introducing... CUPCAKES!

Question: Why is your blog named xoxoCUPCAKE?

Answer 1: I'm a HUGE fan of desserts-- anything tiny, sweet, cute, portable, and yummy is definitely right up my alley. I guess it's no surprise that I was one of the first to hop onto the cupcake bandwagon that emerged a couple years back. I was so crazy about cupcakes that I tried almost every cupcake shop in San Francisco (I think?); a cupcake connoisseur is what I like to call myself. Some of my favorite cupcake shops in the greater Bay Area include: Sweet Things, Kara's Cupcakes, Sibby's Cupcakery, Miette, and of course, the infamous Sprinkle's Cupcakes. Though I've moved onto bigger and better things (macarons, anyone??), cupcakes still hold a special place in my heart, just like this blog. I'm a cheese ball, yes. :)

Answer 2: Anyone that knows me personally knows that I own 3 doggies, and I am crazy about them. They're my babies. While I was in cupcake mode a couple years back, I received my 2nd dog as a gift. And what did I name him? Yup, you got it.. CUPCAKE.

With that being said, it's destined that my blog is named xoxoCUPCAKES. I always have and always will have much xoxo for both cupcakes-- doggie and dessert. :)

FOOD for the BRAIN

It's nearing 2am, and in the midst of attempting to study Anatomy and writing reviews on Yelp, I've come to realize that I'm damn hungry. Instead of practicing self control (what's that?), I find myself scrummaging through the bag of loot I purchased earlier today. Backtrack.. I was shamelessly wandering the snack aisle of Target today, casually "browsing" for "healthy" study snacks. And what did I come across? Stouffer's Whales. Now you may wonder.. "What the hekk are Whales?!" I, too, found myself asking the same question. Due to curiosity and letting the Chinese in me kick in (Whales were $1.00 for a 7 oz. box VS Goldfishes, $2.24 a bag), I found myself pinching pennies and opted for the Whales instead. (side note: honestly, there's no pinching of pennies going on, I'm just saving for Sigma brushes!!)

So what are Whales? Through Google, I learn that Whales are a knock off .. errr, "second rate snack" of my beloved Pepperidge Farm Goldfishes. My initial thoughts? .. "How dare someone second rate MY goldfishes!!!" Anyway, check this baby out:

Cute, huh? The Whale is bigger than the Goldfish cracker. Go figure. The taste is bland, lacking in pungent cheddar flavor, and does not live up to its description: a "baked snack cracker with REAL cheddar cheese". The texture is slightly off, not crispy like Goldfishes. The whale is cute, but in a nutshell... WHALE FAIL.

Final verdict: Pepperidge Farm Goldfishes trumps Stouffer's Whales. Pay that extra ~$1.50. This is just another example of the classic phrase "you get what you pay for."

To my readers: any other snack suggestions?