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Rain 1 Perfume and Fragrances Soaps Videos Midtown West Rockefeller Center

Stepping inside Rain, the Manhattan Sideways team discovered an aroma of the divine. Perhaps it is expected for an artisan soap boutique to have a pleasant smell but Rain is far from typical.

Founded in 2000, Rain began as a job creation program in South Africa. Hendrien, Rain's South African owner, was, and remains, aware of the dire lack of opportunities for so many in her native country and elsewhere. With the hope of creating jobs and concurrently honoring the environment, Rain began as a business with both praiseworthy intentions and delightfully aromatic merchandise. All ingredients used in the preparation of Rain's vast array of soap products come from South Africa and include items such as baobab soap, made from the South African "tree of life." Hendrien gave us a tour of the awe-inspiring boutique, which houses countless soaps of diverse shapes and purposes. Each of us made a stop at the make-your-own bath foam station with rows of ingredients and scents, and had the best time testing some heavenly soaps. Officially fair trade and cruelty-free, Rain also vows to treat nature well. With an ostensibly terrific location next to Rockefeller Center, it would seem as though Rain would get plenty of attention. However, when we asked Hendrien about her experience on a side street, she explained that her first two years of business were rather difficult because she had not understood the significant difference between foot traffic on an avenue and that on a side street. Hendrien knows that the store's scent has the power to draw people into the shop, but she is also aware that keeping the door open is not energy efficient. Although this issue is frustrating, it is exemplary of the compassion with which Hendrien works. Every action taken demonstrates that Rain legitimately cares about nature, animals and humans. In an effort to express her shop's essence, Hendrien said, "Rain is a company with a soul." This could not be a more accurate description.

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More places on 49th Street

Lost Gem
Oceana 1 American Seafood Breakfast Theater District Midtown West

Oceana

Opened in 1992 and originally located on the Upper East Side, Oceana moved to 49th Street in 2009. The Livanos family sowed the seeds for the glorious Oceana long ago when they ran a diner and realized their ambitions to develop it into something more. Having worked hard to make their dreams a reality, Oceana continues to pride itself on the freshness of its food and makes a point to have direct relationships with the fish mongers and farmers. Although some have called Oceana the Mecca of seafood, the restaurant's menu is notably diverse. The executive chef, Ben Pollinger, takes to the broad reaches of American cuisine and mixes elements of different dishes together, often in an unexpected way. The Manhattan Sideways team eagerly sampled a few of the marvelous dishes, including the Copper River Sockeye Salmon Crudo, featuring pickled ramps, parsley oil, and Amagansett sea salt, and the Sea Scallops Ceviche that is topped with peaches, ginger, and cinnamon basil. I was pleasantly surprised by the incredible vegetarian dish that the chef also prepared - Summer Squash & Cranberry Bean Salad, consisting of zucchini, gold bar and pattypan squash, pignoli, purslane and drizzled in lemon vinaigrette. Absolutely delicious.The last member of the Oceana team that we were introduced to was their wine director, Pedro Goncalves. Pedro, who began working at Oceana in 2001, makes a concerted effort to develop drink pairings to accompany the delectable food menu. Standing near the white marble bar, he proudly told us that Oceana has 1100 wine listings and 600 spirits. He went on to report that with forty-seven different gins, Oceana has one of the largest selections of in the city. "There is something to fit every personality," Pedro said.

Lost Gem
La Maison du Chocolat 1 Chocolate Candy Sweets Midtown West Rockefeller Center

La Maison du Chocolat

La Maison du Chocolat is a sophisticated example of a delectable chocolate shop. Everything sold inside its doors is made in Paris, with the exception of the ice cream that includes ingredients from France but is prepared on site. The day that Manhattan Sideways stopped by, we met Brigitte who has been working here since 2010. A knowledgeable chocolate connoisseur, Brigitte shared La Maison's history. We learned that Robert Linxe, the founder was originally from the French Basque Country, but acquired much of his craft while attending school in Switzerland. He went on to run a successful catering service in Paris for twenty years before deciding to pursue his true passion. At the time, chocolate was considered something to be saved strictly for special occasions; as Brigitte told us, people thought Linxe's enthusiasm for a shop devoted to chocolate was "crazy." Nevertheless, Linxe was able to find an auspicious space in Paris with a wine cellar, which he used to make the delicacies and protect them from the damaging effects of the weather. In 1977, Linxe opened the doors and welcomed Paris to his specialty boutique. Within three weeks, all of the chocolate had been sold and Linxe was dubbed the master of ganache. And in 1996, over twenty years later, Nicolas Cloiseau, the highly acclaimed chocolatier and pastry chef joined the business continuing La Maison's coveted reputation.Brigitte stressed that the discussion of chocolate is akin to that of wine; expertise comes from reading on the subject, perhaps taking a course, and most importantly, much experience. Moreover, chocolate and wine may be enjoyed together when paired consciously. Chocolate always goes well with "a nice red wine," Brigitte said. Quickly turning to the particulars, she added that milk chocolate is best paired with white wine and dark chocolate with port. Brigitte continued to enlighten us, saying with detectable fervor, "Good dark chocolate should not be bitter." It takes approximately ten days to dry cocoa beans. Rushing this process, a common crime of many chocolate companies, results in this bitter taste.Brigitte made a point of showing us how to taste chocolate: smell it first and then let it melt in your mouth. After this incredible offering of chocolate wisdom, Brigitte presented us with a plate of small pieces of chocolate arranged deliberately in a circle. Beginning at forty percent, each successive piece around the circle had an increased concentration of pure chocolate. We continued to climb past eighty and concluded with a piece of one hundred percent pure chocolate. At this point, a natural thickness set in and the pieces lost all association with candy. Suddenly, each of us agreed, it felt as though we were appreciating chocolate, not as a beloved dessert or comforting treat, but as a wonder of the earth.