Springtime Adventuring
Spring is here, at least here in Northern California. Flowers are blooming, birds are singing and all the oak trees are getting their first new green leaves. It’s warmer too, I even got a little sun working in the garden this weekend. 
Spring is my favorite season, but I always get a little restless this time of year, too. In April of 2007 my boyfriend and I set out on a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail from the Mexican border to Canada. We backpacked 2,400 miles in 5 1/2 months. It was the most amazing adventure of my life, and every year I wish I was doing it again. Unfortunately, whether it’s rural or urban adventures you seek, heading out into the backcountry (or urban wilderness as the case may be) doesn’t really combine well with real life most of the time. But that doesn’t mean we have to be starved for adventure all together. Although it may not be world travel, trying new things can be done right at home on a smaller scale. 
Take a weekend staycation at an Inn or B & B in your own town, explore places nearby that you’ve never been (they’re there, you just have to pretend you’re a tourist to find them), or try our new Artisan Truffles, Caramels and Vegan Milk Chocolate Bites bursting with enticing flavors. Even if a long backpacking trip is out of the question, getting moving outside whether it’s an urban walk in a new-to-you part of town or a rural jaunt on a previously undiscovered road or trail, breathing fresh spring air and enjoying the sights and sounds of the earth coming alive is my best medicine for spring fever.
That or chocolate, which is my go-to remedy for almost every malady. We even have some organic brownies and vegan gift baskets with seasonal flavors to complement the warmer weather. Springtime Salted Almond Bark is also available right now, and keep an eye out in a few weeks for some new truffle flavors we’re working on as part of our vegan Mother’s Day gifts collection.
Still Available: Easter Chocolates, Springtime Fudge, and Vegan Cookbook Giveaway!
First things first: Don’t miss your chance to enter our latest Giveaway for a copy of Carolyn Scott-Hamilton’s new cookbook The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen. We’re picking a winner tomorrow morning, so enter now!
I know Easter is over, but just because the holiday has passed doesn’t mean you have to forgo our delicious vegan bunnies and eggs.
Spring is still going on, after all, and they’re just too good not to try, so if you missed them last week, or if you had some and were so blown away that you just have to get some more, you’re in luck! For the next few weeks we’ll keep up our stock of luscious Vanilla Rice Crispy Bunnies and creamy Flavored Solid Chocolate Eggs, just in case there are some chocolate-lovers out there who want an ongoing supply.
Springtime Salted Almond Bark will be available at least through May, in case you’re looking ahead for some Mother’s Day gift ideas. In that same vein, Spring also hails the arrival of wedding season and this year we’re very pleased to offer our new Artisan Chocolates in elegant 2- and 4-piece vegan wedding favor boxes. If, on the other hand, it’s a non-chocolate springtime treat that you seek, I highly recommend our Vanilla Chai Fudge, sweetly spiced in perfect harmony.
Announcing: Easter Giveaway Winner!
We loved hearing about all of your traditional and non-traditional Easter observances for this week’s Giveaway. I especially loved how many of you include eating chocolate as one of your Springtime rituals. 
Now I know you’re all anxious to find out who’s won our Giveaway of a $25 Allison’s Gourmet gift certificate and Chloe Coscarelli’s new book Chloe’s Kitchen, so I’ll get right to it.
Congratulations to Cat, who is our lucky Easter Giveaway winner!! Happy Easter shopping and vegan baking, Cat!
Several of you included Easter eggs hunts as one of your Easter traditions, and since I know they can be a hard thing to veganize, I’d like to share a new and exciting product that I just discovered with you. They’re called EggNots and they are very realistic-looking dyeable ceramic eggs. (Bonus: they can be saved as keepsakes!) I’m so excited to try dyeing and hiding them with Olivia this weekend!
Shipping deadlines are getting pretty close for delivery before Easter, but you may still be able to order EggNots, and you can definitely still order vegan Easter chocolates today. Our order deadline is usually 9 am, but today we’re making an exception; order before 12 noon and be sure to choose FedEx 2-day air shipping for on-time Easter delivery. Hoppy Spring!
Your Last Chance to Order for Easter!
I’m guessing there were a lot of us who turned over our calendars this weekend and were surprised. Not just because it’s April already, although time does fly when you’re eating vegan chocolate, but also because, yep, that’s right, Easter is this weekend! 
Which means that your orders for delectable vegan Easter chocolates need to be placed before 9am tomorrow!!
Choose from our adorable and melt-in-your-mouth delicious Chocolate Rice Crispy Bunnies, Springtime Salted Almond Bark, or Flavored Solid Chocolate Eggs, or opt for one of our elegant Easter & Springtime Gift Baskets that include all three lovely Easter chocolates plus delectable organic cookies nestled in green “grass.”
If you’re holding out hoping to win our Easter Chocolates and Chloe’s Kitchen Giveaway, place your order now and if you’re the winner tomorrow morning, we’ll give you a $25 refund.
Happy Easter shopping!
Veganized Easter: Treasure Hunts, Chocolate Bunnies, and Help for Rescued Hens
Have I mentioned that Easter is coming early this year? Spring has hardly had a chance to spring and Easter is already just ten days away! But we’re not about to let (March and) April showers or a crazily early Easter holiday ruin our Springtime fun. We’ll be attending at least two vegan Easter egg hunts next weekend complete with decorating ceramic eggs, hunting for treat-filled plastic eggs and eating flavored solid chocolate eggs which are our latest favorite thing (but don’t ask us which is our favorite flavor!).
Instead of buying, or even adopting, rabbits or baby chicks this Easter (unless you are prepared and have educated yourself enough to give them a forever home) let us provide vegan chocolate bunnies to add some extra cuteness to your Easter festivities. (We don’t have chocolate chicks, but chocolate eggs are close…) Order now! Your last chance to get vegan Easter gifts delivered on time is next week!
If you live locally and are wishing for some live animal interaction for Easter, come join us at Animal Place in Grass Valley on Saturday, April 7th for their vegan Easter Treasure Hunt which will include barn access to visit some of the animals before and after the treasure hunt.
Photo Credit: Animal Place
Animal Place, along with a couple of other animal rescue organizations, made the news a few weeks ago for undertaking the largest animal rescue in California’s history: 4,460 hens were rescued from starvation and certain death at an abandoned egg farm in Turlock. More than 3,000 of those hens are now living at Animal Place where they are being brought back to health. They will eventually be available for adoption to loving homes, but for now, that’s a lot of chickens to feed and care for!
Want to help? We’re very pleased to offer you a way to get your vegan Easter chocolates and help Animal Place feed and house all those hens at the same time! From now until April 10th, input “Animal Place Hens” in the “How did you hear about us?” box when you place your order and we’ll donate 10% of your product total towards the Turlock Emergency Hen Rescue fund! You can also help egg-laying hens everywhere by sharing oh-so-delicious vegan cookies and brownies with everyone you know. Show the world how delicious egg-free baking can be!
