Jelly Jacks

How could we live through the summer without our trusty Jack Rodgers? From weddings to the wharf, Jacks are the perfect shoe for every occasion. Unfortunately they don't fare so well when they get wet, aren't appropriate soles for the boat and drive me crazy when sand gets in their straps and then somehow spills out every time I wear them into my bedroom! So I was so excited to see they have recently introduced Jelly Jacks! Perfect for the beach, boat or pool, I can't wait to get my hands on a pair of these babies. I especially love the orange and white ones! Just in time to 'kick' off summer!

For more Friday Fashions visit Kori's bloghop at www.blondeepisodes.com!

Shop Jellies here!

Periwinkle is back in Darien!

I absolutely love Periwinkle. They have such great gifts for all occasions and their new store in Delray has the most fab clothes as well as jewelry, accessories, home goods and beautiful art. If you're in Florida be sure to check them out at 14 NE 4th Avenue, Delray Beach. And for one day only all you lucky fairfield county-ites can see Carrie's wonderful goodies at 88 Half Mile Road, Darien! Stop by from 9-4 and see what's new for Summer '11. For everyone else, shop online at www.periwinkleonline.com. 

Periwinkle is returning to Darien  

for one day only this Spring!

.........................................   

Please join Carrie & Whitney

88 Half Mile Road, Darien
Thursday, May 26th 

9:00 am - 4:00 pm 

  

Friends welcome!

Many new styles will be available that aren't online yet!

Bachelorette Recipes

We had a fabulous trip to Jupiter last weekend for one of my bridesmaids bachelorette parties. I highly recommend the Ritz Jupiter, they took spectacular care of our every whim over the weekend and made our trip flawless. We enjoyed three days of sunshine, great food, many cocktails and endless laughter. The details we'll keep to ourselves but I do want to share two awesome recipes I learned over the weekend. Feel free to substitute more festive pasta if you're hosting a special event. Thanks to K for all the cooking!

T’s Bachelorette Guacamole 

15 Minutes

Serves 6-10 as an appetizer

3 ripe avocados

1 ripe mango

½ can black beans

Juice of ½ lime (more if needed)

Salt and pepper to taste

1.       Cut and mash avocados in medium bowl until mostly smooth but with some small chunks, leave one avocado pit in mixture until right before serving so avocados do not brown

2.       Peel mango and dice, add to avocado

3.       Rinse black beans, add to mixture and mix well

4.       Add juice from lime, ½ at a time, until just moist

5.       Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well

T’s Bachelorette Pasta Primavera with Shrimp

1 hour, including prep

Serves 6

2 medium or 1 large zucchini, cut into thin strips (1.5 inches wide, ½ inch thick)

2 medium yellow squash, cut into thin strips (same as above)

2 peppers, any color, cut into thin strips (1 inch wide)

Bundle of asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces

Extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs or herbes de Provence

1 pound of small noodle pasta (I like farfalle, elbow, rotini or orecchiette)

1 pound jumbo shrimp (Best to buy already cleaned and deveined, with tails still on)

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup grated parmesan, with more on table if desired

½ cup toasted pine nuts

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F

1.       Spread all vegetables, except tomatoes, evenly on 1 or 2 large, heavy baking sheets.  Drizzle with olive oil to coat and toss with salt, pepper and dried herbs.

2.       Bake until vegetables begin to brown, stirring every 5-10 minutes, about 20-25 minutes total.

3.       Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite (see box for timing). Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

4.       While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in large sauté pan over medium-high heat.  Add minced garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add cherry tomatoes and sauté for 2-3 minutes.  Add shrimp and sauté until cooked through and pink, about 4-5 minutes.

5.       Toast pine nuts (you can do this ahead of time) either in dry sauté pan on stovetop or dry cookie sheet in oven for 8-10 minutes, tossing frequently.  Watch carefully to prevent burning.

6.       Toss the pasta with the vegetables in a large bowl to combine.  Toss with the shrimp and cherry tomatoes.  Add reserved cooking liquid or another drizzle of olive oil to moisten.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan and pine nuts and serve immediately.

Juliska Sidewalk Sale

Incase you missed the last one...

Farmer's Markets

You know summer's just around the corner when it's officially farmers market season! Despite this dreary weather local farmers markets are starting their summer schedules. I can't wait for tomatoes and mozzarella, fresh corn, pies and lots of fresh fruit for the fiance - unless it's with ice cream, dipped in chocolate or someone has a recipe to fry it, I don't have much use for fruit personally : )

Darien
Wednesdays 11-6
Municipal parking lot off Mechanic Street (behind the firehouse)

New Canaan
Saturdays 10-2
Old Center School parking lot (corner of South Ave, Maple and Main)

Greenwich
Saturdays 9:30-1
Horse Neck parking lot (across from Boy's Club)

Wilton - starting May 25th
Wednesdays 2-6
Wilton Historical Society (224 Danbury Road, along Route 7)

Westport - starting May 26th
Thursdays 10-2
Imperial Avenue lot (adjacent to the woman's club)

And my personal favorite...
Rowayton - starting June 3rd
Fridays 2-6
Pinkney Park
Check out Horman's Best Pickles for the best pickles you've ever had!

Spring Has Sprung at Nessa

I know I've blogged about this restaurant before but it really is one of my new favorites and I can't say enough nice things about them. I recently received an email with their new spring menu items and they sound totally delish - crispy crabcakes with red pepper mayo, spaghetti and shrimp with asparagus, garlic, olive oil and white wine, and monkfish picatta with artichoke hearts, asparagus, capers, white wine, butter and lemon. Mmmmm Mmm! Also, my most favorite dish - the spinach gnocchi - is going off the menu for the season soon so be sure to catch it before it's gone.

Their outdoor garden is now open for dining and you can enjoy a game of bocce on their bocce court as well. Thursday nights are ladies night were you can enjoy their entire wine list at 1/2 price from 6:30-7:30. Can it get any better?

Nessa
325 North Main Street, Port Chester
nessarestaurant.com
914.939.0119

Ring and Make Up

My cousin-to-be's bridal shower was this past weekend and her mom brought her the most darling gift, a Make Up Bell. After a little initial confusion from the guests (we had 'make up' cosmetics in mind), Mrs. B explained this Irish tradition. Every couple should receive a bell as a wedding gift which will be placed in their home. When a disagreement takes place, one of the couple rings the bell to end the discord and declare a truce without an admission of fault. The ringing bell is supposed to make them mindful of their wedding vows and should be followed with a kiss to make up. How cute! And if that doesn't work we figured you could always 'ring' your spouse over the head with it to drive home your point : )

The other highlight of the shower, Ina Garten's cheese straws! 

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, defrosted overnight in the refrigerator 

1 extra large egg

1 tablespoon water 

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

1 cup finely grated gruyere cheese 

1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

Freshly ground pepper 

Preheat over to 375 degrees

Roll out pastry on a lightly floured board until it is 10x12in. Beat the egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the surface of the pasty. Sprinkle each sheet evenly with 1/4 cup parmesan, 1/2 cup gruyere, 1/2 teaspoon thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. With a rolling pin, lightly press the flavorings into the pastry. Cut each sheet crosswise with a floured knife into 11 or 12 strips. Twist each strip and lay on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and puffed. Turn each straw and bake for another 2 minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature. Hide until guests arrive so you don't eat them all. 

Opening Night

A much anticipated restaurant is opening in Stamford tomorrow night. Bar Rosso, current venture of Mary Schaeffer of Napa & Co. and Chef Dan Kardos of Harvest Supper, is set to open in the old location of Bennett's Steak House on Spring Street. I can't wait to see this space, it sounds so interesting, with two story high ceilings, a mezzanine overlooking the main dining area and a wood burning beehive oven.  They will be featuring small plate specialties, a large antipasto menu, wood oven thin crust pizza, homemade pasta and Italian inspired entrees. When I get back from Florida this is high on my to-do list so hopefully I'll be reporting back soon with a review of our visit! They are currently taking reservations starting Thursday.

Bar Rosso
24 Spring Street, Stamford
203.388.8640
www.barrossoct.com

Stop & Shop for Discounted Gas

Over the past few weeks I've been wondering why the clerks at Stop & Shop keep highlighting my 'gas points' at the bottom of all my receipts. The smart thing to do would have been to ask them but thankfully Suzy Said filled me in today!

For every dollar you spend at Stop & Shop, you earn a point on your card toward Shell gasoline. Earn 100 points and save 10¢/gallon on gas, earn 200 points and save 20¢/gallon, etc. The more you spend,  the more you save - up to $2.20/gallon. (You'd have to buy a LOT of groceries!) The points are only good for 30 days so be sure to use then ASAP!

At participating Shell stations
1. Follow the prompts at the pump to start
2. Insert your Stop & Shop Card
3. Select payment and fuel grade
4. See you new price per gallon!

Find participating Shell stations here. There's 24 within a 10 mile radius of my house. I'll definitely be heading there this week to fill up!

Tuesday Trunk Show

I'm off to Florida on Friday and I can't WAIT! To get me ready for the trip I'm very excited that there's a Roberta Roller Rabbit trunk show in Darien tomorrow. Last year I picked up a dress that was my summer staple and a great new tunic style. I look forward to seeing what's new this season. Here are some items I have my eye on...

Pom-pom Scarf

Beach Towels!

Roberta Freymann & Roberta Roller Rabbit Spring '11 Trunk Show
Tuesday May 10th from 9am to 4pm

Local girls, if you can make it email or facebook me for the address. Everyone else be sure to check out their wonderful website at http://store01.prostores.com/servlet/robertarollerrabbit/StoreFront

Follow FFC411!

I've been getting so many wonderful compliments from family and friends who read this blog. It's been such a fun venture and a great way to share local finds with other fairfield county-ites. I also love all the suggestions and tips I receive and lots of what you read here comes from those readers. I'm still putting pressure on my mom to write a weekly guest spot as she's the queen of local knowledge! If you're not currently a follower and you'd like to be here are some easy options...

"Like" us here on facebook and you'll get updates in your newsfeed whenever there's a new blog post!
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fairfield-County-411/181725975203864

Or if you have a google account "follow" us and you'll receive updates through google reader! Just click the "follow" button on the right hand side of this page.

And if you have something you think would be good to write about you can always reach me at fairfieldcounty411@gmail.com or via facebook. Happy Reading!

May Makeovers

With summer right around the corner and wedding season about to kick in to full gear it's time to get your face glowing, your skin bronzed and your tootsies touched up! Beautiful Williams and Company in Darien is just the spot. With our wedding approaching I went a few weekends ago for a Microdermabrasion facial and it was fabulous. I would highly recommend it to all my bride-to- be friends (ask for Audra) and I'll certainly be back a few times between now and August. They also offer wonderful airbrush tanning for those early spring events or for those of you who'd like to get your glow on the safe way! Lastly enjoy one of their relaxing manicures and pedicures to get your nails in tip top shape. Check out the list of services on their website.

Located at 

1020 Post Rd, Darien 

(behind Ten Twenty Post)

203.656.2363

Open til 8 on Thursday, Closed Sunday

Derby Days

Everyone in my office is off to the Derby today and I have to admit I'm a little jealous! Attending the Derby is definitely on my bucket list so I'm hoping I'll get to make it down there in the next few years. If I was going to the Derby these are some of the dresses I would be considering wearing. Perhaps I'll have to treat myself to one anyone. Be sure to look for the pink vineyard vines tractors sweeping the track on Saturday! I'll be having a mint julep in CT to celebrate. 

Elizabeth McKay

Vineyard Vines

Kirribilla

Kate Spade

I think this neutral hat would compliment any of these dresses!

Mexican Fiesta

If you're looking for something fun to do tomorrow night for Cinco de Mayo here's a very unofficial poll of the best spots around town to enjoy some Mexican fare. Be sure to make reservations as these places are sure to be packed! Salud!

Best Margarita:
Viva Zapata
530 Riverside Avenue, Westport
203.227.8226

Best Salsa:
Boxcar Cantina
44 Old Field Point Rd, Greenwich
203.661.4774

Best Dive:
Rio
330 Connecticut Avenue, Norwalk
203.855.9577

Best Literary Reference:
Tequila Mockingbird
6 Forest Street, New Canaan
203.966.2222

Best Scene:
Red Lulu
128 Washington Street, South Norwalk
203.939.1600

Best Chain:
Moe's Southwest Grill
2267 Black Rock Turnpike, Fairfield
203.873.0776

Best Karaoke:
Fonda La Paloma
531 East Putnam Ave, Cos Cob
203.661.9395

3rd Annual athome Design District

Looking for a great night of shopping? If you're not one to celebrate Cinco de Mayo then head to New Canaan for the 3rd annual athome Design District on Thursday May 5th from 6-9pm. Participating stores will be offering wine and hors d'oeuvers, book signings, designer personal appearances, fabulous prizes and more! Open to everyone, start at any store and be sure to pick up your passports at each location to enter for those fabulous prizes! For more information go to athomefc.com.

Participating Stores:
Boxwood Interiors
Cobble Court Interiors
Country Design
Design Solutions
Family Britches
Pimlico
The Linen Shop
Wave

Special details from Boxwood Home & Interiors
3 great trunk shows!
Quadrille/China Seas - beach and carry all bags, beaded clutches, tunics
ASHA and ASHA Plage - fabulous jewelry and ASHA's new clothing line
Melissa Barbieri - al fresco paintings
*enter to win an Ooomph Tini Table!

Summer Reading List

After a great weekend filled with plentiful sunshine it seemed like the perfect time to share my "summer reading list". Every summer I wait for the same authors to release their newest beach reads - Elin Hilderbrand, Jen Lancaster, Mary Kay Andrews, Jennifer Weiner, Nancy Thayer, Louanne Rice. Throughout the rest of the year I try to read more substantial books but during the summer I live for these wonderful guilty pleasures. What's better than reading one of Elin Hilderbrands novels about Nantucket while on the beach in Nantucket? I smile just thinking about all the quality time I'll be spending in the warm sunshine with my kindle engrossed in these books! I'll be honest and admit I wrote this list up about 6 weeks ago, I'm that excited. Happy Reading!

The Silver Boat by Luanne Rice - released April 5th.
Rice writes beautiful books, if you haven't read The Geometry of Sisters I highly recommend it, it's one of my favorites. 



If You Were Here by Jen Lancaster - available May 3rd. 
Jen Lancaster was the author who turned me on to blogs. She's incredibly hilarious and I'm a tiny bit obsessed with her. If you ever get the chance to go to one of her book tour stops it's so worth it, she's darling and pee in your pants funny! Here we are meeting her in NYC in 2009.

And her new book...



Summer in the South by Cathy Holton - available May 24th.
Grab this one for Memorial Day weekend and when you fall in love with Holton make sure you read Beach Trip, one of my favorite books of summer of 2009.



Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews - available June 7th.
The queen of southern chic lit, her books always put a smile on my face.



Silver Girl by Elin Hilderbrand - available June 21st.
I will be counting down the days until this book is released. Elin Hilderbrand is one of my most favorite authors - I've read every one of her books, receiving a signed copy of The Island was one of the highlights of last summer, and I want to cry every time I finish one of her books because I know I'll have to wait until the next summer to read another. Hopefully I never meet her cause I think I'd totally freak her out!



Heat Wave by Nancy Thayer - available June 21st.
My other favorite Nantucket author releasing her book on the very same day...don't call me the week of June 20th, I'm going to be a very busy girl!



Then Came You by Jennifer Weiner - available July 12th.
Weiner has had a great run the last two summers, Fly Away Home and Best Friends Forever, so I'm very much looking forward to seeing what she has to offer this year. 

(No cover art yet)

Always Something There to Remind Me by Beth Harbison - available July 19th.
The newest author to add to my summer reading list, Harbison offers easy reading fun for those dog days of summer.



What's on your summer reading list?

Beach Stickers

It's May 1st - officially time to get your beach sticker! Here are some helpful links to get you registered if you haven't already. It was a shock when I wanted to go for a walk at Todds Point and realized it was already sticker season!

If you live in Greenwich:
http://greenwichct.virtualtownhall.net/Public_Documents/GreenwichCT_ParkRec/GreenwichCT_Recreation/ParkPasses/passes

If you live in Rowayton:
http://www.rowaytonct.com/images/Currents%20Spring%20Summer%2011/Bayley%20Beach%20Application%202011.pdf

If you live in Darien:
http://www.darienct.gov/content/106/116/616/default.aspx

If you live in Westport:
http://activenet8.active.com/westportrecreation/

If you live in Fairfield:
http://cal.fairfieldct.org/content/2765/2783/3417.aspx