In case you were curious I went with a "Devil's Advocate" black pedicure last Friday. All in the name of trying something new - and I surprisingly really like it.
{weekend ready with my first black pedi}
The rest of the weekend was comprised of many drinks and food. My sweet tooth led us to a pre-dinner Waffle & Dinges food truck I know far too well parked at the Central Park Zoo entrance. Then onto Tacos which were good but did not compare to Barrio Chino's... We finished the evening at my favorite creperie, Creperie.
The next afternoon we met up at The Meatball Shop, which I recommend to anyone (veggie balls are an option). I was lucky to have gone here before as an accomplice food taster for my friend's Opening Ceremony blog review and we got to meet the owner. He was outstanding and told us he wanted to "spread his balls around town." Hey, at the time they were expanding to two new locations... Sheesh.
So, despite one food-photo-taker protester at the table, I was able to sneak some pics as evidence that I was there. Also despite a lack of colorful garnish, my meatball/sauce/side combination was a wonderful afternoon-after-late-night-out meal. It should be noted that the menu comes with a marker to make your selections so your food fate is in your hands, and lethally so - we all ordered way too much.
{the DIY menu}
{fresh milled polenta, spicy pork meatball, and parmesan alfredo sauce}
{brownie walnut cookies sandwiching fresh mint ice cream}
It was a great weekend of catching up, although I was unable to convince my dear sister's boyfriend to quit his job and focus on the band. So, that was a miss.
To recap the food festivus + clickable links for your own food parade:
Due to Mr. RaeChild's birthday this past week, I found myself in SoHo/Little Italy trying out the restaurant Peasant, which I'm happy to report back is excellent. It was recommended to me by a good friend who owns a restaurant upstate, he tries out all the latest + greatest restaurants in the city to find new inspiration for his place. Serving creamy ricotta (instead of the usual butter or olive oil) with freshly baked bread was a good start to the evening, but an even sweeter prelude was my find just a few blocks away at Little Cupcake Bake Shop.
It's not often I find the occasion to spend $3.50 on a cupcake. When I do, I not only expect the little deliciousness to be delightful, but the shop decor to hold it's weight as well. This one had all the tricks - neon outdoor sign, crown moldings galore, adorable Feed Project bags being sold, and dainty chandeliers to boot. Above and beyond the shop decor, I loved their hot pink takeaway boxes. Though, I suppose, while shopping for treats in and around SoHo I should expect nothing less than a sexy little box.
Onto the cupcake taste test...
{Little Cupcake Bakeshop: Dreaming Princess}
The Dreaming Princess:
a dollop of light billowy meringue on buttercream frosting with a drizzle of raspberry sauce with almond flavored white cake.
Verdict: Balanced. The raspberry sauce added a touch of tangy-ness, the toasted almonds brought it back down a notch, the meringue gave it the cloudy lightness of any deserving princess. Loved this featured cake, it won the show in both looks + taste.
{Little Cupcake Bakeshop: German Chocolate}
The German Chocolate Cake:
light chocolate cake topped with a condensed milk, coconut, pecan frosting.
Verdict: Not often offered behind the cutesy glass cake case, this one doesn't carry the same curb appeal with it's globby, nutty-textured, cappuccino-colored topping - however, it holds a place in my heart as it was served every year for my Dad's birthday growing up. Although not always a favorite amongst me and my sister as young girls, it is now an endearing addition to my cake vocabulary. This one was an excellent example, one my grandmother would approve and so it earns the no. 2 spot.
{Little Cupcake Bakeshop: Carrot Cake}
The Carrot Cake:
spice cake below, lightly sweet frosting up top.
Verdict: The spice was nice but perhaps it was missing that extra little bit of "healthy" texture in the form of shredded carrots or more raisins/nuts that I've come to expect in carrot cake. No. 3 place for not holding up to the bunny rabbit in me.
{Little Cupcake Bakeshop: Red Velvet}
The Red Velvet:
brightest red cake I've encountered followed by a classic vanilla buttercream on top.
Verdict: I must be a hater because I just don't get the red-velvet craze. It's supposed to be chocolate cake dyed with so much red food coloring that it overrides the natural chocolate hues to create a deep red cake... Yikes! Seems like Red #40 overload to me. Red #40 aside, this was an all around yummy cupcake. The proportion of frosting to cake was just right and the buttercream not too sweet but nothing outstanding here, so I rate it no.4 on today's list.
