Georgetown Cupcake

After seeing the Abraham Lincoln memorial, visiting the Museum of National History, exploring other areas of the National Mall, and walking just about everywhere throughout Washington D.C., my friends and I were exhausted. We were reaching the end of our day trip to the capital, but we had one more exciting destination to visit- Georgetown Cupcake! According to the local students and TLC, it is a renowned bakery that is an absolute must see, and must taste, while in the D.C. area. And I am pleased to say that after waiting forty-five minutes in line, it was the icing on top of a sweet day.

In a society where the phrase “less is more” seems to have almost no significance, I found my minimalistic experience at Georgetown Cupcake to be unusual but refreshing. Georgetown Cupcake may sound familiar and that is because TLC has created the television show DC Cupcakes based on the business started by two sisters, Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontagne. Before I entered the bakery, I had preconceived notions of what the bakery and cupcakes would be, based on my experiences with bakeries in Philadelphia, throughout New Jersey, as well as Carolos’ Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey (also known for their television show on TLC, Cake Boss). My general consensus came to be that cupcakes are large messes corrupted by overly sugary substances with elaborate decorations and frosting. But when I bit into my chocolate cupcake from Georgetown Cupcake, I was surprised at the purely delightful taste; the cupcakes were understated and unpretentious in nature.

Every aspect of the bakery and cupcakes was uncomplicated, but was still satisfying and fun. The décor in the bakery, the packaging used, the layout of the menu, the assortment of cupcakes, the decorations on the cupcakes, the variety of the merchandise, the ingredients used, the graphics and logo, and the overall essence that the cupcakes gave off was sophisticated and of the highest quality but very simple. There was a strong focus on the cupcakes serving their original purpose, as food, rather than as frivolous or overdone art.

Just like Tiffany's has their blue boxes, Georgetown Cupcake is well known for their pink boxes.

The straightforward menu.

A guide to aid customers.

The assortment of cupcakes.

Each cupcake is adorned with a single decoration.

The sophisticated logo.

The simplistic nature of the cupcakes also reflected in the atmosphere of the bakery. The staff members were upbeat, but also calm and collected. They were not frantically running around serving a complicated assortment of extravagant cupcakes.

Another few aspects that I greatly appreciated were the reasonable prices and serving size of the capcake. In essence with the rest of image of the bakery, the cupcakes were moderately sized, perfect for a nice, sweet treat and were priced at 2.75 each; which is inexpensive compared to $5 oversized cupcakes served in the Philadelphia area. 

Perfectly Sized.

Perfectly Priced.

My friends and I thoroughly enjoyed our cupcakes!

Staying Connected

I apologize for the lack of posting recently. School, work, and overall the craziness of living life has taken over but I promise, posts are coming your way soon. In the meantime, did you know you can still stay connected with FashionMatterns through Pinterest? 

I find Pinterest to be a stress reliever. It gives me a chance to put together my dreams (see A Girl Can Dream, Can't She?) or plan out my dream apartment through pinning pictures of well designed interiors (see Lovely Decour). So even though the posts have been lacking, the pinning has not! 

Check in soon for posts, explore the Pinterest boards, and keep living fashionably.

xoxo FashionMatterns 

A Life of Brilliant Color

Can you imagine if everyone dressed like this- color from head to toe incorporated with bright prints to create a vibrant outfits. Life would be so colorful and fun, and you would feel uplifted just by looking in a new direction. I am not sure if it is because our economy is moving in a better direction or if it is just because spring is in the air, but it seems that everyone both in and out of fashion are infusing their wardrobes with color and I am loving every bit of it! Allow this photograph to inspire you; you only live once so why not live your life in brilliant color?


photo credit: pinterest

Post Vacation Blues

You are use to seeing swaying palm trees, feeling a fresh breeze, the smell of sea salt, the feeling of a cold drink in your hand and sand between your toes, but abruptly all of this changes as your spring vacation comes to an end. So what's a girl to do when they are thrown back into their previous routine filled with stress and anxiety? The answer: integrate aspects of your vacation with a few other tips into your routine and you can continue your relaxed, easy living, and blissful lifestyle.

1. Show off your tan

Metallic accents contrast beautifully against tanned skin. Also try wearing white, bright colors, and shades of neon.

2. Relax the makeup

It is highly likely that you did not wear heavy amounts of makeup while at the beach or doing other fun activities on your vacation. Keep this going- it will make your beauty routine quicker and your freshly sun kissed skin will not be overpowered by artificial elements. Also, try letting your hair air dry and take on its natural shape, it will cause you to have a sexy and carefree look.

3. Make a playlist

Compile a list of music that reminds you of your trip, for example, songs that you listened to on repeat; or put together a playlist of music of the area you traveled to, for example, Bob Marley and Jimmy Buffet for tropical vacations. Listen to this playlist whenever you need a pick me up.

4. Please the aesthetics.

While on vacation, your senses were exposed to many beautiful and fulfilling sensations. For example, the smell of sea salt, the exfoliating powers of sand, the delicious taste of fruity drinks, and the warm sun on your skin. To keep up with these sensations, make yourself a sea salt scrub to use in the shower, whip up some tropical drinks, sit outside, etc.

5. Take time to relax

The absolute best part of a vacation is the release of stress. With little access to the Internet, practically no responsibilities, and being surrounded by good company, it is difficult to be tense and nervous. Try limiting your time on the Internet, deliberately take time out of your day to disconnect from the world, and think back to your vacation and dream of the day when you can return.


photo credit:  pinterest

A New Style Icon

Designers are seizing every chance they get to dress this young starlet.  While promoting her most recent film, The Hunger Games, Jennifer Lawrence has bewitched everyone in the world of fashion. But who wouldn't want to dress her- gorgeous, sophisticated, and most importantly, confident, we should all take cues from this fearless young woman.

To get her look go for metallics, plunging necklines, jewel tones, smoky eyes, and heavy bangs.

photo credit: pinterest, pinterest, pinterest, pinterest, pinterest

Fashionable Living: De-Stress

Whether you have a ten-minute break or a few hours to spare, here are some activities you can do to unwind and clear your mind in between work, school, or the general, everyday insanity we face in our modern society.

Sit in the sun

 Just soak it up and pretend you’re on an exotic beach somewhere. The imagination is a powerful tool; use it to let your mind escape.

Exercise

            Stretch, do some yoga, or even try something intense that will make you sweat like spin classes or running.

Pinterest

            Make a board of your dream vacation or something that you can look forward to one day. It may seem silly or farfetched by having goals and dreams gives aspirations to work towards, making stress worth it.

Baking from scratch

Bake a delicious treat and then give it away. You will feel accomplished and you can brighten someone else’s day.

Calling A Friend

            Contact someone that knows you well that you can just be natural around and laugh with. Laughing is the best medicine after all.

Reading a Magazine

Focusing on a topic or having your mind be stimulated by images will create a distraction from your stress allowing your mind to become clear. You will be able to approach your work again feeling refreshed and inspired.

Crafting

            Using your hands to create art can be challenging, but the challenge will require your full attention preventing you from thinking about the pressure you are under.

Listening to Music

Have a go to playlist with a theme- summer, swing music, romantic songs, or anything that allows you to envision an event and takes you away.

Organizing/Cleaning

            Feeling guilty about taking a break? Organizing and cleaning can be justified because it’s a necessity to maintaining a healthy standard of living.

Being in a stressed or anxious state of mind is never stylish. Keep calm, try one of these activities, and live fashionably on.


photo credit: pinterest

Live Colorfully!

What's a girl to do when the sun is shinning and the weather is as lovely as it has been in the Northeast this spring? Dress fearlessly in color of course! Take a look at Kate Spade for some bright inspiration and live colorfully as they would advise.