During the holiday season, that kind of just passed, I could not escape IG reels that romanticized…read morethe power of hot chocolate. Apparently, it can be so rich and thick (European Style) that it is part healing warmth and the other part just wildly delicious. So I decided to go ahead and find a cup of thick, and rich cocoa to hit me with holiday splendor, the kind that can re-assemble Frosty after his final melt. My friend Conrad and I were the duo who ventured to ChocoVivo to try chocolate, on chocolate, on chocolate, with some water on the side. ChocoVivo is in Culver City. The place itself is on Washington Blvd amidst some bars, and eateries. This place lends itself to be a dessert spot, an experience for chocolate lovers and those who are not, and anyone who just wants to experience the taste of chocolate in-depth and in odd luxury. As soon, as I entered, I made a beeline for the counter. I was overwhelmed with all the chocolatey choices: pastries, drinks, squares, with the list continuing exhaustively, it even included a chocolate skull that might serve better as decoration than a treat. I excused myself and went to use the restroom, I dared not ask questions to understand my options, when my bladder was full. I might make rash decisions, due to my inability to focus. And with so many options in front of me, I wanted to sample what was right and balanced for me. I wanted to sample chocolate, I just did not just want to taste chocolate. My trip to the facilities was a small adventure in itself. I passed a room with a man working on his laptop. But the room, seemed to be, like a Sultan's rest-room. It had pillows, hanging lamps, and a cream like colored that reminded me of sun-kissed sand. I clipped the room. There is a Minion (from Illumination fame) chilling in one of the couches. Another picture shows, a fishing net (maybe) with make-shift clouds pouring out of it, also leafs and butterflies. It seemed to be the remains of a shipwreck but it also held decorations that could have made the space more beautiful. I believe, and I could be wrong, of course, that this room used to be functional. A place to lounge, and see beauty, while enjoying chocolate. Now it was a forgotten room, whose purpose never fulfilled, and thus had stuff scattered around. I am sure, everyone can relate to that feeling, of getting stuff for an imagined room that never quite materializes and thus the room becomes storage, more than anything. Kondo deliver us! After, I came to the cashier, I ordered a hot chocolate. Conrad made a point, that the hot chocolate I ordered was not the European sipping hot chocolate that I had talked about on our car ride there. He then. made a point, that I should read a menu and then ask questions. I ask questions, as I read the menu. I eventually, ordered two hot chocolates, (one for him and one for me) and then we sampled 12 chocolate squares--- a sampler. The total was close to 60.00 dollars so this is an experience that is not going to the local mart and buying a Hershey's bar. The 12 chocolate samples were just great and enough, there were bigger samples, which I considered buying, but the price deterred me. The one that I got was super appropriate for both of us, by the end I was enjoying slightly by force, I mustered the strength to finish the half marathon. The full marathon would have tapped me out. The samples came with a card. Conrad was the one who was consulting the card, so we could not what chocolate we ate. It was truly fun, to be with someone who read of the information of the card, and then we tried to identify the taste as the card described. I wish I would have taken a picture of the card, but honestly, I am more of a determine by taste taster than a person who wants to be informed of what he is tasting, to know what he is tasting. I do remember the worst tasting chocolate we tasted--- it had black tea infused into it, I do not remember its cacao percentage, each chocolate had a cacao percentage. The hire the percentage, the sweeter the chocolate. The black tea had this earthy and tea taste that was profound. I guess imagine tasting. a black tea without sugar that is kind of the taste I struggled with. I am glad I tasted this chocolate, however, because it was part of the whole experience. I did not drive to the beach and endure a pothole, I drove to the beach and was both intrigued and jolted by the bounce that the pothole produced. Some chocolates I really enjoyed, the hot chocolate was goodness in a cup. The chocolate sampler also came with an espresso that was split into two cups. I was provided a knife to cut each chocolate. I put the knife in the center with one arm, and use the other hand to pierce the chocolate. My halfs were not perfect. Sometimes Conrad got the bigger half square, sometimes I did. I annotate all this so one knows that when you visit ChocoVivo you will need to work, if you want to split those chocolates, but the work was part of the fun!

At least for the drinks and cookies, ChocoVivo is pretty solid. European hot chocolate and regular…read morehot chocolates have a reasonable set of choices, and the cookies we had were served hot and loaded with chocolate chunks. Service is friendly, at least given how late in the day we arrived, and the decor is best described as homey. They had the windows open at the front, which was both welcoming but a bit chilly in the fall if you were to sit by them-- the actual establishment was quite comfortable, just the window area that was a bit drafty.

Whenever I see this place online or watch someone's video making the rounds, I always wonder: *Is…read moreit really that good, or is it just trending on my FYP?* Y'all, this place is actually that good. Their pastries are legitimate Paris-level quality. The one that looks like a pain au raisin (but isn't) is incredible--those glazed, crunchy parts are what's up! I came here to get some work done on my laptop, and the vibe was perfect. People actually rotate out instead of camping at tables all day, so indoor and outdoor seating opens up organically. That is exactly my type of place.

I went to Artisanal Goods for coffee with my friend Amelia G., who lives in neighborhood. The place…read morewas packed at like 10:00 on a Tuesday morning, with a line to order and every table occupied the whole time we were there. I guess this is the spot for coffee and pastries in Pasadena. It was a cute shop with a millennial-friendly aesthetic. Brick walls, exposed ceiling, and lots of hanging lights. Case full of beautiful pastries, house chocolates and merchandise for sale. The line moved quickly enough, and service was friendly and reasonably fast. A table opened up for us when we needed it, and we sat and enjoyed our coffee and pastry. I got a salted honey latte, which was delicious. I'm not a habitual coffee drinker, and this felt like a special indulgent little treat. I'm not a pastry person either, but the kougin amann was fantastic, rich and buttery and shatteringly crispy. I also got a chocolate croissant to go for my husband, who said it was really good. We sat for maybe half an hour, and when we left, someone was there to take our spot, and we had to squeeze past the line that was coming through the door. I don't like coffee and sweets enough to do all that on a regular basis, but I enjoyed my visit to Artisanal Goods and would recommend it if you want top notch pastries in Pasadena.

Stumbled upon this hidden gem behind downtown Culver on Venice -- and what a find! Milla Chocolates…read moreis a beautiful little shop offering artisanal bonbons, chocolate drinks, and other sweet treats. I ordered a black sesame chocolate drink with two bonbons: pistachio and yuzu caramel. My kid devoured the pistachio in one bite, but the yuzu caramel was absolutely divine -- rich dark chocolate balanced perfectly with fragrant, real yuzu flavor. The drink was definitely too sweet for my taste though. Needed to take home and add milk into it and actually turned it into two drinks. They also have gorgeous gift boxes, customizable assortments, and prepackaged goodies -- perfect for gifting or indulging yourself. Service was amazing. The barista was super friendly. My paper bag with my take away lunch ripped in their store and she offered a beautiful bag without me even asking. She was patient in explaining their menu and helped me picked out Chocolates that my kids would love. Warm, welcoming, and refined -- this spot is a must-visit for anyone with a sweet tooth in Culver City.

My husband searched far and wide for high quality chocolates here in LA and so far, this is the…read morebest chocolatier we've encountered in LA. Why is there so few options?? Seriously! Now, each time we travel to NYC or internationally, I'm buying boxes of quality chocolate. I wish Milla were closer. If so I would buy there more often.

Amazing service, extremely sweet and accommodating. I came here with a friend and we tried the…read moredubai chocolate strawberry cup. Everything is made in house which is so cool and the flavor itself was amazing, literally the perfect sweet treat: Crunchy, sweet, tart, yall need to come get yourself some of this. They also offer a variety of other sweets, would love to try next time!

I have a guilty feeling of pity while writing this, but I'm a huge chocolate lover - meaning I've…read morepretty much gone to all the chocolatiers where I live (there are a lot) and usually try to go to a popular chocolate place whenever I take a trip. TAWDI appeared highly rated, but it was also basically the only choice. Walking in to Mickey Mouse greeting you, it's a very homely, organized, and oddly empty shop with some Middle Eastern influence. They are big on marketing for their Dubai chocolate offerings, which I did try. The lady who helped was very kind, offering us each a sample by the chocolate type we liked. As she explained how they make chocolate in the back daily, I had to inquire about popular selections and what some flavors were. Basically, they seem to focus on Dubai chocolates and have some imported goods from Lebanon. While I trust that they make chocolates daily, I have to question how much, what flavors, and what is being turned over, because the sample I ate and the chocolates I opened up later certainly had obvious chocolate bloom, and yes they were stored at an appropriate temperature and eaten on the same day. At the price these pieces were, they certainly shouldn't have chocolate bloom nor taste like old chocolate. The filling of their Dubai bar was nice, crunchy, and moist, but the exterior chocolate shell didn't really have a taste. I am fine with paying a premium for premium-tasting chocolate and often do it, but I would have preferred eating grocery store chocolate, honestly. I'm not sure what others are tasting or whether people reviewing TAWDI are actually into chocolate, but I was disappointed when I didn't enjoy these.

Laderach Chocolatier Shop not only looks delicious but also smells delicious. We stopped by on a…read moreThursday afternoon. We were a few stores down from Laderach and we can smell the sweet scent of chocolates from a far. We decided to stop by and check out this fancy and yummy chocolate shop. As soon as we came in Laderach, the sales people were welcoming and greeted us. They also offered some samples and any sample of our choosing. We tried the strawberry chocolate and milk chocolate. They were both delicious. The chocolate was perfect. It was quality chocolate and semi sweet and not too rich. The combination with the dried strawberries were a perfect blend and balance. We left the store and purchased a couple of the pre packed milk chocolate and the strawberry chocolate. We can't wait to comeback to try other types of chocolates on Laderach's menu.

My fiancé and I came to the Galleria on a mission: buy a gift for our son at GameStop and leave…read moreimmediately before our wallets took emotional damage. We marched from Target, beelined to the right towards Bloomingdale's, GameStop's just right before Bloomie's - grabbed the game, and bolted--because let's be honest, video games especially the latest of the latest version + the special pack features already cost an arm, a leg, and possibly a kidney. But fate (and sugar) had other plans. On our way back to the main drag, we locked eyes with Läderach. The glass cases were glistening. The chocolates were posing. I casually said, "Let's just taste." Famous. Last. Words. Fast forward $70 later, we walked out proudly cradling a 1-lb slab of FrischSchoggi--a chocolate hazelnut masterpiece so decadent it should come with a warning label. Rich, creamy, crunchy, sinful... basically chocolate that whispers, "You deserve this." The staff? Super friendly and dangerously encouraging. The store? Small, bright, beautifully merchandised--minimalist Swiss luxury vibes. The chocolates? Divinely indulgent. It instantly transported me back to Europe, standing outside Lindt, watching chocolatiers scrape, spread, and turn molten chocolate like it's edible art. Läderach delivers that same magic--except now I'm the one eating it instead of just staring longingly through a window. We thought GameStop was the financial threat... turns out Läderach is the real boss level LOL. But honestly? Worth it. Every. Single. Dollar. Come for the "just a taste." Leave with a lighter wallet and a very happy soul.