Memories of Septembers Past

August and September have always been months of new beginnings. I remember loathing the long days of summer and looking forward to going back-to-school. There was shopping, meeting new classmates, starting new grade levels, learning new things.

Last year around this time, I moved to New York and started a new job. It's been an awesome year. I've settled into my life here, in the big City, and realized it isn't all that big :D! Career-wise I've learned so much working and improved in so many ways. Thank you.

As the season of new beginnings approaches, I have another new beginning awaiting - this time in October. I look forward to the journey that awaits along that road...! I hope that as I approach this chapter of my life, I can commit to healthy living. I want to keep my eyes on the prize at the end of the road instead of focusing on short-term satisfactions.

I can do it!

Commitment to Healthy Living

The year is almost over, but I've decided to make some September resolutions: I want to commit to healthy living. My first step? More raw foods- fruits and vegetables in my diet. I also need to drink more water than coffee. I always forget about these sorts of commitments - or more like choose to ignore it - so I am also going to write about my commitment to healthy living daily.

Today's healthy choices: activia yogurt, grapes, cherries.
Today's bad health choices: venti iced coffee, chips & salsa, cake

My justifications: I need coffee to function, there were a lot of tomatoes in the salsa, and the cake was in honor of my departure.

Cupcakes - Two Little Red Hens

Serious Eats recently taste-tested the cupcakes of New York City. Number two on the list was Two Little Red Hens on the Upper East Side. A and I were in the area, so we did a taste-test as well. At the counter were samples of their red velvet cake. Without any real expectations, we took a bite; they were definitely impressivo! The cake was moist and not too sweet - exactly what I enjoy. Too often, cakes and especially cupcakes are either dry or way too sweet.



We tried several flavors: red velvet, carrot cake, strawberry jam, chocolate bomb and several others - a total of seven different mini cupcakes (I also picked up a slice of banana nut bread for breakfast in the AM).


My favorite of them all was definitely the strawberry jam cupcake. It tastes like strawberry shortcake - but better! There is a burst of strawberry jam in the center, and the frosting is a little (too) butter-y but not overpoweringly sweet. Love it!


Also great was the carrot cake cupcake. Despite the oppressively humid heat, it felt like Thanksgiving. A tie for second place on my list is the chocolate bomb (I might have made up that name) - which is chocolate pudding filled chocolate cake with chocolate frosting. The chocolate pudding filling is smooth and tones down what could have been a too-chocolate-y cupcake.

Two Little Red Hens
but isn't he a rooster?