Greetings. It is sunny in Chester County, PA and the birds seem happy about this. The 'Beach House Spring Green' area rug arrived yesterday along with it's padding and looks 
great. I ordered an odd size...6' x 11' but that is what the furniture arrangement called for. I should be heading to the beach in a week or two as a dear client needs window treatments in her Shore house and it will be a guaranteed great and stylish time. After the gym yesterday I made Chicken Parmigiana and we all had a nice meal outside. Of course we walked it off this morning. I was tempted to eat some home made (not my home) butter cream chocolates but that will have to wait for another time. Speaking of chocolate, I worked, as did my older sister for Friendly Ice Cream who is owned by Hershey. On this day in 1907 Hershey park, founded by Milton S. Hershey for the exclusive use of his employees, was opened. I could regale you in stories from our company trips to Hershey park when I was younger, including one about a Friendly Ice Cream water balloon /monorail mishap but I first need to find out the statute of limitations. Friends called from Naples last evening and they will be heading East in a short time. Yippee. We make the maximum of our Summer together and I am lucky to have them in my life. Also on this day, in 1970 the first Chinese satellite, Dong Fang Hong I, was launched. This has nothing to do with chocolate but I like to say Dong Fang Hong and it reminds me of a naughty joke that I won't share on here since this is a 'G' rated blog. Back to chocolate. 'Oasis Cafe and Living Cuisine' makes delicious Raw Chocolate and they have a website where it can be ordered. But please don't tell Milton I sent you. I received my beautiful Shulu Chinois Black wall paper yesterday so have a good feeling that a kewl gal in Texas received her White Shulu Chinois wall paper also. It is made by F. Schumacher and it is a standout wall covering. It is one of today's photos. Her are a few interesting facts about dark chocolate:Chocolate is made from plants, which means it contains many of the health benefits of dark vegetables. These benefits are from flavanoids, which act as antioxidants. Antioxidants protect the body from aging caused by free radicals, which can cause damage that leads to heart disease. Dark chocolate contains a large number of antioxidants (nearly 8 times the number found in strawberries). Flavonoids also help relax blood pressure through the production of nitric oxide, and balance certain hormones in the body. This information wasn't on the tip of my tongue although a piece of Tiffany's Oasis Raw Chocolate is. Credit must be given to Mark Stibich, Ph.D.
Have a great day, stay young at heart, eat chocolate and if stress is getting the better of you simply toss a water balloon off of a monorail. But heed my warning. Make sure there are no strong winds. Innocent bystanders may get caught up in the blast. By the way, the cutie on the upper left is 'Cocoa'.
'Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go.' Truman Capote
