NY Comic Con, here we come again!

Hello Lovelies,

Sorry it's been some time since the last blog post, and my presence on twitter hasn't been grand either. But the honest truth is..

Pammy Cakes™ Boutique is proud to announce the shop will be a part of New York ComicCon 2013! *and the crowd goes wild!!!.....in my head*

But really, I'm so super excited to be a part of Comic Con again. Last year, I had the utmost pleasure sharing a booth with two very good friends and fellow designers, Mary (gla.MAR.ous™/@shopglamarous) and Sylvia (@CentennialComp). Not only did they offer a fantastic variety of fashion and accessories in the booth, but they gave great advice (and a helping hand) to a newcomer like myself. Oh yes, and endless entertainment and humor. I wouldn't have been able to survive those longs  hours without them! :) And thanks to everyone who paid us a visit!! (View last year's photos here)

New York Comic Con '12: Sylvia, Pammy, Ruth, Mary

Then comes this year's event, where I must go it alone. I'm not really as nervous as I thought I'd be, but I'm sure the mild butterflies will turn into razor wasps that week before the event. Hopefully, more friend's will be able to make an appearance and hang for a bit this year *hint, hint*  ;)

Anyhoo, for this very limited time (Oct 10-13) we'll have a dressing room to try on garments, a trading table if you have toys, stationary, or accessories to trade, and some pretty nice deals on select items at our booth #2880.

I hope to see your lovely faces~!!

Love Always,
Pammy <3

Towa Tei X Yayoi Kusama

Hello My Lovelies!

Remember Yayoi Kusama's show at the Whitney? The exhibit housed in a darkened room full of lights, "Fireflies on the Water"? Not only was it an amazing experience, but Kusama doesn't make it to New York very often. So when I learned she lent her design visuals for Electronic DJ Towa Tei's album 'Lucky' (out now!), my heart  nearly skipped a beat!

 

If you're not familiar with Kusama's work, I'm sure you've probably seen her Pop Art at one time or another without realizing it. Much like Andy Warhol, the works of Yayoi Kusama's never stand within the realms of the definition of "art". Lucky for us, she keeps on churning out her magical pieces where we'd least expect them. Can't wait for the next exhibit!

magical...

<3

The Sims / Jem and The Holograms Bender

Hello My Lovelies!

For those of you that know me personally, you know I am OBSESSED with Jem and The Holograms. And (embarrassed to admit) I've had some Jem fan fiction in the works for quite some time. Every few weeks or so I'll get the itch to write out a few scenes or flesh out some new ideas, but it hasn't ever been a sit-down-and-write-until-it's-completed type of gig. I'm not even sure I'll ever fully complete any piece of it, or publish it, for that matter. But for now it's just a fun hobby I can keep coming back to when it tickles my fancy. 

However, the past few days have been quite interesting as I've been consumed by the idea of recreating the characters in my Sims universe. And those of you that know how I feel about The Sims, know that combining these two obsessions leads to an unhealthy weekend of junk food, poor circulation, no socializing, and the occasional trip to the restroom (which really should be more frequent). But at least I'm drinking water, right??

But what this post is about really, is the nature of creativity. The number one rule that all successful writers live by is to write no matter what. And that may seem easier than it actually is. Well, at least for someone like myself that edits themselves before anything is ever written. I can sit at the computer for an hour and will talk myself out of many plot changes, only to lose my inspiration out of frustration. Thus losing the original idea (that put my butt in the chair in the first place) and never having written a single word. It's a nasty, vicious cycle.

That being said, I've just recently finished a book by Keith Sawyer called Zig Zag: The Surprising Path To Greater Creativity, where he explains about this very subject. And not just about writing, but about all things creative. He explains that the underlining theme of what keeps creative types creative is switching to another art form. When you've hit a road block, it's imperative that you keep up with the "write no matter what" rule. That doesn't necessarily mean starting a completely new project. But instead, it is re-imagining your existing project in another form. That way, something new may arise out of this other form that you can apply to the original. Thus, keeping you in a disciplined work ethic.

This has kept me trudging along on my JATH fan fiction by creating the characters in the Sims universe, and having them to interact with once another. My goal is to watch closely to their actions/reactions and hope it will spark some new ideas. But for now, they're just a lot of fun to play.  :)

Learn more about keeping your creative motor running HERE..

And.... those of you who have a hankering (and the pocketbook) for some new Jem stuffs, Integrity Toys has begun launching some re-imagined JATH doll collectibles!

Love Always~

Pammy <3

A.D.I.D.A.I.C.

Hello My Lovelies!

This heat wave on the east coast has nearly robbed me of all my energy. Normally, I bask in the hot rays, but this weekend I just about melted :( So what did I do to combat the heat? Well, I kept a steady diet of ice cream of course! (and water, but that's no fun..) Whilst being heat stroked and drowning in cream, I dreamt of wearing pastel colors of pink, lilac, and minty green!

~ Baby Dreams Of Ice Cream ~

You can find all the items on this board at my Polyvore page.. :)

Love Always~

Pammy <3

Star-Spangled Foodcraft Adventures

Hello my Lovelies~!!

If you're like me and you work hard (for the money) most of your week, then you know how I'm feeling about having this upcoming holiday off.. Yes. It's about time we had a 4-day weekend. And what better than to be able to have an extra couple of days to relax!

What would I do on my days of R&R, you ask? Besides sleep 'til noon and eat BBQ until I pop? Well, for starters.. find some uber fun Independence Day recipes to get into! :-D Not only will this create spontaneous fun for you, your friends and/or fuzzy imaginary mate, but it can also help spark inspiration for those creative types (you know who you are!) who need that special occasion for an excuse to express themselves...oh yes, and you can eat it too!

Furthermore, feel free to grab a friend while dabbling in the Star-Spangled Foodcraft Adventures below..

╰☆╮<3 !!~ LET THE INDEPENDENCE DAY AWESOMENESS COMMENCE~!! <3 ╰☆╮

Like any holiday celebrated in America, you start it off with a drink. And if you're still holding on to those wild and crazy college years, you'll probably start with Jello shots..

First, I present to you the Anthem Jello Shot from BetterRecipes.com. With parts made of Raspberry Jello, Pomegranate flavored Vodka, condensed milk, and Berry Blue Jello, you're sure to start the party off right.. and not drunk...but "nice" ;)

 ╰☆╮

Next, you'll probably want a drink on hand while you wait for those smoldering ribs to do what they do best.

And what better drink to have on a hot, Summer day than a quenching glass of Lemonade. Celebrations.com listed a fantastic Adult Blue Lemonade recipe with a heavy-handed splash of Maui Blue Hawaiian Schnapps (use blue food coloring for the kiddies). Then finally, top it off with a watermelon skewer for a refreshing bite between sips.

╰☆╮

Now, to prevent the tummy from rumbling aimlessly, present your guests with a fruit and cheese tray from TheBetterMom.com.

Not only will this snack be a healthy alternative to the usual pre-made, frozen (and full of preservatives) hor d'oeuvres, but you'll also get a nice dose of vitamins and antioxidants from the berry family. Okay, yeah, it's a bit of a cliched fruit tray.. but damn it, DO IT FOR 'MERICA!

╰☆╮

While I'm on this healthy roll, I might as well mention the benefits of drinking wine with your meal. Now, this is assuming that all wines are filled with antioxidant capabilities (an argument that varies, depending who you ask). But it's a known fact, according to my alcoholic friends, that red wines tend to offer the most of these benefits. That being said, enjoy this patriotic berry-filled Red, White, and Blue Sangria from PunchBowl.com for double antioxidant power!

╰☆╮

And for the main event, I must ask...What is more American than barbecue on Independence Day? WHAT, I ASK!! Sweating over a relentless, flaming grill, begging the hot dogs not to fall through the grate? Nay!

Feast thine eyes on Closet Cooking's miraculous collection of 25 Recipes For The Grill. Feast..and weep! Then eat! Then weep some more, and thank Kevin (@ClosetCooking) for his bounty of flavorful recipes.. (..and at some point the idea of eating grilled meats has turned me into a character from GOT).. -_-

╰☆╮

Of course you didn't think I was going to leave you without a patriotic dessert, did you? Cue disembodied Opera chorus..

Christy from "The Girl Who Ate Everything" foodaholic Blog (@Grlwho8Evrythng) is the queen of sweets! ..and yummy foods in general..but mostly impressively for sweets! :) And my tummy stopped me dead in my tracks when it set it's sights on her glorious Patriotic Trifle Dessert. Chock-full of Awesomeness and fluffy whipped dreams, this cake-fruit-pudding masterpiece will not leave leftovers. I promise that!

╰☆╮

Well, I hope I've helped inspire some tasty treats ideas for you. But more so than to inspire recipes, I hope I've had a hand at encouraging you to try something you've never thought to try before. Having the freedom to be an independent person, and having the liberty to choose what you want (or don't want), is really what the remembering of the Fourth is all about. Okay, cheesy moral-of-the-story talk aside, I really hope you enjoy your holiday :)

Love Always <3
~Pammy

Zombie Apocalypse, Lolita style

So what if today, right at this very moment, there were a Zombie Apocalypse.. 

"Oh no! But I'm expecting my AP Strawberry Parlour OP today, heaven forbid it's already been delayed because of customs! *pouts* Now I have to cancel the tea party lunch meetup that's already on it's third rain check. And I was really looking forward to sharing my new Sweet Sakura tea print Jumper."

Luckily for you, this is only a fantasy scenario. One in which you could prepare for in wake of the inevitable. Hopefully you'll be able to 'Gear Up' before such things become a reality..

<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3~<3~<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3

Your first concern would be to protect yourself from gnarly zombie bites, Duct tape is the preferred choice as the first layer of covering the arms, fingers and neck (OK, I know they aren't vampires, but I can't take any chances!)

Now that you've got that first layer on, cover up in some denim. Denim has been proven, since 1873, to be a durable, punishment-withstanding fabric. Hemp is also proven to be quite durable. So if you can find yourself some hemp-fiber denim, you're good to go!

 

Let's now protect your lil' digits with sports rider gloves. Made in a thick leather for extreme abrasion and tactile feel. There's also a carbon-fiber knuckle protector (that can double as a weapon when you've lost yours), foam panels at the finger ad side of the wrist for maximum comfort, and a finger bridge to protect the pinky from getting into a jammed situation.

<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3~<3~<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3

Now to go on to weaponry:

If you're gonna go out, go out big! Right?? Or at least in a sadistic manner.. For those moments you're especially seething with Undead hate, Grind into some skulls with this Hello Kitty brand (is this legal?!) chainsaw!

Although a chainsaw can be messy, and you'll have to get "all up in 'dem guts" in order to rip a Zomb apart, a pistol or riffle will get the job done from a safe distance. I prefer the pump action shotgun myself.. ;)

But if you're an avid watcher of Zombie movies, then you've studied their characteristics closely and know that loud noises attracts them. So for the stealthy approach, why not find a nice wig-splitting Machete or Tomahawk, and go all Comanche and shit! (Sorry, that was probably racist..)

<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3~<3~<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3

Survival Basics:

The first thing you'll need to lock down is clean water. If you were at home, your first action would be to fill the tub up with water. Since the city will most likely shut down, there's no telling how much longer clean water will run through the pipes. But let's be honest, shit's probably gonna get real while you're at the office...so I hope you have a canteen on hand.

Next, ram-sack the office's kitchen. Grab anything and everything that will have a long shelf life. Cereal, Ramen, Granola bars, breads, fruit with a protective skin, hell even Ketchup and Jelly packets (don't scrunch your nose, you know you've have a ketchup sandwich before. Also packets of salt and pepper. because if you're gonna have to camp like The Land Before Time, I'm just saying, pack some salt for the sanity of your taste buds!).. But try to be discreet about it. If you're in the office during regular hours while the Zombie apocalypse happens, then your co-workers will be too busy calling their loved ones with noses glued to CNN on their computer screens. So casually trot on over and fill your sack with goodies. Because after all, there's no telling where you'll be headed in the next few moments, and for how long you'll be traveling.

Toilet paper. Yes, I know this isn't actually part of survival, but your bum will thank you. ;) And if you can score some moist towelettes, you're in business!

Ooohh, fiiiire.
Okay, so at this point in your employment, you've spotted the 15min breakers on numerous occasions huddled outside the emergency exit on a 12 degree day. Those are your hardcore smokers that will have more than one form of fire on their person. Lighter, matches, blow torch...whatever it is, it's probably located in the top desk drawer.

<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3~<3~<3~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<3



Community

Almost Summer = Ice Cream Foodie

Hello My Lovelies,

So Summer time is almost here and I'm already getting excited about new ice cream flavors! Of course I'll be indulging on the usual variations of Rocky Road and which establishment has the best Vanilla Bean. But today I'd like to cover some of the places I always "swear I'll visit when the weather gets warmer", but end up bent over a deep freezer, at 3am, legs dangling, reaching for the last New York Super Fudge Chunk. So this time around I'll be taking random trips around NYC to preview the most tantalizing creams of the dairy world.

1. Big Gay Ice Cream - 125 E 7th St, New York, NY 10009 @biggayicecream

Just the mention of a Salty Pimp gets me quivering in my boots. No, not because some random Jehri curled, gold chain wearing reject is warming up his pimp hand. But because I've recently been turned on to the thrills of salty and sweet flavors enjoyed together. Think chocolate-covered salted peanuts, or Kettle corn. The Salty Pimp is Vanilla soft serve ice cream, drizzled with Dulce de Leche sauce and sea salt sprinkles, THEN covered in quick-freeze chocolate. What's not to love about this?!??

2. Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - 65 Bayard St, New York, NY 10013

I was told I would find the most delicious Almond Cookie ice cream here, which I intend to sample, but I really have my heart set on trying their Black Sesame flavor. Wanting to try something I never thought could be turned into an ice cream flavor, I'm interested in experiencing who will win the argument..my brain or my tongue. But is all else fails, I can always go for my Green Tea and Red Bean fallback flavors.

3. Il Laboratorio del Gelato - 188 Ludlow St, New York, NY 10002

Sounding pretentious from every angle, I half want to visit the spot just because the atmosphere is specifically designed to make me feel like they're cracking beacons together and creating this magnificent genesis right before my eyes. That and their ridiculously long list of flavors. Some I intend to try are Bourbon, Butternut Squash, Chocolate Thai Chili, Lavender Honey, Rose Petal, and a slew of others. With a constant changing menu, I foresee many trips made to this shop...

4. 16 Handles - 1569 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10028 @16handles

Okay, Yes, I know it's a franchise. And, yes, I understand that there are much more economically fulfilling mom & pop parlors I can visit. But can you argue with a place that offers such amazing portions for sampling alone?? Truth be told, I would have never dabbed a toe over their threshold until a childhood friend of mine suggested the place while randomly passing. Boy were we pleasantly surprised! Or maybe I was... but my mouth was happy. And so was my digestive tract, as 16 Handles is all FroYo! My first visit consisted of a multi-tasting of Graham Cracker, Chocolate Love Affair, and Coffee Break. But the next time I go, I'd love to explore their Tart flavors, like Peach White Tea Tart and Pink Grapefruit Tart. Oh yeah...did I mention they have an uber amount of toppings??

5. Ample Hills - 623 Vanderbilt Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11238 @amplehills

Just a stones throw from my apartment, I'm thrilled that I don't have to travel 3 train rides into Williamsburg just to get a creamy treat. And reading (from their website) that they receive local milk and eggs from Upstate NY just days before hand-churning out amaze-balls flavors, just made that treat so much sweeter. But what you really need to know is that they have a masterpiece of a flavor called The Iron Cone (after Game Of Thrones), consisting of Black Cherry ice cream, Spiced Dark Chocolate swirls, and Sugar Cone pieces. Yum!

Alright, I think I've drooled on my keyboard enough. And hopefully I've entice some of you to try out some new Ice Cream Parlors as well. Don't forget to post pics and follow those scrumptious tweets above!

Love Always,

Pammy <3

2012 Wrap-Up, and Otakon moves to Vegas for 2014?!

Hello my Lovelies <3

It's literally been ages since I've updated my blog. Many apologies for this. From this day forward, I have made a vow to stay as updated as possible! ..As much as my health and sanity may allow. Neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night..! (now, where have I heard that?) Anyhow, I'm back (ow oww!) and there will be lots of new events and Lolita items for you in 2013! I'm very excited! :)

But before I can speak about upcoming happenings..

2012 Wrap Up!

<3 New York ComicCon (@NY_Comic_Con)
Those of you who know how crazy I am about Cosplay, and how I use any moment I can to dress up, understand how flippin' awesome it was to get a trades table at New York ComicCon last year. But I didn't go it alone. I had the pleasure of sharing a table with friend Mary of Gla.Mar.Ous™ (@shopglamarous), selling her patent-pending zipper headbands. And Steampunk craftsmith friend Sylvia of Centennial Compass (@CentennialComp), showing off her handmade pieces. And they weren't the only rock stars holding up the fort. We also had gal pal and fierce fashion-blogger Nubia of Nubia's Nonsense (@NubiasNonsense) stop by with photographer extraordinaire Theresa Taylor (@TheresaTaylor_). But this gaggle of girlies wouldn't be complete without the romantic novelist herself, Ruth Nineke (@RuthNineke)!

There were quite a few more friends, and friends of friends, that came to show their support. As well as many bright and shiny new faces that we could show nothing but our most humble appreciation. Thanks to everyone that stopped by the booth, and those that were able to support. And much thanks and congratulations to our contest winner Montana Max who won 2 free passes in our Twitter sweepstakes! Thanks for all your support and spreading the word! <3 View photos of the event here.

New York Comic Con 2012 - Sylvia, Pammy, Ruth, Mary

<3 Gothic and Lolita Swap Meet
Though a small venue, it was great to meet fellow Lolitas not too far from my borough (well, it was a 1.5 hr drive). Good thing I had Sylvia with me, or else I would have been bored out of my mind! Not that the people were a bore. But I think we accumulated less than a dozen patrons over a 4-hour period. Not the best turnout, but I'm sure the situation could have been much worse. The event was held in the newly constructed Rose Theater, and we were honored to be one of their first exhibitors. See some photos from that event here.

Pammy Cakes Boutique & Centennial Compass

Hmm, I think that is it for 2012. It felt like a quick year, and 2013 already feels quicker. So on with future plans! :)

2013 and onward!

As I would love to be involved in copious amounts of events this year. I'm a little behind on planning, and maybe will only be committed to the later half of 2013. But I will keep you all posted on my plans to do at least one event per month on 2014. It will take a lot of concentration and determination, but I'm prepared for the challenge. That being said, here I will most likely take part in the following events..

<3 Sakura Matsuri (@bklynbotanic) - Brooklyn, NY

As of right now I will have one dress for the Cherry Blossom Festival here in Brooklyn's Botanical Gardens. The plan is to have my first full Sweet Lolita Dress in the Lolita Parade on both Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting. I would hope to have more than one dress, but we will have to play it by ear.

<3 Comic Con (@Comic_Con) - San Diego, CA

As much as I'd love to be at this con, time is yet a factor again. Last year after NYCC, I had high hopes of branching out to the bigger con of the two. But the holidays were rough, and poor planning on my part hadn't crossed enough "t"s or dotted any "i"s. So we will keep this in mind (well in advance) for 2014.

<3 Otakon (@Otakon)- Baltimore, MD (and maybe Vegas!)

I've spent many nights in junior and high school dreaming about the day I finally make the pilgrimage to Otakon. The only problem was I was a broke, under-aged dreamer without an anime community for support. Now, I may finally have the chance! But what is this?? I can also attend the con in Las Vegas, NV come January 2014?!? The news came officially from the Chairman of Otakon Vegas, stating:

"Otakon Vegas is a new event that will allow us to further our mission. We’ve currently hit a limit on what we can do in Baltimore, so we looked to expand instead of to grow only in one location."

You can read the rest of his statement at PopulationGo, or visit the official Otakon Vegas website for news and updates. Personally, I think having a huge con in the winter is cutting it too close to the holidays. And I'm predicting mostly locals will be able to attend due to the financial crunch. And maybe that was the plan all along? Easterners, like myself, will have to plan far in advance to travel successfully across the country (lest I be a greedy con gobbler)..  ;)

Love Always,

~Pammy<3