balloon festival.

i am spending this dreary thursday morning dreaming about balloons and lots of them. normally this would be a bit weird, but since tomorrow is opening night at the 31st annual quechee balloon festival, it's just a little less awkward (or atleast i hope it is)

so i hope the skies are clear this weekend - because spending an evening watching hundreds of balloons ascend from the sky sounds pretty spectacular to me. whether or not we are brave enough to go for a ride, that's another story...but even with two feet on the ground, this festival has plenty to offer. i promise, it will not disappoint. hope to see you there!

{images via vt dark star}

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top ten tuesdays - thank you, simon....

...once again, you delivered.

i had friends visit vermont this weekend and we had the most perfect leisurely lunch on saturday at an alltime favorite of mine - simon pearce. admittedly, i could sit at a table with friends and wine and conversation for hours - whether it be a picnic bench, a kitchen counter or a table covered in white linens. there is just something so special and unique about the moments that happen around a table. but if you are someone that needs the table to bring a little something extra, the tables at simon pearce come VERY highly recommended.

the sp experience (yup, i just named it) is one of a kind, and one that keeps me coming back and serves as a fantastic place to bring guests from afar. so, for this week's edition of top ten tuesday, i bring you the top ten reasons to LOVE simon pearce.

1. the bread & butter - according to gourmet magazine "the coarse ballymaloe bread that arrives at your table with a crock of sweet butter is, almost alone, worth the trip" agreed.
2. the table setting - crisp white table cloths, handblown water and wine glasses and the most beautiful salt & pepper shakers ever. makes it perfect even before the food comes.
3. the cheddar ale soup - worthy of all the hype.
4. the waitstaff - so friendly and so knowledgeable. i learned more from our waiter while he was uncorking our wine bottle than i usually learn in a day (or 2 or 3...)
5. the view - the dining room, which is open air in the summer, and circled in glass in the winter months, has jawdropping views of the ottaquechee river, complete with a waterfall and covered bridge. doesn't get much better than that.
6. the history - simon opened his first glassblowing studio in kilkenny, ireland in 1971, came to vermont in 1981 and today has grown the company into one that is known worldwide for their simple & timeless craftsmanship while still calling vermont its home.
7. the glass - it's simply beautiful. each piece handcrafted from the onsite glass blowing studio. pretty darn special and pretty darn local.
8. the shopping - while you are waiting for a table you get to wander around the showroom full of their exquisite glass, pottery, woodware and woolens. all lust worthy. but make sure to head upstairs to their seconds room where you are sure to find some more affordable treats!
9. the book - simon and pia pearce wrote a book about their way of living which they describe as "a family centered on beliefs in living simply, cooking great food, and enjoying beautiful, functional objects every day" how can you argue with that?
10. the memories - growing up, going out to dinner was a special treat that we saved for special occasions like birthdays, graduations, and holidays. everytime we went to simon pearce it marked a very special occasion and a reason for us to be together as a family and to be celebrating the moment. so to me, the sp experience is one of a lifetime of memories. oh, just imagine the memories still to be created for us all...

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