Share all about one of your favorite tea rooms. Use photos and descriptions to tell about the decor and ambiance, menus, service, and what makes this tea room special to you. Does this tea room have a gift shop? What kind of special treasures does it contain?
How do I choose just one tea room? We don’t have a special place where I live so I am destined to discover new places when I travel. The first time I ever visited a tea room I went with my mother on a trip to visit her beloved aunties in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Our tea at Thistlefields was memorable in that it made me feel so special to finally experience a “real” afternoon tea.
The White Room at the Willow Tea Room
Years later, my oldest daughter and I went on a trip to England and Scotland as part of her family heritage research for her Senior Project in high school. On our stop in Glasgow, Scotland, we had the opportunity to take tea at one of the famous Willow Tea Rooms. What I remember best about it was a very large meringue. The room was beautifully decorated with Charles Rennie MacIntosh furniture and design. I also remember being seated next to a very proper older Scotswoman in her tweed skirt and cardigan.
Two years later, my youngest daughter and I also took a special vacation to Europe. This time my tea experience was at The Court restaurant at the British Museum. The tea was served at tables covered with starched white tablecloths. It was a very peaceful place to rest after looking at countless Egyptian artifacts!
The British Pantry Dining Room
My most recent experience came in March of last year when I visited my daughters in Virginia. When Christie first went to college, I printed out information on the closest tea room. Five years later, we visited on UK Mother’s Day (which is celebrated in March, not May like the US). The British Pantry in Aldie, Virginia was delightful. I almost thought I was in England! The waitress was funny and charming; the food, traditional and delicious. The tea room is attached to a lovely little shop that services British folks far from home who can’t live without the foodstuff of their native land! I personally like Cadbury bars and Yorkshire Gold tea! What’s truly special is that my daughter just bought her first home in Aldie so I know, for certain, visits to The British Pantry will become part of my routine when I venture down to Virginia!
The British Pantry, Aldie Virginia
It seemed right to make this my 100th post. I’ve just loved the Tea Blog-a-Thon. It has incorporated so much of what I enjoy; making friends, visiting new places, sharing stories of home and family. If you have visited me before, I am thrilled you have returned. If this is your first visit, welcome! In either case, I dearly hope you will comment on this post. I am putting together a special 100th post GIVEAWAY which I will draw next Tuesday morning, May 20, for LaTeaDah’s last installment of the Gracious Hospitality Tea Blog-a-Thon.
You have visited some lovely tearooms. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteVery nice! I guess I have no experience visiting Tea Rooms! I'll have to watch for an authentic tea house! I do love to go to my favoirite shop, "Mon Ami Cafe", where I have attended a tea party, and that was delightful!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 100th post!!!
*Heidi*
Congratulations on 100 posts! How exciting! I love the different styles of tearooms you showed.
ReplyDeleteAll of the tea houses sound wonderful! Congratulations on your 100th post. That is just awesome. All of your tea experiences sound great. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWell, I only have one tea room experience. This was with my daughter at the Von Trapp family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont. It was called the Austrian Tea Room and I don't have photos because, come to find out, I took photos that whole weekend thinking I had film in my camera (this was prior to the digital age). I remember Ellen and I pouring tiny bits of tea into the saucer and sipping from it. We thought we knew what we were doing, but I am not so sure, but we had fun!
ReplyDeleteahh congratulations on your 100th post. All the tea rooms you shared with us sound amazing. I love the name Thistlefields. And I need to go back to the UK so I can experience more tea rooms or to Virginia and go to The British Pantry. Lovely post!
ReplyDeleteOh, you have visited the most wonderful tea houses. I especially love the sound of Thistlefields, and Willow Tea Rooms. Lovely that you have photos of them too. Karen
ReplyDeleteLovely tea rooms! I especially enjoyed seeing some genuine British tea rooms.
ReplyDeleteWhat awesome tea time experiences you have had! Tea and travel seem to go so well together. Your experience was made even more special by having shared it with your daughters. Lovely post, thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe the blog a thon is almost over, your post and the tea rooms are lovely
ReplyDelete100 posts...how great! Blogging really is rewarding. Your tea post this week is fun. You have been to some wonderful tea rooms in wonderful places. Now that you will be vacationing during the next back to school days you will be able to experience tea at yet another beautiful tea room in a city to be discovered! How about Paris or Rome? Sounds good to me! Congrats on your 100th post!...Kathy@Mimi's Garden
ReplyDeleteKathy, what precious memories you have created with your daughters. Tea rooms in Europe with darling daughters --- it doesn't get any better than that! Thank you for sharing with us. I too love Yorkshire Gold tea. It's wonderful!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 100th post! And many more to look forward to!
LaTeaDah
What wonderful memories! My first tea room experience was in Ireland, and it is a memory I treasure, like you have with yours. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy,
ReplyDeleteAll the tea rooms you visited look so wonderful. I think my favorite is the Willow with all its MacIntosh furnishings. I love his designs. They're just so clean yet elegant looking.
Thanks for a great post and happy 100th.
Cori