"A Star-Studded Affair"

Today was the annual fundraiser tea for the Taylor Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

It was a beautiful day with temperatures in the mid-80's and a nice breeze.  Perfect for an outdoor tea!

I was happy to see a sweet friend, Joanie, in the parking lot.  She had the misfortune of breaking her leg a few months ago, but you can't keep a good woman down.

Louise Doute, a Conservatory staff member and friend, greeted guests on the red carpet.  As always, she was classy and gracious.

Joanie with her beautiful granddaughter, Ashton.  You can't tell in the picture, but Joanie's top was filled with little gold, sparkly stars.

I don't own anything glitzy as you can see in the picture below - too much clothes for a Hollywood affair, but I don't own anything risqué either.  I was a good portrayal of Angela Lansbury who is matronly and usually well covered! ;-) 

Every lady who wore a hat or fascinator was given a raffle ticket, and one lucky lady received a prize when her ticket was drawn. 

The Red Carpet and Walk of Fame.  The committee covered every detail.

Pavillion where the tea was held.

The tea was catered by Victoria's Tea Salon.  That's Vicky O'Neil in the pink chef's jacket [below].

~ Tea Station ~

The tables were beautifully set in keeping with the theme.

~ Program ~

~ Silent Auction Items ~

~ Popcorn for the Afternoon's Activities ~

Jennifer and Linda dressed in their Hollywood glitz. 

~ Sandy and Barb donned their bling too.  ~

~ Sandy's fancy shoes that even lit up.  ~

~ Tea Savories ~

Turkey w/Basil Parmesan Mayo on Tomato Herb Wrap; Cucumber finger sandwich with Herb Cream Cheese on Italian; Roast Beef triangle w/Horseradish Sauce on Light Rye; and Cheddar Mango Chutney round on Oatnut bread.

~ Pineapple Cream Cheese Cream Scone with Lemon Curd and Devonshire Cream ~

~ Desserts ~

Chocolate Cupcakes with Ganache and Gold Stars; Lemon Crisp Cookie; and Cinnamon Raisin Bread Pudding Cups.

The two teas served were Berry White Tea and Raspberry Panache Black Tea.  As always the teas and food were delicious. 

~ The entertainment for the afternoon was by Taylor Dance. ~

They had a magician scheduled to come too, but he mysteriously disappeared [pun intended].  ;-)  Thank you Taylor Conservatory for a delightful afternoon!  Another theme tea well done.

Victorian Tea Parlor Closing Sale

When I read the list of weekend estate sales yesterday, Victorian Tea Parlor in Berkley, MI was among them.  The owner, Lillian Li, had two tearooms with the same name.  One was in Grosse Pointe Park on Charlevoix, and the other in Berkley on 12 Mile.  The Grosse Pointe Park location closed a few years back.  Lillian said after 20 years in the business she was ready to retire.

The sale was scheduled to open at 10:00 a.m. so my hubby and I drove over early and arrived at 9:00 a.m.  Lillian opened the door and let us in upon arrival.  I discovered this was actually the third weekend of the sale, but there was still LOTS of merchandise left, and Lillian was still unpacking boxes and totes from a storage unit.  She said the sale will run for two more weekends after this weekend.  Everything is 50% off.

There's two rooms at the back of the shop that I didn't photograph, as well as a section at the front of the store.  

What did I purchase?  A commemorative Tuscan bone china teacup of Queen Elizabeth's 1953 Coronation.  Half price $17.50.

~ Front ~

~ Back ~

~ Backstamp ~

A Royal Albert Old English Rose teacup.  My mother had this teacup, and it was always displayed on her round marble-top coffee table. I think she liked it because her middle name was Rose. When my granddaughter, Tiffany, visited her before she passed, my mother gave it to her.  I was happy for Tiffany to get such a lovely keepsake, and told myself if I ever saw one like it at a reasonable price I would get it for myself.   $18 half price was 'reasonable'.

A Royal Albert Lady Carlyle teacup.  I have a luncheon plate to go with it.  Half price $13.

A Royal Albert Sweet Violets.  Half price $8.

A Royal Patrician Shamrock Luncheon Plate.  Half price $4.

And a Hankie paper doll.  Half price $4.50.

It was worth the drive to Berkley.  For local readers the address is:  2737 Twelve Mile Rd.  I think they'll be open until 4:00 today and Saturday and Sunday.  For confirmation call 248-542-5253.

New Purchases

Do you get excited when the postman delivers items you've ordered and are anxiously waiting for? I do, and a couple of days ago I felt like I hit the jackpot when several things arrived the same day.  I hardly knew which one to open first.

The first box I opened was from Hoffman Media, and contained their newest book Tea Parties Around the World.   I preordered the book before it was released from the publisher, so I was so happy when it arrived in the mail.

It's full of wonderful recipes and beautiful pictures from tea in Australia, China, France, India, Japan, Morocco, Netherlands, Russia, Scotland, and South Africa. I highly recommend adding this book to your tea library.

My September/October issue of Tea Time magazine also arrived.   September/October issue - Yikes!  The year is speeding by!

This issue has a great section about  incorporating different types of tea in food and menus.

Doesn't Keemun Éclairs sound yummy [pictured below]?  Or how about Lapsang Souchong Deviled Eggs, or Assam-Vegetable Tartlets?  This is a great issue!

Since I'm working on a project about Tea Around the World, I ordered some imitation passports by Beistle Company, and they arrived in the mail.  Previously I ordered some fake passports from Oriental Trading for the residents at the assisted living facility when I did a series on Tea Around the World.  They served the purpose, but they were made of thin paper and definitely looked fake [$6.99 for 12].  Beistle's passports are sturdy like real ones. They cost more [$8.95 for 4 - about $2.25 each - from Amazon] but they're worth it.

The program for August 26th at the assisted living tea is the Orient Express so I ordered a DVD of the 2017 movie, Murder on the Orient Express.  It includes an intimate portrait of Agatha Christie, and discusses detective Hercule Poirot.  I can hardly wait to watch it!

I read that Agatha Christie [1890-1976] is a best-selling author of all time.  She has only been outsold by the Bible and Shakespeare.  She wrote 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world's longest-running play - The Mousetrap.  Amazing!

The last thing I wanted to share today wasn't delivered by mail.  I found it yesterday in a Hallmark Gift Shop.  As I was standing in line to pay for my cards, I saw a sock display right by the check-out area.  On the display was a pair of tea-themed socks which merited getting out of line to investigate.  They're a little pricey - $12.95 a pair, but I bought them anyway.

~ Front ~

~ Back ~

That concludes my 'shopper's review' for today!  ;-)

Rosie at Yankee Air Museum - Part II

Continuing from yesterday's post, below is a close-up view of the right section of the Rosie display. 

Displays in the museum pertaining to Rosies.

~ Riveting Rosies ~

Briney Marlin is Cockney slang for Darlin'

Modern-day Rosies did their part to save the Willow Run Bomber Plant as a historic site.  

I mentioned yesterday that I'd share a bit about tea rationing during WWII.    In the United States rationing began in 1942, with sugar being the first food commodity rationed, and coffee soon followed with a one lb. allotment every five weeks.  Tea was rationed to send to Great Britain and Canada, but it wasn't a big hardship since there were more coffee drinkers in America than tea drinkers.  All rationing in the United States ended in 1946, with coffee being the first commodity to come off the rationing list.

[Internet Photos]

Tea was a different story in Great Britain.  It was so deeply embedded in British everyday life that in 1942 the government bought up every available pound of tea from every country in the world except Japan.

One historian summarized tea as Britain's secret weapon in the war.  It was one of its most visible symbols of national unity.  Winston Churchill is said to have called tea more important than ammunition and ordered that all sailors on ships have unlimited tea.

Tea had the advantage of being light and portable.  It reduced the reliance on alcohol to calm troops as they prepared for battle and to relax them at the end, and keep them sober and alert while they sat around waiting.  The caffeine combined both a pick-me-up, and calm-me-down effect.  

The rationing of food and clothing items in Britain lasted until 1952 - seven years after the war ended.  2 oz. of tea a day was the rationed allotment for anyone over the age of five.  That was enough to make three cups a day.

A tea poem was even written in Great Britain:

So keep your ration book in hand

And we'll drink tea across the land

And add a cup for granny too

And all our dashing lads in blue.

The teapot above is a British Brown Betty, and the photo is a Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea advertisement titled, 'Hurrah for the Teapot.'  [Internet Source]

I hope you've enjoyed this flashback in history.  To read informative and inspiring Rosie stories go to the American Rosie the Riveter Association website: https://rosietheriveter.net