Today is National Chocolate Day.

Yes, there is actually a day dedicated to chocolate and all it’s creamy, heavenly glory. And that is about as exciting as waking up on Christmas morning (yes, my parents still sign the gifts “Love, Santa.” Don’t judge).

It’s universally known that diamonds are a girls’ best friend, but truthfully speaking, I’d rather have a heart to heart with a chocolate bar any day. (Come on – diamonds can’t possibly taste as good as these.) And I will be taking full advantage of the fact that I have another reason, besides my mood-swing-menstruation-induced-coma, to justify stuffing my face with it this month.

Take 5 bars, here I come!

But why stop at stuffing our faces? Chocolate Day only comes once a year (and for an undisclosed amount time every month, but we’ll leave out that minor detail), so we better indulge while we can, in every possible way. And, honey, there are plenty more ways to enjoy a little cocoa than in Hershey’s form. Read More »

For many of us single girls, Valentine’s Day sucks. All the lovey dovey couples and cards and PDA sessions make us want to vomit.

And all the V-Day mumbo jumbo has been infiltrating our lives and reminding us that we are alone since freaking Christmas Day.

There are many other days in the year when being single rocks, and a lot of us are completely fine with our not-so-relationship status, but something about the cutesy gifts and the kissing couples brings a lot of girls down.

But it doesn’t have to! With all that annoying looove stuff comes some awesome Valentine’s Day goodies. In the form of chocolate and booze. That you can enjoy regardless of your single status.

So here are some treats you can make with your single friends, buy on clearance on February 15, or, since V-Day is on a Saturday, truly drown your single sorrows with. Read More »

Ladies, let’s talk chocolate.

If I needed to name one food substance I absolutely could not live without, I’m pretty sure it would be chocolate. My weapon of choice is dark chocolate, as dark as possible…I’ve had up to 88% cocoa and thought it was fantastic. Espresso or coffee mixed with dark chocolate is also possibly one of the best things on Earth.

I’m ashamed to admit that I actually believe this, but I think the chocolate I buy has medicinal qualities.

If I have a stomachache, I eat half a square and start to feel better almost instantly. If I’m feeling just crummy in general, even a little nibble can be enough to perk me up. Part of the reason my chocolate is so magical, I think, is because I don’t waste my dollars buying Hershey’s, which is like flavored candle wax to the dark chocolate connoisseur. Hershey’s has recently tried to go all high-class with their Cacao Reserve line, but let’s not kid ourselves. It’s basically the same stuff in more refined packaging.

No, when I spring for chocolate, I spring for the good stuff. Here are a few of my favorites and the reasons why they’re so fantastic. Read More »

As you already know, this Sunday is Mother’s Day. I know, I know. Just when you’ve spent your last five-dollars on a glass of overpriced beer at the bar, it’s time to come up with a gift. This is a big one too. I know all mothers say that it’s not a big deal if you forget, but it totally is. Don’t screw this up. I just got my mom an autographed copy of the new Chuck Palahniuk book.

Yeah it’s kind of inappropriate, but so is my mother. This is the lady who gives me such words of advice as, “Mary, if you’re going to get a tattoo, get it someplace where it is easy to cover up….in case you marry well. You go to Dartmouth.” Ah Mom, what would I do without you…besides scare away preppy boys by having too much ink.

So if you don’t have a gift for that special lady, don’t you fret. Here are a few gifts you can charge to the old credit card (consider it a write-off) and ship home in time to get yourself some much needed brownie points. Read More »