The holidays have us crunched with gift lists, errands, chopping firewood -- mass hysteria.
What better to calm the soul than simply sampling scads of high-end chocolates?
Sunday (Dec. 9) something cocoa this way comes -- to Pasadena actually. It's the first time Luxury Chocolate Salon has migrated this far south from San Francisco.
Angelenos, let's not disappoint.
For a mere twenty bones at the door ($17.50 in advance), you can taste more than 20 vendors that know their way around the chemistry of chocolate. Heck, kids under 6 are free (just rev 'em up and watch 'em vibrate with all that chocolatey goodness coursing through them).
Some of the vendors include: L'Artisan du Chocolat, Mignon Chocolate, Decadent Tastes, Yum! Chocolate, Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur, Chuao Chocolatier, Guittard Chocolate, The Chocolate Traveler, Malibu Toffee, Cocoa Prive, The TeaRoom, Amano Artisan Chocolate, Chocolate Covered Company, Randy Fuhrman Events / Randy's Brownies, Silver Stone Wines, Sol Rouge Winery, Vihuela Winery, C'est Tres Chic Chocolate Molds, Marriott Vacation Club , Le Creuset, Swissmar, Omni Hotels, Putumayo World Music and Chocolate Television
Of course, the sensory decadence includes liqueurs, wine, demos, seminars and did we mention liqueurs?
But wait, there's more.
Included in the afternoon is a screening of Sarah Feinbloom's film Searching for the Heart of Chocolate (trailer here).
For those not book-challenged, SoCal's Amelia Saltsman will sign some cooking tomes and Amy Reiley will be be on hand to offer foody/aphrodisiac advice.
You've earned it, LA: get off the grid and get a chocolate grin this weekend.