Eye Candy
There’s really nothing remarkable about the Gianduja that I picked up at my visit to the Guggenheim, but it gives me an opportunity to talk about the Zaha Hadid exhibit. The work, which spans her thirty-year career as one of the world’s foremost architects is awe-inspiring and the spiraling structure of the Guggenheim, New York couldn’t be a more perfect backdrop. Born in Baghdad, Hadid represents as the first ever woman to receive architecture’s most prestigious award: the Pritzker Architecture Prize. A true visionary, she continues to reshape our world with her iconoclastic structures. If you need inspiration, this is a must see. While you’re at it, the gift shop offers this specially branded handmade chocolate bar by Christopher Norman Chocolates in Hazelnut Gianduja (30% cocoa content), Mocha Dot, and Bittersweet Crunch (bittersweet laced with cocoa nibs). At $6 for the same exact 2 oz. bar that sells for $4.50 on the Christopher Norman site, you’re pretty much paying for the keepsake.

Cool Beans
What pray tell, has me awake at 5:30 in the A.M.? I've been recklessly indulging in my personal supply of Dean's Beans Dark chocolate coated coffee beans. No frills here, it's all about the product--reasonably priced, certified organic, eco-friendly, free trade, coffee. The team at Dean's is involved in an enviable amount of efforts to make our world better. There's reforestation projects in Peru, water and rural electrification programs in Sumatra, well building in Ethiopia, coffee cooperatives in Papa New Guinea, health care clinics in Timor and initiatives to fund prosthetics and therapy for land mind victims in Nicaragua. Not to mention, Dean's carbon-conscious delivery trucks are fueled by vegis to go along with the company's solar paneled roofs. Whew! it's a wonder how they get it all done, then again, if they're dipping into their supplies, I'd bet they're so completely wired!

Bravo Italia!!!
Since we all can't drop everything and fly to Rome, what better way to celebrate Italy's 2006 FIFA World Cup victory over France than by filling our cups with gelato. il laboratorio del gelato is a favorite. Even better, they'll conveniently ship your order the same day in Manhattan if you place it before noon and overnight otherwise. Chocolate lovers will go pazzo over their extensive list of modern flavors. I suggest the chocolate hazelnut, chocolate kahlua, thai chili chocolate, and milk chocolate malt makes a great shake! Enjoy!!! And congrads to Italy! Bravo Buffon!

Beau-Tea-Bar
As mentioned in a previous post: Matcha Madness, the limited-edition, Bobbi Brown and Vosges, dark milk chocolate and matcha green tea beauty bar is finally available. I was about to order one from Vosges, until I realized that even before tax and shipping, a $6, 3.4 oz. bar would set me back $13 due to a $7 summer handling charge. I never do mind splurging for chocolate, but in this case, I'd prefer to pick one up from Bergdorf's. If any of you beat me to it, by all means, please share. I'd love to hear what you think.

Choxie has Moxie
Just as I was finding myself in a dark chocolate malaise Choxie was dropped on my lap. It's brazen merger of milk chocolate, espresso, toffee and almonds gave my taste buds a welcome reprieve from the world of dark chocolate. You can tell Choxie has bite by its "tiger-esque" tan and brown striped box. Besides the amazingly gratifying taste what surprised me the most was that this audacious confection is the product of Target. Nevertheless, if you pick one of these up, buy two, you’ll thank me later.