High Tea and Teacup Tattoo

This morning an ad came through my Facebook feed for a Bridgerton High Tea [it should really be called Afternoon Tea since high tea is supper in England and isn't fancy finger foods].  The ad piqued my interest so I went to the tearoom's Facebook page.  The name of the tearoom is High Tea GR and the GR stands for Grand Rapids, MI.  My girlfriend and I have made the two and a half hour drive to Grand Rapids for tea before, but not at this new tearoom. I was interested until I saw the dates - two weekends, Aug. 9-11 and Aug. 16-18, but I work on Fridays and Saturdays and go to church on Sundays so I can't attend.  But I'm posting their information in case some readers might have an interest.  If you go, please tell me all about it. The tearoom/restaurant is located 1522 Wealthy St., SE. 

When I went to work two weeks ago I noticed one of our managers had a teacup tattoo on her neck.  She said it was sort of a scary tattoo because instead of steam rising up out of the teacup it's a snake.  Yikes!  Not surprising since the shop where she had it done is called Friday the 13th.  ;-)

I'm for all things tea - clothing, jewelry, china, etc. but I'll pass on getting a teacup tattoo.  I read that 32% of Americans have at least one tattoo and the majority are on people under age 50.  I was surprised that the percentage was that low because it seems like almost all young people have tattoos these days.  Surprisingly, none of my adult grandchildren have one, or at least not yet.  

Kaylee let me take her picture last Saturday at work and said I could post it.  She's a very kind person, an efficient manager, and well liked at The Whitney.

I received the Shutterfly album, Myrtle Beach Family Vacations, that I was working on and now I'm working on a new album about my grandchildren's high school years [proms/homecomings, plays & graduation] college graduations, engagements and weddings - a screen shot of the cover from my workpage is below.  It's been such a fun walk down memory lane and a stark reminder of how quickly time passes.  When this is completed it will be my 25th Shutterfly album.  I should have stock in the company!  ;-)

July is almost over and we'll soon be entering August. Lots of fun activities will be forthcoming.  Our granddaughters, Izzy and Ellie, will be coming for a visit Aug. 14-15 before school starts back.  I've made reservations to take them to lunch at The Whitney.

I also made lunch reservations at The Whitney to take my daughter and granddaughter, Marissa, on August 21st.  It'll be an early birthday celebration for my daughter.  So glad I could get these lunches scheduled before The Whitney discontinues them at the end of August.

And yesterday I made reservations at The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island to meet up with three of my cousins who will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversaries there.   They're paternal cousins who are sisters and they all got married the same year.  They're coming from Tennessee, Colorado and Florida.  I haven't seen them since 2012 so I'm really looking forward to our meet-up.  August promises to be a great month.

Do you have any special plans?

Happy Belated Birthday Detroit!

I knew long in advance that yesterday was Detroit's 323rd Birthday, but I got caught up in another project and let a birthday post fall through the cracks.  So I'm writing a belated post today instead. 

Detroit was founded in 1701 by French Explorer, Antoine de la mothe, Cadillac.  The City has had it's ups and downs in history, but it's presently experiencing a comeback and amazing renewal.

It was once known as the Automobile Capital of the World with Ford, General Motors and Chrysler headquartered in the City.

Detroit loves its sports teams... Detroit Tigers [baseball], Detroit Pistons [basketball], Detroit Lions [football], and Detroit Red Wings [hockey].

Authentic snack foods made in Detroit are Better Made Chips, Faygo Soft Drinks and Vernor's Ginger Ale [great for ice cream floats], and Popcorn from Detroit Popcorn Company. Detroiter's also love Sander's Bumpy Cake and Hot Fudge Ice Cream Puffs, and if you want more substantial food, an iconic Detroit Coney Island Dog, or a slice of Buddy's Pizza is a must.

The Whitney Restaurant [where I work as Tea Director] held a Birthday Party Celebration yesterday in the garden, with a menu of Detroit's classic foods, complimentary gift bags of "Detroit Snacks", free Birthday Cake, a live DJ with Detroit-curated music, and a meet-and-greet with Daniel Crawford, author of "Detroiter at Heart".

The birthday party celebration is over, but the 3-course Detroit Classic menu is still available through July 28th.

Starter Course:  Chef Milos' famed Golden Mushroom Soup or the classic Hudson's Maurice Salad.

Entree:  Better Made Chip Chicken; Carl's Chophouse chargrilled Delmonico; Vernors glazed Salmon; or a twist on Mousska celebrating Detroit's Greek heritage.

Dessert:  Bumpy Cake or Coconut Cream Pie reminiscent of Darby's, a long-gone Detroit Restaurant.

I took a quick photo of The Whitney's advertising for the event from my car window on the way to work while stopped at a red light.  They went all out for 'The D".  Mr. David Whitney was one of the City's most notable and wealthiest residents before his death in 1900.

I'm ending this post with the reminder that Christmas is exactly five months from today!  How can that be???

Checking In

There haven't been any blog posts in 12 days primarily because nothing much has been happening to write about.  But I wanted you to know I'm alive and well.  Life continues with my job two days a week that is going well.  I watched the Republican Convention on TV all three nights last week, followed by J.D. Vance's Netflix movie, "Hillbilly Elegy." Unbelievable, yet true!  I don't know how someone who endured so much dysfunction and abuse as a child was able to rise above it and make something out of himself in adulthood.  And yet I do - God, grit, determination, a good wife and probably some therapy.  Amazingly, through it all he was able to forgive his mother for the huge role she played in the dysfunction and abuse and love her in spite of it.  

Hubby and I went out to dinner on Sunday with some good friends after church.  The food and fellowship was great, and the Chinese restaurant helped me stay on my plant based fiber food menu [Chicken Subgum].

You may remember I purposefully began plant based fiber food menus on May 28th [for optimal gut microbiome] and I'm still staying with it.  Some days contain more fiber foods [fruits and vegetables] than others, but at least I'm conscious of its importance and am sticking with it.

As you know, I enjoy cooking and find it hard to resist cookbooks.  I ordered a new cookbook that arrived last Friday.

I'm a fan of Natasha's, who is a self-taught cook.   I've received her cooking e-mails in my inbox for a long time.  Her family fled Ukraine in 1988 to avoid religious persecution, and Natasha proudly professes her faith in Jesus Christ.  I'm anxious to sit down with the cookbook and a cup of tea to go through it.

Since yesterday was a low-key day, I spent a good part of the afternoon preparing dinner.  I got a recipe for Pasta with Spinach, Mushrooms and Caramelized Onions on the Internet and decided to give it a try.  The recipe began with making the caramelized onions - about a 30 minute process. The Internet is full of articles about the health benefits of onions.  The unsung hero is high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber, while low in calories.

The recipe called for farfalle pasta, but I had whole wheat orzo in the pantry, so I used that instead.  We liked the recipe a lot and it made enough to enjoy for two nights.  I paired it with another recipe I found on the Internet - Crispy Parmesan Baked Cod.  The 'crispy' is obtained by mixing whole wheat Panko breadcrumbs with a little Parmesan cheese, butter and lemon juice, and sprinkling it over the cod before baking.  It's delicious.  I've found that Costco's wild caught cod is better than what I was buying at the fish market.

I also roasted a sheet pan of cauliflower and chick peas.  Really got my plant based fiber in last night's dinner!  ;-)

And as always, tea is a part of my day.

As Seen From My Window

We've lived in our house 46 years [1978] and over time tree roots broke the drain tiles that run along the back of our property line and our neighbor's.  We weren't having any water problems, but our neighbor was.  City Engineering came out to access the situation and concluded the drain couldn't be repaired and would have to be replaced. 

When I opened the blinds in the spare bedroom this morning the men were already at work digging up the old drain tiles [with the assistance of machinery] and putting the new line in. This was a work day for my hubby - during the summer he's part of a General Motors retiree mentoring program for high school students - so I took photos throughout the day to send him via text messages.

I'm glad I don't have a flower garden along the fence line because it would have been dug up today.

Moving right along...

Almost done in our yard...

They said they'll level the dirt and put grass down when they're finished, and everything should look as it was before.  We'll see...

While they were working outside, I was busy working inside on my Shutterfly album.  Below is a screen shot of the front and back cover of the album taken from my Shutterfly project page. The album is of two all-family vacations to Mytle Beach, South Carolina, so it seemed fitting to put the Atlantic Ocean on the cover.  

When I called work today to get a guest count for tomorrow's Mansion Tea they told me 140 guests had reservations.  That's a lot for a Friday.  Afternoon Tea is alive and well in 'The D'.

Keeping in Touch

This will be a short post as I'm working on another Shutterfly album and the coupon expires this Sunday, but I do want to keep in touch.

Yesterday when I was in the grocery store I passed a tea display and couldn't resist stopping to take a picture.  I've never heard of Twisted Tea before but I love their advertising display - America Parties with Tea.

My son, Jeremy, sent a text and photo of Ellie yesterday modeling the outfit we gave her for her birthday, and saying she loves it.   The background wall mural is in Portland, MI [about an hour from Zeeland] and is advertising Courageous Coffee Cafe & Bakery Shop.  It was painted in August 2023.  The City is by the Looking Glass River as seen in the mural.

Granddaughter, Tiffany, sent a photo of her family taken in California on the 4th of July.  

Lastly, I'm still on my quest to consume more fiber foods, so yesterday's dinner was a Swiss Cheese, Broccoli, Mushroom and Bacon Quiche served with a Spinach Strawberry Salad [which I recently provided the recipe]. Today's menu will be Chicken, Tomato and Cheese Quesadillas with a Romaine Garden Salad.  A quick easy meal so I have more time to spend working on my Shutterfly album.

A blog reader from Kansas recently wrote me and while sharing her interest in travel stated she has been to 49 states.  That made me wonder how many states I've been to and I came up with 38.  Not sure if I'll ever get to all of the other 12 remaining states but I hope to get a few more crossed off before my traveling days are over.  Do you know how many states you've visited?  According to a 2022 YouGov poll the average American has visited 17 states and Washington D.C.   Only 2% have visited all 50 states.  

Take care, and Michigan readers stay dry as today promises to be a wet one!

 

4th of July Birthday Celebration

As promised, I'm sharing photos of granddaughter Ellie's 12th birthday yesterday.  Every year her maternal aunt hosts a 4th of July gathering at her home [she has a huge backyard with a pool and all kinds of play equipment for children], and a birthday celebration for Ellie and her two twin cousins who have July 6th birthdays are part of the festivities.  The yard is better equipped and more private than going to a park.

~ Ellie and her Dad ~

Grandson, Landon, is 15 years old and almost as tall as his 6' 4" dad!  

Opening presents is always the fun part of a birthday celebration.  Ellie has 18 first cousins on her maternal side of the family, and most of them were at the gathering.  That's cousin Stella curiously waiting to see what's inside Ellie's package.

~ Ellie with Dad and Mom ~

Cake Time!

After the fireworks last night they came over to our house to spend the night before heading back home to Zeeland this morning.  It was a fun day.

Happy 4th of July!

Wishing you and your loved ones a Happy 4th of July as we celebrate our Nation's Independence and 248th Birthday.  I'm proud and thankful to be an American.

I smiled when I read the subject heading in an e-mail from The Cultured Cup this morning.  It said, Red, White and Brew!  And I have indeed brewed this morning.

We will be going to a family gathering later today where we'll be celebrating our youngest grandchild's 12th birthday.  Pictures will be forthcoming, but for now I'm off to my kitchen to put together a large pan of mostaccioli to take to the outdoor gathering.  Mother Nature is giving us a beautiful day.

A Recipe With a Memory

Many moons ago - 47 years, 1977 - we rented a cottage on West Traverse Bay in Traverse City, MI for a family vacation.  Our two oldest children, Lori and Steve, still remember it.  In 2011 we went back for another all-family vacation in Traverse City, with the kids all grown up and families of their own. Steve wanted to see if we could find the cottages, and we did!

2011 vacation.  As you can see, I gained a 'few' pounds since 1977 and the family expanded from two kids to three with spouses and seven grandchildren.

Back to the 1977 vacation... my hubby's aunt Dorothy lived near Traverse City on Long Lake, so we went to visit her.  While there I got her recipe for Sweet and Sour Cabbage.  She passed away in 2004, but her recipe lives on.

It's been a long time since I've made it, but now that I'm trying to increase my daily intake of veggies and fruit [and hubby's also], I decided to make it for dinner last night along with stuffed peppers.  No fancy staging for the photo below, and as you can see I still use my cornflower Corningware that I received for a wedding shower gift 58 years ago!

Of course I had to look up the nutritional value of both foods.  ;-)  Purple cabbage is richer in beneficial plant compounds than green cabbage and its health benefits include reduced inflammation, a healthier heart, stronger bones, improved gut function and protection against certain types of cancers. 

Since it is high in fiber, some people with sensitive digestive tracts might limit intake to avoid gas and bloating.  It can also disrupt thyroid function in some people and interact with blood thinners, diabetes drugs and acetaminophen [pain relievers].  All these disclaimers remind me of the precautions printed on drug prescription printouts.  You read it and are afraid to take the medication.  If you don't have any of the conditions for potential problems, this is a good recipe to try.

Sweet and Sour Cabbage

                        1 medium firm red/purple cabbage

                        6 sliced of bacon

                        1 medium onion, chopped [I used a purple onion]

                        1 teaspoon salt

                        1/8 teaspoon pepper

                        1/2 cup water or vegetable broth

                        2 cups peeled, cored, and grated apple

                        1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

                        1/4 cup brown sugar

Remove outer leaves of cabbage and hard core.  Cut into quarters and finely shred.  Cook bacon until crisp.  Remove from drippings and cook onion 2-3 minutes in drippings.  Add cabbage, salt, pepper and water [or broth].  Cover tightly and cook over low heat 10 minutes.

Add grated apples, vinegar and brown suger.  Cover and cook 10-15 minutes longer until liquid is absorbed.  Crumble bacon into cabbage.  Makes 6 servings

Nutritional facts about red bell peppers:  They are the most nutrient-dense of the bell peppers, as well as the sweetest, because they've been on the vine the longest.  Green peppers are harvested earlier before they have a chance to turn yellow, orange, and then red.

They're classified as a fruit and not a vegetable.  Who knew?!

I also learned that paprika is a dried and powdered form of bell peppers.

They're loaded with vitamins and minerals such as vitamin A, B6, C, E, K1, Potassium and Folate, and a good source of fiber.   They have no risk factors unless a person is allergic to them.

I stuff the peppers with ground chicken instead of beef, and use brown rice instead of white rice.  So yummy!

And as always, drink tea for good health and well-being!