and the hits keep coming...

The following ladies are just ONE reason why my weekend rocked



Just wanted to let you know that my dreams are coming true right in front of my eyes.
This weekend I had plans to go to Chicago for an old college roommates 30th birthday party and since I was going to be there, I made a thousand plans to do other things in the span of 48 hours.
Usually, this never works and you barely even get to do the FIRST thing you had planned to do.

But, apparently I have super human strengths (even though the cloning hasn't yet worked and damn, the teletransporting is not quite up to speed yet) and I was able to do IT ALL.
Some things I can't talk about yet because it's still super secret.
Other things… well, Yeah I'm gonna share because I brain dump on here and it involves sugar and bakeries and I have to tell you everything.

(BTW, I promise I'm putting up a new recipe here shortly.. and this might be short because I'm doing this after driving home for 4.5 hours)

Agenda:
Friday- lisa, Lisa and MORE LISA. food.
Saturday- meet a guy named Aaron for some secret stuff, go on a bakery tour, bake cookies, EAT dinner and talk shop at the first annual Tits N Tats Sweet and Savory Jamboree and meet new friends, Alissa's bday party, crash
Sunday- EAT, toy store, meet Aaron again, new shoes, home.

So, Friday- I meet Lisa (@thebutcherbaker… my NY friend- you know her, I talk about her) for dinner. She is a night owl to the 10th degree... I am a mom therefore AM NOT. I tried to rally and stay up with her but passed out (I gave it a good go- I think I was up 'til like TWO. I know, I party hard. But first we watched Cupcake Wars which features Natalie (@bakeanddestroy), the lady that owns Sweet Lady Janes and the woman that owns Sprinkles. I knew I was going to meet Natalie and taste one of her confections the next night and I had already tasted the goods of the other two women, so I was feeling pretty awesome. Like- dude, check me out- hobnobbing w/ the 'big people'.
and guess what. Lis has a TON of these:



(these are mine actually. well, mine because she GIFTED all but 2 of them to me. she loves me. but i think it's because I give her cookies)

Then Saturday. I wake up to have a true-to-life LEGIT BOMBSHELL , dark haired Jessica Rabbit walking in my living room. My hair is a mess, I have morning breath and here is Shannon (@slashanddine) looking every bit as glamorous as she does on the internet, with PILES OF FOOD. By piles I mean tray after tray AFTER TRAY of bite sized appetizers. WTF? dude, I was just planning on doing cookies for that nights festivities. I felt inept. I felt mom-ish. I needed to brush my teeth.

fast forward to the bakery tour..
Here is a little taste- one of the places I visited...THREE TIMES



At this point in the day I believe I'm super human and also find out that I'm slightly awesome. To at least one person. UNA LAMARCHE. ok, ok… not me, my cookies. But whatever- I made them so that makes me kind of awesome too. (BTW, I'm doing the Chicago bakery tour on another post, so hold your horses. Like you care, really. just wait a day or so. I love you)

GO HERE NOW and read:
http://volcanicensemble.blogspot.com/2010/05/punky-reviewster-sweet-sandy-b.html

I stopped in the middle of a street GIGGLING like a certified insane asylum escapee. I'd like to say I stopped traffic with my good looks, but really cars were honking at me because I wouldn't move. I was transfixed on my Crackberry in my hands reading her blog in teeny tiny print (yes, I got a new Crackberry on Friday because the other one officially died).

When I realized I was in a death like situation, I showed them THIS and they stopped honking, because I get respect:


(this is my brass knuckes zipper pull thing from KidRobot I spoke about before. isn't this awesome? told you you would want one)

My day continued to get better, as did my night.. Here is me eating totally vegetarian food and ENJOYING it. I had 'not chicken and waffles'. I had fakin' wrapped figs. I had PRETZEL M&M's. (side note- if you knew about these delightful candies and you didn't tell me about them, we aren't friends as of Saturday night).



as did TODAY. Great weekend.
I even had time to buy THESE



and I feel so official...