3 tea parties in one weekend!

I must say this is a first even for me - tea, tea and more tea!

Friday tea at Lady Elegant's in St. Paul with colleagues - Emily, Jenny & Charlotte. It was Jenny's first tea! It had been years since I had been here and I was reminded how much I like the snowflake blend with almond and coconut. I bid on tea with Charlotte for our company United Way campaign so it was even for a good cause!

The potato thyme soup was divine!! The olive spread sandwich I'd also rate highly. The scones had good texture and flavor and were accompanied by the traditional lemon curd and Devonshire cream. After all that I couldn't eat another morsel. 

It was nice to enjoy the lemon bar, Madeline and chocolate brownie later.

Saturday Christmas at Downton tea at my house. The tree was decorated and the table set with my Downton Abbey tea set.

We noshed on cucumber sandwiches, Downton Abbey shortbread cookies, deviled eggs, champagne Gouda (I mean champagne + Gouda could a more amazing cheese exist?) & crackers, veggies & dip, Downton Abbey cream scones & gluten free lemon scones (thanks Andrea) with Devonshire cream (thanks Tiff) & Downton Abbey lemon curd.

We had five Downton teas to pick from:

I have the best friends! Kimmy, Andrea, Tiff, Kate and Tawny

Merry Christmas to all!

Sunday Alice in Winterland Molly's Sweet 16! 

Happy Birthday Molly!

A variety of cheese and crackers

Veggies and dip (healthy cancels out the calories, right?)

Cucumbers with herb cream cheese and fresh dill.

Crustless mini quiche with cheddar & broccoli.

Dessert! Chocolate chocolate, salted caramel, Reese's and birthday cake cupcakes! Scones, cream & curd.

My sister-in-law, Jill, and niece Molly

My niece, Erin, & I

Tea parties galore!!! What a fun weekend!

Wisteria Twig Tea

Kim and I drove to Stillwater in November  to the old Red Wing pottery building for tea.

So many dishes that I don't have to wash ;) Love the eclectic teacups and teapot napkin rings.

And the shiny gold flatware

First course - kiwi, raspberries & orange segments with a vanilla yogurt sauce - yum!

Kim & I taking tea in our matching hats!

A creamy scone was next. We had the best butterscotch black tea!!! So good!

The vegetarian savories: cranberry cream cheese on pumpkin bread, egg salad, and cucumber on pumpernickel.

Kimmy enjoyed a chicken salad sammie

Dessert!! Chocolate cake, chocolate raspberry truffle, creamy lemon cake

A lovely afternoon in Red Wing

The Orangery at Kensington Palace

On June 19 we visited Kensington Palace - home to Will & Kate.

Complete with stunning gardens

This way; follow me to the Orangery

Nikki Hilton's wedding was held here two weekends after we were there - pretty place for nuptials.

At Kensington Palace in 1704, Queen Anne had an elaborate greenhouse built in the style of an elegant palace to protect her citrus trees from the harsh frosts of winter. She also recognized that The Orangery’s beautiful garden setting and graceful architecture made it a perfect venue for fashionable court entertaining away from the hubbub of Whitehall. 

I adore this China pattern - teal and gold with pops of color.

Egg mayonnaise and cress bridge roll; cucumber and fresh mint sandwiches.

Jeff chose a meatier option

Orange-scented and currant scones served with Cornish clotted cream and English strawberry jam and amazing afternoon tea pastries. 

Langham, London

My first trip across the pond included the Queen's birthday parade (Trooping the Colour), staying at a swanky hotel (the Langham), kayaking the Thames, visiting Hampton Court, the inner circle of Stonehenge at sunset and the Royal Ascot, but no trip to London would be complete without tea!

Welcome to the Palm Court! Famed as the birthplace of Afternoon Tea.

Palm Court has been serving tea to the cream of London society since the Victorian era.

Starting with some bubbly! Beautiful Wedgwood china.

Menu created by Cherish Finden, the Global Chef Award winner 2015 & UK Pastry Chef of the Year 2012. This is my vegetarian version - Burford Brown free range egg and mustard cress; Cucumber with cream cheese and chives.

Jeff and I. The tea was an 1865 anniversary tea blend made with 150 ingredients celebrating the June 10 150th anniversary of the hotel - we had tea June 14. 

Special pastries for the 150th anniversary. Langham chocolate mousse with raspberry compote (made with soon-to-launch Langham Chocolate ‘No.150’), chilled rhubarb and custard verrine (like a moussey triffle), a 150th Anniversary cinnamon shortbread Langham tower, coconut and pineapple macaroon and a Lady Victorian sponge with strawberry and white balsamic jelly.

Tea was served on very large 3-tier stands.

Harrod's

 The Mad hatter with an live mouse in his teacup outside of Harrod's

I brought home so much team my luggage was 20 pounds heavier!

 Fortum and Mason

Rose garden Hampton Court

Lunch with scone on the Hampton Court lawn