Penzey's

Carytown, in the heart of Richmond, is an eclectic treat at any time of the year.

I visited two shops there for the first time this weekend and heartily recommend them.

Penzey's specializes in spices. And I mean, every kind of spice and spice blend imaginable, from every culinary corner of the world, Milwaukee to India. They also have jars of the different blends for customers to sample, via your happy schnoz, that is.

For the Love of Chocolate is simply heaven. Not only does it offer every conceivable way to enjoy the divine brown bean, it also features unusual and old-fashioned candies. You gotta love a place where under one roof you can drift away in the ambrosia of masala-spiced chocolate or channel your inner wild man to chow down on a candied scorpion.

Go forth and enjoy!