Cupcakes, Visiting Friends and Wine= Good Times

It's finals time, but I could not resist the opportunity to hang out with two Boston friends in town for the weekend on Saturday afternoon. Jamie, who is pretty much like my second brother, flew in for the weekend with his girlfriend Corey.

We managed to make a date for a Saturday afternoon rendezvous--Clark U style (we're all alums). The cloudy day cast the perfect backdrop for a lazy visit over coffee... and cupcakes! I capitalized on the opportunity to show Jamie and Corey one of Chicago's unique (and delicious) offerings and one of the cupcake places I had yet to try-- Molly's Cupcakes.

I am now able to officially cross it off my list and provide this ensuing review in my running Cupcake Crusade commentary:

Apparently I wasn't the only Chicagoan who had the idea to hit up Molly's at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon. The place was hopping. All the tables were filled, even the swings (yes, you read that right, swings) that hang down from the ceiling were occupied. Luckily, we found a spot to squeeze into among the families playing board games (Molly's has a collection of games on hand to entertain yourself with while chomping on the desserts-- I know a few bars that offer a collection of board games as well. I once played Guess Who? while downing a pint of Miller Lite).

Now on to the important part: the cupcakes. The three of us split three different kinds in order to enjoy and enhance our experience. We chose Mint Blast (chocolate cupcake, creamy mint filling and mint frosting), Cookies and Cream (chocolate cupcake, cookies and cream filling and white frosting with an Oreo sticking in the top) and Boston Cream Pie (for nostalgia's sake, and because Jamie loves the donut.. lucky for him, it tasted JUST like it!).

In my opinion, these cupcakes can be summed up in two words: unbelievably delicious. I think this might be the new front-runner in my personal and made-up Best Chicago Cupcake competition.

After inhaling our cupcakes, which we attempted to cut into threes (I'm sure it was amusing to watch three college graduates, one with a doctorate and one in a master's program, try to slice a cupcake into three perfect slices), we were filled to the brim and on a sugar high. So, the three of us walked the 20 minutes back to my apartment, where we made stop number two: the bodega (Spanish: wine shop) next to my apartment (literally, one house separates my apartment and Bodega Ramos, my new favorite hot spot and go-to wine shop).

Mateo, the owner whom my roommates and I have befriended, is a wine expert, super nice and always seems to know what kind of wine I'm in the mood to drink (I guess it's not that hard, I always go for the Riesling).

The shop hosts free wine tastings on Saturdays (and beer tastings on Fridays), so the three of us spent a good 40 minutes chatting and testing the wines. We even posed for this picture before we left in order to document our travels.

By 5 p.m., we were all on a sugar high complemented by a wine buzz.

After giving a whirlwind tour of my apartment, I was forced to bid adieu to my friends. I can only hope that the cupcakes, free wine and clever conversation left them with enough of a craving to come back. Apparently, Jamie and Sean planned a man-cation to Chicago via Blackberry Messenger after the wine tasting (and upon inspection of my porch, which is allegedly an optimal space for a keg party).

Now all I need is for spring to come so we can make good on the promise. I'll bring the wine. And the cupcakes.