Cupcake Walking Tour

Last Friday, Eric and I redeemed a Living Social deal we had purchased for a walking tour of various cupcake spots in the Village. This tour promised to lead us to six fine establishments in the Village with sweets to sample at each location. Does that sound right up our alley or what?! Of course, Ellie joined us, but only for the learning. The only cupcakes Ellie got to enjoy were the ones adorning her clothing. Meanest parents ever!

The tour met at Union Square. We got all checked in and waited for the rest of the group to gather before officially kicking things off.

Waiting for our tour to begin

We held hands. Good heavens, she's precious.

Our guide giving us the overview

Our first stop was Baked By Melissa, known for their tie-dye cupcake. Melissa started her bake shop after being laid off from her advertising job, and now it is quite the popular cupcake destination. The cupcakes are little bite-size morsels, but they had a nice assortment of flavors. We sampled the cupcake of the month: carrot cake. Quite tasty!

Baked by Melissa

Display case of tiny cupcakes

Our carrot cake sample

Next up was Amorino, actually known for their gelato (although I believe they do serve cupcakes). Hey, I'm not going to be a stickler and say we can only try cupcakes, you know? We sampled the passion fruit gelato and it was delicious. I approve.

In front of Amorino (totally being photobombed by our tour guide)

Gelato!

Mmmm, samples

Hmm, I think I would like some gelato, please!

Our third stop was my tried-and-true favorite: Crumbs. Sure, they're everywhere nowadays, constantly opening new stores (and recently teamed up with Starbucks), but I love them. Giant cupcakes, delicious flavors, all around good stuff. On the tour, they opened up a couple of their sampler packs and let us choose what we wanted to try. I had a red velvet, Eric had coconut, and we split a chocolate swirl.

Crumbs

With my red velvet cupcake and goofy baby

From there we walked through Washington Square Park and past some utterly adorable side streets that looked like they were straight off a movie set. Our guide also stopped to tell us a cupcake joke: "Two cupcakes get put into the oven to bake. The first cupcake looks over at the other and says, 'Hey man, it's getting hot in here!' The second cupcake looks back and says, 'Whoa! A talking cupcake!'" Ba-dum-dum.

People covered in pigeons at Washington Square Park

Tell me this street doesn't look like a movie set.

Walking through town

We ended up at Molly's Cupcakes, another one of our favorites. I love the whimsical interior of the shop (swings at the bar!), and if one of their delicious pre-made flavors doesn't suit you, you have the ability to build your own cupcake by choosing the cake, filling and frosting and then hitting up the sprinkle bar to top it off. They allowed us to create our own mini cupcakes on the tour, so I chose chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and Eric went with vanilla and chocolate. Their cakes are so moist and the frosting is divine. Move over, Crumbs! Molly's is stealing my heart!

Molly's Cupcakes

I know I'm about to consume something delicious.

My cupcake is on the left, and Eric's on the right

Our next stop was another non-cupcake destination (although they, too, also sell cupcakes): Milk and Cookies. They sell everything from the classic chocolate chip to more exotic cookie flavors (our guide mentioned something about a bacon cookie), or you can also call ahead to order your own cookie creation and they'll have it baked for you within 30 minutes. If you prefer your own home to smell like fresh-baked cookies, you can also just purchase the dough to bake on your own at home. We sampled their Salted Oat cookie, which I enjoyed very much.

Our guide handing out our Milk & Cookies samples

I thoroughly enjoyed this cookie.

Our final stop was a New York staple, and Eric's favorite: Magnolia Bakery. We stopped at the original location, the one that was featured on Sex and the City (and on our way there, we walked past Sarah Jessica Parker's actual street, as well as the street that was used as "Carrie's" street on the show). This location often has a line out the door and around the block. They gave us red velvet cupcakes to sample, and Eric picked up a couple of his favorites for the road. (Actually, by this time we were stuffed, so even our samples hit the road with us, to be enjoyed later!)

Carrie Bradshaw's street

Magnolia Bakery

You know the cupcake butt had to make an appearance on this tour.

A cupcake-loving family!

We had such a good time on this tour! It was a gorgeous afternoon in a charming part of the city with delicious treats at every stop. What's not to like?

A Day With the Rays

Two Fridays ago, through the magic of Twitter we learned that a few of the Tampa Bay Rays players would be making an appearance at the MLB Fan Cave in the Village. The tweet in question mentioned that said players would be handing out free pizza. In order to get a piece of this free Rays Pizza (a play on words that tickled me so - get it? Like the actual Ray's Pizza?) you had to throw a strike with a wiffle ball.

At least one of the members of my family is a super baseball fan, so we knew we had to go. We just couldn't let Ellie down. (Ha!)

The event was said to begin at 11:30, but thanks to the Baby Time Warp (in which time just seems to disappear, and all of a sudden you're like, "wait, it's what time? Where did that half hour go?!"), we were late. No worries, because they were waiting on one of the players and didn't actually get started until 12:30, so at least we weren't the latest. When we arrived, there was a Line #1 in the front of the Fan Cave, and Line #2 along the side of the building. We took our place at the back of Line #2 and made conversation with the guy behind us, who was a dedicated Rays fan from Tampa and had flown up for the weekend to go to all three Yankees v. Rays games!

Lines around the Fan Cave

The line consisted of both Yankees and Rays fans alike - even dogs!

The players in attendance were Evan Longoria, Matt Moore and Rich Thompson. To kick off the event, they did some interviews and threw a few strikes themselves.

Rich Thompson, Evan Longoria and an obscured Matt Moore

Longoria ready to throw some strikes

The set-up - you to throw a strike into that opening on the far right (behind the ladder)

Longoria's girlfriend, Jaime Edmondson, was also in attendance, and she LOVED Ellie!

We had been warned that because the Rays didn't have much time, those of us at the back of the line might not get our turn to meet them and throw a strike (perhaps the Rays should have been on time then, but I digress). However, once they started letting the fans have their turn, the line moved pretty quickly and soon Line #2 took over the place of Line #1. We were so close!

A couple of Rays fans waiting in line

As we neared the front of the line, one of the event coordinator guys came over and said they were stopping the line and the group in front of us would be the last to get a chance to meet the Rays! Luckily, Eric thought to think up and said, "But what about the baby?!" and hold Ellie up for all to see. And who could say no to a baby? So naturally, the guy relented and said, "Okay, the baby is the last one." We made it! Yes!

When we got to the front of the line, Ellie met Matt Moore. He even asked her name and spoke to her for a minute or two.

Ellie, Eric and Matt Moore

"Hi, Ellie!"

Then, she and Eric met Evan Longoria.

She's super impressed.

Eric had his turn to throw a strike, and naturally, he did. Unfortunately, I was too sidetracked to remember to snap a picture of his throw. Sorry, Eric! They had plenty of pizza left, so we all got a slice (even folks like me who did not earn one).

Ellie is going for that pizza. In about two seconds she's going to have a fistful of cheese and marinara.

The Fan Cave posted a video of all the fun, including a cameo by Eric behind Longoria at 2:21 and all three of us as they show the whole crowd! Ellie was right next to Longoria!

VIDEO: Go Rays! (Ellie is even in the thumbnail for the video! See her on the right?)

There's Eric!

See the three of us in the crowd? Ellie is totally into Evan.

We ate our Rays pizza as we walked over to Washington Square Park, where we hung out for a bit.

Fountain rainbow!

Ellie's first time at Washington Square Park

We enjoyed some nice music...

VIDEO: Musicians in Washington Square Park

...admired some chalk art...

I thought this was beautiful.

This way!

...and had an overall nice time.

My sweet girl enjoying the day (I love her untied shoelace!)

From there we walked over to Union Square for a very productive shopping trip at Babies 'R Us. Then it was time to head home, because some of us were just plumb tuckered out.

Meeting baseball players is exhausting.

It was just one of those wonderful New York days. The weather was beautiful and there were such fun things to do and see. Every bit of it was perfection. This city is just the greatest place ever.

And, just for good measure, here is a picture of the cutest Rays fan there ever was, modeling her new floor mat we bought at Babies 'R Us on that perfect New York day:

Go Rays!

My Mom's Visit Part 2: Holiday Windows

After knocking out the Rockefeller Center Tree and the Rockettes on Night #1, the second day of my mom's visit could be devoted to...well, everything else. (Okay, maybe not everything else, because this is our fourth Christmas in NYC and I'm pretty sure we still haven't seen everything, but you know what I mean.)

We started our day at 34th Street to check out Macy's. We first admired the "Yes, Virginia" store windows on the 34th Street side, then went inside and up a million billion escalators to the holiday shop on the top floor. Then we returned to the street to check out the "Make A Wish" windows on the Broadway side. The last window was interactive and you can create your own digital ornament to be displayed in the window. We didn't fight the crowds to do that with my mom, but Eric did give it a shot one night when he was late coming home from work and had some fun with it.

One of the Macy's "Make a Wish" windows

From there we continued north to Lord & Taylor, which had some of my favorite windows last year. They were quite nice again this year, with the theme "What is Christmas Made Of?" The window scenes were inspired by the artwork of NYC area children in response to that question, and their artwork was featured in the windows, as well.

Eric and my mom at Lord & Taylor

"Happy Everything" drawing by a NYC area child, featured in the Lord & Taylor windows

A portion of one of the holiday scenes

Detail on one of the holiday scenes

A window depicting a family hard at work baking Christmas cookies. My favorite part is the beagle!

The child's drawing that inspired the above window scene!

We then made our way northwest for a pass through Bryant Park. We wandered through the shops and took advantage of free samples (primarily of chocolate) when we could. Then we went across the street to Hale & Hearty for some soup before heading back out on our way.

We walked up Fifth Avenue from there, pausing at any windows that struck our fancy. We checked out the Saks windows, which again, I did not think were their best work. The windows this year tied into the "Bubbles and Snowflakes" light show they have on the exterior of the building, and we already discussed my feelings about that yesterday. I miss the old snowflake light show, and the adorable windows from our first couple of years here, including Mike, the first original snowflake. I guess bubbles just aren't my style.

We also paused at the Tiffany's windows, which were much more elaborate this year than they have been in years past, if memory serves. They featured a carousel theme, and the windows were all framed to look like they were a part of a merry-go-round. The displays themselves were tiny but incredibly elegant. Well done, Tiffany's. 

Windows at Tiffany's

Having some fun with the little mirrors on the window frames

One of the displays...oh, you want to give me that little blue box tied with a red ribbon for Christmas? Hey, who am I to argue?

Close-up of another Tiffany's window, featuring a miniature of their store and a large blue gem wrapped in a diamond bow.

Of course, we also saw some of my other Fifth Avenue holiday favorites, including the big lighted bow on the exterior of Cartier, and the UNICEF snowflake suspended above the street.

I love that snowflake.

We also spent a good bit of time admiring the window displays at Bergdorf Goodman. They are also just so intricate and frankly, spectacular. This year's theme was "Carnival of the Animals."

Two of Bergdorf's windows

This window display was made entirely of paper. On the left is a more general shot, on the right is a close-up of one of the paper animals. Incredible!

We then made our way east to Barney's, which was a must-see for me. Their windows this year were entitled "Gaga's Workshop," and Lady Gaga herself contributed to their design. They were everything you might expect from windows designed by Gaga, including one called "Gaga's Boudoir," in which everything in the display was made out of hair. Nothing says "Happy Holidays" quite like a room covered in hair, am I right?

Store entrance to Gaga's Workshop at Barney's

Gaga's boudoir, made of hair

Close-up of a stool made of hair in Gaga's boudoir

Another Gaga window

We then stopped at Bloomingdale's, whose windows this year were inspired by their iconic shopping bags. They also had stations where you could stop and have your photo taken to be uploaded to their Facebook page. We did take our photo, but never did find it on Facebook!

I have always wanted to take my mom to Serendipity for some frozen hot chocolate, and we were right in the neighborhood and ready for a snack at that point. So, we stopped over to check out the wait time, which was THREE TO FOUR HOURS. Holy cow. So, we skipped Serendipity. Goodness!

Instead of sipping frozen hot chocolate, we hopped on the subway and went down to the Washington Square Park area, where we stopped for cupcakes at Molly's Cupcakes (that place Eric and I discovered on a recent date night). The cupcakes were so good. We might have to make that place a regular stop.

My mom and me sitting on the swings at the bar at Molly's Cupcakes

My Ron Bennington Cupcake. Heavenly.

Feeling refreshed from our cupcake break, we walked over to Washington Square Park to check out the Christmas tree there. Unfortunately, it wasn't lit yet, but my mom had never seen that park so it was a nice stop anyway. While we were there, a young man started playing the piano right there in the park. It was beautiful, and just one of those "man, this is a really cool city" kinds of moments.

You can see the (unlit) Christmas tree and Empire State Building through the arch

Pianist in Washington Square Park

VIDEO: Pianist in Washington Square Park

We were about ready to call it a night at that point (holy long day, Batman), but on our way back to the PATH train we made sure to take my mom past the Friends apartment building. Hey, we have to cram in all the sights we possibly can!

When we got home, we went out to pick up some wine (for Eric and my mom, of course) and ordered in a pizza. We spent the rest of the night relaxing and playing Rock Band. Good times!

Achilles was happy to have us all home, especially my mom. He adores her!

Isn't Christmas in NYC great? There's just so much to see!

Coming up tomorrow: Less Christmas, more sightseeing, including the 9/11 Memorial, the Stock Exchange (okay, that's Christmas-y) and Hoboken. Stay tuned!