the traveling cupcake: twitter

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Friday, August 05, 2011

Friday Favorites

In case you were not aware, I spend way too much time on the internet. Like, way too much time. Often times everything that I read and watch and listen to leaves me so inspired and excited and...exhausted! My poor MacBook and iPhone really have their work cut out for them. So, I've decided to start a new series - Friday Favorites. It'll be a collections of my (favorite) things from the week - mostly from the internet, some from real life.

So, let's begin, shall we?

*Move by Rick Mereki

I found this video on Twitter via Conde Nast Traveler. If this doesn't inspire you to get off the couch and travel, I don't know what will! Every time I think that I have seen enough - I have traveled enough, I have been to enough places, I am tired and I just want to go home, things like this make me take it all back. Actually, it makes me want to pack a backpack and run as fast as I can to Heathrow and catch the next flight out to anywhere (ok, we are we kidding, I wouldn't run I would take the train), and start another adventure.

MOVE from Rick Mereki on Vimeo

**This wedding video by Paperback Weddings
Ok, so the first two items of the very first Friday Favorites just happen to both be videos, what can I say? But seriously, you need to watch this video too. I bet you can't just watch the first 60 seconds. I found this video from Erin over at Apartment 34 (check out her blog too, its seriously kick-ass). As you know I am a big time lover of all things wedding. And I have inherited my mothers tendency to cry at tissue commercials (thanks a lot, mom!). But seriously, bring tissues for this one. Actually, the part about this video and this wedding that pulls at my heart strings isn't even so much the actual wedding...it's the story of this amazing couple that I don't even know one tiny little bit, and how you can see their love in every frame of this video.

nick+maria • england wedding from Paperback Weddings on Vimeo

***This amazing sweater-scarf-wrap-thing from Hermes.
My office is located in Mayfair, which is full of corporate offices (like mine), hedge funds, glamorous hotels (like Claridges), high end restaurants, flashy cars and luxury retailers galore. The most expensive street of them all is Bond Street, which I recently heard is the most expensive strip of real estate in Europe (even beating out the Champs-Elysees in Paris - Wiki heard it too!). Fortunately (and unfortunately) for me that means LOTS of eye candy staring me right in the face every day (except for when it rains, then I don't venture outside, I might melt). I have passed the Hermes store quite a few times this week and stop and stare at this window every time. It's like some sort of a bathrobe/scarf/wrap/blanket thing that I am pretty sure must be made of bear hugs and fairy kisses and it makes me want to crawl up inside of it and never get out.

How about you? Have you found something wickedly awesome on the internets this week? Share with me!

(Because, clearly, I need more distractions!)

Happy Friday everyone!

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Glasgow, Scotland

Last week we took a long weekend trip up to Scotland. This was another Brian planned trip, so as usual, I didn't know any of the details. All I knew was that we were flying to Glasgow where we would spend the day, and then our friends would meet us in the afternoon and we would drive a couple of hours to our final destination. More on that bit of the trip to come, but first I wanted to share with you the time we spent in Glasgow.

I have to admit, I had absolutely no expectations for Glasgow. It's not that I thought ill of the small city, I just didn't know anything about it. I can happily say that I was pleasantly surprised by this charming city on the river. There are numerous ways to spend your time - shopping, museums, exhibits, churches...the list goes on and on.

We arrived very unprepared. I hadn't done any research or read any books before landing. We grabbed a map from the rent-a-car desk and made our way in to the center of town. After a quick caffeine boost we decided that we would wander over to the Necropolis. Actually, we thought we were headed someplace else, but when we finally rolled up to the Glasgow Cathedral and wandered over the bridge, I realized that we were not in Kansas anymore.

Err. Right, you know what I mean.

The Necropolis is one of the oldest burial grounds in the UK, and one of the most significant in all of Europe. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors a year, who come to visit the 50,000 tombs and wander the hilly grounds. The cemetery opened in 1833 as a non-denominational burial ground and contains the tombs and graves of some of the most important Glaswegian (yeah I had to look that up) members of society during the Victorian era.

The path from the bridge meanders and wanders over the hills up to the highest point which over looks the Glasgow Cathedral. There are some amazing tombs, gravestones and sculptures and you could spend hours researching and learning about the people who rest here.

After a quick peek inside the Cathedral we were feeling the effects of waking up at 4am and our tummys were rumbling. A quick twitter Q&A with Traveller magazine and we were on our way to one of Glasgow's favorite restaurants - Cafe Gandolfi.

Cafe Gandolfi has been around for decades and continues to be one of the most recommended, well known restaurants in Glasgow. And for good reason! The traditional Scottish dishes, laid back vibe and friendly staff make it hard not to like this place. Even though we steered clear of traditional Scottish dishes for lunch (haggis and black pudding are not really our thing...shocking, right?) we both devoured our meals. A pint of local, Scottish brew and a kick-butt lemon tart later and we were feelin' the love for this charming local favorite. Not to mention that the tables and chairs were some of the coolest I've seen in a long while. Made of thick, heavy wood and polished to give it a healthy, worn look (which might have occurred naturally after 30+ years on the scene!) we couldn't stop staring at them and commenting on how rad they were.

Before we knew it our day in Glasgow was over. We had to head back to the airport to pick up our friends. Then we were heading Northwest into the Scottish Highlands!

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Vanilla Scented Granola

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I have been wanting to make homemade granola for about the last forever. The reason it took me so long to actually make a batch? Self control (or my lack there of). I can't have a box of granola in the house for longer than 24 consecutive hours, no matter how hard I try. When I was studying abroad in Italy I became addicted to this amazing granola that had hazelnuts and milk chocolate chunks in it. I ate so much of it that I actually think that's why I started gaining weight (it certainly couldn't have been the pasta or gelato or red wine!)

Even though that was seven years ago *cringe* I still have a hard time stopping at one bowl.

To be fair, it usually starts out innocently enough...

"I'm going to buy granola and start having a healthy, filling breakfast!" I say to myself,

"I will pair it with yogurt or milk and add fruit too! Look at me, being all healthy and whatnot!"

And then somewhere between pouring the milk over the granola and taking that first crunchy bite the room goes fuzzy and dark and the next thing I know I am waking up to an empty granola box and crushed milk carton by my side. And I'm pretty sure thats not healthy (the eating-a-whole-box-of-granola thing, not the passing out thing).

Yet no matter how hard I try to distance myself from granola it always finds a way to sneak back into my thoughts. I finally decided that the only way I could get it off my brain would be to make a batch myself. I even reasoned to myself that if I made it myself I could at least control the ingredients and what it was made of (no yuckies!). Suddenly, the possibilities seemed endless - oh the granola I could make!

I could add almonds, hazelnuts or pecans!

I could add raisins or craisins or dried apricots or, hey why not, a little dried mango or pineapple!

I could add dark chocolate or milk chocolate - as little (err...) as I wanted!

But for my first time around, I decided to stick to the basics. I found a great recipe to use as a base for all future granola creations. It has vanilla and sliced almonds, and just a hint of cinnamon. Its perfect on its own, but the best part about it is how adaptable it is. You could fix it up any way that you liked, whatever your little heart desires!

This, my friends, is dangerous.

Vanilla Scented Granola
adapted from Bon Appetit via Epicurious.com

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup honey (or agave nectar)
2 tbsp sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract (go on, use the good stuff!)

- Preheat the oven to 300*F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or grease with nonstick cooking spray

- Combine the oats, almonds, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. In a small pot heat together the vegetable oil, honey and sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over the dry mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to evenly coat.

- Spread granola out on the cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. I baked mine for 30 minutes total, stirring after each 10 minute interval. After 30 minutes I turned off the oven, patted the granola down tight into the pan and put back in the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

Once cool, break up the granola into chunks, immediately shove a handful of it into your mouth and then store in an airtight container.

Extras!

After my granola was done cooling I added chopped dried pears and small pieces of dark chocolate (72%). These additions are super yummy in this granola as they add another layer of flavors and texture but don't over power the delicate vanilla taste of the granola! What do you like to add in your granola? Tell me in the comments section!

Sunday, July 03, 2011

Weekend Recap

It's been a busy weekend here in London - half of which included getting out of London! Yesterday we took a little road trip (and by little I mean a three hour car ride) to Durdle Door and Lulworth Cove. I'm going to tell you aaaalllll about our trip soon (it involved a seven mile hike, picnic fried chicken and a mexican chip butty) but here's a sneak peak -

There has been a flurry of summer recipes on twitter this past week that have caught my eye. The weather is still pretending to be summery so I took full advantage of an empty house this afternoon and spent a few hours cooking up a storm.

Strawberry Vodka via David Lebovitz

Strawberries + vodka = perfect summery drink! This time next week I'll be sipping on a cool cocktail made with some of this lovely pink stuff (and it's so easy you won't believe it)

Honey Rosemary Lemonade via Shutterbean

A refreshing non-alcoholic option for these hot, humid days (I'm still waiting for some of those, but I'll drink this anyway - try adding some sparkling water for a little fizz).

Caprese Quinoa Salad via How Sweet It Is

This went PERFECT with our grilled BBQ chicken tonight. Anything with tomatoes, baby mozzarella and basil is a winner in my book. The basil olive oil in the recipe is amazing, and it's so easy to make - I can tell it's going to be a big hit in this house all through the summer!

Rosemary simple syrup (L) and Basil Olive Oil (R)

I also spent an enormous amount of time trying to make these lovely red velvet cupcakes by Pinch my Salt. I think there is a curse on me that prohibits me from being able to make red velvet cupcakes, because these did not turn out at all. The recipe is totally fine, I was just being a complete spaz by the time it came to make these. The batter came together nicely and then I was too busy dancing around my kitchen to notice that I filled the cupcake liners all the way to the top, so when they were baking in the oven they totally spilled out of the liner and all over the top of the pan. Then I decided to make cake pops out of them and that was such an epic fail I won't divulge in the details for fear of making you close your browser in disgust. The last time I tried to make red velvet cupcakes was a couple of years ago for Valentine's Day. Lets just say that I used two bags of powdered sugar and all I could get the frosting to do was curdle. So, it looks like it will be another couple of years before I try making these again!

I hope you all have a wonderful July 4th holiday if you celebrate that kind of thing. July 4th actually might be one of my favorite holidays, and one that I miss the most living in London - BBQs, fireworks, hot summer weather, small towns dressed up in red, white and blue, cold drinks, spending time with friends and family - yeah, that sounds like a pretty good holiday to me!

How are you celebrating this holiday weekend? Drop me a line in the comments section or send me a note on twitter (@trvlngcupcake) - I love hearing what my readers are up to! Have a happy and safe fourth of July!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

tweet, tweet

HHEELLOOOOOO WORLD!

I did it.

I finally bit the bullet.

Be my friend! And tweet along with me!

@trvlngcupcake

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