Almost 2 weeks at the beach and the chocolate emergency is well over. I DID go to the hotel gift shop and buy a chunky bar and a couple of others. Talk about desperation, but then a good old fashioned chunky bar is no sawdust. A very fine chocolate experience. A few days ago we stopped at Candy Kitchen and I really stocked up. I bought 6 different flavors of fudge and a 1/4lb of assorted truffles. It's a tradition to buy fudge when we come here, but I'm afraid I am much more partial to the truffles. I like the texture better, but of course I can choose dark chocolate truffles. Seems like a tradition that needs adapting. Fudge is a lovely treat to set out for guests, so it's not like I have to eat it all myself.

Should have brought my stash

Well, what a pickle I'm in. I knew I should have packed my stash of chocolate bars, but I figured there would be plenty of chocolate eating opportunities at the beach! Yes, I am at the beach, with my kids and there is plenty of chocolate. But not dark chocolate bars. I've had chocolate cake and 'dirt' [chocolate pudding w/ oreo cookie crumbs and whipped cream]and even a mocha something from Rita's, but there's no replacing a really good bar of dark chocolate. Preferably with chili or sea salt. The grocery store across from our hotel was out of both. [banish the thought that they just might not carry it!] I did not want a 'plain' chocolate bar, so I left empty handed. [well, $100 worth of other groceries] We passed several 'fudge' and candy shops today, but I did not enter any of them. I figured I had plenty of time before I would need any dark chocolate. Little did I know how the kids would try my patience and I would regret not making it a higher priority. Tomorrow, we plan to spend all day at the beach. If desperate, I will seek the hotel gift shop; surely they will have such a basic essential.