On my most recent trip to New York City I spent most of my nights in a hotel, but the last two nights I was staying with a childhood friend. All week I had my eyes peeled for an appropriate hostess gift for her and the day before I was heading to her place I found a gold mine!
Just steps away from Grand Central Station is a shop called 2 Beans. The outside looks a bit like the Apple Store (all glass, sleek displays).
The sign inside the front door reads, "Coffee & chocolate passion." I was already on board with these people.
When you first enter the space you come upon a long counter with a glass case displaying chocolate barks and chocolate truffles.
Right away I noticed the light fixtures over the counter which had tear drop shaped bulbs raining down from the ceiling.
Opposite the counter was a literal wall of chocolate. Bar after bar, company after company, beautiful wrapper after beautiful wrapper. I was overwhelmed!
As I surveyed the offerings I stumbled upon a display of chocolate with a very familiar name - Galler! Friends who have traveled across Europe have often sent me photographs of the Galler chocolate, but I've never seen it in the U.S.
I took all of my willpower not to buy one of these boxes.
I checked out all of the candy bars and decided I definitely wanted to buy her something from behind the counter. I started by getting up close and personal with the chocolate bark varieties. That front one is white chocolate and peppermint!
The truffles in the case were a work of art.
There was a whole section devoted to Valentine's Day chocolates, all heart shaped of course.
I loved the brilliant, luscious red of these chocolate hearts.
You can purchase truffles in a box of four, eight or sixteen. I asked why not twelve (eight seemed too little but sixteen seemed too many) and she said, "The boxes for the twelve size are so expensive that we just don't buy them." Hmmm. Ok.
I hand selected eight truffles for my gift and while she wrapped them I walked around to the other side of the store which has a coffee bar!
The bar was drenched in sunlight and ready to serve espresso and lattes to caffeine hungry visitors.
I didn't sit for a coffee drink, but if you find yourself needing to kill time by Grand Central, don't wait in the station, come sit here.
The girl helping me did a beautiful job wrapping the box of truffles.
She put them in a chocolate brown bag (of course) with bright orange tissue paper.
2 Beans had a great selection of gift tag cards, with one for every occasion - birthday, anniversary, Valentine's Day. They didn't have a "Hey, thanks for letting me crash at your place while I extend my trip to New York" card, so I settled on this one:
The next day when I hand delivered the gift, my friend was thrilled! After I left the city, she texted me each time she tried a new flavor.
2 Beans felt like an elegant, European oasis away from the hustle and bustle of Manhattan.
Go and indulge at 100 Park Avenue, between 40th and 41st Street.
