Friday, January 8, 2010

Tea for Two



Tonight I called a dear friend whom I've known for many years now. She has helped me through child rearing, losing parents, and has always provided a sympathetic ear. But what I love about her most is that we share the same silly quirks. We both love dishes, though not always exactly the same patterns, and silver, and crystal, and anything pretty! She is the kind of friend who I can call and excitedly tell her I found something really cool, and no matter how simple or completely unnecessary it is, she'll understand and be thrilled along with me.

So when I called to catch up and find out how her holidays were, I just couldn't resist telling her, and then eventually sending her an email with my latest discovery! Sugar...yes sugar, but not just any sugar! These are beautiful sugars that are meant to make tea even more special! Now anyone who knows me knows I'm a bit of a tea fanatic! When I went to York, England in 2008, to meet up with our daughter who was studying in the South of France at the time, the first thing I did was to look and see which tea shops I could visit! My daughter and I took tea at Bettys Cafe Tea Room in York two times, and then once at Little Bettys, and every sip and morsel was glorious! I love tea cups and tea strainers and all sorts of teas!

Little Bettys was the perfect place to sip a pot of tea and nibble on some goodies while escaping the cold and rainy weather of York, England in the Springtime.




Everything was so yummy at Bettys, and the atmosphere took you back to a more gentile time.



For my 40th birthday my husband took me to tea at Keswick Hall, just outside Charlottesville, Virginia. Keswick was one of the many beautiful homes owned by Laura Ashley. So as you can see I'm a tea-a-holic! Tea is one of those magic elixirs that can be dressed up or down. It can be served in fine china cups from a sterling tea service or it can be created in a plain unassuming mug and it still makes you feel like you are somehow descended from royalty! Who wouldn't love that?!

Keswick Hall is the perfect spot to take tea, it's beautiful setting only adds to the whole experience.



I loved the cranberry black tea I had so much that our waiter was kind enough to tell me where I could purchase more to use at home. It's that sort of care and attention that keeps visitors flocking back to Keswick, time and time again!



So when I stumbled upon Sugars by Sharon recently I was in pure heaven and couldn't wait to tell my friend J! These sugars (something I rarely even put in my tea) were beautifully molded into dainty shapes that would make the tea drinking ritual all the more special! There are tiny teacups, hearts, snowflakes, bunnies, the list goes on and on! And they come in the most wonderful packages that make them all the more special! I would love to use these for a special luncheon or a baby shower or any number of events, but mostly I would love to just have them next to my tea station in my kitchen to plunk into my ordinary mug of Yerba Mate or English Breakfast to make it seem like something oh so special!


These Snowflakes would be perfect for a wintry tea party!


Or what about some sugary hearts to show your Valentine how much you care?

To see these and so many more darling sugar designs visit Sugars by Sharon and pick something pretty up for yourself today!

2 comments:

  1. I'm completely taken with tea and now must go to York! Found you via Meg at Pigtown. So glad I did :-)

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  2. Welcome Annie, I'm glad you found me too since I'm very new to blogging. If you go to York you will want to stay!

    I love Meg's Blog, Pigtown-Design, I've been reading it for a very long time now and really enjoy her sense of style and of course Connor!

    :-)

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