Coming up on the NetFlix queue

You would think that NetFlix = movie watching. Well, Tom and I currently have different interests.

My Queue:

Grey's Anatomy: Season 1: Disc 2
Grey's Anatomy: Season 2: Disc 1
Grey's Anatomy: Season 2: Disc 2
Grey's Anatomy: Season 2: Disc 3
Grey's Anatomy: Season 2: Disc 4
Grey's Anatomy: Season 2: Disc 5
Grey's Anatomy: Season 2: Disc 6

Tom's Queue:

Baseball: Disc 8
Baseball: Disc 9
Baseball: Disc 10

It's just easier to watch the shows without commercials. Tom's selection is more of a documentary, but it still aired on PBS.

E

London Bridge

Silly song, but fun when you are dancing to it. Right Charisse?


There's also the Sweet Dreams dance. Fun night for the bride to be :)

E

thisnext

I found this site today: thisnext.com

I guess it's the yelp for products. I wish I would've found it sooner. I might've bought this dress for Charisse's wedding, instead of the one I found on Jcrew.

Oh well!

Eileen

Chocolate Review 2 - TJ Divine Duets

In my attempt to create thoughtful Chocolate reviews, I will include all kinds of chocolate . Not just the fancy expensive bars found at Bittersweet, and other chocolatiers. I buy my chocolate pretty much anywhere - Safeway, Peet's, gas stations, and especially Trader Joe's.

Trader Joe's does a good job of positioning many bars at the checkout line. Since there's always a line at TJ's, I always find myself placing a chocolate bar in my basket before checkout.

This week I decided to try "Trader Joe's Divine Duets". Retail price: $1.69.

-Note for review improvement...always add the retail price...i didn't do that in the first review and I can't find the receipt - oops!

Trader Joe's Divine Duets - Dark Belgian Chocolate Enrobes Almond Praline Cream

First of all, not all chocolate has to be expensive to be good and this is a good example. You get a lot for your money - 5.25 oz. Each stick you break off is nice and chunky. The picture on the box is almost to size.

The chocolate itself is very smooth and a perfect percentage of dark to accompany the almond praline cream. The cream itself is lite and tasty. It practically oozes out of the stick. I wish I could have a jar of it to spread on crackers. Dare I say the almond praline rivals any nutella or hazelnut spread - oh yes I did! It's neither too sweet or predictable. It's downright heavenly.

Rating: 5 cacao beans out of 5!!!!!!!

Go out and get your bar today - hurry!!!!

Chocolate Review 1 - Cafe Tasse - Szechuan

There's a great cafe in Oakland called, Bittersweet. What a concept! Everything in this cafe is related to Chocolate and with this wall - it's a chocolate lover's dream.

I'm one of those chocolate lovers, and what I'm weak for is a good bar of dark chocolate. At this cafe, I can find dark chocolate from all over the world, and then order The Bittersweet. Let me break it down for you - it's crack for the chocolate connoisseur.

I could continue to gush about Bittersweet, but that's not the point of this post. Bittersweet is the inspiration of a series of reviews I plan write. Not sure how it will evolve and who will read it, but once again I'm inspired. So here goes!

Cafe-Tasse - Noir, Poivre de Szechuan

You have to taste this bar a few times to really appreciate it. My best advise - spread out your tastings by a day. First of all, Szechuan pepper mixed in chocolate? Yes, chocolate companies have been experimenting for a while.
The first time I tried it, I almost panned it. But I tasted it hungry and while hearing the pounding of my neighbor's contractor upstairs (she's getting new hardwood floors), and I thought that flawed my better judgement.

I broke off another piece a day later, after dinner. This time I really enjoyed the taste of the bar. The chocolate while not my ideal percentage of cacao (only 54%, I like mine around 70%-75%), was not lost to the pepper. I really found it interesting. There is no real "heat" or "spicyness", but you will notice a bite.

I tasted it again this evening and I felt a minty, refreshing flavor. Could I really have three different tasting experiences with the same bar? Am I emotionally eating? Am I merely trying to like this bar because it's my first review? I don't think so, but I may have to try this bar again in a few months to test my palate.

I have to say, I do not feel the need to rush out and buy this bar again. But I do recommend buying it once.

rating: 3 out of 5 cacao beans