Red Velvet, Again

It’s a Red Velvet Day redux, only this time, instead of Red Velvet LabColors… it’s a Cupcake Royale Red Velvet cupcake. I’m happily hunkered down at Cupcake Royale in Ballard (a cute suburb of Seattle) writing this post. See the laptop on the right in the photo?

Red Velvet Cupcakes are my favorite cupcake at Cupcake Royale. Judging for the line out the door (I’m not kiddng; there are 19 people currently in line here), I’m not the only one that has a serious crush on their cupcakes and coffee. Then again, sugar and caffeine are two of the most addictive substances known to man so maybe I shouldn’t be so amazed at the line out the door.

I’m in Seattle for the next 6 or so days on a massive business whirlwind scouting/meeting trip. Last night, my dear husband and I had the best time over at Nicole Donnelly’s house. Nicole is a super rad chick (that’s her in the pink dress by me) that founded BabyLegs just 3 years ago. In her short time in business, her leg warmers for babies have taken the baby fashion world by storm and now her company grosses several million dollars and is sold in over 30 countries. And, in the sincerest form of flattery, multi-billion-dollar conglomerates have started knocking her designs off. I guess you know you’ve arrived then!

Here is half of the dinner party, goofing around, all wearing Baby Legs as arm bands. Nicole assures me it’s the hot new thing so I’ve been wearing mine proudly all day, feeling every second my thirty year old, non-hipster age.

You wouldn’t guess it by the goofy picture but all the people in the photo run their own businesses, all grossing in the 7 figure range. The guy on the far left is Christian and he founded SilverCup Coffee Company nine years ago. They roast their own coffee beans and sell to independent stands all over the nation. The young guy on the far right? That’s Russell and he runs multiple sleep clinic locations that diagnose over 88 different sleeping disorders. It was an impressive, energizing group. We felt privileged to be invited.

Yes, I am wearing BabyLegs on my leg as a trial. You’re right, it’s not my best look.

Hubby and I slept over in Seattle and spent the morning walking Seattle. We wandered to Pike Street where I promptly over indulged in cheese at Beechers; $16 worth of Tumalo Goat Cheese and Flagship Reserve. I plan to eat it all. And then, when the guilt sets in, I’ll make some insane running goal to work it off and force you to watch it all transpire on my Nike running log. Just warning you….For now, we’re safe. I’m too hopped up on sugar and caffeine to think very clearly about consequences for my poor dietary choices today. Because 9 ounces of cheese wasn’t enough of a fat indulgence for breakfast, I also got the World’s Best Macaroni and Cheese and ate it for breakfast. I know its the World’s Best because it won an award saying it was. Given that it’s 98% fat and 2% carbs (there’s like two noodles thrown in for good measure in between all the glopping layers of creamy, hot cheese), I’m suspicious that this was like eating a pure stick of butter for all the nutritional good it did. But, like many things that will eventually kill you, it was good.

And phew, that brings us full circle to Cupcake Royale. I’m here, walking Ballard (maybe that will help the healing start from the fatty breakfast?) looking for Otion Store Two vacancies and eyeballing the passerby to see if they are soap-worthy. I’m going for a sharp, attentive look as opposed to a creepy beady-eyed stare. Judging by the amount of people that seem to cross the street when they see me coming, I’m guessing that I’m projecting the latter.