CHOCOLATE FIGHTS CANCER!!
http://health.msn.com/health-topics/breast-cancer/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100245475&imageindex=2
I don't make this stuff up!
More great news below!!
Dear Pals,
A long time ago, I helped my Pal Maynard K. aka "Buddy" by creating marketing materials for Karl Bissinger Chocolatiers, a legendary company he bought back in the late 1970's. Bissingers had been making chocolates since the 17th century and according to family legend and lore, they sold their treats to Napoleon and Josephine, Kings, Kaisers and nobles throughout Europe. Today they sell worldwide out of St. Louis via the Internet.
The Bissinger family left Europe for America in 1845 made their way first to Cincinnati and then in 1927, Karl Bissinger opened his own store on McPherson Avenue in St. Louis' tony CWE (Central West End).
1927, as history buffs will recall was the year Lucky Lindy "The Lone Eagle of the USA" was flying high in The Spirit of St. Louis - his Ryan airplane was bought for him by a few St. Louis "aviation nuts." The deal went down in my favorite old haunt, The Racquet Club on north Kingshighway.
But that's another story for another day.
HERE'S THE GREAT NEWS!!
Last night I went to a very nice wine tasting at Schnucks Clayton and Lindbergh store. The wine department there stands in no one's shadow. My cousin Dave, aka "The Wine Guy" is a sommelier and he is the go-to-guy in St. Louis for wine.
Well, aside from discovering an Old Vine Zin that was out of this world, I also discovered what I believe is a NEW CHOCOLATE LEGEND.
I saw an attractive young lady feverishly, but artfully setting up a display of handmade chocolate candies.
Like the Chocolate robot that I am, I was drawn to this amazing display of chocolates in clear bags festooned with hand-tied gold ribbons. I intruded into the lady's space with my usual aplomb and shy sophistication and graciously asked, "What are you doing?"
She introduced herself as Mandy and told me that she was setting up her holiday display. Never missing a stroke in the ballet of her rhythmic stocking, she told me that she was the owner of Mandy's Candies and that she had a tiny handmade candy factory off Manchester in downtown Maplewood.
I asked her if she knew my Pal Linda who runs Something Elegant, St. Louis' finest haute cuisine catering company that is also located in that neck of the woods. Mandy didn't know her...so I offered to hook up these two entrepreneurial ladies.
Then I instinctively picked up a bag containing a giant dark Chocolate Cranberry Almond bar...Mandy said, "That's a good choice."
My purple gums must have visually-cued her to my weakness for wine, because she then added, "It goes really well with a glass of red wine."
I was hooked.
Reel me in.
Mount me on the wall over the mantle.
What is better than a great red wine and handmade dark Chocolate with cranberry and almonds? Even great sex is a distant second...unless it's skillfully executed in conjuction with fine wine, dark chocolate and Sinatra, Barry White or Keb 'Mo.
At that level, people have been known to feel the earth move.
Well suffice it to say, the dark Chocolate Cranberry Almond bar I purchased from Mandy's Candies last night is HISTORY! And I predict that Mandys' Candies will make history! A new St. Louis Chocolate Legend is born!
It was sooooooooooooooooo good that I'm emailing my partner Arlene today to tell her to get Mandy's Candies ( if she hasn't already) to sell in the gift baskets and in the shop at the award-winning wine experience restaurant that she and her husband Stanley created...you might have heard of it. It's in downtown Webster Groves and it's called ROBUST. (www.robustwines.com)
If you love handmade dark chocolates and don't mind typing in a very long url...go to Mandy's Candies.
Simply type in...
w w w . m a n d y s h o m e m a d e c a n d i e s . c o m
Phew! I'm worn out. Here use this link: www.mandyshomemadecandies.com
I love female entrepreneuers and have had the pleasure of helping more than a few grow their businessess.
Give Mandy's Candies, Something Elegant and ROBUST a shot...you won't be disappoined.
Birk, Commonsensetarian and Citizen of The Republic. A Mob of One.
SPECIAL HEADS UP: To my Cal Gal Pal, Suzanne...Mandy's Candies...Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!
Share them with Dave and your other flying buds!!
FEDERAL INTERNET POLICE NOTICE: This is a purely spontaneous reference to entrepreneurial businesses. I have not recieved any remuneration for these priceless blog mentions from the companies mentioned herein. I did it for 2 reasons: I have a soft spot in my heart for entrepreneurial ladies and, I did it out of love for wine, women and song...and DARK CHOCOLATE!
Fight Breast Cancer Eat More Dark Chocolate
PS: When I visited Mandy's website, I was also delighted to find out that Mandy supports BJC's Siteman Cancer Center that has been so instumental in saving my own wife's life.
