Sugar and Spice

Back in London again where I spent a rainy Friday afternoon with the London gals taking in a delicious high tea at the beautiful Fortnum and Mason Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon which was inaugurated last year by the Queen, Kate--the Duchess of Cambridge and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall in conjunction with the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

A dozen of us gathered there for a fancy girls' day out

which started with individual pots of tea,

and progressed to a tower of treats. Our table was literally cluttered with tea stands

full of sweets, scones, and finger sandwiches. The scones were light and fluffy and made even tastier with Somerset clotted cream, preserves and lemon curd.

Thanks to our menus we were able to identify our finger sandwiches which I'll list in case you ever want to duplicate their formula: Cucumber with mint butter, Coronation Chicken, Ploughman's, Rare Breed Hen's Egg with Mustard Cress and Smoked Salmon with Lemon Dill Butter.

And just in case you still had room, there were assorted pastries followed by

a trip to the Coronation Cake Carriage to select a slice of your favorite tea cake. We were delightfully more than satisfied, and spent the two hours sipping tea and catching up on the news of travels and playtimes.

Then we were off for the Spice of the day...

It was time to "spice" up our life with the new Viva Forever musical now playing on the West End.

A story of a young singing group and a reality TV show competition with the Spice Girls music to move the story along. And if what "you want, what you really, really want" is a fun musical with a great sing along at the conclusion, then Viva Forever is for you.

Spice it up!

Tea Party Time

When Jordan and her family came for a visit earlier this summer, of course, the idea of a tea party came up.

When considering tea rooms, Fortnum and Mason rose to the top of the list. Recently refurbished and reopened this spring under the name of the Diamond Jubilee Salon, the Tea Salon was christened by HM Queen Elizabeth, and the Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and Duchess of Cornwall.

Aunt Cristen, lovingly called "Kiss-Kiss" by Jordan, decided if it was good enough for royalty, it was good enough for us, 

so she booked us a spot and gave Jordan a crash course on a proper afternoon tea.

Of course, pouring the apple juice tea

was the first lesson.

Cheers!

Learning how to use sugar tongs

and drink out of fancy glasses was a snap for such a classy little girl.

The tiered presentation of food was enticing.

Scones with clotted cream and jam were a big hit.

Then it was time for the petite sandwiches.

There was a bit of apprehension, but Mommy's suggestion was that she try each one--

at least one bite, not exactly relished,

and if you tried really hard, you could make those bites eensy-teensy.

Less than an enthusiastic verdict!

But the sweets were a big hit,

and taking a trip to the dessert cart for an extra treat made a girl's job of selecting so, so very hard.

We had an amazing time at our fancy tea party--something tells me it will be hard to match anything this special again, although we've definitely been trying to replicate it with her Princess tea set ever since she returned.

Hope your day includes a cup of tea!

Like a Candy Shop

Just as a follow-up to the blog I did a couple of weeks ago about Fortnum and Mason at Christmas, I wanted to share with you some pretty things from there that you might want to put on next year's Christmas wish list.

I think they have a fabulous selection of soaps and sachets,

unlike any I've seen before.

Isn't it just like a candy shop,

that entices you to indulge?

All flavors and for all tastes....

These soaps were probably my favorites of all...

but these were pretty special too.

Tell me what would you do if a guest actually used these soaps!!

Bouquets to you this new year! 

Hope 2011 is a great one for you and your families!

Fortnum and Mason Christmas

Probably my favorite store in London would be the infamous Fortnum and Mason on Piccadilly Road. There's no better time than at Christmas to visit, because it is known around the world for its fascinating window displays.

This year the designer Paul Symes and his team started in April planning the holiday windows, and chose as their focus to feature 6 paintings from the National Gallery in which they would make a 3 D display of the painting, using solid objects, and adding a little Christmas twist in each one.

For example, Pissaro's Foxhill Upper Norwood painting was painstakingly recreated and included an addition to the original of fairy lights on a Christmas tree along the right.

A Winter's Scene with Skaters Near a Castle by Avercamp

Without a 3D camera, you will have to use your imagination in these pictures to have an idea of the intricate perspective of each vignette as you peered into the windows.

Still Life With a Drinking Vessel by Claesz was fascinating, with the linen cloth spilling out the window and the small strawberries almost tumbling out of the frame.

One of Canaletto's Grand Canal paintings featured a small Christmas tree in one of the gondolas.

Once inside, the decorations continued to be jaw-dropping as greenery cascaded down through the middle of 5 floors, all the way down to the food hall underground.

The store had its beginnings in the early 1700's and it wasn't long after that, that they became known for their gift "hampers" filled with food goods. 

Here's a hamper they were featuring in the store this year that was priced at £750 or the equivalent of $1,150. However, if you really wanted to treat someone special this holiday, you could give them the Imperial hamper valued at £5000.

The closest I ever got to receiving a hamper was this surprise box that was delivered to our door one day earlier this year, sent to us by a delightful house guest.

It featured chocolates, cookies (or biscuits,) jam, tea and a pudding. We were ecstatic to be on the receiving end of that gift, and the box itself with its famous azure and gold color is now a special keepsake.

But back to Christmas, we are now in Texas once again after several delays getting out of London's Heathrow, and the preparations are all ready for  family gatherings Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.  Joy abundant!

I leave you with a photo of my favorite ornament of the year that I found in Liberty's this season. A little glass suitcase featuring London on the side, representing our life at this season, as we have the best of both worlds traveling back and forth between Houston and London.

May you and your loved ones experience the joy of the season, the laughter of times shared together in love, and the blessings of our Father who sent us the best gift of all, his Son.