Addison, TX

What Could Be Sweeter? Addison's J Dorian Chocolatier

An entire shop of chocolates! J Dorian Chocolatier is nestled between Houston's restaurant and the Town Hall in Addison, Texas. Whether you want to satisfy your own sweet tooth or purchase a tasty treat as a gift for a friend, stop in and make your selection from the many choices available. Besides individual chocolates, truffles, chocolate covered treats, chocolate bars, wedding favors and cakes, cookies, and hot chocolate, you can now savor cupcakes!

Dorian Isenberg's fascination with food started in childhood, thanks to Julia Child, and he was encouraged by his mother and grandmother in their Houston kitchen. He never stopped reading cookbooks, trying recipes, and experimenting. As a young adult, Dorian attended culinary classes, but followed in the family footsteps and worked in the watch and jewelry business. When his wife was 8 months pregnant, he was laid off from Fossil Watches. Dorian became a stay-at-home Dad, taking care of his daughter, and made chocolates for his wife to bring to her workplace. Needless to say, they were a big hit!

In 2001, Dorian began a wholesale business in a commercial kitchen, making chocolates for events, parties and weddings. The J Dorian Chocolatier retail operation opened in 2005. That first year, Dorian sold 5,000 truffles. Last year, over 400,000 truffles were sold. He uses 3,000 pounds of chocolate a month!

Summer is a slow season for chocolate (this is Texas, after all, with 100+ degree days). On a dare from a friend, Dorian whipped up a batch of cupcakes that could compete with Sprinkles cupcakes and they are now a staple in the store. Wedding and party cakes sell year round. And (you heard it hear first!) there may be ice cream in the J Dorian Chocolatier future - made with a pastry cream base. This ice cream is in the developmental stages, but flavors may include chocolate (of course), vanilla bean, raspberry, strawberry, pear and peach. And, speaking of ice cream, if you've had the hot fudge at the Addison Houston's, now you know it came from J Dorian Chocolatier.

Dorian's mentor, Jacques Torres, owns and operates two high-profile chocolate shops in New York and has a show on the Food Network. Dorian now teaches at Sur La Table, The International Culinary School at the Art Institute, and Le Cordon Bleu Dallas, sharing his techniques and expertise with others, as Jacques did with him.

If you're not near Addison, you can place orders for chocolates from J Dorian Chocolatier on the website. They ship all over the world. But if you are in the North Texas area, stop by for a visit. There are tables where you can sit and eat, and large windows into the kitchen so you can watch the chocolates being made. The handmade European-style gourmet chocolates are made from the finest French and Belgian chocolate with no preservatives or artificial flavors.

J Dorian Chocolatier is located at 5312 Belt Line Road in Addison, Texas. Summer hours are 11-5, Monday through Saturday. Winter hours are 10-6 Monday through Saturday. There's nothing sweeter than J Dorian Chocolatier!

Addison, Texas has not been as hard hit with foreclosures as other parts of the country, but foreclosures do exist here. The foreclosure auction is held at the county courthouse on the first Tuesday of each month. Properties on the following streets are posted for the September 1, 2009 auction and include one condo, one single family home, and townhouse.

If you think you might be interested in purchasing a property at the foreclosure auction, I suggest that you attend the auction for a few months, learn the procedure, and do your research about any property you might want to bid on. In Dallas County, the auctions are in the basement of the courthouse and trustees representing multiple banks sell at the same time. It's quite an interesting process. Only about 5% of the posted properties sell. The rest are taken back by the banks and may eventually be listed through real estate agents. It is usually the properties with lots of equity that sell.

Addison's Dunn Bros. Coffee House

If you're a coffee aficionado, Dunn Bros. Coffee in Addison Texas is worth checking out. They start with great beans, then roast them in small drum roasters. When you walk in the door, the aroma of the roasted beans wafts over to greet you.

But Dunn Bros. Coffee is so much more than just a place to grab a quick cup. They offer free WiFi access and there are usually several patrons with their laptops working overtime. If the weather is cooperative, a leisurely break on the patio might be in order. If you stop by in the evenings, you're likely to hear local bands playing. And local artists display their creations on the walls.

There is a separate seating area in the rear of Dunn Bros. Coffee where small groups can meet. On the first Wednesday of each month, the Addison Pacesetters congregate here at 10:30 am to learn about various Town of Addison departments and events.

Dunn Bros. Coffee is conveniently located at 3725 Belt Line Rd., Addison, TX 75001, just east of Marsh Lane. They're open Monday - Friday 6am-10:30pm; Saturday 7am-10:30pm; and Sunday 8am-10:30pm.

Addison Pacesetters (the 50+ group) meet the first Wednesday of each month at Dunn Bros. Coffeehouse on Beltline Road and learn about the Town of Addison. This month, Joel Jenkinson from the Addison Airport spoke to us.

Here are some interesting tidbits from his presentation:

The town of Addison owns the airport, but the management of the airport is contracted out. Joel works for the management company. He has been here 2 years and previously worked at Lakefront Airport in New Orleans.

The airport does not use money from Addison's general fund revenues. This is highly unusual.

Upcoming projects include regrading, saftey and drainage updates, and lights and signage. Funding from FAA and the Texas Department of Transportation will allow for runway rehabilitation. Subject to discretionary funds from FAA, blocks of porous concrete will be placed at the south end of the runway for safety.

Fifty years ago when the airport was built, the founding fathers paid $2,200/acre. As of 2006, the economic impact to Addison from the airport is $600M annually.

Approximately 8 million gallons of fuel are sold per year.

The control tower is staffed from 6 am to 10 pm. After hours, pilots check in with DFW approach control. Nighttime air traffic is mostly cargo.

Approximately 30 flights/month require U.S. Customs. This is a user fee airport and the customs fees can be passed on, but they are not currently. Garbage fees of $78/bag are collected on international flights. The garbage must be brought to DFW airport and sterilized.

Construction on the west side of the airport (Midway Road side) is for a heliport with proposed completion in time for the Super Bowl in Dallas.

Next month, September 2nd is the first Wednesday. Come out and join us at Dunn Bros.

Dinner AND a Movie at Addison's Studio Movie Grill. If you can't decide between dinner and a movie, how about both at the same time? That's the concept behind the Studio Movie Grill.

Owner Brian Schultz borrowed the idea after attending a movie in Maryland at the Bethesda Draft House. He brought the concept to Dallas in 1993 and took over the historic Granada Theater, then opened the Addison location five years later. There are also Studio Movie Grills in Plano, Arlington, Lewisville and two in Houston.

Besides movies and food, the Studio Movie Grill also holds thousands of events each year: alumni groups, Bar and Bas Mitzvahs, birthday parties, company parties, board meetings, wedding receptions, and more. I've attended meetings of networking groups there, an art auction, as well as film festivals. It's a great venue for combining business and entertainment (not to mention food) all at the same place.

The menu consists of "normal" movie favorites, such as popcorn and soda, but you can buy a burger, dessert, or a host of other finger foods. (The potato skins are high on my list.) Or, you can just sit back and watch the movie without selecting from the menu. Want dinner without the movie? Enter the lobby and have a seat at the bar.

The Studio Movie Grill is located at 5405 Beltline Rd. Addison, TX 75248. From Belt Line and the Tollway, go 1/2 mile east of the Tollway, then turn north on Prestonwood. SMG is on the north east corner.