Cupcake Challenge

Alexpedition is home now, but I fully intend on continuing my adventures.

When I arrived home I of course shared with everyone my stories of the road and my Sprinkles cupcake joy.

My daughter threw down a challenge, "Georgetown Cupcakes are better!"

She had never had a Sprinkles cupcake and I had never had a Georgetown cupcake. Both are blocks apart in Washington, DC so we decided to perform the showdown there.

When we arrived at Georgetown Cupcake there was a large line outside the door. I was impressed. However, long lines don't make a great cupcake. Given the closing time of both stores we decided to split up. One third of the research team staying at Georgetown the other two thirds heading for Sprinkles. The Sprinkles team did encounter a line but secured their cupcakes before team Georgetown had entered the store.

We finally secured 3 cupcakes from each store and headed for a quiet place on the Georgetown University campus to perform the challenge.

I decided, to be fair, to taste test the Red Velvet cupcakes from both stores.

Unboxing the Georgetown cupcakes.



The box is created for 4 cupcakes and the hole for the 4th cupcake is camouflaged with a sticker. They are slightly smaller than the Sprinkles cupcakes. They certainly look yummy.

Unboxing the Sprinkles cupcakes.



The box is again created for 4 cupcakes and the hole is filled with a wad of paper. Comparing them to the Georgetown cupcakes they are certainly not as pretty. they did however provide a bag and plates.

Side by side comparison Red Velvet.



I will taste test the two red velvet cupcakes.

First the Georgetown cupcake...to be fair one bite.



Yummmmm...the Georgetown cupcake is yummy. The frosting is light in texture with a great flavor. I almost want to say a hint of lemon, but who knows? The cake itself is good, but the icing is the flavor in this cupcake.

I cleanse my pallet with a drink of water and wait a minute.

Now the Sprinkles cupcake....again to be fair, one bite.




The icing is heavier and has a crisp dried layer on top. It does not have any of the popping flavor of the Georgetown cupcake. It pales in comparison. The cake itself is again really not the source of the flavor of the cupcake and with little zing to the icing the cake is unremarkable but adequate in texture. The cupcake falls apart when picked up a second time.

The research team agreed that we don't like hard candy things on top of our cupcakes.

The winner....Georgetown Cupcakes.




They do have a TV show.



Cost comparison. The Sprinkles bill.


The Georgetown bill.



My daughter text messaged me about another cupcake shop on U street...and another friend texted about a shop in New York.

Stay Tuned.


From Georgetown...signing off.

Hotels: What I Learned

Reflecting back on my trip I have learned some things about hotels and me.

1. We all have different priorities for hotels, learn your priorities and then choose your hotel based on those priorities.

I learned my priorities on this trip since I stayed in 15 different hotels.

My priorities are:

a.) non-smoking
b.) clean
c.) inside door access

I prefer if a hotel has or is:

a.) in a decent neighborhood
b.) self parking
c.) an exercise room with at least a treadmill
d.) near something decent to eat

2. Read customer reviews, the good ones and the bad ones. Both may be untrue.

3. Look at the pictures of the rooms on the website. Look at the television in the room. Is it an old TV? Think about your priorities.

4. Full non-smoking hotels are the only way to be sure you are getting a truly non-smoking room.

Chains I liked...

Holiday Inn Express: consistent across the country, the breakfast will get you started, full non-smoking hotel, always inside door access, most of these are very new. Price ranges from $80 - $200 depending on location. They are everywhere.

Comfort Suites: consistent, old TVs (but I didn't care), clean, non-smoking, inside door access. Price $60 - $90, so they were good if I needed a cheaper stay.

Candlewood Suites: consistent, clean, non-smoking, inside door access. They have kitchens in the rooms. These are great for staying a couple of days because of the kitchen. They also have FREE laundry facilities. They also have a pantry that is on the honor system. The wifi can be a bit weak as business people stay at these hotels so the wifi is under heavy use. Price $90 - $120. Wish there were more of these.

La Quinta: Be careful...I had a great experience. These hotels can sometimes have bad reviews. I found them to be quite nice. Sometimes outdoor room access. I found them clean and adequate. Non-smoking WAS truly non-smoking. Cheap stay at $50 - $70.

Sheraton: I stayed in two of these. Both were spur of the moment decisions based on switching from awful hotels. Both in Oklahoma City. Both had all of my priorities but the one by the airport was a step down from the one away from the airport. Not expensive at $80 - $100.

The Ritz Carlton: Obviously the best possible experience. It was great fun. The entire experience including the spa, etc was around $1400... But recall that was for TWO.

Chains I didn't like...

Red Roof Inn: I'm not saying you can't find a reasonable one, but I won't bother with this hotel chain ever again. My experience was DIRTY, SMELLY, SCARY. I would prefer to sleep in my car. Even if you read good reviews....RUN!!! Cheap...but it's even cheaper to stay in your car.

Travelodge: same as above.

Rodeway: same as above.

In the end, I don't care where you stay, there is no place like home :)

Graceland Video

Hopefully this will be the Graceland video I put together.

Enjoy!

Alex and the 2012 North American Derecho

I survived....in case you can't stand the suspense.

On Friday morning I started the day knowing it was going to be relaxing. I decided to spend two days getting through the last 12 hours of driving. I also got up and planned on my hotel arrival instead of doing it once I got out there on the road. I booked a hotel in Charleston, WV and decided to stop and see Churchill Downs as I passed through Louisville, KY.

After breakfast I drove to Louisville and found Churchill Downs which is pristine and beautiful, but again...sitting in a run down, bad neighborhood.



I got out of the car after parking under a big shade tree, the heat was oppressive.
I trudged to gate 1. They have a Kentucky Derby Museum so I decided to take a tour.



Outside is a large bronze of Barbaro. This is life size and massive, very impressive.
When I got inside the museum they told me I could not buy a ticket as they closed the museum early today for cleaning because they were having an event. The gentleman then told me I could help myself to the restroom and the gift shop. ( How did he know?)

Inside the gift shop I decided to buy a cup. I had been collecting them from various places on my trip. I took the cup to the counter to pay and expressed my disappointment at not being able to see the museum. I told the ladies I was just passing through so I couldn't come back tomorrow. So the one woman grabbed my arm and pulled me through a back room into the museum. She told me to enjoy myself. So there I was walking through The Kentucky Derby museum all by myself except for some people vacuuming and cleaning displays. FREE!

I honestly didn't take the time I would take if I had paid. But it's not a big museum anyway.



Silks.






I'll Have Another.



Kentucky Derby wear.



Starting gates.



Twin Spires.

After the museum I decided to pay the three dollars to enter the race track before the races and take some pictures.



Finish line.



Paddock.



Path to the track from the paddock.



Pat Day statue.



First horse to win the Derby, Aristides.

After that I went back to the hot, hot road.

I drove for about an hour and encounter a strange wind that sort of felt like a thunderstorm but produced no rain. Leaves were being blown over the road and my car occasionally swerved a little from the force of the wind. I continued driving when I saw this cloud-like dust swirl on the road in front of me. It looked like a large brown swirl of dirt and it was definitely turning, but slowly. Some cars pulled over and some cars went into the dust and disappeared, as I could not see to the other side. It completely covered the highway. I pulled over for a minute or two and decided to risk it.

I pulled slowly into the brown swirl and popped out on the other side. No harm done. I wasn't in Oz and there was no wicked witch so I continued. I drove on combating this weird wind. I could sometimes see dark clouds and lightening far off in front of me, but no rain.

I got to West Virginia, and continued to drive knowing I had a hotel booked and letting my gas run down. The sun went down, things got dark and I saw signs that told me I should be in Charleston, but I did not see any lights. I looked for the exit, got off and saw no hotel, again the road signs illuminated by my headlights said it should be there, but it wasn't. My eyes adjusted to the dark and I realized the hotel was there it just had no power. I pulled up to the front and a security guard told me I could not stay there as they could not insure my safety. I drove off into the darkness. No GPS, no map, a quarter tank of gas. Lost in the Appalachian mountains!! I was able to call my daughter who did give me the best map advice she could. I knew if I followed 64 east it would eventually intersect with 81 north. I did find a gas station with a generator. My hands shook as I pressed the buttons to get the pump to work and I was very relieved when I finally had a full tank of gas.

I had no options. Thank God for my insomnia. I knew I would never get sleepy. I drove through the darkness. I cried. I saw no lights. Only headlights. There were trees down on the highway, so I was only able to travel at maybe 50 to 55 mph. I passed road signs that said hotels should be there but there was nothing but darkness. I drove for about 5 hours into the darkness. At Woodstock, VA I finally saw lights and about 3 hotels, a gas station and a McDonalds. I went into the Holiday Inn Express the woman shaking her head NO as I approached the counter. she then pulled out a list of hotels to the north and south, she asked me which way I wanted to try and I said NORTH. She pointed out the hotel she had last called with rooms. We called it, the woman had two rooms. I drove north and found the hotel off exit 313. The clerked booked me into room 313, for anyone who thinks that is weird, I stepped on the elevator pushed three, the doors shut and the lights went out.

My heart sank, I said out loud, "Noooooooooo!" but after a minute they came back on. It took about two minutes for the elevator to move again. Got to my room, sank into bed. It was about 3:30 am. It took about an hour for the buzzing from the adrenaline to slow down enough for my meds to kick in and I fell asleep.

I made it home the next day.

San Francisco

I got a little behind in my posts so this blog is going to catch you up from the last few days.

Saturday morning I left the Santa Rosa area of California and headed south for San Francisco. I had a tour scheduled for the San Francisco Armory at 3:00 pm, so I would have a little time to kill.

When I came up through San Francisco the first time it was very foggy. I crossed the Golden Gate Bridge but couldn't see much of it through the thick, low fog. The day was absolutely brilliant on Saturday, but I had been told by locals that fog is often the case in San Francisco so I had little hope of seeing the bridge again on Saturday. When I got closer to the bridge I recalled reading a sign that told me I would have to pay a toll when going over the bridge from north to south.

Drat!! No cash in the car, I took the last exit before the bridge and made the choice that always puts me in the wrong place, left or right? I decided left and I started climbing, parked the car and kept climbing and climbing and eventually saw the top and thought... "I have to get all the way up there!!!"

I did, and this is what I saw.



I could see forever.



And it was beautiful.
I climbed down a bit and found a better path to the bridge.



And got about as close as I could.






Really lovely day I felt peaceful, and thought maybe a few more days in California would be nice.



So I found the ATM went over the Golden Gate bridge and went for my tour.



I went to see the San Francisco Armory. They make movies here. And it shattered all my illusions.



The "wood" floor is spongy so no one gets hurt.



All fake.



Fake padded cell.



Fake bar.



Prop department.



Robot from that Short Circuit movie back in the 80's.



Mission Creek runs under the armory. They used the basement for target practice so it is pretty creepy down there.



Just after I took this picture my camera battery died.

I took the rest of the photos with my phone.



By contrast the upper floors are beautiful.



There are two black cats that follow you around the whole time making it even creepier.


After this I went to Chowchilla, Ca...which is near the federal prison. It is also where I left my camera battery charging in the wall... :(

On Sunday I drove south to Pasadena, I read somewhere that it would be a nice stay, but it wasn't...everything was in Chinese. I took the day to rest and do my laundry.

Monday came and I decided to run around Forest Lawn Cemetery and look for dead stars. I found Clark Gable, Sammi Davis jr, and Ted Knight.

I was looking for Michael Jackson, Andy Gibb or Liberace...so I asked...and of course I'm in the wrong cemetery...There is a Forest Lawn in Glendale AND Hollywood...so much for that...save that for another trip...the Hollywood one is the one with the people you know, and I just didn't want to battle the traffic.

So I headed for Victorville to perch myself at the edge of the desert and prepare myself for the trip home.

I was supposed to stay in California until July 2nd to see Barry Manilow at the Hollywood Bowl. But when I came through Southern California the first time I sold my ticket. I missed my kitties.

I regret that. But the ticket is gone. I hope whoever has it enjoys the show and the fireworks.

I'm hoping besides tonight, I have no more than one more night without Cecil and Boo Boo snuggled up with me.



My inspiration for tomorrow's drive.

Charles Schultz Museum.

Sitting in a Starbucks in Windsor, CA eating oatmeal and drinking coffee.

My three favorite places to visit in all the world are libraries, laundromats and museums. So yesterday after my Half Moon Bay rejuvenation I decided to head north to Santa Rosa and see the Charles Schultz Museum.

The museum is a celebration of Charles Schultz's life and his comic strip. Although the museum does have a few coloring areas for children, it is truly an adult museum.

Charles Schultz was passionate about a lot of things, but he was very passionate regarding the equal treatment of women in sports and hockey.

The museum is filled with Peanuts character art that has been produced by other people.




This mural is made up of peanuts daily comic strips.



I took a close up shot so you can see.



There are wood carved character plaques and the instructions tell you to decide which character you most identify with. I suppose I am some combination of Peppermint Patty and Marci.




This comic struck me, as this is how I think I look and it's certainly how I feel when I try to dress up.



Even Lucy doesn't understand men.



Billy Jean King's tennis outfit.



His daughter's wall in her bedroom, this is before he started his comic strip.



Original music to Christmas Time is Here.


Sketch book from the war.


The desk and chair where he drew the comic strip


This entire room was preserved exactly as it was the day he died.



Lots of books on Lincoln. Among the record albums, ABBA's Greatest Hits and Ricky Skaggs.



Snoopy art.



Teacher stuff.



This is by a famous artist. It's Snoopy's dog house. I don't get it???



There is a cafe on the property called the Warm Puppy Cafe. You can sit and have lunch and watch the ice skaters. I thought it was appropriate to have a grilled cheese.

Wasn't that the lunch they were always having in the comic strip?