Target Time

Don't forget - tomorrow's the big day if you want anything from the new Calypso for Target line!

See the original post here!

Royal Treatment

Getting ready for the Royal Wedding tomorrow...

Royal Breakfast is ready!

Whatever you do to celebrate the Royal Wedding tomorrow I hope you enjoy this special historic event. It's funny to think that someday when Will and Kate's little prince gets married we'll be telling our children what we were doing on this day!

One of my favorite British treats, my grandmother's buttermilk scones. Enjoy!

BUTTERMILK SCONES

 

preheat oven to  400'

 

2 cups flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

6 Tbsp unsalted butter (cold)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

 

Stir dry ingredients together, cut in butter until the size of small peas. Mix buttermilk, vanilla and egg then add to dry ingredients. Shape into an 8 inch circle and score into 8 triangles. Bake 18-20 minutes

Pizza Night

I'm always on the lookout for a great new pizza restaurant, it's our Sunday night dinner staple, and sometimes Wednesday night, and Thursday night, and Friday night...you get the idea! So I was so excited to hear about ReNapoli, recently opened in Old Greenwich. I've heard great reviews and I can't wait to go this weekend to try it out for myself. It would also be a great stop for lunch if you work in the Greenwich/Stamford area. They offer three different styles of pizza - Napoletana, Romana and New York - along with salads, pastas and sandwiches. I look forward to finding out more about the different styles of pizza - high on my list to try is the Diavola pizza with mozzarella, sopressata picante, and house made hot pepper oil, mmm! Located at 216 South Beach Avenue (between The Beach House and Fred).

Learn more at www.renapoli.com

Motherly Love

With Mother's Day just around the corner it's time to start looking for a sweet treat for the special mom, mother-in-law, sister, wife, or grandmother in your life. It's so difficult to find the perfect gift for someone who means so incredibly much to you but the good things is that if anyone taught you that it's the thought that counts it's your wonderful mother! So here are a few things I think the special ladies in your life would love this Mother's Day...

Gurgle Pots!

I love Gurgle Pots, they are such a fun gift! They come in an amazing array of colors, provide such fun as they "gurgle" away while you pour, and creator Matt Ellison is adorable. I know one of these would put a smile on your mom's face and offer a fun topic of conversation at the dinner table. They are available online at www.gurglepot.com or at Splurge in Greenwich (39 Lewis Street). If you don't live in the Greenwich area email Matt at info@gurglepot.com and he can send you a list of local retailers in your area!

Gianna Rose

If your mom is from the Fairfield County area it's likely that she loves everything seashore. I think these soaps are such a beautiful gift and I love the apothecary jars they come in. These would also make a wonderful hostess gift this summer, there's a smaller version for a little treat too! Everything on Gianna Rose's site is wonderful but currently it appears to be down, check back soon!

Felix Doolittle 

Does your mom love to bake, share books or write letters? Check out these wonderful personalized items from Felix Doolittle - bakers labels, book plates or return address labels. They offer an endless number of designs so you can personalize them to any special interests. Why not treat mom to a great new book and a set of book plates? Or maybe some new stationary with matching address labels? My guess is she'll use them to write you a few extra letters!  

Whatever you give your mom this Mother's Day be sure to take a few minutes to tell her exactly how much you love her, since having her in your life is the best gift of all! 

Meet Me in Paris

Last week we met to discuss our April Book Club pick, The Paris Wife. I loved, loved this book. McLain's writing style is so effortless to read and I got so swept up in the story that by the end of the book I had tears streaming down my face and I just didn't want it to end. Hemingway wrote of his Paris wife, "I would rather have died than fallen in love with anyone but Hadley." It makes me teary every time I think about it. Needless to say I was very excited to meet and discuss!

We chose Meli Melo as the location for our meeting. Since we couldn't meet at a sidewalk bistro in Paris we had to pick the next best thing Greenwich had to offer. Meli Melo has recently expanded and now includes upwards of 10 tables, a larger counter for takeout and the option to BYOB! It was such a great spot for our french dinner - we brought our favorite wines and enjoyed their delicious salads and savory crepes. I had my favorite crepe, the Spring, which includes swiss and mozzarella cheese, artichokes, asparagus, ham, mesclun salad and their amazing homemade dressing. Yum! They are open daily from 10-10 and are planning on adding new breakfast hours soon. Perfect for lunch, dinner or just desert, this is a definite must try!

Our next book choice is Water for Elephants. I'm embarrassed to say that although I try to be quite the book aficionado I still haven't read this book! For some reason I was under the impression it was about something completely different but now that I know more about the story I can't WAIT to read it! And for our meeting we're all going to go see Water for Elephants in the theater. I'm not going to lie, I'm definitely also looking forward to two hours of Robert Pattinson. Happy Reading!

Tulip Tutorial

I always thought putting a penny in a vase with tulips was an old wives tale but the other day I brought home some beautiful tulips and a few wouldn't fit in the vase. So i grabbed a little bud vase to stick the last three in but they were floppy and hanging out the sides due to the vase shape. I figured before I tossed them I would throw a penny in there and see what happened. The next day, voila, perfect tulips!! I'm still shocked that they are standing perfectly upright all on their own, it almost seems like magic. Since it's prime tulip season I had to pass along the tip! Happy Easter!

My favorite local places to buy flowers:

Cos Cob Farms - 61 East Putnam Avenue, Cos Cob

Darien Produce - 27 Tokeneke Road, Darien

Compo Farm - 392 Post Road East, Westport 

First Mate

After this endless amount of rain I am so ready for summer. Today was such a special, sunshine filled treat! I can't wait to read on the beach, dine outside, drink wine on the boat and switch my closet from sweaters and rain boots to tunics and flip flops! So in preparation for a summer on the water, it's a great time to think about your four legged friends and treat them one of these wonderful boat friendly dog beds. While designed for the boat, they're also perfect for any outdoor space where a normal bed would be subject to mildew or fading and they roll up for easy transport. I love the custom option where you can choose your colors and monogram (so stylish!) and to top it all off 5% of sales will be donated to canine cancer research in memory of their lab Ripley. And best of all their model happens to be my future "niece" Hadley! I always love to pass along info on new start up companies, they have such passion for what they do (and in this case when it's about dogs how can I resist!), so if there's a special dog in your life head over and check out First Mate! Hopefully it will be summer before we know it!

My beautiful niece!

http://www.firstmatepets.com/
info@firstmatepets.com

Baby Boomers

I'm so excited in the last few months to have found out a few of my friends are expecting little bundles of joy. And with the number of weddings we've been attending in the last two years I am sure there is going to be more and more exciting news in the year to come! I heard about a great local business the other day that I think would be the perfect gift for these mama's to be. Stork Suppers is the brainchild of Chef Jamie - who has created a service to offer chef-prepared meals to new moms and their families. Before the baby (or babies!) arrives, Chef Jamie will discuss menu options, food allergies, etc (the food looks truly delicious!) and then when the baby arrives so do the dinners. Each meal includes an entree and a side and she even includes a roll of lemon ginger snap cookies to keep in the fridge to bake up when friends and family come over for a visit. Stork Suppers would make a great baby shower gift from a group of girlfriends. See the adorable gift certificates she offers below. One week of meal is $425 plus groceries, two weeks $765 plus groceries and one month $1,500 plus groceries. Check out the amazing menu options here. For more information please contact Jamie at jamie@storksupper.com or 917-434-4655. Pamper those new mom's, they deserve it!

Outlet Shopping

On our drive to the Cape my mom and I had to stop at our favorite outlet in Fall River - the Matouk Factory Store! They have a showroom with seconds, discontinued styles and overstock items which are always great - with good deals on towels, sheets, pillow shams etc. But a little know fact is that since this is also their distribution center they will go into the warehouse and get you anything you want from the regular line at around 40% off! Go with a list of what you're looking for or browse through their lookbooks and they will pull whatever you're interested in. Unfortunately this discount isn't available over the phone so the next time you're heading to the Cape or the ferry be sure to add an extra hour to stop by! I love how you can mix and match everything in the Lulu dk Matouk collection - currently I have a mix of lattice and starburst pattern bedding and I'm hoping to mix in some of these shell styles soon!

They also have wonderful gift items at the outlet, such as these candles, soaps and cute tissue covers!

Be sure to check them out! 

Matouk Factory Store 

925 Airport Rd (one mile from Rt 24)

Fall River, MA 

508.997.3444

Mon-Fri 8-4:30 (year round), Sat 10-4:30 (june, july and august)

http://www.matouk.com/consumer/where/factory_store.html

Wedding Treat

After a great weekend of wedding planning with my mom in Chatham I came home to the nicest treat! I had a little package from Preppy Cards waiting for me. Inside was a note from the owner - she'd seen in the last vineyard vines catalog that I had gotten engaged and remembered she had my info in her customer database. So she sent me these darling notecards wishing me the best on my upcoming wedding. How nice is that?? I love Preppy Cards but have only ordered from them three or four times so I thought it was so sweet of her to think of me. I'm definitely going to be ordering some more with my new monogram!

If you're looking for a great gift for a newly engaged friend be sure to check out all their adorable images. I love their wedding bouquet flat notecard with "Soon to be Mrs. X" printed on them, or pick an item that relates to their wedding and put both couples initials. It's great to have some new stationary to start writing thank you notes for those engagement gifts. Throw in some return address labels with the couples new address too!

Check out all the graphics at www.preppycards.com

Soundview Millworks

And while we're talking about weddings I can't pass up sharing my all time favorite gift to give for weddings, showers and engagement parties - a monogrammed cutting board from Soundview Millworks. Started by local craftsman Grant Tankoos in 2008, SVM creates beautiful nautically-inspired cutting boards out of mahogany and maple wood. With an ever expanding number of styles, there are tons of options to choose from and every style can be personalized with one of their stock images or almost anything you send Grants way! I've seen monograms, logos, dates and even whole wedding invitations engraved on his boards! Below are some gifts that Grant created for me last summer, I was so happy with how each one turned out and I know the recipients will enjoy them for years to come. And it's such a nice added touch to give a gift from a local company!

Add a couples wedding logo,

their favorite vacation destination,

or the date and location of their wedding!

Head over to http://www.soundviewmillworks.com/ to check out all the available styles - my dad takes credit for this new board when he asked Grant to recreate my mom's favorite old cutting board! Now with an online store it's even easier to order but you can still contact Grant at 843.324.5186 or soundviewmillworks@gmail.com. Also be sure to "like" them on facebook to receive updates on new products and events!

Say Yes to the Dress

We're headed up to Chatham this weekend for lots of wedding planning (can't wait!) so I have weddings on the brain this week! The thing I'm most excited for is my dress to arrive, I can't wait to see the real thing and not the sample. I also can't say enough about the shop where I found my dress! When I started my wedding dress shopping I headed straight into NYC thinking how lucky I was to live near a city with so many bridal boutiques. After appointments at Saks and Amsale and another trip back to the city planned I decided on a whim to head up to Westport (who doesn't want to try on wedding dresses every chance they get!) Needless to say I fell madly in love with a dress despite only planning on looking. What a relief it's been to find a dress I adore out here in CT! Owner Allison was sweet enough to let me swing by the other day to try on possible shoe options and talk jewelry. And no hot train rides to the city this summer for fittings, I'll be able to get them done on just a long lunch break. I know this will make my experience so much more enjoyable and save a few hours I can dedicate to other fun things, like seating charts and thank you notes : ) So if you're a new bride and just starting your dress search do yourself a favor and stop by The Plumed Serpent, they offer great designers and you'll love the personalized service of a small bridal boutique. Also be sure to follow them on facebook, they're posting from the bridal show this week so you can get a sneak peak at some new gowns. I can't wait to go back to see mine!

How can you choose just one??

The Plumed Serpent Bridal
295 Post Road East, Westport
203.226.9868
http://plumedserpentbridal.blogspot.com/

Mark Your Calendars! Calypso for Target

This has been on my radar for quite some time but now that the line is almost ready to launch I had completely forgotten! Good thing Lindsay over at Vineyard Loveknots reminded me! Coming May 1st, Calypso will be collaborating with Tar-zhay on a limited edition line available only until June 11th. Usually these collaborative lines sell out immediately online so be sure to check out the available styles now so you're ready when they're released. It looks like all the clothes are under $50 so I am guessing the quality won't be great but who doesn't love picking up a few fun, inexpensively priced items to enjoy just for the season. Try something you wouldn't usually buy, grab a fun gift for a friend, or a few items to spruce up your home for the summer months. Here are a few of my favorites but you can view everything here to find your favorites! I'll be at the Stamford Tar-zhay May 1st to see if the line is available there, i'll keep you posted! 

A cute basic wrap dress for $42.99 and a fun tote for $19.99

A colorful beach cover up for $36.99

Darling summer jammies for $24.99

Chic beach tote for $16.99

Treat a friend to a new makeup case for your next vacation together $29.99

These will be great with a tan! $14.99

Darien Pop-Up Shop

I always find pop-up shops interesting, a little store that just comes along for a few months and fills an empty retail space, kindve a fun concept right! It's like a three month trunk show. If you're looking to check one out head to the new Everything Is Rosey in Darien. They carry tops and tunics, beach cover ups, flip flops, personalized items and home accessories. And best of all everything is under $100! Some of my favorite items were the Barbara Gerwit tunics and tops (I just learned about this cute line in Ocean Reef and don't actually know anyone else in the area who carries her stuff), the reusable beach totes (perfect for a summer picnic), and the tin buckets printed with "flip flops", "sunblock" or "mail" (a great hostess gift this summer!). It sounds like they are going to be adding new inventory daily so be sure to stop by soon, I believe they're only in town for three months.

Located at 1076 Boston Post Road (next to Helen Ainson)

Get your Groupon!

I'm sure most of you have already signed up for Groupon Fairfield County but they have had some great deals lately so I just wanted to remind everyone to get involved! I was bummed I forgot to purchase the Darien Sport Shop Groupon last week - $50 for $100 gift certificate! So be sure to sign up today so you don't miss out on any upcoming deals in the Fairfield County area. It's also a great way to hear about some new restaurants and services in town. Happy shopping!

Happy Master's Sunday!

I finally got to tag along on a great trip to the practice round last year. I really liked going when you could bring cameras and got great shots of Arnold Palmer and all my favorite players along with the beautiful course. I also enjoyed about ten pimento cheese sandwiches and picked up lots of unnecessary Masters paraphernalia. Having been there in person certainly makes watching it on tv a lot more fun, although by "watching" I clearly mean reading blogs and online shopping : ) Happy Masters! 

Can't beat these prices!

Cheering on Steve

Sadly the azaleas weren't in bloom yet

Sunday Funday

I'm always looking for something fun to do on Sundays while we wait for the weather to get warm and sunny here in CT. The other day we were at 1020 in Darien and found out they offer 1/2 price bottles of wine on Sundays. The bartender suggested coming for brunch and getting a bottle of prosceco and making your own mimosas - what a great idea!! I've never eaten there for brunch but spending an afternoon at one of the hightop tables on a rainy April Sunday sounds great to me! And if brunch isn't your thing why not head there for an early dinner to top off the weekend. Some of my favorites include the iceberg wedge, fried calamari, lobster mac and cheese and the mussels mariniere. Just another reason to make it a Sunday funday!

1/2 price wine Sundays from 12-9
Ten Twenty Post
1020 Post Road, Darien
203.655.1020
www.tentwentypost.com

Feeling Daffy?

Sometimes you just need a weekend away with your girlfriends and I have a great idea for an easy weekend trip that's sure to get you in the mood for spring! Head to Nantucket for the 37th annual Daffodil Festival Weekend April 29 - May 1. Millions of daffodils bloom around the island and to celebrate these beautiful flowers and the arrival of spring there are parades, picnics and tons of silly fun! A daffy hat pageant, a daffy dog parade, and an antique car parade ending in a daffodil tailgate picnic in 'Sconset are just some of the weekend activities.

Here's my game plan for the perfect day! Grab some breakfast in town at Fog Island then walk to Children's Beach for the Daffy Hat contest, be sure to wear something yellow! Then head back to Main Street to admire the antique cars and be sure to stay after the parade departs for the Daffy Dogs! Jump in your car and drive out to 'Sconset for the tailgate picnic from 1-3, parade participants will be handing out tasty treats to everyone. Spend a little time driving around the island to see all the beautiful flowers and perhaps fit in a little shopping. End a great day with a delicious dinner at American Seasons and a cocktail at The Boarding House. It's sure to be a weekend filled with lots of laughs and lots of beautiful flowers!

Easy flights available from New Bedford via Cape Air. 

Schedule of Events - http://www.nantucketchamber.org/visitor/daffodil.html

Fear Not!

What's the fastest way to end a fun night with friends? Spill red wine on something in their house! Nothing turns a situation more uncomfortable than watching a hostess try to assure guests that it's no big deal that they just doused her new ottoman in vino! But don't be one of those people who only offers guests clear drinks - get yourself an emergency bottle of Wine Out! My fiance spilled some red wine on one of our chairs while I was away and didn't want to ruin my weekend so held out mentioning it until I came home (clearly I need to loosen up about our furniture!). Unsure how to get it out I called my mom who came to the rescue with Wine Out. After the stain had been sitting for 5 days she was still able to get it out completely and our chair looks like new! There was a small window of time where it turned the fabric bright blue but once it dried everything was perfect, however be sure to spot test in a small area before tackling the entire stain just incase. So now that you're in the know, serve that red wine with reckless abandon!

Learn more about Gonzo Wine Out here!

Nautical & Nice

I stopped by J.Crew this weekend while I was in Atlanta and went crazy for all the great nautical inspired tops they have come out with recently. I gathered up all the striped, boat necked, blue, and chambray items I could find and scurried into the dressing room. Everything was darling but for fear I was going to look like the captain of a ship I narrowed them down to four of my favorites (see below!). With so little time to shop I rely heavily on J.Crew because I know I can run in and find a handful of stuff I love and be on my merry way. If you're looking for some great nautical styles to transition you into spring here are my picks!

Tuxedo Tunic

Drapey Stripe Tee

I Heart Chambray Shirt

Striped Mandarin Tee

I plan to wear these with jeans and great turquoise jewelry until the weather gets warmer here in CT. Perhaps I should pick up one of these too? 

J. Crew 

126 Greenwich Avenue, Greenwich

24 Elm Street, New Canaan 

145 Main Street, Westport 

www.jcrew.com

Swooning for the Dressing Room

Today I'm very excited to share a guest review from my friend E! While I love to eat out as often as I can there are a ton of restaurants on my "to try" list and the Dressing Room is one I haven't yet gotten to. When E told me she dined there a few weeks ago I asked her to share her experience! I think this bumps it to the top of my list - enjoy! 

Opened in 2006 by Paul Newman and veteran chef and cookbook author Michel Nischan, the Dressing Room in Westport serves up “American heirloom recipes” on the grounds of the storied Westport County Playhouse. 

A great Friday crowd and a roaring fire in the barn-paneled interior made for cozy perfection on a recent late winter’s night.

I started with the “Use a Spoon” Chopped Salad, a creative twist on the classic with a super-fresh mix of celery root, winter squash, sunchokes, Sea Island peas, local goat cheese, pears, dried cranberries, candied pecans and a mustard vinaigrette.  Then came a Duck Ragout, served over linguine with the slightest hint of crunch from spiced breadcrumbs.  My husband had the “Millstone Mix” Salad – local lettuce, apples, cheddar and a Meyer lemon herb vinaigrette -- followed by a chicken pot pie that was out of this world good.

Our table shared a handful of sides – each better than the last – pan roasted Brussels sprouts with dried cranberries, kettle macaroni and cheese made with farmstead cheddar and cured pork belly, and, oh my word, the corn bread. I’m usually fairly ambivalent about corn bread.  This stuff was sublime.

I’m ashamed to admit that I was so wrapped up in my luscious duck, that I have no idea what our friends ordered, but we all felt, well, spoiled by what was easily the best meal I’ve had since we moved back East from San Francisco.

We finished things off with a Skillet Apple Pie with caramel rosemary ice cream.  In the end it was all just a delicious blur – simple, unpretentious food in an atmosphere that was warm in every respect.  I’m dying to go back to try their burger. 

The Dressing Room 

27 Powers Court, Westport (adjacent to the Westport County Playhouse)

203.226.1114 

Reservations also available at www.opentable.com