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Chocolate Hearts Sparks on Tuesday February the 14^th.

It only seems like yesterday we were watching the fireworks, celebrating the end and a start of the new year 2012. This year I decided to watch them at Botany Bay at Brighton Le Sands Sydney.

Chocolate Fireworks

It is famous as part of Australia’s heritage with Captain Cook’s landing. It has a very pretty stretch of park, pine trees and beach where families/friends  gather for picnics during the day and often lovers/couples will walk the bay side on a balmy evening. Incidentally it also very close to one of my own passions in life, the Fardoulis Chocolate factory.

A ten minute walk down the road to the shores of Botany Bay, I quite often walk the pathway and smile with terms of endearment at the youth frolicking in the water, rolling in the grass with their bodies entwined in puppy love. I also admire the mature couples walking hand in hand, it is truly clear and obvious  their quality time spent together over the years. One aspect of human nature and the universal feeling we all have experienced is LOVE.

Valentine's Day

A lover, a girlfriend, a boyfriend, a wife, a husband, a defacto, a friend regardless of gender, age and our changing times of today, the timeless feeling of having a crush on someone we are romantically drawn to remains. The pitter patter felt in our hearts most likely started when were at school. Were you in love with the boy or girl sitting next to you, or maybe the school teacher?

What was his/her name? I can recall the fond memories  back then, scribbling all over my notebooks, pictures of hearts and the initials of my first love. The picture of a red love heart is still widely used today as symbol of all things that makes us feel happy.

Love is Chocolate

Many have written on the subject of love, including novelists, play writers, psychologists, philosophers and doctors. Some have made it complex such as Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, whilst others make it simple and funny as in the legendary movie ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys’. Yes, we know some people’s belief of Valentine’s Day is wishful thinking….Love , gratitude, expressing appreciation of those you care for sealed with a kiss of attitude….let that special person know you are thinking of them.

The reality is true love is pure.

Historically, the term “romance” originates with the medieval ideal of chivalry as set out in its Romance literature. With Valentine’s Day less than a month away on the traditional date of the 14^th February, history is unclear on Saint Valentine’s Day. Commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day this is an annual commemoration celebrating love and affection between intimate companions.

Chocolates glowing with Love

Named after Saint Valentine (in latin, Valentinus) is the name of several (14 in all ) martyred saints of ancient Rome. The name ‘Valentine’, derived from valens (worthy, strong, powerful). I am not surprised with the contradictory history that Valentine’s Day is still considered a special day in modern times and most cultures.

Present day times of celebrating an old long tradition has changed since the middle ages. Couples, friends, work colleagues, the young and the matured romantic, the devoted respect of life time relationships and the gesture of gifting is for everyone.

Greeting cards, flowers, chocolates and a cuddly teddy bear are mostly given as a gifts for Valentine’s Day and showing the appreciation of “I Love you”.

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, however, a memorable few moments of receiving from a beloved or a sweet exchange of smiles with a friend, the day is traditionally when gift boxes of chocolates and red roses seem to outshine on Valentine’s Day.

Chocolate gifts for men on Valentine’s day is popular. If you really want to please that special male in your life our Chocolate Plato range of Dark Chocolate Truffles packaged in three sizes is sure to impress.

We all know the old saying,

“The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach”.

“I say “His taste buds is the way to a man’s heart.“

Made with pure couverture chocolate, the Milk Chocolate Plato Truffles can be packed in red cellophane wrapping. Just ask us at Fardoulis Chocolates.

We  can deliver direct from our online store or purchase from David Jones Australia wide.

Fardoulis Chocolates will be running a Valentine’s Day giveaway on Facebook. Movie and Chocolate night. Stay tuned for more information ….

For those who are staying in for the night I found a link with the top all time romance films.  Why not make sure you have a box  of chocolates ready as a surprise.

Email win@choc.com.au. Tell us your favourite  film and ask your male friends their favourite film?  Can guarantee somewhere there was love in the movie. Behind every hero there was a great woman. As for our men how can we not adore them, especially on Valentine’s Day.

Pictures from our talented wonderful Ayca, Photography by Andrianna’s New Year’s Eve fireworks, Chocolate Hearts from our much loved Willy Wonka Constantinos Fardoulis.

Don’t forget to enter at www.choc.com.au or on facebook page

© 2012, Fardoulis Chocolates. All rights reserved.

www.choc.com.au

THE CHOCOLATE ARCHITECT

Colour and design has always been a wonderful role in creating Fardoulis Chocolates gift boxes.This pictorial story and the images are dedicated to our very special, talented and inspirational person in the Fardoulis Chocolates trilogy. It seems like quite often we tend to forget the behind the scene credits.

In the lead up to Christmas Fardoulis Chocolates had a campaign running of a $5000 giveaway through Facebook. Below are the beautiful images communicated by  the amazing Ayca, our graphic communications designer.

Ayca and I have been working for a number of years together. I met Ayca when she was studying visual communication and we have been working together ever since she joined us. I have watched her continued passion and dedication to our Chocolate Sanctuary with the exquisite packaging design of gift boxes. Immersing herself furthering her learning, Ayca has learnt the art in intuitively expressing the fun in chocolate, the luxury of chocolate and the most important, giving our customers pleasure.

Visual communication with Ayca has been more than just work. We laugh, have fun, strive to reach our deadlines , however ,more important, Ayca is and has become a very special individual in my life.

This has been one of the most enjoyable successful creative directions we have journeyed together, our future of the next phase is to bring alive the five senses. The taste, the feel, the sound, the words and the visual dynamics created with Ayca.

Meet Ayca…The Chocolate Architect…

Ayca, The Chocolate Architect Star...presents...

I Love The Youtube Video…

Pat the Parrot….

My True Love Sent To Me ?

Chocolate Christmas Tree….

Oh Christmas Chocolate Tree...

Crystal Christmas Tree….

Sparkling Chocolate Crystals

The Opera Christmas….

Blue Harmony

Reflections….I Love Pink….

The Chocolate Frog ..for those that love Pink...

How Many Stars Can You See?….

How Many Stars Can You See ?

Christmas Decorations….

The True Spirit Of Christmas ....

The Australian Yowie…Our Willy Wonka Constantinos Fardoulis

Spend Christmas with me....

Our Yowie is Happy, Singing in The Rain…

Fardoulis Chocolates Yowie Singing In The Rain...

The Chocolate Communication…Ayca Has Taught Me Well…!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.Enjoy the festivities

with love…the Trilogy..Anna, Constantinos and Ayca..

Live Footage

What is your New Year’s resolution…?

Mine is for more design creation with Ayca…:)

View our full range of products at: www.choc.com.au

© 2011 – 2012, Fardoulis Chocolates. All rights reserved.

www.choc.com.au

FROM THE OCEAN TO THE WATER LILY POND.

Wildlife Preservation

Chocolate Frogs

The sea in it’s purest state, takes us across an ocean. The book, The Waves by Virginia Woolf is  a ripple effect of characters who explores concepts of individuality. Breaking the boundaries down between people, the book flows between prose and poetry. Woolf, herself wrote that the six characters were not meant to be separate ”characters” at all, but rather facets of a sense of continuity. My love for prose I can relate with the flow of water. The first opening lines are enough to hear the voice of a great author and her exploration of identity.

Water is the essence of life just as chocolate is the gift from the fruit tree called Theobroma Cacao. The ‘cocoa bean’ seed not unlike the characters and facets of the book has transformed our own lives. From the outer layer to cultivation, chocolate has a vast maturity and sophistication through the ages.

Fardoulis Chocolate Frogs

About Frogs: Frogs are assimilated to a healthy ecological planet in our environmental awareness. When we see a frog it is nature’s gift of letting us know our planet is safe.

Australia, as a  continent of the world we are an island nation.Surrounded by surf beaches, the Australian chocolate frog symbolises our world heritage status and preservation of water life. Almost every Australian chocolate company makes a chocolate frog as part of our love for nature and respect for wildlife.

The kids just love the milk chocolate. Good news is we now have dark chocolate frogs in our range for the adults. Why not share? All our chocolate frogs also come in crème filled flavours. We have a name for our chocolate frogs. Choc Ribbit, Creamy Croak and Yummy Jumpy.

Our chocolate frogs decided to take an adventure trip across the Pacific Ocean and show you some of their own discovery of the ‘The Galápagos Islands’

Fardoulis Chocolate Frog surfing over the Pacific Ocean for some ‘Island Hopping’

Galapagos Islands

CHOC RIBBIT about to go hopping;

The Galápagos Islands and its surrounding waters form an Ecuadorian province, a national park, and a biological marine reserve. The principal language on the islands is Spanish.

Coincidentally it was the Spanish that brought us chocolate as we know today to Europe. Although Christopher Columbus had first set foot on the land of cocoa beans by accident he had not encountered cocoa in all its glory. Unbeknown to him it was used as trading commodity (money) and Spanish women were the first to become ‘chocaholics’ ( a hot chocolate drink) before their menfolk. Does this surprise us?

Fardoulis Chocolate Frog on his surfboard looking for his pond.

Tranquil in the water

CREAMY CROAKY waiting for the sets;

Fardoulis Chocolate ‘Frog the in Water Lily Pond’

Water Lilies by Monet

YUMMY JUMPY loves Monet Art;

The chocolate frog is our Monet, he studied the reflections of the ‘Water Lilies’. A series of  oil paintings by French Impressionist Claude Monet (1840–1926). The paintings depict Monet’s flower garden at Giverny and were the main focus of Monet’s artistic production during the last thirty years of his life.

The continuity of a great author’s book, ‘The Waves’, the everlasting flow of water, Claude Monet’s artistic paintings, the history of chocolate and our chocolate frogs. The cross section themes, relations of following passions, the rhythm of life and cycle of time seems like our chocolate frogs have landed right back on their own feet.

Choc Ribbit, Creamy Croaky and Yummy Jumpy…. they have a surprise for you in the coming year. They are asking us to help preserve their world. Sponsor a chocolate frog….Coming soon…!

Please feel free to contact us with your thoughts. Fardoulis Chocolates will award to school projects related to any of the above. Or perhaps we could be invited to teach you a lot more history on chocolate?

Subscribe today for updates on events. Choc Ribbit, Creamy Croaky and Yummy Jumpy will join you in the adventure.

Fardoulis Chocolates Monet Chocolate Frog

The  Australian reflection

The swirl of chocolate, feels like home..!

View our full range of products at: www.choc.com.au

© 2011, Fardoulis Chocolates. All rights reserved.

Fardoulis Chocolates

www.choc.com.au

Christmas is the season for giving and what better gift to give than Chocolate? There are many ways to gift with Chocolate. Include a box of beautifully handmade chocolates in a hamper, place a box under the tree to enjoy on Christmas Day or you can personalise chocolates for  that special someone in your life as a unique gift to remember.

Fardoulis Chocolates are little pieces of luxury made with velvety pure couverture chocolate and filled with creamy smooth centres. Offering delivery Australia wide, we pride ourselves on quality for our customers. Gifting is a joy and taken into consideration when designing the exquisite Fardoulis packaging.

With an unrivalled reputation for crafting superior tasting chocolates and variety of flavours to choose from, our chocolate gift boxes are designed as collectable items. The boxes are great for travel and posting out to your loved ones that can’t be reached.

Not only do they make a great Christmas gift, Fardoulis Chocolates are also a great table decoration at Christmas for those entertaining.

What gift would you like to receive this Christmas at your door?

View our full ranges of products at: www.choc.com.au

Knock Knock …..!

© 2011, Fardoulis Chocolates. All rights reserved.

www.choc.com.au

Strawberry Fields Forever and the Salvation Army

John Lennon wrote a song called ‘Strawberry Fields Forever.’ I can play the tune in my mind as I sit here in my garden and write. The song was inspired from his childhood memories of playing in a garden of the Salvation Army house called ‘Strawberry Field’.

Chocolates playing in the strawberry fields….

Their was an annual treat for children at the Strawberry Field House every summer with a garden party. John Lennon was very nostalgic about his times spent growing up in Liverpool. A United Kingdom English city recognised in the Guinness Book of records for music, it is also internationally known as the ‘World Capital City of Pop.’ The claim to fame for ‘The Beatles’, the most successful pop rock group from the 1960’s.

In 2008 the music Echo Arena opened hosting some of today’s renowned acts such as Andrea Bocelli, Beyoncé, Elton John, Kanye West, Kasabian, The Killers, Lady Gaga, Oasis, Pink, Rihanna, UB40.

Amongst being one of the ‘European Capital of Culture’, famous authors such as Charles Dickens spent extended periods in Liverpool. During the 1960’s the city became known for Liverpool poets that gave rise to a place where performing arts reflect annual theatre festivals such as the Liverpool Shakespeare Festival.

I’ve mentioned some famous people in music whom have made a contribution to our society. Inspired us to feel happy, enjoy their arts and continue to unite the world at a time when people need a helping hand. They have touched us all regardless of their fame today and yesterday. We may not have all understood their lyrics, agreed to their ideals, however we cannot deny the influence music has brought philanthropic enhancement to charities.Our own infatuation to listen, feel the vibrations, dance to the beat, shout in excitement, clap our hands in recognition, play the song over and over again. Squatting outside the ticket office for hours when released dates are announced for a famous pop star or band’s concert, more enthralling who can recall arriving in the early mornings to a field ensuring front position at an outdoor concert.? I can….

The colourful field of flowers swaying to the rhythm of music! Our picnic baskets filled with food, we gathered in enchantment, our legs curled up on our chequered picnic blankets, the esky filled with ice, cooling our drinks as we honoured the performers.

“Please sir, I want some more” Oliver Twist, novel by Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens‘ novel, Oliver Twist, the story of orphaned boys touched me and I will never forget the story. Oliver was asking for food. Brought up in a poverty with juvenile offenders he lived in a workhouse with starving boys. One day, the desperately hungry boys decide to draw lots; the loser must ask for another portion of gruel. The task falls to Oliver, who at the next meal tremblingly comes forward, bowl in hand, and makes his famous request: “Please, sir, I want some more.”

A real fact that remains in the world today. There are those who rely on charity organisations and a wonderful reminder how the Salvation Army provide a community service till this day of feeding people and helping the less fortunate. Unlike the story of Oliver, a bowl of food filled with goodies is provided to thousands of people on Christmas day.

The assistance from the public donating, the businesses who provide the Christmas food, toys, gifts and the devoted work of volunteers. Fardoulis Chocolates have been donating to the Salvation Army Christmas hampers for many years.

The beatles getting ready for Christmas…

In Victoria, Australia three hours out of Melbourne we have our own Strawberry Field. A place where people gather to enjoy camping, art and the latest music culture. Strawberry Fields is a great website for pre Christmas festival of outdoor music and Melbourne innercity sideshows.

Many thanks to Ayca for the butterfly from the Chocolate Sanctuary, Willy Wonka for the flowers and chocolate, the remembrance of great musician/songwriters who made a difference. No matter what culture we followed past and present, we all have the basic love for receiving, giving and music symphony harmonies.

Everybody takes a walk down memory lane. The rocky road of life’s adventures can be a bit bumpy at times. John Lennon’s song and the lyrics left a definite legacy in our lives and one thing certain there is always a place where you will find your own Strawberry Field. Your sanctuary garden or your favourite park. Where is yours?

© 2011, Fardoulis Chocolates. All rights reserved.

CHOCOLATE FASCINATOR

This story is written in consideration of Australian culture past and present. The Chocolate Fascinator was created with colours capturing the essence of our homeland.

November 1, 2011

Melbourne Cup features a day of fashion, champagne, races, bets as a nation stops. This year, at the
Sydney Hilton Hotel for the second time, I enjoyed the day with the Kytherian Association of Australia, family and friends. Behind the scenes are women that work hard to promote our triumph gathering of where monies are raised and donated to charity causes in our country, Australia.

The celebration is a happy event. In admiration of our Australian famous horse race I researched the history of the Melbourne Cup and Banjo Paterson. Fascinating as his history proves with horses being prize winning, I felt it very deserving of acknowledging their major role played in developing Australia’s rural and outback in our ancestry. Their endurance, agility, alertness and instinct to bond us as a country.

Listening to my friends with young children, I often hear of how homework and school projects take up a lot of time for parents after a hard day of working. Time poor today, I can relate the chronicle to what it must have been like for our own predecessors to work the land in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s with horses as their backbone.

I came across some great links on the history for school teachers, parents and children in reference to the history of the cup and women.

About this project | Fashion at the cup | Social Culture | Women and the Cup | History of fashion

The Sunburnt Country

Fardoulis Chocolates- Chocolate Fascinator

Sitting on the floor of my office with chocolate, paints, and brushes, Saturday afternoon following Melbourne Cup Day, I had enthusiasm to create a chocolate fascinator themed on our Australian culture. ‘The Sunburnt Country’.

In honour of Banjo Paterson, the famous bush poet in Australian history, he had a love for horses. In fact his real name was Andrew Barton born in a country town property called ‘Narrambla, near Orange, New South Wales. He published his first poem in the Sydney edition of ‘The Bulletin’ under the pseudonym of “The Banjo”, the name of a favourite horse. He caught the heart of Australia as a nation with his poem, “The Man from the Snowy River”.

Inspired from the horsemen from the Murrumbidgee River and Snowy Mountains rural country who took part in picnic races. For one hundred years it has consistently outsold any other collection of Australian poetry. Banjo Paterson wrote many poems on horses, rural and the outback of Australia. Paterson’s poem’s mostly represented his view of rural Australia.

His book and collection of on Australian bush poems is the most sold collection of his works. He later became a journalist, writing for the ‘Sydney Morning Herald’ and ‘The Age’. Studying law, he also performed well as an amateur sports player. A jockey, journalist, soldier and farmer, he was well known for exposing his fellow Australians of their hardships to the public.

The Kytherian Association Melbourne Cup Day 2011 Video

Major Sponsors of our event:

Queens Park Fashion located at Eastgardens Westfields Sydney. Thank you for the providing the latest spring fashion in the parade.

Fardoulis Chocolates, it is always our pleasure to be part of an event amongst devoted people.

- Money raised for the Schizophrenia Research

- A special thank you to the Kytherian Ladies Auxiliary. The winning fillies of our day.

-‘Nation Velvet’ my favourite story as a child. Her dream to train and dedication to a horse called ‘THE PIE.’ Her spirit upheld any jockey’s courage.

Who will be the next Banjo Paterson to write history, poetry and story telling on the ‘Black Caviar’? The Australian thoroughbred rated as the world’s top race horses, 31st March 2011.

Back to School Projects, after a hard days work and our little pedigrees come home with an assignment. A winning result comes with research, I hope our story is able to help with some future unfolding on Australia’s culture and history.

© 2011, Fardoulis Chocolates. All rights reserved.