Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 30th, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake - May Cupcake Flavors

Starting tomorrow and through May, Georgetown Cupcake is offering a few special flavors:

Lavender Earl Grey Teacake: Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake infused with lavender sugar and Earl Grey tea, topped with an Earl Grey tea-infused buttercream frosting, a sprinkling of lavender sugar, and a lavender fondant flower

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake: Creamy peanut butter cheesecake cupcake baked with an Oreo crust, dipped in a rich chocolate ganache icing and topped with a peanut butter swirl

White Chocolate RaspberryClassic madagascar bourbon vanilla cupcake baked with fresh raspberries topped with a white chocolate buttercream frosting and a fondant flower

There are also vanilla and chocolate Mother's Day cupcakes which are super cute and would be a great gift for any mothers out there! 

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 29th, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake x BaubleBar







I'm already a big fan of BaubleBar for fun and (mostly) reasonably priced pieces of jewelry, but I was SUPER excited to see that they collaborated with Georgetown Cupcake as guest bartenders!  

I really liked the look of the Candy Tab Bangle especially, so I purchased one of those in Pink.  It's thin, so it goes with other bracelets if I stack them on one arm, but it also is a great standalone bracelet with a pop of color.  Also, look at how great it looks alongside a Strawberry Cheesecake cupcake, haha!  I look forward to seeing what other guest bartenders BaubleBar connects with in the future! 

Monday, April 28, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 28th, 2014


Oster Versa Blender



A huge "Thank you!" to Averie Cooks for hosting such great giveaways - I recently won this Oster Versa blender from one of her giveaways and I couldn't wait to try it out.

I had been using a basic blender that I got from my parents before they moved to the West Coast, but it had been on its last legs for some time now, and this blender came at the perfect time.  I quickly decided to try making peanut butter, as my old blender wouldn't have really had the power to be able to do this.





For this peanut butter, I used a 1lb bag of reduced salt roasted peanuts from Trader Joe's, and just dumped the whole bag in.  In just a few minutes, fresh peanut butter was ready!  Since I didn't add any sugar or other sweeteners to the peanuts, this is a very natural peanut taste.  I liked that I can add or change it if I wanted to depending on what I'm using it for - say, a sandwich spread versus a Thai peanut sauce.  I look forward to making lots of foods in my new blender! 



Thursday, April 24, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 24th, 2014


Kenwood, Maryland Cherry Blossoms

Yes, this is another set of cherry blossom photos, haha.  These cherry blossoms are from the Kenwood neighborhood by Bethesda, Maryland, and they are a not-so-secret "secret" spot for DC area folks to enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms.  Ever since I heard about this neighborhood a few years ago, I've made a point of checking it out at least once every season!  

If you are driving there, they are pretty strict about parking (rightfully so, in my opinion since it's a neighborhood), so I would recommend parking in Bethesda and walking briefly along the Capital Crescent Trail that hits right at the entrance to Kenwood.  There's always a ton of people checking out the cherry blossoms, but at a much more relaxed pace with plenty of space for everyone.




Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 23rd, 2014


2014 DC Cherry Blossoms

Every spring I try to make it out to the Tidal Basin area of DC to check out the beautiful display of cherry blossoms. Yes, it gets insanely crowded and you will want to punch everyone that is in your way, but it's totally worth it!  I would recommend going very early in the morning (especially if you work nearby), or go after work on a weekday like I normally do.  It's still crowded, but not nearly as soul-crushing as a weekend day can be, trust me.  It's also tricky to get there right at the peak bloom time, but with a little planning and patience it can be done! 






Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 22nd, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake - Easter 2014 Cupcakes


This year, Georgetown Cupcake offered two very cute Easter-themed cupcakes, as well as an Easter-themed free secret cupcake on Easter Sunday.  Starting clockwise from the top right, you'll see: 

- Free Hoppy Easter Cupcake (which appears to be Carrot cake with Vanilla frosting)
- Caramel-filled Vanilla Easter Egg: Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake with a creamy dulce-de-leche core, topped with light pink buttercream frosting and a fondant Easter egg
- Caramel-filled Chocolate Easter Bunny: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a creamy dulce-de-leches core topped with a light green vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant bunny

With pastel colors and cute fondant decorations, these are a fantastic touch of spring to their regular cupcakes.  As far as I can tell, the Easter Egg and Easter Bunny cupcakes are still available if you order online, so be sure to place an order if you're still in the mood for Easter/spring foods! 

Monday, April 21, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 21st, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake - Free Lucky Lava Fudge Cupcake



Sometimes Georgetown Cupcake comes out with cute variations on a regular menu flavor - like this Lucky Laval Fudge cupcake.  It's pretty much like the Lava Fudge cupcake, but with a pretty light mint colored frosting.  It was much brighter in person than in the photo above, and was a really pretty cupcake with the dark chocolate contrast.  The Lava Fudge cupcake is delicious and the fun mint color made it even cute! 

Friday, April 18, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 18th, 2014


Birthday Cake M&Ms




As most of you probably know, I am a sucker for Limited Edition flavors, especially for standard grocery store items.  So when I saw these Birthday Cake M&Ms at CVS, and they wound up being free with my ExtraCare card and sale, I couldn't get these in my hands fast enough!

These M&Ms are thicker than regular milk chocolate M&Ms - very similar to the peanut butter flavor.  I expected to see white chocolate inside, maybe with sprinkles; however they were solid milk chocolate.  They definitely tasted different than the regular milk chocolate flavor, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.  Not quite frosting, but like chocolate with an extra taste of sugar, maybe to mimic the sprinkles on a cake?  Unfortunately these weren't amazing and I probably wouldn't buy them again, but I'm definitely happy to have tried them out! 

Thursday, April 17, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 17th, 2014


Shake Shack - Shackbury Easter Egg Concrete

Hop to it! Our special edition "Shackbury Easter Egg" concrete will be available from April 17th-20th at all US Shacks (excluding ballparks). This beloved holiday classic features fresh-made vanilla frozen custard blended with caramel sauce and milk chocolate chunks.

Single: $4.25 / Double: $6.50


I am soooooooooo happy to hear that Shake Shack is bringing back the delicious Shackbury Easter Egg concrete again this year!  I LOVED it when I tried it last April, and I look forward to having it again on Sunday.  Be sure to head over to try this out if you can! 

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 16th, 2014


DSW - Mint Polka Dot Scarf



I got this pretty mint scarf at DSW a while back, and I love how the little silver polka dots play off the sheer mint color! I don't normally wear too many scarves, but I'm seeing lots of cute and unique designs more recently, and I'm trying to remember to actually wear them haha.  These breezy spring days are the perfect time to add a scarf as a fun touch to my regular outfit! 


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 15th, 2014


Godiva - Birthday Cake Truffle



How cute is this Birthday Cake truffle from Godiva??  I tried this truffle flavor as one of the monthly free chocolates for being a Godiva club member, and I'm really glad I had a chance to try it.  The pink color is really pretty, and the white pearl nonpareils add a lot of texture to it.  Inside you'll find a vanilla cake mousse with sprinkles mixed in, making this as fun to look at is it is to eat it.  Like a grown up, bite-sized Funfetti cake, haha :o) 

Monday, April 14, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 14th, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake - Sunshine Vanilla Cupcake



Occasionally, Georgetown Cupcake steps out of their mainly soft and pastel color scheme and brings out a pop of neon for their special cupcakes.  One example is this free Sunshine Vanilla cupcake that I received a while back, and if it's possible the frosting is even more bright in person, haha.  This is also called the Vanilla Sunshine cupcake on the current online menu; however I'm keeping this one as the way it was listed that day. 

While the electric yellow frosting definitely looks different from their standard vanilla frosting, this cupcake tastes just like the Vanilla Squared cupcake that is on the regular menu.  This can be special ordered at any point, and would make a fun base for Spring or Summer-themed cupcakes with cute decorations on top! 

Friday, April 11, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 11th, 2014


Daikaya - Spicy Miso Ramen



I was looking forward to trying Daikaya's Spicy Miso ramen, as I usually enjoy spicy dishes, and of course their ramen! 

I enjoy the lighter taste of Daikaya's regular Miso ramen which uses white miso, so the addition of the spicy flavor was a nice touch.  I will say, this isn't a crazy level of spicy, like burning your mouth off by any means. Even if you're not a fan of spicy foods normally I would recommend trying this out if you're looking for something warm with a little kick on a cold day! 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 10th, 2014


Baked & Wired - Pretty Bitchin' Cupcake



Pretty Bitchin' cupcake - Chocolate cake with a crunchy peanut butter frosting

One of the many things that I love about the baked goods at Baked & Wired is that they really don't half-ass anything, including portions and flavor.  The rich chocolate cake is topped with a thick layer of crunchy peanut butter frosting.  I would say this cupcake is great for sharing... but I won't blame you if you keep it for yourself, haha.  Peanut butter and chocolate is a delicious combination, and this cupcake is definitely proof of that! 

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 9th, 2014


Shake Shack - Honey Roasted Peanut Brittle Custard



If you love peanuts and/or brittle candy, you will LOVE this Honey Roasted Peanut Brittle custard that was recently at Shake Shack! This creamy custard was packed with sizable chunks of peanut brittle.  The pieces were large enough that luckily I could see them before biting down too quickly - it definitely would've hurt if I tried to eat this too fast, haha.  To be honest, I'm not normally a big fan of brittle candies because I'm always afraid they will break or get stuck in my teeth - but coated with Shake Shack's creamy custard definitely made me a fan :o) 

Tuesday, April 8, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 8th, 2014


Ben & Jerry's - Free Cone Day

Ice cream lovers - I hope there is a Ben & Jerry's Scoop shop near you, because it's Free Cone Day once again!  I always look forward to seeing if there are any new flavors to try, or a Scoop shop-only flavor whenever I go for Free Cone Day. This offer is only from 12-8pm today at participating shops, so be sure to go enjoy your free ice cream!

Monday, April 7, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 7th, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake - Sticky Toffee Pudding Cupcake


Let's just ignore the obvious holiday-ness of this photo, and focus on the deliciousness, shall we?

This is Georgetown Cupcake's Sticky Toffee Pudding cupcake from 2013 - a chocolate cupcake with a pudding core, topped with vanilla frosting and toffee caramel drizzle.  This cupcake was really good - the soft pudding and frosting added extra richness to the chocolate cake.  As you can see this cupcake is different from the one on this year's menu; I look forward to trying this year's version and comparing it to this one! 

Friday, April 4, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 4th, 2014


Shake Shack - Cherry Pie, Oh My Concrete

Photo courtesy of Shake Shack


I always love when Shake Shack comes out with limited edition menu items, and this spring we have a Cherry Pie, Oh My concrete!

Here are the details from Shake Shack:

"Washington, DC's Shake Shack locations are bringing back an exciting partnership with Dangerously Delicious Pies. For a limited time, cherry blossom fans can indulge in a Cherry Pie, Oh My concrete. Available for two weeks between March 31 and April 14, the concrete blends fresh, creamy vanilla frozen custard with a whole slice of cherry pie from DC's own Dangerously Delicious Pies. The concrete is available at Dupont and F Street Shacks in two sizes: $4.25 for a half size, and $6.50 for a regular size."

The Pumpkin Pie, Oh My concrete that is offered in the fall is amazing, so I'm happy to see another "pie x ice cream" collaboration at Shake Shack haha.  Be sure to try it out before it goes away on April 15th! 

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 3rd, 2014


Bath & Body Works - Sweet Shop and Fresh Picked Candles



A while back when I walked by Bath & Body Works, this Sweet Shop display of candles definitely caught my eye!  With fun scents like Raspberry Macarons, Doughnuts, Sorbet, and Cupcakes, these were all super cute and in fun colors to boot.  




While I was checking out the candle selection, I also came across this Fresh Picked candle in a Pomelo Grapefruit scent.  I love the smell and taste of Pomelos, and it came in such a pretty pink color that I had to bring one home!  There were lots of fruit scents that all smelled delicious and perfect for the spring.

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 2nd, 2014


Shake Shack - April Custard Flavors

Monday: S'mores
Tuesday: Salted Caramel
Wednesday: Red Velvet
Thursday: Strawberry Rhubarb Blondie
Friday: Chocolate Toffee Coffee
Saturday: Honey Almond Cake
Sunday: Malted Marshmallow Milk Chocolate

Another great month of Shake Shack custard flavors is upon us. There are some old favorites in the lineup for April, and I've definitely got my eye on you, Friday!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Lunchtime Links for April 1st, 2014


Georgetown Cupcake - April Cupcake Flavors

Georgetown Cupcake has a lot of special cupcake flavors this month, mainly due to Easter and Passover.  I love all of the cute pastel colors and designs!

- Cherry BlossomClassic madagascar bourbon vanilla cupcake baked with fresh cherries and topped with a cherry infused cream cheese frosting and a fondant cherry blossom

- Cherry Cheesecake: Fresh cherry cheesecake cupcake topped with a cherry infused frosting and cherry blossom fondant

- Caramel-Filled Chocolate Easter Bunny: Valrhona chocolate cupcake with a creamy dulce-de-leches core topped with a light green vanilla buttercream frosting and fondant bunny

- Caramel-Filled Vanilla Easter Egg: Classic Madagascar Bourbon vanilla cupcake with a creamy dulce-de-leche core, topped with light pink buttercream frosting and a fondant Easter egg

- Classic Passover Macaroon: Kosher for Passover Macaroon Cupcake

- Caramel Drizzle Passover Macaroon: Kosher for Passover Macaroon Cupcake with a dulce-de-leches drizzle

- Chocolate Drizzle Passover MacaroonKosher for Passover Macaroon Cupcake with a fudge drizzle