There is a cupcake epidemic going on these days!  This is the first new trend of 2010!

How sweet it is…. This Cupcake Craze!

“Cupcakes, which come in a slew of sizes, designs and flavors, have become the new indulgent edible of a city long known for picky and diverse eaters. Manhattan has at least 40 shops carrying cupcakes & more on the way.” !

New York Daily News – December 6^th, 2009

It all began with the Magnolia Bakery on Bleecker Street… my “Cupcake Heaven.”!

Their cupcakes became a legend as dedicated customer’s line up around the block for a Magnolia fix.  Recently, Magnolia has expanded to the Upper West Side as a new addition and addiction to my neighborhood.

Baked by Melissa has bite size Cupcakes. This custom bakery is the icing on the cupcake. With Cocktail Cupcakes – finger food that leaves you craving for seconds, fabulous…even in mini-sizes and delicious customized cupcakes for special events.  Hey, you can even color coordinate your cupcakes to match your ensemble from head to toe and call it Already Baked, Ready to Wear.

Cupcake your enthusiasm and “root, root” for your home team with Super Bowl-themed Beer Cupcakes from Cacao Bakery. Hooray! The frosting even comes in team colors.

Did you see David Letterman driving the Neiman Marcus “Cupcake Car”, the most decadent Christmas gift, for $25,000.00? Now that’s a cupcake that really takes the cake on the road.

My gal pal, Contessa brought me back a dozen nonfat cupcakes bandages from Colette, in Paris. What a yummy way to lick ones wounds.

For more fat-free Cupcakes, here are some other Sweet Sites to check out:

Pottery Barn Teen shakes & bakes with cupcake objects in many flavors for home décor.

Martha Stewart’s cupcake crafts and sweet tidings for your family. You don’t bake them, but they are good enough to eat. See how to make “Cupcake Goodies.”

Dazzle & Chunk Cupcake Charms with a bit of bling and sprinkled gemstones on top.

With all these cupcakes around, 2010 will be a sweeter beginning to the decade with just the right ingredients.  Remember “The Best is Yet to Come.”

ZOOOOOM the season is going by so quickly!

Every year I look for unusual gifts and this year is no different. With the economy so tough I found an alternative to my normal gift giving with something hand made for my special friends and family.

The fragrance of baking pecan cookies used to signal the arrival of the holidays, as I was spirited out of bed in the morning. Momma Peggy always got an early start in the day and it was always a joy to run into the kitchen as she rolled them into shape. It was my job to coat them in the powdered sugar and gently place them in tins as gifts for neighbors. Oh how I loved the broken ones! Yummy!!!!

So this year I dug into Peggy’s recipe box and found the recipe. I then went out and found some wonderful tins at a party store and have been baking cookies for hours. Just the aroma wafting through the house has taken me back to my childhood. My friends and family are going to love their little tins of cookies. Of course just like when I was little, there seem to be a fair amount of broken ones to be consumed on the spot.

I thought you might want to share this wonderful tradition with me so here’s the recipe my mom has used for years.

Every year, Albert and I look forward to spending a long weekend on Block Island with our gracious hostess the Contessa at her Casa Plumb.

Have you been to Block Island recently? If yes, then you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t been, believe me, it’s a whale of an adventure getting there to get some peace on this little piece of terra firma in the middle of the Atlantic. As it turns out, getting there is only half of the adventure and every year our visit to Block Island comes with all of our great expectations.

Alfresco dining with a toast to the mango sunset, a spectacular sunrise with the Casa Island brew. The uniquely fresh fragrance brought in on an ocean breeze after a storm, collecting wildflowers and peacocks feathers on the hills. Did I say Peacock Feathers? Yep! I said peacock feathers. As it turns, there’s a flock of them visiting Casa Plumbs’ greens. Walking the hills, I felt like singing songs from the Sound of Music.

I think that I most cherish the pleasure of seeing Albert running along the shoreline chasing the waves and ogling the rest of the pups of all ages, sizes and breeds on parade around us. Enjoying and sharing smoked blue fish and homegrown snap peas together. But, here’s the best – capturing Albert’s quiet moment…A comfort visit to his past flirt, Kitty Carlisle….The Cat’s Meow.

 Yes Indeed…Albert and his Mistress Dig Block Island!

JITNEY, HAMPTONS LUX LINER, LIRR and the LIE have all gotten old. Not that the friends at the end of those lines have, but I’ve been longing for a new, easier way to enjoy the summer months without spending hours on any of those conveyances. By Jove I think I’ve got it! And it comes in the form of two words…..HUDSON VALLEY.

It’s just amazing. A short 45-minute train ride up the beautiful Hudson River on Metro North out of Grand Central (No Penn Station YEA!!) and you’re surrounded by all the country one needs: Farmers Markets, Horses, Wines, Foods, it’s all up here. If you haven’t poked around up here, it will be worth a quick exploration. I’ve found beautiful homes both to buy and to rent without all the fuss and without $ and decimal point moved over to the far right. What a time to look for a better way.

I’ve just run into two of the travelers I used to see on the streets of Sag Harbor and East Hampton poking around up here. What fun! I guess the smart ones are getting wiser by the second and who would miss the Jitney, Hamptons Lux Liner, LIRR or the LIE anyhow?

My second Theatre Treat of the Week was the new Theatre Extra Universal Experience.

I have been a patron of the NY Film Society of Lincoln Center for years. I participated in the NT Live Screen of Racine’s Theatre starring one of my favorites, Helen Mirren.

The idea behind this unique concept is to bring London’s National Theatre to the screen live performances in cinemas around the world. Phedre was recorded live on June 25 and was rebroadcasted in high-definition at my neighborhood Walter Reade Theater.

What an extraordinary and enchanting event to view and review. I was not familiar with this classic Greek tragedy. In Phedre, Mirren plays a woman consumed by uncontrollable passion for her young stepson. Believing Theseus, her absent husband, to be dead, she confesses her darkest desires and enters the world of nightmare. But, when Theseus returns alive and well, Phedre accuses her stepson of rape. The result is carnage.

Believe me, this was bigger than life. “Up close and personal” vs. the stage, as the camera zoomed into the emotions the actors projected. I do confess my biggest disappointment was the lack of chemistry between the intertwined complicated love affairs.

Now that’s what I call a tragedy!

Catching up with my friend Herb who invited me to the theatre to attend a new play called Stunning.

I was very excited since his daughter Sas Goldberg is starring in this production. Stunning is stunning! I truly enjoyed this new extended sold out performance.

LCT3 is another side of Lincoln Center. LCT3 stands for new artists/new audience.

Sas portrays a young girl keeping within her narrow world of friends and family. She has painted a character whose reflection of life reveals the disadvantages and complications of her limited values.

The twists and turns of this tale are not only “stunning,” but also enhanced by outstanding performances by all – role-play.

Bravo, Sassy!

I work hard and play hard and love to look forward to being spoiled at the end of the day.

Although I am a downtown person at heart, my soul enjoys walking to and from dinner. Therefore, I will share my happy meals in my hood.

My favorite bistro is Café Luxembourg. I am always welcomed there and greeted with the sincerest embrace by that handsome Kyle and charming Travis. Where else can you get the “best” dry martini (garnished with three olives) and a tuna burger with frites, topped off by a Harry’s sundae, all at my favorite round table. By the way, dinner would never be the same without our fabulous waiter Jamie, making certain everything is perfect.

Now you know why I must walk home. 

Big Secret is Albert’s favorite. He has been coming here since he was the size of a breadbasket. Albert loves the arctic char, but prefers his steak frites.

My fondest memories at Café Lux: Don’t look now, but there’s Natasha Richardson, hubby Liam and mom Vanessa at Table One. She was a regular, adding to the sparkle and special ambiance. I still see her laughing and full of life. What Amazing Grace.

I just returned from my Italian Film Festival marathon. Lucky me. With a skip and a hop, I can sprint over to Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theatre. Alberto the Charmer and I hold paws together while the lights are low. We escape to the beautiful adventures of the Italian Cinema called the “Open Roads: New Italian Cinema 2009” sold out premieres.

 Jade’s Screen Gems & critiques by Albert the Charmer

A Man Who Loves was a contemporary relationship profiled on the lakes. I loved the soundtrack.

The Sicilian Girl captures the real-life drama of the daughter of a mafia family rebelling against a male-dominated organization.

A Perfect Day is a well-crafted thriller based on a novel that captures the 24 hours before the lives of a group of people are connected.

Brave Men is a tantalizing blend of melodrama built on the rare figure of the female crime boss.

I tend to start my day by stretching my knowledge daily to create my own trends.

• Daily Candy – www.dailycandy.com
• Ask Melissa LLC. – www.askmelissa.com/
• Daily Beast – www.dailybeast.com
• The Bright Side – thebrightsideproject.com
• Your Dictionary – www.yourdictionary.com
• Wines ‘Til Sold Out – www.winestilsoldout.com
• She Finds – www.shefinds.com
• Bag, Borrow or Steal – www.bagborroworsteal.com
• Facebook – www.facebook.com – pump up 2x a day to visit and catch up with friends from yesterday, today and tomorrow.