It seems that everywhere I go, I see Easter candy. I use this term loosely, for these days I classify anything wrapped in pastel colors as being “Easter.” These days M&M’s come in lavender and Reese Peanut Butter Cups are wrapped in green; and they’re everywhere. No matter how much pink, yellow, and light blue I see, the candy that represents this quintessential moment in spring the best are marshmallow chicks – Peeps. These colorful and squishy chicks have been around for decades. Ever since its debut in the 1920s, they have become an important part of Spring tradition. I remember chewing into its sticky goodness while hunting for Easter eggs when I was younger. That’s how important Peeps were to me and my friends (and probably to you too).

So you can imagine my surprise when I learned that people use Peeps for a purposes other than sugar highs. The Washington Post is hosting a competition for dioramas created with Peeps. They are encouraging their readers to recreate a famous event or scene and have the characters represented by Peeps marshmallow chicks. Apparently, they will announce the winners April 8, and I can’t wait to see actual photos of the submissions. Another use for Peeps involves a microwave, toothpicks, and a very bored individual or two. Called “Peeps Jousting,” you stick a toothpick into each Peep, arrange them to face each other in the microwave, turn it on, and watch as the toothpicks fly into the other chick. The winner is the Peep chick that does not deflate when hit with the opponent’s “lance.” (I’m not kidding. I found documented evidence that this is a real game.)

Whether you like Peeps for its sugar overload, jousting, or creative purposes, in the spirit of this Easter season it’s hard not to buy a couple of boxes of yellow, pink, and blue chicks to bring back home. I know I will be enjoying a few and sharing the rest. Will you?

The House of Representatives passed the ban on marijuana-flavored candy this past week. Apparently, some candy man thought it was a great idea to use hemp essential oil to create candy that taste like marijuana. And voila! Products like the Pot Sucker and Kronic Kandy are born. While the defenders of these products say these are harmless and for novelty purposes only, our government disagreed. Candy has great appeal to children, so what kind of message would we be sending to the trick-or-treater when we hand out a Pot Sucker along with a KitKat? Implicitly, we’re saying that the Pot Sucker is just as acceptable as the latter. I say that until we legalize marijuana in this country, there is no need for us to paint a picture that marijuana is okay to the kids. There is no need for this type of implicit endorsement.

Where did the good old days of innocent candy go? Novelty candies are supposed to be fun! Treats like Tulip Lollipops, Ring Pops, and Candy Lipstick have become an essential part of childhood and growing up. I remember exchanging the flower-shaped lollipops with my valentines in elementary school and rocking a big red Ring Pop on my finger as a fashion statement. There is no room or place in my childhood for a Pot Sucker or Kronic Kandy.

Whether you’re for the Vote Hemp camp or the other, since it is now that much harder for any of us to purchase such products, I recommend other novelty sweets.

I thought I’ve heard them all. Wear your lucky boxers, kiss the rabbit’s food, throw salt over your shoulder, take an Adderal, or pray to your god. Students relied on these various methods to perform better on their standardized tests. Though I’m not superstitious nor extremely religious, I remember when I had to take my SAT’s I was ready to try just about anything. But now there’s scientific evidence that all a student has to do to increase concentration in a test environment is to eat a peppermint!

Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have found that a whiff of peppermint helped their test subjects perform better on tasks that required prolonged concentration. Middle schools in Maryland’s Montgomery County have been distributing peppermint candies to their students during their state assessments ever since. Come to think of it, when I was taking my mandatory state assessment in 7th grade, my teacher handed out peppermint candies during our 5 minute break. I’m not sure if it helped, but I remembered welcoming and appreciating the gesture.

Of course, there are still others who roll their eyes at such research. Either way, it can’t hurt to supplement your studies with a peppermint as an extra boost when taking the exam.

Who knew? So next time you want to score high, take a peppermint.

Without a doubt, supermodel Tyra Banks knows a thing or two about fashion. On March 14, the girls from this season’s America’s Next Top Model had a photo shoot where they didn’t model clothes. Instead, they wore candy! This got me thinking about candy as clothes. Is it possible? Better yet, is this a revolutionary idea that the candy man has not yet explored?

Upon further reflection, I realized that wearing candy is not a new concept. There has even been a CandyBlog article about candy lingerie and jewelry before. And of course, pop media and soap operas have shown us that chocolate syrup is certainly a way of “wearing” confections as well, albeit one wouldn’t be able to do that tastefully in public. Even Jessica Simpson’s edible lotions called Desserts are a form of wearable candy designed to lure us to have a taste of what we’re wearing. It’s nothing new.

However, just for a moment indulge me in picturing a Chloe tunic embroidered with sprinkles or a Marc Jacobs trench decorated with jelly beans. Or even a pair of Gucci platforms layered with chocolate wafers instead of patent leather. Or instead of the It dog or bag of the moment, the fashionistas would sport a lollipop. Wouldn’t these pieces create a stir in the fashion world of haute couture? Perhaps Tyra Banks can bring back authenticity and tastefulness (literally) to ready-to-wear fashion next time she decides to incorporate candy into a photo shoot. In any case, at least she understands the importance of candy and the connections we all have with sweet decadence.

I spent the past five days in utter bliss. I left the blizzards of Pittsburgh behind and baked poolside in 90 degree weather in Acapulco, Mexico. The best part of my trip? The open bar, where I was able to sip Strawberry Daiquiris and Bahama Mamas all day and all night long.

You can only imagine my rude awakening when I walked out of the doors of Pittsburgh International Airport. Not only was it snowing, but the weather forecast warns us to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day indoors! I watched my golden tan fade away as I rotted indoors, and fervently wished there was a way for me to bring back the Mexico sun.

Thankfully I found a way to bring a small piece of Acapulco back with me. Liquor Lickers! We’ve all seen chocolates with a liquor center. I, for one, have never really enjoyed them. However, Liquor Lickers are different. They are lollipops with a fun-flavored alcoholic beverage that you can taste all throughout. Plus, they come in a variety of flavors: Margarita, Butter Rum, and Pina Colada. You’ll never get bored with these.

Since I can’t bring back a piece of that sun, at least I have the memories of the open bar to appease me. Go on and enjoy! Let’s pretend the summer days are here.