More Than Cake

This past weekend, despite many little curve balls thrown by fate, my husband and I finally settled in to our new apartment. It’s not home but we’re cozy enough. Junebug and I made the transition easier with a two-cupcake-a-day habit. I made 24 of the little SpongeBob SquarePants paper cupped chocolate devils. I didn’t know a box of mix would yield so many! *Mental note for future PTA events. I did frost and deliver 8 of them to a good friend of mine who loves anything “cake.” Miriana is the cake princess of the planet and can be cajoled into any feat, task, project or dare with the promise of cake. She’s Bulgarian and to hear her squeal the word “cake” as if asking its whereabouts RIGHT THIS MINUTE is a gratifying pleasure. She’s also a very talented painter. Back in late December, before I knew I was preggers with Junebug, my husband and I were vacationing in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, by default (we were supposed to be in Rome but weather delays changed our plans for us). While I was drinking rivers of tequila, wine and more tequila, I fell in love with a painting at our little hotel. I tried to buy it off of the proprietors who ran the place and who claimed they bought it for a song – robbery of an artist, if you ask me, but they wouldn’t sell it. I photographed it and wandered in and out of the San Miguel galleries asking if anyone knew of the artist. I had no luck. All I had was the photo. Well, a couple of months ago, I asked Miriana, the Cake Princess, if she would be interested in trying to recreate the painting for me. She agreed to but we never really followed up on the notion (i.e., pregnancy, my seasonal job, contractor negotiations, etc., etc.). On Sunday with cupcakes in hand, I was presented with a 4 by 5 foot reproduction of the piece and it’s a truly stunning work of art. It’s breathtaking in size and beauty combined. It is a reflection of love, life, and family. Perfect for my new home, my new baby, and my new life with my husband. It is the icing on my cake. Thanks Miriana!