Take That Cake-In-A-Bowl!

I have an enemy. A nemesis. An adversary. A betrayer. A rival. An opponent. It's name is Cake-In-A-Bowl. I have tried for years to make this cake the way it was meant to be (or so said Bon Appetit)!  (Having trouble formatting the picture. Sorry for all the extra space!)










 
Year after year, I try and I try but to no avail.Well, this year I decided it would be the last time I made this cake. It  has four layers, three frostings, takes two days to make and assemble, and I would rather make other things. This year I decided, that since it was the last time I make it I would try one last time to make it not in a bowl.

Guess what?

Ta Da!!! I feel I can now retire the Devils Food Layer Cake with Peppermint (and two other) Frosting.

I also made this:

This didn't turn out how the recipe said it would (which I am VERY tired of!). It's from Food Network Magazine. I guess is was ok. I refused to eat it. There are two frostings. One frosting was a chocolate and toffee flavor with chopped, roasted pecans (which I could eat with a spoon) and the top has a chocolate glaze. The chocolate toffee ended up being way more runny than it should have and the glaze was not runny enough. I hear the cake was good.

My favorite part of Thanksgiving, besides being with family and friends, is the mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy. They were great!

So, please, next year I would like to go back to the spice cake with cream cheese, toffee frosting and the devils food with  mocha frosting. Thank you!

I Just Have a Few More Rambles

Hab-what? Haboob!















When Pretty Girl has a child it will be a girl and she will look like this. That's right, she will come out looking like this. The child, not Pretty Girl. What shall we name her?

 When was the last time you saw one of these? It was at a casino. So many people were taking pictures.

This girl was in a Halloween store at a mall. The first time we walked by I couldn't go in. She scared me. When we were leaving I couldn't miss the chance to take her picture and share with you all. She gives me nightmares. Oh, and that broom, he has a mind of his own!

This is Bo (or Beau, I'm wasn't clear on the spelling). He was the bouncer that night. The bar is Lahaina. On the beach in Pacific Beach (San Diego). I try to go every time I'm in town.
 

Random Ramblings

Did I mention Pretty Doctor went to a bachelorette party in Vegas and flew home on a private jet? It's the bigger one on the left! No, the one in from of the huge one.

 Did you know that the Target by Hotel Circle in San Diego is two story? This is the cart escalator!

 That wedding I went to in San Diego last May? Here's all the booze.

And here's the beautiful wedding cake.

When I go to the beach in the summer we stay here. Every weekend there is this impromptu car show. This was one of my favorites. This guy drives down the street several time with the doors open and his woofer blasting.

This last trip to the beach I also saw this car on the freeway. Why would anyone do this to a Caprice Classic!

Hodads! Enough said!

Did I mention I got pulled over for criminal speeding in Casa Grande on the way to Pretty Doctor's house? No? He let me go. He only talked to Pretty Girl, like I wasn't even there. You need her in your car if you're going to speed.

 This was that same trip to see Pretty Doctor but apparently THIS isn't illegal!

It's Not My Fault!

It's not my fault that I went to a work conference and it happened to be in San Diego! We stayed at Paradise Point on Vacation Island. This was probably the most nicest place I have ever stayed in. My room was fantastic. I promised Pretty Girl I would take pictures. Here it is:

When you walk in this is the bedroom. See how they turn down the bed at night?

That's right, two beds. Oh, is that a bottle of wine?

Just to the right as you walk in there is this enormous walk in closet with a full size dresser.

It's a big closet.

 From that door you look into where the shower and toilet are.

 

 And from there you look into where the sink is.

 It was really nice.

You can look all the way through!

This is outside my front door.

 
And this is what I see from inside.

 \
Pretty Girl, is that the seagull from Ocean Beach? Creepy!

Endless Summer

Here is the second trip:

We took the "Coaster" down to San Diego. We got off at Old Town and had lunch. I thought it was funny that this woman had such long, dangly earrings for such short hair.

Here is a complete sunset.

And done.

Beach, Yes Again!

I try to get the beach every summer. This last summer I was lucky enough to go twice. This is the first trip:

There is always wine.

And sunsets.

 










 Nadine came this time.

 You know I can't resist sunsets. Any sunset.

This looks like fun.

 Drinks for all!

Bobito and wife.

 I can't figure out how to flip this.

 

Good night.