I guess I should acknowledge how Ben Affleck was as a host for the season finale.

But the truth is that Stefon (Bill Hader) and Seth Meyers stole the show last night (Fred Armisen a little bit, too).

Takeaways:

• Really?!?! with Seth and AMY! Yes, AMY!
• Stefon + Seth forever
• Ben Affleck and wife Jennifer Garner are just adorable (but kind of awkward)
• Bill Hader in everything

So, my obligatory statements about Affleck’s hosting are that it wasn’t amazing or terrible.

He had good moments: a Gigli joke in “Iranian Film” warms the heart, and the gay camp sketch was weird writing but decent on Affleck’s part.

He had not-so-good ones — “Greg’s Funeral” comes to mind.

Poor Ben Affleck was a little outshone this week. Photo: NBC Studios/Mary Ellen Matthews

But what I really want to talk about here is how Bill Hader is definitely leaving SNL, Seth Meyers will be out at the end of the fall to take over Late Night, Fred Armisen has strongly hinted that he’s leaving and so has Jason Sudeikis.

Basically, every major player in SNL this season is abandoning us.

But they left us with a couple really magical things. One of those things was “Really!?! with Seth and Amy,” wherein former Weekend Update anchor Amy Poehler made a glorious comeback to uproarious applause.

The Really!?! segment was about the IRS, and it was as good as ever.

I mean REALLY, the government only keeps you around to make the DMV look good.

That’s  a fact, Amy.

She stayed for the rest of Weekend Update, which was just great.

I had a feeling Stefon would be making a Weekend Update appearance, and when Meyers started talking about people flooding NYC for the summer, my heart started pitter-pattering.

City correspondent Stefon (Hader) was as weird and awkward as ever. All he has to do is sit there and people laugh. And his shpiel was great, but what got me was when he got offended that Meyers always berates him for his poor suggestions for tourists. He announces that he’s found someone who takes him as he is, and he’s leaving.

Meyers tries to go on for a little bit, but Poehler advises him to follow his heart, and Meyers flees the set to what is either the most awesome or the most terrifying wedding ever. Stefon, wearing a veil, is there, and he is marrying none other than ANDERSON COOPER.

You should just watch it yourself.

It was all very emotionally charged, believe me. Some of my friends and I were having really intense live-tweet discussions, and I think it sums things up pretty well. You’ll note that I don’t understand Kanye West and am not apologetic for that.

Drunk Uncle, the devil, that girl you wish you hadn’t started talking to at a party and every other awesome Weekend Update character ever bids Seth and Stefon Meyers farewell. And I might have actually cried a little bit.

But the real tear-jerker was Armisen’s song at the end, and Hader looked like he would cry at the farewell rather than crack up as he often does in sketches.

It was very sad, but all in all a good season finale. It’s sad to see so many great cast members leave.

The throwback this week is the birth of Stefon, and it’s coincidentally with Affleck during a previous hosting gig.

“Movie Pitch with Stefon”

Favorites: French toast, omelettes, quiche. Photo by Lauren Quick.

And, as it happens, it is probably the last Brunch Club post from me. Maybe some brunch-loving editor will pick up this section in the future, but who knows.

I’ll try to keep the waterworks to a minimum.

• Where: 3107 Green Meadows Way (where I went) or 904 Elm Street, Ste. 108
• Price: $4.50 (yogurt and granola) to $8.95 (salmon and brie crepes or any of the pastas on the menu)
• Coffee: Impressive selection, strong, bottomless
• Brunch at: Sat. and Sun., open to 2 p.m. (hours vary depending on location)
• Mimosas/screwdrivers/bloody marys: No
• Ease of being seated: Immediate seating at noon on a Saturday
• Quality of service: Excellent, patient
• Overall atmosphere: Chic, definitely a bakery-café
• What I ate: Creme brule French toast, fresh fruit and southern pecan coffee
• What it cost: $8.82 before tip

I knew what I was getting at The Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe before we were there. It’s the same thing I get every time, and I am not ashamed of that because it is AMAZING.

My heart belongs to this French toast. Photo by Lauren Quick.

The creme brule French toast at Upper Crust is what you need. Trust me. It’s not like anything I’d ever had before going there, and it’s not been like anything I’ve had since — even after 11 Brunch Club meals this year.

Brioche bread is soaked overnight in an egg, vanilla, milk and cinnamon mixture overnight, and they put brown sugar on the bottom of it so that it caramelizes when it’s cooked and gives it that creme brule flavor.

It’s French toast perfection, and you really probably don’t need the syrup. They top it with fresh strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream, and just like that, you’re in French toast heaven.

You have your choice of a side, and I always get fresh fruit because it makes me feel a little better about getting the French toast. However, the fruit at The Upper Crust is never very good, so I don’t know why I continue getting it.

FAIR WARNING: Because the French toast is soaked overnight, there is a limited, pre-made amount available for brunch on the weekends. I once went after noon and they were out of French toast. It’s tragic. Go early.

House, hazelnut, French roast, southern pecan and decaf coffees were available. How wonderful. Photo by Lauren Quick.

Another thing that I really appreciate at The Upper Crust is the coffee selection. There were five coffees available to me on this particular Saturday morning, but I knew southern pecan was the one I had to have (I’m a pecan fiend). It was a great complement to the French toast, though so strong that I didn’t even make it through two full mugs. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

It was graduation weekend, so I took some family with me. Sis and Dad got the French toast as well because it is THAT good.

My brother-in-law got the salmon and brie crepes and said they were scrumptious, and my mom got the spinach salad and a piece of ooey gooey butter cake, which was unhealthy but totally justified by her spinach salad. She said the cake was really more like a bar, and not as ooey and gooey as she anticipated but still tasty.

Also, please note the selection of glorious baked goods available to patrons at The Upper Crust. My sister grabbed a cookie to bring home to her almost-two-year-old daughter, and I can only imagine my niece’s joy when she receives the large, delicious treat.

It’s a bakery, after all. Look at those precious baby cakes! Photo by Lauren Quick.

Overall, The Upper Crust is a place I’ve been able to count on to be good for four years, and its faults are few and far between. The waitress asked the chef about the French toast preparation and then patiently explained it to me. Service is consistently good, and I’ve never had to wait for a table.

I can’t give it a 5, though. As good as everything is, the fruit is always a bit of a letdown, and calling that bar my mom got “cake” is misleading. I can’t dock it much, though. I give The Upper Crust 4.5/5.

And for it superlative, The Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe is obviously Best French Toast. It’s simple but to the point; I can never get anything else when I go there.

Below is everywhere I’ve reviewed this year. It’s been a delicious adventure.

• Sophia’s: 3.5, Classiest Establishment
• 63 Diner: 4, Best Throwback Diner
• Cat’s Kitchen: 2.5, Most Wonderfurrl Grandmotherly Waitresses
• Broadway Brewery: 5, Best Boozy Brunch
• Broadway Diner: 4.5, Best Late-Night Noms
• 44 Stone Public House: 4.5, Best Bacon… Ever.
• Cafe Berlin: 3, The Hippest Place in Town
• The Heidelberg: 3.5, Bottomless Pit Buffet
• The Rome: 5, Best Pre-Hibernation Brunch
• Ernie’s: 4, Most Likely Hangover Locale
• Lucy’s Corner Cafe: 3, Heavenly Hotcakes
• The Upper Crust Bakery & Cafe: 4.5, Best French Toast

Classic children’s  books  are now available in digital formats from Oceanhouse Media Inc. The company publishes more than 295 apps for desktop devices and mobile devices. Specifically, the apps run on Android and Apple products, but other platforms are also available.

Apps include many features, such as sound effects, story narration options and colored pages. They often use original illustrations from the paperback version.

Some additional apps accompany the main book apps. For example, the Dr. Seuss collection offers game apps and camera apps to accompany its book apps.

Take a look at some of our favorite book apps:

1. Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss

iPhone screenshot of “Green Eggs and Ham” by Dr. Seuss. Photo courtesy of Oceanhouse Media Inc.

Age group: 2 to 6

Details: “If you will let me be, I will try them, you will see.” Dr. Seuss’ famous tale is brought to life with original illustrations and the rhyme scheme we know and love. Sam’s quest to get his friend to eat the eggs lives on in this app, which has hot spots, professional narration and voice recording.

2. The Berenstain Bears’ Bedtime Battle by Stan and Jan Berenstain

iPad homescreen for a Berenstain Bears book app. Photo courtesy of Oceanhouse Media Inc.

Age group: 4 to 8

Details: Brother Bear and Sister Bear are wide awake, and Mama Bear can’t get them to sleep. The app uses original artwork from the print edition and also has sound effects, professional narration and hot spots.

3. Wooly Mammoth in Trouble by Dawn Bentley

iPad homescreen for a book on the Wooly Mammoth. Photo courtesy of Oceanhouse Media Inc.

Age group: 3 to 8

Details: Who doesn’t want to read (and learn) about the Wooly Mammoth? Scientists at the Smithsonian reviewed this book, so we know the information is accurate. The graphics are pretty cool, and important  words are highlighted on the screen. This app includes sound effects and professional narration.

Time for sun, time to drink freshly squeezed lemonade, time to be lazy, time to be carefree.

And for a lot of people, time to start summer reading lists.

Not your thing? Me neither. And I’m sure we’re not alone.

Spending your precious summer free time flipping through hundreds of pages of a book may not sound like the most appealing way to enjoy your newfound freedom, but then again you may be asking yourself, “Well, if I don’t read, what else am I gonna do?” Hakuna matata, my friend.

Take up pottery

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Investing in a full-on pottery wheel might be little expensive, especially if you realize you suck at pottery and never want to do it again. Some stores sell kids craft pottery kits. The packaging may tell you the product is for 5-year-olds, but hey, gotta start somewhere, right?

Learn how to dive

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Plenty of you will be itching to go to the pool in the hot sunny weather. But take on the task of learning how to dive while you’re at the pool and who knows, you may get so good at it that you’ll be invited to join the cast of that celebrity Splash television show. There’s a good chance you’re more famous than some of the cast members anyway.

If it’s just not going how you planned, maybe there will be a hot lifeguard so you can pull a Squints from The Sandlot stunt…

Put together the world’s next greatest invention

This guy knows what’s up. Photo: Wikipedia Commons

You could start a KickStarter campaign with it and might become the next Bill Gates or something. Okay, not quite on his level…maybe Zuckerberg status? No matter who’s level you may be on, you could be rollin’ in the dough.

Dance in the rain

Rainy days may seem like the perfect time to convince yourself you like to read, or at least that you should start a book for the summer. Not so fast. Go enjoy mother nature’s tears and DANCE! Or do like Gene Kelly; whatever floats your boat.

Volunteer at a local humane society

How could you say no to this?
Photo: Wikipedia Commons

You’re not only using your free time to volunteer, but you get to play with puppies and kitties too. What have you got to lose? Well, perhaps money — those little cuties are up for adoption, you know…

Go to an outdoor (or indoor) concert

Photo: Wikipedia Commons

Because everybody who has ever been anybody in the music business is deciding to make new music and tour this year (Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray? Boyz II Men? What?!), there are plenty in the Columbia, St. Louis and Kansas City areas this summer. Sorry if the Smash Mouth and Sugar Ray thing got anyone excited because they aren’t coming to Missouri, but there’s still enough to get excited about: Kenny Chesney and Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Backstreet Boys (yep, Backstreet’s back, alright), John Mayer, Dave Matthews Band…the list goes on.

Like every year, the campus smells like a combination of sentiments, excitement and anxiety.

This year, VoxTalk tries to cure your suddenly disoriented feelings by offering you things to do, books to read and music to listen.

• on where to eat with your family
• on books that whisper wisdom in your ears
• a buck list before you leave Mizzou
• alternative graduation anthems that can really bring out your emotions

But of course, the most important rituals are attending to the ceremony and taking pictures.

Graduation day! @bflanigan13 @jacob_hanson #timefortherealworld twitter.com/erin_hansen/st…

— Erin Hansen (@erin_hansen) May 17, 2013

My girls!!! @ahu1 @haley_krentz#mizzou #graduation twitter.com/jg19/status/33…

— jg19 (@jg19) May 17, 2013

Whoever invented the graduation cap obviously didn’t have bangs. #rough #badhairday

— Sarah Jo Curtis (@SJoCurt) May 17, 2013

HEY SENIORS! Here’s a fun graduation game: count the number of times friends or family ask about your job search! GO!

— Randy Reeves (@newsmonkey8) May 17, 2013

We’ve just passed our 12th Annual Bike, Walk and Wheel Week. People celebrated the event by riding bikes to work. And bicyclists could enjoy the privilege of free bus rides. There were free breakfast offered at Flat Branch Park on Friday, and the 5K Walk/Run & 10K Bike Event was held on Saturday.

If you missed all that and felt left out seeing people sharing their nature experiences on social media, it’s never too late to spend the rest of the weekend enjoying the beautiful weather in parks and on trails.

Happy #BikeToWork Week! RT if you celebrated by riding your bike to work this morning.

— HCRC (@MUHCRC) May 15, 2013

A story about #biketoworkweek runs with a photo of a cyclist salmoning on the sidewalk on a street with a bike lane is.gd/0Ok59O

— Ginger Stringer (@GingerStringer) May 16, 2013

Bike, walk or wheel your way to a free breakfast this morning! Six stations set up around town for BWWW! twitter.com/CoMoParksandRe…

— ColumbiaMoParksRec (@CoMoParksandRec) May 17, 2013

Illustration by Jessica Clark

When first heading off to college, no one believes that they’ll be a boomerang kid and return home upon graduation.

The sense of freedom is still fresh that first year or two away from home. But time changes everything. Years of paying bills and rent wear down that sense of freedom.

Then, as graduation approaches, you realize that you still don’t have a job. Sally Mae is sending you reminders about your loans coming due. You’re $30,000 in debt with no job offers. Suddenly, living at home isn’t looking too bad.

Cheap rent. On-site laundry. Home-cooked meals. It’s practically like living in Disney World.

There are drawbacks of course. Mom will probably want to know where you are most of the time. And dad might not appreciate you stumbling in drunk on a Wednesday night. And what about your sex life? Does it die when you return home?

Luckily, there are a couple things you can do to deal with these problems.

Share your calendars.

By sharing your calendar with the parentals, you don’t have to constantly tell them what you’re doing.

I’m not saying you should not give a courtesy shout out to your parents if you’re about to be gone for three days. But sharing your electronic calendar is easy and it gives the parents an idea of what you’re up to.

It’s inevitable that now that you’re close by, they’re going to take an interest in what you’re doing.  Establishing openness about your schedule goes a long way to placating the parents and making your life a lot easier.

Pay rent.

Even if you can’t afford to give them cash at first, do something around the house.

Make sure you establish the value of room and board and of your contributions to the household.

Tell them how much you paid for rent and utilities before and ask them how much they think you should be paying to live with them. Once you’ve agreed on a fair price for room and board, either pay them, or figure out what other contributions you can make to break even.

By being very thorough at first, you ensure everyone is on the same page about the value of your contributions, and your parents won’t feel taken for granted. Remember, you aren’t doing your parents any favors by moving back home. Living with them is helping you save money, so you should contribute.

The benefit of making a contribution to the household is that it establishes a more equal relationship before moving back in. Chances are good that your parents will never stop thinking of you as their little boy or girl. But that doesn’t mean your relationship hasn’t changed.

You shouldn’t be dependent on them anymore. Nor do you want to feel beholden to them while you live there.

Get a safe.

It sounds silly because you’re probably broke. But cash isn’t what the safe will be holding. If you have a nosey or overly helpful mom who opens drawers in your room, then you’ll appreciate storage with a lock.

Everyone has secrets, and aren’t we a little old to try hiding our lube between the box spring and the mattress?

Soundproof your room.

Everyone needs a place to go to let off steam. Everyone needs someplace to shout, scream or maybe beat on some drums. The point is, that there are just some noises your parents might not appreciate.

Soundproofing isn’t easy, but you can do it yourself with Green Glue. All you got to do is get some drywall, slather it with Green Glue and throw it up on the existing walls. Okay…maybe there are a few more steps than that. But that’s the basic idea.

This step might only be necessary if you anticipate living at home for more than a year.

Cost: $4.50

Taste: 3.5/5.0 – Combining whiskey flavors in the sauce with the sweetness of the bread pudding was a bold move.

Uniqueness: 4.0/5.0 – Again, whiskey sauce + sugary sweet coated bread = one unique dessert.

Quality for the price: 4.0/5.0 – At only $4.50, this dessert is plenty to fill up one person.

Overall rating: 3.5/5.0 – This is one of the better bread puddings I’ve tasted. Well done, Tellers.

I’m not really sure how I feel about bread pudding in general as a dessert, I’ll be honest. It confuses me and the consistency is strange. For me, a good bread pudding is very hit or miss. Luckily, Tellers was a hit.

I went to Tellers hungry on a Wednesday night. I hadn’t eaten dinner, so I decided to pair an appetizer with my dessert and call it a meal. Tellers has a couple desserts listed on their menu, but you also have the option of asking your server what special desserts are available that day. After hearing all the selections, I stuck with my gut and tried the bread pudding with bourbon sauce straight off the menu.

I went for their Parmesan chips along with the bread pudding, which made for a delicious yet strange dinner. I also highly recommend those chips, although maybe eat them along with a real meal.

Sampling a bite out of the bread pudding with bourbon sauce. Photo by Natalie Rooney

The restaurant wasn’t too busy and my food was out quickly. The bread pudding with bourbon sauce was a decent sized square chunk drizzled in the golden brown bourbon sauce accompanied by a couple dollops of whipped cream.

I wasted no time in breaking off a piece of the bread pudding. In retrospect, this was a pretty stupid idea considering the pudding was hot. Like burning-my-tongue-and-throat-the-whole-way-down hot. But I had no regrets; it was scrumptious.

The sweet, sugary bread was the perfect consistency, and the raisins added an additional flavor that was much appreciated. The bourbon sauce is really what set this bread pudding apart, though.

I decided to sample a bit of the sauce on its own, and they are not joking when they call it a “bourbon” sauce. I tasted quite a bit of the stout whiskey flavor in that sauce. However, when you combine the sweet cinnamon flavor of the bread itself with the kick of whiskey in the bourbon sauce, you get a very desirable dessert.

I had quite a positive experience at Tellers with my friend. The calm atmosphere of the restaurant and the seat next to the window looking out on Broadway were pleasant. And ultimately, the friendly wait staff and quick food service left me feeling satisfied.

Here’s a recap of what decadent desserts I’ve tried lately:

• Sycamore’s Blueberry Crumb Cake – 3.5/5.0
• Las Margaritas’ Xango – 4.5/5.0
• U Knead Sweets’ Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake - 4.0/5.0
• Addison’s Phyllo Brownie - 3.0/5.0
• Geisha Sushi Bar’s Banana Roll - 2.5/5.0
• Velvet Cupcake’s Lemon Raspberry Cupcake - 4.0/5.0
• The Upper Crust’s Apple Dumpling - 3.0/5.0
• Room 38′s Gourmet Funnel Cake - 4.5/5.0
• Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream’s Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream - 4.0/5.0
• Flat Branch Pub & Brewing’s Wild Tiger Float - 4.0/5.0
• Murry’s Bullwinkle Mousse with Raspberries - 3.0/5.0
• Bleu Restaurant and Wine Bar’s Whiskey Vanilla Creme Brulee - 3.0/5.0
• 44 Stone Public House’s Schlafly Pumpkin Ale Goat-Cheesecake - 4.0/5

1. “Birdo” by Horse the Band

2. “Candy” by Mandy Moore

3. “Banana Pancakes” by Jack Johnson

4. “Cherry Pie” by Warrant

5. “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” by  Buckwheat Boyz

6. “Every Time I Eat Vegetables It Makes Me Think of You” by the Ramones

7. “Peaches” by The Presidents of the United States of America

8. “Quesadilla” by the Used

9. “Suburban Homes (I Like Food)” by Taking Back Sunday

10. “Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk” by Rufus Wainwright

Photo courtesy of sxc.hu

On Sat. June 1, the annual Tiger Treasures rummage sale will take place at Mizzou’s surplus property (1507 Capen Park Road).  The sale starts at 7 a.m. and runs until 11 a.m. However, if you’re determined to find the best deal available, like the hidden Swarovski crystals someone left behind, you can pay $5 to get in at 6 a.m.

The sale is comprised of items either left behind or donated by students in Greek houses and dorms. Attendees can expect to see a lot of bedding, lamps and really, almost anything imaginable. Who knows what those crazy kids leave in their dorms.

All the event’s proceeds go toward local charities. Last year, more than 19 tons of items were saved from the landfills.

Start practicing your bargain hunter mean face now, Columbians.