Cupcake Friday 05.31.2013 - Mocha Cookie Crumble

view full image

"Cupcake Friday preview #cupcake" 

This cupcake was apparently inspired by a Starbucks Frappiccino called the Mocha Cookie crumble.. and thus I present to you from Iced Gems Bakery the Mocha cookie crumble cupcake. 

The cupcake  itself is a coffee and oreo cookie cupcake.  The distribution of oreo crumbles differ from cupcake to cupcake -- I was sure disappointed when the boy's cupcake had more oreo pieces in it than mine.   The cupcake is very coffee flavored (probably has something to do with the grounds that are part of this cupcake) and has also chunks/pieces of oreo cookies in it.  It has a coffee buttercream frosting with oreo cookie crumbles on top.  

Overall I liked the cupcake -- if you do not like coffee  then this is surely not the cupcake for you.  I still like the turtle cupcake more, probably because I love turtle candies (caramel, chocolate, pecans, what's not to love there?)  but this is surely a great alternative.. if it ever shows back up here at work that is.

Daily Arsenal 05.31.2013

view full image

"#dailyarsenal "

 

The pens got pared down today as I plan on just calling people and scheduling for study visits..

Daily Arsenal 05.30.2013

view full image

"Journal club #dailyarsenal" 

And there is Journal Club today.. here's what i brought.. yep i even "hilighted" today.. The coleto was attached to the 2 articles, so since i got to work a min before JC started, this is what went with me today..

Daily Arsenal 05.29.13

Hi there,
Mjo just shared an Instagram photo with you:

view full image

"#dailyarsenal one must have lots of choices in color!"

Cupcake Friday 05.24.2013

Strawberry Fudge Sundae Cupcake - this was a strawberry cupcake with strawberry frosting with a fudge center.  While this was good, it was not superior to the strawberry cheesecake that i so love.  Not 100% sure why its not up there with my favorites, but it is definitely a  good cupcake -- if you want to try something different from the standard flavors that they have and they actually have this on the truck that is.

Baby blanket knitting update

view full image

"#crafts #knitting baby blankieprogress 

Well at least something good has come out of being sick.  I've gotten some of my baby blankie done

Ash City Rain Coat Review

First, this raincoat was sent to me courtesy of Shoplet for a review.  However, the opinions are my own -- what I state does not reflect any influences from Shoplet.

The Ash City Jacket is sold in a multitude of colors (red, blue, black, white, navy) -- I ended up asking for a red or black one because I was planning on wearing the jacket on a dragon boat and my team colors are black and red.  So it was easy for me to just use the jacket for paddling or for this past weekend at the DC dragon boat festival--  as a drummer.  In case people dont know, I paddling on a dragon boat team.  The sport is an ancient chinese tradition that involves 20 paddlers a steerer and a drummer.  This past weekend (May 18/19) there was a dragon boat festival in DC.  Typically during the race, i am a paddler and thus no wind/rain protection is needed since I'll be getting wet anyway paddling, but as a steerer and/or drummer its nice to have some wind/water protection because you are not dipping any part of yourself into the water (well unless your boat capsizes anyway).  Since I do not have any rain coats that are not blue, this was the perfect addition to my gear for a predicted rainy and gloomy day down by the Georgetown waterfront.  

The raincoat is 100% waterproof (which is good since its a rain coat.. :p) , i noticed it has vents in the back and under the armpits which is always nice to prevent me from getting really warm inside a non-breathable type jacket (rain coats are pretty much non-breathable because they are waterproof).  As you can see below interior is lined with mesh, again to prevent you from overheating.  

What is also nice about the jacket is that it has a velcro'ed storm flap (this allows the water to not sit on the zipper area and seep into your inner layer), so that even on heavier downpours -- or constant splashing your inner clothing does not get wet at all.

What my favorite part of this jacket happens to be is the reflector strips.  It has 2 chest reflector strips and again 2 on your backside towards the bottom.  It allows for people to see you even in dimmer (rainy) days.  Its a nice touch and thought to the rain coat.  Not even my LL Bean rain coat, Marmot rain coat has this feature.  Its the small things that count i suppose?  Below is a picture of me holding down the back of the jacket and the reflector strip being shown on the shoulder area.



The cuffs are elasticized, while I like the elasticized cuffs for coats because there is no adjustment needed, i feel that the water tends to bead at places like this, and wish this was slightly different -- i wish this were like the LL Bean coat, Marmot Coat and have the velcro'ed area for this -- velcro tends to not bunch up and thus, less beading would happen at the wrist area.  

Similar to other rain coats that I own, there is a adjustable shock cord at the hood area and the bottom hem area-- so as to keep you dry.   This also allows for you to keep the jacket close to you, and/or able to keep your heat in because there is no draft -- I can attest that this part works really well since it was rather cold and damp on Saturday and this jacket was on me for the entire day because I was freezing (silly me wore a tank top).



This is a rain coat, so one would hope for a hood and this jacket does not disappoint.  While it is not a detachable hood, the hood does roll up behind the collar for easy storage.  The hood is pretty easy to roll out, and once it is rolled out its quite easy stow away under the velcro pocket behind the collar bone.  This hood as i stated previously has a shock cord that allows for the hood to be adjusted to fit your head's width/height.

Where are the pictures of me in the jacket?  Sadly, I was captaining the boat and was running around trying to figure out where the boats were and when we were loading and all that fun stuff so I didn't get a chance to get a picture of myself in the jacket.  There may be a picture somewhere but definitely not on my camera.. and all the videos i have are from the race itself and since i was drumming the video camera was attached to me.  I know there are pictures of me somewhere with the jacket on and sitting on a boat -- i know this because some random guy came up to me as i was sitting in the drummers chair and stuck a camera in my face... but no amount of googling has produced such a picture as of yet.

My feelings about the jacket.  Overall I liked the jacket -- this comes in my dragon boat team colors so it was fairly easy to use this on the boat.  It comes in a bright red color, as  well as some not so bright colors but the reflector strips allows for someone to see you in dim or low light conditions (ie if you are running or biking in the rain or in my case paddling in the water).  It kept me pretty dry for the most part -- I kept taking it off so then i would get wet and then the inside of the coat would get wet because i would put it back on to get on the boat.  

While drumming, the boat was going against the wind and waves from the Potomac River so i was getting all that wind to my back and I never felt cold sitting on the drummers chair because the shock cords allowed for me to cinch the bottom of the jacket.  

Where to Purchase?

• Shoplet its a promo item so min order is 12 jackets

Daily Arsenal 05.21.2013

view full image

"#dailyarsenal "

Purple LE G2, TWSBI 540, Uni StyleFit

Daily Arsenal 05.20.2013

view full image

"Well I'm finally back to letters.... @gourmetpens" 

 

Cupcake Friday 05.17.13

Caramel Fudge Sundae Cupcake

This cupcake was pretty good.  It was a chocolate fudge cake with caramel icing that had nuts and a maraschino cherry on top to resemble a fudge caramel sundae.   I totally devoured this cake and almost went for 2nds..

Daily Arsenal 05.17.2013

view full image

"#dailyarsenal "

 

I'm at work.. boring colors reign.  TWSBI 540, Uniball Style Fit, Pilot G2

Daily Arsenal 05.13.2013

 

I had a headache so i ended up staying home from work, but as I'm also taking classes this splitting headache couldnt deter me from studying as I have a comprehensive final in 2 days.. *sighs*

Daily Arsenal 05.09.2013

Daily Arsenal 05.07.13

Ok.. So i took a daily Arsenal break... and hopefully I'm back. 

Today we have a circa planner (with Arc weekly inserts) -- i dont like these and i may be switching to filofax next year if i can get good paper for it.. or maybe i'll keep this and print out my own inserts not quite sure yet.  The paper for the Arc inserts are not quite up to the Levenger standards so i may also switch back to Levenger.  

Stablio visco pens which i typically attempt to use to color code my planner which is currently in a state of OMG mess since i have so many mess ups and i dont use white out.  

My new Uniball style fit Hello Kitty pen with the old refills from the Majorica pen in it.  The hello kitty refills were so cute i loathe to use them up right away.. ya i have problems.

Stationary Addict... I is..

 

So why would anyone buy yet another notebook when they were not completely done with their current one, nor using any of the other traveler notebooks they own?  because they are a stationary addict and the words "Limited Edition" makes you drool and makes you want one.. well ok maybe that AND the fact I've been on the Star Ferry and had a great time on it.  So I now own a LE Star Ferry Traveler's Notebook.  Resor shop did a great job with the packaging and btw I love the postcard that it came with along with the note on the postcard.  

The package is somewhat opened, by that I mean i unwrapped it out of the craft paper and twine but not out of the cellophane.. It gets carried with me to and from work so far still wrapped up.. ya i'm a silly one.