While growing up in Barcelona, Spain, pastry pro and cat lover Moises Alvarez always had a thing for sweets. But it wasn’t until he lived in N.Y.C. for seven years that he discovered a passion for chocolate brownies (his wife, Juli, happened to ask him to make them for her one day).
From Alvarez’s early days as a test kitchen cook with the Food Network when it first launched—to working with esteemed establishments including Bouley, Lespinasse, Le Cirque, and currently at The New York Palace—he combined his experience with European pastry training from culinary schools in Spain, Italy, and France to open up an Etsy shop called minibrownie. This coming month marks the one-year anniversary of the e-commerce site dedicated to delightful brownie offerings.
“I started playing with fun elements and different textures of the American classic—twisting the basic ones a little bit more with unusual flavors and ganache,” Alvarez tells InStyle. “Like everything in pastry, the quality of the ingredients, a minute more or less in baking time, or a few degrees in the oven temperature makes all the difference.”
Among peanut butter and espresso-flavored desserts, customizable fudgy goods are also available—you can send in any image to put on top of the sweet treat. (Hello, Instagram!) A popular design includes a marshmallow brownie aka the Minimallow Photograph with an adorable feline face (above). “It took about two seconds to decide to put a cat on it—we are a pet-crazy society, and knew people would just love the idea,” says Alvarez, who bakes the desserts straight from a kitchen space in the Financial District of Manhattan. The photo is reminiscent of his dearly departed Russian Blue, Boo Boo. “Both have that same intense look on their faces, like they want to say something to you. Most of the photos sent in are actually of cats—and they’re beyond cute!”
Shop the delicious sweets from minibrownie ($5 to $32), made-to-order daily at minibrownienyc.com.
Want concoctions that are both scrumptious and oh-so-chic? See our gallery of runway-inspired desserts here.
See All Photos
While on the hunt to discover with new, chic styling ideas for one of the most long-standing accessories on the market the bracelet we came across a photo of Rihanna working an upper arm cuff (above) and learned an important lesson: It s not just about the kind of bracelet you wear, but the where you wear it matters too. But before you get to shopping the stylish styles pictured below, read on for exclusive tips on how to tone your upper arms straight from Adriana Lima’s trainer, Michael Olajide, Jr.
1. Stand with you feet shoulder width apart and grab a one pound hand weight for each hand.
See All Photos
We love Mother’s Day! It’s the annual chance to let our moms know how much we love them. This year, spoil her with our roundup of sweets and treats.
See All Photos
What s the best thing about winter? Snuggling up in a cozy sweater! Thankfully, designers have taken the wool trend and made it available from head to toe. From knitted tops to dresses and skirts, it s comfort dressing at its finest.
In a country where shopping destinations come and go with the seasons, there s one mall that stands tall amongst all the others: the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, which—just in time for tomorrow s ultimate American act: voting!—is celebrating its 20th year of operation. Otherwise known as the only mall in the country with a fully functional indoor theme park (roller coasters included!), the 4.2-million-square-foot retail mecca is one of the two largest malls in all of North America, along with the 6.1-million-square-foot West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada. Since the Mall of America opened in 1992, it has added a number of unique programs not on offer at most of its (much smaller) competition—like a fitness club for mall walkers who frequent the large space and educational classes for high school students yearning to study fields like the visual arts, law enforcement, hospitality, retail management, and business. So, tell us: Have you traveled long distances to visit America s most famous mall?
See All Photos
It’s wedding season! Summer weddings are the perfect opportunity to flaunt your fabulous footwear, which is why we found found 15 perfect summery heels that will have your feet be the hit of the dance floor. From hot pink polka dots to mint green straps, click to see our picks now.