Entries from August 15th, 2011

August 24, 2011

cupcake taste test | gigi’s cupcakes | overland park, kansas

While I usually turn my nose up at chains, one chain that I can’t seem to get enough of is Gigi’s Cupcakes.

gigi's cupcake sign

{Gigi's Cupcakes opened another franchise in Overland Park this spring.}

Gigi’s Cupcakes opened up shop in south Overland Park (within walking distance of yours truly’s place) this spring, and I’ve frequented the shop several times to pick up treats for girls’ day, the teacher man and just me. I’ve sampled several different flavors (see my Facebook page to check out more cupcakes), but haven’t forgotten my first cupcake from Gigi’s: Kentucky Bourbon Pie.

gigi's cupcakes kentucky bourbon pie cupcake display

{The Southern in me couldn't resist a taste of Kentucky Bourbon Pie from Gigi's Cupcakes in Overland Park.}

Gigi’ Kentucky Bourbon Pie cupcake is a super-sweet bourbon cake loaded with pecans and chocolate chips (Southern dessert staples!). A modest dollop of cream cheese frosting (compared to Gigi’s other cupcakes that boast frosting mountains) covers the cupcakes, and a few more chunks of chocolate and pecans decorate the top. Swirls of caramel and chocolate ganache bind everything together for a sweet sugar rush that is as Southern as…well…Kentucky Bourbon Pie.

gigi's cupcakes kentucky bourbon pie

{Gigi's Kentucky Bourbon Pie cupcake has a more modest amount of frosting atop it compared to the other cupcakes available.}

If you can handle super-rich, sweet cake, try the Kentucky Bourbon Pie cupcake from Gigi’s. If you’re not a frosting person (I am!), Gigi’a may not be for you — the cake to frosting ratio is 1:2, and the frosting definitely outshines the cake. What keeps me going back to Gigi’s are the interesting flavor combinations, sky-high frosting and seemingly endless supply of cupcakes, even at the end of the day.

Do you have a Gigi’s Cupcakes in your area? What do you think of it? Tell me about your experiences in the comments section.

August 23, 2011

poll: which dessert is better?

Happy Tuesday! So, just out of curiosity, how many of you prefer cupcakes to macarons, or vice versa? I’ve only met one person who has said she doesn’t like “those little things” (in reference to macarons!).

Where do you stand? Pie lovers need not comment.

August 22, 2011

beauty scoop | jurlique fruit enzyme exfoliator

To get myself off to a fresh start each week, I try to take time on Sundays to give myself a soothing facial. Lately, I’ve been exfoliating with Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator.

jurlique fruit enzyme exfoliator

{Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator gives my skin a refreshing tingle. Photo Courtesy Jurlique}

Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator is a fruit-based exfoliating mask made with natural enzymes and extracts from Australia. The biodynamic blend of fruit acids, alpha hydroxy acids and organic ingredients slough away dead skin cells to reveal renewed, fresh skin that is soft and lush.

Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator contains amazing Australian super fruits, grown on a biodynamic Jurlique farm, that abound with vitamins and minerals that revitalize and repair tired skin. Some of the more interesting super fruits to note in Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator include quandong, a desert peach which is high in vitamin C and fatty acids; desert lime, another fruit high in vitamin C; and acacia (wattle), which acts as a gentle yet effective exfoliant.

Other pure ingredients in Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator include sugar cane, lemon, orange and apple to brighten and tone skin; prickly pear stem and green tea leaf hydrate and firm skin. Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator is loaded with the good stuff!

My skin always feels refreshed and renewed after using Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator. Though the bottle says it can be used two to three times a week, I save this for my Sunday “skin day” because Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator contains natural alpha hydroxyl acids that can increase sun sensitivity (even though I do wear sunscreen every day, even in winter and early spring!). I also enjoy keeping it to just once a week because you can really see the difference using it after a week of exposing your skin to the elements. Plus, it’s nice to look forward to a Sunday at-home facial to start the week off right!

Do you have any Sunday (or any day!) beauty rituals? What are your favorite natural facial masks and exfoliants? Tell me about them in the comments section.

August 17, 2011

macaron taste test | trader joe’s a la parisienne macarons | nationwide

Pastry chefs always recommend keeping your just-bought macarons cool on your way home. They’ve never said anything, though, about defrosting them once you pop them out of the freezer.

Enter Pastry Chef Joe. Trader Joe.

On a recent trip to the trendy chain grocery store in Kansas City, I spotted a box of French macarons in the frozen sweets aisle and couldn’t resist them. At $4.99 for a dozen (that’s about 42 cents a piece for six chocolate and six vanilla macarons!), I figured it’d be worth a try to taste-test them at home with the help of the teacher man.

trader joe's macarons

{Trader Joe's macarons, along with other frozen delights, caught my eye at the trendy grocery store.}

When I opened my box, I noticed a few cracked macarons — no good! Luckily the other 10 looked just fine. They had the delicate footing around the cream filling and the seemingly right texture on top and bottom.

trader joe's vanilla and chocolate macarons

{Trader Joe's macarons come in simple flavors: chocolate and vanilla.}

Unfortunately, upon biting into them, they lacked the nice, crackly shell. The macarons were a bit too chewy, but the creamy filling did make up for the lack of a crispy top. I preferred the chocolate to the vanilla; the filling was more flavorful, though nothing extraordinary.

So, would I shell out $4.99 for another dozen of Trader Joe’s macarons, or instead pay $1.95 for a couple from Natasha’s Mulberry & Mott in Leawood? Probably the latter. While Trader Joe’s frozen macarons were fine, you just can’t beat fresh-made, local macarons with a crisp shell and soft center.

August 15, 2011

beauty scoop | hurraw! lip balm

My addiction to lip balm is well-documented, but when it comes to tinted lip balms, I just own a few. Two of my favorites are Hurraw! Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm and Hurraw! Tinted Cinnamon Lip Balm.

hurraw! black cherry tinted natural lip balm

{Hurraw! Black Cherry Tinted Lip Balm has a faint scent of delicious black cherries. Photo Courtesy Hurraw!}

hurraw! cinnamon tinted natural lip balm

{Hurraw! Tinted Cinnamon Lip Balm makes your kisser tingle. Photo Courtesy Hurraw!}

These fun-shaped lip balms tout themselves as all-natural, organic, vegan, raw and good. Hurraw! natural lip balms glide onto your pout with a velvety smooth finish — never sticky or greasy. The tinted balms add a hint of natural color without overpowering a makeup-less face; you get that just-kissed look plus a hint of cinnamon tingle (I love that!) or scent of delicious black cherries. At $3.79 a pop, they aren’t a wallet-buster like some natural products tend to be.

I like to wear these tinted lip balms on casual makeup days when I just want a hint of fresh color on my lips. Hurraw! lip balms are great for people on-the-go; you don’t have to worry about fussing with mirrors, lip brushes or lip liner. Just swipe and go!

What do you think about tinted lip balms? Better than gloss? Not as good color payoff? What are the best ones to try? Leave me a comment and let me know!



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