Toulouse Petit

This year I managed to go to 4 restaurants during restaurant week. My favorite out of all the ones (even though they were all excellent) was Toulouse Petit in the Queen Anne neighborhood. Although they are famous for their Breakfast Happy Hour (which I've heard from multiple people that it's amazing and I'm going on Thursday) I went for dinner (3 course meal for $25).

The atmosphere in there is so cozy. There's candles all over the wall and big cushy booths to sit in. Service is great and the food was resonably priced with huge portions (even during the restaurant week promotion). I had the fried chicken gumbo, fresh pasta with pine nuts/chanterelles/sage and white chocolate bread pudding. Sorry for the lack of food pictures, it was dark in there :) Definitely be prepared for the breakfast happy hour pictures!

flecks of gold

Like everything else in my life, I go through waves of being obsessed with one thing or another. Not too long ago, I was really into nail polish. I would change the colors before it even started to chip. Then I stumbled upon this gold flecked top coat by Rococo. After some intensive googling for pictures, I decided I MUST have it.

I can't wait to play with other color combos!

Banana cupcakes? Muffins?

What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake? Is it really just the frosting? I was reading an old issue of Bon Appetit and saw this recipe for banana cupcakes with peanut butter frosting. It really just is banana bread in muffin form with a good serving of peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Maybe by calling it a muffin it's less caloric? Regardless, it was delicious and I would make it again.