Call me a “homer,” if you will, but in case you haven’t heard, the mighty Chicago Blackhawks have captured Lord Stanley’s Cup, the mega trophy that’s given to the winning team within the National Hockey League (NHL) here in North America.

Some marriages just make sense. Bread and butter, peanut butter and jelly … and wine and chocolate, of course.

I suppose that having the occasion to sample and then judge chocolates from some new as well as established chocolatiers can be viewed as a task that only a chosen few have been graced with. To do so twice, would seem a luxury that few are accorded. Amazingly, such an opportunity did befall me.

On the way to the airport recently, my friend Angelique, who drove me, stopped at a gas station and bought her three children some Laffy Taffy for the trip. The kids, who until that point had been babbling on nonstop, went silent once the sticky ropes were in their eager hands.

Chocolate and non-chocolate novelties as well as fruity confections for Easter 2011 include new takes on the traditional egg, seasonal versions of top-selling brands and gift-worthy packaged products for kids and adults alike. Satisfy shoppers with perennial favorites, and entice them with eye-catching innovations to help increase sales at retail.

Don’t know if you’ve had a chance to catch one of the more recent missives from the Center for Public Science (CSPI) -- you know, that Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group headed by Michael Jacobson, often referred to by some as the “Food Police.”

Forget those new thrill rides at Kennywood, Carowinds and Kings Dominion. Nevermind the debut of Universal Studios’ Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Adults and kids looking for somewhere special to go on family vacation this summer need look no further for fun than Hershey, Pa., site of its latest attraction: Hershey’s Create Your Own Candy Bar.

Given the negative business news that everyone’s faced during the past year, it’s not unusual to be drawn to a headline such as “Manufacturing Can Be Competitive in the United States.” Unlike many of the countless e-mails I receive daily, this one didn’t get deleted automatically. I opened the file, scanned the attachment and then saved the article for future perusal.  

How many hours of TV do you watch per week? I’m a slave to my DVR, which allows me to catch favorites like “Glee” (I’m a super Gleek) and guilty pleasures such as “The Bachelorette” (don’t judge) long after primetime has passed, once I’ve returned home from board meetings and tennis matches, for example. (I’ve still got the entire last season of “Lost” saved for future viewing. 

Although I consider myself a morning person, 8 a.m. sessions at conference get-togethers have never been a favorite.