Pretty cupcakes

Cupcakes are all the rage these days. Thus, I was very excited when I found BabyCakes NYC cupcakes. I like how pretty they look:



If I am ever in New York I will have to stop in and give them a try.

Spring shopping

I was in the middle of comparing the Spring advertising techniques of American Eagle, Abercrombie and Old Navy, when I noticed Old Navy has a feature on their online site where one can shop by outfit. Further investigation reveals that Gap and Banana Republic include the same online feature. (Okay, they are owned by the same company so this really isn't so shocking.) I know I have seen this feature used by other online sites as well.

In my mind, this is a wonderfully helpful feature. When I'm in a store I'm always studying what the mannequin is wearing or how the clothing looks on the model. These days I find I have no time to shop and so exploring my options online can be a time saver for before I hit the stores.

If only in the future my time spent looking for clothes could be replaced with pre-researched and calculated decisions. This research could be customized for me as an individual. Factors may include: my height, weight, body type, age, individual style and preferences, and so on. With the click of the mouse my preferred outfit choices would be available to me. I would never have to wander the aisles of clothing stores in confusion again.

Enjoying

How to roll your own frappuccinos. Yum.

Signs of warmth

All March the weather has been shifting back and forth. One day I'll wake up and find a hint of sunshine and start dreaming of spring. The next day I wake up to rainy weather or bitter cold.

*Sigh*

I've been very patient for warm weather and so when the current West Elm catalog arrived in the mail my heart soared with excitement. This is what I have been dreaming of...



Could anything be more beautiful?

My roommate was taken with the cover, too. We would both be pleased with this kind of weather and setting.

(If you go to West Elm you can sign up for a free catalog. I love looking through their pretty things, even though they are not in my budget.)

Exploring Easter candy

These days the individuals at Peeps are branching out. As I explored this year's Easter candy I was amazed at how many Peeps products exist. My favorite find was the Peeps egg decorating kit. The kit includes blank eggs and a tube of cake gel for decorating. Very cute. (Of course, my favorite Easter candy remains Cadbury creme eggs.)

UPDATE: Over at flickr make sure to check out this Peeps photo set by victoriabernal.

Things to cook

I have been brainstorming ideas of possible desserts I could bring home for Easter. Martha's Chocolate Espresso Tart is currently high on the list. This sweet dessert combines two of my great loves - chocolate and espresso. Mmmm.

She lives!

At the moment I am enjoying a cup of hot cinnamon spice tea. Ahhh. It is very soothing to my throat. I am feeling better since my last post. While ill, different people stopped in to bring me food or keep me company. Thank you. I also ended up working on Sunday, which was fine. Making coffee drinks and chatting helped me get back to the daily grind.

The teacup is the Harney White Teacup from Harney & Sons.

Under the weather

I am currently feeling sick. It is an icky feeling of wanting to sleep nonstop and claw at my throat to make the soreness go away. Of course, I am scheduled to work tonight and not not fond of the idea of making coffee drinks while feeling so terrible. Unfortunately, I've missed a few days already this month and don't want my place of employment to become angry (or suspicious) toward me. So yeah, this is not a good time to feel sick.

Akire Coffee

In my history of visiting coffee shops I've noticed many coffee shops tend to promote a European theme. After all, espresso was largely popularized due to Italy. However, the coffee bean is not a European production. The coffee bean is grown, nurtured and made possible by countries such as South America, Indonesia, Central America, Africa, and others. Europe is not a coffee growing region of the world, nor will it ever be a coffee growing region. Obviously, Europe is a great lover of coffee drinks but what of the countries who live for this product?

This weekend I visited Akire Coffee. I didn't take any photos while visiting but found this photo on flickr which shows the front of the building. I was pleased to find a coffee shop decorated in a Latin American theme. Once inside, imagine bright yellows and oranges with lively music flowing. My white chocolate mocha hit the spot and I was happy to discover I knew the barista. (We both worked together at one time at a horrible bakery franchise in which I worked to no end and left every night feeling utterly exhausted.)

My only reason for not returning to Akire Coffee is the lack of parking. The coffee shop is located in downtown Ann Arbor and so parking options are limited. I didn't have enough time to check and see if they offer free wireless or not.

Still, I was pleased with my visit to Akire. I also enjoyed their sign inside which read: Friends don't let friends drink Starbucks.

Word

In the last few hours this site has received a minor face-lift. All the pages will be up soon and in time I'll have a new logo. The logo above was created in great haste while I sat in on a lecture and made notes. Considering the kind of pressure I was under and limited timeframe, I am proud of the result.

tales from the bean has moved to talesfromthebean.com! Please update your bookmarks! Thanks!

A few words of clarification

A few days ago I posted an entry on the disappearance of the McDonald’s Shamrock shake. I had every reason to believe this. I mean, even the Gothamist posted this article claiming the shake was missing in action.

Just last night I was in the middle of driving Lisa to a copy shop when I spotted a McDonald’s next door. I immediately thought of the Shamrock shake and felt great woe once more. "How could McDonald’s abandon such a tasty concoction?" I thought to myself for the hundredth time.

I decided I needed to confirm that the Shamrock shake was missing. I drove to the McDonald’s drive thru and immediately began scanning the menu for any sign of the green beverage. There was no sign at all and I felt a greater feeling of lose take over me. Then, a chipper voice from the drive thru box rang out, "Welcome to McDonald’s, can I help you?"

"Do you have… the Shamrock shake?"

"Yes, we do."

So it turns out the Shamrock shake continues to exist. At least, it continues to exist in my neck of the woods in Michigan. I have sent an email to the Bring Back the Shamrock Shake site to let them know of this. I apologize to all readers who may have been misled. The Shamrock shake continues to thrive and oh, is it scrumptious.

Drinking Faygo on a Saturday night

I just left a party in which I drank a considerable amount of Faygo Red Pop. At one point in the party I heard a Justin Timberlake song playing in the background. It was a strange, strange event.

Wikipedia has some pretty good information on Faygo:

"Feigenson Brothers Bottling Works, the company that later became known as Faygo Beverages, Inc.(Faygo), was founded in Detroit on November 4, 1907 by Russian immigrants Ben and Perry Feigenson. The original flavors of Faygo were based on cake frosting recipes used by the Feigensons in Russia. Throughout the twentieth century, Faygo steadily increased its production line. Faygo is credited with the spreading of the word "pop" instead of "soda" to mean soft drink in the Midwest."

I grew up with Faygo and considered it the norm until later I discovered Faygo is unique to the Midwest. This may not make it tastier, but I like knowing a Michigan product is around.

May the luck of the irish be with you

Happy St. Paddy's Day. As I type this I am sipping away at a cozy cup of Nutty Irishman. (This is a coffee drink with espresso, steamed milk, irish cream and hazelnut - no alcohol, just coffee goodness.)

If all goes well today I hope to enjoy a McDonald's Shamrock Shake. However, after some searching I've discovered this seasonal wonder is rare to find these days. There is even an entire site devoted to bringing back the Shamrock Shake. I hope there efforts are successful because I’ve always enjoyed this mint wonder this time of year. Can St. Paddy's Day be complete without it?

UPDATE: Here is a recipe online of how to make your own Shamrock Shakes at home. It looks incredibly easy and yum!

"Elizabethtown" review

A few days ago I saw the Cameron Crowe movie, Elizabethtown. The movie was cute. I wasn’t as interested in the romance aspect of the film, but I was envious when Orlando Bloom’s character sets off on a road trip across the United States. I think this would be a great thing to do one day. Or, I’d love to finally travel to Europe and backpack my way around Ireland, England, France, Italy and who knows where else my feet would take me.

Sounding more and more like a feminist

I am currently reading Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden. I am enjoying it quite a bit and will probably look into other accounts of geishas after finishing this novel. (I've already read elsewhere that there are inaccuracies in Golden's portrayl of geishas.)

It's fascinating to me how patriarchal societys can create such dramatic roles for women. Even more fascinating is how women often prescribe to these roles and continue to promote them. Often the gain seems to be an emotional or psychological need for attention.

I always wonder when I meet women who need to apply layers of paint and primp away at a mirror for days before leaving the house, what exactly are they preparing for? The circus? The zoo? What exactly do they think will happen if they leave the house without the ten day prep time in front of the mirror?

I admit, I also wear makeup from time to time or think of my appearance, but this is never the driving force of my existence. I can leave the house wearing pink pajama pants if necessary and believe me, I am okay with it. These pajama pants have even made an appearance at a local Starbucks. And I survived.

While working at the coffee shop the other night a customer stopped me to say, "Mam, your eyes are as blue as the ocean. Can I take a swim in them?"

I held back from laughing and quickly replied, "No, that's okay. Enjoy your drink."

Is this the kind of attention that makes being recongnized as "pretty" so worthwhile? Is this the kind of Casanova I should be waiting for?

I hope this post doesn't make me sound like an angry, raging feminist. If one is reading Memoirs of a Geisha it is very difficult to not think of these issues. Also, I will most likely be writing a paper about this novel soon and so am already brainstorming possible ideas.

Google Mars

I always enjoy seeing the new, special edition Google logos. Today’s logo may be my favorite Google logo of all time. Also, this may be the first time Google has featured aliens on their logo. And surprisingly, the aliens look incredibly friendly and calm. One is resting comfortably and his friend (or possibly a lover?) is enjoying a good book. Or maybe it isn’t a book at all. Maybe it is just some trashy magazine and he/she is trying desperately to get the latest gossip on Brangelina. If aliens do exist it would be comforting to know they were this cute.

Today’s Google is actually in association with Google Mars. To check out past Google logos go here. I believe I am one of the few who didn’t particularly enjoy the Winter 2006 Olympics logo but if you explore the archives you'll find some fun stuff.

Odwalla yum

I like Odwalla bars. They are a tasty snack for in between classes and oh so healthy. This is good for a girl who is slowly improving her diet. I tried Berries GoMega a few moments ago and am quite pleased.

While the sun shines

It’s always interesting when one makes up their mind about someone, only to change their thinking about that person later. One of my neighbor’s, for example, I refer to as the "wild hooligan." I know he probably has a real name but his actions have always said "hooligan" to me. Also, rarely do I get to use the term "hooligan" in my speech but thanks to his shenanigans I can. (Shenanigans- another cool word I rarely use, but that seems to apply here.)

What kind of shenanigans do I speak of? Oh, riding around on his bike at all hours of the day and night. Shooting off some kind of pop gun during the early hours of the morning. Wild, disheveled caveman-like hair and appearance. Hitting on my two roommates whenever he gets the chance. These are just a few actions from the hooligan that illustrate his wild ways.

So this morning I didn’t go into work but instead traveled to one of my favorite stores, Whole Foods. The sun was shining. Everyone seemed pleased and gay. I felt very content about the state of the world and the state of my life. So as I returned to my apartment complex I immediately saw the hooligan in front of the apartments. Unlike all the other times we’ve crossed paths I smiled, waved, and said, “Hi!” I think it was my good mood about the world kicking in. He returned the “Hi” even though he was looking even more wild than usual and then I saw he was out helping his grandmother get into her wheelchair accessible van. Right then, I felt a twinge of guilt for all my previous statements about the hooligan. Because yeah, he might be a wild child but he’s decent enough to help his grandmother and I think that counts for something. So just like that, my opinion on someone can change.

Easter = cuteness

Easter is the only holiday in which I actually find myself smiling at pastel colors. I’m a fan of the spring color scheme, but only during the spring time period. At all other times of the year pastels bore me to death. I even hesitate about wearing pastel colors. So no, you won’t find me in baby pink.

Anyway. Today’s trip to Target was very exciting because they have all their new spring/Easter items out. A few of my favorites are listed below.

Rabbit deviled egg server


I love deviled eggs and can just imagine them tucked away in this festive server. This may work better as a gift for my mom who makes excellent deviled eggs. I could present it as a gift and suggest she fill the serving tray and then create a diversion as I sneak away with the product… wait, why am I writing about these plans on the Internet?

Glitter rabbit candle


Cute, cute, cute. I love bunny-inspired goods.

Puffball slippers


So fuzzy, so cute. I can just imagine arriving home on Easter in these slippers. I don’t know if my family could handle the cuteness.

My pig personality

I've always liked pigs as animals. Therefore, I was happy to take the Pig Personality test.

This is my pig:


I know. I'm not an artist. It's a good thing I'm a lover of pigs!

What my Pig Personality results mean:

Toward the middle, you are a realist.

Facing left, you believe in tradition, are friendly, and remember dates (birthdays, etc.)

With few details, you are emotional and naive, they care little for details and are a risk-taker.

With less than 4 legs, they are insecure or are living through a period of major change.

The size of the ears indicates how good a listener you are. The bigger the better. You drew small ears, you are an OK listener.

The length of the tail indicates the quality of your sex life. And again more is better! You drew medium sized tail.

Hmm. I wonder what this period of great change will bring?

I like this article

"Extroverts therefore dominate public life. This is a pity. If we introverts ran the world, it would no doubt be a calmer, saner, more peaceful sort of place."

According to my Mom

"Bob Marley is all over Jamaica."

[Both my parents just returned from cruising the Caribbean and my Mom was busy explaining the trip.]

Sleepy on a Sunday evening

I slept much too late today and am now experiencing what I refer to as "the sleep hangover." It’s a kind of drugged feeling. I should be more awake but can’t seem to feel fully awake. I’ll be happy when my sleep schedule returns to normal.

In other news Amer’s is lovely. I’m also thankful they do not set their background music to the highest possible volume (some coffee shops do this). If they had I would probably have a major headache right about now.

Good things from this past week:

Dyeing my hair by myself and enjoying the results. Translation: No more roots showing.

Eating a large, five topping pizza with Lisa.

The possibility of a trip to California in April.

Cuddling with my cats back home.

Having the week off from classes and being able to relax.

Sleeping in late.

Receiving an email (with photos) from my cousin who I haven’t heard from in ages.

This link: http://legnangel.livejournal.com/564026.html

Maybe I should try to do this every Friday.

Organic cooking

Today I whipped up a meal of organic scrambled eggs (with cheese and tomato) and English muffins. I cooked from my friend’s kitchen. I felt lucky to have the ingredients provided for me. Also, it’s very interesting cooking from someone else’s kitchen.

Where is the cutting board?
Where do you keep the knives?
Okay, where do you keep the sharp knives?
Do you have any other vegetables to add to this?

I shared the feast with my friend who claimed to enjoy his meal. I felt very satisfied munching on my scrambled eggs. After all, just the other night I watched Food Network’s The Secret Life of Eggs.

I love organic food options but my wallet doesn’t seem to agree with me. When I go the store I pay around $1.00 to $2.00 for a carton of eggs. As I glanced down at the organic, cage-free eggs I was using I couldn’t help but notice the $3.79 sticker. Yikes! Paying close to $4.00 for a carton of eggs? This poor college student just can’t manage that kind of monetary stretch. I suppose I could take out additional student loans to cover improvements in eating or perhaps work at a third coffee shop instead of the two I work at now…

The image in this post is courtesy of Getty Images.

Walking across the frozen lake

A few days ago I was playing tour guide for a friend from out of town. We ended up in the country in front of a lake I’ve always found pretty. The lake appeared frozen and I spotted people ice fishing in the distance.

Please note: I've always been cautious about walking across frozen bodies of water that may or may not be totally frozen. However, I felt particularly adventurous at that moment and decided the risk was worth it. I mean, we weren’t exactly in the cold wasteland of Siberia.

I have to say—it is quite thrilling walking across frozen ice. At any moment one can step on a soft spot and go plummeting into the frozen waters. If one is carrying a digital camera they care very much so about, this thought is even more frightening.

We reached the ice fishermen on the lake and I ended up learning a thing or two about ice fishing. For example, little skill is involved thanks to modern technology. Also, one can forget the cold aspect of the sport when one has a cozy tent to relax in. I am very fond of these cozy tents. I can just imagine relaxing in their warmth as the fish come to me (and not the other way around).

After talking with the friendly fishermen I learned all of them had experienced falling into the ice at some point in their lives. They chuckled about it and seemed to present it as an every day, trivial event.

Thus, I feel somewhat silly writing about how my small version of adventure was exciting for me. I guess I don't get outside enough or my pampered life just doesn’t include diving into frozen lakes.