A love story...

This is the most touching and beautiful love story ever!

I've watched it three times already, and cried every time!   Amazing.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiGKWoJi5qM

Shakin'!

"Did you feel that?!?!"   My husband called to ask me at 11:45.  

"Feel what?" 

"We just had an earthquake!!!"  

Welcome to California!  If you hadn't heard the news yet, California had an earthquake, it registered a 5.4 on the richter scale, centered in Chino Hills (about 30 miles east of downtown LA).  Apparently it was felt as far away as Las Vegas, and and far south as San Diego...   

I however, felt nothing!

Kind of glad...  but in a strange way...  kind of wanted too!  Mark called me from work, which is in Del Mar (close to the coast), and he said his office definitely rumbled!   Fortunately there were no reported injuries and no major damage.   5.4 is pretty big!   

It's definitely scary...  but I'm not afraid.   We dodged tornadoes (some too close for comfort!) in Texas and have seen first hand the damage they can cause.   California has earthquakes.   I don't think anyone - anywhere is safe from a natural disaster...   I'm fascinated by the sheer power and magnitude of these natural forces...  it makes me realize how small we are on this large planet on which we live.   A little shakin', I'm OK with...  As for "the big one" - hopefully I won't be around when that time comes!

Yup... It's a kitchen... and it's cake!!

My "kitchen cake" was published in ACD (American Cake Decorating magazine) this month!   This cake has undoubtedly been my most interesting cake request to date!  I love a challenge and when clients have a "vision" - I love it more when the finished product exceeds their expectations!

I did this cake for a guy who was surprising his wife with a kitchen remodel for her birthday... nice guy hu!?!  He wanted a complete replica of his current kitchen to present his wife, so she could demolish it!  (kind of harsh, but I get it!)   He was an engineer, so he was very specific how he wanted it to look - right down to the coloring on the kitchen counters (no pressure)!   He made the "stage" for the cake complete to scale...   complete with walls, and even made little ledges for me, to put the cake on where the cabinets were to hang and actual flooring from their kitchen, for the cake board.   It doesn't look like much cake, but all this was constructed out of 2 2x18 half sheet pans...  and not all of it was cake, I used styrofoam for some of the cabinets and refrigerator.  Everything was covered in fondant and all the details were made out of gumpaste and applied w/ royal icing.  

Well, he was blown away with the results and even sent me pictures of his wife demolishing the "kitchen cake"!   I don't think this kitchen looked all that bad - would love to see what the new kitchen is gonna look like!  

(Wonder what he's got planned for next year!?!)

Good cakes gone bad!

As you may think, I am not on vacation! ...OK, well sort of, but not really! Though it is "summer", and I have been hangin' at the beach, and haven't done a cake in 8 weeks! ... I've also been unpacking, organizing, and setting up our house! I don't how many trips to Lowe's and Home Depot I've made, but the girl at the paint counter recognized me this morning!

I still frequet my favorite cake sites and friends blogs, and while perusing on Cake Central (http://www.cakecentral.com/) last night, I came across the funniest blog and had to pass this on! It's a riot!

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/

"When professional cakes go horribly, hilariously wrong!"

These are some of the saddest (and funniest) cakes I have ever seen! Spelling errors, horrible colors -you'd cry too if you picked up one of these babies for your special occassion (or wedding!) No cheap shots - these aren't "beginner" cakes or cakes your grandma made, these are what people actually paid for - from a bakery!

Just proves.... you get what you pay for!

(Good cakes aren't cheap - and cheap cakes aren't good!)

...or anything for that matter!

Happy 4th - from Huntington Beach!

We spent the weekend of the 4th up at Huntington Beach (a.k.a. Surf City USA)  It's about an hour North of us and Mark has a good friend there (Dave) who invited us up to to his condo (on the beach!) for the weekend.  Huntington goes ALL out for the 4th.  They start out the morning w/ a huge parade, they even shut down PCH for the event!  Houses are all decorated out, people lining the streets early with their chairs - very Americana - with a SoCal twist! 

I loved this pony picture, her "nails" are coordinating - and she's smiling!

When the parade is over, the hundreds - thousands! - hit the streets, the pier and the beach!  Bikes are the ONLY way to get around!

If you watch Entourage (awesome show!) you'll appreciate this car!  Super clean '63 Lincoln Continental convertible, with suicide doors!  

It was a gorgeous day at the beach - a view from Huntington Pier (you can see Dave's condo!)

BBQs and parties going on all day...   that night, we were treated to a most amazing fireworks show off the pier.   What a great way to celebrate the 4th!   

Saturday morning, we had breakfast at Rudy's...   when your in HB for breakfast, they serve up the BEST cinnamon bun french toast!   Yeah, it's that good!

Had a great weekend! - Thanks Dave and Rose for the hospitality!   I think today, we'll relax at home by the pool (i.e., take nap!) and recover from the "fun" and the "sun"!    Happy 4th everyone!!