The B-List: Carlo's Bake Shop

So this was not originally on my NYC bucket-list, but not until yesterday when we ventured to Carlo's Bake Shop (a.k.a. the bakery from TLC's "Cake Boss") did I realize I had actually been wanting to visit.  I have since added it to the original Bucket List entry (is that cheating?? I don't know all the blogging rules yet).  Also, Matt had never been to Hoboken, so the trip to Frank Sinatra's home-town was a first for him as well. 

The ROUTE

Matt and I trekked from Hell's Kitchen Manhattan to Hoboken via the 9:40AM bus #126 from Port Authority on 8th Ave.  We took the bus down to 1st and Washington Street in Hoboken.  It was quite easy and only took about 15 minutes.  At that time of day the bus was pretty empty... just me, Matt, and an Indian woman who smirked to herself the entire ride while eerily staring out the window (creeps-mcgeeps!).  

The SCENE

Once we arrived in the 'Boken (or Hoboke-Shaboke, as I affectionately call it), we only had to walk about 1 block before we spotted the famous Bakery.  Well, to be more accurate, the first thing we spotted was the long line of people waiting outside. 

Fortunately, Matt had placed an order online a day in advance (baby, you so smart!), so we were able to skip the line.  As we walked up to the shop, past the line of adoring fans, and straight into the bakery, I'm not going to lie, I definitely felt like a VIP celeb surpassing the line at a hot nightclub (for more on my obsesh with celebs and famousness, refer to: We Talk to Strangers and We All Want to be on Broadway).   You know I was thinking about how the visiting tourists were jelly beans (jealous) of us walking straight into the shop, like we had the connex or something.  Anyway, I digress.

FINAL DESTINATION

When we opened the door, a young, post-pubescent Italian kid greeted us and ordered us to step inside to pick up our order.  This only further strengthened my fantasy that we were being allowed VIP entry by the bouncer into the exclusive cake-club.  Upon entering the Shop I was very surprised at how quiet and organized the store was on the inside after just coming from the chaos on the outside.  Carlos' Bake Shop looked like a regular Italian bakery inside, nothing fancy and not at all commercialized, which is what I had expected given the Cake Boss show's popularity.  And, despite the crowd of people waiting outside the shop, only about 6 or 7 customers were allowed in the shop at one time.  I also got the impression that they didn't appreciate loitering and wandering around, so I stood in our designated spot as we were instructed while we waited for the cake.  

Some pretty standard cakes. The fancier ones were on the wall behind.

We were in and out in about 5 minutes.  Overall, the calmness of the Bake Shop was a pleasant surprise.  The cake was delicious as well (we ended up getting a vanilla and chocolate combo cake, with pink fondant, decorated with a chocolate fondant bow and polka dots), though I had previously tasted the Cake Boss cakes for various birthdays (thanks to Ty, our group of friends' token Hoboken resident :)).  

If you're ever in Manhattan and have a few hours to spare to indulge your sweet-tooth and reality show-obsession, definitely visit Carlo's BakeShop.  Just get there early to avoid the line. Or if you want to feel famous like me, order something in advance online, get there a little later to ensure a long line of admiring fans, and walk in like you own the joint. Works like a charm. 

With the loot.