They changed the chocolate. :(
Since I was a kid, growing up in Los Angeles in the 70's there was a favorite cake from a local bakery, La Mousse. It's a dark chocolate mousse "cake" (no actual cake) on a chocolate graham cracker crumb crust, topped with whipped cream and dark chocolate shavings. Every slice was pre-cut and topped with a solid dark chocolate leaf. Our family would have this at least once a year for birthdays, mostly for my birthday since I'm the chocolate fiend.
https://www.lamoussedesserts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=about_us
I was delighted to learn that the La Mousse bakery is still around and still making the same cakes. Or...is it the same? Not quite the same. We picked one up for mom's birthday. Delight turned to disappointment when I tasted the modern "original" chocolate la mousse cake. I swear they're using a different type of chocolate. It has a more artificial tasting sweetener, maybe it's vanillin instead of vanilla? Does it have more fillers and less pure chocolate? I took one bite of the solid chocolate leaf and put down the rest.
Today, at the grocery store I regularly shop at, there are two types of chocolate chips for baking. The cheaper one and the other. The ingredients read the same, but they are not the same. The cheaper one has that artificial flavor that I hate. People like to bag on Hershey's as being junky chocolate, and I agree it's not Guittard or Cadbury's, but their semisweet chips and milk kisses are what I grew up with. They don't have that fakey flavor that the other chips do. (Let's not talk about the bars, which yes, they can be junky)
I don't understand how the chocolates can taste different if the ingredients on the label are exactly the same. But my palate is not fooled. I'm disappointed in the downfall of La Mousse.
https://www.lamoussedesserts.com/shop/index.php?main_page=about_us
I was delighted to learn that the La Mousse bakery is still around and still making the same cakes. Or...is it the same? Not quite the same. We picked one up for mom's birthday. Delight turned to disappointment when I tasted the modern "original" chocolate la mousse cake. I swear they're using a different type of chocolate. It has a more artificial tasting sweetener, maybe it's vanillin instead of vanilla? Does it have more fillers and less pure chocolate? I took one bite of the solid chocolate leaf and put down the rest.
Today, at the grocery store I regularly shop at, there are two types of chocolate chips for baking. The cheaper one and the other. The ingredients read the same, but they are not the same. The cheaper one has that artificial flavor that I hate. People like to bag on Hershey's as being junky chocolate, and I agree it's not Guittard or Cadbury's, but their semisweet chips and milk kisses are what I grew up with. They don't have that fakey flavor that the other chips do. (Let's not talk about the bars, which yes, they can be junky)
I don't understand how the chocolates can taste different if the ingredients on the label are exactly the same. But my palate is not fooled. I'm disappointed in the downfall of La Mousse.
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Telegraph Cove
I went to Telegraph Cove for whale watching, but the resort was expensive so I only stayed for 2 nights. ( Read more... )
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ALASKA CRUISE REPORT
I did the thing I've been wanting to do for awhile. I packed a bag, locked up my apartment, took the Seabus across Vancouver Harbor and hopped on a cruise ship.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
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England trip report
Photos will be on Flickr, eventually. I need to organize them into albums, when I am finished,the link will be here.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
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October
Finally, the humidity has gone away and we have fall temps again. Did a little cleaning, pulled the Autumn box out of the closet. Put up some halloween decorations. Thinking about Inktober, probably won't participate.
Grandad's clock is acting weird, stopping and then starting up again. Guess I'll call the repair guy.
Squished bugs on the front of my car are awful to remove. My poor front fender is so trashed, with all the chips, cracks, scratches. L.A. drivers park by braille, and Virginia drivers smash their doors into my car.
Why did auto manufacturers decide to cover bumpers in painted plastic? What a nuisance. Bring back steel bumpers.
I shook a bottle of scratch remover without realizing the bottle had split open at the bottom, showering myself in paste.
Tried to remove some melted black crayon that got all over the back seat. Grrr. Gonna need to call a pro on that one.
For my birthday I want to get my car detailed and a rear spoiler... wait, that's a waste of money. It'd be just my luck that I spend a couple hundred making the body look nice, and then the waterpump or something goes out. The waterpump is overdue for replacement. I'm also giving the brakes and motor mounts the hairy eye. They don't feel right.
So that's been my Sunday.
Grandad's clock is acting weird, stopping and then starting up again. Guess I'll call the repair guy.
Squished bugs on the front of my car are awful to remove. My poor front fender is so trashed, with all the chips, cracks, scratches. L.A. drivers park by braille, and Virginia drivers smash their doors into my car.
Why did auto manufacturers decide to cover bumpers in painted plastic? What a nuisance. Bring back steel bumpers.
I shook a bottle of scratch remover without realizing the bottle had split open at the bottom, showering myself in paste.
Tried to remove some melted black crayon that got all over the back seat. Grrr. Gonna need to call a pro on that one.
For my birthday I want to get my car detailed and a rear spoiler... wait, that's a waste of money. It'd be just my luck that I spend a couple hundred making the body look nice, and then the waterpump or something goes out. The waterpump is overdue for replacement. I'm also giving the brakes and motor mounts the hairy eye. They don't feel right.
So that's been my Sunday.
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look out here comes a post
I swear I am going to finish this Florida trip report real soon! In the meantime, here's one of my favorite days. ( Read more... )
Things that happened in 2016
For the first half of the year, I continued working for an animation studio, working on a Netflix special of LalaLoopsie. (Scheduled to air this year.)
I worked with clients old and new, working on character designs, storyboards and animation.
In January I attended Further Confusion, always a good time to catch up with bay area friends and draw lots of cartoons.
In April I flew from Los Angeles to Lexington, KY., to join my daughter and husband for a spring break roadtrip to Myrtle Beach SC, Asheville NC and Gatlinburg, TN.
In May I went to Tiki Caliente, a tiki con in Palm Springs. I got to attend a wonderful seminar on rum punches, and soaking in the pool and hot tub.
In June my husband and daughter flew out to L.A., and the adults attend Califur to draw more cartoons.
Best thing: Brian getting full-time employment, with the same company that he worked for 5 years ago, the same supervisor, higher salary, back in Charlottesville.
We pick up Brian in Reno, NV, and we all (including parrot) drive across the country together, seeing the tallgrass prairie, shooting stars, pronghorn antelope, Aspen and the Rockies, and the volcanic plains and copper mines of Nevada.
We move into a nice new rental townhouse, all our little family living together again. It's not the little house in the country that I want, but it has good schools for our daughter, which is the priority.
Sam is able to get braces, attend TaeKwonDo, Children's Choir, and joins Girl Scouts.
In December, Sam and I fly to L.A. for Christmas. We fly back with our cat, Tikka, who is settling in nicely, probably very happy to not have to interact with mom's crazy cat anymore.
In 2017: Becoming much more politically active, drawing more, finishing old art projects, getting medical treatment and therapy to continue self-improvement, getting reading glasses, learning ToonBoom, saving money for a trip to AFRICA in 2019.
I worked with clients old and new, working on character designs, storyboards and animation.
In January I attended Further Confusion, always a good time to catch up with bay area friends and draw lots of cartoons.
In April I flew from Los Angeles to Lexington, KY., to join my daughter and husband for a spring break roadtrip to Myrtle Beach SC, Asheville NC and Gatlinburg, TN.
In May I went to Tiki Caliente, a tiki con in Palm Springs. I got to attend a wonderful seminar on rum punches, and soaking in the pool and hot tub.
In June my husband and daughter flew out to L.A., and the adults attend Califur to draw more cartoons.
Best thing: Brian getting full-time employment, with the same company that he worked for 5 years ago, the same supervisor, higher salary, back in Charlottesville.
We pick up Brian in Reno, NV, and we all (including parrot) drive across the country together, seeing the tallgrass prairie, shooting stars, pronghorn antelope, Aspen and the Rockies, and the volcanic plains and copper mines of Nevada.
We move into a nice new rental townhouse, all our little family living together again. It's not the little house in the country that I want, but it has good schools for our daughter, which is the priority.
Sam is able to get braces, attend TaeKwonDo, Children's Choir, and joins Girl Scouts.
In December, Sam and I fly to L.A. for Christmas. We fly back with our cat, Tikka, who is settling in nicely, probably very happy to not have to interact with mom's crazy cat anymore.
In 2017: Becoming much more politically active, drawing more, finishing old art projects, getting medical treatment and therapy to continue self-improvement, getting reading glasses, learning ToonBoom, saving money for a trip to AFRICA in 2019.
Toot-zopia
Zootopia was great, no spoilers but they went to some dark places that I was really happy to see.
I'm tired of important story punches always being watered down to ineffectiveness. Things I never thought I'd see in a Disney film ( spoilers )
10/10 would see again. I hope it makes a gazillion dollars and spawns loads of sequels and TV shows.
I'm tired of important story punches always being watered down to ineffectiveness. Things I never thought I'd see in a Disney film ( spoilers )
10/10 would see again. I hope it makes a gazillion dollars and spawns loads of sequels and TV shows.