In the early-to-mid-2000s, what was then the equivalent of today’s influencer crowd would gather at one restaurant above all others: chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market in the Meatpacking District. 

Serving lychee martinis and the sort of Asian-inspired food that had yet to drench the city’s entire culinary purview, Spice Market eventually closed in 2016, to the consternation of the high-end crowd that enjoyed weekly standing reservations on site.

Nearly a decade later, Vongerichten is ready to use the space at 403 West 13th Street by Greenwich Street again, this time launching a private club dubbed Chez Margaux that, according to Eater, includes “a restaurant that serves modern French cuisine, private dining areas, a library, a lounge with a Japanese-inspired menu and space for caviar service and late-night bites that transitions to Gaux Gaux, an after 10pm club.”

No word yet on when the club will open but New Yorkers with a flair for the fancy can already apply for membership right here.

Unlike other area clubs like Zero Bond, the pricing model at Chez Margaux actually takes into account lifestyle differences. According to a brochure that’s posted online, the UN membership applies to folks 21 to 31 years old and includes a $1,000 fee in addition to $1,800 in annual dues.

Membership DEUX, on the other hand, applies to people who are 32 or older. The option consists of a $2,000 initiation fee followed by $2,6000 in annual dues.

The above-mentioned brochure also includes a slew of sketched renderings that convey a vibe reminiscent of all things Vongerichten: think rouge curtains, carpets and couches, a golden bar and a private dining room with a lush banquette.

According to Eater, members will have to abide by a number of rules: no iPad or laptops are allowed on premise, photos can’t be taken and guests will have to follow a dress code that prohibits them from wearing sandals, flip flops, ripped jeans or baseball hats.

Taking all into account, we have one question in mind: is the Meatpacking District about to become cool again?

* This article was originally published here

New York City first got a taste of Maison Ladurée‘s pretty, pastel-hued confections back in 2011 with Upper East Side storefront, followed by a Soho spin-off with a full-service restaurant in 2014. And now the acclaimed Parisian pâtisserie is bringing even more of its world-famous macarons to NYC, with a brand-new outpost opening inside The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards on Saturday, May 4. 

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Set on the first level of 20 Hudson Yards, the new Ladurée location “meets the modern needs of gourmets pressed for time,” said Mélanie Carron, the Managing Director of Maison Ladurée. “It offers a delicious and elegant interlude with all Maison Ladurée’s well-established authenticity.” 

There will, of course, be those famous macarons, Eugénie and viennoiseries, as well as a range of new gourmet drinks, sweets and snacks available for takeaway. There will be signature lattes like the “Ispahan Latte” (flavored with rose, raspberry and lychee) and the “Plaisir Sucré Latte” (sweetened with chocolate, hazelnut and praline.) “With the creation of these first gourmet drinks, our aim is to evoke our iconic patisseries and surprise our customers with flavours that they have never tasted in this way,” said Ladurée’s executive pastry chef Julien Alvarez. 

The team is also adding three new cookies to the menu, each for $5.50: a Peanut Cookie (peanut cookie dough, peanuts and caramel salted butter), a Pistachio Cookie (pistachio cookie dough, dried fruit mix and almonds) and a Chocolate Buckwheat Cookie (chocolate cookie dough, hazelnuts, macae and caramel). There will also be a selection of Finger Pâtisserie ($9.50 each), pretty layered treats that are enveloped in a chocolate shell and available in iconic Ladurée flavors like Vanilla Pecan, Mango Yuzu, Chocolate Hazelnut Caramel and more. 

Check out some of the new menu offerings below, alongside renderings of the new space, which is dressed up in vichy checkered details and Ladurée’s signature green:

* This article was originally published here