It's A's birthday this weekend—well, technically tomorrow—but we're celebrating with friends today. Dinner, gifts, cupcakes, and Champagne—what more could you ask for?

We love Butter Lane bakery. Clockwise from top left: vanilla cake with chocolate icing; "the Elvis," banana cake with peanut butter icing and marshmallows on top; chocolate cake with cream cheese icing; vanilla cake with cream cheese icing.

[1. & 2. c_lynn]

After watching scary movies and baking all day, we are off to a costume party at one of our Halloween-obsessed friend's house. We're bringing brain creepcakes, one of the many creative Halloween recipes available on marthastewart.com. How disgusting and utterly perfect for zombie movie fans!

N.B. Don't use the suggested Swiss merinque buttercream icing for the brain—it curdles and is rather finicky. Instead, use the cream cheese frosting from pinchmysalt.

Also, in honor of Halloween, I present the scariest non-scary movie of all time: The Peanut Butter Solution [1985] and because I grew up about an hour away from Sleepy Hollow, Disney's The Legend of Sleepy Hollow [1952] and also The Skeleton Dance [1929].

Some of the perks from our very low-key 4th of July.

Butter Lane Bakery on East 7th in the Village is sugary, buttery goodness. Focusing on dairy products from local farms, and with an emphasis on seasonal ingredients, Butter Lane truly sets itself apart from your average fad cupcake-only bakeshop in NYC.

With a icing tasting bar at the counter--you can create your own flavor combination. Ask to find out their daily specials. When we went I had the Key lime cupcake and A had the banana cupcake with coconut icing (he had the winner).

[1. The New York Times]

i've already written about my love for laduree macaron and the pleasures of finding the newest trends in confiture, but this towering candle, that stands almost a foot tall, is an extravagant display of confectionary perfection--and quite literally takes the cake.

"At Point à la Ligne, making candles is still a very hands-on process: molds are carved by hand, one by one the wax for each candle is poured, and the final product is given hand painted accents. In the world of wax, their commitment to quality and craftsmanship make their candles stand out as works of art. Point à la Ligne has been manufacturing quality candles from the Bordeaux region of France for over 35 years."


hand-poured and recreated in meticulous detail by Point à la Ligne in Paris, it is incredible to imagine the amount of work that has gone into the formation of such a temporary sculpture. exquisite as it is, you may have difficulties setting it aflame--but what a birthday candle to set before your loved ones. put your order in at the rose and radish.




I must also mention the "forever cupcake," which the rose and radish stocks as well. food made of plaster--how very japanese.

you would be wise to take their advice upon gifting this item: It could go [very] wrong if the recipient doesn't have a sense of humor and you don't have a real cake hidden somewhere.