Best Places in Fort Worth to Get Dessert

I consider myself to be a dessert connoisseur; because of this I have had the rare privilege to stuff my face with some of the best desserts in Fort Worth.  I’m going to give you a detailed list of the three best places to get dessert in Fort Worth. These places range from quaint bakeries to sit down restaurants, and everything in between. You should be warned: if you are not willing to for-go your diet and guiltlessly consume the entire dessert, you probably shouldn’t go to these places. Frankly, you probably shouldn’t even read this blog at all. However, if you are any of these I gladly accept the challenge to change your ways before the end of this blog. It should be noted that these desserts are by far too delicious to only eat a small portion of, and are so expertly crafted that it would be disrespectful not to clean your plate. If you agree to the conditions above continue reading.

            The best place to get a cupcake or gourmet sugar cookie is J. Rae’s Bakery located on Foch Street in the West 7^th Area of Fort Worth. This bakery sits in a bustling strip between restaurants, yoga venues, and hair salons. As you enter the bakery the smell of the rich buttercream icing fills the air; my mood instantly shifts from happy to ecstatic as I take in the smell and view. Behind a glass panel I see an entire spread of fresh baked cupcakes and cookies. The cupcakes come in a variety of flavors ranging from chocolate-chocolate to lemon with icing piled high, and hints of sprinkles and edible glitter. Sitting next to the cupcakes are the hand iced sugar cookies. They come in various designs with TCU themed being a customer favorite. I order a chocolate-chocolate cupcake, and a TCU circle shaped sugar cookie. Without a doubt of hesitation, I know that this will be the best decision I’ve make all day.

 Patrizio’s is known for their decadent Italian food, but what most people do not know is that this is where you can get the best slice of carrot cake in town. The restaurant is bustling with customers, as I walk in and patiently wait to be seated. I have already decided to go with the Spinach Mushroom Chicken Lasagna for my entre, as the hostess calls our party’s name and we are led to the table. We sit and idly talk about the latest gossip happening in our lives. We finally finish our main courses as my anticipation builds with the thought of my dessert to come. My taste buds begin to salivate, as I view our waiter carrying my slice of carrot cake towards the table. It comes delivered to me on a square white ceramic plate, sliced extra big, and drizzled with caramel. As I consume my first bite I can tell that this Carrot Cake is made from only the best ingredients—real cream cheese frosting and fresh shredded carrots. The final touch is the sprinkle of fresh ground cinnamon on top. One bite of this feast and I can no longer call my Grandma’s carrot cake the best!

Budino di Cioccolato. Bet you can’t say that five times fast. Though the name might sound intimidating, the dessert is not. Once you have built up the courage to order this wordy dessert, all that is left is to patiently wait for its arrival. I first discovered this creation when attending a surprise birthday party two years ago. I walked into the small restaurant, located in the heart of downtown, and thought it would just be another dinner out. That was hardly the case though! I fell in love with Taverna, and their chocolaty masterpiece. For those who were wondering, the Budino di Cioccolato is a petite chocolate cake with the texture in between a cake and a pudding. Each bite of the is rich and chocolaty; the closer you eat your way to the center the more densely packed and “pudding texture” it becomes. Served perfectly warm with a chocolate and raspberry drizzle, this dessert always satisfies my sweet tooth and leaves me wanting to order a second one!

--Allison Roehm

                  

The Definition of Class

 First off, if you should know anything about me, it’s that I have an unnatural obsession with Audrey Hepburn.  If you were to walk in my room, one would see something relevant to Audrey any place you turned.  I discovered her as a little girl after I saw “My Fair Lady” and instantly fell in love.  I was infatuated with her voice, her face, her mannerisms and her entire ambiance.  I then made it my goal to learn everything I could about her and watch every movie she had even been in.  I’m still working on that list, but I’ve done plenty of homework to gain knowledge of the woman whom I consider to be the epitome of grace and eloquence.  When you have someone you admire, are you afraid to find out more information about them because they might not live up to your expectations?  Well when it came to Audrey, she exceeded my expectations.  I’ll explain:

Audrey’s biggest aspiration in life was to become a prima ballerina.  She dedicated much of her early life to dance, even during the middle of World War II when she helped with the resistance.  After the war, Audrey continued to dance and was able to become a part of film productions.  Her dream of becoming the best ballerina was not within reach because of her height but that never stopped up her from trying. Audrey was soon discovered by the famous French novelist Colette, who cast her as the star of the Broadway play, “Gigi”.  After that, a star was born. 

 

How great is that?  Despite her flaw for dancing she kept going on a dream that could not be, and discovered a new dream.  After her success on Broadway she was cast as the main character in the film, “Roman Holiday”, which got her even more coverage as an actress because she won an Academy Award for it.  From then on out, Audrey made her way into Hollywood with flying colors.  She went on to be in movies such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Sabrina, Funny Face, Charade, My Fair Lady, and much more. 

Here’s what I really love about Audrey – she changed the face of celebrities (in my humble opinion).  For one thing, she revolutionized the idea of sex appeal, which is pretty amazing considering Marilyn Monroe was her competition.  She also had this innate need to love.  Love everything and everyone.  During the making of the movie Green Mansions, Audrey’s character had to interact quite a bit with a fawn named Pippin.  So to bond with her better, Audrey decided to take the fawn home with her.  Also to the grocery store and some parties, and possibly other places.  If that doesn’t express compassion, I don’t know what does. 

 

Audrey left a great influence on this world.  She believed in giving back to the world as much as possible.  She was a huge advocate for UNICEF and contributed to it quite a bit in her retired years.  You can read more about that here.  She also believed in being happy.  That is what she strived for everyday.  She left behind a legacy that we can make this world a better, more wholesome place…and that legacy is true.  She didn’t pose a good person to have a better place in the spotlight; she simply was a good person.  

 -Lauren Pennington

Getting Inspired

Everyone has someone or something that inspires them. If they don’t, they ought to find one. It may seem easy to be “original,” but you have to know yourself and your influences in order to know what you are going for.

I like to think of myself as being pretty original. Doesn’t everyone?  That doesn’t mean that I don’t aspire to be like someone, though. In fact, there are four people, all very different, whom I adore and wish to be like.

The first of these people is Audrey Hepburn. I must give my roommate credit for introducing me to Audrey. (Thanks, Lauren!)  She is a recent love of mine, but I don’t know how I could have ever missed her. Audrey is beautiful, classy, and fun. Looking through her photos, you can see her inner beauty radiating, no matter how old she gets. She has a tender heart for animals, which is something I value most of all, considering how my life revolves around animal rescue.

I love this sweet photo of Audrey and her deer.

Ellen DeGeneres is the second person on my list of inspiration. Ellen gets a lot of bad attention for being a lesbian, but look at her.

  (No, really, look at her!)

She does not care what others think. She lives by a philosophy of being happy and enjoying life, which I respect to the highest degree. She is caring and devoted to helping others, whether they are famous or not. In my opinion, Ellen should be everyone’s role model. Ellen also has a huge compassion for animals, and she makes it well known. For someone so popular, Ellen does fame right.

This is a link one of my favorite episodes of Ellen. She is talking with actress Kaley Cuoco about her rescued pitbulls enjoying a hot tub. It is too funny! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2gXjuAorDk

My third role model is someone less well-known, but equally important. Her name is Ellie Laks. She founded the Gentle Barn. The Gentle Barn is a sanctuary where mistreated animals go. They are rescued and cared for as they rehabilitate. The coolest part, however, is that every day of the week different people can come love on the animals. These visitors range from handicap children to at-risk youth. Anyone who needs a little compassion from a furry friend is welcome.

 I find the Gentle Barn to be a magical place. I wrote Ellie Laks to tell her what an inspiration she is to me, and she sent me a hand-written letter back, telling me that I was a hero to her. Nothing could mean more to me. To learn more about The Gentle Barn go to www.thegentlebarn.org

Look, here is Ellie from the Gentle Barn with Ellen DeGeneres and her wife, Portia. Of course they are friends!

Finally, I come to my most personal role model. My grandmother, Carol Dean Keys, is the most inspirational person in my life. She has never treated anyone with anything less than a heart full of love, and the devotion that she has put into our family is incomparable. My grandmother is my most valued treasure, and I could not respect someone more. I want to give the same amount of love and care to people as my grandmother does.

So, why are these role models so vital, you ask? Why are any role models “vital,” for that matter?

I am my own person, but without guidance, I could follow a misleading path. Seeing the way that these women have influenced so many people inspires me. Because of the respect I have for these four women, I hope to grow into a classy, happy, beautiful, loving, and compassionate (especially towards animals) woman, just like them. 

--Kelsey Keys