CultureTea, Wilton's Own Tea Room

Keep warm in winter, one hot cup of tea at a time

Growing up in Wilton, there used to be nothing of major interest in the town center. Aside from three pizza parlors and four nail salons within a one-mile radius, outings were limited to the old library, the movie theater and Starbucks.

Much has changed since I left for college. A few restaurants closed, but several restaurants have opened and remained open since. Tusk & Cup opened a second location. The town finally allowed liquor licenses for package stores. 

And now there is a tea room.

CultureTea's space is a contemporary oasis outfitted with classic details. The arrangement of tufted leather burgundy seating along the wall, the black bistro chairs, and the marble top cafe tables in between feels like a cozy cafe. Even the soft, pale green walls and the white trim in the main space remind me of the elegant simplicity of Laduree's signature packaging. 

It's worth noting that the tradition of tea is British, but CultureTea is a far cry from uptight and formal. This is a place where you could sit back and chat for hours over a pot of tea, but out of sheer respect and decency for the establishment and the practice of tea drinking, please refrain from wearing sweatpants.

My mom and I browsed the menu and selected the Harmony Trio Afternoon Tea—it included two pots of tea, an assortment of tea sandwiches, scones and small desserts. I chose an organic white tea, Pai Mu Tan, and my mom chose an organic green tea, Genmaicha. Both of us were very happy with the teas and delectables we had ordered, but we both agreed that the fresh scones deserved a special kudos.

CultureTea is one of the special small businesses Wilton has needed. It's a warm gathering place for friends and family to catch up in town without having to eat a heavy meal. The tea room will be hosting special events in the future, including a tea and cheese pairing tasting, so be sure to stay updated on Facebook and their email list for more information.

Mecha Noodle Bar

Slurping encouraged at SoNo ramen noodle bar

I scrolled through the roster of restaurant reviews on my blog and have realized that there are a number of my favorite spots missing, like Mecha Noodle Bar in SoNo.

For those who aren't familiar with ramen noodle bars, this is not your Cup o' Noodles that you had in college. This is a bowl of love from Mom and Pop's Southeast Asian kitchen—but literally, since Mecha means "Mom and Pop" in Vietnamese. And it's not right to chalk up Mecha Noodle Bar as simply an Asian fusion restaurant, because it's more of a "American-Vietnamese-Japanese-Thai-Chinese-Korean-New England-Momofuku-Totto-and-Ippudo-inspired" noodle bar.

If you're a fan of pho, Vietnamese noodles, then you're in luck—Mecha serves both ramen and pho combinations.

Mecha Noodle Bar has three locations—Fairfield is their original location, followed by SoNo and New Haven, which recently opened in Fall 2016.

Although the space in New Haven feels larger and more open, I prefer the SoNo location for its laidback, downtown vibe. I've had some great conversations with the bartenders and other people while eating solo at the bar. At the other locations, it feels like you need to have a date with you—this is especially true in Fairfield, which has a tiny bar in comparison to SoNo and New Haven.

Ramen isn't just for cold-weather—I love coming to Mecha year-round. My favorite meal at Mecha comprises of the roasted mushroom dumplings, spicy miso ramen and the 99 Problems cocktail. Honestly, the entire menu is pretty spectacular, as are the Happy Hour specials between 4pm-6pm on weekdays.

It's tough deciding whether or not I prefer Mecha's spicy miso or Boru's spicy miso...

Fall Footwear Shopping at Matt Bernson

The shoe fits at Tribeca-based footwear brand 

My first Matt Bernson purchase was late September at their Westport store during their end-of-summer sale. I needed a more durable, stylish pair of sandals, so I chose the black Athena leather sandal. It took one day at work to break-in the leather for a comfortable fit.

With this in mind, it only made sense to go back to Matt Bernson for fall/winter footwear.

I've been holding off fall shoe shopping for at least two years because I haven't been able to find anything that looks different from the rest. Every fashion girl has the basic black Chelsea boots and the white Adidas sneakers, but I've been holding out for something else.

I need shoes that stretch to accommodate the top part of my feet, which have widened from running on the sales floor over the years. The black leather Baez boot has a matte, oil finish that lends its stretch. 

The white Phantom sneakers took a few nights to think over. How practical are white sneakers in New England weather? 

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When it comes down to it, aesthetic practicality is irrelevant for these shoes. They are comfortable. Besides, the bold oxblood suede chevron adds a unique detail that stands out for the right reasons.

I bought the sneakers during their Black Friday sale, but the brand is holding a major 50% off sale on their website using the code "CYBER50"—check it out!

Apple Picking at Blue Jay Orchards

Celebrate your autumn traditions at one of Connecticut's favorite apple orchards

My friends and I had never gone apple picking together before, so when I Googled where to go in Fairfield County, Blue Jay Orchards in Bethel, CT was one of the first results that popped up. 

The farm dates back to 1934 and is recognized as a popular spot for apple picking. Named after the farm's original owner, Blue Jay Orchards changed hands to the Patterson family in 1985 and has grown 30 varieties of apples on its 120 acres of land. 

Blue Jay Orchards is located at 125 Plumtrees Road in Bethel, CT—the scenic 40-minute drive from Westport is perfect for viewing the beautiful fall foliage. For those driving to the farm for the first time, it's not as obvious to find as you may think... You may find yourself lost for a few minutes and driving slowly to appreciate the changing leaves a little longer.

Once you find Blue Jay Orchards, a quaint apple orchard sits on one side of the road with the farm store, while the pumpkin patch resides on the opposite side by an old "grandmother willow" tree. It's worth noting that the farm store carries an impressive amount of jams, preserves, baked goods and other delicious products made by the farm.

We picked our pumpkins first, then moved onto the apples. We weren't able to pick our own apples from the orchard, but there were several, pre-sorted crates filled with plenty of red and green goodness. Then, we went to the farm stand and finished the afternoon eating cider donuts by the orchard, watching the sun beginning to set.

Be sure to check Blue Jay Orchards' hours and activities before you make the drive!

Find of the Week | 42

Fall is here, which means it's time for denim, sweaters and boots!

The temperatures haven't dropped low enough to break out shearling-lined footwear, but damp weather means taking out the Hunter boots. I went to Chou Chou in Wilton to get a black, matte pair—I even bought shearling in-soles to make them extra cozy.

I forgot to feature this bag months ago, but it's a vintage Coach crossbody I bought at Wish Consignment in Newport. 

Find of the Week | 41

I refuse to believe summer is over.

It's not that I had a horrible summer. Not at all. In fact, my summer was fantastic—I traveled to California for the first time and explored San Francisco, Monterey, Big Sur and Napa Valley; spent time with family at Watch Hill; and reconnected with friends in Connecticut and New York City.

I'm hoping to squeeze in one more weekend in Rhode Island before embracing autumn, so I took advantage of end-of-summer sales in Westport to get ready.

I stopped at Jack Wills to buy a dress to see a Newport Polo match this Saturday—it has a perfect fitted bodice with a feminine, flared skirt. The oar tote was admittedly an impulse buy, but it's not like I won't ever use it... 

The Americana tank top was a bargain buy from Winged Monkey that will be of use next Fourth of July or USA-themed party. 

Since I was feeling very New England, I finished my shopping spree at Barnes & Noble and picked up The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont. I strayed from my usual non-fiction picks for something to help me cope with my summertime sadness...

Rothbard Ale + Larder

Meet the new watering hole for the Oktoberfest-obsessed and other Europhiles

While I studied a summer abroad in Oxford, England, European pub culture fascinated me—I fell in love with the comfortable feeling of sitting on the broken-in wooden bar stools, enjoying the company of friends and sipping Pimm's Cup made with fresh fruit.

I may not be a beer drinker, but after drinking every Pimm's Cup in Oxford City Center, I take this white girl English cocktail more seriously than I should.

There are two places where I've ordered Pimm's Cup stateside and not been disappointed. The first is the Clarke Cooke House in Newport, Rhode Island. The second is Rothbard Ale + Larder in Westport, Connecticut. 

I don't really care sounding incredibly biased when I say that there is nothing disappointing about Rothbard. The first time I sat at the bar for dinner, I thought I walked back into Oxford. Or somewhere in Berlin. 

It's the European pub with the understated, modern finishes to make the sophisticated American comfortable. The dim lighting is alluring, but not dark. The seating is stylish and comfortable, but not heavily worn. 

The menu is simple, but the meal tastes as beautiful as it looks. 

Bouillabaise and Pimm's Cup

Roasted chicken with broccoli rabe and potatoes and French 375

Moules frites and a-saison-I-can't-remember-the-name-of

It's worth mentioning that Rothbard has come to Westport perfectly packaged because of the success of Walrus + Carpenter, its American sister restaurant in Black Rock. Walrus + Carpenter has earned several nods, including being voted one of the Best Restaurants in Connecticut for Barbecue, Craft Beer and Cocktails for the past three years by Connecticut Magazine. 

Looking forward to seeing Rothbard gain popularity with the Westport crowd!

Start the Semester in Style with Alegre Westport

Even though summer isn't over yet, it's time to start thinking about how to start the fall semester in style!

Alegre, one of the new women's clothing stores in downtown Westport, regularly receives new merchandise that is perfect for going to class during the week, relaxing in the dorm, or heading out on weekends.

The store will be offering an exclusive 20% off discount to college students starting on Monday, Aug. 8 through Sunday, Aug. 14. Students must present a valid college ID in order to redeem the discount.

Take a look at some of the hottest essentials to wear on campus...

Alegre is located on 180 Post Road East in Westport, CT on the corner of Bay Street and Post Road East. Learn more about Alegre by following the store on Facebook, Instagram or signing up for their email newsletter. 

Find of the Week | 39

Chokers are not as scary as you think they are. 

Once upon a time in the 1990s, I had a harmless purple, jelly plastic choker from Limited Too that I got in a birthday party favor bag. It was one of the first pieces of jewelry I wore on a regular basis.

Fast forward from elementary school to post-college life—chokers have reappeared in my life in black lace, cognac suede, with charms, without charms...

They've definitely evolved into a much sexier accessory than purple jelly plastic. 

Chokers do not necessarily need to be exclusively worn after-hours—keep it casual with a t-shirt dress or a flannel button-down with shorts.

Love the chokers and the clothes in this post? Check out Alegre in downtown Westport!

Find of the Week | 38

My friends texted me on Friday afternoon to let me know we were going out in Stamford. 

Naturally, this meant that I needed a new top from work. 

I ended up choosing the Suzette cage front bandeau in cobalt blue.The nice thing about being petite is that a "layering piece" that would normally be way too cropped on an average height girl can suffice for a smaller frame. 

The bandeau looks purple in the photo, but it's cobalt blue

I wore the bandeau again, but as a layering piece with my red and white plaid flannel shirt that I also bought from Alegre. Definitely a fun way to update the classic flannel for summer!

Find of the Week | 36

I constantly shop at work.

This comes as no surprise, considering I work at a boutique with merchandise that's both adorable and reasonably priced in the middle of Westport. 

I bought a few things before I ran to Newport...

While I was in Rhode Island, I stopped by Crosswynds Traders in Narragansett. Not only did I pick up two much-needed shirts for my boyfriend—you don't even know—I also found this adorable crochet crop top for $10...

Cheers to wardrobe building!

Tusk & Cup Opens New Location in Wilton

Don't be surprised if the long line at Starbucks in Wilton begins to cut down—Ridgefield-based coffee shop Tusk & Cup has set up shop down the street!

Among many other advantages, Tusk & Cup is dedicated to providing amazing coffee and customer service. As someone who eats Starbucks' spinach feta wraps way more than I'd like to admit, the freshly prepared egg white florentine wrap at Tusk & Cup supremely lords over its corporate counterpart. 

Not to mention sipping on the perfect mint mocha latte feels like an absolute luxury...

Every detail that makes Tusk & Cup special contributes to the shop's overall fun, accessible and positive image. It could have been very easy for a coffee shop in Fairfield County to become unyieldingly pretentious, but Tusk & Cup continues to keep their cool. Above all, it embodies the spirit of community, something that's highly valued among Wilton Warriors. 

I prefer Wilton's layout over the one in Ridgefield. I'm not sure if they have the same square footage, but for whatever reason, it feels more comfortable.  

This may have to do with the fact that there is more seating that can be used for both the workaholics sitting with their arsenal of electronics and the lacrosse moms chatting about which impressive college their son or daughter will attend in the fall.

Honestly, I still go to Starbucks least once a day when I go to work—it's typically faster and less expensive, especially if you regularly reap gold membership benefits—but it's important to support your local businesses when you can.

When you support local business, you support your community. 

When you support your community, you help build a better and happier place to live.

...

Long story short, do what you can to make the world a better place to grow into something even more beautiful.

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So basically just buy the delicious $5 latte handcrafted with Italian coffee beans and feel the amore.

Marvin Gardens' Closing Sale

My parents and I were on our way to Tusk & Cup when we saw that Marvin Gardens was hosting a going-out-of-business sale for their retail storefront on Danbury Road. While we were walking around the property and looking at the wrought iron gates, horse statues, and antique patio chairs, I was wishing that I had my own house and garden to redesign...

I did manage to find a few treasures--three vintage French books published by Flammarion. According to eBay, they have very little monetary value, but they're great books that I can bring with me wherever I go, just like How to Be Parisian Wherever You Are.

Although Marvin Gardens is closing the brick-and-mortar location, the company will still be offering their services (container gardening, garden design consultation, holiday decorating, etc.) and attending other events and shows (Trade Secrets, The Brimfield Antique Market).

SoNo Baking Company

When I go to Connecticut to catch up with my girlfriends, one of the things we love to do is go to South Norwalk, appropriately nicknamed SoNo for being an hour away from Manhattan.

We ended up doing brunch at the SoNo Baking Company, a local treasure situated away from the town's main drag.

The SoNo Baking Company, a bakery and gourmet café, was founded by one of Martha Stewart's colleagues. Everything is made fresh and tastes fresh--I would recommend the SoNo Benedict for brunch with local tea.

Newport/Narragansett/Wakefield: Finals and Holiday Shopping (cont.)

Officially halfway done with finals! I had the Macroeconomics exam Thursday, French exam today, and completed my Magazine Feature Writing article. Next week, I have Narratives of Desire (19th century French Literature of Paris) Monday night, Cross-Cultural Psychology Tuesday afternoon, and a final essay for Horror Films due before Wednesday.

I'm not going to lie, it's been hard trying not to mentally shut down from this crazy semester...

After completing my French exam today, I went out to buy stuff to make my friends' holiday gifts. I tried really hard to buy exclusively local this season, but my broke-girl budget forced me to do otherwise. For the most part, though, I did a decent job trying to stick to "green" gift giving--I gave my friends jars of Fair Trade "drinking chocolate" and Ghiradelli dark chocolate peppermint bark squares. I bought the Fair Trade sipping chocolate, by Dagoba Organic Chocolate,  from A Market in Newport. Then, I re-purposed thoroughly sanitized small pasta jars to scoop some powder into each jar.

Source: shop.dagobachocolate.com via Mia on Pinterest

Source: ghirardelli.com via Mia on Pinterest

One of the challenges I faced making the gift was not so much making it, but finding stuff that was both budget-friendly and sustainable. I love ornate packaging and thoughtful gift-wrapping, yet it is not ethically conscious--it requires a lot of paper and plastic.

Source: Uploaded by user via Mia on Pinterest

I used Hallmark tissue paper, ribbons, and (gasp) a plastic bag to put everything together... I wanted to use small, brown paper gift bags, but they were no where to be found.

Source: Uploaded by user via Judy on Pinterest

 

In honor of today's tragedy in Newton, Conn., please pray for the victims and families of the Sandy Hook Elementary. No one should have to experience what they must be going through, especially with Christmas less than two weeks away. God bless those children <3 p="p">

To view a photograph slideshow compiled by The New York Times, please click here.

Westport/SoNo: Shopping and Chocopologie

This afternoon, my mom and I did some shopping in Westport at LF, Urban Outfitters, and Banana Republic. I got a few cute dresses and an adorable fedora hat similar to one Jessica Alba has been photographed wearing. My mom bought two slight hi-lo cut dresses, a sweater, and a loop scarf.

For dinner, a friend and I ate dinner at Chocopologie in South Norwalk.

If you love tea, European-inspired cafe food, and anything chocolate, Chocopologie is the place to be. There is an extensive beverage menu, including several herbal teas and the spiced hot chocolate. The dessert menu includes truffle beignets, molten chocolate cake, and chocolate chip cookies baked fresh. If, for whatever reason, the dessert menu does not take you, the array of chocolates on the back counter will. 

My friend ordered the quiche du jour and I ordered a croque monsieur--"open faced Virginia ham and gruyere cheese sitting on top of egg-battered, toasted pain de mie." We split the molten chocolate cake for dessert. 

Dress, BCBG Max Azria; Cardigan, Gap

Urban Outfitters

Croque Monsieur served with an Arugula Salad and Buccaneer tea