It has been 15 days, 9 hours and 4 breakdowns (mine) since the Los Angeles outpost of BabyCakes NYC opened it's doors.
For those of you who were at the opening, I apologize if I didn't take time to chat. To be honest, I was holding back tears of gratitude all day and I knew if I looked any of you in the eye it would have tripped me to tears and there would have been mascara all over the cookie sandwiches. I wasn't prepared for how emotional the opening was going to be. When the butcher paper came down from the window, it hit me that this was a big day for me and you. The day went by quickly and there were plenty of first timers checking it out, a great deal of New York transplants yearning for their old favorites, and so many parents on a mission to treat their child to their first donut or cookie or cupcake top. It was magic.
If you've had time to swing by the LA bakery yet, you'll notice that it's a unique emanation of the New York bakery. Although we wanted to recreate what we have in New York, we knew it was crucial to let this bakery be free to be itself. We wanted it to have it's own life and personality so we just let it flow. This bakery's got more room than New York--4 tables and chairs to rest your weary legs and a gasp-inducing vintage oil painting of two poodles with bouffants (thank you Bridget!). Of course we have Stumptown Coffee.
Since the opening, we've been logging long hours to get the bakery working as efficiently as possible. In the meantime, hundreds of people have schlepped downtown and many have taken to their blogs to report. Some love us, some hate us. But at the end of the long work day--it's the tearful parents that pull me aside to say thank you, and group of vegan kids munching in the front, and the celiac in the corner documenting her first donut in 14 years that make it so much more than worth it.
I guess I just want to take a minute to say thank you to everyone for tweeting, blogging, yelping, and simply talking to your friends about us. You are the real reason we are able to grow and your positivity and support are what keep us going. For real. Love you guys!!!
I've been there four times, each at different hours. The perpetual line out the door tells me LA loves you too. I have told everyone I know about your bakery, particularly the donuts! Their response... When is she going to open a Babycakes in Orange County?
yes, Babycakes is love! I was there almost every day during your first week and I'm stopping by for lunch. thank you so much for coming to LA, we (I) can't get enough :)
xoxoxo - your #1 biscuit fan
(can you please pretty please sell them plain as well?)
I am so happy to hear the West Coast welcomed you with open arms! Now if we can just get you a little further North, say like Portland, OR? Also excited to hear you're using another local product- Stumptown Coffee. It's my favorite!
Oh yeah, I'm loving the cookbook!!! Thank you for sharing the amazing product of all your years of hard work!
Thank you for bringing Vegan cupcakes to Los Angeles. Be ready for even longer lines as the rest of L.A quickly discovers you. You have AMAZING cupcakes! Also, great choice of location--downtown L.A is lovely.
I really like your items. I didn't think i would but they grew on me... instantly. I think this place is about to explode in popularity. I'm just glad I got the chance to check it out before the rest of L.A. catches on.
Really, Babycakes NYC is the best thing to happen to Downtown LA since tall buildings. Love, love, love, love.
Everything is perfect. Staff is the best. loction is perfect. Babycakes is my religion
I can't wait to enjoy my first bakery visit in 6 years!! Ever since going Gluten Free I hate even looking into a bakery window. Thank you so much for bringing your amazing bakery to LA and I can't wait to become a regular!
Saw you on the News, was excited for my 15 year old daughter who has life threatening food allergies. Looked you up immediately. Though they will be a special treat for her, The price range is unaffordable for families even in a medium income level. I understand that you use expensive ingredients, but I have found less expensive ways to cook cupcakes, cookies and brownies, that have the same safety measures as yours. I hope you will at least consider having a portion of you menu affordable for families with food allergies.
We love having you here! You're the best.
I too saw you on the news.
I have been on an elimination diet for my breastfed daughter for the past 70 days and have not indulged in any desserts...for the first time through the holidays...for the first time without ANY pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving and cookies at Christmas. I had your lovely cupcakes yesterday. They were amazing! I only bought 4 but wish I got a dozen. I will be back.
Thank you for having such a fantastic bakery!
Welcome to LA!
My 1 year old son just celebrated his birthday with a baked treat thanks to you. We've been to the bakery twice and own the cookbook. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge and love with the rest of the world.
visited babycakes (LA) for the first time this weekend! was very impressed! thank you so much!!!
http://iartu.blogspot.com/2010/01/hello-weekend.html
<3!
j.
I haven't had the chance to swing buy yet, but I'm already so touched by your dedication to providing allergy-ridden people like me to go somewhere to enjoy a treat worry-free. I'm sure my brother agrees too! YAY!
Looking forward to bringing my three year old celiac daughter in for a special gluten free treat before her first musical theater experience at the Music Center Sure to be a great day. Hope you consider opening on the westside too!
My daughter just left about an hour ago from the NYC store. Got two cupcakes, noted no price and thought they'd be about $1.25-1.50 each, like the other cup cake stores.
Shockingly they were a total of $8.00! OK, she thought they must be some great cup cakes, so she left with them still in shock at the price. Took a bite of each to find out that they were gross and old tasting. At first we thought, they were over priced cup cakes, however come to find out they are not made with real sugar and are for diabetics, celiac people, etc. Found out the hard way. Lesson learned.
OBSESSED WITH BABYCAKES IN LA~!!! Your mind-blowing baked goods and girlie atmosphere make for the ultimate yummy experience!...I'm also in love with the cookbook!
Just wondering if you recommend any other food cookbooks or healthy eating/diet books (aside from baked goods) you follow or like? I need some inspiration! (Although I WSH BabyCakes was a food group all in itself, and I could live on your cupcakes and banana bread forever...I mean, I might anyway)
xoxo!!
coming to check you out next month. No bakeries out here in the desert.
Bought the cookbook 3 weeks ago and have made the choc chip cookies twice - everyone loves them. I have taken the cookies to the gym and passed them out to all my die-hard workout buds, they all love them and want the recipe. I adore the cookbook and I am going to slowly make everything in it. This past saturday afternoon, on my way to the ballet in LA, I made a conscious detour to Babycakes. I had my 24 yr old cousin with me and we were so excited to go in and buy and try some of the baked goods. My cousin nudged me with excitement - it couldn’t have been better, Erin (what a beauty!) was there frosting cupcakes! We told her we made a long trek to visit the bakery and loooooooooove the cookbook. The review: we bought red velvet, banana, chocolate cupcakes - delicious; Banana bread with choc chips - truly unbelievable, i can still taste it; choc mini-cupcakes, yum!; choc chip cookies and sandwich cookies, all delicious. Definitely will be making a return visit to Babycakes LA. Now the question is, when are you going to open one in Orange County??????????
I visited your store in NYC last year and I ate 4 cupcakes in one sitting, I didn't expect to I meant to save some for friends. I have food sensitivities and they are not severe, but I have to be careful. Thank you, I can say that after eating those cupcakes I felt perfectly the same as before. I will be in Los Angeles this weekend and am looking forward to getting some goodies for friends to enjoy and be converted to Babycakes!!!!
I tweeted and blogged about your cupcakes, here is the link, http://tinyurl.com/y9caytb and have the book featured on my blogspot page. I can't wait to stop by
xo
Gina
Hi from Europe!
The LA bakery looks lovely in this little picture :) Would it be possible to put somewhere on the webpage pictures of both interiors - NYC and LA?