justin goodman of connecticut for animals and uchc kills monkeys has sent along a note about chocolate. did you know, right here in manchester, we have a VEGAN chocolatier? well we DO!

divine treasures

Almond Toffee Crunch:Our Number One Seller! Fall in love with the classic blend of crunchy toffee, powdery-soft ground almonds and the most luscious, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate that you will ever experience.

Ingredients: Organic Dark, Non GMO Soy Nuts, Almonds, Gluten-Free/Vegan Natural Flavoring.

Divine Treasures - Parkade Plaza - Middle Turnpike West, Unit 404 - Manchester, CT 06040 - 860-643-2552

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Stamping is a good activity late at night while you are waiting for a teenage daughter to get home!

I love these A Muse clear sets (Sushi and Nature)...especially the birds!

I received these deliciouss in the mail today. If you've ever tasted Leonidas, you know why there's only one lonely chocolate left!!!

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Last night, after a well-deserved shower, I finally gave my host her present. I had almost forgotten, and we were actually already in bed. I was a little anxious, not for the chocolate (who doesn't like Belgian chocolate?) but for the personal rubber ducky. I shouldn't have been, there are at least 2 duckies in her bathroom, and she loved it. Mission accomplished. And then I fell a sleep.
Wake up call at 6. It wasn't too bad. After a small breakfast (only me, but I really can't do without) we left for her school, making a stop at the bakery on the way. I had to choose my some pastry thing, and had no idea what to choose. Playing it safe, I chose something with chocolate (can't possibly go wrong).
From the school we took the bus to what we learned to be Pest (East side of the Donau river) and we visited the Houses of Parliament. We had to cirkel the building about three times before getting in, due to some national holiday and the fear for demonstrations they had put up fences all around the building. The trent for the day (waiting) was set. But we got in eventually, and did a guided tour in that golden place. It was hard to believe that was a working parliament, too much gold, not many people, but we probably just visited the tourist wing. After that we took the subway, under the Donau, to Buda, the other side of the city, where we visited the Military Museum. It was weird, as in cramped with kindergarden children - something I thought was really strange, do they even realize what they're seeing? - and because most of the signs were only in Hungarian, and not in English. The history teacher acted as guide, but his English didn't get much further than "This is a typical helmet of euh, well, Hungary", so the museum was more boring than educating. Anyway, while commenting the cuteness of those little children, a sociolised with some Hungarian girl, and we had quite a laugh in the museum, and also later on in the day. I love the fact that biases don't exist (this girl is the type I would actually never spontainiously talk to in Belgium). After that we visited the castle district (no idea what that actually was, same guide/history teacher), the Fisherman Bastion, and two chuches (Matthias and Saint Stevens I think). Both really beautiful churches. We also (last thing we did) visited the Heroes Square, which is supposed to be famous, but again, due to the guide, it felt more like just standing around and waiting.
I know this sounds like I didn't enjoy myself, but I really did. Budapest is beautiful in it's own way, with a lot of old, square buildings. The momuments and statues and churches are all beautiful two.
Then came what was called "the last walk", to some typical restaurant of which we viewed the inside. After that, two hours of free shopping time. We spent three quarters of that time in the shopping street, in shops like H&M, Zara, Pull&Bear and the New Yorker. I wasn't all to enthousiastic about this, we have all these shops in Antwerp, but it wasn't that bad actually. Except for the horrible (Belgian!) weather. Then we went back to the restaurant, half an hour too early (time isn't something they know well here) and had to wait there for the rest. We filled that time teaching eachother "dirty" words and laughing and making our hosts beleive two of us are brother and sister (still keeping that up).
Half an hour later, the whole gang was there and we got back in the bus. Next stop was a restaurant (this time where we really would eat), an "all-you-can-eat". I love that concept, we only had to pay our drinks. There wan't alot for veggies, luckily I like "rabbit food".
Anyway, delicious dinner, delicious deserts, and then on the way back home. Not all the streets have lighting here, something I noticed.
So in short, long and tiring day, a lot of waiting but also a lot of fun.
And my feet really smell (just noticed, it's actually quite embarrassing) so I'd better wash up...

Stay tuned folks!
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How often do you hear "All You Can Eat" Ice Cream? Well, ice-cream lovers,

Indulge! All You Can Eat*

is now available at



Häagen-Dazs 1-Utama (Old Wing)

Häagen-Dazs AEON Bukit Tinggi

Häagen-Dazs Bangsar Village II (Jalan Telawi Satu)



Monday ? Friday

12noon to 3pm and 6pm to 10pm




Irresistible Feast!

Enjoy unlimited scoops of eight tantalizing flavours
? Chocolate Chocolate Chip ? Chocolate ? Coffee

Cookies & Cream ? Macadamia Nut ? Strawberry ? Vanilla

*Terms & Conditions

· Available for dine-in orders till 30 April 2008.

· Not available on Saturday, Sunday and/or Public Holidays.

· Buffet promotion at RM29.90 per child is for children aged 10 & below.

· All prices subject to service charge and prevailing government taxes.

· Strictly no sharing allowed.

· Selection of flavours and toppings as stated on buffet menu and subject to availability.

· Not valid with other offers, discounts, promotions, Super Premium Card privileges and CORP/ENT/Complimentary Gift Vouchers.

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Back in the blog challenge meme, lienne said that:

Iiiiiii want to hear you blog about CHOCOLATE.

Chocolate's nice, isn't it? I like chocolate. Fortunately I have nothing like an actual addiction to chocolate, and sometimes can go weeks without having any. Unless you count chocolate cake and hot chocolate at work, in which case- yeah.

The sad thing is, I think, the the majority of people who read this journal are still American, and as such will never have had proper chocolate. I know this because if Americans had easy access to proper chocolate Hershey's would soon have to file for bankruptcy as people realise chocolate is not supposed to taste like sand; and people such as Die Schwester who like their products can't possibly be numerous enough to keep them afloat in a market that includes, for instance, Cadbury's, Guylian and Montezuma's.

Words are probably inadequate to describe the various wonders that is good chocolate, so I'm going to make up for it with picspam.


Guylian praline seashells. Melt-in-your-mouth marbled shapes that are just so luxurious and easy to eat. And people always buy me the version that comes with creamy praline liqueur, which I can't exactly argue with.


Montezuma's. Oh Bob, Montezuma's do perhaps the greatest chocolate know to mankind. Even the milk chocolate is packed full of cocoa. It's rich and tasty and gorgeous, and then they do things like add strawberries, paprika, cinnamon and chilli to it. I love this stuff.


Actually, Thorntons used to be something I'd consider the best ever, but Montezuma's have since overtaken them. Really, Thorntons are kind of overhyped.


Back in the day, even I boycotted Nestle over the babymilk scandal. But then, they apologises, mended (kind of) their ways, and a boycott's not exactly effective if you continue to boycott after the reason you're protesting has gone away. Sticks are not effective without carrots.

But really, the reason was, I was going through a tough time, and I'd never had a Kit Kat Chunky, so I broke the boycott for the sake of chocolate.


Green and Blacks is my everyday (except not every day) indulgence. It's fairtrade, affordable, and Maya Gold is just gorgeous.

Yes, I do have a weak spot for chocolate-with-bits. I also like cheese-with-bits.



Lindt truffles are now associated in my mind with the day in Boston shopping when Bing and I found the Lindt shop and bought a whole pile of truffles and bars, including chilli and cherry, then went and acquired champagne, cheese and bread and had a chocolate cheese and bubbly evening in front of lesbian heists.

Can my girlfriend show me a good time or not?

So there you have it: chocolate. The reason I could never be a vegan. (Well, that and cheese)
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For some reason, I had a very very strong urge to go to Brussels. It wasn't even because it's so close to London and easily accessible via the Eurostar. It's a very small city in a very small country (Belgium, obviously), and definitely isn't as popular of a tourist destination as many other European cities. But something I'm learning about traveling and my own travel preferences is that small, manageable cities are often just as interesting (if not more) than a huge metropolis like London or Paris. Natalie and I were able to walk the entire city in one day, and saw everything we wanted to see. It wasn't at all overwhelming, and we felt safe and comfortable. And we ate. A lot.

Almost everyone I've talked to who has done a fair amount of traveling throughout Europe has said that Brussels has the most breathtakingly beautiful city center, the Grand Place. The building in the middle, City Hall, strangely resembles Cinderella Castle in Disney World... The spire at the top of the structure is visible from practically everywhere in the city, and we were able to use it as a beacon if we got lost. These pictures are from the first night we got there... and everything was 20x more beautiful at night all lit up.





Ever heard of? There were chocolate shops EVERYWHERE. Brussels was my equivalent of culinary heaven. Chocolate and waffles and frites! Frites are french fries. French fries actually originated in Belgium, but because Belgians speak French, Americans thought that they came from France. A bit of history for you!







Everything in Brussels was just so quaint and pretty. It's definitely a combination of French and Dutch influence, making it uniquely Belgian. As I said, we were able to cover basically the entire city in one day, including all of the major areas and attractions:

This little guy is called the Mannekin Pis, and is oddly enough the city mascot. Legend has it that some aristocrat lost his son in the city, and found him later in this exact spot 'relieving himself'. I think it's supposed to be good luck to come see the statue.



This is the city's main cathedral. I think it's called Saint Michel, but i could be wrong. Natalie is in the bottom right corner on the steps.



This is the city's main park, and is stylistically very Parisian... wide, avenue-like pathways and very symmetrical.



We also visited the European Union headquarters... probably what Brussels is most famous for these days. There is a huge plaza of bars and restaurants outside the EU and we were lucky enough to be there on a Friday night after work hours. It seemed to be where all of the young, hip city dwellers liked to hang out after work. Overall, a very low key but very very enjoyable and interesting trip to Brussels.
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Hi boys,

The most powerful sex organ is between your ears. Without your brain you wouldn't be able to fantasize about people you find sexy, right?   Have you ever heard a woman ask for more foreplay?   Nine times out of 10 they are really asking you to stimulate their mind so they feel sexy.  Men feel like superheroes when women find them sexy. How can both parties quickly get what they want?

Countless scientific studies have shown that "sense of humor" is the one of the most powerful attractors for both men and women. We love being around people that make us laugh because it helps us relax.  Laughter reduces stress, releasing natural pain killer hormones called endorphins.  When we relax we become more receptive to wishes of others, got it?  Did you know that chocolate contains small amounts of two very powerful brain stimulants: anandamide which causes a feeling of well-being in the brain and phenylethylamine. This same chemical is used by the brain to release the pleasure hormone dopamine during orgasm.

Imagine that you're lying in bed and your lover walks in to see you sporting nothing but a fashionable piece of chocolate. Can you guess what her next response might be? Go ahead. Invite her to take a closer look. That's when the seductive smell of gourmet dark Belgian chocolate takes over. Curiosity will kill that cat, guaranteed! And by then, some of the chocolate will have melted from your body heat. Will she have a taste?

And remember boys, sex must go deep, right?

Kisses, 

Carla Miranda, PhD in Sexology

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