Not Alone

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Sculpture by Lele Galer

This fall, I found a painful lump in my breast. I always heard pain was a good sign but I am not a doctor, so I’ve essentially been freaking out for a few weeks. It’s been hard to stay focused and staying off-Google, but I eventually scheduled a mammogram yesterday to get some piece of mind. I was dreading having to go to the exam on my own but through a twist of fate, I did not.

At the 2016 DC Chocolate Festival, a volunteer named Barb heard about me and we’ve been in touch ever since. She’s been very supportive of my endeavors and I feel like we’ve known each other for years. Yesterday, she drove one hour from Maryland to meet me at Philter Coffee so she could purchase two Map Chocolate bars I brought back from the Northwest Chocolate Festival in Seattle. When I excused myself because for the mammogram, she offered to come with me because “you shouldn’t go through this alone.” You bet I accepted. Barb waited for me for 2 1/2 hours in the waiting room and, after the reassuring news came, we went back to Philter to chat and relax.

Success means different things for different people. To me, it’s always been about friendships and relationships. A number of likes on a photo or likers on a page, even the number of zeros on a bank account suddenly mean nothing if you have to go through difficult things alone. Thank you, Barb, for being there for me yesterday.

Fall 2017 Chocolate Tastings

I was sipping my cappuccino at Philter Coffee this fall one day when a lady named Chelsea asked me about my next chocoldunaiate event. Although I had none planned then, I promised her to organize one. After I emptied my cup, I headed straight to the library, where it took all of 30 seconds to book a chocolate tasting workshop with Alex. Gosh, I wish all my meetings were that productive.

I now look forward to meeting Chelsea and her friends at the Kennett Library this Saturday, November 18, 2017. I have a couple more events planned this year to satisfy your chocolate cravings, including a Map Chocolate pop-up sale that same Saturday and a tasting at Grace Winery next month. Here are all the details, I hope to see you at one or all of these events!

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Join me at the Kennett Library this Saturday, November 18 for a FREE chocolate tasting workshop at 2 PM. Spoiler: you’ll touch a cacao pod and taste camel milk chocolate from Dubai. Space is limited so make sure to register here. The event was completely booked last time so don’t wait to save your spot!

Kennett Library
216 East State Street
Kennett Square, PA 19348

Chadds Ford

On Saturday, November 18, I will have Map Chocolate bars for sale at the inaugural Potts Meadow Tree Lighting event, presented by the Chadds Ford Barn Shops and the Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. I’ll be there with several cool artists (Katee Boyle! Bri from Arden + James!). The event will run from 4:30-8:30 PM, you’ll find all the details here.

The history of the Barn Shops goes back 50 years, when some historic buildings (old general store, gas station, etc.) in Chadds Ford, PA, were moved to their current location for preservation purposes. My friend Bri and her father have been fixing up the shops all year and they’re proud to share them with the local community.

Please note you MUST park at the Brandywine Museum down the road and take a shuttle to the event. For safety reasons, including Route 1 traffic backup and children wandering around, you can’t park at the Barn Shops.

Chadds Ford Barn Shops
1609 Baltimore Pike
Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania 19317

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I love with the quiet, romantic setting of Grace Winery in Glen Mills – Prince Albert of Monaco was recently there! – so I am thrilled to host a two-hour chocolate education and tasting workshop on Friday, December 15 at 6 PM – 8 PM. Tickets are $50 and include your first glass of wine. If you’d like to learn more about your favorite food, hold a cacao pod, eat a cacao bean, and taste several chocolates, secure a spot now on EventBrite.

Grace Winery
50 Sweetwater Road
Glen Mills, PA 19342

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