SusieCakes comes to Lafayette, California with a sock hop celebration.

If you follow this blog, you know that I’m a foodie.  I guess you would call me a Food Network lurker. I have no intention of making the food dishes that are prepared on television by celebrity chefs and every day bakers, but I love watching the shows and I certainly enjoy a good meal.

While I’m the first one to seek out local bakeries, farmers markets and order regional dishes during my travels, sometime I long for classic, all American specialties like brownies, 7-layer bars and a moist and creamy slice of homemade layer cake.

SusieCakes

Needless to say, I was quite happy when I learned, via Twitter, that Susie Sarich, owner of SusieCakes, was opening another one of her bakeries in Lafayette, California. The sugar-filled sweet shop features multi-layered cakes by the slice – red velvet cake is their best seller- bar cookies, brownies, puddings and pies – including Whoopie pie.

Whoopie pies are great for travel. They last for five days and are durable.

How to Travel with Whoopie Pie

Have you ever had a Whoopie pie? Today, I had my first encounter with this chocolate goodness. Two thick, chewy chocolate cookies are sandwiched between vanilla buttercream. It’s the perfect travel companion. It stands up well to abuse in a backpack, luggage or messenger bag and lasts for up to five days – not that I would have the will power to wait that long.  I’m the girl who bought her friends milk chocolate bars in Switzerland (at the beginning of a two month backpacking trip) and only had one bar to show for my good intentions back in the USA.

Owner Susie Sarich with one of her SusieCakes.

Swapping stories with Susie Sarich

Nancy Brown: “So how did Whoopie pie end up on the menu at SusieCakes?”

Susie Sarich: “My Grandma Millie made Whoopie pies when I was a child growing up in Chicago. When I inherited the recipe, it became mine.”

Nancy Brown: “What was the impetus behind SusieCakes?”

Susie Sarich: “I had these great recipes and I wanted to bring people back to a simpler time.”

Nancy Brown: “Do you have experience in the baking industry?”

Susie Sarich: “I’d worked in the hospitality industry for 15 years. I saw talented women leave the industry because it is a difficult business to obtain a balance.”

Nancy Brown: “Do you plan on expanding the business and the products offered?”

Susie Sarich: “While we plan to open more bakeries, we won’t be changing the menu. We have a recipe for success. Our menu will stay consistent because we’re about back to basics.”

What are your favorite things to eat at SusieCakes?

For additional insider tips follow Luxury Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown on Twitter and follow SusieCakes on Twitter.

SusieCakes – Cakes, Cupcakes, Cookies

If You Go:

SusieCakes

Related Posts:

San Francisco Food Trucks

Travel the Globe with Queen City Cookies

Where to Eat Cheap in San Francisco

Radisson celebrates 50 years with hotel room giveaway

Radisson is celebrating 50 years of being a leader in the hotel hospitality industry and guess who gets a special gift? You!

Radisson is inviting 50 of their favorite bloggers to give away a free night’s stay at any Radisson hotel One blogger a day, for 50 days, will be giving away a room to one of his/her readers beginning on Monday, October 22, 2012. Are you feeling lucky?

Radisson Hotel Giveaway Rules

The winner receives a free night voucher, valid for one free night, standard room, double occupancy at any North American Radisson Blu or Radisson hotel of the winner’s choice. The vouchers expires one year after issue date. The full terms and conditions are located on the room night voucher.

Please leave your name in the comments below and where you might like to stay (transportation not included.) Make sure to sign in with your e-mail address.  The giveaway on this blog starts on Sunday, October 28 and ends on Friday, November 2, 2012 at midnight.

Radisson will contact the winner at the close of the contest to send the voucher, so be sure to leave a valid e-mail address.

Readers may enter on as many blogs as they like. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.  Void where prohibited by law. No purchase necessary.

What are you waiting for? Let’s join the party!

If You Go:

Radisson

The Radisson “50 Years, 50 Days, 50 Rooms”  giveaway is sponsored by Radisson.  Radisson supplied me with a one free hotel night and one hotel night to give away to my readers.

Winner to be determined using Random.org.

11/3 UPDATE: The winner is Joe K, who was commenter #38.

Located in Gers, the Hotel Continental is centrally situated in Condom, France

After taking the mandatory picture of ourselves beside the roadside sign welcoming us to Condom, France, we dropped our bags at the Continental Hotel and walked the streets of Condom. With 8,000 inhabitants in the country of Armagnac, there are more ducks than people. Condom is known as the meetings of the markets and the land of the musketeers – get your picture taken with the statue of Dartanian and the three Musketeers. Then take a tour at the Ryst Dypertron and discover how to taste fine Armagnac – a specialty of the region.

Hotel Continental- Clean and Simple

Hotel Continental offers 25 clean and affordable rooms in Gers, Condom, France

The Hotel Continental offered 25 clean and simple rooms overlooking a courtyard garden or the street. My room, #8, on the first floor, offered two single beds pushed together to make a queen bed and a day bed, as well as two small desks and a night stand at the end of each bed.

The bath/shower combo didn’t offer a curtain or door, so I stepped onto a slippery, wet floor to towel off. I don’t recommend blow drying your hair in this situation.

Behind Hotel Continental is a garden to relax and eat breakfast

Breakfast in the Hotel Continental Garden

It wasn’t until the morning that I discovered that Hotel Continental had a shaded garden, as my room, #8, overlooked the street; next to the banks of the river Baise.

I didn’t eat dinner at the on-property restaurant. Instead I opted for dinner at La Table des Cordeliers, which seemed to be a popular establishment with both locals and visitors.

Affordable Hotel Continental

I rented my room at the three star Hotel Continental for 70 euros with an additional eight euros for breakfast. All rooms offered air-conditioning, in addition to one suite with a balcony. Additionally, there were two handicapped accessible hotel rooms. Also, free Wi-Fi was available.

Hotel Continental is a member of Hotels of Charm and Character of Southern France

If You Go:

Hotel Continental

Condom, France

www.lecontinental.net

Related Post:

Things to Do in Meyronne, France

Article written by Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California.  Photos courtesy of  Nancy D. Brown.  I was a guest of Hotel Continental.

For more information on France, visit Atout France, Office of Tourism and Midi-Pyrenees Regional Tourism Board.