WHY VISIT ONE LOCAL CANDY STORE WHEN YOU CAN VISIT TWO >>>

It's hard to improve upon something as beloved as candy, but two local candy shops are proving there's more to it than just being sweet.

Downtown Sumner is now home to Ciarrai Jeanne Confections, an old fashioned candy store that opened at the end of January selling family-made confections, as well as other locally made treats. Owners Karen Kralovic and Kerry Langel are a mother/daughter team carrying on the candy making traditions of Kralovic's Great Aunt Sophia, whose 60-year-old soft peanut brittle recipe called "bruttle" ($7.95/8 oz.) is made in Spokane and sold at the shop, along with homemade fudge ($2.95), caramels ($1/each) and chocolate barks ($4.75). Both the caramels and peanut brittle are unique takes on the traditional. "The soft, buttery caramels melt in your mouth, and the brittle retains its original flavor without being overly hard and crunchy," says Langel. "We wanted to keep the candy as local as possible," she says. With Sumner-made Madyson's Marshmallows and Killian Korn from Othello, they are doing just that.

With the phrase "If you're buying it, then you understand it", owner Ellen Laguatan of OCD Candy Company is doing things a little differently. Customers love the fun concept, as OCD grew out of their Sanford and Sons location, and moved to larger St. Helens Ave Mercantile. Find meticulously packaged gummy bears in rainbow order ($5.25/full pack) and perfectly placed color-coded coated chocolates ($4.95/180 count), as well as hard to find nostalgic candies. "People that come in are happy and curious," says Laguatan. "I really enjoy how excited people get when they see an old, favorite candy in the nostalgia section or come across the OCD Candy and think it's an awesome idea."

From traditional to quirky and locally made to hard to find, these South Sound confectionaries have you covered.

OCD CANDY COMPANY, ST. HELENS AVE MERCANTILE, 12-6 P.M. WEDNESDAY-THURSDAY, 10 A.M. TO 6 P.M. FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 11 A.M. TO 5 P.M. SUNDAY, 753 ST. HELENS AVE., TACOMA, 253.383.7107

CIARRAI JEANNE CONFECTIONS, 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. TUESDAY-SATURDAY, 1002 MAIN ST., SUMNER, 253.731.5601

Oh wine. You speak the language of love. Truly you do.

The Sumner Downtown Association knows the power of wine. In celebration of Valentine's Day, and the merchants of downtown Sumner, the SDA hosts a Sweetheart Wine Walk with some wine, some walkin', and some more wine - all urban-style, natch.

Saturday, Feb. 9, 4 to 7 p.m., you should gather with your fellow vino lovers and sip away. The registration fee is $20 and includes 6 wine taste tickets, a map of participating establishments - which include more than a dozen local shops - and a commemorative wine glass.

If you're like me and six wine tastings simply isn't enough, you can purchase additional tastings at $1 a pop.

Holiday Inn Express Suites is sweetening the deal a bit. Sweetheart Wine Walk, er, walkers can snag an overnight package that includes a pair of wine walk tickets, shuttle to and from the event, rose petals, chocolate turndown service and a bottle of champagne for $150. Woo your mate and celebrate the holiday of amore a bit early.

Fore more information on participating shops, and to score your tickets, click here.

LINK: Local Valentine's Day gift ideas

Barring any new Movember drunken people donning mustaches photos, the Weekly Volcano is going to use the holiday as an excuse to take a rare day off. So, please people, for our sake, dig out that ol' music box that plays "Born Free," open a new doughnut shop or start your own Pacific Avenue Streetscape Project.

And we totally want photos of your family's fight to the death over who has the damn Tupperware. The Weekly Volcano knows every year someone brings Tupperware to collect leftovers and every effing year it disappears.

We'll all see you back here tomorrow for 5 Things To Do, The Weekend Hustle and other glorious posts.

Remember: baste often.

LINK: Movies

HELP US FIND THE SEXIEST PEOPLE IN THE SOUTH SOUND >>>

Once again, the Weekly Volcano is unleashing The Sexy Issue, giving one and all the chance to gaze at the sexiest people in the South Sound - as voted on by all of you, our dear readers. The great thing about the Volcano's annual Sexy Issue, if we do say so ourselves, is how it manages to prove, year after year, that you don't have to be on a Kia Super Bowl ad to be smoking hot. Our annual Sexy Issue is the Weekly Volcano's way of showcasing the South Sound's sexiest denizens - and by denizens we don't mean celebrities; we're talking about regular dudes and dudettes who just happen to look sexy as hell when taking us on test drives, trimming our meat or brewing our beer. These folks can be just as hot - and a hell of a lot more accessible, theoretically - as anyone you typically see on TV and in magazines. 

This year, we are asking you to nominate the person who makes you all hot and bothered in the following categories: Actor/Actress, Artist, Brewer, Karaoke Host, Lead singer, Lawyer, Butcher, Car Salesperson, Blogger and Personal Trainer.

On Thursday, June 7, the Weekly Volcano will publish The Sexy Issue, immortalizing the sexy, chosen few forever.

Help us find them.

Voting ends May 11 at 5 p.m. - so help the Weekly Volcano find the South Sound's hottest citizens. Vote today!

Vote for the South Sound's sexiest people

HURRY! >>>

If cooking for Easter isn't your thing (and let's face, it, who wants to do all those dishes), there are plenty of great Easter brunch options in the South Sound.

Stanley and Seafort's (115 E. 34th St., Tacoma) has a special brunch menu featuring a breakfast Wellington, smoked salmon Benedict, prime rib and scrambled eggs, special cocktails and more from 9 a.m. Call for reservations 253.473.7300. 

Primo Grill (601 S. Pine St. #102, Tacoma) will be featuring eggs Benedict, a smoked salmon frittata, crab cakes, shrimp cocktail and more. Call for reservations 253.383.7000.

Asado (2810 Sixth Ave., Tacoma) has a special Easter brunch planned from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call for reservations 253.272.7770.

Windmill Bistro (16009 60th St. E., Sumner) will have crab cake Benedict, green eggs and ham, French toast, steak and eggs and more from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call for reservations 253.826.7897.

The Heritage Restaurant at the Inn at Gig Harbor (3211 56th St. NW, Gig Harbor) will have a plated Easter brunch, with maple glazed ham, lobster crab cakes Benedict, cinnamon French toast, roasted wild sockeye salmon and more. Call for reservations 253.858.1111.

Adriatic Grill (4201 S. Steele St., Tacoma) will be having a special "lunch brunch menu" from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., and then dinner specials after 4 p.m.  Call for reservations 253.475.6000.

Pacific Grill (1502 Pacific Ave., Tacoma) has a special buffet featuring prime rib, glazed ham, French toast, special desserts and more. Call for reservations 253.627.3535.

Anthony's Hearthfire Grill (1675 Marine Dr. NE, Olympia) has brunch specials such as a Hearthfire breakfast scramble, French toast, quiche and Snake River Farms steak and eggs. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Call for reservations 360.705.3473.

Lobster Shop at Dash Point (6912 Soundview Dr. NE, Tacoma) has a special buffet all day, featuring prime rib, ham, Dungeness crab legs, shrimp, oysters and more. Call for reservations 253. 759.2165.

Green.House (4793 Pt. Fosdick Dr. NW, Gig Harbor) will be featuring a special breakfast menu with their lunch menu, including eggs Benedict, a Western and Denver omelet, buttermilk pancakes, cinnamon French toast and more. Call for reservations 253.514.6482.

LINK: South Sound Restaurant Guide