Month: June 2025

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Madame Cocoa: A Place To Indulge

Describe your dream chocolate bar.

“Velata”

“Velata” means veiled. I love this idea of a decadent chocolate exploration and ritual. This space may have a sister or brother shop in the back for cigars, ciders, and espresso to accompany a plethora of decadent chocolate.

“Madame Cocoa”

“Madame Cocoa” is a place for some of the best chocolate in the world. Beautiful ambiance, plush seating, and rich indulgences. There also has to be a sister shop that serves as a chocolate spa in the back. The spa would have chocolate, milk, honey, raw sugar, and other sweet facials and scrubs. Madame Cocoa is a great place for cacao rituals and bridal parties.

“Miel & Noir”

“Miel & Noir” means honey and dark. Have some tea and chocolate on your lunch break. Although, this kind of looks like my dream bedroom.

Which one is your favorite?

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A Wrinkle In Time

Do you remember your favorite book from childhood?

This is an old book, but I remember reading A Wrinkle In Time and loving it. I also loved East of Eden by John Steinbeck, Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid, Ramona Quimby Age 8, Paradise by Toni Morrison, The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker, a lot of Jackie Collins and Whoreson by Donald Goines.

The latter was a gift from my uncle who gave me his collection when I turned twelve. I added Donald Goines to the mix because he was my gateway into urban life in many ways. I am fascinated by his life. He was a drug addict who wrote novels to support his habit. He was like a Charles Bukowski in some ways. But what an interesting motivation. His books had a lot of depth to them and really spoke to the lascivious underbelly of American life as well as race relations. He was absolutely prolific and ahead of his time.