Crazy Cakes---Crazzzyyyyy Good!

So, who knew?! Today, by happenstance, I found out a cupcake store has opened in Lillington!!!
It is on the same street as the post office, but a block before.

OMG!. I went in, got 4. The Triple Threat, The Bad Mom, Little Miss Thang, and He Ain't Right.

The Triple Threat- Triple chocolate cake with Irish cream frosting. I think there were chocolate chunks in it. Let me say that all of these cupcakes, the cake part was probably the most awesome cake I have had in forever! Moist, but light. And so flavorful. The icing was perfect..it was almost silky tasting. I didn't care for this though but only because of the chocolate chunks. I know, those of you that know me will not be able to believe that but I am not saying it wasn't good, it was fabulous, just not my thing.

The Bad Mom---If this is bad, I don't wanna be good! I absolutely loved this cupcake! Vanilla cream cake with lemon-orange frosting. Honestly, my daughter and I were to take bites of each one and then share all of it. I took a bite of this one and I couldn't wait to get home and have the rest. It was THAT good. And I did.

Little Miss Thang- Classic red velvet cake with buttery cream cheese frosting. As I told the guy there, I'm not a red velvet fan but I got this for my daughter. I ate part of it. It was a beautiful color red, not a the dried up blood looking color most cakes of this name have. The color was a gothic crimson. And again, the same texture. Light and moist. The frosting is correctly described. It is absolutely buttery. And silky. Made a fan out of me.

He Ain’t Right- Almond flavored cake with almond butter cream frosting. I wouldn't know how this tasted because my daughter ate every bite before I could even get a bite. I asked her was it said good and she said not really---I then said, it must have been some kind of good because you ate all of it. She admitted it was freakin awesome which is why she couldn't stop herself!!!

I would make one request!! DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKE WITH SOME SORT OF STRAWBERRY BASALMIC ICING OR FILLING/ICING....I DIE!!!

The owner ( I think --I at least know she was the baker) was there and she was just as sweet as her cupcakes. I absolutely plan on stopping in on a regular basis (like I did for Ever So Sweet in Charleston) because my addiction has come to fruition in Lillington. Life is sweet!! and Crazy-Cakes-Good!

Long time...lot's to do!

Wow..been a while since I have had the chance to blog! But writing class now requires it so I have an awesome excuse!

Let's see...........things getting my attention.......

McDonalds...well since INS came in and cleared out all of the undocumented citizens, there is rarely a time when you can go into McDonalds, be it inside or drive through, that you spend less than 15 minutes just getting your order, the attitude is free by the way, and there's LOTS of it!

Someone or plenty of someones must have complained. Shockingly enough, I didn't~I meant to, I just never got around to it. But yesterday morning they had 3 managers out there clocking the drive through line. That is the fastest I have gotten through that line in about 6 months.  Amazing what supervision does.

FW Bean......definitely a plus to this town. With no other coffee options, people like me are bound to be regulars, which I am. I especially love their monthly flavor themes! This month is is white chocolate dipped strawberry or chocolate dipped strawberry coffee- beyond delish! redhot which is a cinamon and vanilla, tried it, didn't like it, but one of my coworkers did so I just have to say it wasn't my cup'o tea ~or coffee as the case may be. Chocolate covered Cherry, not tried it yet, it's on tap for today or Monday. All these are  hot, iced, sugar free or frappe!  Oh and they have the most awesome sweet tea. It's strengthy and bold, while I love tea the southern way, I also love it the gourmet way! Overall, FW Bean is the place to get your coffee on for sure!

Recent news:
http://www.wral.com/news/news_briefs/story/10685072/
Pair illegally issued auto titles.........
Now, we in this little town are rocked by this story. Why? Because every soul that has a car in Lillington has been turned away by Janet. For the smallest thing even. I have been pissed off by her at least 15 times since I've moved here. That means on 90% of my visits I have had to return because I didn't have the right stuff or stuff that was adequate for her to give me my tags or change titles.

That would be why everyone in this town is finding it hard to beleive that Janet had any part in this. I am just going to say what everyone else is thinking..if she was involved then the other girl coerced her into it, tricked her into it or something. I just can not believe that she willingly took part in any of this.
I am not saying it is a racist thing as many people who have commented on WRAL seem to be implying, I am just saying she was maybe misguided by a  younger, more street smart, manipulative person. It will be interesting to see what comes of this.


Stay tuned...........

coffee...sweet coffee...F W Bean

It's hard to find a good gourmet cup of morning in this town. McDonalds is good for iced mocha latte but being I quit them for lent..I was on the prowl for other options....that would be

FW Bean @ 810 South Main Street, Lillington NC. My first drink was the chai latte - iced. Amazing! They offer tons of other options in tea and coffee. Next I've tried the sweetened tea-I think they said it was a Red tea-THE BEST I've had. In need of being brought to life? The iced red eye is def the way to go!!! The iced mocha...just the right kick for morning start up. And I haven't even gotten to the muffins!

The muffins are the bakery option they offer. They are HUGE and beyond delish! My fave is the banana nut but the french toast comes in close 2nd!

Prices are way more reasonable than Starbucks, the quality is much better than those the fast food places offer. If you are a true coffee snob (I am and proud of it) this is your place!

F W Bean is well worth the trip downtown!

Quizno's - what a disappointment!

This Quizno's is at I-295 & exit 59 off of I-95. I stopped in there to pick up lunch for the man'o da house after a long trip back from Charleston, SC. Quizno's menu is a "magazine-food" eater's dream! The chipolte bread, the rosemary parm on the caprese sandwhich!! HOLLA! So I go in...so into getting some grub from this place. First thing I notice, it's not all that clean looking. Signs here and there, didn't pay too much attention to them at this point, however in just a minute it would more than get my attention. I watch the clerk serve a family of 3. It literally took an excruciating 18 minutes to make their 3 sandwhiches and that is without the toasting. Why no toasting? The main crux of Quizno's biz...is NOT WORKING. So, I figure ok. Toaster not working. That's ok, I think I can handle these sandwhiches not toasted. It will be like eating at Subway. Finally, after what seemed an eterneity, it became my turn. I wanted to get 2 subs, just alike: The Honey Cured Ham on chipolte bread- and it is $5 (yep- just like Subway). As I begin to order, chipolte bread- she tells me nope- don't have any. I asked, "are you out or you just don't have it?" "I don't even know what that is" came the reply. Now I begin to get into aggravated "sigh" mode. Well, it was listed right there on the signs all over the window, but ok. I'm not eating it, the husband is..no biggie- just get white. Well, we can't toast them. Ok. I said but they are the $5 deal right? "Nope" was my answer...a woman of few words. At this point, I had to get into semi-bitch mode. Well, it says right here on this sign that it's $5. She points to a sign above her head on the lighted board that says something else--I honestly can't remember because no matter what that sign said, the one in front of me is the one I was buying. I know. Bitch. lol So she did offer up some chipolte mayo. It took another 10 min for her to pass this down to the lettuce lady. She had forgotten/didn't hear/ignored/not paying attention - that I ordered 2 identical subs. Another 10 minutes into and finally, I have 2 subs. Now for mine. The Caprese! So, of course the rosemary parm bread. The clerk grabs it from the bakery showcase and quickly cuts off each end about 1/5 of the way down. Interesting. Then, she asks me what the sign says is on it. I don't mind telling her because I am excited about this sandwhich! Tomatoes, mozzarella, chopped lettuce, Basil Pesto, Red Wine Vinaigrette...holla! Then she proceeds to tell me they have no Basil Pesto. No Basil Pesto? That is what makes this sub what it is. What do you mean? Are you out or you just don't carry it. "Oh, we are out, been out for a while- no body ever orders it" came the reply- much to my dismay. Scratch that then. If I can't have it with that, what's the point. I was done. I step to pay and they charge me full price for the 2 subs. I point out that it is $5 on the sign down at the beginning of the counter. I am waiting for an arguement, but the lady at the register was in her own brand of haze so she kept it rollin at $5 per. In all honesty though..how can they justify selling any of those at full price when you have to substitute because they don't have what's on the menu AND the toaster is NOT WORKING. Why? Because desperate people like me, who have been on the road for 4 hours will pay it just to have some food to present and not have to make another stop on the long trek back to Lillington. I request a soda as well. A large. When I step to the fountain machine- you guessed it! Out of 4 different types of soda. OH MY GOD. What a nitemare this place is. I get a refund and head out the door. No wonder they don't have business. No customer service and most importantly NO SUPPLIES!!!! Quizno's @ I-95 & I-295 exit 59? Skip it! You'll be quizing yourself later as to why you didn't if you don't!

BoJangles....It IS NOT Bo time...

You know, sometimes you do things with the best of intentions only to have it come back and bite you in the butt. So said...I quit McDonald's for Lent. Really- only the best of intentions on this. Therefore, I patronized Bojangles- not really a fan there except for the seasoned fries - extra seasoning please--and the sweet potato pies...yum! Well, it appears they have started selling grits! Holla. Or so I thought. Last Friday, I stopped in to get an order of grits w/ cheese and a cup of ice. I was told cheese would be 40 cents and ice was 17 cents but I could get ice WATER for free. Still not understanding that whole concept..and 40 cents for a slice of processed cheese --you can by the Smart brand at Food Lion for 99 cents a pack for 16 slices. Whatever. So, I get to the window-and I tell them never mind on the ice. The hand me the bag then I leave. When I get to work, the cheese is missing. As would be my typical MO- I did not call and complain, I let it go. This past Tuesday, I stopped there again-don't ask me why. I just did. I was at the speaker, there was a line behind me, I ordered grits w/ cheese and asked the cashier to please make sure it is there this time (on the side of course because they say they can not throw it on top of the damn grits in the container--to much effort I suppose-maybe 45 cents worth of effort as opposed to 40 cents?) to which she vehemently responded- and I quote " That was your fault". Literally- my pissed level went 0 to 60 in 1/1048304 of a second. "Excuse me" I said. She replied, "that was your fault, you drove off without it". "Explain to me how you not doing your job is my fault please" I replied, "and I will buy you breakfast". "Do you want anything else" was her answer. 'Just your manager at the window when I get there" I demanded. When I finally got to the window, the manager was there- waiting- with genius standing behind her. The manager says "she didn't mean that how it sounded". "She meant it EXACTLY how it sounded because she knew exactly who I was and what she had done, she was too concerned with charging me 17 cents for a cup of ice but told me I could get ICE WATER for free" I replied. The manager then proceeds to tell me that I did in fact drive off without the cheese. How ridiculous is this conversation anyway? The more it progressed the more pissed I got. "First- you are problem #2. She is problem #1. I will not have some pissy 18 year old telling me that the reason I didn't get what I paid for was because I left without it when it is her responsibility to put it in the bag she had already handed me. 2ndly, your big issue is a little thing I like to call CUSTOMER SERVICE. It does not exist at this store" I ranted. The manager said well, she didn't mean it. "And still I get no apology" I say --extremely exasperated at this point. "Well, I didn't realize it was that big of a problem" the manager said. "Oh it was a small problem back at the speaker, it's a bigger problem now- but it's about to become bigger than you can imagine" I emphatically assure her. It is my belief that customer service has gone by the wayside these days. Since when does a cashier and a manager talk crap like that to a customer when the cashier has actually admitted she didn't do the job she was supposed to AND THEN never even offered me a refund or to replace it! I had to seriously get my panties in a wad to get any reaction. Oh Bojangles...you have failed..and you have failed miserably - if you want grits--hit the Jr. Mart --it's not that far from Bojangles and it's $1.59 for the same size grits that Bojangle's charges $2.39 for. Bo time? HELL NO.

Nonna's of Lillington

Overall, I don't have a problem with this place. The food is very reasonably priced and usually any pasta dish is spot on. The star of the pasta menu I would venture to say is the Putanesca. I know, anchovies, but do not scoff...explore the world with your taste buds, I promise if you are not deathly opposed to anchovies or are adventurous, you will definitely appreciate this journey! A+. The star of the pizza menu is the Sicilian supreme!

Now the appetizers- a different story. I think they are all frozen. The potato skins I had seriously were frozen (tasted just like the frozen Ruby Tuesday ones I make at home) but it had a half slice of American Cheese slapped on top. ewwww. They were reasonable about giving me a refund on it though.

The visit I made their just last week though was somewhat a disappointment. I got the Chicken vegetable soup and the chicken gyro. They do not offer a soup and sandwich menu, only soup and salad (oh and the salads are iceberg-minimal but the added onions and tomatoes make it a winner to me-the right light bite with the huge portions you get). The soup, which we waited 20 minutes on, while my companions had their food almost immediately, 20 min. into lunch and I was still waiting for both the soup and the gyro. Finally when it came, the soup was very bland. I'm not sure what the problem was really, as I had tasted it before when a friend ordered it and it was thick and hearty, this time it was thin and blah. The gyro- well, if it had cucumber sauce on it, I couldn't find any. And I love cucumber sauce. The chicken was ok. The meal overall was disappointing compared to everything else I'd ever had there.

I say Nonna's .....worth a visit. The pasta-never had a bad one from here and I've been working my way down the menu since they opened. Stay away from the potato skins. Oh and the Stromboli's are fabulous too! See...so many good options that totally outweigh the negatives!

Gourmet--No way..part two

Being from Charleston, SC, I have been fortunate enough to sample many different types of cuisine, from Gullah to Israeli Mediterranean. I've experienced many types of bread-and yes, even ciabatta.

A couple of weeks ago, a new eatery opened up in Lillington. I am beginning to think maybe the building is why nothing is ever good in that place. First it was Iguana's then it changed and changed and changed again until it is the establishment that is there now...West Front Street Diner or Cafe or whatever it is called. It is located at 1 West Front Street-not that it matters. My co-workers and I decided to give it a try. The menu was 4 -6 pages on notebook paper. This may turn out to be the root of their problem. Nothing they specialize in, but everything to offer.

I for one was very excited when I saw a large selection of different gourmet type sandwiches, among other things, which actually may have ended up being the downfall. I settled on a Mediterranean grilled chicken sandwich. It described the sandwich as grilled chicken, feta cheese, olives, grilled onions and sauce. I was delighted! I chose ciabatta bread because it has always been really good in my opinion, with this type of combo.

My female co-worker ordered the Alfredo pasta sans chicken with garlic bread. My male co-worker ordered the french dip with aus jus.

We were very excited about an opportunity to have something besides fast food in this 1 sidewalk town. Oh. This disappointment.

Problem 1.

The aujus. The sandwich was like a footlong sub. The dip was about a quarter teaspoon. When my co-worker asked for more, it was ignored.

Problem 2.

Fettuccine Alfredo. Served with untoasted bread, with unmelted butter. When my coworker ask that it be heated, it was served back to her burnt.

Problem 3.

The Mediterranean grilled chicken sandwich. Where do I begin? First, I was brought the salad. When I informed the waitress I asked for the sandwich, she argued with me that I ordered the salad. Finally, she took it back and came back with a sandwich and fries that were literally on a saucer. The bread was so burnt around the edges it was inedible. The fries were the best thing about the meal. The grilled chicken was cold and mushy. The sauce had wilted the cucumber and the feta cheese was practically non existent. I chose not to eat it. I thought I would be polite and not complain being that I was with my coworkers and between me and another coworker that shall remain nameless, well, we are well known in this town!

When the waitress asked if I wanted a to go box, I told her no. She asked me what the problem was and I repeated what I just wrote. She proceeded to take my debit card and charge me. She must have had second thoughts because she brought the manager over. The manager looked like she just stepped out of Trading Spouses and was going to start yelling about tainted money. Between the 2 of them they decided I needed a refund. AT this point, my coworkers have left. While they waitress and manager are collaborating on a refund which took about 14 min. too long, the "chef" came out and proceeded to speak to me in such a condescending tone that I pulled the Charleston card on him. Now please, I do not hate Lillington, but let's face it, this town is not the mecca of variety. Therefore, when he lowered his voice, put together his hands and proceeded to define ciabatta bread, I had had all I could take. I informed him that he should not speak to me as if I were from Lillington. I was from Charleston, SC and I had probably seen more gourmet food in a week than he has seen in his lifetime. He then, not taking the hint, tried to define Greek to me. Why must I revisit the insult again. I then raised my voice and informed him that I was not from Lillington, I knew what gourmet was and the crap he threw on that plate was not it.

At this point, it was his wise choice to head back to the kitchen. However, it did not stop the rest of the crew from peaking around the wall to see what "the bitch that just insulted the whole town" looked like. I had plenty of animosity for one day. I got up and went to the bar where now the owner, the manager and the waitress were collaborating on the refund. Finally after an excruciating lunch hour, I was refunded.

I rate this place a Hell No We Won't Go!! and you shouldn't either!