Chocolate Red Wine cupcake from Cupcakin' in Berkeley

Cupcakin' Bake Shop on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

Is it just me or has comfort food during quarantine or shelter in place, whatever you want to call it, become more of a thing this month? 

Or is it food for comfort? 

Either way...from new doughnut flavors to homemade soups, drizzling local honey over juicy seasonal fruits in full fat cottage cheese, New York style pizza and a grown up version of a childhood favorite, boysenberry jam, I won't be the first to admit that comfort food is quite delicious. 

Cupcakin' Bake Shop on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

One day while in Berkeley on a nannying adventure, me and my 4 year old compadre were perusing up Telegraph Ave when a cute store front caught my eye across the street. I had never seen it before, granted I don't remember when I perused Telegraph Ave last but I had no idea that there was a cupcake store there. Dark windows lined both sides of the streets, hardly any places were open and even fewer people were out and about. We'd come back down the other side of the street after lunch and check out the cupcake place I said. 

Low and behold it was one of the only places open that faithful day and we both wanted a cupcake. 

Cupcakin' is the name of the cupcake place on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley. Just a few blocks away from the UC Berkeley campus, it's been there since 2010 and it is minimalistically cute. It's small walk up counter situation has tiers of different cupcakes on display with the different cupcake names and flavors written on the glass in front of them. Their selection includes gluten-free, vegan, mini cupcakes and day old cupcakes for $1.00. 

The girl who helped us was very friendly giving my little 4 year old friend a Cupcakin' sticker and patiently answering all of my questions until we left, each with our own cupcake in their own little box. 

Cupcakin' on Telegraph Ave in Berkeley 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

I went home with a Chocolate Red Wine cupcake. 

If you've ever read any of my cupcake reviews of a chocolate based cupcake you know that I'm a snob when it comes to chocolate cake. Yep I am and I am not ashamed about it. 

I've said it before and I will say it again, good chocolate cake, as in cake that actually tastes like chocolate, is hard to find. 

But come on. A chocolate red wine cupcake?! 

I have never seen or heard of a chocolate red wine cupcake before, have you? 

How could I not try the Chocolate Red Wine cupcake from Cupcakin'?! 

Naturally, I ate the big, juicy blackberry off the top first. I could smell the red wine from the little droplets that were sprinkled all around the top of the frosting. Other than it being red wine, I'm not sure what kind of wine is used: Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Shiraz. Cupcakin' doesn't disclose and I don't know much more about wine other than red, white, rose or sparkling. I do know that the buttercream frosting itself is the most buttery buttercream frosting I think I have ever had. It quite possibly might be the most buttery buttercream frosting ever. 

Chocolate Red Wine cupcakes from Cupcakin' 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

The chocolate cake was the moistiest cake I think I have ever had. I could hear it squish as I bit into it and it literally melted in my mouth. And the chocolate cake was...chocolatey! Not as chocolatey as some flourless chocolate cakes I've had but chocolatey enough. The cake was moist and chocolately but not rich. No, the richness was all in the buttercream frosting. 

At first when I couldn't taste the red wine in the frosting I thought maybe it's in the cake but I don't think it was. As I got closer to finishing the cupcake is when I started to taste the wine. I could smell it the whole time I was eating it (which didn't take long at all) but it wasn't until the end that I tasted it. Maybe there's so little of it mixed in frosting with all that butter that it took a while for my pallet to detect it. 

I'm not sure but I'm happy that it did. 

Some people find red wine and/or chocolate comforting: unwind with a glass of wine, indulge with a satisfying piece of chocolate. And, both are aphrodisiacs' which can help to get you in a feel good mood. I found the Chocolate Red Wine cupcake very comforting all around. From the flavors to the colors to the freshness and the textures. 

This really was one damn good cupcake. 

Chocolate Red Wine cupcake from Cupcakin' 
photo by Nikki DeMartini

This isn't the cupcake for those who don't drink but the chocolate cake from Cupcakin' is where it's at, so any of their other chocolate cupcake options will surely do the trick, too! 

Andrew St. James pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020

photo by Marc Fong

I'm not sure how long Andrew St. James has been taking requests via Instagram and then playing pop-up shows at or around the places requested but two weeks ago I caught one of these shows. He played on Clay and Leavenworth, just a few blocks away from where I live. A girl named Lindsey (or was it Ashley?) put in the request and on August 13th, her request was granted. 

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill  8/13/2020

photo by Marc Fong

Around 7:00, a handful of people, presumably Lindsey's friends, gathered outside along one side of the apartment building. For the most part, everyone was six feet away from each other and everyone was wearing face masks. Some were drinking beer, some were drinking White Claw, some weren't drinking anything, just like at a real/"normal" show. Some photographers I recognized from shooting local shows back in the day showed up on that warm Summer night in the city, too. Andrew and another fellow, who's name we later learned is Scott (if I remember correctly) arrived fashionably late around 8:00. 

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020

photo by Marc Fong

It's nice to know that amidst a global pandemic and all of the change it's brought, somethings never change. Laughing and smiling, they were both having already having a good time as they got their guitars out.  They played in the middle of Leavenworth Street and the adjacent bus stop across the street from Nob Hill's Finest Market.  

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020 

photo by Marc Fong

Before the pandemic, St. James had been playing regularly at The Chapel in SF's Mission district. 

After two months of sheltering in place the SF native started bringing his music to his fans since there's no telling when fans will be able to go to see him play at a show safely. 

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020

photo by Marc Fong

Being familiar with music has never mattered to me as long as I'm at a live show and I wasn't familiar with Andrew St. James' music prior to this pop-up. The evening of August 13th was the closest I had been to being at a live show since March 9th, that's over five months. 

I was almost immediately drawn to their high vibration. They exuded this type of energy that welcomed and allowed you to embrace the weirdness and coolness of the moment and of it all. Their harmonized guitar playing was mellow and St. James' falsetto struck a Bob Dylan chord. Curious people walking and driving by caught a glimpse of the two musicians as they encompassed the corner of Leavenworth and Clay. More and more people popped their heads out of windows of their nearby apartments. Some of them clapped and cheered some of them shouted asking "who are you?!" and "come back next week, same place, same time." Andrew and Scott looked around in euphoric awe, waving to the on lookers and giving witty replies to the shouts. 

Andrew St. James introduced himself and his friend Scott (?) who lives in SF but isn't from here (I think he said he's from Michigan) and who's been playing some of these pop-up shows with him but isn't "in this band" per say. He told us about how he worked on the Leland Yee campaign before Yee went to jail for felony money laundering charges, then they played the song he wrote about that experience. At one point between songs Scott darted up the street without warning to see the sunset explaining that he lives in the Richmond district and never gets to see a pretty sunset. 

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020

photo by Marc Fong 

After playing 4 songs, they bummed a beer from the fans who had a cooler full of them and they chit chatted with people as they drank. When Lindsey, the girl who requested them to play there that night, mentioned the song "Tuesday Night" Andrew said they'd play it before they left. 

It was the most laid-back en-core ever. 

After they finished their beers, they played "Tuesday Night" then they said their good-byes and their  thank yous and gave us all their well wishes before heading off to their next pop-up show of the night in Potrero Hill. 

Andrew St. James @ pop-up show in Nob Hill 8/13/2020

photo by Marc Fong

I didn't intend on writing a review of this show so I wasn't paying attention to details or taking notes as I normally do when I review shows. Thank you for bearing with me if you've read this far. 

Looking back I thought how could I not write some type of review about this? If it wasn't for the pandemic there wouldn't be experiences like this. This is live music now, maybe, hopefully not forever but for right now this is what we got. Is anyone else doing pop-up shows like this?

I may not know the names of the songs they played but I really enjoyed the acoustic performance of them, so much so I think that Andrew St. James' first tour back should be an acoustic one. The sound was good enough to get the attention of people inside working away on their computers at home. And the lighting and setting? It doesn't get much more sight-seeing worthy than Nob Hill at sunset during a Summer time heat wave in SF, does it?

the sunset over California Street, SF 8/13/2020

photo by Nikki DeMartini

I stopped to take it all in as I walked home afterward, the skies a glow with neon hues of tangerine, fuchsia and periwinkle. These are crazy days we are living and I don't want to take cherished moments like this for granted anymore. Not that I did or wanted to before but living through a pandemic has it's way of shifting everything into perspective. 

I'm grateful for catching Andrew St. James' pop-up show that night. Unknowing to anyone and everyone, this would be the last night that skies at sunset in SF were absolutely gorgeous before the devastating SCU , CZU and LNU fires colored them that way. 

Stay safe out there friends. 

Billie Eilish "My Future" @ Democratic National Convention 2020

This year, we've seen just about everything go virtual: work meetings, school, birthday parties, weddings, baby showers, happy hours, trivia nights, comedy shows, concerts, music festivals and even, yep, politics. 

This past Thursday night was the final night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. 

August 17th through August 20th we saw speeches from first former lady Michelle Obama, President Obama,  Senator Elizabeth Warren, former first lady Hilary Clinton,  Vice President nominee, Senator Kamala Harris and or course Presidential nominee, former Vice President Joe Biden. 

Following the release of her debut album When We Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in 2019, 18 year old Billie was set to embark on her biggest world tour yet this year. The "Where Do We Go" tour started on March 9th in Florida but by March 16th, the rest of her tour along with every other tour everywhere was canceled, postponed or rescheduled. 

Earlier this year, Billie became the youngest artist to ever sing the James Bond theme song when her loungey ballad, "No Time to Die" dropped on February 13th. 

 

On July 30th the introspective and often outspoken teenage super star gave us a glimpse into her psyche with her newest single "My Future". 

Billie has been pretty vocal about her distain for P.O.T.U.S Donald Trump so it's really no surprise that she opened night three of the 2020 Democratic National Convention. 

I won't be the first to say this but, yes, it was a political move. It was a smart political move and one that I can and am behind. Billie Eilish is one of the, if not the biggest artist of our time right now with tweenage to teenage girls being the majority of her growing fanbase.  

She has not been quiet about important issue, like the Black Lives Matter movement,  race equality, body image and she's always been an advocate for mental health care. 

People across the globe idolize her. 

Young people across the globe idolize her. 

So, yeah. 

Having Billie Eilish open the DNC on Wednesday August 19th, 2020 was a political move. 

It was a smart, strategically played move because it doesn't get much cooler than Billie Eilish. 

Before the debut performance of her new single, "My Future" Billie addressed our nation in an earnest speech urging everyone to get out and vote for our future on November 3rd. 

Billie Eilish speech @ 2020 DNC 

"You don't need me to tell you things are a mess - Donald Trump is destroying our country and everything we care about. We need leaders who will solve problems like climate change and COVID - not deny them. Leaders who will fight against systemic racism and inequality. And that starts by voting for someone who understands how much is at stake; someone who is building a team that shares our values. 

It starts with voting against Donald Trump and for Joe Biden.

Silence is not an option and we cannot sit this one out. We all have to vote like our lives and our world depends on it - because they do.  The only way to be certain of our future is to make it ourselves. Please register, please vote." 

- Billie Eilish @ the Democratic National Convention August 19th, 2020

Billie Eilish performance of  "My Future "@ DNC 2020

If there's one voice that can get the youth of America to get out and vote the bad guy out of office on November 3rd, it's the "Bad Guy" singer herself. 

If you or anyone you know is not registered to vote head over to billieeilish.com, she makes it easy with a link to get registered to vote on her website. 

Album review: Sucker's Lunch from Madeline Kenney

Oakland transplant from Seattle, singer/songwriter Madeline Kenney released her third album, Sucker's Lunch  a little over a week ago on Friday July 31st. 

In May, I was delighted with the surprise of being asked if I'd like to review her upcoming new album and eagerly answered yes. In mere days, the world as everyone knew it seemed to come to an end.

 After days which turned into weeks that turned into months of fighting for justice, marching, sending emails to save stages, taking any type of work I could, working, being kicked out of my apartment, looking for a place to live, moving, taking (and passing) community college courses and last but most certainly not least taking care of myself the July 31st release date of Sucker's Lunch passed me by.

In the last three years, Kenney has released three full studio albums. 

Her debut, 2017's Night Night at the First Landing was produced by Toro Y Moi's Chaz Bear. Her sophomore album, 2018's Perfect Shapes was produced Jenn Wasner of Wye Oak and Flock of Dimes.

 Less than two years later Kenney re-enlisted Wasner along with Andy Stack from Wye Oak for her third album. 

 Sucker's Lunch is a dream, as in listening to it is like listening to a dream come true. 

In a time when a lot of music being released is about the times we're surviving through, it is so nice to listen to a new album that can completely take you away from it all. 

Kenney's third installment has been getting big time praises from big time names in the indie music scene since before it was even released: 

"The playing, the mixing, the production, the SINGING and especially the songwriting are what absolutely slay me on Sucker's Lunch. If you want to put an album on and have it carry you up, like a helicopter with blades that look and feel like grass, but are as solid as steel...that carry you up over yourself, play this record. Just make sure you are ready." - Justin Vernon (Bon Iver) 

"Kenney has once again created a microcosm of a record to get lost in - each song a different constellation composed of shining observations." - Amelia Meath (Sylvan Esso) 

"Sugar Sweet" is dessert before the main course, welcoming us to everything that is and can be  Sucker's Lunch. This sweetly poetic opening, in a way, is almost deceiving in it's foreshadowing. Marrying so many different sounds together, some subtle, some more distinct. Kenney's vocal range even runs the gamete in this first song. 

After listening to the album cover to cover "Sugar Sweat" is definitely one of my favorite tracks. 

Like a tarot card reading, depending on the person, timing and mood it can hit you differently every time you hear it. 

"Sucker", which was the first single released off of the album a few weeks...maybe months ago by now, floored me when I first heard it. 

I couldn't stop listening to it. 

Something about it's simple guitar licks and the harmonizing of deep male vocals along side Kenney's sang to me like I was the only one in the room.  

I couldn't get enough of it. 

I was and am a sucker for "Sucker". 

It's at this point that you realize that that powerful vulnerability that was introduced on Sugar Sweat is the driving force of the album. It takes a lot of courage to be vulnerable, let alone share it and Madeline Kenney does that through out Sucker's Lunch all whilst wearing her heart on her sleeve. 

Another one of my favorite tracks is "Cut the Real". It's synth start with heavy bass give it an 80's appeal before the quick uplifting breakdown carries it away into the indie oblivion from which it came. There are so many brilliant lines and lyrics through out this album but if I had to pick just one  it 'd be "if I wasn't such a mess I'd start something" from this song. It's like a sucker punch to the gut getting you in right in the feels.  

Sparkly chorus's, warm guitar hooks and her soft yet stern voice are nothing short of magical. 

It's robust. 

It's moody. 

It's moving but not the make you dance type of moving (sway back and forth moving for sure). 

When I listen to this album I find myself  imagining hearing it being played live at one of my favorite intimate local music venues like The Independent in San Francisco: eyes closed, letting the music saturate me. 

What a treat it'd be to catch Madeline sing a new song or two at a festival like under THAT tent at Bonnaroo or the Sutro Stage in Linley Field at Outside Lands, or...anywhere really. 

Sucker's Lunch as a whole is a great album and is great to listen to full on, or in the background. It's also great to listen to anytime of day, either to ease into waking up, carry you through the afternoon or to wind down at night. 

It will break your heart while mending it at the same time. 

As they say, the third time is a charm and Madeline Kenney's third album Sucker's Lunch sure is charming. 

(can we talk about that that album cover photo?!)