Flowers and Fairies

You are invited to tea in Emma Lee's garden:

Welcome to the garden tea party and enjoy the lovely day - sunshine with a cool breeze in the air.

Emma served tea with her new floral dishes. (I know one person that will recognize these plates :). Her tablescape featured flowers, fairies and "fairy dust."

                                                            Fairy garden & a lovely cup of Earl Gray

We had two special guests. This is Jackie's little guy - Connor and Emma's dog - Sydney.

  

 Tiffany and Emma

 

Fruit bowl - who says we don't eat healthy at tea party?

Here comes the carbs:  

 tomato pesto panini

coconut and lemon poppy seed bread

blueberry scones

shortbread cookies

Enjoying the day

The whole group: Connor, Tiff, Emma, me, and Jackie.

 jalapeno Gruyere pasta and fairy cakes.

Emma has lots of cute mini gardens - this one even has a little pepper plant.

What's this? I spy gnomes and a Hamm's beer sign = a gnome beer garden.

Barry has a garden too!

Abuzz with a New Tearoom

On Monday I travelled to Salt Lake City for an evening work event. After getting checked in to my hotel, it was time for a late lunch. My hotel was literally on the same block as the Beehive tearoom - how convenient! 

Look close...do you notice anything different about this tea shop window?

They have a patio, yes, but that's not it. Keep looking...Barry this one's for you...

They serve beer!

 This was a multi-purpose tea shop catering to many crowds and it was literally abuzz when I arrived. They actually had a library of wedding books and a bride to be was there with friends. Andrea - this pic is for you as you are the chai connoisseur - they claim to have the best in SLC. 

 

It's a bit Alice in Wonderland - which way should I go? Lots of little rooms - I dined in the Chinese Lantern room.

 They have a seriously cute counter and displays.

 They also have these adorable cups and saucers for sale. I came home with a T-shirt.

It was not high tea time so I enjoyed a tomato cream cheese croissant with potato salad. By the time my food arrived, it was quiet, just me and my own little tearoom.

 

 I sipped their "Beehive Cream and Honey" black tea - so good I bought some to bring home and a seriously amazing lemon poppy seed cake as noticed by the nibble.

 And here's a silly picture of me drinking the tea.

Have you ever seen a music video filmed in a tearoom? Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNAeMxu7bBE&feature=player_embedded

I thought it was very cool! You get a good look around the tearoom too!

 Finally, one block away, I noticed this establishment: 

Hmm, I wonder if there is a connection? The wives can send the men down the street.

Tropical Tea

On a hot, humid day a light breeze blew us to Andrea's tropical tea party. Between the decor and treats - it felt like an island vacation.

The Last Aloha by Gaellen Quinn was part inspiration for the theme. I'm only a few chapters in, but I think it's really captivating thus far. I love historical fiction and the first few chapters were surprising. I believe it will take the reader through the history of Hawaii, but through the eyes of one of the characters.

Andrea's white seashell china with gold trim was so pretty against her sea blue tablecloth with coral and seashells.

The tropical table.

Getting ready to party! Aloha!

 The food:

Cucumber, mint avocado and cream cheese date tea sandwiches

(the date sandwiches were my favorite!)

Hawaiian tea sandwiches - a very special sandwich for the party with coconut, mixed nuts, cream cheese and more! Decorated with kiwi - Andrea's favorite sandwich.

Macaroons, chocolate covered strawberries, and

mango, pineapple, and grape fruit skewers on a shell platter. 

I bet you are thinking...hey that's a great spread! But wait...there's more!

Andrea made a trip to Chez Arnaud, a French bakery in White Bear Lake and shared these decadent delights - chocolate espresso opera cakes and pina colada mousse. Sinful!

We also enjoy almond biscotti with our tea.

Pretty teapots!

Tropical tea! We enjoyed Harney and Son's green tea with coconut, ginger, and vanilla as well as Imperial Tea Garden's orange pineapple and a super special treat was Earl Gray tea from Harrod's in London!

Andrea has a talent in floral arrangements! Gorgeous!

Kim enjoying her John Daly spritzer a.k.a. kicked up Arnie Palmer,

which Andrea infused with ginger simple syrup.

Andrea, me, and Emma

Great food! Great friends!