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Folsom, Ca! My parents live in El Dorado Hills, Ca so any chance I get, I fly home. One of my favorite things to do when I'm in town is to head over to Folsom (the next town over) for some of their hidden gems. One of which is Karen's Bakery in "old Folsom" off of Gold Lake Dr. The first time I visited this cozy bakery I actually got to meet Karen, the owner. Absolutely wonderful gal with a true talent for baking. I know I boast about a lot of things I have tried or made, but everything I have eaten at her bakery far surpasses anything in the same category. I try to sit and contemplate what she could have done to make her baked treats THAT good perfect; I'm left perplexed. You just have to go there and try it for yourself to truly understand how one can be speechless after a taste. I haven't even made it to her cafe menu yet, it seems my eyes are always bigger than my stomach :) But the selection seems phenominal with everything from homemade quiche to delectable sandwiches on ciabatta bread made right in the kitchen. My suggestions if your in the neighborhood is to try the apple walnut muffin if nothing else. I don't even normally like apples in my baked items but this alone is reason enough for me to make a trip home. For someone who learned everything from her mom, I'd say she is far more than accomplished.

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Sacramento! I flew home to California a couple months ago to spend a few days with my boyfriend and parents in Lake Tahoe (my favorite place in the world). Before heading up east, I made sure to stop at a cupcakery in Sacramento I had been eye-ing for some time prior. I am so glad that we did. Babycakes Bakery is an awesome little shop just off of J St in Sac. With it's quaint location it is easy to miss (we drove by it twice) but keep searching, it is definitely worth it. I was quickly drawn to the single bakery case holding over what seemed like a thousand  beautifully decorated cupcakes (it was probably more like 100). One caught my eye, the properly named High Hat: the BEST cupcake I have ever eaten. I'm a little sad I only have pictures from my iphone for these exquisite cuppies, but even these low quality pics will make you drool. If your in the area definitely stop by this delightful bakery and try some of their adorable cupcakes.

Oh the High Hat, how I adore you. This cuppie consists of a chocolate cake and meringue "frosting" coated in a delicious mess of more chocolate. yummm.

The Margarita cuppie consists of a lemon cupcake, lime curd filling  and topped with lime buttercream :)

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Long Beach! I work for JetBlue and blessed with the opportunity to fly across the country! Long Beach is our major west coast "hub," so a lot of the flights out of Salt Lake City, layover there. I couldn't pick a better place to be forced to spend a whole day at than there. It's such a fun and spunky little beach town. The people are overly friendly and just about everyone has a dog (which is a huge plus for me as I almost die without Harley, every time I travel.) But of course these aren't the only plus(es)...2nd Street has an unbelievable selection of fine and casual dining. Till this day one of the BEST dishes I have ever had is at, Le Creperie. They specialize in, you guessed it, crepes. And these aren't just any crepes, these are made with love and crack cocaine, they will have you ADDICTED, fast. : P The selection is unbelievable. I don't even know where to begin. I recommend you check out their menu for yourself, here, not only for the menu but the really cool French woman that sings when you open the page, quite catchy. The first time I went in, I was astounded with the atmosphere. Decorated head to toe with glamorous embellishments, it is absolutely beautiful. I met the chef as well on my first visit who is actually 1/2 Taiwanese like me! (there was an instant connection.) He brought me an array of their best dishes starting with garlic french fries and ending with a special soufflé, not even on the menu! I felt so pampered. But, none of that compared to the way I felt when I took a bite of the Parisian crepe (chicken breast, fresh spinach, sweet red peppers and mozzarella in a basil & feta cream sauce)
..no words at first, just a big smile on my face. This crepe was so savory, with the perfect balance of every ingredient, not one overpowered the other. I could literally drink the cream sauce, it was unbelievable. Next time your in Long Beach, put it on your to-do list to stop by Le Creperie, you won't regret it.