Although Valentine's Day can be cynically termed the most depressing holiday of the year, it still manages to get people thinking about two of our favorite pleasures: chocolate and sex. Babeland, a sex toy boutique, understands the allure of these pleasures and is having a free chocolate tasting event tonight at their SoHo store.
"Food and sex can both be pleasurable, sensuous experiences," said Pamela Doan, who works in public relations at Babeland. "Chocolate in particular is an indulgence and singular pleasure for some people. This may be because there's a chemical in chocolate that is linked to pleasure and enjoyment."
While the event will be light-hearted and full of free candy, there will also be opportunities to learn precisely why sex and sweets are so appealing. The chocolate collection is called "Aphrodisiacs," after substances that increase sexual desire.
"We've found that people come to Babeland looking for ideas and inspiration for creating memorable experiences," Doan said. "The experience in the store of learning about and sampling the 'Aphrodisiacs' is sure to be memorable as well."
For the event, Babeland is partnering with Theo Chocolate, a fair-trade and organic chocolate company providing samples from their innovative assortment.
"Babeland started selling Theo Chocolate and hosting events with them at our Seattle boutique in 2010," Doan said. "The chocolates were so popular and their distribution had grown nationally, so we expanded in the following years and saw the chocolate fly off the shelves in New York City stores, too."
This is the first time an event will be hosted with Theo at one of Babeland's Manhattan locations.
Theo's chocolates are infused with herbs and spices that have aphrodisiac qualities. The exotic names of these flavorings range from "sensual rose" to "spicy Ceylon cinnamon."
"Mostly, we want customers to have fun at the event and discover these amazing chocolates that pair perfectly with a sexy, romantic evening and make a smashing Valentine's Day gift," Doan said. "For college students, the event makes a great date."
The event is at 7 p.m. at Babeland in SoHo at 43 Mercer St. (between Broome and Grand streets).
