Category Archives: Lifestyle

Final Projects, Lifestyle

Reading Around Athens

On a chilly November day, a young child skipped down Pulaski Street in Athens, his pudgy hand clutching his mother’s. He broke away from his mom when he spotted a small, red and white wooden box shingled with roof tiles standing tall in a Pulaski resident’s front yard. The child ran up to the box, opened it with a creak and snatched a children’s book out of it before shutting the box again and hurrying to catch up with his mother who had stopped to wait for him a few paces ahead. The boy grabbed his mother’s hand again while looking down at the prize the box had just given him and he continued to skip down the street towards downtown Athens.

The box that the little boy ran up to is one of Athens’ Little Free Libraries which are structures that have been built by the community to encourage Athens residents to read. Little Free Libraries are wooden boxes that are filled with books which anyone can freely take. There are over a dozen of these libraries scattered throughout the Athens area.

The book distribution points are part of a national trend. The Little Free Library project was started by Todd Bol in 2009 when he built a wooden box filled with books to put outside of his home in Wisconsin. Bol wanted to give his community access to free books 24 hours a day. The Little Free Libraries run on the hope that everyone who takes a book will one day come back and replace the book with a new one.

https://twitter.com/caitlynrichtman/status/855224660451090434

A major portion of the Little Free Libraries in Athens were built by the 2013 LEAD class, a year-long leadership program of the Athens Area Chamber of Commerce. The 2013 LEAD class, mainly referred to as READ Athens after choosing to focus on literacy in Athens, built five libraries for the Athens community.

“It was a self-sustaining project, and the community really did adopt them,” Sarah Freeman, a member of READ Athens, told Ampersand Magazine in November 2016.

A New Take on Summer Reading

The Athens community goes above and beyond to promote reading in Athens, mainly for children. Organizations such as Books for Keeps strive to promote reading and prevent “summer slide” for Athens children. Summer slide is when children leave school for summer vacation and they lose their reading skills because they don’t have access to books. Summer slide is more prevalent in low-income communities such as Athens-Clarke County, according to a study done at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2015, 41.6 percent of children living in Athens-Clarke County were living in poverty.

Books for Keeps was started in 2009 by Athens resident, Melaney Smith, after she heard about a second-grade student not looking forward to summer vacation because she had no books at home. After finding research that linked third grade reading levels to high school graduation rates, Books for Keeps was officially launched as a nonprofit in Athens in 2011.

“When students don’t have books to read during the summer, they’re at risk for falling behind,” said Leslie Hale, the executive director for Books for Keeps. “It’s really a big contributor to the achievement gap, driving a wedge between students who have access and students who don’t have access.”

According to Hale, Books for Keeps serves 15 elementary schools and 6,000 students. For this summer, 72,000 books that have been gathered throughout the school year will be given out over the course of one month. Each child gets 12 books to hold them over throughout the summer months.

“Once we start to give away the books in the schools in late April, I will be in the schools almost every single day,” Hale said.

Hale, the rest of the Books for Keeps staff and volunteers will work tirelessly during the giveaway month to ensure every child gets their books. According to Hale, there are “innumerable” improvements to children’s lives through books.

“If children can change the notion of reading from something they have to do into something they want to do,” Hale said. “When they’re assigned something later that they have to read, they are going to approach it with more of a sense of possibility than as a burden.”

Books Hit The Road

Cameron Brooks is about to wrap up his 10th year as a third-grade teacher at Chase Street Elementary School, a Title I school in Athens. Brooks is no stranger to summer slide and calls it a “perennial problem.”

After reading “That Book Woman” by Heather Henson and “Richard Wright and the Library Card” by William Miller to his class over the years, two books that depict people who have difficulty procuring literature, an idea popped into Brooks’ head.

In response to the “guilt” he felt for holding hundreds of books hostage in his classroom that his students could be reading over the summer, Brooks came up with the idea for what he calls the “Bibliobike.” The Bibliobike is a bike that has a trailer filled with books attached to the back of it which Brooks can ride around to students’ houses during the summer- a sort of mobile library.

On March 4, Brooks started a GoFundMe page to raise the almost $6,000 he would need to complete this project. After posting a video explaining the Bibliobike to the page, Brooks raised the $6,000 in 24 hours.

Brooks recognizes that the Bibliobike could not happen without the “extraordinarily supportive” Athens community who have been there in many different aspects of his teaching not just this specific project.

Brooks started to teach for the “greater good,” and he believes that giving children books over the summer with the Bibliobike can be a part of the good that he is trying to put into the world.

“All subjects build upon a foundation of literacy,” Brooks said. “But more importantly, literature provides a scaffold for skills that are more difficult to quantify than reading, writing or math. Soft skills such as empathy, critical thinking and social emotional learning often begin with a book.”

Caitlyn on Twitter: “TOUCH this image: A Literary Map of Athens https://t.co/W7Wz26KQf0 / Twitter”

TOUCH this image: A Literary Map of Athens https://t.co/W7Wz26KQf0

Click here for a link to an interactive literary map of Athens 

When Readers Grow Up

According to the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 93 million adults in America read at or below the basic level needed to successfully contribute to society.

For University of Georgia English major, Ginny Morris, reading was an important part of growing into the person she is today.

According to Morris, giving children the opportunity to read and instilling a love of of reading at a young age is an important step to producing literate adults.

“It started out with my mom pushing me towards books. I don’t quite think she realized what she was doing. In high school, I realized how powerful and moving reading can be. My English teacher in high school taught me that books can teach us what it means to be human,” Morris said.

Morris remembers her summers being filled with books and enjoying investing more of her time in the world of books.

“Reading has advanced my ability to critically think,” Morris said.

More Than Just a Bookstore

In a world muddled with technology which preaches it is the most convenient way to consume books, Avid Bookshop, a local Athens favorite, is here to convince you otherwise.

“Print is not dead. I get personally offended when people say that. I’m tired of that narrative and it’s bullsh*t,” Rachel Watkins said, the events director at Avid Bookshop.

At least in Athens, print is very much not dead thanks to Avid. A hallmark of Prince Avenue since 2011, Avid opened a second location at Five Points in November 2016.

According to Rachel Kaplan, the events assistant at Avid Bookshop, bookstores will always be around because nothing beats “reading a book in the flesh.”

Along with providing a location for Athens residents to buy books, Avid also hosts author events, book clubs, children story times, culinary events and poetry events to name a few.

Avid strives to support the community that supports them which includes planning events for children in Athens.

“If you’re a reader in your childhood, you’re going to be a reader as an adult. That’s how we ensure we’ll have business in 20 years,” Watkins laughed.

Avid hosts book fairs, brings authors to schools, and has a weekly story time for children in shop. They even have a full-time school engagement specialist.

“We don’t want to be seen as a one dimensional place,” Kaplan stated. “We want to be able to provide programming for all ages, people from various walks of life. We want to serve the community as a whole.”

Watkins describes Avid as a “third place.” A place where the whole community can come to when they need to.

“Reading helps you feel known,” Watkins said. “It provides an outlet for you to discover emotional support. It can make your world bigger even when you’re trapped by finances, economics, your station in life, and how old you are.”

Lifestyle, MOTS

Date Night in the Classic City

Whether you’re planning to spend Valentine’s Day with your crush, significant other or just some pals, University of Georgia students have plenty of creative ideas for the perfect date in Athens, according to an informal poll conducted by JOUR 3190 last week.

Of the dozen students surveyed, eight suggested a restaurant, although the specific recommendations varied.

Kaitlyn Hemstreet, a junior marketing student from Macon, said she loves the weekly dates she has with her boyfriend, which they call “Sushi Sunday.”

Kaitlyn Hemstreet

“We go to Ru San’s in Beechwood,” said Hemstreet. “We go to the gym, do crunches right there and then we go after,” Her favorite is the Suki roll, which includes snow crab, avocado and salmon.

Anjelique Simmons, a fourth year German and linguistics major from Stone Mountain, suggested going to see a comedy show with some friends at Rashe’s Cuisine. The Jamaican restaurant occasionally hosts comedians who are not afraid to take jabs at the audience members. Simmons laughed and said she couldn’t repeat any of the jokes that were made.

Julia Dunlap, a junior Spanish and international affairs major from Peachtree City, said she thinks Mama’s Boy would be the perfect place to go out to eat because of the cute but casual environment and their legendary biscuits. “Breakfast dates are the best dates,” Dunlap said.

Katie Kirkland, a sophomore wildlife major from Fayetteville, and her boyfriend Sam Perryman, a sophomore finance major from Cumming, suggested going to Five Guys. Kirkland raved about the grilled cheese, which is made with two inverted hamburger buns. In addition to the food, Five Guys’ location on a busy corner makes it the perfect spot to people watch while you eat or hang out downtown after your meal, Kirkland said.

If you’re not incredibly hungry, Ashleigh Proctor, a sophomore biology major from Augusta, recommended Ike & Jane Café and Bakery. “You can try a little dessert or something, get to know the person and…if they can hold a conversation,” said Proctor. She said she likes the intimate, laidback atmosphere, which she said creates, “a nice place to talk.”

If sitting at a dinner date is not your style, Callie Hood, a third year linguistics and international affairs major from Buchanan, said going to the State Botanical Garden in Athens would be a great activity. “I feel like that’s a cool place to walk around and get to know a person,” Hood said. “I also feel like it’d be less awkward than trying to go and make conversation over dinner.”

For those who are more artistically inclined, Karen Mejia, a senior advertising major from Norcross, said ARTini’s would be a cute place to go for a friend date. This unique activity involves taking a painting class while adult beverages are available for sale.

Sven Leicher, a junior economics major from Atlanta, mentioned the location of a field near the Jittery Joe’s roaster where people fly their drones overhead. “You can get coffee and stuff like that at the same time,” he said. “That was the first time I went [out] with my girlfriend, before we dated.” 

Gunnar Weger

Gunnar Weger, a senior finance major from Honolulu, said his perfect date would be going ice skating in the Classic Center, an activity he did often in the winters of his childhood in Washington, D.C. “It just brings back very fond memories. Makes me feel young — younger,” Weger said.

Lifestyle, MOTS

UGA students dream up the best dates in Athens

Roses are red, violets are blue, for a date in Athens, what do you do? The best spots for dating in the Classic City are determined by what you are looking for, according to an informal poll of UGA students conducted by JOUR 3190.

 

Among the 12 students questioned, answers varied from casual coffee dates to watching drones fly in an empty field at night. Some students described dates they had been on, while others imagined what a dream date would be. Each student had a unique perspective when it came to planning a date.

 

For the students who are in relationships, shared experiences with a significant other stood out.

 

Sven Leicher talking about watching drones.

One of those students was Sven Leicher, a third year economics major from Atlanta. Before he and his girlfriend were dating, she had taken him to an empty parking lot near a drone field so that they could watch the drones fly. Leicher said that he and his girlfriend still go to watch the drones.

 

Couples often had specific stories, while single students imagined an activity they would like to do with someone.

 

Sam Perryman, a second year finance major from Cumming, and his girlfriend Katie Kirkland, a second year wildlife major from Fayetteville, both remembered a date they had gone on to Five Guys. The couple said that after eating they took advantage of the high-top bar seating near the windows and “people watched.” Perryman said that they even looked up the information on lanyards a group of students were wearing to figure out that it was a high school band.

 

Romantic dates were not the only focus. Karen Mejia, a fourth year advertising major from Norcross, said she would rather have a friend-date at ARTini’s Art Lounge. Although Meija said she is not good at painting, it would still be a relaxing activity for her and her friends.

 

For Callie Hood, a third year linguistics and international affairs major from Buchanan, her dream date would be to walk around the State Botanical Garden of Georgia. Hood has been to the garden once or twice and said walking around would be “less awkward” than talking over dinner with someone.

 

“I feel like that’s a cool place to walk around and get to know a person,” Hood said.

 

Ashleigh Proctor describing the intimacy of Ike & Jane Café and Bakery.

Being in an environment that was ideal for conversing and getting to know someone was also a priority for Ashleigh Proctor, a second year biology major from Augusta. For Proctor, Ike & Jane Café and Bakery  would be a great spot for a coffee date since you can order dessert and get to know a person—like if they can hold a conversation.

 

“It’s a nice place to talk,” Proctor said. “There’s never too many people, so it’s not really crowded and busy.”

 

Instead of sitting and talking Gunnar Weger, a fourth year finance major from Honolulu, said his dream date would be to go ice skating at the Classic Center. When he lived in D.C., Weger said that he would go ice skating 10 to 20 times a year.

 

“It just brings back very fond memories. It makes me feel younger,” Weger said about ice skating.

Lifestyle, MOTS

UGA takes a break from partying this spring break

Spring break 2017 will be a week for relaxing not partying for some University of Georgia students, according to a recent informal poll of UGA students conducted by JOUR 3190.

Of the 12 students polled, only two stated plans of going to the beach for their spring break.

“I’m going to spend a week watching television, catching up on sleep, and playing with my dog,” said Vallari Bhave, a second year marketing major from Johns Creek.

In 2010, UGA was ranked as the number one party school in the country according to The Princeton Review. By 2015, UGA had dropped to number eight on the list of 20 and in 2016 was left off of the list completely.

The informal poll’s results seemed to mimic this downward partying trend for UGA students.

“I mean I love to party,” said Katie Peterson, a third year sociology and women’s studies major from Roswell. “But I’m not one to be around a million people and be super crowded around a bunch of drunk a**holes. Like physically and emotionally can’t deal with that. I would fight people if I had to do that.”

Peterson plans to visit her brother in Florida and go to Universal Studios instead.

“I mean I love to party. But I’m not one to be around a million people.”

Avoiding the spring break beach hotspots seems like a common theme among UGA students this spring break season.

“Now that I’m in college I really want to avoid the beaches. I want to avoid that completely,” said Tucker Pennington a second year journalism major from Marietta. Pennington is road tripping to Clemson, South Carolina to visit friends for the week-long break.

Tucker Pennington being interviewed at UGA.

Using the break for service was also a plan for some of those students surveyed.

Adaobi Ugonabo will be going on an IMPACT trip over spring break. IMPACT is a UGA service-based educational trip which offers a chance for service over the break.

“It seemed like an interesting thing to do over spring break and you get to actually help people and get something out of it,” said Ugonabo, a fourth year public relations major from Stockbridge.

Samuel Tingle, who spent last year’s spring break on an IMPACT trip in North Carolina, plans to go on a cruise this year. Kwame Kessie and Sydney Giles also have plans to go on cruises during their break from classes.

Tingle is heading to the Bahamas for five days with friends, and wanted to steer clear of any “sprang break” plans such as partying in Panama City Beach.

Samuel Tingle being interviewed at UGA.

After spring break partying came to an all time high in 2015, with shootings and sexual assault incidents, the Panama City Beach local officials cracked down on partying, according to AL.com.

Legislation has been passed that makes drinking on PCB beaches illegal in the month of March which is when the majority of college spring breaks are scheduled.

“I heard that the ban has caused a lot of college students to steer clear of PCB,” said Kessie. “I also heard that it’s not a destination people want to go to anymore.”

New legislation at major party beaches have students who do want to party on the beach searching for new destinations.

Nikki Sarmer, a second year intended public relations major from Warner Robins, plans to go to Destin, Florida instead. She said she “would never” go to PCB after the crackdown.

Lifestyle, MOTS

UGA students opt out of “crowded” beach scene for spring break

Audio

While the University of Georgia might have a reputation as a top “party school,” at least some students are putting partying on hold for spring break 2017, according to an informal poll conducted last week by JOUR 3190.

Of the 12 students interviewed, only two had plans of going to a beach during spring break; neither of which included the popular Panama City Beach.

While Panama City Beach has traditionally been the go-to destination for college students, recent legislation on alcohol bans for the beach have resulted in disinterest among many.

According to the Panama City Beach government website, Ordinance 1353 prohibits “the possession or consumption of alcohol on the Sandy Gulf Beach during the month of March.”

“I heard that the ban has caused a lot of college students to steer clear of Panama City Beach,” said Kwame Kessie, a fourth year engineering major from Stone Mountain, Georgia. “I also heard that it’s not a destination people want to go to anymore.”

Kwame Kessie being interviewed on UGA campus.

Kessie, who said he has been on beach trips for spring break in the past, decided to go on a cruise to Mexico with his friends this year instead.

“I actually did a beach trip last year, and me and my friends decided that a cruise would be really fun and cost effective because everything would be included in the price of the cruise,” Kessie said.

The price of a spring break trip turned out to be a primary factor in seeking other plans for students like Adaobi Ugonabo, a third year public relations major from Stockbridge, Georgia.

Ugonabo decided to go on an IMPACT trip for her spring break, which is a service-based educational program hosted by UGA for college students who want an alternative option to the regular spring break experience.

Adaobi Ugonabo being interviewed on UGA campus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“From a lot of people, I’ve heard that IMPACT trips are life changing and you meet people that you’re friends with for the rest of your life,” Ugonabo said. “It seemed like an interesting thing to do over spring break and you get to actually help people and get something out of it.”

Ugonabo also said that the cost for her to go on the IMPACT trip was around $155, which included housing, transportation and food.

Kayla Duncan, a second year animal science major from Atlanta, came to her decision on what she would do for spring break based on her personal preferences.

“Panama City Beach isn’t really my style,” said Duncan. “I’m more of a theme park kind of person.”

Duncan said she and a few of her friends plan on going to Orlando to go to a couple of parties and to visit the theme parks.

“We didn’t do anything last spring break and I know Orlando has a lot of fun theme parks,” said Duncan. “Orlando is just a common place that most people usually go to.”

Katie Peterson, a third year sociology and women’s studies major from Roswell, Georgia said she also planned to travel to Florida for spring break. She said she would be visiting her brother and going to Universal Studios.

Like Duncan, Peterson said the traditional Panama City Beach-like scene did not interest her.

“I’m not really that type of person,” Peterson said. “I mean I love to party, but I’m not one to be around a million people and be super crowded around a bunch of drunk a——s.”

 

Backgrounder, Lifestyle

A Taste Of Terrapin

On Friday and Saturday nights, the streets of Athens are crowded with locals and tourists out to get a beer. But on most afternoons you can find many of the same beer lovers drinking unique brews at Terrapin Beer Company located on Newton Bridge Road.

Terrapin Beer Company was founded in 2002 by John Cochran and Spike Buckowski. The duo introduced their now classic Rye Pale Ale at the Classic City Brewfest. The beer was only available on draft around Athens until 2007 when the brewery opened.

Presently, beer lovers can visit the brewery Wednesday through Sunday at 265 Newton Bridge Rd. with hours varying throughout the week. Wednesday and Thursday tours and tastings are given from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday it is open from 1:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Sunday it is open 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Terrapin offers two packages to guests at the brewery. The first package— the “stay & play tour”— consists of a tour of the production facility and 36 ounces of various beers for tasting on site. The price starts at $12.

The second option for visitors is the “souvenir tour” which provides patrons with 72 ounces of beer to take home and a promotional tour which starts at $10. Both packages can be combined and prices vary depending on which beers are chosen.

Terrapin offers a variety of beers onsite for tastings. Some of the unique beers include the original Rye, Hi-5, Liquid Bliss and Rise N Shine, among others. Hi-5 is a California inspired beer with a citrusy flavor. Another brew, Liquid Bliss, is peanut butter and chocolate flavored.

Terrapin Beer Co. on Twitter: “Where will you #TakeTerrapin this weekend? 📷: @crftbeerproject pic.twitter.com/81U0jjox48 / Twitter”

Where will you #TakeTerrapin this weekend? 📷: @crftbeerproject pic.twitter.com/81U0jjox48

Although Terrapin is a local Athens favorite, in 2016 the majority share of the company was sold to Tenth and Blake Beer Company, a division of MillerCoors. Tenth and Blake Beer Company bought a minority share in 2012.

The beer company has won multiple awards for its brews throughout the years. Terrapin’s original beer won the gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2002. In recent years, Terrapin has been awarded Best Georgia Brewer, Best Georgia Beer, and ranked in the top 100 brewers in the world by RateBeer.com, an independent website run by the beer loving community.

 

Backgrounder, Lifestyle

Rubber Soul: Yoga for Athenians

Do you need to relax? Rubber Soul Yoga Revolution can help. For over a decade, the yoga studio on Pulaski Street has functioned as a donation-based studio, offering a variety of classes—from gentle yoga to tai chi.

As daily life becomes more demanding and stress ridden, 19 million adults in the U.S. are turning to yoga, according to a survey conducted by Wakefield Research for Yoga Alliance in 2015.  CAN YOU LINK TO THIS SOURCE?

With classes offered from 4:30 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. every day but Thanksgiving and Christmas, this studio provides ample opportunities for Athenians of all socioeconomic classes to stretch and relax. According to its website, the mission of Rubber Soul is to “provide community-based yoga at a price affordable to all.”

The owner of Rubber Soul, Cal Clement, faced skepticism from locals when the studio first opened as the donation-based model did not seem fit to last the constantly changing Athens business market. However, the studio has had continued success because patrons pay based on how they value their experience rather than a fixed rate, according to Clement in a 2015 interview with the Red & Black.

In the same interview, Clement said, “It’s important to consider the congruity between the concept of donation, compassion and generally giving things away with the project.” Clement added, “fortunately, it aligns with the core values of yoga.”

Acroyoga @ Rubber Soul Yoga on Instagram: “2 birds with one stone 🐥🐣 #acroyoga this was maras first time with bird on hands and feet 🎊🎉”

86 likes, 5 comments – rubbersoul_yoga on June 15, 2015: “2 birds with one stone 🐥🐣 #acroyoga this was maras first time with bird on hands and feet 🎊🎉”

The studio’s longevity stems from its adaptation of nontraditional classes like a “laughing meditation” class which used to take place on Fridays, according to Online Athens article from 2006. The class focused on combining yoga and laughter to relieve stress.

Although this class no longer takes place, Rubber Soul continues to have a consciousness toward its customer’s needs. For example, the studio offers a “rainbow flow yoga” class which was “designed with LGBTQ community and its supporters in mind,” according to the Rubber Soul website.

This idea to adapt yoga practices to fit the needs of community members is part of an Americanized trend to adjust the 5,000-year-old activity to relaxation techniques that are specific to people’s current lives.

“Yoga is evolving to meet cultural needs,” Yoga Alliance president Hansa Knox Johnson told the Associated Press in 2004.

Backgrounder, Lifestyle

Condor Chocolates brings a healthy twist to a sweet treat

The founders of Condor Chocolates describe their company as a “bean to bar” chocolate shop, which for them means the journey begins with cacao forests in Ecuador and ends in the hands of Athens customers, thanks to family ties and a commitment to fair trade.

The idea of using Ecuadorian cacao beans originated from founders Nick and Peter Dale’s mother’s Ecuadorian roots, according to the shop’s website.

“‘Bean-to-bar’ is a term we use which means we do everything from having a cacao bean all the way to a finished product,” said Peter Dale in a 2016 Guide 2 Athens article.

A Livestrong article describes cacao beans as being “produced by the cacao tree, a small evergreen native to tropical Mexico and Central America.”

The Dale brothers’ familial link to Ecuador has been shown in their collaboration with Ecuadorian farmers and co-ops.

“These farmers are working hard and making something delicious for us, so it is something we feel good about producing with them,” Peter Dale told Guide 2 Athens blogger, Katy Underwood.

A Grady Newsource article reported that Condor roasts and grinds all of its cacao beans inside of the shop. A full description of each stage of the chocolate-making process can be found on Condor’s website.

 

Condor Chocolates on Instagram: “// this fall brings us many different types of bar flavors // Featured today is the warm El Deseo + Cayenne — coming soon. #chocolatetellsastory”

126 likes, 2 comments – condorchocolatesOctober 13, 2016 on : “// this fall brings us many different types of bar flavors // Featured today is the warm El Deseo + Cayenne — coming soon. #chocolatetel…”.

According to its online menu, Condor’s Camino Verde dark chocolate bar is made with over 75 percent Ecuadorian chocolate from Guayas, a province on Ecuador’s Pacific coast.

Classic chocolate bar flavors are given unique twists by mixing sea salt and cayenne into the chocolate.

Although Condor’s emphasis has been on incorporating Ecuadorian culture into the chocolate industry, the Dale brothers have still included a Georgia flare with their milk chocolate bar made with Georgia pecans, according to an article in Flagpole Magazine.

Truffles, salted caramel brownies, macarons and hot cocoa are just a few of the other sweets you can indulge in at the dessert café.

Each chocolate bar costs $8, truffles are $2 each, brownies are $5, macarons are $2.50 and the hot cocoa is $4 per mug.

By using raw cacao beans from Ecuador in all of their chocolate products, the Dale brothers have managed to create treats that are not only good for your taste buds, but also beneficial for your health.

“I consider raw chocolate a superfood,” said consultant cardiologist Dr. Aseem Malhotra, in a 2016 London Evening Standard article. “It’s full of antioxidants and gives you magnesium, too.”

“If you want to eat chocolate as a health food, you should get it as close in form to this raw cacao bean as possible,” said Kate Whitehead in a 2015 Post Magazine article. “Ecuador is the world’s leading exporter of top-quality chocolate – that which is at least 70 percent cocoa.”

Condor Chocolates is open six days a week. It is closed on Mondays for production.