Peonies Couture » places we love

Say cheese: Brasserie Pip!

Peonies — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 23:09:26 +0000

Sometimes, after a long (and always happy) day at Peonies, we find ourselves, well— ravished. ”Pip’s?” one of us inevitably asks; and the answer is nearly always an affirmative. You see, the house-made baguettes are reason enough to zoom over to Brasserie Pip, the casual, chic French bistro at the Copper Beech Inn. And here’s the thing: it’s less than a mile from Peonies. Want to know what we recommend from the bar menu?

Well, the cheese platter is to die for (try it with one of our favorite white burgundies served by Dawn Bailey or Laura Day). The hamburgers and pommes frites are truly scrumptious. The shrimp cocktail: heaven. But back to the cheese at Pip’s — aaaaahhhhhhhhhh, deep sigh of satisfaction.

We are most certainly not the only ones that love Brasserie Pip: read what the foodies say on Chow and the culinary expertise of Chef Tyler Anderson.

Here’s the thing: now we know why people say, “Smile and say cheese.” Clearly, they have been to Brasserie Pip.

~ Pam and Laurel

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BRASSERIE PIP | Click on photos to enlarge

Kimberly Boutique in Guilford

Peonies — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 11:10:51 +0000

We love Kimberly Boutique and we love the owner, Kimberly Mattson Moster. This fabulous shop in West Hartford Center is coming to Guilford in August. Woo hoo! Kimberly grew up in Guilford and knows the area well. Great fashions and truly impeccable customer service. We can’t wait!

~ Pam and Laurel

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Dancing in the streets

Peonies — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 10:51:04 +0000

Connecticut has some amazing festivals this summer. One of the best lists of what’s where is in the New Haven Advocate. Look here. Have fun!

~ Pam and Laurel

Smiling in the thicket

Peonies — Fri, 15 May 2009 11:13:39 +0000

{5.15.09} Armed with our zippy pink Sony digital camera and well-heeled in our favorite Wellies, we set out for Cricket Hill Farm in Thomaston, Connecticut. This time of year, it’s peony heaven as we mentioned here. Here they have created a shrine to the elegant tree peony with hundreds of Chinese and Japanese specimens sprouting everywhere—even in the woods. There are not words to describe!

The seven-acre, terraced site seemed to dance joyfully for us: a fountain sprang from the lake, white umbrellas sheltered beautiful buds from periodic raindrops, and the late afternoon sun sluiced shadows across the rich, emerald peony tree leaves that glistened in water droplets.

What a gorgeous spot—and what a wonderful way to spend a few hours. A very special thank you to Cricket Hill for letting us roam freely with our camera.

~Pam and Laurel

Island brocade ®

Smiling in the thicket ®

Wang’s Red ®

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Peony heaven opens

Peonies — Sat, 02 May 2009 09:39:49 +0000

{5.02.09} An official welcome to peony season! If you share our excitement and love for peonies, you must visit Cricket Hill Garden this month, where they are madly devoted to our beloved peony. The business sprang out of the owners’ desire to see and grow more peonies. In 1988, they planted their first peonies and have expanded to about seven acres, creating a terraced woodland garden they call Peony Heaven, opening today, May 2. Here they have tended and grown hundreds of different kinds of tree peonies. Say the owners, “Peonies are seductive and magical plants, and by far some of the most beautiful flowers you can grow. It is easy to come under their spell.”

We couldn’t agree more.

~ Pam and Laurel

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Great guacamole

Peonies — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 04:50:38 +0000

Ay, ay ay! If you have not yet been to River Tavern for their guacamole, get there andalé (fast). The guac made by chef/owner Jonathan Rapp and his food artisans is to die for. The guac is ch-ch-ch-chunky (just how we like it), spicy (but not, too) and great on the Tavern’s homemade, muy salty tortilla chips. Order your guac with a River Tavern Grand Margarita—Cuervo 1800, Grand Marnier, and lots of lime. Order both while sitting outside the restaurant on a warm sunny day. Or inside when it’s cold and snowing or raining. The point is: it doesn’t matter. This is almost the best guacamole in the world—in Chester of all places—made to order in one of the best neighborhood restaurants we know. Hours and directions here.

~ Pam and Laurel

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