatoes - not ketchup, or pasta sauce, mind you, but straight-up tomatoes.  This might be one of the most bizarre Shake Shack custard flavors I've ever had, that's for sure.  Some of my friends found that dipping french fries into the custard actually made it pretty tasty, haha.  It reminded me of something I'd see at a molecular gastronomy-type restaurant, using tomato ice cream as a topping for some sort of salad or protein.  Needless to say I did not eat even close to the whole cup, but it was fun to try, haha. 

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 5th, 2012


Watch What Happens Live on Bravo - Kristin Cavallari

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


Ok, now that I've gotten that out of my system - I finally made it through on the phone for Bravo TV's Watch What Happens Live online aftershow!!! I had been on hold and was supposed to be on the tv broadcast - even though that didn't work out, I'm happy to have made it on at all :o)

It was awesome enough to be talking to Andy Cohen (you may recall our MOMENT from his book signing earlier this year), but to talk to Kristin Cavallari, who has and always will be one of my favorites from Laguna Beach/The Hills, yes, this was quite AMAZINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.

Here's the online episode of WWHL, it's split into two segments and my call is in this one, starting at the 3:39 mark. 

I know I probably sounded like a dummy that wasn't ready for the call, hence my "..............................HELLO?", haha.  But I swear I was really trying to be coherent- it's a little hard to know what's going on since the audio that I was hearing over the phone was about 15 seconds ahead of what I was watching online.  

By the way, Kristin, Andy, and I are totally BFFs now, they just haven't realized it yet.  LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THEMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 4th, 2012


Shake Shack - December Custard Flavors

Woohoo, it's time for another month of new custard flavors at Shake Shack!

Monday: Eggnog
Tuesday: Honey Ricotta Chestnut
Wednesday: Uncle Danny's Chocolate Bourbon Pie
Thursday: Sweet Potato Marshmallow
Friday: Jelly Donut
Saturday: Gingerbread
Sunday: Candy Cane Crunch

As expected, the majority of the custard flavors are holiday-themed.  I have my eye on Tuesday and Thursday especially, but they all sound v. interesting!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Lunchtime Links for December 3rd, 2012


Georgetown Cupcake - Free Chocolate Sundae Cupcake



This Chocolate Sundae cupcake from Georgetown Cupcake was another "new" flavor that consists of a combination of two existing flavors.  Either way, it's still new to me!

This cupcake is essentially the Banana Split cupcake, but instead of banana cake, it was chocolate cake, like the bottom of a Lava Fudge cupcake.  Georgetown Cupcake's chocolate cake is really delicious, so no complaints here on the cake switch :o)

Friday, November 30, 2012

Florida Wedding Weekend

I'm off to the airport again- this time for a my good friend E's wedding in sunny Florida! I'm looking forward to celebrating such a wonderful couple and enjoying the nice weather. Have a great weekend everyone!

Thursday, November 29, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 29th, 2012

Wanderlust by La Mer Collections at Target



I will admit, I'm not a huge fan of wearing watches, but I have a few in my rotation that I like to wear from time to time.  I've seen La Mer watches before, mostly in cute boutique stores, and loved the idea of having something that worked as a bracelet and a watch.  So, I was REALLY excited when I heard that there was a special Wanderlust by La Mer collection at Target, and couldn't wait to see them in person!

I got one in Beige - I figured this was a good neutral to have as a basic every day watch.  It's been really great - the straps are nice and soft, and I like that it wraps around like multiple bracelets. There are multiple strap holes so these should fit just about anyone's wrist.  Funny sidenote - I got stopped by a TSA agent on my way to Seattle, and while I thought she was telling me to take off my watch, she was really asking about it since she liked the way it looked, haha.

They have a number of different colors and styles available, including ones with chains and other extra pieces added to the regular watch strap.  They're all super cute and would be a fun gift for any friends, family, or yourself :o)

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 28th, 2012


Shake Shack - Pumpkin Pie Oh My! Concrete



Earlier in November, these magical words showed up on my Facebook feed:

"Autumn just got sweeter…our PUMPKIN PIE, OH MY! Concrete is back. From Nov. 12th – Dec. 2nd, cozy up to Fall with our vanilla frozen custard blended with a slice of pumpkin pie. Taste for yourself why this is our most popular concrete, ever!"

HECK YES!!

I recently was in the area meeting up with my Theta grandlittle who just moved to town, so it was the perfect opportunity to introduce her to the wonders of Shake Shack, and also force her to split a Pumpkin Pie, Oh My!.

This was sooooooooooooooooo good.  Yes, it's just pumpkin pie with vanilla ice cream, but it's like jumping into a giant vat of it, in the best way possible. I am so glad I got to try it out since it's a seasonal item, and I loooooooove me some pumpkin items in case you didn't notice, haha.  And FYI, we split the small size and still couldn't finish it, so if anyone tries out the large size and lives to talk about it, let me know.





Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 27th, 2012


Wanted: Dunkin' Donuts Red Velvet Drizzle Donut



Oh man... anyone that knows me would know that Red Velvet + Cream Cheese + seasonal item = I WANT.

As soon as I saw this Red Velvet Drizzle Donut on the Dunkin' Donuts Facebook page, I knew that I had to put it on my radar.  I'm really hoping that the DD by work, or the DD by my house will have this available.  If anyone sees this at their local DD and tries it out, let me know what you think!

Monday, November 26, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 26th, 2012


Starbucks - Holiday Drink Stamp Promotion

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break!

If you went to a Starbucks over the Thanksgiving holiday, you may already know about this, but in case you haven't:

From November 19th through January 2nd, Starbucks is offering a holiday beverage sticker card - collect a sticker each time you buy a holiday beverage, and get a grande drink of your choice once you get 5 stickers!  The eligible holiday drinks are: Caramel Brulee latte, Peppermint mocha, Eggnog latte, and Gingerbread latte.

This is a great deal if you're a big fan of the holiday drinks - why not enjoy a holiday drink and eventually earn a free one while you're at it?

I found the sticker card stacked in a pile next to the register, but if you don't see one right away be sure to ask for it!  My only wish is that they would include the Pumpkin Spice latte as a "holiday" drink as well, if that was the case I'd be well on my way to a free beverage, haha. 

Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving Week

Hi everyone!  I am currently in Seattle with my family for Thanksgiving week so the blog will be taking a holiday break as well. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and eat ALL THE PUMPKIN THINGS (hah)

Friday, November 16, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 16th, 2012


Lady Gaga's Meat Dress



Here it is folks - the real deal Lady Gaga Meat Dress from the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards!

The infamous dress is a part of an impressive collection of female artists' clothing, personal items, and historical memorabilia as part of the "Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power" exhibit at the National Museum of Women in the Arts.  In addition to a few pieces from Lady Gaga (including her childhood piano), there are lots of stage outfits and other pieces from artists ranging from Billie Holiday to Taylor Swift.  It's a great exhibit and a fun opportunity to see these pieces up close and in person!

And for anyone that is still wondering - yes, real meat was used to make this dress. And yes, it has been preserved for display purposes, haha.





Thursday, November 15, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 15th, 2012


Starbucks Buy One Get One Event

It's back!  The Starbucks holiday season Buy One Get One drink event starts today and goes through Sunday the 18th, from 2-5pm each day.

This is a great chance to catch up with a friend before the crazy rush of the holidays, or to try out one of the holiday specialty drinks for cheaper (Caramel Brulee Latte, Peppermint Mocha, Gingerbread Latte). I tried the Caramel Brulee recently and it's a very decadent but delicious drink!

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 14th, 2012

Georgetown Cupcake - Free Candy Bar Spider Web Cupcake



Over the weekend prior to Halloween, Georgetown Cupcake offered two fun free secret flavors: Candy Bar Spider Web and Halloween Lava Fudge.  The photo above is of the Candy Bar Spider Web cupcakes that we got - the Halloween Lava Fudge looked exactly the same on the outside haha.

This Candy Bar Spider Web cupcake consisted of a chocolate cake with chunks of Snickers mixed in, orange-colored vanilla buttercream frosting, and a fudge spider web on top.  The addition of the Snickers bar chunks added some texture which was nice.  I usually love when Georgetown Cupcake adds mix-ins to regular cupcakes, and this one was no exception.  Both Halloween-themed cupcakes were a delicious way to celebrate!


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 13th, 2012

Starbucks Pumpkin Scone





After a long season of searching, I finally came across the Starbucks Pumpkin Scone on a day when I wasn't even looking for it, haha!

According to my Starbucks app, it is a "pumpkin spiced scone dipped in a sugar glaze and double-iced with cinnamon and vanilla icing".  The app also told me that this is 480 calories, which I definitely didn't need to know about, so share it with a friend like I did :o)

So the funny thing is, I don't even really like scones. Personally, I find most scones to be too hard, brittle, and heavy to actually enjoy. However, the main reason that I liked this one is because it is nothing like a real scone, haha.  It was more like a big pumpkin cookie with icing on top, and that was perfectly ok with me.  If you are a fan of pumpkin cookies and find one of these near you, I'd recommend trying it out for a seasonal treat!


Monday, November 12, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 12th, 2012

Baked & Wired: Flapjack & Unporked Elvis Cupcakes



A while back N and I were in Georgetown and hit up one of our favorite spots, Baked & Wired.  I saw a Serious Eats post about the Flapjack cupcake, and I knew I had to try it ASAP.

On the back left we have the Unporked Elvis, and on the right we have the Flapjack:

Flapjack maple brown butter cupcake with caramel buttercream and candied bacon on top.

Elvis Impersonator AKA The Unporked Elvis Banana cupcake topped with peanut butter frosting and drizzled with chocolate.

Both of the cupcakes were delicious, but I have to say I really enjoyed the maple brown butter cupcake portion of the Flapjack cupcake was Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelicious. Super super super tasty. Trying both of these cupcakes at the same time was a little overwhelming but it had to be done... ok not really, but it was pretty fun, haha.

I would recommend either of these cupcakes, but probably the Flapjack one moreso because I really loved the cake portion of it. But hey, either one should satisfy anyone's sweet tooth :o)




Friday, November 9, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 9th, 2012

Frankenstein Is Not Impressed



The McKayla Maroney Effect can occur just about anywhere - including Halloween-themed baking cups at Target, haha!  These are currently on sale for a deep discount, if your local Target is still carrying the old Halloween/seasonal items. I can't wait to use these next fall!

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 8th, 2012

Trader Joe's Coffee Latte & Cream Bars


From the box:

Just coffee, cream and all natural ingredients make up these indulgent frozen treats make for us down under in Australia.  The ideal blend of smooth, rich tasting coffee is sourced by the family-owned company and blended with fresh cream to create this unique dessert.  The real coffee ice cream is balanced with the refreshing cream to make this a delicious "almost latte" experience.  You push the bar right up through the seal on the individual package and have no stick to mess with at the end.  Pretty neat and very delicious!

This is another great find from Trader Joe's, especially if you're a fan of coffee ice cream!  It was a little strange to find that these ice cream bars are stick-less, but it works easily as a "push-pop" type ice cream.  The combination of coffee and cream ice cream flavors work really well together - this is a delicious little treat for a snack or dessert!  Also, the small rectangular shape may lend itself to being layered on top of a warm brownie.... yum!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 7th, 2012

Hello Kitty 2012 Campaign HQ - Living Social, DC

Earlier this month I posted about the Hello Kitty Presidential Campaign at LivingSocial in DC - well, here is a little photo tour of what there was to see at the campaign headquarters!




Hand-crafted paper Hello Kitty, and a super cute HK-version of Mount Rushmore





Lots of fun Hello Kitty/political artwork on the walls of LivingSocial




This piece in particular cracked me up - the bear in the back right especially




The view of the headquarters from outside




This is the cute, comfy limited edition t-shirt I bought in the upper level shop.  There were a few t-shirt designs, as well as keychains, bow headbands, art prints, tote bags, etc.  On the top right of the photo is the free button and sticker that I got from the event. Lots of cute, fun stuff for any Hello Kitty fan! 

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 6th, 2012

Bigelow Fall Teas


I bought these Bigelow seasonal teas last fall, and looked forward to their return this year.  Luckily, with a sale and coupons, I also managed to get them for a great price as well - 2/$5 on sale + two $0.55 coupons that doubled to $1.10 each. Check your local stores because these will likely go on sale if they haven't already, being a Fall item.

Since the Bigelow website seems to be keen on extensive (and sort of funny, in an unintentional way) descriptions, I figured I'd let the teas speak for themselves, haha:

Apple Cider Herbal Tea-  Fall in love with Bigelow® Apple Cider Herbal Tea. There's nothing like a crisp, cool Autumn day to turn trees vibrant hues and our attention to the weekend ritual of football games, apple picking, raking leaves... And there is no better way to warm up after a day in the fresh outdoors than with a steaming cup of Bigelow Apple Cider Herbal Tea. An all-natural blend of premium herbs and spices, Apple Cider Herbal Tea is big on flavor but has no caffeine and no calories - just sweeten to taste for a healthful, soul-warming treat the whole family will enjoy often.

Pumpkin Spice Tea- Fall in love with Bigelow® Pumpkin Spice Tea. The harvest moon brings bountiful blessings for us to enjoy, not the least of which is Bigelow Pumpkin Spice Tea. Smooth and satisfying, its rich, round flavor is a masterful blend of the finest, mountain-grown teas. Pumpkin Spice Tea has no calories - just sweeten to taste for an Autumn treat that is sure to warm the hearts of family, friends and all who gather 'round. 20 individually foil wrapped tea bags per box.

Now doesn't that make you feel all fall festive and cozy?

Monday, November 5, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 5th, 2012

Shake Shack - Figs & Coach Farms Goat Cheese Custard


Back in September I headed over to Shake Shack to try out the Figs & Coach Farms Goat Cheese custard... yeah, not something you see everyday, right?

Much like many of the other non-chocolate custards, this special flavor looked exactly like a regular vanilla custard at first glance, haha.  I was always suspicious that they gave me regular custard in the beginning, but I've since come to realize that a lot of them look plain on the outside.

The goat cheese flavor was very pronounced, but not overbearing.  I felt like it added an extra level of creaminess as well as some tart flavor to the custard base.  As far as the fig portion, I can't recall any big pieces of figs being visible, but there were specks of fruit mixed in as well.  I find that many of their special flavor custards are blended really well, to the point that the flavors are more so tasted than seen.  This was a good and creative flavor - any goat cheese fans will love this one!

*Update: Shake Shack provided me a link with more information on Coach Farms here!

Friday, November 2, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 2nd, 2012

Shake Shack - November Custard Flavors

Another new month of Shake Shack custards, woohoo!

Monday: Toffee Pear
Tuesday: Pretz-idential Caramel
Wednesday: Pumpkin Pie
Thursday: Apple Spice Cake
Friday: Cranberry Almond Marzipan
Saturday: Maple Cheesecake
Sunday: Chocolate Hazelnut

Mmm, lots of fun-sounding Fall flavors!  Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday are definitely on my to-do- list!


Thursday, November 1, 2012

Lunchtime Links for November 1st, 2012

Hello Kitty Campaign Event - Living Social, DC

11/02 update: The pop-up Campaign Headquarters will be at the Living Social space through November 6th, with events and prizes throughout!  Also, the proceeds from the upper level store merchandise sales are going to the Red Cross - Hurricane Sandy relief fund!

How awesome is this???

For whatever reason, Hello Kitty is doing a presidential campaign event today at the Living Social space in DC, haha.  Unfortunately it's running through the work day so I won't be able to get there until later, but it sounds like a fun event if you're in the area!

(E-flyer courtesy of Washingtonian)

Join the Friendship Party! Vote Hello Kitty for President! Join candidate Hello Kitty at our campaign headquarters for her birthday celebration on November 1, 2012! FREE cupcakes to the first 400 guests! Free Sephora gift cards to the first 250 guests! Meet Hello Kitty | Photos | Giveaways | Fun | Collectible Products | Activities. Hello Kitty's campaign HQ, Livingsocial's 918 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004. November 1, 2012. 10AM - 8PM. For additional hours: sanrio.com/hellokitty2012HELLO KITTY FOR PRESIDENT 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Lunchtime Links for October 31st, 2012

Happy Halloween!



Happy Halloween everyone!  I hope everyone has a great day filled with candy/sweets (this cute cookie is courtesy of Panera :o))

Monday, October 29, 2012

Hurricane Sandy - Blog Break

Fingers crossed that Hurricane Sandy doesn't cause too much damage to the area - for those of you that are also on the East coast, please be safe and stay dry!

Friday, October 26, 2012

Lunchtime Links for October 26th, 2012

Shake Shack Nationals Stadium - National Pastime Concrete


Mmmmmmmm... Shake Shack!  This lovely concrete is only available at the Shake Shack inside the Nationals stadium, so of course I had to try it out!

This concrete consists of vanilla custard blended with chocolate toffee, chocolate sprinkles, and malt.  I really liked the chopped chocolate toffee because it added a much needed crunch to the custard.

$6.75 might seem a little steep for ice cream, but a) it's in a ballpark b) this thing is HUGE. I got about halfway through before feeling like I was going to die, haha.  If you're in the mood for a sweet treat at Nationals stadium, I would definitely recommend giving this concrete a try!

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Lunchtime Links for October 25th, 2012

Trader Joe's Pumpkin Macarons



Oh, Trader Joe's, you have done it again! Now, I'm not sure if these pumpkin macarons are totally new, but I'm pretty sure they are because I've never really heard much about them in the past.  I have tried their vanilla and chocolate macarons  before which are great, so of course I was excited to try the pumpkin version!

I'm pretty sure that these are meant to be defrosted before consumption, but I actually really like these frozen as well, haha.  I find these to have a really strong true pumpkin flavor, more so than a pumpkin pie/spice-forward flavor, which I like.  Now, texture-wise, these will not really replace a macaron from a bakery, but I still think they taste pretty great. They're a great little seasonal treat to have around for a snack or a small dessert.  Thank you Trader Joe's for yet another great pumpkin item!

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Lunchtime Links for October 24th, 2012

CVS - Hallmark Card Deal

There's a great deal on Hallmark cards this week at CVS if you use your ExtraCare card!

When you purchase three Hallmark cards (excluding boxed cards) and scan your ExtraCare card at the register, you get $3.00 in ExtraBucks back for a future purchase.

I tried this out with three $0.99 Hallmark cards and I got the $3.00 ExtraBucks on my receipt, which is basically like getting all of my money back.

This is a great deal for any Halloween cards you want to send out, or just to say hello :o)

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Lunchtime Links for October 23rd, 2012

Scoutmob DC - Kushi Brunch

A few weeks ago N and I met up at Kushi for their Scoutmob brunch.  I have been to Kushi before for dinner, but I was excited to check out their relatively new brunch menu.  While Kushi offers their own brunch, earlier this year they offered a special brunch through Scoutmob DC, which I was pretty excited about.  With all the food we got, this was a great deal!  




Yuzu orange mimosa
We also started the set brunch with an order of edamame (not pictured).




Sushi brunch plate (I chose the salmon avocado roll out of a bunch of roll options), hiya-yakko (cold tofu), pickles



Dessert to share - Black sesame gelato


Overall this was a great brunch with lots of tasty food that I LOVE (especially sushi, no surprises there).  The black sesame gelato was surprisingly very creamy and N noted that it tasted similar to peanut butter, which I agreed with.  I'm really glad I got to try Kushi's brunch thanks to the Scoutmob deal, and I would love to come back again!