"candles" news and stories

Ever wonder how many calories you're swallowing during your large Thanksgiving feast? Have one measly serving of everything could cost you close to 2,000 calories. For one meal. Don't forget pre-dinner snacking and meals. That certainly deflates the tasty allure of helping #3.

If you don't want to think about the inevitable holiday weight gain, you could intake food through the nose! You can smell your cookies instead of eating them, although that might be a tease too tempting to bear.

From Grateful Palate, the brilliant folks that brought us the Bacon of the Month Club, come these bacon, lettuce and tomato scented votive candles. Justifying the need for the smell of bacon in one's home seems unnecessary, but nevertheless, the Grateful Palate offers this pitch: "You may want to light them in your kitchen, office or bedroom or wherever you seek sensual pleasure and enlightenment; by yourself or with someone special." I'd say that "someone special" is an understatement. If anyone responds favorably to your setting the mood with a bacon candle, then you're talkin' soul-mate. I still don't quite understand the "Bacon=Freedom" part, though. The set of three, which sells for $33.95, would seem to go against the hunger-quelling candles that Sarah posted about last month.

On Valentine's Day, more than 30% of all Americans will eat at a restaurant, making it the second most popular holiday for dining out, after Mother's Day. When numbers are broken down by age, it is not surprising to see that for people between the ages of 25 and 34, the numbers are much higher, with 41% of people dining at a restaurant on February 14. The highest numbers are among the 18-24 year olds, with 47% percent heading out to eat. Those who dine out will spend an average of $62 dollars on dinner, while possibly spending more on gifts such as chocolates and flowers. OpenTable.com is a great way to check for reservations are some of your favorite restaurants across the country and the world.

Though dining out can be fun and romantic, for some lovebirds there is nothing as romantic as a home-cooked meal shared across a table for two. Cooking together or cooking for a loved one can be a more romantic and thoughtful gift than a box of chocolates, for those who enjoy cooking.