I went on vacation today!

Today I took a 2-hour vacation at Terrain in Westport, CT.

I am a bit late to the game being that Terrain opened on Mother's Day but better late than never is what I like to say.

And what better reason to go than a b-day lunch for myself and my dear friend Kim.  

We met early so we would have time to stroll around and check it all out and boy did I wish I had another 2 hours!  

It reminded me of an outdoor, green version of Anthropology which makes sense since a fellow shopper told us that's who owns it.

It really is a flea market junkies dream!

Salvaged windows adorn the space, old wash sinks are used to water the flowers, wooden structures serve as backdrop and support to showcase an assortment of lighting, live greenery and dried twine, flowers and anything they can  make look AMAZING by hanging it up.  

And I haven't even mentioned the INCREDIBLE plants and flowers as well as the fun and quirky hostess-y do-dads!

It was a treat for the senses.  

But wait, I am just getting warmed up because then comes lunch.....and when I say lunch it sounds very boring and everyday-ish but trust me this was no ordinary pb&j standing  at the kitchen counter.  

This was a culinary delight!

My friend Kim is just like me in that she also loves to cook AND eat....yeh Kim!

We had a reservation for an outdoor table and the weather couldn't have been better for it.  We were surrounded by beautiful greenery and although we were sitting along the Post Road it felt like we were dining at west coast winery, the vibe was relaxed, chic and just more than we have come to expect in Fairfield County.

We started with a salad of tomato and watermelon.....it was served on a wooden plate (think small square cutting board) and had a vinaigrette drizzled over it and a few splatters of what we think was mint pesto....it was complete HEAVEN!

But before they brought out this amazing starter they placed a clay flower pot (filled with a baked-in-the-pot mini bread) on the table and a small dish of butter.....but again, this was no ordinary butter but fresh butter with a special, local honey mixed in for just the PERFECT touch of sweetness that you couldn't get enough of.  Thank god a bee flew into our dish otherwise I would have used my finger to lick it clean.

Our main course was grilled portabello mushroom on a freshly made (as in that morning) focaccia roll and pomme frittes on the side.....but again they were no McD's fries, they were the real McCoy w/ a touch of skin left on them and big crystals of sea salt, and served with a homemade ketchup that really shouldn't even be compared to Heinz because it totally surpassed the on-the-shelf bottled variation. 
It had this 

je ne sais quoi about it ...smoky, thinner and fresh tasting.

We finished our meal off with dessert because we both 

LOVE to eat dessert! 

That's Kim and what's left of our amazing dessert.

Sticky toffee bread pudding with a schmeer of pumpkin mousse and a scoop of orange infused ice cream...it was 100% autumn in Connecticut to me.

The piece de resistance was our bill.....it looked like a book mark inside a butterfly guide book, dog-eared and all!

Needless to say it was a great day and I cannot wait to go back to Terrain!

Happy Fall!