Hotel Del Coronado
1500 Orange Avenue
Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 522-8490
www.hoteldel.com

While staying at the Hotel Del Coronado for our two year anniversary, my husband surprised me with a bonfire and S’mores, which the hotel offers.  In the evening, they set up a bonfire on the beach and have a bucket waiting with anything and everything you need to make S’mores!  I swear I haven’t made S’mores since I was a Girl Scout.  Actually, the first record of S’mores is in a Girl Scout book and the name used to be “Some More.”  I used to love roasting marshmallows and squeezing the Graham crackers around them along with a chunk of a Hershey’s chocolate bar.  They had all these exact ingredients, along with metal sticks.  I felt like I was at summer camp with my hubby!  Most of you probably know how good this dessert is, but I have to tell you, it was a lot better than I remembered.  I think my appreciation for “oldies but goodies” has increased.  You can’t get any fresher than when roast marshmallows yourself.  I love roasting a marshmallow and letting it catch on fire.  What’s great is that you can decide how you want your marshmallow.  I like mine burnt on the outside!  This dessert hit the spot so much, I had a total of three!  What more can a gal ask for than to be on a beautiful beach, making S’mores with a bonfire, in the evening with her hubby?  Not too much, except the IPad set to the “Star Walk” application and seeing their names and locations as we pan it across the night sky.  All this while enjoying one of the great American desserts.  xoxoBrownie

Ciao Bella Gelato
212.786.4707
Two World Financial Center
Street Level

My favorite flavor of gelato or ice cream is Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough and I am always on the hunt for the best brand!  When I walked into the Ciao Bella shop down in the World Financial Center my eyes and stomach jumped out of my body!  It looked so good, millions of chips swimming in a sea of vanilla with huge chunks of chocolate chip dough!  After a sample, which I only asked for to get an extra bite, I was walking away with a beautiful sugar cone stacked high with my favorite treat.  Ciao Bello began in 1983 in Little Italy and since then grown into a sensation due to the indulgent and pure gelato they make.  Natural, fresh ingredients are combined to create unique and intense flavors of gelato and sorbet.  I really could have indulged in many of them such as coconut sorbet or key lime graham cracker!  But, there is something about cookie dough that always wins my heart.  Ciao Bella makes the BEST cookie dough I have ever tasted.  The vanilla base was uber creamy, the chips were thin and crunchy and the balls of dough were chewy and HUGE!  If there is a dough heaven, I was in it.  The clouds parted, the sun rays came through, and angels holding ice cream cones were singing, looking down on me.  We all were smiling as we licked away!  Well, that’s what it felt like anyway.  xoxo Blondie

West Coast Rite Aid Locations

Thrifty’s Facebook Page

The drug store nearest where I lived in San Diego was Rite Aid.  The first time I stopped in, I was shocked to see a full ice cream parlor!  Started in 1919, two brothers opened a drug store which ended up with the name Thrifty Cut Rate.  It was later bought by Rite Aid, but the name still sticks with their award winning Thrifty Ice Cream that Rite Aids on the West Coast still sell.  This cold treat deserves some awards in my book.  Who would have thought I’d have amazing ice cream in San Diego at Rite Aid! HA! I tried the Cookies ‘n Cream and also the Rocky Road:  standard flavors that were scrumptious (I came back again and had the Strawberry Cheesecake as well…mmm!).  It was light and creamy, and the temperature they served it at made it soft and easy to lick on a cone.  They are famous for their cylindrical shaped scoops, which make a fun look.  All the ice cream is manufactured at the Thrifty Creamery in El Monte, California.  Most locals recommend Thrifty’s ice cream, and one hot summer day they actually sold out!   With reasonable prices, you can get a scoop, or two, or three for cheap just like they said in their 1950′s radio jingle, “Save a nickel, save a dime, save at Thrifty every time.  Save a dollar and much more, at your Thrifty Drug Store!”  xoxoBrownie

Spot Dessert bar is a hip, new dessert “spot” down in the East Village.  It’s wood paneled, modern decor give off a great vibe while you enjoy your desserts!  Pastry Chef, Pichet Ong masterfully combines his knowledge of Asian desserts with classic American desserts creating new spins on old favorites.  I came here for one of those old favorites, the quintessential black and white cookie. The Asian influence here is from the very popular dipping cookie called Pocky Sticks.  A Pocky Stick is a buttery, biscuit like cookie that are dipped into different types of chocolate.  Chef Ong’s cookie base was unbelievably good.  It had a delicious crunchy outside with a soft chewy inside.  He dips one cookie into white chocolate and tops it with chocolate cookie crumbles.  For contrast, the other cookie is dipped into bitter Valrhona dark chocolate, like the “Men’s” flavor of pocky stick found in Japan or China.  I really LOVED these cookies.  I would definitely come back for them alone!  Out of all the desserts I tried that night, they were my favorite.  Simple, flavorful, and absolutely yummy!  Thank goodness someone reinvented the traditional B&W cookie you find in all the NY deli’s.  I always wanted to like them so that I felt like a “real New Yorker.”  Now, with Chef Ong’s new B&W’s, I don’t have to suffer by eating a bland, tasteless, stale cookie with bad lemon flavored frosting to feel like I fit in with NYC!  xoxo Blondie

62 West 9th Street (Btwn 5th & 6th Ave)
New York, NY 10011
(212) 353-8400

After reading a DailyCandy.com article, I was intrigued by the new West Village restaurant, The Lion .  The Lion has a dark-wooded den feel to it that drew me in.  The chef/owner, John Delucie, was in charge of the kitchen at The Waverly Inn.  My husband and I walked right in and got a table, which was refreshing, especially on a Saturday night. The dining experience we had was definitely upscale, and being foodies, we were ready for the new experience!  We had wine paired with our refreshing  starters and delicious entrees then finished it off with a lovely decaf coffee and…DESSERTS of course!  We decided to order the special that evening:  Chocolate Brioche Bread Pudding with Amaretto ice cream, blackberry compote, garnished with plump blackberries, and finished off with the server pouring Vanilla infused Creme Fraiche on top.  The blackberry compote and Creme Fraiche mixed together was so pretty to the eye. Delightful.  The bread pudding tasted like a chocolate croissant.  The chocolate flavor just popped in my mouth, and combined with the blackberries and creme, it makes a delectable and rich taste.

The second dish I ordered was their Cheesecake In A Jar.  The name was what leaped out at me.  I like creative names of dessert dishes since it adds to the excitement of having a dessert.  The cheesecake was a consistency of whipped pudding with a hint of lemon.  So cool and light!  It was topped with sliced strawberries and honey and maple crumbs and served in, well…a jar!  What an adorable and clever way to serve cheesecake.  I love that in a city known for it’s cheesecake, The Lion was not afraid to avert away from the classic “slice.” If you want a new chic and pub-like place to have an elegant dinner and dessert, this is the hot place to go.  The ambience has a relaxing and social vibe with a rustic decor.  xoxoBrownie

68 Dean St., Brooklyn, NY
212.675.4996
www.onegirlcookies.com

Yesterday, I attended a lovely party in Brooklyn with my girlfriends where we swapped clothes and looked at the jewelry line Stella&Dot.  To my excitement, my friend Brittany of Brittlinco.com had picked up some cookies from One Girl Cookies.  I was happy to try every one and what made it even better was that they were all bite-sized so I could without getting a stomach ache!  They were so cute and delicious!  My favorite of the bunch was the Penelope.  A buttery cookie covered in chopped nuts with an apricot preserve filling.  It was like tasting the freshest shortbread cookie you’ve ever had!  The buttery cookie melted in my mouth with a sugary crunchiness as I finished it off.  This was definitely a surprise since I don’t usually go for this kind of cookie.  The next best sweet was their lemon bar.  I LOVE lemon and it’s a perfect summer flavor.  This lemon bar had a creaminess to it that reminded me of Entenmann’s Cheese Filled Crumb Coffee Cake (but without all the preservatives).  I used to eat this growing up.  It reminded me of my childhood while satisfying my taste buds at the same time.  Along with the cookies were their famous Whoopie Pies!  Let’s please just talk about their Pumpkin Whoopie Pie (pictured above).  ”Tis the start of the fall season, and you should start it with having one of these.  This is a pumpkin cake sandwich with cream cheese icing in the center.  Honestly, it’s in a category of it’s own.  The cake is sticky and soft and the cream cheese icing puts it together.  The lightness of the cake with the thickness of the icing is a killer.  What I love about Whoopie Pies is the story behind them.  It’s a New England tradition as well as an Amish one. Amish women would make them and stick them in farmers’ lunches.  When the farmers’ opened their lunch and saw them they shouted “Whoopie!”  That’s what you’ll be shouting when you sink your teeth in to one of these!  xoxoBrownie

3001 University Avenue
(crnr 30th St)
North Park
San Diego 92104
Phone (619) 793-4758
www.heavensentdesserts.com

As I was walking down the street from a late morning brunch on University Avenue in the Hillcrest area of San Diego, I stumbled upon this place.  I think it’s the name that caught my eye.  ”Heaven Sent” Desserts is a big name to live up to.  I was too full at the time, but what I saw in the shop was just a counter of beautiful sweets.  Later, I ended up trying their Red Velvet Cupcake.  Now, cupcakes are definitely getting overdone in my book, but this one is worth mentioning.  Red Velvet Cake is not always great, so when I devoured this I was instantly happy.  As you can see in the photo, the cake was so rich and full of moisture.  The coloring was fantastic (not that cheap bright red color).   I like the color to make me think I’m eating more of a chocolate cake than a food colored cake.  Since I’m an icing lover, I was nervous there wasn’t going to be enough icing from the look of the top, but I was informed there was icing in the center.  I love surprises like that!!!  And yes, there was plenty of icing to go around.  Different than the usual cream cheese icing, this icing had much more cream cheese and less sugar in it, which I didn’t mind.  This made it not so overwhelmingly sweet.  The cake and icing just balanced perfectly.  Delicious red velvet cake with thick cream cheese icing…yum!  A nice little sprinkle garnish on top to finish it off.  Just lovely! xoxoBrownie

www.opentable.com

OpenTable is celebrating the premiere of Top Chefs Just Desserts with a free dessert!  Check the website for what great restaurants are serving sweets on the house!  You know we’ll be there!  xoxoBrownie and Blondie

1500 Orange Avenue
Coronado, CA 92118
(619) 522-8490

Spreckels

While visiting the beautiful and famous Hotel Del Coronado, my sweet tooth needed some fulfilling. Walking around some adorable shops, I stumbled on this cute sweets shop called Spreckels. I love going in to candy shops cause well…it makes me feel like a “kid in a candy shop!”  It’s always full of bright and jovial colors and just puts a smile of excitement on my face.  This store had a great selection of candy.  What caught my eye at the counter was what is called a “Browniepop.” I swear it’s not only because I’m “Brownie”:-).  I LOVE brownies and the idea that a round brownie covered in dark chocolate was put on a stick to eat like a lollipop was awesome!  The brownie itself was so fresh and fudge-like.  The crunch of the chocolate added another depth of delicious texture.  It’s a perfect size to, well, satisfy my sweet tooth.  After spotting the fudge, I couldn’t walk out of their without some.  I usually go for the classic chocolate or maybe some peanut butter, but this time, from the employee’s recommendation, I chose their new Pistachio Walnut Fudge.  Hesitant about the taste, I tried it.  WHAT?  It was so sugary and salty I was blown away.  Don’t let the green color scare you.  This fudge was out of this world.  The nuts were fresh so they weren’t too hard to eat with the creamy fudge.  Hotel Del Coronado is definitely a place I recommend for anyone to visit.  And if your sweet tooth kicks in like mine did, check out Spreckels! xoxoBrownie