From #Fitblog to Farris and Foster's

About one year ago, I started to realize that there were other Orlando bloggers.    For example,  it was about this time last year that I met Carolina at a blogger meet up.  Here we are with our Stellas after last year's Central Florida BlogCon.

It could be my natural inclination towards shyness, but despite all the twitter chats and twitter parties that regularly pop up on my feed, I never participate. What, exactly, can I contribute to a conversation about fitness or healthy eating? If I make it to the end of the day without shoving an entire cake down my throat, I consider it a win.  Maybe that should be my advice: aim high.

However, when I saw that Carolina was hosting Fitblog this past Tuesday, I finally thought I might give it a try.  I know Carolina, and while she's a yoga bad ass, she's a relatable one and more importantly, she's also a friend.  Turns out, it was a lot of fun.  Everyone in the chat was relatable.  Carolina did a great job hosting and I met a few people that I wouldn't have known otherwise.  Win-win.   I may even get the guts to try another Fitblog in the future.

Yesterday was my date for chocolate making with friends at Farris and Foster's Chocolate Factory in Baldwin Park.   Here's a description from their website:

Tonight we bring you back into our chocolate factory and you become a chocolatier.  Play in rivers, waterfalls and bubbling vats of creamy milk, dark and white chocolate.  Each of you can design and create your own chocolate delights.  You might take melted chocolate and pour it into one of over 500 different shaped molds.  Shapes include holiday designs, hearts, sports, music, suckers, baby shower items, etc.  Make caramel nut patties, coconut and almond patties, truffles, cream centers, peanut butter cups.  We’ll also dip strawberries, raspberries, cherries and other fresh items or make small chocolate cups full of macadamias, almonds, coconut or raisins. You'll get to taste samples before you start and then you'll make and take home a pound of chocolate treats.

Are you hungry yet?  Is "Pure Imagination" running through your head?  It's definitely stuck in mine.

Jordan, our instructor, started by showing us how to make peanut butter cups.  She also demonstrated how to use "Lucy," the very old but reliable chocolate coating machine.  Lucy and I became very well acquainted over the next couple of hours.

Cups of white, dark and milk chocolate covered the table.

There are over 500 kinds of molds in the store.

Since J wasn't there, I made him a scales of justice chocolate.  I mean, why not?  PS - are you jealous of my hat?

While we were off creating our concoctions, Jordan was providing us with lots of sample candy.  It was a fight between Erik (my friend Brittany's husband) and me for who could eat the most of it.  I totally won.  And by the way, this tray was refilled multiple times during the night.

Erik and Brittany - I love this picture.

Sarah and Chris

And the whole crew.  Notice one of us didn't have a spouse present.  Oh well.  Duty called.

Here's my haul.  Salted caramels, toffee, turtles, potato chips, a strawberry, oreos, peanut butter cups, mint cups, and marshmallow cups.  Plus a few other things that didn't quite fit into the box.  Whoops.

All of it is waiting patiently in my fridge, beckoning for me to come over a steal a bite or ten.  Pray for me.