Behind-the-Scenes with NYC Chocolate Icon Jacques Torres

Stopping at Jacques Torres if you come to NYC is a travel must.  I wanted to share this piece I wrote for SeeJaneFly about a wonderful behind-the-scenes look I got with Jacques Torres last week, famous in NYC for his chocolate stores. 

"Before I was a New Yorker, I came to visit the city for a cold February week. I wandered over the Brooklyn Bridge and the snowflakes started to fall. I made it over the bridge, shared a pizza with family at Grimaldi's and ducked into the Jacques Torres chocolate store on Water Street. As the snowflakes swirled harder outside, I sipped Jacque's famous Wicked Hot Chocolate that has a dash of chili peppers for spice. It was pure New York chocolate magic. I have loved Jacques Torres chocolate ever since and was so excited when I was invited to a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into making his creations and what he'll offer for the holidays. The man himself would be there.

Jacques landed in the U.S. from his beloved France in 1988 to work for Ritz Carlton. He quickly moved on to Le Cirque, that fabulously famous Manhattan restaurant that serves delectable dishes to an A-list crowd. He opened his DUMBO store in 2000 (before DUMBO was uber cool, I have to add), a lifelong dream that grew to incorporate 4 more stores in New York City and one at Harrah's in Atlantic City.

I stepped into Jacques Torres' Hudson store, which is a ten-minute walk from my apartment, but I had never really explored. It's expansive and a perfect place to meet a friend for hot chocolate, with lots of tables. Everyone can see the chocolate being made behind the glass walls of the store but we were ushered behind the walls."

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Build-Your-Own Breakfast Sandwich at Peels

I know you are looking at this photo and drooling. This is my ultimate breakfast sandwich: flaky, buttery biscuit, perfectly scrambled eggs and avocado. It can be yours at Peels on Bowery. 

I first read about Peels when a version of their "Build-your-own" breakfast sandwich appeared on the cover of Food & Wine.  We finally went for brunch and loved the atmosphere.  It's on a cute corner on Bowery (words that never would have been uttered even five years ago) with a great upstairs seating area. 

Service bordered on terrible, as we had 5 different space-cadet waiters throughout our 1.5 hours there.  But I will go back for this sandwich. 

Four Seasons Hotel Amman

View from my room

As the Switzerland of the Middle East, I knew that the Four Seasons in Amman had hosted the major players of the world's political stage, royal families, and A-list celebrities.  I am none of those.  But of course, as Four Seasons does best, they treat every single guest like they are royalty.  This was our first hotel on the Jordan tour, where I'd spend two nights before going off to more, ahem, adventurous accommodations. 

In Amman and in all of Jordan, all major hotels have extremely tight security.  At Four Seasons Amman, you go through one checkpoint on the way in, and then you and your bags must go through a metal detector at the entrance.  I never once felt unsafe in Jordan and actually enjoyed the security procedures at the hotels. I felt like a HIGHLY important world traveler doing HIGHLY important things that require security, you know, like travel writing. 

Fresh flowers in the Lobby

When my sloth, jet-lagged self walked into the lobby, I loved seeing Four Seasons touches, like gorgeous flower arrangements, pristine floors and smiling staff.  I happily saw a sign for a "Shopping Arcade" (for me, more accurately known as a "Window Shopping Arcade").  And when I got to my room, I couldn't stop staring at the most incredible Amman city view and sat there watching as the sun set over the White City. I'm in Amman! I'm in Jordan! It was the best way to begin the journey.

My room was decorated in a neutral palate with shades of blue, with a great bathroom and seating area where I continued to read "The Lion of Jordan."

Pool

The hotel quickly feels like your home in Amman.  There is an indoor and outdoor pool with more city views, a lovely spa, and the best fitness center I found out of all the Jordan hotels I stayed at and toured.  The huge International breakfast buffet made me happy with scrambled eggs, toast, cereal and fruit but also had traditional Jordanian options, like falafel and hummus.  

I also got to tour the Royal Suite, which has hosted all those types-requiring-bodyguards I mentioned above. Here are some photos of the memorable suite, and once again, I obsessively took photos of the Amman city views. 

Bedroom in Royal SuiteRoyal Suite

Amman City Views From the Royal Suite

I found myself really missing this hotel as our journey went on through Jordan, just how effortless and easy it was to be there.  After long days of sightseeing, it was refreshing to be home in Amman at this hotel. 

One more spot in the hotel that is not to be missed is The Square Bar, the hotel's cozy watering hole for guests and locals like. It was always busy but never too crowded to find a seat when I was there.  By simply walking in, you know you're at a center of social life in Amman.  I met a large group of building contractors from Arizona and a few businessmen and women from Amman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.  Not my normal New York posse but that's why I loved it. 

Square Bar at Four Seasons Amman

Il Cantinori

I get stressed out when I am away from New York for longer than a week or two.  I start to just really, really miss it.  I have a couple weeks at home now and am so glad.

Andy and I recently strolled over to Il Cantinori on E. 10th, which just so happens to be my favorite tree-lined, brownstoned street in New York (10th between Broadway and Sixth Ave). Il Cantinori opened in 1983 and has been a New York favorite ever since. Actually, I just read that Jennifer Aniston went last night with her new man. Apparently, she is here all the time. 

The restaurant focuses on Tuscan cuisine and has great salads, pasta and fish. I think Il Cantinori is best on a rainy New York evening. 

Travel + Leisure: Q&A with Celebrity Fitness Instructor Kristin McGee

And the world spins madly on! (Have you heard that song? It's one of my favorites).  I am home in New York City after my adventure in Jordan and just beginning to sort through photos and content that I want to post here and developing a couple of pieces for a great travel magazine outlet.  The world does indeed spin madly on. Thank you for your wonderful e-mails through the contact form on my site. I promise to get back to you soon! 

First, I wanted to post an interview that ran on TravelandLeisure.com with Kristin McGee, talking about her favorite hotels and travel tips on eating healthy on the road.  As it says in the interview, we did plan on and end up having a really fun double date with our significant others (her husband, Tim, and my boyfriend Andy) at Cafe Cluny in the West Village.

Q&A: Celebrity Fitness Instructor Kristin McGee  

"The first time I took globetrotting fitness guru Kristin McGee’s Pilates class at the SoHo Equinox, I was instantly a fan. Then I found out she was the instructor in Bethenny Frankel’s first yoga DVD, Body by Bethenny. She is highly sought after in New York City, with clients like Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Ben Stiller, and his wife Christine Taylor. Kristin has made numerous TV and magazine appearances, blogs daily on her own site, and has led fitness retreats in Sicily, Cartagena, Marrakesh and St. Petersburg. No wonder she wakes up at 5 a.m. to fit it all in!

We met for a glass of wine, talked great hotels and healthy food choices on the road, and planned a double date with our significant others.

Q: What are your favorite hotels around the world?
A: The month I got married, I stayed at Mii Amo at The Enchantment Resort in Sedona. Everything is oriented to giving yourself the best care from the inside out, from the incredible spa cuisine to the line-up of daily classes. We stayed at the Sun Valley Lodge in my home state of Idaho the night of my wedding. The lodge is very old-school and feels like you’re in a big European chalet, with an ice-skating rink open year round."

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