Here’s a great example on how versatile our product can be with a little imagination. Gourmet.com’s recipe section features classic and exotic cocktails featured in past issues of Gourmet magazine.

This rich Kaffeeklatsch Punch is presented in our hand blown glass Barre Serving Bowl, which is placed inside our Large Barre Serving Bowl. The latter is filled with ice to keep the punch cool, while not diluting the delicious concoction with melting ice.

This is a great idea for serving chilled soups, such as a gazpacho, a colorful fruit salad, or your own punch recipe during your next summer dinner party!

Visit Gourmet.com for the Kaffeeklatsch Punch recipe.

Gourmet.com has a neat library of favorite cocktails and their stories as they were published in past issues of Gourmet magazine from 1941 up to today. The Negroni Capriccio was featured in Gourmet's August 1956 issue.

According to Gourmet, "This cocktail may have been invented by a Florentine bartender for one Count Camillo Negroni in the ’20s (or not—it doesn’t appear in cocktail books until much later), but it became part of the popular culture in the ’50s."

To make your own, fill a Ascutney Double Old-Fashioned glasse with cracked ice and pour 1/3 jigger each of dry gin, Campari bitters, and Italian sweet vermouth. Stir the mixture and add a twist of orange peel. Fill a Norwich Ice Bucket with cracked ice to use as needed.

About a month ago, Simon visited our partner store, Past Basket, in Milwaukee, WI, for a trunk show and signing event. Even though the weather was cool and gray, they experienced an excellent turnout. Everyone who attended felt that it was a wonderful event, taking advantage of the rare chance to meet Simon Pearce in Milwaukee.

Beautiful natural floral, fern, and rhubarb leaf arrangements were displayed in Simon Pearce vases. Light lunch was served, and incredibly creative bakery items, made by one Past Basket sales associate, included dark chocolate cupcakes with white pontil marks. Sangria punch with beautiful fruit was served in an SP pitcher.

(pictured from left to right: Sheila, Michelle, Linda (owner), Ashley (manager), Simon, Annie, Karen, Kris)

As some of you may know, each season we refresh our restaurant offerings. Our new summer menu is beginning today in Quechee, VT. The dinner menu includes many tried and true favorites such as the Horseradish Crusted Blue Cod with crispy leeks, herb mashed potatoes, and a balsamic shallot reduction.

This summer, we're also featuring many scrumptious newcomers. Start your dinner with a Confit Free Range Duck Crepe with orange, honey and grain mustard sauce, and Ginger Seared Yellowfin Tuna with crispy lotus root, sesame seaweed, wasabi crème fraiche. Entrees include Ancho Chili Rubbed Misty Knoll Chicken with chevre, roasted corn and black beans, and tomatillo cilantro sauce, and Gulf Shrimp and Scallops with pappardelle, parsley, and a spicy roasted tomato sauce.

Visit our Restaurant Section to view the entire menu.

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:

Once again, the skies over Quechee and the Upper Valley of Vermont and New Hampshire will be filled with hot air balloons, ushering in the 30th Annual Quechee Hot Air Balloon, Craft & Music Festival. It is one of the longest running hot air balloon festivals in new England.

Simon Pearce recently presented the Vermont Institute of Natural Science’s (VINS) a donation check amounting to $1,057!

Simon Pearce partnered with VINS for their 31st Annual Birdathon. Birdathon is the world’s largest bird-watching competition and a fun way to support VINS’ mission to motivate individuals and communities to care for the environment through education, research and avian wildlife rehabilitation. This year, the event took place from May 9 to the 16.

Our retail stores in Quechee and Windsor, Vermont, and Hanover, New Hampshire, raised funds through the sale of their hand blown glass bird paperweights between April 20 and May 22 and donated 100% of proceeds from the sales of this design.

The partnership was featured in the Eagle Times and they created a video showcasing the making of the bird paperweight.

 

Name:  Roger Grzegorowicz

Position:  Glassblower

What are your hobbies/favorite pastimes?  Photography, skiing, cooking

How long have you been making glass?  Almost 16 years

In this job, what interests you the most?  All of the creative minds here!  Jan is amazing.  I love working with Theo on new pieces.  Also, fine tuning moulds to be able to efficiently make a piece of glass from scratch that is outlined on a piece of paper as a drawing.

What is the hardest thing about making glass?  Being consistent.  Some days it's a challenge just to make the same gather over and over.

What is the most challenging piece you make and why?  Anything square... not the mechanics of the piece so much as getting the moulds in and out of the water.

What is your favorite joke (PG rated only, please)?  Three guys are walking down the street.  Two walk into a bar. The third guy ducks.

What is your favorite glass to drink water/beer/wine out of? Why?  I have an old Cornish tumbler I love.  It was one of the first I made.  It's got "personality".

If I gave you an elephant, where would you hide it?  Behind a pile of cranberries.

What is the first word that come to you when you hear "Simon Pearce"?  No words.  Images in my mind.  Mostly the Quechee retail shop.

Name: Michael Day

Position: Glassblower

What are your hobbies/favorite pastimes?  Swimming, biking, using my telescope, stars, models

How long have you been making glass? 17 years

In this job, what interests you the most?  Happy and satisfied customers who will come back and seeing the looks on customers' faces while watching us [make glass].

What is the hardest thing about making glass?  Making sure the customer will be happy with my glass.

What is the most challenging piece you make and why?  Pendant lamp shades for the proper weight and shape.

What is your favorite joke?  Me - I laugh at myself all the time.

What is your favorite glass to drink water/beer/wine out of? Why?  All of them because of their functionality and they are beautiful and sturdy.

If I gave you an elephant, where would you hide it?  In a zoo, it is too cold up here for an elephant!

What is the first word that comes to you when you hear "Simon Pearce"?  Glass, of course.

Yankee magazine's editors chose the Simon Pearce retail store in Hanover, New Hampshire, as 2009's Best Wedding-Gift Ideas shopping destination in New Hampshire: "Hand-blown glass pieces, from vases and pitchers to cake platters and stemware, are beautiful and elegant for any occasion."

Check out the featured businesses in their 2009 Best of New England Editor's Choice guide by visiting their website.

Simon Pearce is located inside the Hanover Inn at 10 South Main Street in Hanover, NH.
Our hours are Monday-Saturday 9:30am-5:30pm and Sunday 10am-4pm.

Call us at 603.643.0100.

We will be happy to assist you in finding the ideal, and truly special, gift.We look forward to your visit!

We will now be featuring an "Artisan of the Week".  Selected artisans will be interviewed and photographed so our readers can get to know the guys behind our handmade products. 

 

 

Name: John Formichelli

Position:  Glassblower

What are your hobbies/favorite pastimes?  Building things.

How long have you been making glass?  14 years.

In this job, what interests you the most?  New ideas.

What is the hardest thing about making glass?  Physical limitation in making big glass.

What is the most challenging piece you make?  Large Stowe vase.

What is your favorite joke (PG rated only, please)?  Q:  How do you know the toothbrush was invented in Vermont?  A:  Because if it were anywhere else it would be called a teethbrush.

What is your favorite glass to drink water/beer/wine out of?  Why?  Tankard for it's classic design.

If I have you an elephant, where would you hide it?  In Africa.

What is the first word that come to you when you hear "Simon Pearce"?  Glassblower.

Simon will be visiting our store in Princeton on Friday, May 29. Please come and meet Simon as he hand-signs your purchases.

This will mark the first time Simon has hosted an event at our Princeton store. Come by the store on Palmer Square for this special event and to meet our new retail store staff.

Can't make it to the event? Contact our retail staff at the number below for details on pre-purchasing designs. Our friendly staff will be happy to deliver your purchases to Simon for hand-signing.

Princeton, NJ
Friday, May 29, 12-4pm
Simon Pearce
27 Palmer Square West
Princeton NJ 08542
609.279.0444

Always innovating with a nod to their 139 year-old heritage, George Watts, purveyors of fine tabletop items and gifts since 1870, is the first American retailer to open the latest “shop within a shop” Simon Pearce Gallery concept, infusing the tony retailer’s store with the complete American made collection from the Simon Pearce workshops of Vermont, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Rob Adams, President of Simon Pearce, and Simon himself, stopped into the new gallery recently to admire this exciting new endeavor. A Grand Opening is planned for Thursday evening, May 28th, 2009.

When we first started holding an annual warehouse sale, we noticed that customers would begin lining up outside of the doors, waiting to be the first to get the great deals. This year was no different. We had people waiting with chairs and coffee well before the doors opened at 8am. As the first day of the sale winds down, I wanted to share a short clip of those initial minutes of the sale after the doors were opened and it seemed that the flood of people would never end.

Thanks to everyone who attended today. It was a huge improvement over last year, with almost triple the registers and a whole lot more organization...it almost seemed like we knew what we were doing this time around. It only took us 4 years to figure it out ;)

The sale will continue through Monday, May 25. I've heard a rumor that new items might be released throughout the weekend. Please join us!

We're gearing up for our Warehouse Sale, which begins tomorrow morning and continues through Memorial Day Weekend. With more than twice the product than last year, this year promises to be our largest event yet. Arrive early for the best selection on Simon Pearce glass, pottery, linens, accessories, furniture and more! We've changed our layout and added more registers, which will make checking out a much more pleasant process. Our neighbors at Harpoon Brewery will be serving refreshments, and you can enjoy samples from our very own restaurant. Spend the day: After the warehouse sale, please visit our brand new glassblowing viewing area. Then head to Harpoon to enjoy freshly brewed beer and beverages, or spend some time at the Path of Life Garden, a 14 acre sculpture garden...all within walking distance of Simon Pearce. Friday, May 22, 8am-5pm Saturday, May 23, 8am-5pm Sunday, May 24, 11am-5pm Monday, May 25, 11am-5pm Simon Pearce Warehouse 109 Park Road, Windsor, VT 05089 802.230.2402 Map & Directions Please no phone orders. Gift boxing not available. All sales are final. Want to find out about upcoming events in your area? Sign up for our email notifications. Be sure to include your zip code and check off "Local Events."

Our wonderful maintenance staff has been hard at work creating a new glassblowing viewing area at our facility in Windsor, VT. If you have ever been to our headquarter, you probably know that guests have been able to view the glassblowing show from a catwalk high above the floor. Now, you will have the option of also stepping right out onto the glassblowing floor where you can be just a few feet from the action. It offers a much more intimate experience, and now you can ask questions...but you'll probably have to yell...it's pretty loud.

If you're coming to our Warehouse Sale (don't miss it!), be sure to stop by our glassblowing building and see for yourself. Here's an image of one of our staff members breaking through the wall:

Don't miss this event! Our Simon Pearce warehouse sale in Windsor, VT, has grown year after year, and this one is promising to be our best ever. Customers begin to line up for hours before the event and practically break down the door when 8am rolls around. Last year, thousands of people came to our facility, all searching for that great bargain. And there were plenty to be found. Tables and tables of glassware, pottery, and various other items at amazing prices.

For four days over Memorial Day weekend, our warehouse will be again transformed to a bargain wonderland. This year, we're also offering delicious samples from our very own restaurant, and our neighbors over at the Harpoon Brewery will be providing some liquid refreshment.

All warehouse sales are final. Please note that we do not provide gift boxes for any items purchased at the Simon Pearce warehouse sale. I'll be working on the sales floor on Friday, so I hope to see you there! Wear comfortable shoes...

Friday, May 22, 8am-5pm
Saturday, May 23, 8am-5pm
Sunday, May 24, 11am-5pm
Monday, May 25, 11am-5pm

Simon Pearce Warehouse
109 Park Road, Windsor, VT 05089
802.230.2402 (please no phone orders)

View Larger Map

Want to find out about upcoming events in your area? Sign up for our email notifications. Be sure to include your zip code and check off "Local Events."

The Simon Pearce Greenwich, CT, store held its second event from the Simon Pearce Designer's Take series. On Saturday, April 18, Sandra Oster from Sandra Oster Interiors set her table in the Greenwich store. Here is a report from Christine Alston, Store Manager:

The table that Sandra presented was artful, unique, and clever. It displayed our product beautifully - with a twist! She featured 15 Windham Bud Vases, both large and small, with bright yellow-orange ranunculus, grouped randomly down the center of the table.


Place settings included Barre Dinner Plates in Shale and Side Plates in Slate, with small Chelsea Low Bowls, Cavendish Stemware, Geneva Flatware, and Dwell Linens. Barre Tealights were filled with coarse salt and pepper instead of candles!


She accesorized the table with some of her own candle stands, and brought in her own chairs. Hopefully the photo we're sharing with you does it justice; the table is lush and filled with product.


Sandra composed her table in the morning before the event, and from 1pm to 3pm, she greeted people and talked about her choices of product. She was friendly and engaging, and customers were intrigued by her display.

For upcoming events, check out our Events page or call your Simon Pearce store.

In a Q&A interview of Tom Colocchio by Edward Lewine from The New York Times published April 29, 2009, Tom was asked what his favorite table decoration was. "This decanter and set of wineglasses from the designer Simon Pearce," he answered. "They're different - not the delicate wineglasses you're used to." Colicchio is the founder and co-owner of the Craft restaurants and head judge of the television series "Top Chef."

The interview took place in Tom Colicchio's New York City apartment. Photographer Ben Stechschulte seized some great photographs of Tom and his apartment. Here is a cabinet filled with Simon Pearce barware glasses, Woodstock Wine glasses, a Hartland Decanter, and--my all time favorites--Hartland Flutes.

Purchase a Vase for Her, Receive a Gift for Yourself For a limited time, receive a complimentary Barre Bud Vase in your choice of Alabaster, Slate or Shale (a $40 value) with your $125 vase purchase. Offer ends May 10, 2009 and is valid on first quality glass and pottery vases only. While supplies last. Shop our handmade vases or view our store locations.