Contests

12 of New Jersey’s Favorite Chocolate Based on Our Astrological Signs

Everybody in New Jersey loves chocolate! The thought of hitting up Matisse Chocolatier in Englewood, 2 Chicks With Chocolate in Metuchen, Red Bank Chocolate Shoppe, David Bradley in Windsor, or…

STONE HARBOR, NEW JERSEY, UNITED STATES - 2014/08/20: Selection of fudge in a shop. (Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)

STONE HARBOR, NEW JERSEY: Selection of fudge in a shop.

(Photo by John Greim/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Everybody in New Jersey loves chocolate! The thought of hitting up Matisse Chocolatier in Englewood, 2 Chicks With Chocolate in Metuchen, Red Bank Chocolate Shoppe, David Bradley in Windsor, or any of our other favorites.

Well, apparently, at least according to BestLife, there is a particular chocolate that you should be eating, and it's based on your zodiac sign. Astrologer Lauren Ash did her magic and discovered which types of chocolate we should be eating. Here's what she determined...

Aries should be eating Mexican Hot Chocolate.. you have an adventurous streak that extends to your food. You can be spicy and you like surprises.

Taurus are likely to enjoy Chocolate Covered Strawberries ... you love luxury and are a big spender. You love to indulge in things your heart desires.

Gemini prefer Chocolate Truffles ... you love variety and get bored easily. You tend to be a social butterfly

Cancer would do well with Double Chocolate Chip Cookies ... you are sweet and simple

Leo like to dig into some Chocolate Dome Dessert ... you are flashy and theatrical. You have a bright personality and draw attention wherever you go

Virgo wanna get them some Chocolate Mousse... you are detail oriented and have simple tastes

Libra enjoy Chocolate Raspberry Torte... you love things that are luxurious and expensive. You crave the finer things in life and work hard to achieve your dreams

Scorpio love Devil's Food Cake.. you are intense and complicated. You are sensual and have a fun, loving side. Some people say you have a great sense of humor

Sagittarius need to get some S'mores.. you will try anything once

Capricorn are ones to drink a Chocolate Martini.. you love the classics in everything you do

Aquarius gusta comer Chocolate Taco.. you are a rebel and are fun and funky

and if you're a Pisces, get yourself a Hot Fudge Brownie Sundae right now .. you are sweet and loving. Many describe you as easygoing, relaxed, artistic, and imaginative

Ranking The 4 Best Hard Seltzers

Since Memorial Day I have been fortunate enough to attend a wedding, beachside barbeques, and neighborhood get-togethers. Though food options varied, I did notice hard seltzers were a common beverage. There were multiple brands, so I decided to rank the ones that I tried.

Bon & Viv Spiked Seltzer can be credited as the first official can to hit the shelves in 2013. Or you can go back to Zima as being a pioneer in this carbonated alcohol space. Nowadays, it seems like every brand has their own variation of spiked seltzer. With limited creativity in terms of flavor options (most people would prefer a simple pineapple flavor to a green apple, cherry, celery mashup any time), now certain beverage companies are swapping out the vodka mix for tequila. Furthermore, funny commercials and vibrant cans allow different marketing angles on seemingly similar drinks.

Speaking of marketing, a thinner can is often associated with containing a lower-calorie drink. A CNN  op-ed speculates that most hard seltzers are displayed in these taller, skinny cans to distinguish themselves in a crowded liquor store.

My Methodology

In creating this ranking of the best hard seltzers, there were certain criteria that I considered to be most important. Taste is a broad category. It was imperative here that the drink was smooth, did not contain a syrupy aftertaste and actually tasked like the flavor it suggests. Then, I looked at the overall "nutrition" facts. Finally, I'd ask myself a question: "Would I drink another one, or would I buy a case of this repeatedly?"

It's important to note that I disqualified top beer brands. While I applaud their efforts for the attempt at entering the hip space, I have yet to find one where their best product was not actually their beer. Lastly, I am not a big fruit juice person. Nor do I typically like citrus mixed with alcohol. In this case, however, there are four hard seltzers where I find the fruit flavor enjoyable. My top choice here is now a brand that I do keep stocked in my cooler.

#4 Truly

What I liked most about Truly is that they are accessible. Many festivals, concerts and sporting events carry Truly. So there is consistency. They seem to stay in their lane and always deliver on their flavors the distribute at mass-events, as opposed to trying to reinvent their options. There are 100 calories in a Truly and it's 5% alcohol by volume. Selected flavor: Wild Berry.

#3 Wild Basin

This is my favorite can of the bunch, but looks aren't everything. Wild Basin certainly knows who they are visually, as their logo perfectly encapsulates the outdoor and chill vibe of hard seltzer. What holds them back is that they are not always easy to find in New England. Various liquor stores carry them, but not a ton of restaurants do. There are 100 calories in a Truly and it's 5% alcohol by volume. Selected flavor: Lime Coconut (there's good reason why this is part of their "paradise" mix pack.

#2 White Claw

This is my hard seltzer OG. Fun fact: when I google "White Claw" a sponsored Truly option is the first result to pop up. I love a little friendly seltzer competition. In full disclosure, I am a surfer and White Claw has done a tremendous job inserting their brand into that community. Their tagline of "those who bring the wave," has worked well. They say they are "inspired by the power, purity and potential of ocean waves," and so am I. This is a simple explanation that centers around the fact that when I drink a White Claw I always enjoy it. There are 100 calories in a Truly and it's 5% alcohol by volume. Selected flavor: Black Cherry.

#1 High Noon

There's no complicated answer here. It has the best taste, is refreshing, and the brand I select when given the option. I like how you feel like carbonation base as opposed to fruit flavor completely taking over. That's when I get suspicious of artificial additives. High Noon seems to have mastered the recipe of a natural fruit juice percentage to alcohol. Their new tequila seltzers are consistently enjoyable as well. There's a slight dip in alcohol volume at 4.5%, but it too has 100 calories. Selected flavor: Watermelon.