I Am Ruined

Something happened yesterday.

Something wondrous.

Something astonishing.

Something...regrettable on a few levels.

Whilst visiting Jared and Lena in San Diego, the subject of our love for good chocolate came up in conversation.

Lena's eyes began to glow as she turned to Jared and said with a hint of mischief in her voice, "We should take them to Eclipse."

Thus began my ruination.

Since I was a small child, I have loved chocolate. Back then my object of affection was milky and mild, but as I matured, I began to appreciate the more defined taste of pungent and dark confections.

This place, Eclipse, to which we wended our way yesterday, was stocked with chocolate, chocolate, chocolate, but not chocolate for the faint of heart.

They had the most exotic concoctions I've ever heard of. Unbelievable. In fact, I won't even tell you some of them because you might wrinkle your nose and decide to go check your emails instead of finishing this post.

Though I can not vouch for everything sold by this chocolatier (I tried none of the baked goods nor the truffles), I can say (with as much emphasis and exuberance as your imagination will allow) that their chocolate is by far THE BEST I have ever had in my ENTIRE LIFE.

After sampling four different flavors of their chocolate bars (which are all made there in the little shop's kitchen) I felt as if I had used my taste buds for the very first time. Seriously.
...And my foremost thought upon swallowing the fat-laden wonderment was--How can I get more of this?

If crack cocaine came in chocolate form, this would be it.

Yes, I am ruined.

Dove, my former paramour, is now a paltry offering.

See's I now render as a second rate product which will do only in a chocolate pinch.

But now...now my allegiance is to Eclipse, a hardly known brand which is quite pricey and can only be purchased at a tiny shop located hours from my home. Alas...

The four flavors we had the extreme pleasure of tasting yesterday were: Sea-salt Nib (through which Eclipse gets about 50% of their sales), Orange Peel Anise (Jeff's favorite), Blackberry Sage and Gingerbread Crumb (my favorite).

Weird? Definitely, but weird in a marvelous, bewitching sort of way that one will never forget...can never forget.


No, I did not receive free products from Eclipse for penning such a glorifying review on this obscure blog of mine. (I wish!) I typed this up because I couldn't keep myself from doing so. And, in case you are wondering, it's not just me. Jeff is head over heels for this stuff, too.

Join us in our newly acquired vice if you will (2121 El Cajon Blvd, San Diego), but be warned, it will awaken you to a whole new world fraught with impending dangers (a fatter butt and a thinner wallet). Visit there at your own risk.