The red, white and blue of it

I might not be blogging as much lately, but I am keeping up on my cupcake lore. Renton River Days and the fourth are soon to be upon us, and Crystal Roberts over at Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes has already got a patriotic and sweet delicacy on hand.

These beauts are fresh blueberry cupcakes with a vanilla bean buttercream topped with a red cherry or a blueberry with red sprinkles. Ahhhh, makes me love being American. Land of the free, home of the cupcakes.

As usual, get them while you can. I will try to be back in the blogging chair more often again. Sometimes life just creeps up on you, and a breather here and there never did a person harm.

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee
900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

Bacon Cupcakes - Come to Papa!

Big Papa needs a little bacon on his cupcakes after bringing it all home. For Father's Day, this should definitely be on your shopping radar. I mean - desert meets your favorite breakfast meat, what is not to like?

It's no mystery that the undisputed local Queen of Cupcakes, Crystal Roberts, has been cooking up this meat mischief at Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes. The bacon is laced with butterscotch and given some bling, then put on top of a vanilla or chocolate cupcake frosted with butterscotch butter cream. I am a confirmed bacon lover, and this confection just goes to show how versatile this pork product can be.

There will only be so many available from now until June 20th, the third Sunday in June (Father's Day). Crystal has a stock of little scotched bacon bits, but my thought is - these babies are gonna go fast. Like hotcakes, only more cuppy.

Tonight also launches Common Ground's return to the First Friday Block Party arena with music by Devin Moore (singing, ukulele) and photography by Jayne Rose. Jayne's photo cards have some incredible images and are very affordable. I like photos and make photo cards myself - her's are good.

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee
900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

Frosting and Petals

Springs blue skies and bright pink petals are popping up on the Renton radar - even in the cupcake realm. Crystal Roberts, Cupcake Queen at our local haunt, Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes, has put her latest creation together and christened it Raspberry Antoinette. This raspberry swirl cake with vanilla buttercream frosting is a concoction that deserves a party. Frilly dresses and a few demitasse cups of bitter brew to counter balance the lovely sweetness of the cake.

The local rhodies are also fully decked out this week with our on again, off again warm weather hastening them into bloom. Amazing how similar the color palette is between these two Renton lovelies.

Crystal holding on of her charming creations.

Life and art have so much in common.

I couldn't help but put these two sets of photos together, they are strikingly complimentary.




Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee
900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

Cupcakes and the Art or War

Local Cupcake Queen and frosting artisite, Crystal Roberts helps dream up the lovely delicacies that go along with a cup of coffee and a smile at Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes in our lovely Downtown Renton.

When she puts on the apron - you know she means business!



Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes
900 South 3rd Street
Renton, WA 98057-2710
(425) 235-1717
Get directions

Caddy Cool

Original spray paint job - "rattle canned" to perfection. This Caddy is owned by Mike and Crystal Roberts.

Mike has had many people ask the question "How did you get this texture on here?" It looks that good and the details (cobwebs) are very sweet.

The car sat in front of the Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes during the Return to Renton Car Show this last Sunday. And since Crystal works there during the week, this made perfect sense.

The back of the car has some awesome features as well = check out the license plate frame- fangs!

Don't put your kids in the back without supervision, folks - they might make off with Dad's rad skateboard collection.

The continuing SAGA of the Return to Renton Car Show last Sunday that I am still salivating over 4 days later. Vintage Cars - luv em!

Get your coffee and your cupcakes!

The sign is out - the doors are open. Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes is ready to serve you up some coffee and cupcakes.

When I cruised by a little while ago, the tempting smells of baked goods assaulted my delicate nose. There was Crystal Roberts, cupcake maven extraordinaire, working her magic in the cupcake kitchen. With incredible effort on the staff of the entire coffee shop and with the immense help of Mike Roberts and his crew from Venturi Clean - things are getting back to normal at Common Ground.

Lang, the owner of Common Ground Coffee and Cupcakes was in a well deserved good mood when I ran into him today. He said that, though having been born in Aberdeen, WA and having moved around to different spots within our state, it wasn't until he moved to Renton and opened his store downtown that he has ever felt such a feeling of community, of being home.

You will recall that not too long after he opened his business in downtown Renton 2 years ago, a freak accident occurred where a car ran into the shop's front window one night. A complete stranger came and brought lumber to cover the open window frames and install it himself. Lang is no stranger to feeling the warmth and help of Renton during tough times.

"The more things happen here in Renton," Lang exclaimed, " the more gratified I feel for having chosen to live in Renton and to do business here". Lang recounted how children drug their parent's to the shop's door after the fire just to make sure that everything was okay. "One teenage girl wrapped her arms around my wife, Hang, when she saw her saying "Oh, good! you're alright!""

Happy times - to see people getting back to work again, and seeing businesses bounce back less than a week after that horrible 5 Alarm Fire that took downtown Renton by surprise.
SO - come by, please!

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee 900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717
www.commongroundcupcakes.com

Cupcake Heaven

When cupcakes are involved, it's hard not to be happy. I recently tried a new flavor (for me!) of cupcake heaven at the Common Ground - Boston Cream Pie, and though I ate the whole thing in one easy sitting and was flying on a sugar high for the next hour, I would go back for another in a heart beat. Crystal, another fav barrista of Renton's best, suggested this particular cupcake - and the girl did not steer me wrong. Go get one - I am being far to generous even sharing them with you all, so take advantage of my moment of weakness.

For those of you who like to work for your baked pleasure, you can knit a delicate morsel from this pattern here. When you are through, just set that down , and go get yourself one that won't give you a hair ball if you attempt ingesting it. Then, send me a picture - because I love it when people knit cupcakes. It's the second best thing to eating them.

Common Ground Cupcakes and Coffee 900 South Third St.(425) 235 - 1717