Alfresco Emporium, Collaroy

As an avid cupcaker, I was waiting for these Cupcake wrappers to be imported into Australia. I'd seen them on various cupcake sites hoping that they would soon grace our shores but always without much luck. Then I heard that a shop nearish to me stocked them and I knew that I would have to pay a visit to get a hold of these wrappers.

As I'm learning to drive, I took the chance to drive there (driving in the Northern beaches for an L driver is much nicer as people are more relaxed) and drove up to the store.

Inside there are displays of fresh flowers, some of which I've never seen before (they have a florist that picks their flowers). Even for this Sunday morning it's full.

There is a display that completely appeals to me, the Halloween one with the Spider Cupcakes wrappers, the very ones that I have come here expressly to get a hold of.

I ask them about the Cupcake wrappers and they tell me that when they first arrived they sold out of them straight away and now they get orders from everywhere in Australia requesting them.

I am intrigued by the Stonewall Kitchen products from Maine, New England, in particular their two grades of Maple Syrup, the regular kind and the Grade A Dark Amber Maple Syrup housed in a cute little cabin. I think I may have to come back for this.

There's also the Crystallised Violets, the same brand that I bought in the UK and used in my Violette Macarons ($17.95 here) as well as boxes of sugar flowers (you can buy a large box of sugar flowers for $25), cake decorating items (mostly Wilton brand), cupcake patty pans, cake stands and cake making tools which relieves me that I don't have to travel very far to top up my stash.

One thing I notice that they have is numbered cake tin rental, for $8 a week you can rent a cake tin which saves you collecting numbers 0-9 in order to make cakes for all ages. Very clever indeed.

_Me wanty! Me didn't get :(

_

As well as cake decorating items there's also furniture (damn if only I'd know about this before our wedding I'd have had our registry here!) and all sorts of lovely bits and pieces that a true fashionista would love.

And look out for the upcoming NQN competition where the kind people at Alfresco Emporium, upon seeing my reaction at these cupcake wrappers, offered up 6 packets of cupcake wrappers for a competition! ;) Keep reading and all will be revealed!

Alfresco Emporium

1021 Pittwater Road

Collaroy NSW 2097

Tel: +61 (02) 9972 9999

Monday - Friday 9.00 - 5.30

Saturday 9.00 - 5.00

Sunday 10.00 - 4.00

Also stores in Mona Vale and Cherrybrook

http://www.alfrescoemporium.com.au