Candy Barrel, How I Love Thee

We all have our vices and all of mine involve food. I like ice cream, chocolate, potato chips, and candy. There are many types of candy that are essential to my existence. Gummy bears are at the top of the list. Recently I took a trip to North Carolina. I drove, so naturally I needed a lot of snacks for the 12 hour drive. Gummy bears were well represented in the mix. Once in North Carolina, while hangign out with my friends and their children, I heard about a recent visit to The Candy Barrel. They talked about peach NEHI soda and candy buttons. Nice. Of course I demanded to be taken there immediatelly, nicely at first, but then I had to get serious about it. I imagine no parents are too keen on taking their children to a candy store twice in one week. But, soon the parental figures relented and we were on our way down a very curvy road to a tiny village of Valle Crucis.The Candy Barrel is annexed to Mast General Store which was established in 1883. Of course as far as I am concerned, Mast General Store in the Candy Barrel’s Annex. It is a magical, colorful, owe inspiring place. I walked in and picked up the small hand-basket, looked around and thought to myself “I am as happy as a kid in a candy store.” I truly was. I bought everything gummy that they had – bears, butterflies, worms, and toy soldiers. I bought old-timey candy that I have never had, or have never even heard of before. Gourmet strawberry licorice, peanut chews of all sizes and shapes, pink grapefruit slices, Swedish fish, chocolate covered sunflower seeds … All in all about $38.00 worth of candy. I haven’t spent $38.00 on anything lately … I need a pair of new shoes, but that will have to wait until next month.I was planning on savouring my candy for a long time. I had the hardest time deciding what to eat first. My friend said that I should just stick my hand in the bag and eat the first thing that I pull out. I was running a risk of putting my hand in the bag and pulling out something trivial, like a sesame chew or a chicko stick. I dug deep to the bottom of the bag where I knew I would find gummy bears. Yeah, I cheated.Since then the gummy bears, gummy butterflies and gummy worms have been exterminated. Strawberry licorice decimated, and pink grapefruit slices relished till gone. I need to slow down … what if I run out of stuff??Now I found a cure for that too … Mast General Store (along with it’s Annex) is online!