This year's CES has reportedly surpassed all attendance records, and it certainly felt that way at the show.  Here's my report from the "trenches."

Takeaways this year:

• They're still trying to get us to want 3D in our homes
• Devices between the size of an smartphone and a tablet are emerging (think Galaxy Note, Kindle Fire, etc.)
• All objects around us are going to get "smart" (think refrigerators, walls, clothing)
• You need at least 10 customized iPhone cases in your wardrobe
• Charging is key; portable, mobile, multi-plugged, cross-platform, solar...

I had a beautiful view of Chicago as I flew into O'Hare for my layover.  It looks so tiny from up here!

My first shot of the South Hall, walking in.  Believe it or not, this is not a very crowded scene.  Sometimes you feel like you are a fish being propelled downstream when you're walking the floor.

Looks like Leo Laporte wasn't in the TWiT booth at the time, or I'd have rushed up there like a fangirl chasing the Beatles.

There were lots of random cars at the show, even in the non-car booths.  Everyone was waiting in line to sit in this one and have their picture taken.

This cute little car was in the Crossley booth (the makers of those jukeboxes and portable record players).  You remember records, right?

I took this picture just for Dave.  It's a pretty red, isn't it?

This was a cute idea...for kids to prop up and store their iPads.  They also function as pillows, and there's a little storage compartment for earphones, etc.  

My favorite piece of tech...the projectable keyboard.  There was a huge crowd in this booth, and these devices are actually available now (remember when I showed this technology in last year's CES report?)  I want to buy one, but their price point is a tad high, in my opinion.

This was the Kia booth, believe it or not.  They were showing off integrated iPad docks in the cars, and some sleek new dashboard design. 

I just loved the colors and design of this Kia. See the hardwood floor?  It's modern and retro at the same time.  Did I just say I loved a Kia?  

Another shot of the Kia's interior.

The Audi booth was lit so brightly you needed to put sunglasses on to walk into it.  It made for some good pictures though.  If I recall correctly, this is an electric car.

Booth babes doing their thing.  This was in a camera booth.

That's Fox News reporting from up there, above the fray.

One of the coolest things we saw.  This booth had an actor from the new Men in Black 3 movie getting his makeup put on by the actual makeup artist from the movie.  When I took this picture, he had already been in the chair for 4 hours, with a brief lunch break.

Cool silver car...this was a headphone booth, I believe.

Yellow's not my thing, but the car is nice.

Day 2 swag haul.  We have earphones galore.

We tried to visit the Scripps Networks (our customer's) booth, but no-one was home when we got there.  Looked like there had been a good party in there previously.

There was a big line of geeks waiting to try out this Parrot hovercraft, which can be controlled with your iPhone.

We stopped to watch this CNet show, but the hosts were so annoying we had to leave.  It is some kind of tech rumor show.

Giant kangaroo for Dish Network.  Too bad they weren't giving out little versions of this.

While in Vegas, we had to visit the shark pool at the Golden Nugget (on Fremont Street).  I had seen it on an episode of Extreme Resorts.  There is a water slide that goes through the shark tank!

Don't know if you can tell, but that's Jay Mohr sitting down in the background (in front of the white column) chatting with a makeup artist.  They were shooting a Jim Carrey/Steve Carell movie (called Burt Wonderstone) when we hit Fremont Street.

Steve Buscemi is in this picture.  I swear.

Another shot of the moviemaking.  There were a lot of extras milling around.

The person in red under the palm tree is Steve Carell.  We tried to wave, but he was done shooting and ran out like a shot.

Final day swag.  Pretty minimal, but I was happy to get the new HGTV print magazine (read it on the airplane, it's great) and the Skype shirt and iPhone holder are useful.

It was a fun trip, but I'm glad to be back home!

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Since 2006, inspired by Martha Stewart's Year of Cakes magazine issue, I've been choosing a year's worth of monthly desserts to try.  We've had cakes, pies, cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and muffins so far, and this year I was stumped.  I believe it was Ted who first suggested, "how about a year of random desserts?"  And so here is my plan for the year.  

Before moving on to 2012, I have to say that 2011's Year of Muffins was rocky.  I don't feel that I've perfected the light fluffy muffin of my dreams, but that just leaves something to strive for.  The highlight of the year, without question, was the Best Apple Pie Muffins.  If you choose one recipe to try from last year's list, make it that one!

2012, Year of Random Desserts

• January - Linzertorte (from Joy of Baking website)
• February - Cheese and Cherry Strudel (from Food Network website)
• March - Chocolate Cake Pops (from Bakerella's book of course)
• April - Strawberry Cream Gateau (recipe from The Golden Book of Baking, copyright 2009, McRae Books Srl)
• May - Chocolate Creme Brulee (from AllRecipes.com)
• June - Whoopie Pies (from MarthaStewart.com)
• July - Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sandwiches (my own concoction)
• August - Laduree Chocolate Macarons (from Epicurious.com)
• September - Chocolate Eclairs (from About.com French Food)
• October - Banana Pudding (my own concoction)
• November - Mini Pineapple Upside Down Cakes (from SaucyGirlsKitchen.com)
• December - Yule Log (from Joy of Baking website)

Please join me in honoring my friend and colleague Lori Hope on her birthday.  

She is truly a quality human being, and I'm thankful to have her as a friend, sounding board, co-conspirator, elf, choir geek, diet buddy, furniture-assembler, coaster-rider, and Jill-of-all-trades.

I hope you have the happiest birthday ever, Lori!

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I have to start this review with a disclaimer. I've been a Mission: Impossible fan since I was in roughly second grade.  For me, Peter Graves was The Man, and there was a thrill when the fuse lit every week.  My babysitter used to let me stay up late to watch it sometimes, which added a frisson of danger to the operation.  But I digress.

This time out, Ethan and his team are out in the cold, on their own against a bad guy who feels as if he belongs in an earlier era.  In fact there's quite a bit about this MI movie that has a throwback aura.  The music, the witty banter, and the edge-of-your-seat, precisely timed antics all made me feel nostalgic in a good way.  This one seems a bit less slick and overproduced, as if the producers had a few cocktails and loosened up a bit.  I like it.

The action takes place in Budapest, Dubai, and Mumbai, and revolves around a somewhat cockamamie plot involving nuclear codes (yes, nuclear codes).  But the plot driver doesn't really matter; we're all really there to watch Ethan cling, Spiderman-style to the outside of the Burj Dubai.  I loved the addition of Jeremy Renner to the mix, as well; he adds a kinetic energy to the team.

When they announce MI:5, I'll be right there ready to plunk down for a ticket.

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When I first saw the trailer for Hugo, I was perplexed. It looked like it was a movie for kids, but it was directed by Martin Scorsese.  Now that's intriguing.  I noticed also that it was in 3D, a format I usually just tolerate, not necessarily enjoy.

However, Hugo manages to smash all expectations.  It unfolds in 3D like a magical pop-up book, wheeling and spinning through a dreamy time and place.  Somewhere in Paris, some time around the 30's, with a cast of characters populating a train station.  Look for a brilliant turn by Sacha Baron Cohen (yes, of Bruno fame) as a lovesick security guard.  

This is not a movie for young children, although it revolves around a mystical quest by a 12 year old boy.  It is grounded in gritty reality (he's an orphan), but flies around fancifully, tracking the whys and wherefores of how people tick.  I can't say too much about the actual story without spilling some of the intrigue, but let's just say it's mesmerizing in the best possible way.

This is one of Martin Scorsese's masterpieces.  Not to be missed.

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It might look like a deflated chef's hat, but this is, in fact, a delicious apple pie muffin.  Can I just take a moment and describe the alluring cinnamon apple aroma that was wafting around the kitchen when these were baking?  Can I tell you how many times the kids asked if the muffins were done yet?  Can I just admit that I ate two of them while they were still so hot I burned my tongue with the apple bits and I don't even care?

The edges of the muffin top are chewy/crispy and the inside is full of diced apple bits held together by moist, spongy muffin.  My advice?  Go make these now. I mean right now.

Here's the recipe (from Food.com): The Best Apple Pie Muffins Ever

I think that mine turned out a little different than the ones on the website because I was in a hurry and didn't fret too much about measuring.  My topping was not really crumbly, it was more of a butter/brown sugar paste, and thus it sank into the middle rather than being a crumbly streusel topping...but I think it was a happy accident because dang it was delicious.

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Every morning brings a new batch of "stuff" washed up on our beach.  Shells, sharks, jellyfish, sponges, sea pork, etc., all have shown up in recent weeks.  Today was apparently the day of Portuguese "Man o' War" jellyfish.

This guy was moving around a bit, so I thought I'd shoot some video to capture him.

The color was just about the same color as Windex.  These guys are really beautiful.

...and there was one lone Puffer fish stranded.  He was dead already, or we would have sent him back to the ocean!

Thought we were going to get rained on, but it cleared up on the walk back.

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