In the March/April issue of Bridal Guide magazine, our dinnerware and stemware are featured as a "Bridal Best" - with a special profile on Simon Pearce.

   

	SIMON PEARCE: CAVENDISH Timeless and simply stylish, versatile and durable Cavendish is designed to reside perfectly in any dining setting. Pair with Simon Pearce’s Cavendish stemware for a beautiful table of simple elegance. SIMON PEARCE: CORINTH Sculpted edging coupled with a classic shape and glazing make this new pattern equally suitable for a sunny breakfast or a formal candlelit dinner. Handcrafted in the Simon Pearce tradition of distinctive simplicity.
	SIMON PEARCE "At a time when most household items are mass-produced in factories, Vermont-based designer Simon Pearce represents one of the foremost artisans who is breathing new life into the age-old tradition of fine craftsmanship. With collections that include exquisite hand-blown glass and handcrafted pottery, Simon Pearce creates beautiful tableware and accessories that are designed for a lifetime of everyday use." View the Article
	SPARKLING Your sparkling personality deserves a table with brilliant glassware. From colorful tumblers to elegant stemware, these glasses make a shining statement at every meal. Featured: Hartland Stemware A timeless favorite—Simon Pearce’s hand-blown Hartland Stems move effortlessly from casual to formal place settings.
	SIMON PEARCE: WOODBURY The handcrafted Woodbury Bowls cradle everything from antipasti and salads to pastas, meats and side dishes with timeless practicality—you’re certain to find yet another use for it every day.

by Mary Bigham/WC Dish

I got to catch up with this talented tender to get the inside scoop behind the bar at Simon Pearce. Here’s what he had to say.

So, Charlie, how long have you been bartending?
I started about 10 years ago and worked at a few bars in Boston, where I went to school, but am now happily working at Simon Pearce where I get to match superior-quality drinks with really great food.

How did you get started?
I got started the old-fashioned way, by bussing tables and barbacking and I worked my way up to service bartending in Boston. I was a musical theatre major and I’m a performer at heart, so I love bartending; I get to make my guests laugh and entertain them, although I do not break out into song during my shifts.

What are your biggest pet peeves?
Because I work with quality ingredients I’d say it’s a personal pet peeve when I am on the other side of the bar and I order drinks that have artificial juices and syrups. I guess I’m spoiled with what I have to work with.

Where do you like to go out?
I like to go out to all kinds of different places from Jitters in West Chester to The Continental in Philadelphia.

What is your favorite drink?
My favorite drink to make is in the spring when we get cucumbers from Thornbury farms. It’s called a Cucumber Aqua Fresca, which is a cucumber vodka infusion with muddled fresh cucumbers, our fresh sour mix, simple syrup and a little bit of Boylan’s Lemon Seltzer. It’s delicate but complex and overall refreshing... like a day at the spa; our customers love it.

To drink, my favorite would be a nice Red Zinfandel, Syrah or Petite Syrah; the bigger and bolder the red, the better.

What’s special about working at Simon Pearce?
Being able to serve drinks in Simon Pearce glassware is a real gift because I believe everything tastes better in a Simon Pearce glass; they are artisanal, thick and solid. I get to serve exquisite drinks with exceptional food in fantastic stemware. The reason our cocktails are so successful is because we use our own vodka infusions and syrups, fresh fruit and fresh juice.

Are there any fun things going on at Simon Pearce?
We have an exciting new tapas bar, “After Work at Simon Pearce,” Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 P.M., that gives you a chance to try premium wines that you may not be able to regularly try. We will be featuring our tapas as well as our extensive microbrew selection and wine flights.

At our bar, every Monday through Friday from 5-7pm, Chef Karen Nicolas creates wonderful and exciting small-plate offerings from local farm products based on her travels throughout Spain and Europe. A wide variety of appetizers and snacks - including local cheeses, seafood, lamb, charcuterie, salads, chocolates, and many more - are served in a communal style event that is designed to encourage friendly conversation and social networking.

Tapas Nights patrons enjoy special complimentary wine samples from the best regions of the world – focusing on little-known boutique wineries that offer great value and have been recognized for very high quality - selected for your enjoyment by our management team to create a truly unique tasting experience. Tapas Nights patrons also receive preferred seating for our wine dinner events and are automatically entered to win prizes from the featured winery.

Are you a microbrew fan? Every Monday through Friday, we’ll be offering special pricing to Tapas Nights patrons on local and small-batch brews from 5-7pm.

Monday, December 7, 5-7pm: The Wines and Cuisine of Spain

Join us for a tasting of “Ludovicus”, from the 100 acre bodega of Vinos Piñol. This opulent red wine was awarded a score of 90 points from Robert Parker. Meet up after work for a Spanish-style tapas bar and wine flights featuring Esperanza Verdejo and hand-crafted spritzers made with Poema Cava.

Tuesday, December 8, 5-7pm: “Flight Night” Bordeaux vs. Napa

Join us on Tuesdays when we feature competing regions in special flights. We’ll compare “Old World vs. New World” , “Syrah vs. Shiraz”, “Rhone vs. Rhone Rangers”, “Zinfandel vs. Primitivo”, “Chablis vs. Chardonnay”, and many others over the coming weeks. This Week, it’s Napa vs. Bordeaux-featuring Cakebread, Turnbull, and Cameron Hughes of Napa Valley and the best value wines of the left and right banks.

Wednesday, December 9, 5-7pm: Truffles and Bubbles

We kick off our new sparkling wine and champagne flights with Taittinger and Domaine Carneros. Taste the finesse and complexity of Taittinger Prelude Brut Gran Crus (90 pts. Wine Spectator) and mingle with representatives from the house of Taittinger. Enjoy our flight of bubbles featuring Taittinger Brut Prestige Rose, Tattinger La Francaise, and Domaine Carneros Brut, all paired with seasonal artisan chocolates by Chocolatier Corey Fair.

Thursday, December 10, 5-7pm: Wines and Cuisine of Italy

Sample the bold-elegance of La Sughere di Frasinello, a collaboration between Paolo Panerai (owner of one of Chianti’s great estates) and Baron Eric de Rothschild (Lafite). Tonight’s wine flights and foods reflect the regions of Toscana, Piemonte, Abruzzo, and Molise. Prosecco, Frascati, and Nebbiolo are paired with small plates of rustic salads, seafood, and lamb.

Friday, December 11, 5-7pm: Simon Pearce Reserve Wines Launch Party

As a prelude to the arrival of Simon and Pia Pearce, who will be signing their new book A Way of Living on Saturday December 12th, we are pleased to announce the introduction of the Simon Pearce Reserve Wines. Join us tonight and enjoy Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Pinot Noir, all created exclusively for Simon Pearce. Taste our new wines in the form of a flight, or by the glass, all with special pricing for Tapas Nights patrons. Experience our communal-style dining and tasting event showcasing local foods in small-plate features at the bar.

Other Upcoming December Events:

Monday, Dec. 14: International Wine Series - Wines and Cuisine of Argentina Featuring Amancaya

Tuesday, Dec. 15: “Flight Night” - Australia vs. Paso Robles

Wednesday, Dec. 16: 5-7pm "Truffles and Bubbles"

Thursday, Dec. 17: Cakebread Wine Dinner

Friday, Dec. 18: Great American Wine Series - Wines of Sonoma

Monday, Dec. 21: International Wine Series - Wines of South Africa

Tuesday, Dec. 22: “Flight Night” - Rhone vs. The Rhone Rangers

Wednesday, Dec. 23: 5- 7pm "Truffles and Bubbles"

Thursday, Dec. 24: Great American Wine Series - Wines of Lodi and Paso Robles Featuring Vina Robles, Orchid Hill, and Michael David Vineyards

Friday, Dec. 25: Merry Christmas

Monday, Dec. 28: International Wine Series - Wines of Greece

Tuesday, Dec. 29: “Flight Night” - Old World vs. New World

Wednesday, Dec. 30: "Truffles and Bubbles"

Thursday, Dec. 31: New Year’s Eve Dinner, Make Your Reservations Now

Give what truly matters

Each year, for the holiday shopping season, a Simon Pearce design is chosen as the "Charity Piece."

We are proud to introduce our 2009 Charity Piece: the elegant Pear Bauble.

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of our Pear Bauble will be donated to a local charity, beginning November 23rd and ending December 24, 2009.

Participating Charities Help us give back to the local communities that are home to our ten retail locations. Proceeds derived from web sales will be evenly distributed amongst the charities.
Upper Valley Haven Quechee, Hanover, Windsor Philabundance Brandywine Roundabout Park Ave Neighbor to Neighbor Greenwich	Homes with Hope Westport Community Servings Boston Garrett County Community Action Oakland Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK) Princeton

 

Pia and Simon Pearce recently visited Peachtree Place in Northfield, IL and Halls in Kansas City, MO to sign copies of their new book, A Way of Living.  Simon also hand-signed his glass pieces!

 

 

 

Above: (Left) Pia signs A Way of Living at the Peachtree event (Right) Simon hand-signs one of his glass pieces

Pia and Simon were at Peachtree Thursday, November 5 from 12-4pm.  The event was a great success with a large turnout party-like atmosphere.  Two servers served guests three recipes from A Way of Living - mini scones, mini quiches, and soup shots of Carrot Ginger Soup - a very nice touch!

 

Above:  (Left) A glass display for the Peachtree signing event (Right) A festive display for the Hall's event

From Illinois Pia and Simon headed off to a signing party at Kansas City, MO to Hall's Plaza, another great success!  The weather was beautiful - sunny with temperatures in the high 70's. 

 

Customers couldn't say enough about the book, loving the fact that it told of the Vermont lifestyle and included delicious recipes from the restaurant!

Above: (Left) Pia and Simon with customers at the Hall's event (Right) Customers chat and enjoy refreshments

To view the complete signing schedule or to learn more about A Way of Living, visit A Way of Living.

World renowned woodworking artisan Edward Wohl visited our Quechee, Boston, Park Ave, and Greenwich retail stores to hand-sign his wooden boards.

 

Above:  Ed Wohl at our Park Avenue retail store, August 29th, 2009

It was a pleasure having Ed at each of our stores.  Both the customers and the retail staff enjoyed meeting Ed and learning about the techniques and hard work that goes into each one of his handcrafted products.

Above:  Ed Wohl at our Boston signing event, August 23rd, 2009

Edward's wooden boards are truly unique.  He hand crafts each by joining sections from a single piece of specially selected bird's eye maple, which ensures consistent wood tone throughout the board.  Edward's handcrafted boards, furniture, and custom designs are available at galleries worldwide.

 

Above:  Ed Wohl at our Quechee, VT signing event, August 22nd, 2009

 

To learn more about Ed or his products, please visit www.EdwardWohl.com

Some great images from our dog-friendly Boston, MA, store. These beautiful dogs belong to one of our regular customers, John. The dogs patiently waited in the front of the store for while their owner browsed.

"I make things of wood that I'd like to have myself: functional pieces that are quiet, peaceful, and a pleasure to touch and look at. My approach emphasizes select materials, structural integrity and utility. I like to let the wood do the work to coax nature to imitate art."

Edward's work is known for its masterful design, seamless joinery and liquid-smooth finish. He has also designed a variety of limited-production pieces including blanket chests, stools, benches and coffee tables and an extensive line of bird's-eye maple cutting boards, which are sold in shops and galleries worldwide.

Edward, with his family, has made his home and workplace among the pastoral hills and valleys of southwestern Wisconsin. "I have always wanted to live and work in a quiet, beautiful, open place. With the help and support of my wife and business partner Ann, and a goodly amount of luck, we've found that place. If people see beauty in my furniture, it may be because I find beauty in my everyday surroundings."

Meet the Designer

For more than 30 years, Ed Wohl has designed and created some of the finest examples of modern woodworking using select woods and expert techniques. Please join us as Ed visits our retail stores to sign his original designs and meet with customers on the following dates:

• Quechee, VT
  Saturday, August 22, noon-4pm
• Boston, MA
  Sunday, August 23, noon-4pm
• New York, NY
  Saturday, August 29, noon-4pm
• Greenwich, CT
  Sunday, August 30, noon-4pm

Can't make it to the events? Purchase your Ed Wohl designs before the event and our staff will see that your pieces are signed for you. Pre-purchasing begins on 8/3/09 in VT and MA, and on 8/10/09 in NY and CT. Please call your local store for details.

  Yuzu

Josh and our culinary team have experimented a little with this citrus fruit from Japan that has just appeared in our market. We have not been able to find them fresh as yet, but the bottled juice product is pretty unique and as close to the fresh fruit as we can find right now. Yuzu (pronounced YOO-zoo) is a small citrus fruit, indigenous to Japan, that is about the size of a tangerine and quite sour. The fruit is mostly used for its aromatic rind, and the aroma is distinctly different from lemons, limes or any other commonly known Western citrus fruit. Along with Yuzu juice, you can find yuzu paste, vinegar and powder.

Josh has featured Yuzu in vinaigrettes for some great fish specials, focusing on an Asian theme. Think Seared Tuna, Grilled Striped Bass then pair it with a light salad of arugula, fennel, mizuna, throw in some edamame (fresh soy beans) and buzz up a quick Yuzu Honey Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup citrus juice (orange, lime, yuzu – use twice as much orange juice as the others)
1/8 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
add fresh herbs to your taste (maybe cilantro, chives or even basil)

Put the juice, honey, salt and pepper in a blender and buzz it up.

Slowly stream in olive oil.

Mix in 1 Tbsp chopped herbs – add more to taste if you find this is not enough

 

Want to receive more recipes and restaurant news via email? Sign up here.

Our Princeton store is bringing back second quality designs for our Sidewalk Sale! Save on seconds as well as select first quality designs and home accents.  Beat the crowds and enjoy first pick at our special preview sale!

PREVIEW SALE

~Beat the crowds and enjoy first pick!~

Thursday, August 13: 10am-6pm

SIDEWALK SALE

Friday, August 14: 10am-6pm

Saturday, August 15: 10am-8:30pm

Sunday, August 16: Noon-5pm

Simon Pearce, Princeton

27 Palmer Square West, Princeton, NJ. 609.279.0444

When I contacted the Mark & Julie, winners of the Summer Tablescape contest, they were thrilled with the win and I was thrilled with their reply. I let them know how much we envied their wonderful Seattle view, and Mark, who grew up across the lake in north country, New York, said:  "our view is still not as good as the view from the restaurant in Quechee, which I have enjoyed both at the height of summer and right after a fresh snowfall - need to get there in the fall!"  

I have to agree...although the Space Needle is an amazing site, the view from the Terrace at the Mill (especially in the fall) is nothing to scoff at either.

In addition  to the skyline view, the winning factor of their Summer Tablescape entry was their creative use of the Simon Pearce product. Mark & Julie used their Essex goblets to serve gazpacho ("We use the Essex goblets for just about everything") and flipped a Revere bowl upside-down to use as a cheese dome ("You should have seen how excited I got a few months ago when I realized that the Revere bowl could be more than a bowl -- we knew that had to be in the picture").

The lucky winners (who are celebrating their first anniversary next week) chose the Addison pitcher as their prize (my personal favorite as well). 

Thanks to Julie & Mark (happy anniversary!), and to all who entered the contest, for sharing their home and creative ideas.

Congratulations to Julie & Mark from Seattle, WA, and their entry, Seattle, 9:27pm. Although it was a close contest, their late evening summer meal with breathtaking view of the Seattle skyline and creative use of Simon Pearce product (check out the upside-down Revere bowl as a cheese dome and Essex goblets being used to serve gazpacho) won Julie and Mark their choice of a glass pitcher.

A special thank you goes out to all who entered! To enjoy advance notification of contests and giveaways, please be sure to join our Facebook Fan Page and follow us on Twitter.

Honorable Mentions

	July 4th Dinner Party Michael, Cape Neddick, ME This absolutely beautiful tablescape embodies summer. We love the perfect coordination of the Celadon pottery and matching candlesticks, the gleaming glass, and the splash of color in the floral centerpiece.
	Dinner in the Garden on Virginia's Eastern Shore John G., Mappsville, VA From the magnolias in the centerpiece to the herb napkin rings, this cozy tablescape (and furry friend in the background) set the scene for an intimate summer gathering.

Westport's 36th Annual Fine Arts Festival, a tradition held in downtown Westport, was held outdoors this past weekend.  Over 140 artists came to showcase their work.  The artists set up their booths along the beautiful Saugatuck River in Westport and showed their original artwork to the thousands of viewers that attended.

 

There were 7 different mediums of artwork presented:  photography, print making, oil, mix media, water colors, sculpture and drawing.  Each category was judged by the Westport Arts Center and a winner in each of these mediums was awarded a Simon Pearce Thetford Bowl as the prize. 

The Best in Show award went to Mark MacKinnon(c), a photographer from Beacon, N.Y. Festival chairman and owner of Cocoa Michelle, Michelle Weber (l), presented the ribbon, while Bob Le Rose (r) president of the Westport Downtown Merchants Association and owner of Bobby Q’s, presented MacKinnon with a gift from Simon Pearce. 

above photo courtesy of WestportNow.com

A fun part of Summer entertaining is adding a little bit of Simon Pearce even if it's just a picnic with friends on our terrace overlooking the Occoquan River.  From the Norwich Beakers to my Newbury Vase, I love the versatility of Simon Pearce! 

Cindy
Woodbridge, VA

Last Friday, I posted a story about a nest of baby robins that had been built just a foot from the door to our office. It's hard to believe that just a week ago, our little feathered friends were completely featherless. It's amazing how much they've grown in just a week. To refresh your memory, here's the image of what our four baby birds looked like last Friday:

And here's what they look like today:

They look so crowded in that little nest. At the rate they're growing, they'll be flying away before we know it. Does anyone have any suggestions for names? :)

Click here to read the original post about the mother bird that wouldn't give up.

We want to see your best summer entertaining ideas! Submit an image of a summer tablescape using your favorite Simon Pearce designs, and be entered to win a glass pitcher of your choice.

Submissions will be posted here as they are received.

The contest will run through July 17, 2009. After all submissions have been received, our judges will review for beauty, originality, and creativity. We will announce the winner on our blog on July 27, 2009.

How to Enter: To submit your official entry, please click on this icon:   What to Include for Entry: Please include a digital image (.jpg, .png, or .tif format please, under 10 MB), a description of the tablescape, your name, address, telephone, and email address. (This information will be used to contact the winner. Only the entrant's first name and location will be displayed along with the submission.)

No purchase necessary. View the official rules and regulation.

Please share this message via your favorite social tools:

My husband and I enjoy 12 ounces of summer with each Simon Pearce margarita glass.

Amy
State College, PA

The Foodinista, longtime fan of Simon Pearce and lover of all things food, wine, fashion and design, featured our Norwich Beaker on her blog. In her article she describes how a recent trip to Vermont introduced her to the use of this classic beaker as a wine glass. In her words: "There’s something very welcoming about wine in a tumbler—especially when it’s as pretty as this one."

We like it too, and we like that she likes it! For the whole story, visit The Foodinista, a Passion for Food + Fashion

Newly married and just having moved into our new apartment, my husband and I were unpacking both old Simon Pearce favorites and new pieces off our gift registry.  It felt like Christmas!  We have a nice wooded view from our living room window where we like to eat some of our meals off our favorite dishes.  These delicious vegetables came from a local farmer's market.  Yum!

Meghan