Search This Blog

Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Now, Chocolate Voyager

A nice blonde woman took my photo with the baby cup of hot chocolate.
They were serving it with a splash of Herradura tequila. I had my
chocolate straight up, but everyone said it was great with the tequila.
Check the ruffly glass platter overflowing with cacao-dusted truffles for tasting.
Also up for grabs: Green tea truffles made with white chocolate.
That is Miss MarieBelle, fashionable Maribel Lieberman, a graduate of Parsons School of Design,where our Figgy went as a freshman. Note her feminine fur capelet--worthy of a princess or movie star. So many remarkable designers have gone to Parsons.
Designers of everything desirable, even the world's most exclusive chocolate.
A lot of the ladies were wearing beautiful furs.
My sweater also happened to have fur trim at the cuffs and waistline.
The event revolved around a 2-minute branding film shown at
7:02 p.m. Immediately after, it was released on Facebook. It was an enchanting
piece about the magic of chocolate. The young woman starring in it, Haley, was there with
her fiance, Anthony, and he and I got to talking. Nice couple.

I'm at Penn Station now, sitting in a Starbucks. I took the A train to and from Canal Street to get to that magical place. I made this type really large because I somehow managed to lose my reading glasses on my journey to the dark side [of chocolate]. 

So please forgive typos!!!

My train home is at 9:32 p.m.; I don't have much time.  

I fell for the MarieBelle brand years ago when Susan Fine opened The Chocolate Path, her exclusive dark chocolate store in Montclair. What a dreamy refuge, with a round table painted sky-blue; a narrow spiral staircase, the steps lined with dark brands from near and far, such as Lillie Belle Farms, all the way from Oregon; and a fabulous cookbook on display by the register. I believe it was Chocolate by Nick Malgieri, and after a couple visits, I had to buy it. [Now Susan runs her business from home.] 

I was drawn immediately to the pretty MarieBelle blue hot chocolate tin...it was art. And...real, rich chocolate shavings, none of that powdery supermarket stuff. It was luxury, within reach. Susan introduced me to a dark bar with crunch in it, too, and I bought one for each friend [3] on a girls' weekend we enjoyed when our children were younger.

Then I followed the brand to Bergdorf Goodman, my aspirational playland, then to an upstairs shop tucked away on Madison Avenue. I loved the pretty ribbons! One was blue satin with tiny red hearts. Then, the crown jewel: This beautiful boutique on Broome Street in Soho. So charming, like a hidden storybook treasure trove of sparkling blue and gold. 

I soon asked Sis to take me to the Cacao Bar in the back of the store, for an exquisite hot chocolate, and being my generous big sister, she did. [I think it was my birthday.]

My train will pull in soon.
Details from tonight:
  1. Hor d'oeuvres and wine....chocolate martinis, too, but I missed those. I liked the nibbles passed on trays: meatballs, crepe with Norwegian salmon and crepe au chocolat [melted inside]. The fillings were cloaked in tender, paper-thin crepes that had been rolled and sliced into bites.
  2. The Christmas decor. So very pretty. Garland and glitter, sugar-plum gifts to dream of.
  3. The blue, the blue....it's close to a Tiffany blue, but a couple degrees away on the color wheel...gorgeous shopping bags with cocoa satin ribbon handles.
  4. The whole PR-orchestrated event. I love a thoughtful press event, from the pretty, polished young women checking your name on the RSVP list at the door to the head of the PR firm making sure every t is crossed, every detail in place. In the gift bag, a petite box of 4 signature ganache chocolates, the square surfaces decorated with perfect NYC pictures [taxicab, Statue of Liberty, Wall Street etc.] Art=chocolate. Chocolate=art. And style.
  5. The fashion.....the woman with blue hair......the man in an expensive chocolate-colored sweater. A trim, important-looking fellow in a tailored wool blazer with fine detailing.
  6. The event was set in the glitter and glamour of NYC and I always love that. But now it's time to turn back into a suburbanite and board my train home.
Good night, sweet dreams.








5 comments:

  1. I too love seeing people dressed up. Glad u had fun! You are an amazing typist, you never have typos.
    Liz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Liz, thanks! Yes I think I too love seeing people dressed up!!!!!!

      Delete
  2. Sounds dreamy, Alice! I love your description of it all. Hope you guys are doing well & enjoying Christmas season. xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Mary Kate. Thank you, and it’s bedn too long!!!! Our Christmas season gets hectic because Dan’s 60-Sec Novel parties really heat up—he is doing 5 in 5 days this week, starting Tuesday in Georgia, tonite at NY Public Library, etc etc. And then Santa has to get our gifts to Maine for our trip there. How is your Tommy and sweet girl? Xxoo

      Delete
    2. Sorry for typo, meant it’s BEEN too long!

      Delete