Best Friend 'Cakes

Shop: Cupcake Royal http://www.cupcakeroyale.com/

Cupcake: Lavender and Egg Nog

Review: More frosting than almost any other cupcake I have had.  The flavors are distinct and taste just like they are supposed to.  The Lavender has a strong taste and smell, and I actually chewed on a couple small pieces of lavender.  It's bright purple and delicious.  This is possibly my favorite cupcake ever.  Egg Nog was also delicious and so perfect for winter time.  The taste and creaminess of the frosting was right on.  They offer a special cupcake each week, so watch for holiday or seasonal treats when you go!

Shop: Trophy Cupcakes http://www.trophycupcakes.com/

Cupcake: Red Velvet

Review: This was a classic Red Velvet but with above average taste.  I would definitely recommend this place for a classic, not too much frosting and not overwhelming flavor.  This place takes cupcakes seriously and each one is professionally and carefully decorated.  This is an especially good shop if you're not up for anything crazy.

(while I ate cupcakes my droid ate my photos of them...)

The real origin of this blog was my visit to Seattle, WA for New Years 2011.  I drove over with my sister and a friend, and stayed with my best friend and unofficial personal life mentor.  We bummed around for a few days taking in as much as Seattle as we could in one weekend.  We saw my favorite sights: the sculpture park, the sound/ocean, and the funny people who live in Seattle.  We also saw some things that were thus far Seattle secrets to me, including the Freemont Troll, a pick-and-listen record shop in Capitol Hill, and lots and lots of cupcakes. 
Seattle may have some of the greatest cupcakes in the nation, mostly because they take this treat very seriously.  Ask someone in Seattle where to find a cupcake, and they're sure to give you one of two answers: Cupcake Royal, or Trophy Cupcakes.  Seattlites constantly debate about which is the better shop.  After two trips in two days to Cupcake Royal, I knew who made my favorite Seattle cupcake.  The 'cakes are huge, ridiculously rich, and the frosting is so soft you'll want to sleep on it.  The variety is also a huge plus.  They've got Red Velvet, Lavender, Raspberry Chocolate, and "The Kate" named after a former employee and topped with yummy pink frosting.  Each week they have a special holiday or seasonal cupcake.  Egg Nog anyone?  The attitude of the staff is hit or miss, ranging from bored to smiley and sweet.  I guess this is expected in the hipster community of Capitol Hill.  Cupcake Royal has shirts, buttons, and cupcake trays for sale, all making you feel part of their little cupcake community.  
I also tried Trophy Cupcakes in Freemont.  They have a more clean-cut vibe, although they did offer some funky buttons at the counter.  I actually bought two cucpakes here, one for me and one to bring my mom back in Spokane.  I've got to say, this cupcake was awesome, but a different world than Cupcake Royal.  The debate between these two shops reminds me of the debate over Seattle and Spokane.  Both are great, one has a better reputation.  Both have grungy sides, but one uses that as it's appeal.  Both curb my appetite, but one is so fun you always want to come back for more.  
More than anything this trip gave me a new meaning of what friends are for.  The friends I keep are those that love me unconditionally, even if we don't agree.  They will join me and support me in all of my crazy endeavors, just so I have support.  All of my friends are in different cities than me, but when I see my true friends we embrace like nothing ever changed.  Like cupcakes, you can find friends everywhere, but really good one's are few and far between.