Sax_Fifth_Avenue travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises spa and resorts

New York is rapidly becoming one of the most exciting cities of the world for high-quality, artisan chocolates. What better way to experience them then to take a unique tour of some of Manhattan’s finest chocolate shops and bars. Your gracious guide will talk about chocolate and its history and will shortly introduce you the various boutiques you will visit, after which you will step inside Charbonnel et Walker at Sax Fifth Avenue. There you will taste various fine chocolates that will change your palate’s sensibility forever. Do you like it white? Dark? Sweet? Semi-sweet? Bittersweet? Unsweetened? Milky? With caramel and tons of nuts? Melted on a velvety scoop of ice cream? Home made? Through a straw? No matter what your preference is for the devilish delight, the Chocolate Tour of New York is sure to leave you speechless…for good reason.

One of the great ways to bring New York City back to your friends and loved ones is with a box of delicious truffles from one of New York City’s top chocolate shops. These boutiques offer visitors exceptional chocolate and many can be found only in New York City. These New York City Chocolate shops are great sources of Valentine’s Day and anniversary presents, and several of them serve up delicious chocolate treats for you to enjoy while you visit. Most popular tour is the Luxury Chocolate Tour, which will take you to the posh Upper East Side where all the international stores have nested and all the interesting people have gathered. The street cafes and the hoard of French bistros make you feel like you landed straight into the heart of Paris. The trip will be about 2 hours long and it costs no more and no less than $70, giving you a happiness high like you have never experienced before.

As soon as you walk into Marie Belle, the aroma of freshly brewed chocolate calls you in, all of the sudden you are transported back in time. The experience started at the Cacao Bar where you can relax and drink the Aztec Hot Chocolate, which is the darkest and richest hot chocolate we have ever had. There are 4 flavors -Aztec Original, Aztec Dark, Aztec Mocha and Aztec Spicy and 4 recipes – Hot Chocolate, Ice Chocolate, Chocolate Pudding and Spicy Hot Chocolate Nightcap with Tequila. There are beautiful and fun chocolates displayed like jewels in antique cases and boxed in gorgeous packages. Some chocolates look like works of art. Others are fun things like chocolate rocks and chocolate olives. Marie Belle’s chocolates are handmade, with over 20 exotic flavors, including Earl Grey Tea, Saffron, Spices, Cardamom, Lemon and Hazelnut.

Kee’s chocolates – This tiny shop set a few feet off of Spring Street is definitely a must see on any tour of New York’s chocolate shops. Kee’s chocolates are amazingly fresh. Flavors are eclectic and unusual (sesame, passion fruit, pumpkin), but we thought the best were the white chocolate with green tea, Creme Brulee and the key lime.
The Chocolate Haven is his own real chocolate factory. There was chocolate everywhere, lining the windows, on small stands between the counter and the door, and for a good twenty feet along the counter. The flavors include: Love Potion, Golden Espresso, Fresh Squeezed Lemon, and Liquid Caramel, Cinnamon Praline, Grand Cru (red wine in dark chocolate), Heart of Passion (passion fruit), Wicked Fun (spiced with chilies), Fresh Coconut, Bin 27 Port (port wine in dark chocolate), Almondine, and Raspberry Fruit.

There are two Locations for Martine’s Chocolates: in Bloomingdale’s (6th floor) and Martine’s Chocolates Too(400 East 82nd Street., right off First Avenue). There is an assortment of truffle flavors, caramel, champagne, cognac, Grand Marnier and Raspberry. Martine’s truffles are made fresh daily without preservatives – so the truffles need to be refrigerated and eaten within a few days. There are chocolate barks of all sorts, marzipan, chocolate covered fruits and nuts. There are also many amazing chocolate creations, animals, flowers, hats, fruits and vegetables, hearts, holiday items, angels and others like the American Flag, Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, New York Skyline, etc. You can even have a creation custom-made for your own special occasion.