Pearl River Blog

As we approach Valentine’s day, Pearl River is spreading a sweet obsession to all our customers: an exclusive line of artisan candies from a renowned chocolatier.

On Sunday, February 8, Pearl River will host a chocolate tasting. We will be offering chocolate-covered ginger pieces–an irresistible coalescence of Asian spice and cocoa decadence–as well as scrumptious chocolate toffee crisps tucked into red envelopes (for Valentine’s or Chinese New Year). And we invite you to indulge in our unique green tea bonbons–fresh matcha powder delicately enrobed in dark chocolate.

Pearl River’s chocolates are crafted in small batches by Tumbador, a premiere chocolate workshop with an international flair (and a social justice mission embedded in its labor of love).

This Sunday, Pearl River will celebrate the Year of the Ox with a special lion dance ceremony and other festivities. Just come to the store at 4pm (477 Broadway) to see a dramatic performance by traditional lion and dragon dancers from a premiere Chinatown martial arts troupe. The event is open to the public.

There will also be treats for all, courtesy of Tumbador Chocolate. Sample our exclusive line of Asian-inspired chocolates from a cutting-edge and socially consciouschocolatier. Email us or call 800-878-2446 for more information.

The New York Times recently featured one of our new items: a stylized take on the traditional Japanese Bento box. Gallery 91 has created an ingenious paper version that makes the perfect vessel not only for food, but trinkets, jewelry and other odds and ends. The colorful compartments bring pizazz to the office lunch or the cluttered desk. Costs less than a sandwich and lasts longer than a brown bag.

The New York Times recently unearthed some gems at Pearl River via Simon Doonan, creative director of Barney’s New York. A consummate shopper and trend-watcher, he browsed Pearl River and other NYC staple stores in search of gifts for “quirky friends”–whom he siphons into three major types: “the flighty, exotic gypsy; the super-confident socialite; and the on-the-edge existentialist.”

Pearl River happens to be a good match for all three. Eyeing a white porcelain stool, he notes, “The socialite loves chinoiserie.” For the gypsy, a brass Buddha head serves as a good “faux spirituality” fix. He selects a brass gong as a transcendental dinner bell for the existentialist.

And if Pearl River is the place to find gifts for quirky friends, it might also be the place to find quirky friends themselves. We didn’t know who Doonan was before he showed up at our store, but apparently, he couldn’t be missed by our discerning shoppers. The Times reported that during his visit, “a gray-haired woman ran over to him, and squealed, ‘You’re Simon Doonan! I watch you on TV!’”

Photo: Ruth Fremson/The New York Times