Don’t let the title fool you. When I say ‘streetcar’ I’m not talking just any ordinary streetcar. And when I say ‘blizzard’ I am not referring to the creamy, cold DQ treat. And when you read ‘Cupcake Girls’ well, yes, I DO mean the Cupcake Girls.
As you know, I love cake. Obviously. And the next best thing to actually eating cake, or some delicious treat derived from cake (cakepops, cupcakes) is to watch TV shows about cake. Or, in this case, cupcakes. And the cool part is that a lot of these shows like Ace of Cakes, Cake Boss and, ahem, The Cupcake Girls, interact with their fans on Facebook and Twitter. And so it happened one day about two weeks ago that I read an update on my Facebook page about The Cupcake Girls’ Heather White and Lori Joyce coming to Toronto (likely as a bit of a promotion for their upcoming Season 3 premiere on the W Network as well as to scope out franchise options for a Toronto location.) They were inviting fans to join them, on a first come, first served basis, on a Toronto streetcar converted into their very own pop-up cupcake shoppe!
Fingers flying over the keyboard, I fired off an email faster than you can say ‘swiss meringue buttercream’ and shortly afterward I received my email invitation!
My ‘plus-one’ was gal pal and official cupcake taste-tester, Laura. Excitedly we drove downtown on the Saturday afternoon, parked and walked briskly to the streetcar stop. A much longer jaunt and in much cooler temperatures than originally anticipated. Given our recent unseasonably balmy temperatures, it would seem neither of us had thought to check the weather forecast before departing and, although we had been instructed to ‘dress warmly’, we had also not anticipated such an extended wait. Outside. In the cold. Watching eagerly, in anticipation and then disappointment, as each streetcar approached and then kept right on going.
We were scheduled to board at 5pm but the long-awaited streetcar did not pull alongside until 5:42pm. We cheered, not just because we were being filmed, but because we were damned cold! Now, I hate to sound all dramatic, but at this point we’d walked through some drizzle, a bit of snow and had winds whipping around us for the better part of an hour. I had NO feeling in the toes of my right foot. None. So I had my eye on the prize: warmth.
And then…
“Sorry folks. We are at capacity. We can’t fit anyone else on. Would you mind meeting us at the second location?” says the producer guy.
Oh, yeah. Sure! Nooo problem.
Wait. I’m sorry. Come again?
I may have shamelessly begged. They politely declined. Something about there not being enough room for the cameras to film.
Before we had time to get annoyed, we turned tail and started moving. Get the blood flowing. Move. Move! We alternated between a brisk walk and a light jog until we hit the BLIZZARD! Oh, yes. Right down the middle of Chinatown. It was like a curtain of snow had parted to let us in, pounded us for a good ten minutes with golf-ball-sized flakes as we slid along the sidewalk, and then gently ushered us out the other end like nothing had happened. Hair plastered to my face, Laura and I looked at each other, did a make up check and laughed at the ridiculous lengths we were willing to go for a cupcake!
Fortunately, feeling had returned to my extremities. We shook ourselves off like wet dogs and settled in for the wait, this time shorter and not quite so offensively cold.
About a half dozen others from the first stop joined us. We were now the VIPs, guaranteed to get on the streetcar first. But what’s this? They’re boarding from the other door? Oh, for crying out loud.
We got on. Finally. About 6:40pm. You want to know the real kicker? After two delicious cupcakes we were full! FULL! Who gets full on two cupcakes?
While we have been asked not to divulge too much about the filming in the coveted pretty-in-pink streetcar (footage will air in the Season 3 finale) the real thrill for me was meeting Heather and Lori and presenting them with some of my cakepops! I’m still waiting to hear if they sampled them…
I’d go that far…and not just for the cupcakes either, for you my Cake Lady! But those cupcakes we UN-BE-LIEVABLE!!! DD8 is still bitter she didn’t get to come:)