A Night on the Town

ETA: I must confess that I started this post over 2 weeks ago but have been too lazy to finish and post it. Pretty sad... but here it is - finally.

So after a few weeks of no posts I must confess that I just didn't have anything to say. I mean of course I said a thousand things since the 8th of April, but noting that I thought the internet would want to hear. That was until Thursday.

On Thursday my dear friend Mallory came up to visit me and to hear my bitch about things. Over dinner, Mallory mentioned her displeasure with my recent lack of posts - which of course surprised me as I didn't realize I had such loyal readership.

So to pacify one of my favorite commenters here is a new post:


So that is the view Mallory and I shared over fried calamari at Shuckers last Thursday. Unfortunately what you do not get from this photo is maritime music that was being blasted over another ship's sound system on the other side of the pier, the jingling of twenty dog collars and the laughter of the tables around us. I am not much of a city girl but I really do enjoy having an evening out in Fell's Point.

So after my tasty dinner of fried calamari and steamed shrimp and Mal's semi-tasty cheesesteak and onion rings we walked around the square and visited a couple of the trendy shops like Su Casa, where we drooled over chic home furnishings and funny coffee table books like this little gem.

Of course no evening out with me would be complete with out sine type of dessert to finish out the night. Maggie Moos was an obvious choice until we noticed the glimmering silver lids beckoning to us from Pitango Gelato. OH! And my what a great choice. While it was a little bit pricey it was definitely worth the expense. I enjoyed a small swirl of dark chocolate and almond gelatos. Wow. So. Delicious.

In fact, while we savored our creamy desserts we found a quaint park bench in the square where we sat and reminisced about years past and reveled in each others friendship. It was so nice to spend a girls night out on the town - but of course we were shocked back into reality when we returned back home to the blaring sound of video games. Have no doubt however, that we joined right into the fun while wailing on the plastic guitars in Rock Band.

A perfect night in my opinion.

This Is An Awareness Test

I happened to see this on The Ellen Show today while i was off from work. This may be my favorite internet video of all time.


Awareness Test - Watch more free videos

On My Wish List: Spring Time Edition

1. Rain Rain Go Away - Sky Umbrella from uncommongoods.com. With all of the rainy days we have had lately the bright blue sky inside this umbrella would keep me far from gloomy.

2. Sloggers Garden Clogs in kiwi from Sloggers Garden Outfitters. Of course I need another pair of shoes! These clogs fit the bill for all my outdoor needs - especially once we get the garden started.

3. Flower Bulbs available at Brecks. Despite the one hyacinth growing in the front yard our property is mostly devoid of color. I desperately want to plant perennial flower bulbs in every bare patch of dirt we have.

4. Eastern Red Bud Tree available through the Arbor Day Foundation. While we are planting things I think it would be well worth it to plant a few red buds in the yard. We have plenty of space for these medium sized trees and the blooms in the April are indescribably gorgeous. These trees have been among my favorite for some time.

5. Fresh Glass Vase in aqua and spring green from Target. With all the blooms I plan on having this spring and summer I will need a new container to house them. This springy vase is lovely and easily available.

Happy Birthday!

My coworker Jenn is celebrating her birthday tomorrow and of course this gives me an excuse to bake something. I have really been wanting to make cupcakes lately and with the celebration on hand tomorrow I couldn't resist the opportunity.

It was a beautiful spring day today which really put me in the mood to make something fresh and light. I had the idea to make orange flavored cupcakes - which I guess is not a new idea, but I have never attempted the recipe.

Here is what I tried:

Orange Cupcakes
1 package white cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
1 + 1/4 cups orange juice with pulp
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3 egg whites
1 Tbs orange zest

Orange Frosting
1/2 cup solid shortening
1/2 cup unsalted butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp Grand Marnier liquor
1 Tbs milk

Here is what I got:


I think they look fantastic!! The sugared flowers on top really make them "springy" which I love. They taste OK ... I think for me they are a little bit too orange flavored - so if I make them again I will try cutting the orange ingredients in half.

Hopefully they will be a hit for the birthday tomorrow!