Hey Cupcake

hey cupcake! 

 An Austin Original

Airstream Location on Congress Ave.

Started in 2007 by a young man named Wes Hurt, today hey cupcake! has four Airstream locations and one actual storefront. The storefront location is in connection with the business office and bakery and is designed to look like the inside of an Airstream.

Menu Board of the Offerings

The menu board features 8 choices: Vanilla Dream, The Standard, Double Dose, Snowcap, Red Velvet, and Michael Jackson. There is also a vegan option. When a flavor is gone a little "Sold Out" magnet is placed over that variety. One can also ask to make the cupcake a "whipper snapper". That's when they inject it with fresh whipped cream.

Billboard Sign at the Walk-in Location

This is the clever sign that is posted outside the main office and bakery. It's just a hint at the creativity that one encounters once inside. I think Wes Hurt must have a terrific sense of humor.

Order Counter

Once inside of the store you feel like you could be inside an Airstream. It's a small space with just a few tables, and the order counter is constructed from actual parts from an Airstream. Lots of shiny stainless steel and accents of chocolate and bubblegum pink create the yummy mood.

Cruising Along in the Airstream

There is even a "window" which streams video of footage as if one were actually cruising along the streets of Austin in the Airstream.

What will I have today...Red Velvet or The Standard????

The menu choices are the same at each location. Baked fresh at the storefront location, the cupcakes are transported to the Airstream locations daily. The Red Velvet and the Vanilla Dream are the best sellers. hey cupcake ! sells thousands of cupcakes a week. Better get there early though before your favorite sells out.

Trivia Board

One wall has this large board that displays interesting trivia about cupcakes and Airstreams. Another wall has one of those wavy mirrors like what I remember from the House of Mirrors at carnivals of my youth. If you stand in front of it you look elongated or wide or whatever. You get the idea.

The Snowcap

Those of you who follow my blog have seen this one featured in a previous Pink Saturday post here. It's chocolate cake with a buttercream icing and my favorite. So that's what I'm having today!

Wes Hunt's Great Sense of Humor

Yum....oh so good! What will you have?

In case you missed the Pink Saturday post at Lavender Fields last week, it too featured an airstream trailer; an airstream all decorated in pink for an anniversary of Hello Kitty. You can read about it here. I recently discovered Sherri's Lavender Fields, a truly delightful site with a different format. I'm hooked! Go visit, and I think you'll agree, Lavender Fields is full of treats.

Please leave a comment to let me know you were here. Then head over to Beverly's @ How Sweet the Sound for more Pink Saturday fun.

Vietri Bellezza

Bellezza Celedon and Bellezza White by Vietri

Since the creation of my blog in August, I find that I look at many everyday things with the prospect of how I might use something on a post. I carry my camera in my purse, always ready to record the moment that might eventually show up on my blog. Today's Tablescape Thursday post is just such an example. I don't have a tablescape of my own to share this week, so I'm sharing some photos of two different settings I've recently seen using Vietri's Bellezza pattern. These tables were at two different stores in two two different cities. It was fun to see these dishes used in various creative ways.

Bellezza Celedon and Bellezza White by Vietri

Bellezza means "beauty" in Italian, and each dish is handmade in Tuscany. This pattern comes in five different colors: buttercream, celadon, sky blue, tomato red, and white. Ornament rolls are used to create the simplicity of design on the various pieces. Antique Italian plates and fabrics were the inspiration for this collection. As seen in these photos, these dishes provide much charm for a dining experience.

Fall Tablescape of Bellezza by Vietri

The leaf motif of the table cloth brings out the fall theme of the colorful leaves used as a centerpiece, but the leather placemats under each place setting provide some depth to set off the subtle colors of this pottery.

A Sampling of the 32 Different Forms in the Bellezza Pattern

Each place setting was set using a different flatware, but I tend to like the Ricci Argentieri bamboo pattern with these dishes. The organic feel fits in with the leaf theme and the hand crafted nature of this pottery. The metal leaf napkin rings used with black napkins are a nice contrast to the soft tones of the dishes.

Bellezza White Small Bowl with Cow Head Handle

Two of my favorite accessory pieces in this collection are two figural form pieces. This one is a small bowl with cow head handle.

Bellezza Celadon Small Pitcher with Rooster Head Handle

Being a fan of rooster forms, I find this small pitcher with the rooster head handle delightful, but it's the cow form above that puts a huge smile on my face.

Table Set with Bellezza Italian Pottery by Vietri

The tall vase with double handles is very graceful at 21 inches in height. It's perfect for this simple arrangement of branches with fall leaves. There are 32 different forms offered in this pattern, including this vase, a 16" tall urn with birds in relief, and two different pitchers. This tablescape uses the larger of the two pitchers to hold more branches with leaves.

Bellezza White Small Bowl with Cow Head Handle

About a month after I had seen the first setting I happened upon another Vietri tablescape while shopping in another city. This little charmer immediately caught my attention again.

Pineta by Vietri

This Vietri tablescape used the Bellezza pieces as accents to coordinate with another Vietri pattern, Pineta. Pineta is inspired by nature with pine, bark, and bird motifs. I was enamored by all the various textures of this tablescape: the woven placemats on the wood planks of the table; the color block napkins in neutrals; the twig nest set between the bowl and the salad plate; the pattern of the Vietri flatware; the pine cone candles sitting in the bowls; and of course the pine leaf and bark patterns of the pottery.

Layers of Pottery Pieces in the Pineta Pattern by Vietri

I personally like the shapes and textures of this pattern which offers 36 different forms. This pottery makes a beautiful statement, especially for the fall season.

Four Piece Place Setting of Pineta by Vietri

Pineta comes in three different colors: the "soft white of winter snow", the "glorious red of a fox's coat", and the "rich brown of an acorn". Even the color descriptions by Vietri are charming! I must admit that I think the square handled trays make beautiful chargers, but at $144 a piece, it would be a pricy place setting.

I hope you've enjoyed my little "photo journal" of Vietri tablescapes. Please leave me a comment to let me know you stopped by today. Then click here to join Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch where you will find a list of tablescape offerings that will amaze you.

Camïeue Blue Monday Continued

It's time once again for Blue Monday with Smiling Sally.

Last Monday I shared my small collection of French faïence in camïeue blue. ( If you missed it you can read about it here. ) So this week I decided I'd share photos of a collection of camïeue blue faïence that I visited a year ago. These pieces belong to my friend, Charna, who graciously agreed to let me share them on my blog. I don't know specifics about each of Charna's pieces, but I do know they are French, and they are indeed lovely. Charna has a wonderful wall of built-in cases, and these delights fill the shelves. Just imagine waking to these serene pieces each morning.

As I said, I don't know the specifics about each of these so I will just show the photos. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed seeing some more pieces in this charming art style. It's difficult to improve on the combination of blue and white. Charna's collection offers a look at some unusual forms and some exquisite painting. Click here to go on over to Sally's to see what other blue awaits you on this Blue Monday, but first please leave a comment below to let me know you stopped by.

It's also Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch. Click here to learn about the Lisa Leonard Designs give away she is offering.

The Power of Pink

Super Molly Girl

Meet Super Molly Girl. She recently arrived in this lovely pink wrapping, actually just stopping over before she headed off to Delaware, her final destination. Notice her pink shorts and the shiny pink ribbons on her outfit.

Back in September for a Metamorphosis Monday, Debbie @ Confessions of a Plate Addict shared a wonderful story about a special project with her grandson, Andrew. You can read about it here. As Debbie said, "At the tender age of six...almost seven... my grandson decided he would like to design a "line of toys" (his words!), superheroes and villains that would appeal to children his age!"

I was very impressed with Andrew's entrepreneurial spirit and wanted to support his fledgling business. I left a comment on that post with a request that Andrew might produce a special order for me.

Super Molly Girl

One of our nephew's youngest daughter, Molly, was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia Tcell in May of 2008 when she was 5 years old. Molly is a super hero fan, and we all consider her a super hero in her battle against cancer. The photo above, taken before her diagnosis, is of Molly in her Super Girl outfit.

Super Molly Girl Plan

Debbie immediately replied saying that Andrew would be delighted to design a super hero doll just for Molly, a Super Molly Girl! And he wanted this to be a special gift from him to Molly.

The drawing above is Andrew's original drawing for the design of Super Molly Girl. I think Andrew definitely has a bright future ahead of him!

Super Molly Equipped With Her Own Dual Jet Pack

Super Molly Girl is equipped with her own dual jet pack. She fired up those rockets and propelled herself across country to meet up with the real Molly, who in my mind is definitely a SUPER HERO. Molly is one brave little girl, a fierce fighter who is going to beat this cancer!

Thanks for visiting today. Please leave a comment below so I know you stopped by.

Ana of A Petite Cottage celebrated her sister's last radiation treatment with a stunningly beautiful Pink Saturday post last week. If you missed it, click here to read this heartwarming piece.

Then join Beverly @ How Sweet the Sound for a list of more Pink Saturday posts.

Boeuf Bourguignon Family Dinner

French Fäience Figural Mustard by Alcide Chaumeil

It's Tablescape Thursday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch. Let's see what the chef has planned for dinner.

Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon

With the change of seasons, the cooler weather is the perfect time to make a stew, and what better choice than Julia Child's Boeuf Bourguignon. To quote Julia, "As is the case with most famous dishes, there are more ways than one to arrive at a good bouef bourguignon. Carefully done, and perfectly flavored, it is certainly one of the most delicious beef dishes concocted by man, and can well be the main course for a buffet dinner. Fortunately you can prepare it completely ahead, even a day in advance, and it only gains in flavor when reheated. "

Boeuf Bourguignon with Boiled Potatoes and Snow Peas

Those of you who follow my blog know that my husband is the chef in our household. Not only do I and our family and friends benefit from the fruits of his labors, having my own personal chef allows me more time to "play with the dishes" to set the table.

Dinner for Four

That's just what I did this week when we invited family over for dinner. While my husband was busy preparing the beouf bourguignon, I put together this setting for our meal.

I started with pewter chargers topped with white dinner plates in Wedgwood Nantucket. The flatware is Lauffer stainless in the Bedford pattern.

I like to use folded tea towels as placemats because of the size of the chargers. These are 100% cotton made in France for Williiams Sonoma.

The woven details in these linens are lovely. The borders are woven in tones of gold and tones of taupe and feature cows, chickens, rabbits, and ducks with vines and flowers. They offer a charming French country feel to go with the theme of a casual one dish dinner.

I used napkins in olive green and aubergine which are also from Williams Sonoma. The pewter napkin rings are each engraved with a different flower motif and are from the Netherlands.

I decided to use some contemporary Quimper pottery that we purchased about ten years ago. We have dinner plates and wide shallow dish bowls in this pattern. The plates have a scalloped rim so I included them on top of the white Nantucket for a touch of variety to the concentric circles of the other dishes.

These dishes are not typical of most pottery made in Quimper. They were produced at Fäiencerie Kéraluc by the artist L'Helguen. We purchased them at Gina Linzza's charming shop, Méli Mélo, in Houston, TX

.

You can see that the bowls are wide and shallow, perfect for stew. I often use these bowls for pasta dishes or main course salads.

The glassware is a mix of Ralph Lauren crystal in the Glen Plaid pattern and stems of Arte Italica's crystal with pewter bases.

I pulled in the metal 

leaf dish for bread service.

Each of the plates and bowls of the Quimper 

set are a bit different but of the same stylized flower theme.

I like the gray tones of this pottery 

with the pewter and the gold and taupe of the linens.

For a center piece, I used the wooden container of horse apples and ceramic acorns that I showed in this week's Outdoor Wednesday. You can read about them here.

I added small containers made of natural horn to hold votives and mixed in a few of the oversized ceramic acorns.

The glow of the candles through the natural horn adds a bit of warmth to the setting. I purchased these at Gump's several years ago and like to use them for small bouquets of flowers as well.

Dinner is ready, 

so sit down and have a bite. 

 It's delicious!

A glass of red wine is perfect with this dish. 

 Julia recommends a Beaujolais, a Bordeaux, or a Burgundy.

The sides of boiled potatoes and snow peas are the perfect compliment to the beef cooked in red wine with bacon, onions, and mushrooms.

We enjoyed apple cranberry pie for dessert with a scoop of Haagen Daz vanilla ice cream. The individual pies were made using a nifty mold from Williams Sonoma. Can you tell where we like to shop?

The pie molds come in various shapes (star, heart, apple, and pumpkin) and make perfect little pocket pies for individual servings. You can check them out here at Williams Sonaoma. I used the pie curst recipe found on the box and the apple cranberry pie recipe found on the WS site here.

I pulled in some more of our Quimper collection to serve the pocket pies. These dessert plates are part of a set made by Paul Fouillen, c1950. I used pumpkin shaped doilies under the pies, but this is what the decor is like. Each of the twelve dessert plates, the cake plate, and the server are all hand painted with a different stylized creature from the sea. The browns, greens, and rust colors of this fäience are definitely the color pallet of autumn. Notice the rim of these plates are hand crimped. They are very delicate in feel.

Paul Fouillen and his son, 

Maurice Fouillen, are known for their distinctive pottery.

Thanks for joining me today. Please leave a comment below so I know who stopped by. Then click here to visit Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch where you'll be treated to some fabulous tablescapes.