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I have several questions for you first of all. Do you like chocolate? Or does it go further than that? Do you love chocolate are you what is called a chocoholic? And lastly, was that attitude fashioned by store-bought chocolate such as Mars Bars, Galaxy and Snickers?

I posed all those questions because, if you love chocolate and all you have ever eaten is store-bought chocolate, you have a real surprise waiting for you one day. A really agreeable surprise. One day you will taste gourmet chocolate and it will bowl you over. It will make you lament all those days of your life that you had not known it.

Gourmet chocolate is to a Mars Bar what fillet mignon is to a ham sandwich or what champagne is to cheap plonk. It sounds as if I am running Mars Bars down and I suppose I am in a way, but I do believe that they have their place in the hierarchy of the realm of chocolate, it is just not near the top and when you have tried gourmet chocolate, you will agree with me.

You will see the light and realize that maybe you used to eat store chocolate for the sugar rush and not for the chocolate, because the store variety is actually a very watered down version of the real thing. If you do not believe me, look at the contents list on the back of the wrapper.

Dark chocolate is created by adding fat and sugar to the cacao mixture. The U.S. Government calls this “sweet chocolate”, and demands a 15% concentration of chocolate liquor. European regulations specify a minimum of 35% cocoa solids. It does not sound very much, does it? (By the way, chocolate liquor is like lumpy gravy and if you pulverize the lumps and take away most of the fat, you get cocoa solids).

This is why European chocolate has a better reputation than American chocolate in general, although there are excellent gourmet chocolate makers in the USA (called chocolatiers; like a chef is to haute cuisine)..

Some inexpensive chocolates are even blended with wax and most bakery chocolate products have very little, if any, real chocolate in them! They contain mostly sugar of one kind or another and “partially hydrogenated palm oil.” On the other hand, gourmet chocolate will reflect the quality of the ingredients, which includes high quality cocoa beans, no preserving agents or vegetable fats (other than cocoa butter) and sugar, which is also a preserving agent, should only be used in moderation.

Some chocolate is made from only one variety of bean, just like some wine is made from one kind of gape and some whisky is single malt, but most is made from a blend of several kinds of beans again lust like the cheaper wines and whiskeys. Gourmet chocolate has a far greater percentage of cocoa butter, and will be more extensively refined.

Aficionados of gourmet chocolate are like connoisseurs of fine wines and single malt whiskies, they appreciate the object of their affection. In time, they can discuss the advantages of one bean or process over another. If you want to go down this route, you could join one of the many good gourmet chocolate clubs on the Internet

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Gourmet Chocolate Gifts. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

Finding a trillion cut ring can be difficult. Amsterdam is the birth place of the trillion cut diamond. Trillian cut diamonds are traditionally side stones to a larger solitaire. Trillion cut can also be called a trilliant or trillian cut.

As the name implies, the shape of the final stone is a triangle. It can have either curved or un curved sides. An ideally cut trillion should have nineteen facets on the pavilion and twenty five facets on the crown. They are often shallow and cut from flattened triangular rough. The shallow stone gives a large face and lots of brilliance, but can lose some shine if it gets dirty. Keeping a trillion clean can be a challenge.

A well cut trillion will have lots of sparkle and shine. A cut with a 1:1 ratio of length to width is ideal. The un-curved version has very sharp angles and is usually used as a side stone. A curved trillion has softer corners and lines. Curved stones are also used as accents, but these are the cuts that can also be used as central stones.

Trillions are very unique and non-traditional. These can make great statement pieces for people who want an unconventional look. This is definitely a captivating cut that commands attention.

Round cut and princess cut diamonds are certainly still the most popular types of diamonds, but trillion cuts are certainly the up and comers in the gemstone world. These stones that were consistently playing second fiddle, are now beginning to take the lead role.

The trillion cut ring is a bold statement piece, not for the meek. These rings are for an adventurous woman who has her own style and is not afraid to flaunt it. A trillion cut stone can be the perfect choice for a conversation starting engagement ring.

If you would like to have a look at some of the different designs then have a look at Trillion Cut Ring. The writer also runs Sales Training Seminars.

Most people use of one kind or another, whether its purpose is to mask possible body odour or just for fun. When I say ‘fun’, I mean ‘pleasure’ or to be a magnet for admirers, whether you aim to do anything about them or not. There are literally thousands of perfumes to pick from and they are priced from cheap to exorbitantly expensive. So, when there are so many choices, how do you know which ones are right for you?

There are a few rules of thumb that you can use as guiding principles to help you choose which scent is appropriate for you. Firstly, you will have to know a little about the basic varieties of scent on hand, before you can find out which brand of perfume will suit you the best.

So, you can begin by taking a look at the ingredients on the bottle. From these ingredients you can determine what type of fragrance is in the bottle. The basic varieties of scent are: light musk, natural fragrance, loud heady scent, floral scent, warm scent, bright cheerful fragrance and a few others.

You could get a small note book and make notes when you test perfumes in various department stores. Perhaps you will find musk too overwhelming for you or perhaps you do not want to smell like a garden flower. It is all very subjective and personal. No one can say that you are right or wrong.

One’s body chemistry plays a huge role in why a scent will smell lovely on your friend, but not so well on you. It is just a fact, that you cannot go by what smells good on someone else.

Scents that are manufactured from natural substances such as flowers, herbs or spices and even fruit tend to smell warm and soft. Examples of this type or fragrance are gardenia and lily of the valley. Musk, however, may be made to produce a delicate bouquet that swirls softly around you, but it can be strong and heady too.

You may discover that you like a perfume, but that it is just too overpowering for you. If that is the case, you may be able to get it in Eau de Cologne or Toilet Water, which are weaker in dilution. Other than that, you could use less or dab it on the underneath of your clothing where it might not be subject to so much body heat and so will not disperse quite so quickly.

If you go about choosing the right for yourself systematically, it could take quite some time to find something that is ‘Essence De You’, but it is well worth it. What is a year, when you can wear the perfume for forty years? This is why I suggested getting a little note pad to put in your bag before doing the rounds of the free trial counters in the department stores.

The salesgirls won’t mind, they will be pleased to show off their knowledge and be pleased that someone is taking a real interest in their merchandise. Then, once you have one, you could begin all over again, if you enjoyed finding the first perfume, but next time you will have a notebook full of pointers.

Owen Jones, the writer of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with men’s perfume. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas

The best part about the wedding day is selecting the rings. Women love this part as jewelry is a girls best friend. Yet, you want to make sure that you get the right thing for the right price and that you get the right service. So, for those of you wondering how do I select my wedding jeweller, we have the answers for you of things to keep in mind and check out before hand.

One of the first things you do is look for the jewelers that are closest to you. You want to make sure you aren’t driving all over Canada for this. There should be some pretty decent ones in your area. Just open your phone book and jot a few down to look up and do more research on.

The next thing is to see if there are any reviews of them. If you don’t have any reviews about the jewelleries that you have picked out, then ask around. Sometimes wedding blogs will have where people can post things. Other times, you can ask people who have been married about if they have heard anything. This will give you an idea about how reputable they are.

Another thing you want to check is the merchandise that they have available in the jewellery stores. When you do this, you should also be checking to see how they work with you. They should be asking you what you are looking for and you should be able to find something that pleases you. It should be top quality jewelry too.

Next, as we said above, you want someone who is willing to help you find the right engagement rings. You should get great customer service. Customer service is something that you must get. This is how you get what you are looking for. They should be willing to show you a few pieces and answer any question that you have.

When you ask questions, some of them questions should be about payment. If you are going to a high end jeweler, you might find that you might have to pay a pretty penny. However, you should be able to put the ring in layaway or find a payment plan that you might qualify for. This shows that they value your service. You might also want to find out about other things you might need like resizing and things of that nature.

The last thing that you really need to look into is to see how long it will take you to get your item. Make sure you order well enough in advance. You want to make sure that you have plenty of time because that can be a little awkward. There are policies and such for getting your items and you need to know that you will get your item and if you don’t or you have a problem with it, then they will take care of it.

Now that you have an understanding of how to go about looking for a jeweller then you are well on your way. You will have the best rings ever. They mean forever and therefore, you want to get something of quality. When you do your research, then you are well on your way to receiving the rings that you were destined to have.

Proposing to your loved one is an exciting and momentous occasion, so carefully shop for impressive Toronto engagement rings at the most trusted and dedicated jewellery retailer in Canada. Embark on the journey of love by purchasing Vancouver engagement rings today!

Planning a wedding can seem more like a nightmare than an excursion into wedded bliss. However, if you plan your wedding at a romantic bed & breakfast or country inn, your innkeeper can take care of all the details leaving you to bask in the moment.

The Chateau on the Mountain in Fletcher, NC, is an ideal venue for a romantic wedding. The chateau is set on ten lush acres in the Blue Ridge Mountains, just minutes from Asheville and Hendersonville. From the grounds, guests enjoy vistas of Mount Pisgah as well as the surrounding woods and meadows.

The innkeepers at this romantic North Carolina inn are experts at wedding planning and are happy to help with all the details, leaving you with less stress and more time to enjoy the romance of the occasion. Weddings at the Chateau range in size from elopement ceremonies to smaller, casual weddings or even posh weddings for 300 guests or more. In addition to the weddings, brides can plan rehearsal dinners and receptions at the inn.

There are several special wedding packages available at the Chateau on the Mountain. The innkeepers offer an Elopement Package which covers the ceremony, dinner for up to 10 and a night’s stay in the inn’s honeymoon suite. All you have to do is show up and enjoy the experience.

If you book a wedding with more than 100 guests, the bride and groom can enjoy a complimentary First Anniversary Package. This romantic package includes three days and two nights at the Chateau, breakfast in bed, your own wedding cake for two, a bottle of champagne and even a private dinner in your suite. Two tickets to the famed Biltmore Estate also are included in this package.

With the experienced help of the innkeepers and staff at Chateau on the Mountain, the bride and groom can relax and focus on the joy of the moment. Regardless of whether couples choose a small, elopement ceremony or need to accommodate a large party of guests, your North Carolina wedding is sure to be picture perfect.

Jane Leisteiner loves writing and traveling to inns. For more information about a NC mountain wedding or further details about bed and breakfast inns, go to the Chateau on the Mountain or iLoveInns websites now.

If you and your partner are interested in a romantic vacation, you may have a hard time deciding on a locality because there is such a large number of vacation destinations to choose from. However, I would like to suggest St. Thomas, in the US Virgin Islands, which lies in the Caribbean.

St. Thomas is well-known for its romantic vacations. Hundreds of thousands of couples have been vacationing in St. Thomas in order to enjoy a private, intimate, and romantic break. If you are asking yourself why St. Thomas is such as magnificent place for romantic getaways, you ought to read more about St. Thomas on their official Internet web site.

The Caribbean, in general, is well known for its wonderful, tropical weather and this sort of setting is many couples’ ideal romantic vacation spot. The lovely weather means unparalleled opportunities for swimming and other beach activities. If seeing all the good-looking people in their bathing costumes does not turn you on then nothing will!.

However, do not think that St. Thomas is only intended for younger people. It caters very well for people of all age groups, although some areas are ‘adults only’. So, if you will have to check up on any age restrictions on some of the private beaches. Some may be Club 18-30, others may not admit under 18 year olds.

The ‘adults only’ resorts in St. Thomas are perfect for romantic holidays. The hotel rooms in these resorts are also of a higher class. Many of them have ocean views and large in room baths or jacuzzis. If you can get hold of one these rooms, you may not even care to go outside.

However, if you do want to go outside, many of St. Thomas’ beach resorts offer exceptional opportunities for all varieties of water sports like boat trips, snorkeling and assisted scuba diving tours. If you are not water-orientated or you want to try something on land then there is horseback riding too. Horse riding along the shoreline is very popular. Many resorts have their own specialist activities, so when you reserve your holiday, make sure you check out what is accessible to you in that district.

There are abundant opportunities for shopping and sight-seeing on your own as well. You could hire a car and journey up the coast or inland to one of the national parks, where you may see wildlife or find a secluded restaurant serving delectable local food.

Last, but certainly not least, in the list of romantic things to do in St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is to get married. There are fewer limitations on marriage for American couples than on mainland America. The only observances are a $50 fee and an eight day posting of bans to announce your intent to get married. You can get married at almost any time of the day or night. So, a sunset wedding on the beach is easily possible and is, in fact, one of the most popular romantic reasons for young couples coming to St. Thomas.

Owen Jones writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with romantic men’s perfume. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas You are welcome to reprint this article – but get your own unique content version here.

The occasion of a wedding is a very special day for everyone. Just being asked to one can cause real exhilaration. It is always a delight to see someone walk down the aisle with the hope of true love and life long happiness. choosing a wedding gift can be a lot of fun too. There are thousands of gifts that you can purchase online or in retail shops.

Personalized gifts is a common fashion in weddings presents. Customized gifts bring out your originality because you can determine the style, design and message you want to be printed on them. Products range from photo frames, mugs and clocks, among many others.

When buying presents, always keep in mind your resources but be sure to get the look you want on the goods you buy. Here are some gift ideas that would definitely be a hit:

Tapestry – It is lovely to commemorate the wedding day, but how best to do this? Personalize everyday belongings by printing the couple’s portrait on them. You can have it printed on pillows, blankets or bags.

Have them printed on a tapestry wall hanging and they can be kept as heirlooms. Different coloured cotton threads can make your pictures come to life just like the photo itself.

Photo Frames – Keep your best photographs in unique photo frames. You can add romantic messages like ‘lovers forever” or “ideal couple”. Romantic lines from songs or poems are recommended too. You can choose from the different frames obtainable like natural wood, quality resin, or metal steel.

Personal messages are mostly engraved by laser or cut out of wood. The couple would love putting there favorite wedding photos in such frames to remind them of the happiness of their special day.

T-shirts – Show your own personality and thoughts by having them printed on comfortable tees. Many couples would love to demonstrate their love for each other on cute shirts. The most common of the slogans on these shirts is the letter “I” followed by a big red heart and then name of the groom or bride.

You could tell the world how you feel towards a person with such a personalized tee. If you want to be more intimate, you could even print romantic messages on lingerie or underwear.

Accessories – Women love accessories. Bracelets are ideal items for personalization. You could choose sterling silver or even 9 carat – 22 carat gold. This depends on your budget, of course. But remember, it is the thought that counts.

Common themes that are put on bracelets are the date of your wedding or your anniversary or the couple’s name. You can personalize rings and necklaces in the same way too.

Tankards – Tankards are very useful. If you are giving a present to the groom, customizing his beer mug or wine glass would definitely be appreciated. Choose a beer mug that is not embarrassing. Pewter or glass look nice and the personal message would stand out clearly.

Clocks – You could buy a wall clock or personal watches. Either way, you can be assured that the recipient would find them very useful. Engraving one’s name on a metal steel sports watch is an eye catcher too. A pocket watch would be equally valued.

Looking for wedding gifts can be very enjoyable. Personalizing your gifts would add a special touch to each present. No matter the value of the gift, remember that it is always the thought that matters most.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Romantic Gifts: Ideas. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas

Some people do not like being alone on St. Valentine’s Day. Younger women in particular consider that being alone on St. Valentine’s Day bears a stigma, which makes them feel depressed and abandoned. But just because someone is not in a relationship, it does not mean they cannot have a good time. I will give a couple of suggestions below to help you have a time to remember.

1] Call up all your single girlfriends and go clubbing. Many young men like to dance every now and again or to their favourite songs, but they do not want to dance non-stop. On the other hand, young women often do like to dance non-stop, so you may have a better time without a boyfriend in a club.

2] Another good idea for single girls on Valentine’s Day is to give a movie night at your home. You could invite over all of your single friends and hire a few comedies. Instead of being gloomy and miserable, you and your friends can watch the movies and take the rise out of the characters in the film.

Hire a few horror films too for an extra special night. Lots of young people like horror films. They like to have a scream and hide their faces behind their friends’ backs. Treat the evening like a proper night at the movies and get popcorn, snacks, ice cream and cola, etc in.

3] You could hold a singles party. Invite all of your single friends and tell them they have to bring a friend of the opposite sex. Buy or borrow some of those games that make you answer personal questions like ‘Forfeits’ and ‘Twister’, where you have to put your hands and feet on different coloured spots on a plastic mat.

‘Mr and Mrs’ is another game where you ask one half of a ‘couple’ questions about the other in his absence. He has to corroborate the replies when he is invited back into the room. The answers could be side-splitting, because the contestants will not know each other well.

3] Hire a table in a non-romantic restaurant and get eight or more girlfriends to go out for a meal. Once the atmosphere begins building, things can become great fun and you could go dancing later.

4] You could arrange a visit to the theatre and have a meal afterwards. Most people do not go to the theatre every year, so going with your friends on St. Valentine’s Day would make the day truly unforgettable.

5] You could make up a basket of your favourite things. Include some really special items like gourmet chocolate or other gourmet candy. Get something luxurious to drink that is appropriate to your age. Then you can pig out on your favourite foods and drink and watch a few films on your own or with your sister or other family member like a favourite cousin.

There are many things you can do to enjoy Valentine’s Day as a single girl, there’s no need to mope around feeling sorry for yourself at all.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many topics, but is currently involved with Gourmet Chocolate Candy. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts Ideas

Almost everyone has a liking for chocolate, even if they would rather deny it. But some of us have a craze for it and if you tried gourmet chocolate, this would turn into a devotion. The feel of its texture in your mouth as it melts is very pleasing and its richness takes this enjoyment to a whole new level. Some people even say that they prefer chocolate over everything else.

Although chocolate is scrumptious, some chocolates are more enjoyable than others. A Snickers bar is full of chocolate but it is also stuffed with peanuts and caramel and the chocolate is not so great anyway. Thankfully, there are gourmet chocolates available to gratify any chocolate lover’s chocolate yearning.

There are enough different cacao inspired delectable snacks out there to please almost everyone. There are kinds of chocolate that some people probably never have thought possible. Chocolates now even come in a chocolate-wine combination to act as a self-indulgent sauce to a dessert.

Examples of the flavours you can get are: chocolate espresso merlot and chocolate raspberry cabernet. Many pure chocolate and wine lovers knew that wine and chocolate went well together, but would not have thought of mixing them in a sauce. However, when they are poured over ice-cream, they are a pure delight to the taste buds.

Chocolates called truffles of all styles are also obtainable for those with an extra sweet tooth, whether you like dark, milk or white chocolate. There are also boxes of chocolate to suit everybody’s needs. They contain a wide variety of different gourmet chocolates. Some people really like coffee filled chocolates or cherry filled chocolates.

There are selection boxes of chocolates too which offer one or two of all the kinds of gourmet chocolates that that firm has to offer. Some of the combinations you will have heard of, others you will not. A selection box like this is a relatively less expensive way of getting to know a manufacturer’s products.

If you just want an ordinary bar of gourmet chocolate, then those are available too from select suppliers. It is best to look online or in Yellow Pages. I have seen dark, milk and white chocolate bars available, but I prefer the individual bonbons, although a bar is simpler to carry in your bag and it is the same high-quality chocolate, but without a filling..

These small, but delectable gourmet chocolates make perfect, romantic gifts for your paramour too. Also, if you know a chocolate lover, then they will seriously be grateful for the complex taste of these gourmet delights. They will know that you have spent your time and money buying them the only gift they really wanted.

Online stores that sell these luscious chocolates frequently also have gift certificates available, so if you cannot choose the perfect gourmet chocolates you can definitely let them do it for themselves with your voucher.

Owen Jones, the writer of this article, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with Romantic Gifts: Ideas. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas

A person’s perfume is a singular way of expressing oneself. Some people choose the scent they wear depending on their mood, some wear one scent during the day and another in the evening, while many people choose to wear the same scent all the time. Others have a favourite, very expensive scent that they wear only on special occasions.

Whatever someone does, the choice is a personal one. Some people use a perfume like a personal trademark, so that whenever you smell that particular bouquet, you automatically think of that one person. My mother used a scent called ‘Wild Gorse’ made by the monks on Caldy Island in west Wales for this purpose. Very, very few other people had that scent, as you had to go to the island to obtain it.

It is almost impossible to choose perfume for someone you do not know, unless you go for a famous, expensive name like Chanel No. 5. There are few women who would turn down a bottle of that, even if it was not their favourite scent. The more you know the person the easier it should get, in theory at least.

So, how do you know which perfumes are going to be a welcome gift? That is the $65k question. There are a number of ways that reduce the odds of you making a slip-up. You could take a sneak look on their dressing table to see what that person wears already.

If you think far enough ahead, you could bring it up in conversation with an off-hand compliment like: ‘Oh, what a lovely scent/after shave! I like that. What is it called?’. But you have to do it weeks before you need the information.

Or you could choose a scent that brings a special memory to mind, like the scent that was worn on their wedding day, birthday, or graduation day. Perfumes like these bring back happy memories and make them feel good by association. If you are not a bosom buddy of the one you want to buy for, you could seek their friends’ guidance.

If you want to give a present of scent to someone that you want to remember you by, why not invite them out for a meal or a show and a meal and present the perfume in the restaurant? Most perfumes lose their potency after four or five hours, which is why many women top up every now and again with a spray from their handbags. Very few men do this.

So, if you give the perfume later on in the evening, there is less chance of it clashing with what they are already wearing, meaning that someone is more likely to dab a bit on there and then, thereby associating the bouquet in their memory with the night you took them out. Just make certain it was a good night out.

If all of the above fails, then most shops offer perfume gift boxes which include the scent , a powder and body lotion. These scent gift boxes are a respectable alternative, even if the person only wears it to go to bed or around the house.

Owen Jones, the author of this piece, writes on many subjects, but is currently involved with men’s perfume. If you have an interest in romantic gifts, please go over to our website now at Romantic Gifts: Ideas