A STAPLE'S SUMMER RETURN: If all the pink in the world were to suddenly disappear overnight -- if every pink bow was drained of its brightness and every pink balloon lost its pink-a-tude -- one feels comforted by the sense that pink could still be found, in profusion, at a famous roadside landmark in San Luis Obispo. We speak, quite on-the-nose-ly, of the Madonna Inn, which doesn't own the idea of pink, but might be able to make a serious claim for it, given how its famous Gold Rush Steak House is awash in full-on, over-the-top pinkness. But even pinker than the restaurant's fine dining restaurant?
THE COLORFUL CAKE: Indeed, the pastries in the hotel's Copper Cafe cake case are incredibly pink. Think specifically of the Pink Champagne Cake, a towering confection covered in swirls so eye-popping they'd give any blue ribbon-winning flower a run for its colorful money. But even pink, apparently, takes a vacation come May and June, much like the loyal vacationers heading for an overnight at the 101-close classic: The pink cake coloring is on break, through "early summer," reports the historic hotel on its official blog. But there's...
A HAPPY ENDING... in that the pink cakes shall soon return, and just in time for the height of summertime travel. "(W)e promise the pink cake shall be back!" says the Madonna Inn blog in bold (for good measure). "Our vendor is currently working diligently to source an all-natural food coloring for our famous cakes." The Apple Spice Cake, in addition to the Pink Champagne, is another rosy favorite, one that has taken on a whiter shade through summer's start. If you're headed to SLO before the pink pastries make their anticipated return, just prepare to enjoy the same flavorful sweets but without the pop of color. If you do require a pop of color post-cake, you can, of course, find it by looking in most any direction around the whimsical, decor-laden, pink-everywhere hotel.
