Cupcakes, Magnolia.

After a meeting at Penn Station, I decided to walk to Lower Manhattan, rather than sink underground in the Summer swelter.

Vadim and I linked up at Houston and searched for decent iced coffee and a new leash for young Pilgrim. Doggy Style NYC offered leather, studded, grosgrain, fisherman's rope- you name it. But nothing in quite the right citron or plum colors that I was looking for. We continued through our Saturday afternoon. We perused windows: Little Marc Jacobs, and then Magnolia.

I'd heard rumors of the chaos. The worthy products inside. The line slinked around the corner. A few groups of tourists stopped to stare. "Are they really that good?" Vadim's eyes widened. He nodded in affirmation, "Let's do it." While we inched forward, a man came out in intervals of five minutes to give a speech on the red velvet cupcakes.

A gate keeper asked us at the door, "how many in your party?"

"Two."

"Okay, another moment or two."

--Inside we picked up a box and selected one of each flavor. The trays are emptied almost immediately after they are carried out. We payed and stepped outside. The cupcakes are good. Although I only truly appreciated the white cake w/ chocolate butter cream frosting. The white frosting (which is also offered dyed in pastel colors) wasn't anything spectacular. In fact it seemed relatively standard issue. I do prefer Magnolia cupcakes to Crumbs, which may have earned their fans by their larger size and fancier, more creative designs. In my humble opinion, go simple. It's usually better.

Notes: Customers may only purchase two dozen cupcakes at a time, larger needs must be ordered ahead of time. Eat immediately. All natural and made from scratch- they do not sit well.

401 Bleecker Street, West Village.