Hearkening back to the days of penny candy stores under the el-train, walking into The Sweet Life is like taking a step back in time. The unique shop on Hester Street sells everything from bulk coffee, tea, and dried fruits to imported honeys and syrups to chocolates and candy of all sorts.

The Sweet Life's customers include everyone from the local school child buying his one jawbreaker a week to the folks at Martha Stewart buying thousands of pounds of dried fruits or candies for an event or magazine shoot.

The pleasantly cluttered space boasts handmade-on-the premises chocolates (try the delicious dark chocolate almond clusters) sitting by the cash register and gobs of candy in candy jars lining the walls. The windows are chock full of German honeys, Italian syrups and international tasting chocolates. In the corner stands a block of delicious halvah, from which any quantity can be cut. Under the counter of assorted chocolaty treats, and in front of the jars of dried fruit, lies a selection of sugar free candies! The air smells sweet and you never want to leave, explaining why The Sweet Life has been doing solid business since its opening in 1982.

Of course, for February, they will be stocking an assortment of exotic valentine's assortments, typically in a felt heartshaped box with wide satin ribbon, the likes of which would never grace a drugstore. Also, for those in search of a more randy gift, how about a fig and nut 'sausage' imported from Italy?

Already profiled in The New York Times, Zagat's and countless other publications, the proprietors, Jerry and Terry, as well as the store manager Evelyn, await you and your insatiable sweet tooth after you have completed your tour of the Tenement Museum.