Cupcake Tour through Photos

Walking through a Cupcake Wonderland

I love, love, love sweets! I have a pretty intense sweet tooth. You don't want to know how many packs of sugar go into my cup of coffee...you might have a sugar rush if you knew :/ Well, when I found out that New York City provides a walking tour around the city to its most popular/famous bakeries to showcase some of its best cupcakes, I swiped my credit card and announced, "count me in!" There was was no way I was going to missed out of the action. I went on the Great New York City Cupcake tour with a friend and dove right into a frosting coated experience. I was able to not only taste some of the world's delicious cupcakes, gelato, and cookies (they are just as important as cupcakes) but I also learned information about cupcakes and their famous locations. I decided to share with you, I can't keep all the good stuff to myself! The Great New York City Cupcake Tour was a 1.5 mile cake-walk. We went to six famous locations in which we were allowed to sample and build our own cupcakes. Since we passed famous locations for gelato and cookies we sampled from those locations as well. Have a napkin in hand because your mouth might start watering from here on...and you might understand why for me having one cupcake is never enough!

First Stop: Baked by Melissa

This bakery was founded in 2008. They make custom made cupcakes for special occasions.


The Tye Dye cupcake is their signature.

Every month there is a mini cupcake of the month. This month is Picnic Watermelon.

There are 11 locations throughout the city. They
may seem tiny but one bite can work wonders for that sweet tooth of yours!

Second Stop: Amorino

This Italian serving ice cream shop was created by two best friends from Paris in 2002. 

Their famous gelato has no artificial flavors or colorings. The gelatos also have natural ingredients such as organic eggs, fresh whole milk and selected seasonal fruits. There is no additional sugar.

You must come to New York City to tried Amorino Gelato
because this is the only one in the United States!

I tried the Mango Sorbet. WOOWWW!! It tasted just as if I had bitten into an actual mango. 

The mangoes that were used to make this gelato were imported from India.

Third Stop: Crumbs

In March 2003 the world's LARGEST cupcake chain was opened...and forever cupcake's lovers lives were changed!!

Just 6 months Starbucks started selling coffee in Crumbs. Which is the perfect mix for ME!











Fourth Stop: Molly's Cupcakes

Winner of Cupcake Wars

Founded by a man named John that was inspired by his third grade teacher. His teacher name was Molly.


All sales are donated to education.


The bakery has a school theme with swing seats, school classroom table and chart board.

Don't like the cupcake choice at Molly's then build your own cupcake.

I built a vanilla, brown butter cupcake with cookies and cream sprinkles.













Fifth Stop: Milk and Cookies

 

Opened in 2006. Inside you can buy a recipe book of 80 different types of cookies written by the founder and owner.


Inside not only can you buy cookies but homemade ice cream sandwiches as well.


Have a dog? Have a puppy? You can buy bake  dog treats in the shape of bones.

Salted Oat Cookies

I was so full from the previous stops that I struggled to complete this cookie. You can truly taste the sea salt in the middle of the cookies...yummy!












Sixth and Final Stop: The Magnolia Bakery
 The oldest bakery on the tour which became popular due to an episode on Sex and the City. When the bakery first opened in 1996 there were only three employees: one baker, one washer and one seller. Today, The Magnolia Bakery is known for its red velvet cupcake.

Last Facts: Cupcakes recently became popular in the last decade. The first cupcake was mention in the late 1700 in a cookbook in which it was
referred to as, "a cake to bake in a small cup."

What is your favorite cupcake? What is your favorite bakery? Leave a comment. Did you enjoy this post? If so, please consider sharing on Facebook, Twitter, or via Email. Also, I'd love to keep sending you updates about my journey of maintaining inner happiness, so please subscribe to Staircase to Life.

First Concert Experience

Sing Away

Can't you see my excitement!

 I know it's hard to believe but in my mid twenties I just experienced my very first concert. I now totally understand all the hype behind going to see a musician live. After seeing my friends' faces when I stated that I have never been to a concert I knew it was time for a change. I hopped onto my favorite search engine and began my quest. I discovered that my favorite musician was playing in my city. BINGO! I found my first concert, Bruno Mars! If I'm going to experience my first concert what the heck, I should go all out and watch one of the greatest front and center. That is exactly what I did my friends! I bought my tickets, first level, right smack in the center. The only problem was the anticipation of waiting for show day.

The Barclays Center was jammed pack

When show day arrived I was ready and pumped, probably more than Bruno himself. I walked into the Barclays Center located in Brooklyn, New York and felt like a little kid awaiting their parents' permission to open their gifts on Christmas Day. I tried my best to soak in the moment. Bruno Mars' The Moonshine Jungle Tour concert was my first as well as my 56 years old mother. She never saw the need before to attend a concert but definitely caught the concert bug afterwards. Here's why...unbeknown to my mother and I, concerts set forth an invisible bubble of happiness, contentment, enjoyment and the spirit of being carefree. I didn't realize these feelings until the day after. I danced, screamed, singed, ate and waved my hands. I was on my feet the whole time not realizing for two hours I wasn't thinking about anything! There was nothing on my mind. I was at peace. I wasn't worry about the person next to me or behind me noticing my two left feet. I was in a trance but I was happy. I am now hook, no question about it!

     Bruno's Stage before showtime                                                                                                                           Showtime!

Have you ever been to a concert? What was your experience? Please leave a comment :)

So many lights made it hard to take a good picture.                 
However, I will always remember the moment :)                                                                          

                   

 Can you believe Bruno Mars and                                    his bandmates wore those red suits for  more than an hour! They only changed twice!