What are some of the signs that the Oscars are imminent?
The orange traffic cones going up around Hollywood and Highland are a pretty noticeable indicator. Oh yeah, and the mega swath of red carpet that's orange cone-adjacent, too, is a fairly good predictor that award-showy things are afoot.
Costume exhibits, relating to the nominees, are also a fine sign, as is that AMC Best Picture Showcase, the one where you watch all nine movies tapped for the honor in a single day.
And random star sightings? They tend to go up, at least anecdotally. Nope, we don't know if they're swinging by the pharmacy to pick up extra eye shadow for the big show, but you might see 'em lunching in the general Hollywood nexus.
Lunching sans the big dark glasses, even. That's a myth (mostly).
But one of the major signs that the Academy Awards are nigh, and certainly the sweetest, is the first sighting of an Oscar cupcake. It's local culinary tradition 'round these parts, to honor film via frosting-laden treats, and Magnolia Bakery will make good on that via its Best Picture Box.
It's a dozen cupcakes, nine which bear the title of a Best Picture nominee, and three titled in an Oscar-related way ("86th Academy Awards"). You'll need to order this goodie-to-go line-up ahead of the Oscars -- they're on Sunday, March 2 -- and the price? It's sixty bucks.
But if you can't go whole hog -- or whole cake, rather -- there's a Black Tie cupcake, too. Nope, it doesn't come with a movie name, but it looks plenty fancy-pants with a big vanilla icing/chocolate buttercream flourish (vanilla-chocolate=black tie). That's $3.50 and you'll be able to find it at the bakery right through Sunday, March 2, though advance orders are okay, too.
