Hike #2: Lower Arroyo Seco

For the second hike, I wanted something easy but with lots of visual interest, so yesterday I chose the Lower Arroyo Seco Park Trail. I spent a lot of time taking pictures of bridges:

An abstraction:

A stab at black and white artsy-ness:

With the sun setting:

Golden light touching the arroyo (again, I'm a sucker for this kind of landscape):

And dappled on this quaint path up to the street (yes, it's a little Thomas Kinkade-ish, but it was gorgeous in person):

I was glad that I started this hike in the late afternoon, because the quality of the light was so beautiful. As such, it's my favorite time to take pictures. Instead of trying a new food place afterward, I actually went to Europane beforehand. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to try their famous croissants, but I had a wonderful carved turkey sandwich on their olive bread along with a giant pistachio macaron, which had great cream filling, but was a little too chewy for my taste. I'll have to come back for the pain au chocolat.

I don't have any cash, but I have cupcakes

Last Tuesday, I was driving home from a class potluck for which I brought mini cupcakes along with brownies* from Big Sugar Bakeshop (see my initial review). While I was stopped at the exit ramp off the 10 freeway at Western Avenue, despite my protesting gestures, a homeless guy started to wash my windows. (They still do that? I thought I was reliving a bad joke from the 80s and 90s.) Anyway, when he was done, he obviously asked for some cash, and that was where I got a brainwave. I rolled down my windows a little and asked if he would like some of my leftover cupcakes instead. Resigned, he accepted them, and as I drove away, I saw him start to eat them. I wonder if he liked them.

*Big Sugar Bakeshop's brownies are amazing and I think they are definitely better than my former top brownie spot, The Farm of Beverly Hills. In contrast to The Farm's brownies, they are lighter but just as chocolately and have yummy flavors. I got four different kinds, each split into four: Girl Scout Thin Mint, Peanut Butter, Oreo, and Chocolate Chip. All hit the spot in a really good way. So, while Big Sugar isn't my number one cupcake spot (though their Mexican Chocolate cupcake is one of my favorites), I'd have to say that it is definitely my top brownie spot.

Ooey Gooey

In addition to my little cupcake obsession, I've been sampling all sorts of yumminess at various bakeries. Today, I stopped at Milk for the first time and I'm almost sorry I did. Not that it was bad... it's just that I have to go the Art Store fairly often and Milk is located just off the same intersection (Beverly & Poinsettia.) Unfortunately, I can absolutely see myself picking up one of their "ooey gooey double chocolate" cookies every time I need to pick up some mat board or pencils. Those cookies are the most chocolatey and rich double chocolate cookies I have ever tasted. I was happily buzzing for hours. And at $1 a cookie, I can't wait to have another one.

In addition to those cookies, I also bought a slice of blue velvet cake for one of my coworkers and a square of chocolate croissant bread pudding for K. The reviews were very positive.

Milk is probably best known for its milk-derived goodies, like shakes, pudding and ice cream. Perhaps next time, I'll try something from their food menu (I hear their cobb and media noches are good) and wash it down with a chocolate malt...and, of course, grab some of those cookies.