Feel Better Food - Baymax Cupcakes!

Anyone who knows me well is aware of my love for Baymax from Big Hero 6. I mean who doesn't love Baymax? So, last week I was down with flu and fever, I took Friday off and decided to make myself some feel-better-food, and guess what was that? Yes, that was none other than Baymax cupcakes! I saw the recipe on Disney's twitter post and wanted to make them for a while. So, on Thursday Maddie and I went to the grocery store to get all the ingredients (of course we came back with everything in the store as usual! :p). Here is the list -

1. Red velvet cake mix (you can use any brand, I got Betty Crocker)
2. Giant marshmallows
3. Edible marker or black gel (I couldn't find that kind of marker but the gel worked fine for me)
4. Cheese cream frosting
5. Possibly cones to add frosting
6. Eggs
7. Vegetable oil
8. Cupcake liner

Directions to make the cutest cupcakes ever!

It's actually super easy to make. At first you prepare the cake mix as directed. Usually you pour the mix in a bowl, add eggs, vegetable oil and water. Then you fill in the cupcake liners and bake them for about 14 minutes.

Once they're baked take them and let them cool down for a while because you don't want the cheese frosting to melt (I know it's common sense but I did that -_-). Then add cheese frosting on top to make the belly of Baymax in whichever method you prefer. The last thing that's left is to add its face and arms. Take a jumbo marshmallow and draw its face using marker or gel. Then take another one and cut it into half to make the arms. Attach them with the cheese cream and you've your super adorable Baymax cupcakes, your personal healthcare provide! :D 

I solely made them to make myself feel better, they were too adorable to eat. So I ate the mushroom version and basically left them as a decorative element on my kitchen top :p But I recommend you eat them as well.

Mushroom cupcakes

Aren't super adorable? 

A Day at the Topsail Beach

North Carolina is famous for some of the most beautiful beaches in U.S. We were planning on going to the beach since I moved here, but for different reasons we couldn't make it in last two months. But with the occasion of my friend Nate visiting, we thought this would be the perfect time to make this happen. So, finally we made it to the beach last weekend!

Blissful solitude

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I grew up in a beautiful port city called Chittagong, where going to the beach on weekends was a pretty usual fun family activity for us. Some of my favorite childhood photos were actually taken at the beach. But since moving to Dhaka, and suddenly losing my younger sister in water accident, my mom became overprotective about us and would never let us go to the beach by ourselves. The last time I went to the beach and actually played with water was in 2011. We went to the Shirahama (White sand) Beach in Isu island with a bunch of friends visiting my house, which was 4 hours by train from Tokyo. It was very beautiful with white sand and blue water, I still remember the day. After that I've been around the beach few times but didn't really go close and play with the water. So, finally going to the beach, especially with two of my most favorite people made me super excited! 

We wanted to start early, but we ended up staying unusually late, so couldn't make it that early. It took us about 2.5 hours to get to the Topsail beach and by the time we reached it was past noon. When I first dipped my feet in the sand it was hot as hell but as soon as we got into the water it was unbelievably comfortable and pleasing. It was supposed to rain that day but luckily it didn't. Both the sky and water were pretty blue color and there were surfers riding on the beautiful waves. 

Play time!

We played and jumped in the water for hours, after many many years it felt like I went back to my childhood. Also, after long time, I went out with my actual camera and took some photos. I lied down with my back on the sand where waves could come and touch me up to my chin, I could feel the relaxing rhythm of them coming and going by. We talked about adult life but played like kids, and captured the memories in some pretty photos to cherish them years after. It was an amazing day!

We left the beach after 5 hours being burnt and I couldn't move my back and feet for next two days. But it was totally worth going, and I'm looking forward to some more fun trips as fall is coming soon.