STRAYCAT’S DOGGONE BLOG

Ethel M’s Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden

February 20, 2009 on 11:55 pm | In Family, Travelblogue, Homefront |

Ethel M’s Chocolate Factory is located about 2 miles west from the Sunset Station Casino, just off Sunset Blvd. The “M” in the name stands for Mars (as in M&M’s), the Ethel is Mr. Mars’ mother’s name.  It is an interesting place. They are “way too proud” of their chocolate, meaning, of course, that it is too expensive. Don, Lou, and I took the self-guided tour, then we learned more about the process by “joining up” with a couple of the guided tours.

The pictures above show some of the equipment used in the manufacturing process.

The pictures above center and right are chocolate sculptures. Above left is a picture of some of their specialty boxes.
After about 45 minutes “touring the factory, we walked through their cactus garden.

Above left is a Century Plant about to Bloom, center is a Prickly Pear Cactus in bloom, right is Teddy Bear Cactus.

Above left is a Sumac Tree, center is a Trans Pecos Yucca, right are Golden Barrel Cactus.

Above left is a Texas Prickly Pear Cactus, center is Purple Pancake Cactus, right is a Red Barrel Cactus.

Above left  is a Baja Cholla, center is an “Old Man of the Andes” cactus, right is Autumn Sage.
I enjoyed the cactus garden much more than the actual factory, but then I’ve always found desert flora and fauna interesting. It was worth the couple of hours we spent there, especially since it was FREE. Free, that is, except for the over-priced candy bars I purchased for everyone.