So, on a recent reporting trip for PASSPORT magazine’s upcoming October spa issue, I totally counteracted a visit to The Spa at the Healdsburg Hotel  in Sonoma County with a walk across the Healdsburg town square to Powell’s Sweet Shoppe, where I sacrificed my newly health-infused body to a $100,000 Bar and a licorice whip or seven (Damn nostalgia!)

Powell’s feels as much like a museum as a retail outlet, with brilliantly curated and displayed confections that will tickle your sweet tooth and your memory bank. There’s also a great display of  CandyLand boxes and game boards from the early 20th Century to the present, showcasing a fascinating evolution in kid-friendly graphic design. The quality and attention to detail at Powell’s is so top-notch I was genuinely surprised to learn that it’s part of a small California-based chain (Other Bay Area locations include Berkeley, San Jose, and Petaluma). Whether you’re 20 or 80, you’re likely to come across a favorite candy from your childhood that you haven’t seen in years (Just read through Powell’s Candy by Decade  list to get your synapses firing and your mouth watering).

You can also cobble together some cool candygrams to text home to the hubby:

 Check out Powell’s promo video, after the jump…