I was fortunate to attend the last few hours of the annual Bon Odori festival held at the Seattle Buddhist Temple this past weekend. The celebrations consisted of honoring one’s ancestors, shaved ice, yakisoba, and dancing in the streets until the sun went down, which happens pretty late around here.

the bike now belongs in here!

the bird doesn’t belong in here… but found it’s way in anyway.

Cupcake Camp Seattle was a major let down. It made me reevaluate my entire thinking on this confectionery breed. Awhile back, I did a little comic to settle the cupcake / muffin debate. To be fair, I let it end in a tie – but I was secretly pulling for cupcake. Today, at Cupcake Camp Seattle, that changed. I arrived at 12:15, to a line wrapping around the block. For those familiar with the shenanigans at Magnolia Bakery, this isn’t really so unusual or disheartening. I had a semi warm cup of coffee and good company to keep me going. As I waited for 45 minutes I got a bit of a sneak preview of those exiting with boxes of cupcakes of every size and sort imaginable.  Some looked more appetizing than others. After 45 minutes, we were informed they were out of cupcakes. OUT of cupcakes!

Feeling spurned by cupcake camp and longing for a more traditional and wholesome, something sweet, we instead went to Simply Desserts. They do not screw around there, I was pleased to see no cupcakes, only row upon row of rich, layered, delicious cakes. It was then that I realized, cupcakes are truly the whores of the bakery, and I should never have been duped by their pastel frosted do’s and glittering sprinkles to begin with.
Love live cake!

It probably won’t take me long to get over this one. I live just down the street from cupcake royale, and they continue to delight every time. But 5,000 cupcakes in one room – well, that is just begging for trouble.  Lesson learned.

I know what I am doing with my Saturday!

Bella Cupcake Couture is proud to bring  this special event to the Seattle area.

An event for cupcake lovers: Bake or buy cupcakes to bring -or- just come to eat and help a good cause. Activities include cupcake eating contests, cupcake wrapper decorating, bakers competitions, Hope Heart Institute fundraiser and more.  Best of all … it’s FREE.

WHEN: Saturday, April 10, 2010 11am-2pm
WHERE: 415 Westlake Ave Seattle, Washington, 98109
WHY: Because who doesn’t love cupcakes? Plus we will have some fun competitions and a fundraiser for Hope Heart Institute

I have been spying the native flora and fauna in Seattle with wonder and envy since I arrived here. It seems like there is some strange and lovey succulent or flower popping out of every stone nook. I have especially been coveting the moss.

One thing led to another, and so this morning I found myself in a Creative Terrariums Workshop at the RE Store. The RE Store is an great establishment in itself. If you’re ever looking for a vintage ceramic bath tub, topographic map of asia, an all you can grout tile buffeft or jars upon jars of every hook, nail and screw imaginable. Their terrarium workshop with Exterior-Scapes was a totally fun and creative way to spend Saturday morning. They provided all the structures  (re-purposed light fixtures of every shape and sort) , gravel, soil, plants, rocks and the best part- teensy tiny dinosaur toys (I went with the blue plesiosaur). All you had to do was show up and get your hands dirty!

After all of Griffin’s gardening posts, I think I have finally found just the right amount of plant life for my own level of ability. I love how sweet and self contained it is, lets just hope I follow their fact sheet correctly on keeping the thing alive.

A specimen of cute found on the streets of Seattle:

Recently, I went to Seattle. How was it you ask? TERRIBLE. Here are some of the highlights!