Sweet-Talkin' Resolutions

The beginning of a new year strikes us with the notion of a fresh beginning.  Perhaps last year was pretty pathetic, somewhat intolerable or a hair bit dizzy and thank the heavens that it has passed! But in the whilst of letting go, we tend to amplify our thoughts that this year will be "the year".  But "my year" cannot be it unless I  can tame my cynicism and realize that wit does not always win. And this I will certainly seek to get past. Weeks before Jan 1st, I begin to obsess over a premeditated list and as I modify it for the 23rd time, I become overwhelmed.   My list...is it too inconceivable, too uncanny, or perhaps too vain for my own good?  Can I really pull some of these things off?  So instead of fretting, I have modified my list for the 24th time. This year I am going to start small and grow BIG.   Short of an angel apprentice, I have good intentions. I really do!  So with an utmost conviction, I give you my brief list of some things I plan to gamble with in 2012:

1.  Write more...even if it means jotting down incoherent thoughts.  Thank goodness for the military     encryption protection Penzu has created.  Genius!  If only I could remember my password :(
2.  Drink more water.  Something is wrong if I can hold it for 8 hours straight.  This I vow to the organ donor organization and my kidneys will be happy too.
3.  Lay off the white powdered donuts.  Spend that weekly $5.45 to take in a matinee instead,  preferably a funny movie with low Siskel and Ebert reviews. Those guys don't like to laugh.
4.  Pay it forward.  I can so do this.
5.  Forgive. Forgive and forget...or at least don't bring it up in the middle of a fight.
6.  Talk about myself in third person so I can get a better understanding of what the heck I'm thinking. 
7.  Listen...really listen.  Listen without making faces as an implied remark or reaction.  Mother always told me my nose would stay crunched up if I didn't stop making faces!
8.  Judge no one...unless they are wearing black undies with white bottoms.
9.  Take violin lessons...real ones and leave the YouTube lessons for the more advanced.
10. Love myself more so I can love those around me.  

So my fellow cake enthusiasts, enjoy the plethora of wishful thinking and new beginnings whether it be dusting off that ole gym membership, trading in that unreliable scale or being ninny hammered by those electronic cigarettes. If I should fail to accomplish any of these deeds perhaps this year is not "my year".  Happy New Beginnings!  Love L

  

Mama Mia!

Ever daydream of escaping to an Italian vineyard or casually taking the customary passeggiata through the streets of Sienna, Florence, Napoli or Sorrento in search of something delectable for the appetite?  Oh yeah…I’m a girl with big dreams too! Luckily, we have our very own passport to little Italy or better yet… to Nonna Tata which is equally intriguing and even more charismatic.  A quaint little diner located on Magnolia Street, right in the heart of the Fairmont district of Fort Worth, is as close to Italy as your yen can get. Once I had a fill of the never apprehensive focaccia bread blanketed in olive oil and a few glasses of red vino, this girl was ready for dessert! One of the most flirtatious desserts on the menu was the Almond Ricotta cake with lemon sauce, a combination of a rich pudding and caaaaake!  Served warm, the cream center perfectly balanced the texture of the almonds and the tartness of the lemons; can you say …Mama Mia! The delicate taste of almond and lemon compliment each other in a really wonderful way.  And since I’m a natural exaggerator, I’m going to go ahead and say it in my not-so-best Italian Ah…E’ semplicemente magnificio!”  So, get there early in the evening, enjoy the cozy ambience, exhale slowly after each sip of your favorite wine, indulge in the appetizers, get your fill of the pastas and enjoy the immortal desserts! 

Chunka Hunka Burnin' Love

So, on a savory quest to find cake, I stumbled upon the next best thing...a chocolate chunk pie! Oh, and what a fantabulous reprieve! This is just what I've been needing to help clear my cluttered mind. Every bite seemed to help me breathe deeper while every swallow helped me exhale all the worrisome thoughts.  So, it sounds a bit recognizant but ooooh, if only you knew my fellow cake enthusiasts the privies that this untamed and godforesaken groundless girl has held, you'd understand why I had eaten the huge slice of pie almost to its entirety.  Well deserved, I say...well deserved. Is it fair that this rich pie had everything to gain and nothing to lose?  This chunka hunka burnin' love of a traditional pecan pie revamped with endless seepage of caramel and coarse chocolate chunks all mantled perfectly into a delicious crust was the ultimate netherworld I tell ya.  If I compared myself to this pie, I'd say, yep, I'd have everything to gain and nothing to lose too, well...um, maybe five pounds and my dignity.  Maybe?  Nah, dignity, chignity! Sometimes,  we just have to sloooow down and enjoy the sweeter things in life and what a novel idea of mine for today.  Life is fair.  Life is sweet.  Life is cake and pie and chocolate and all it implies AND everything else that causes the serotonins to go gaga and buck wild absent some enhanced narcotic. Life makes no reservation, so go out on a limb and visit the Pie Place & Bakery in Burleson, Texas if you want   a taste of an inhaling life-changing moment.

Happy 2011 Fellow Cake Enthusiasts!

Another year has come and gone.  For the impressionable, I will not negate that I was able to commit to some of 2010’s resolutions...really.  While I didn’t make a dent in the rosin, my poor violin is still shamelessly sitting in a dark corner but on the other hand, I did manage to read some classic novels and some juicy trilogies this year while I let those fab gawd-awful trashy mags collect dust and water rings throughout.  While my self-indulgent Wednesdays have become obselete, I did manage to have a quarter-life crisis while seeping out tantrums galore.  But this is a new year and in the name of social and economic prosperity and for the safety of mankind, here are my intentions for 2011, well kinda:

1. Dulcify my life…a hard lesson has taught me that only I can make myself happy
2. Continue to throw tantrums when I see fit but realize that sometimes pouting, stomping and saying four letter words doesn't work with everyone…will have to get more creative this year!
3. Letting go of my feelings of guilt; this will put me in touch with my sociopath
4. Get lost less...thanks to Tom Tom.
5. Continue to disarm myself with that gym membership…walking and running is cheaper
6. While amidst being at war with my vices, accept that I can’t change who I am and be content with my dual personality...especially when an alibi is needed. (Grin, sigh... explosive grin).
7. Try to not wear so many "stretchy pants" out in public along with those eye soring Crocs…in socks.  If I do get caught in this faux fashion disgrace, accept the fact I may be nominated for the next contender on “What not to Wear”.  Hey, who wouldn’t want to shop in NY? Fancy Smanchy stretchy pants.
8. Continue to hoard my cake guiltlessly
9. Reinstate at least one reckless day as if I were celebrating my 50^th birthday
10. Nothing comes amiss, so I will stop trying to take leaps and bounds and instill baby steps instead.

So kids...enjoy your binge diets, your stiffening will to quit bad habits and your new, shiny gym memberships.  I will be fine in 2011...as long as I am not in prison.

Disparity: "I'm A Gettin' Chocolate Wasted!"

Despite the fact that on this day, I had been feeling somewhat discouraged in both my personal and work life, I made the decision to venture out for cake as a wholly reprieve to yank me from that "oh woe is me" mood. "Get over it Laura! So, things don't always go your way, and here's a bigger shock...no matter how much you stomp and pout and argue with the facts of life, no matter how strong the abyss of disenchantments are, things will still not go your way."  It's a proven fact and it's harsh to come to the realization of it all.  But Ha! what a misconception to my know- it- all and definitely more rational alter ego...things always go my way at McKinley's bakery! You see, when it comes to cake, I can have it all and there is no negative conjunctions of ands or buts in this scenario. I am going to eat the biggest slice of butter cream chocolate cake AND enjoy the best prelude of what it will do for me BUT the after effect of getting chocolate wasted will only invoke the servitude of my renowned love for life again! The rich butter cream chocolate icing blanketing the moist chocolate cake can serve to hide the disorder of our nature....sometimes, um...well today anyway!  To thine own self be true my fellow cake enthusiasts; console your craving and keep enjoying the sweet splendor things in life. Since you can't eat hope, try cake... it will always sustain you !

Thanksgiving Havoc? Not for this girl!

As I post this, I am comfortably lounging in what I refer to as my stretchy pants (um, yep so comfortable that they require placement in italic form).  I woke up this morning feeling rather carefree.  You see, because of some current altering events in my personal life, I was able to make the choice to make this Thanksgiving stress free.  I ordered the turkey dinner with all the trimmings this year.  I apologize for the fact that I used everything that is disposable for the sake of an entire tree forest. But nonetheless, I am today grinning from ear to ear as I reminisce on the fact that last year this time, I was secretly obsessing over wanting to be Martha Stewart's apprentice. I didn't get that expensive turkey baster or  even a shoddy one for that matter.  What to do with the cranberry sauce?  Who cares!  I have failed spectacularly in my domestic capacities and it feels exceptionally wonderful!  On the other hand, however, I did take the time to pay tribute to the blessings in my life. I am completely smittened when I think about it.  And on an oddly ravishing note, I must also thankfully behold the quirky benedictions that make me who I am.  I still don't feel insecure about the compulsory arguments I feel I need to have with myself.  I still feel that the fact that my insanely clumsiness has not failed me to come to a complete fall as of this date but that fact that I secretly rehearse that tragic recovery keeps my persona open to not being afraid of falling.  I keep saying I won't wear those shoes again; call me insatiably stubborn! I am continually banking on the fact that my OCD has successfully paroled into something productive and the fact that once again this year, my being has not yet morphed into a sugar comatose.  For today I have taken that premature obituary and have shredded it into itsy bitsy pieces!  I fit right into this whimsical and fun life no matter what it places before me. So, now that my stretchy pants have conformed to me, I think room has been made for a warm piece of Apple pie.  A Happy Happy Thanksgiving to you all my fellow Cake Enthusiasts!  And remember....when life hands you lemons, make lemon pie!  

You Darn Right...I like cake!

I like cake, no mistake, but baby if you insist, I'll cut out the cake, just for your sake!  Ummm...I think not! Baby, C'mon and knock me a kiss.  I like pie, I hope to die, just get a load of this when you get high, doggone the pie! No matter what life hands you, sometimes things get better when you take the time to indulge in the sweet things it has to offer...and YES, I am totally referring to cake.  I know it's been far too long that I have posted anything.  By all means, please discard any sneers. But you see, I have been put through some painstaking tribulations that have exploded rapidly out of control and with that control harbored my love for cake venturing.  I think I'm making some progress and am ready to get back into the wonderful and exciting world of cake again.  I made the mistake of letting life's mishaps get in the way of indulging in my daily sinful intakes.  Who does that?  Don't let anything ever take you away from what you love.  After all, cake, pie, chocolate and those darn intoxicating white powdered donuts were created on the eighth day to make life sweeter.  I want cake and I want it all...who's with me?  

Despicable Me!

It's been a while I know but you see, I have a confession to make...I haven't ventured out for anything enticing worth blogging about.  Lately, the defeat of life's daunting activities itself have kept me from enjoying the things I look forward to doing, i.e...cake hunting! At times, I've gone through my day, whether it’s at work or at home and I vicariosly convince myself that today will be the day I venture out. With my list in hand of places to visit, despicably so, I'm suddenly dragging my senses to the cafeteria.  Now mind you, I must also confess in an odd and very pertubed sort of way, that I find myself excitedly making a push to the desserts dome. And so undescribably, I take only moments to decide which cake to get.  So who cares if I pick Tuesday's cake and today is Thursday! So who cares if the cake is dry, who cares if it has raisins, who cares if it's so tasteless that I eat only the icing, and who cares if it's pre-packaged and delivered by some third party vendor! Obviously, in my out-of-mind rut...I don't! I have succumbed to just that!  I need to get out of this schtick.

So just as I stooped to the lowest level...day old carrot cake, yep, from the cafeteria again, my mood had been suddenly lifted. A rich and succulent chocolate brownie cupcake from Central Market made its way to me by way of a wonderful friend.  The picture alone describes the thousand delicious words I would normally get carried away with. One bite and I felt like I was rehabilitated. This is possibly just the diversion I needed. It allows for the possibility that I might just be that girl again. I don’t know, on some Tuesday in August at some unspecified point in the history of the world, I will be heading out again, crossing off my list of tasty venues. I want to get back on track and eat REAL cake. Enough of the sadly staged sattire, forget desperate times calling for desperate measures...forget cafeteria cake! In lieu of the real thing, I'll opt for the packaged white-powdered donuts from the gift shop as a plan for my grand scheme instead!

Sweet Vacation

On Florida’s north panhandle, or better known as the “forgotten coast", exists a quaint dining café known as That Place Off 98 located in historic Apalachicola…dare you say that three times without snickering about the fact you might have said something else. Besides the fun-to-say name, this place serves up the best Key Lime Pie that side of the Gulf coast.  Naturally, it tastes like they used fresh key limes. I would expect nothing less in the Sunshine state. Beautifully embodied into the sweet and grainy graham cracker crust, was all the goodness of the perfect combination of tart and sweet custard where itzy bitzy flecks of small green zest might be detected here and there if you had microscopic vision. This treat made the fervent, scorching heat dissipate for some moments at a time. After lunch, we strolled down to Apalachicola Chocolate Company, where beautifully adorned truffles laid in all its glory behind some old glassed domes. On one end of this new found heaven, was the Italian gelato. After sampling the lemon flavor, I opted for a full size. The owner left to get more cups down the street. He’d only been perfecting his homemade gelato for the past three years and on this day, obviously the perfection ceased: He ran out of cups! Owner and chocolate master maker, George Stritikus, both charming and an avid story teller, proceeded to tell me about the commencement of this wonderful journey. I listened in awe as I’d take a bite of my lemon gelato and in between sample a few truffles as he insisted and had to prove he uses only fine chocolate. And undeniably so, I agreed…no catch-penny chocolate here! The Hazelnut Aporn and the Grand Mariner truffles were nothing less than high class. My peripheral vision caught sight of the Pecan Bourban and the Kahlua Cacao but my thirsty palate yearned for another bite of the refreshing gelato. He continued his story about hiring a group of samplers in an effort to perfect his chocolate recipes. Should they mention the chocolate was perfect, he'd seek out new samplers!  Where was I ten years ago? I'd of made the perfect sampler, "Eewww, George, this is awful, please start all over and bring me another!" George was a kind man, not only because he allowed me to have my fill of samples but because his love for chocolate reflected everything he put into his recipes. He gave me his recipe for gelato: water, milk, and fresh fruit. Seemed much too simple to believe, even for me. There are a few missing ingredients that cannot be imitated nor duplicated. I insist he makes it with a lot of passion and a pinch of love.  Even in the "forgotten coast", there are a splendid number of things that will always be remembered! 

Senseless Sensation

Lately, gluttony and lack of self control seem to compromise my usual good sense as evidenced of course by my recent incidental golf cart fiasco. The result of some futile greens terrain ride…a torn ligament to the groin, beautiful hues of purple and brown bruises, the unbearable use of those gawd awful crutches, the halt of bearing cute summer heels and then that slightly awkward limp followed thereafter. Minus the pain, the lack of supermom duties, the act of kindness imposed by strangers, the ‘free cookies for your booboo’ at a restaurant, the unwarranted offers to clean your house, the unsolicited frowns by strangers as they wonder what happened, and the best part…the guilt that indulges one so much that he feels the need to feed me a strawberry shortcake sundae every other night, well, isn’t so bad after all! In due time, everything heals. Until then, I decided to take the pity in strife and why not act upon another senseless act. A temporary clogged artery? Indulge in something deep fried? Eh, what did I have to lose?

So, the latest episode of senseless decisions occurred when I made my weekly venture to Yucatan Taco Stand. Having made it through nearly their whole dessert menu, the only thing left to try was the Deep Fried Cheesecake.

This fabulous gastrointestinal atrocity was served warm, the mushy cheesecake filling wrapped inside a flaky crust generously immersed in cinnamon sugar was just what I needed to make me feel better. Served upright side to side and adorned with a flowered mound of whipped topping then drizzled with alternating chocolate syrup in lattice form, made for a very delightful presentation.

I’ve heard deep fry batter clogs the memory; must be some merit to that…it was so good and enthralling that I had almost forgotten to swallow! So, go ahead and get lost in some crassly act every now and then; it can be a really good thing!