heART on Center
A friend of a friend is getting hitched this summer, and she buttonholed my pal to plan the reception. I say “reception” to make the event sound more marriage-y—it’s actually gonna be a good, old-fashioned, unapologetic spoof on every wedding party in the history of the universe, with Thunderbird instead of Champagne and plastic pink flamingos in place of floor vases. The groomsmen and bridesmaids will deck out in overalls. Everybody will drive gnarly ol’ pickups (the kind with wooden slats over the beds) in lieu of limos. And the traditional bouquet and garter? The bride isn’t having it. She’s scheduled to toss a posy of poison ivy and a very large rubber band.
I thought I’d contribute an idea or two, so I suggested a silly cupcake pyramid, with a bunch of little confections substituting for one great big cake. Then I found out that Heavenly Cupcake actually offers one among its many services (the peeps there call it a cupcake tree). And upon sampling its fare, my flip little joke wasn’t funny anymore. Only two things beat the genuine charm of this Downtown eatery—the taste of a giant vanilla cupcake topped with buttercream and caramel sauce and the chocolate-peanut butter entry (along with a great cup of coffee to wash them down). Some 22 flavors, which rotate daily, are available at $3 apiece ($1.50 for mini versions), and you get fairly hip décor and retro music to go with them. This isn’t just a cupcake hangout—it’s a bona-fide dessert lounge, complete with its own mobile store—a cruiser that rolls around the streets to salve the pedestrian’s sweets attack. Quite a public service, that.
Heavenly Cupcake’s physical address is 518 Sixth Ave. in the Gaslamp Quarter. Hours are 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.Fridays and Saturdays; place your orders at 619-235-9235. We’re having loads of fun with our wedding plans—and with that sweets-laden tree, Heavenly Cupcake just might figure into them.
