Hello Upper West Siders, xoxo

Whole Foods just opened up on my block. Literally, ON MY BLOCK. I stumble out my door and there it is.

WHY IT'S AWESOME.

• It's Whole Foods. The Associated Supermarket, which is located on the other corner and which sold me spoiled canned goods, had better watch out.
• They support local farms.
• They have a bulk foods section.
  
• There are escalators for people and for carts. It is amazing. This makes a potential "NOT AWESOME" point of the store being 2 levels moot.
• They have baskets on wheels! And the long handles allow you to tow your basket! This seems like something all NYC grocery stores should have.
• Nice staff who will take 10 minutes to explain how MFC certification works and why it is okay to eat one's favorite yet endangered fish, chilean sea bass.
  

WHY IT'S NOT AWESOME.

• It's grocery shopping in NYC, and there is nothing good about grocery shopping in NYC. It causes me stress. Too many people making me have to shuffle my feet because I have to wait to get anywhere and then there are all sorts of "excuse me's" which more like mean "I'm moving through and you can't stop me." Strategically shopping at off-peak hours is necessary.
• Increased traffic on my block. It looked like there were field trips going on on opening day. Hope that dies down.

And for anybody who wants some cheering up (I knew I liked Conan for a reason):

I Collect Things.

Things from hotels, that is. I have not bought soap in over a year.

I discovered my new favorite flower -- Zinnias! This flower is like a piece of art. Look how awesome! And this whole flower arrangement is awesome. Has all my other favorite things: Calla lilies and orchids!
Anybody know what that fuzzy brain-like flower is off to the left side of the pic?

Week's "Vacation"

I spent this past week in the Bay Area "working remotely." I put this in quotes because it feels like I wasn't working since I excused myself at 3:30 pm PST/6:30 pm EST everyday, but in fact, I was actually working (am not lying, coworkers do not know about this blog).

I was very productive during my vacation.

I went to my friend's baby shower. Discovered that I am no good at baby shower games -- I vastly overestimated her abdominal circumference.

I made a cake for a casual dinner party at my friend's place. This cake has been my best yet aside from the droopy frosting. Some key improvements in my technique (1) bake the entire cake in a single springform pan; do not separate to bake in 2 pans (2) do not be afraid to lop off the entire rounded top of the cake (3) use math; measure thickness of layers (4) PIPE THE FROSTING LAYERS! (5) make enough frosting (6) learn how to actually pipe before piping.

Total dessert count during my stay:

2 slices of my own red velvet cake (which accidentally had 2 sticks of butter instead of 1.5)

2 cupcakes that were made from leftover batter from red velvet cake

1/4 of lopped-off top from red velvet cake

1 slice of lemon cake

1 slice of black forest cake

2 slices of Marie Callendar's apple pie

2 slices of delicious wedding cake (pics below)

0.5 capuccino It's It

1 small Red Mango

O-M-G. Feel disgusting!