You may consider yourself a bit of a chocoholic, but there’s a lot you might not know about rich, decadent chocolate. Before you grab that tasty square of dark chocolate or have a scoop of chocolate ice cream for dessert, read up on these interesting chocolate facts!

• It takes many cocoa beans to make chocolate. Between 300 and 600 cocoa beans are needed to make just one kilogram of chocolate!
• There are three different types of cocoa used in modern chocolate making. Forastero cocoa is harvested in the Amazon and used in 90% of the world’s chocolate; Criollo beans are grown in Central and South America and are the rarest types of beans; Trinitario beans are hybrids of the other two.
• Cocoa beans must be roasted just like coffee beans to create chocolate.
• Ever wondered what the percentage on a chocolate bar refers to? It describes how much of the bar’s weight comes from the cocoa bean, and it impacts the darkness of the bar.
• Dark chocolate is good for you. It's packed with antioxidants and is believed to help reduce blood pressure and improve the cardiovascular system.
• Eating dark chocolate every day can cut your risk of heart disease by one-third.
• The ancient Aztecs and Mayans once used chocolate as currency. People used cocoa beans to buy food, tools and livestock.

11 Facts About Chocolate [Do Something]
10 Fascinating Facts About the World of Chocolate [Listverse]
Facts about Chocolate [Purdy’s]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr LabyrinthX-2

Curling up with a great book can be one of the most pleasant ways to spend an afternoon, and avid readers know that despite its small size, the Fairbanks Branch Library has one of the best book selections in northwest Houston.

This branch library has been serving the neighborhood since 1970 and currently houses a collection of more than 55,000 circulating materials. Check out the latest spine-tingling mystery novel, or choose a work of nonfiction that will enhance your appreciation of local history. Check out a DVD copy of your favorite Hollywood blockbuster, or pick up an audio book to listen to on your daily commute. In addition to books and movies, you'll find nearly 50 computer stations for public use (including both desktop and laptop computers), and you can brush up on your software skills by signing up for one of the library's many computer classes.

Fairbanks Branch Library
7122 North Gessner
Houston, TX 77040
(713) 466-4438
www.hcpl.net/location/fairbanks-branch-library
www.yelp.com/biz/fairbanks-branch-library-houston

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/horiavarlan

You don’t have to be an interior design pro to create a magazine-worthy home; all it takes are some smart tips and some creative thinking. Here are just a few of the most important home decorating tips that every renter should know.

• Focus on creating balance. No matter how large or how small a space, creating balance through furniture and decor is one of the best ways to make any room feel spacious and comfortable. Rearrange furniture as many times as you need until you can move easily around the room, and attempt to create symmetry whenever possible.
• Choose a color scheme. You don’t need to go all out with a specific color scheme, but choosing a few key colors and using throughout the room is key for creating a cohesive look. Use things like throw pillows, artwork, and rugs to tie the whole room together.
• Focus on height. Many people focus on filling the room from side to side without thinking of filling it from top to bottom. Make sure that you add taller furniture, shelves, or large frames to fill that empty top half of the room.
• Create an ambiance. Even if you have brand new furnishings, your space won’t feel like a home without personal touches. Add lush, green plants, great smelling candles and meaningful artwork to achieve this kind of ambiance.

What are Some Interior Design Tips for Beginners? [wiseGEEK]
Interior Design 101 [Visually]
Top Interior Design Tips for Beginners [Bliss @ Home]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Christopher.Michel