There's something so wrong about events that charge an admission fee just to sell you more stuff. The Chocolate Salon charged a $20 admission fee for adults and a $10 admission fee for children. What did you get for that fee? Nothing absolutely nothing. There was no gift bag, no special treat for having paid the ridiculous fee to get in to the tiny event. What you got were samples so small you had to really focus on what you were tasting to know what you were eating. I believe that if I put together all the tastings I got and melted them together to form a whole new candy I'd probably get the equivalent of half a candy bar or about 4 pieces of candy. When I read about this event and I expected row after row of chocolatiers sampling their finest creations. I expected, yeah, small tastings, but I also expected every vendor to give out a full size candy piece too(truffle size). I expected to go home with so many chocolate samples that I could fill a three pound candy box with it or at least a one pound candy box, but that certainly was not the case.
When I arrived at the Pasadena Convention Center my first thought was where are all the people? There were no people in sight, no long lines, no signs pointing me to the event, not the norm for a convention. I opened the door and had to look around to make sure I was at the right place. I walked over to the check-in table and was guided down the stairs to the event, as I was walking down I ran in to a friend who was leaving the event only 10 minutes after she had arrived. She looked so disappointed and as I took my first glance at the event I felt the very same way. I turned and said to my son uhm, were not going to be here very long. There was maybe 20 booths, and not all were chocolate some sold nail gels and another make-up and a couple of other booths I don't even remember what they had, but it was not chocolate and everything was for sale and not even a discounted convention price. Chocolate pieces were going for $2.00 a truffle and boxed packages of six candies were going for $20.00, it was absurd!
The best and biggest sample at the event
I received complimentary admission to this event, but that wasn't enough to keep me from noticing how ridiculous this all was. Would I recommend it to you, my readers? Absolutely not! Save your money and treat yourself to something better with that admission fee. Perhaps a chocolate making class or a whole box of gourmet candies.