The Villages - April 2008 - (Page 48)

Go DoDo Retail Briefs & Go & Retail Briefs LAKE SuMTER LANdING WELCOMES CHOCOLATES GIFT STORE If you like the taste of Europeanstyle chocolate, then you’re going to love the Peterbrooke Chocolatier store in Lake Sumter Landing. You’ll find a variety of milk, dark and white chocolate at this new specialty gift store, 1087 Canal St. What’s more, the chocolates are blended, molded, enrobed and hand-dipped. “When you come into the store, the first thing you’ll find is a bright and cheery atmosphere,” said franchise coowner Veronica Barnes. “To match it is the chocolate. I’ve had people from Europe who have come in and said our chocolate is as good or better than what they’ve experienced in (Europe).” Gift varieties sold at the store come in packages of a quarter-pound, half-pound and one pound. Product design and displays change according to the seasons, Veronica said, with a keen focus on key holidays like Valentine’s Day and Easter. But the gifts are perfect year-round for all holidays, weddings, showers, parties and even corporate events. Don’t worry if you have problems picking just the right type of chocolate. “We’ve got samples out about every day,” said Veronica, who operates the store in partnership with her husband, Roger. “Today, we’re featuring our milkchocolate almond bark. We’re also sampling our dark chocolate popcorn.” It’s becoming very apparent to Veronica that many Villages have distinct preferences when it comes to their favorites. “A lot of people’s favorites are toffee and the dark-chocolate cranberries,” Veronica said. If you don’t have anything special in mind, Veronica added, then you’ve got a lot of variety to pick from, including everything from chocolate-covered nutter butters, to nut clusters, and even sugar-free varieties. And the store is open during convenient hours: 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. “It was crazy, busy,” Veronica said about the store’s first day in business. “We had my family there, so we had a lot of fun. And people were so patient, so sweet and so pleased we were open.” SPANISH SPRINGS SAYS “HOLA” TO AMIGOS If you don’t know by now, Amigos Original Tex-Mex restaurant has become one of the most popular restaurants in The Villages. Get there early if you want to avoid the wait at this Texasstyle Mexican restaurant that John and Erin Hyltin recently opened in La Reina Sales Center across from the Rialto Theatre in Spanish Springs Town Square. The allure is the authentic dishes the couple brought with them when they moved to the Orlando area about six years ago from Dallas. “These dishes are the household APRIL 008 favorites I’ve fed my children for years,” Erin said of the menu items. The two have spent considerable time on a menu that features not only traditional Mexican-style fare, but also healthy alternatives. So, you have the option of meals served with steamed broccoli and carrots in addition to dishes like vegetarian burritos and quesadillas. This is a hands-on partnership, too. You’re likely to meet John and Erin when you visit The Villages Amigos restaurant. “In the few weeks we’ve been open, we’ve established regular customers, faces 8

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Villages - April 2008

The Villages - April 2008
Contents
Acting Their Age
Belles Edge Peaches
Red Hats Celebrate 10
Cutting a Rug at the Rec
Sports & Recreation
Food
Shopping & Dining Guide
Retail Briefs
Major Events
Snapshots

The Villages - April 2008

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