20 Easter Basket Treats

This is the first Easter I'll be making baskets for Nico and Leo and I can't wait to surprise them with a bunch of special sweets. If you need ideas for a better Easter basket, check out these 20 springtime treats I recently shared on iVillage. They'll all taste a million times better than a boring bag of drugstore candy.

Valentine's Day Gift Guide

 When Daniel and I first started dating, Valentine's Day seemed to really mean something. In fact, he moved back to Brazil on February 15, six months after we started dating, so you better believe we went all out that year. I remember being blindfolded and driven to a special dinner that included multiple courses, heart-shaped everything and a violinist. Over the years, we've cared less about it, opting for low-key celebrations at home in place of pricey prix-fixe meals. But after working on this Valentine's Day gift guide for iVillage, I'm thinking it might be fun to make a bigger deal about it this year. I could care less about red roses, but surprise me with pink and white cookies, henna-inspired mini cakes, banana cake in a jar and pretty much anything else on the list and I'd be one happy lady.

Sweets from a Local Cheese Shop

Leave it to me to check out a new cheese shop and stock up on sweets. I'm sure Valley Shepherd Creamery's cheese is amazing and I love that it's all made just an hour away in Long Valley, NJ, but in my defense their high-end treats are way too distracting. I was finally able to try some cookies from Whimsy & Spice (chocolate orange cardamom, so good with a cup of tea) and discover virgin chocolate from Raaka, a company that doesn't roast their cocoa beans. Let me be clear that this chocolate is not cheap by any means, but I'm a sucker pretty packaging, and more importantly, good ingredients—their Black Coffee bar has espresso from Cafe Grumpy. If a glass of wine in a restaurant costs $10, 5 to 8 bucks for some really good chocolate isn't so crazy, right?

I also picked up a cheese slicer for Daniel's stocking since ours broke ages ago, a pretzel croissant that's a lot like the amazing ones at City Bakery but just 85 cents and much smaller, and some hot chocolate on a stick for Nico. Leo loves cheese and has a soft spot for the good stuff. Soon after we walked in, the guy behind the counter must have heard his cries for "more cheeeee" because he surprised him with a nice slice to snack on. By the time I was done obsessing with the sweets, we had to go, but I'll be back again soon to try the cheese, some fresh pasta, and maybe a sandwich or two.

Valley Shepherd Creamery
211 Seventh Ave (between 3rd and 4th Streets)
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls

Most mothers probably wouldn't take their 3-year old to the dentist, hear his twenty teeth are in great shape and then head to Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls, a sun-drenched shack in the West Village, to celebrate a successful first cleaning with a super sweet mound of electric blue shaved ice. Of course I had to turn off the part of my brain that would normally obsess over artificial flavorings and unnatural this and completely unnatural that. Our trip to Brazil, where I was asked if I wanted to add chocolate to bedtime cups of milks, or some spoons of sugar at the very least, probably helped with that. If most mothers there are sweetening their children's milk every night, then I can handle watching my son squeal with sheer joy as he eats a special occasion blueberry sno-ball. (Leo fell asleep on the way there, so he still has no idea what a sno-ball is. I plan to keep it that way for a few more years at least.)

Imperial Woodpecker Sno-Balls
145 7th Ave S.
West Village, Manhattan

*If you or your kids want to take advantage of these perfect—though waaaay too sweet—summertime treats, you should know that the shop is closing for the season on August 31st. The owner told me she plans to open in another location this winter to serve beignets, jambalaya and other Southern stuff.

Couleur Café

Some of my favorite places are on Seventh Avenue in the South Slope. There's Cafe Grumpy, Beer Table, Thistle Hill Tavern (whose owners are opening another restaurant just a few blocks down with Dale from Top Chef!), and now I have a new one to add to the list: Couleur Café.  It's a French cafe that just opened and now has me craving a sweet brioche topped with crunchy sugar crystals and an almond croissant every day. Oh, and their fresh lemonade is on the tart side, just the way I like it.

On Saturday, Nico helped me do a few loads of laundry. While our clothes were washing, he tried out his new scooter. After we transferred everything to the dryer, we went to Couleur Café for a treat. Being there with him reminded me of the diner trips I used to take with my grandfather every week when I was little. We'd squeeze into a booth, put some quarters in our jukebox and after drinking my own cup of coffee and eating a donut twist, I'd practice my dance moves on the leather seats. I loved that diner and our special outings so much and am sure they encouraged my love of restaurants and food.  Nico still has a long way to go when it comes to restaurant etiquette. When I told him to calm down on Saturday and explained that we were in a restaurant, he responded, "But Mama, this is a cafe, not a restaurant!" Still, it's so fun to be starting some rituals of our own.

He devoured a chocolate croissant in about one minute. He ate in silence and didn't take his eyes off it for a second. After, we built train tracks out of sugar packets. Before I knew it, he was laughing wildly and ready to run around outside again.

Couleur Café 
435 Seventh Ave, between 14th and 15th Streets
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Cupcakes and Weddings

Last weekend, my friend Mona got married. She and I grew up together and were inseparable for many years. At her rehearsal dinner, we feasted on Lebanese food at Al Bustan and listened to lots of funny and touching speeches. Secretly, I hoped I'd get away without making one. I had plenty to say, but have never been a fan of public speaking. As the microphone kept getting passed around the room, I wanted to crawl under our table and hide. Soon enough, I found myself trying to explain to 125 people just how much Mona means to me.

At the wedding on Saturday at The Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, a beautiful spot where I once sat next to Glen Close and made Matthew Modine think he knew me (more on that another day), I was so happy to see our friends, a big group that goes back over 20 years. I didn't want the night to end. This might explain why I let some of them persuade me and Daniel to attend the after party at the SoHo Grand.

We knew we'd pay the price the next day, and indeed we did. Leo woke up less than two hours after we got home and Nico soon after. My Mom had slept over and kept them entertained while we "slept in", but our little boys sound a lot like wild baboons first thing in the morning. Needless to say, we were dragging the entire day.

Daniel likes to tease me about how I eat too many sweets. On a day when we were dreaming about bedtime by 3pm, a few cupcakes from the new Butter Lane in Park Slope helped us both wake up.

Butter Lane
240 7th Ave (between 4th and 5th Streets)
Park Slope, Brooklyn

Strawberry and Chocolate Ice Cream Cupcakes

Ice cream cupcakes aren't exactly ideal in 98 degree weather, but how was I supposed to know it would be that hot on Leo's first birthday? We ordered a dozen from Blue Marble using the Doodledeal I bought back in February and went with strawberry ice cream with crushed Newman's O's and chocolate icing. Leo and Nico both loved them. I thought they were way too rich and the buttery icing kind of clashed with the ice cream.  I'd prefer a simple scoop of Blue Marble's stawberry ice cream any day, but first birthdays call for something extra special and these did the trick.

Black + White's from Lulu Cake Boutique

Leo and a bunch of his buddies are turning 1 this month. To celebrate, a friend is hosting a party in her backyard this morning. I volunteered to bring sweet treats and picked up mini black and white cookies from Lulu Cake Boutique yesterday. I read about Lulu on A Sweet Spoonful and was surprised I didn't know about it since I worked in Chelsea for four years. Turns out it's yet another place that opened after I left the neighborhood. I couldn't believe all the other new buildings, restaurants, coffee shops, and boutiques Daniel and I found while walking through there and the Meatpacking District yesterday. The High Line is still my favorite addition of all and it'll be expanding again this summer to include food trucks and an outdoor bar. NYC just keeps getting better and better.

Lulu specializes in classic American treats and has homemade twinkies, yodels, cookies and cakes. I love the swirly L on their labels and since Lulu happens to be one of the nicknames I've found myself using for Leo from time to time (usually when I'm speaking in a silly voice to distract him during a diaper change), it feels like a fitting treat for his first birthday.

I tried to wait till today to try one, but by about 11pm last night, I couldn't resist. It was one of the best black and white cookies I've ever tasted, but slightly too sweet since the icing covers the entire cookie and not just the top. I'm sure Leo, Nico and all their pals are going to love them. I can't wait to have another.

Have a great weekend!

Lulu Cake Boutique
112 Eighth Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets)
Chelsea, Manhattan

Long Weekend

When you live in New York, sometimes it's better to stay home on a holiday weekend than go away. While others flee, you can spend three glorious days going on adventures and falling in love with your crazy city all over again. Take it from me, since that's exactly what we did this weekend. It is the way to go.

We started our weekend at home made bklyn, a sweet spot in Red Hook with comfy white couches and a serene garden. We sipped fresh lemonade, cubes of watermelon bobbing in each of our cups, and shared a big bowl of local yogurt with Early Bird granola and sliced pears. The sticky buns, almond croissants and other breakfast foods were tempting, but we had our hearts set on lobster rolls from the Lobster Pound, a place that brings fresh Maine lobster to Brooklyn. The rolls were as classic as they come, served on toasted hot dog buns with either a hint of mayo and some spices or tossed with butter, Connecticut-style. We tried both and agreed they were a million times better than the mediocre ones we ate at the Ditch Plains Drop-In at Brooklyn Bridge Park last weekend. After, we hung out in a community garden, met a woman who grows hops for homemade beer and a guitar maker who told us about Valentino Pier where Nico and Daniel played by the water and Leo napped in the shade. On the walk back to our car, we spotted a cool bar on a cobblestone street that we want to check out some day.

That night, Daniel and I had a date at Rucola, a new Italian restaurant in Boerum Hill where we split gnocchi, soft shell crabs, brook trout, an arugula salad with radishes, ricotta pudding with greenmarket strawberries buried at the bottom, and a second dessert—a warm rhubarb cake with a buttery toffee sauce—at Seersucker, another restaurant that was a 15-minute walk away. 

There was a family trip to a bike shop followed by jelly donuts, a fresh fruit tart and a bear-shaped financier at Colson and an afternoon visit to Rockaway Beach, where Nico dug in the sand and Leo discovered the ocean. Green smoothies with kale, granny smith apples and lemon from Veggie Island were sipped and stories about armadillos and a big, bad wolf were told while we waited on a long line for tacos (two with fish, one with chorizo), a bean, cheese and plantain quesadilla, and a spicy jicama, mango and cucumber salad at Rockaway Taco.

An air conditioner was installed, winter clothes were happily put away and summer ones were yanked out, loads and loads of laundry were done, tons of sunblock was applied, photos were taken, cameras and wallets were sometimes forgotten at home, Leo's bike seat was installed and yesterday, we rode to Pier 6, one boy on the back of each bike, helmets on, wind tickling our legs and the blazing afternoon sun stinging our eyes. We climbed, splashed, swung, dug and ran around, welcoming summer with open arms and happy for the place we call home.

An Afternoon at Ample Hills

Today was beautiful in Brooklyn. With a blinding blue sky and not a cloud in sight, it was the kind of weather that begs you to have a picnic in the park followed by a trip for ice cream. And since Ample Hills Creamery—the new Prospect Heights ice cream parlor—officially opened this afternoon, that's just what we did.

At an Ample Hills fundraiser a month or so ago, I wasn't eating sweets because of Lent and had to just watch as Nico slowly ate a few scoops. I made sure to sample a bunch of flavors today, loving how they're all made from scratch in the shop (with lots of local ingredients!) and are packed with fun mix-ins like chocolate covered pretzels, brownies, and cookies. I finally settled on Peppermint Pattie—peppermint ice cream with homemade peppermint patties and a dark chocolate fudge swirl—a nice spin on classic mint chocolate chip. I wanted something refreshing and it really hit the spot.

Ample Hills is ultra kid-friendly and has plenty of space to park strollers, a changing table in the bathroom, and even a small ice-cream themed play area that Nico loved. In fact, he and Fox had so much fun playing with pretend ice cream that they didn't try any of the real stuff for a while. Eventually, Nico made his way over to the counter and requested a scoop of dark chocolate. He really wanted it on a cone but they were all out of them at the time. They started making fresh ones as we were getting ready to leave and I contemplated having another scoop just so I could try one, but talked myself out of it knowing we'll be back again soon. Maybe even this week since it looks like the good weather is here to stay, for a little while at least.

(A big thanks to Karlyn for taking all these photos with her phone, and for always being up for long walks for food with me!)

Ample Hills Creamery
632 Vanderbilt Avenue
Prospect Heights, Brooklyn

Blythe's Blueberry Muffins

Nico begs me to make blueberry muffins a lot. The obsession began after my Mom gave him the book Henry In Love, a sweet story about a cat named Henry and his crush, Chloe. At the end of the book, Henry swaps snacks with Chloe, handing over a blueberry muffin his Mom baked in exchange for a carrot. I refer to Henry a lot when trying to teach Nico to share. It doesn't usually work, especially with food, but I'll keep trying.

This recipe comes from Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook and it's the only one I've tried so far. It's her Mom's recipe and probably a bit unhealthy for Gwyneth's standards since it includes a stick of butter and close to a cup of sugar.  Gwyneth offers a healthier version of them which I also want to try, but I need to find some spelt flour first.

Until then, it looks like these will be a staple in our house. They're quick and easy to make and I usually have all the necessary ingredients on hand, plus some ground flaxseeds which I like to add for a nutritional boost. And as much as I love my standing mixer, it's refreshing to rely on a simple wooden spoon and good old-fashioned stirring every now and then.

Blythe's Blueberry Muffins
Makes 12 muffins

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 organic large eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with papers.

Whisk the butter, eggs, and milk together in a bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, the 3/4 cup of sugar, baking powder, and salt. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold in the blueberries. Divide among the muffins cups and sprinkle the muffins with the remaining teaspoon of sugar. Bake until a toothpick tests clean and the muffins are golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Best to eat these warm.

Little Piglet Links

A Blogger outage followed by a bachelorette party last week slowed me down a bit and the dreary weather we have in New York right now isn't helping matters. The photos above are from a lovely Sunday we spent at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens a few weeks ago. I can't wait for more warm spring days like that one. And I really hope all this end of the world talk is bogus, because I have a very important wedding to attend in June. Considering how much fun I had toasting the bride-to-be with 17 hilarious ladies on Saturday night, I know we're all in for a very good time.

I hope to be up and running again with some new posts soon, but for now, here are a few links I've been meaning to share.

Jordan Ferney is a blogger who is spending the year in France with her family of four. All of her posts are making me so nostalgic for the city I lived in for almost a year and I wish I could whisk my family away to these tulip fields right now.

Her sister Gabrielle also moved her family to France this year, and the house they're renting in Normany looks incredible. This photo of her cruising through the airport with her 6 (!) kids makes taking two little boys to Brazil seem like a piece of cake.

I'm already having trouble keeping up with all online design mags out there and now I have a new one to add to the list.

I think I mentioned that I kind of like Glee. I lied. I love it. And just like my Dancing with the Stars obsession (which I'm happy to report is over), I'm thinking about buying tickets to this. Does that make me a Gleek and a Glerd? 

On the rare occasion that we order in, we always want Thai. We mixed things up a few weeks ago and tried this new risotto place in Windsor Terrace. The two we tried (sweet gorgonzola, apple and arugula; and broccoli rabe, garlic and sweet sausage) hit the spot and if I didn't have a big pot of soup in my frige, I'd be trying them again tonight.

During Lent, I saved a bunch of dessert recipes I want to make. This pound cake, these chocolate cupcakes and these carrot ones are at the top of the list (and I found them all on The Wednesday Chef).

I've been making this granola for the past few years, but now I want to try every single one of these.

Based on today's weather report, it won't be warm and sunny till Sunday. Good timing, considering the inaugural NYC Food Truck Rally will be taking place at Grand Army Plaza that day.

Last week, I was craving cupcakes. Today, I really want donuts and I wish the Brindle Room was just a little bit closer because their cakey donuts sound amazing.

See you soon!

PicklePetunia Made: A Sweet Surprise

Last Friday, I was craving a cupcake. Not just any cupcake, but one from Butter Lane, the bakery that should be opening in Park Slope any day now. I settled for a sugar cookie and while I was eating it, my buzzer rang. I wasn't expecting anyone and when I looked out the window I didn't see any Fedex or UPS trucks. When I asked who it was on the intercom, someone said "A box from Simone." Unsure what that meant, I hesitated before buzzing the person in, wondering what my friend had sent me.

Simone, my lovely, serene friend with the coolest New Zealand accent and two of the cutest little kids, must have sensed I was needing some sweets. She sent me a surprise from PicklePetunia Made, a Brooklyn bakery started by her friend Annie Gallo. Annie has a full-time job, two young children and runs PicklePetunia on the side, handling every aspect of the business—from baking to delieveries—herself.  She uses the best local and organic ingredients and makes brownies, muffins, granola, bread and gluten-free goodies, too.

Most girls get giddy over a dozen roses or a surprise shipment from their favorite clothing store, but hand me a beautiful box with a sunny "Baked with Love" label brimming with mini cookies and I'll go weak in the knees. I'm serious. I was like a three-year old who had just been given the world's coolest fire truck.

I sampled Petunia'O's, Annie's take on Oreos which were brawnier than the classic cookie but still as comforting and sweet; shortbread with orange and Earl Grey which were perfect with a cup of tea; soft and wobbly rose lime marshmallows which were the prettiest shade of pink; alfajores-pies, cakey cookie sandwiches with dulce de leche, a fun and less saccharine twist on whoopie pies; and salted peanut butter and chocolate cookies whose deep flavor and crunchy texture made them my favorite.

I'm always so inspired by Brooklyn entrepreneurs like Annie and wish I was brave enough to start something of my own. Maybe some day I will, but for now I'm happy to spread the word about amazing small businesses such as this.

Annie's treats are available through Etsy and on her website and she's offering my readers a 10% discount: use the code LPIGLET when you place your order. If you're shipping within New York City, use the code NYCDELIVERY for free delivery, but note that this can only be used on Etsy.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to visit Annie's site for the 78th time to decide what I want to try next.

*Unfortunately, the original version of this post was deleted during Blogger's blackout on Thursday, so I just put it up again. I know many people had shared it on Facebook and I'm sorry that your friends were most likely led to a broken page, but it's all fixed now.

Saturday in the City

At my friend's engagement party this winter, I sat at a table with a bunch of friends, people I grew up with in Westchester, and we all declared how sick we were of New York. Tired of the cold and concrete, we started plotting a group move to California. We fantasized about houses on the same block, trips to the beach, more space and sunny days. When our friend Ginger overheard us, she said something along the lines of, "Yeah, you all hate NY now. But just wait till spring comes. As soon as it warms up, you'll love it here again." How right she was. When it's 70 degrees, without a cloud in the sky, and flowers seem to be sprouting from every street corner and you can finally escape your cramped space and feel the energy that makes NYC so special, there isn't any other place I'd rather be.

This weekend's weather made me think of Ginger and her comment that night. We spent Saturday in the city with my cousin Brooke and her son Blake, starting off in Central Park with a walk along The Reservoir, a spot I used to run around when I lived on the Upper East Side ten years ago. From there, we made our way to a playground that Blake and Nico loved, but with ladders leading to secret tunnels and concrete walls and chains making it impossible to chase after two little boys, Brooke quickly changed its name from the Ancient Playground to the Awful Playground and we got out of there as fast as we could.

With the promise of a sweet treat, we lured Blake and Nico back into their strollers. I wanted to go by Glaser's Bake Shop, a place I  discovered a few years ago. Open since 1902, it smells like heaven the minute you walk in, has an old-fashioned, homey feel and all of the rustic desserts—doughnuts, buns, cookies, pies, you name it—look amazing. On Saturday, I settled on a small black and white cookie, a dessert that always reminds me of New York. The black and whites at Glaser's are a nice alternative to the saucer sized ones sold around the city and I couldn't think of a better way to spend 70 cents.

My Mom lives nearby, so she met us at the bakery and we all walked to Carl Schurz Park, a lovely spot where the Harlem River, East River and Long Island Sound meet. Nico brought along his beloved stuffed bear and was sure to show him the pretty view before we watched little dogs lolling around at the dog run.

We ended our day at the park's playground. Leo's at the age where sitting on my lap while his brother plays just won't cut it. He wants a piece of the action. And on Saturday, he got just that when I let him go inside the sandbox. People without kids are probably wondering what the big deal is while those with just one might be shocked. I don't remember letting Nico go near the sandbox until he was at least 1 and maybe even older, worried about germs and whatever else is lurking in there. But just like everyone told me, once you have two little ones, you loosen up a bit. (Who am I kidding? You loosen up A LOT.) In this case, I'm so happy I did. Leo loved the sand. He loved it so much that he let out squeals of joy while letting it run through his fingers and swishing it around with his bare feet. In fact, he loved it so much that he tried to eat some by the handful, more than once. And that's where this new and improved and laid-back Mom tried to draw the line.

(My apologies for all the fuzzy images. I forgot my camera and had to rely on my blackberry all day. Looks like someone needs an iPhone...)

Glaser's Bake Shop
1670 First Avenue (at 87th Street)
Upper East Side, Manhattan
212-289-2562

A Spring in Our Step

It's amazing what a little sunshine can do. After months of bundling up, searching for missing mittens, battling about winter hats, and braving the cold, the boys and I can finally leave home with short sleeves and sunblock on, light jackets tucked into our bag just in case, toes peeping out of sandals and Crocs without socks. Walking around our neighborhood is such a treat right now. Flowers are blooming everywhere and just like last year, Nico longs to pick them all. I spend a lot of time explaining why certain rules apply to other people's gardens, but as much as he likes magnolias, daffodils and tulips, he's fond of dandelions too. His pockets are usually full of them by the time we get home.

On Tuesday, a long walk led to a search for ice cream. We ended up at Red Horse Cafe, a popular Park Slope spot that recently started serving scoops from SoCo Creamery, a company in the Berkshires that makes small batches of cool flavors like chai spice, mission fig and lavender honey.  We'd picked up some watermelon along the way, and I was hoping that would keep Leo happy since he hasn't had much sugar yet. When I went to reach for the container, I forgot that the top was already off and it went flying and slimed him, bringing to mind the show You Can't Do That On Television that I loved as a kid.

Splashed with a lot of watermelon juice and fat pieces of fruit, he didn't cry, but looked at me wide-eyed and bewildered while his big brother filled in the blanks: "Why did you DO that to him?!?" The whole incident helped me realize how unthoughtful we were about to be. "Here little guy, let me rub it in your face, literally, the fact that we get to lick luscious scoops of ice cream while you munch on some deeelicious watermelon!" I guess it ended up working in his favor because I couldn't possibly withhold ice cream from him after that. He had a few bites.

Afterward, Nico used a sippy cup to give his little brother a light shower. Watching him make Leo laugh—those wonderful belly laughs that are seriously the best sound in the world, especially when coming from a baby with a sweet, sticky face and a watermelon seed or two stuck to his cheek—made my day even better.

Red Horse Cafe
497 Sixth Ave, at 12th Street
Park Slope, Brooklyn
718-499-4973

Butter Lane is Coming to Park Slope

I wasn't surprised when King of Cupcakes on 7th Ave closed. Sounds like they had a falling out with their investors, but their cupcakes were disappointing and easy to pass up. What I didn't expect was Butter Lane, the East Village cupcake shop, to take its place. Their cupcakes are dangerously good. I'm delighted (and a little scared) they'll now be in walking distance and not a subway ride away. I went by yesterday to see if they had opened yet, but no luck. After doing a little research, I found out they'll be up and running in May. They're referring to this location as a pop up shop to gauge neighborhood interest, but I'm sure Butter Lane will have no problems in Park Slope.

Butter Lane
240 7th Ave, between 4th and 5th Streets
Park Slope, Brooklyn

A Very Special Birthday Cake

There couldn't have been a better way to celebrate Nico's 3rd birthday, and the end of 40 long days without dessert, than with this four-layer vanilla cake with chocolate icing and fondant shout-outs to favorite trucks and a very special subway. Made to order by Nine Cakes, that adorable sweets studio I found while walking on Columbia Street recently, it was delivered in person by Betsy, the woman who opened the shop almost three years ago. She makes some of the prettiest cakes I've ever seen. I now know that her creations taste as good as they look and aren't too sweet which is perfect when you're getting reacquainted with sugar and could easily overdo it.

Normally, I like to bake celebratory sweets myself, but after writing this post for Mommy Poppins about places that have cake decorating classes and supplies, I realized I still have a lot to learn and decided to leave it to the experts this year. Now that I've gone this route, I'm going to be tempted to order custom cakes every year. But I need to remember to not go overboard next time in terms of size. Even though we crammed a bunch of Nico's buddies, their siblings and parents into our apartment this weekend to help us eat it, we still have a lot left. I guess there are worse things that could be sitting in my freezer, right?

Nine Cakes
155 Columbia Street
347-907-9632