Allison's Wonderland

All the Ladies Minus Greta :(

I love tea.  I always have.  I always will.  It's one of those things that's engrained in me.  Tea makes me feel sophisticated in the same way as drinking wine and having cheese and crackers does.  I feel more lady like, cultured and powerful.  If I'm drinking tea out of nice china and wearing a hat, I feel almost like Queen Elizabeth or even Lady Kate.  My friends and I started a reading group called, "The Finer Things Club."  It may sound stupid but in the "Finer Things Ten Commandment's" one of the rules was we had to have tea or wine present at every meeting.  Like I said before tea just makes you feel finer. 

Tea set Micah gave me

Since I've been living in New York with my Niagara Falls family, I've been having afternoon tea with my Grandmother and sometimes I go over to my Aunt Beverly's house and have afternoon tea there as we sit on the porch and discuss the happenings of the day (that's what afternoon tea is for, right?).  Afternoon tea is not fun alone, although sometimes I must admit, I do sit at the table and drink a cup or two by myself.  My friend Micah gave me a beautiful clay tea set for being in her wedding and as of late it's been my teapot of choice.  I left all of my collected tea pots from my travels back in Lynchburg, so as of now it's the only one I have in New York.  We sit and drink Vanilla Chai, Chamomile, Irish Breakfast Tea, Green Tea, etc while eating cheese and crackers and these amazing cookies that come from Scotland called Walker's Short Bread.  They are pure butter which doesn't do much for the hips and thighs, but does amazing things for the taste buds. 

Hand Made Invitations

While in Italy I would have tea every afternoon out of Simona's tea box that someone had given her from England.  One of my favorite from the box was a wood flavored tea.  It was absolutely wonderful!  I got the brilliant idea that once I was home in the States and living in NY we should have a lady's tea with all of the ladies in the family.  I called up my Grandmother and she suggested having it at a place called "The White Linen Tea Room."  I was all for it.  My Grandmother Brooks is excellent at all things crafty.  She helped me design and write out the invitations using her little calligraphy pens.  The next day I mailed them to all the ladies of the family and I must say that I was pretty proud of my handiwork.  Hey.  You would be too after spending about 5 hours cutting out little tea pots and writing fancy script all over them. 

Aunt and I in our new Hats

After all the arrangements had been made, invitations sent out, and complaints about the $25 dollar charge had come in, it was time for me to find a hat.  My Aunt Beverly and I went to the Antique Barn to find a little hat for myself.  She found a beautiful powder blue hat for $25 but I still was hatless after our 2 hour excursion.  I went out to my GMA Brooks' house that night to finish up the last touches of the invitations and low and behold I found a little black hat for $5 at the Lockport Antique Store.  Woot Woot! 

Cousin Picture!  Katie, Me and Aftonian

All the Ladies at the Table

Sunday November 4th had rolled around and I was all excited about the tea.  I love tea and I love dressing up so the nerd in me was super excited.  My cousin, Gurt, Grandma and I were all brave and wore our hats to church.  My cousin Katie sported a headband with a big flower on it as her head is too small for hats.  She just looks kinda of weird in them.  I wore the outfit that I wore to the Ascot Royale Races along with the shoes that I had bought in England.  I will admit they are ridiculously high heels, but sometimes a girl wants to look sexy once and awhile and heels are a sure way to make that happen.  A lady at church, who I never met and did not know, saw me walking in my shoes and complaining to my cousin about how they were too big for me.  She decided to make a comment and say, "In 25 years you're going to be making a visit to the Pediatrist.  I use to wear heels like that and now look at me!"  (This was all said as she waddled and limped across the floor.)  I just smiled at her.  Then she spoke up again and said, "Mark my words.  You shouldn't be wearing heels like that."  Umm....thanks lady?  I don't think I asked for comments from the peanut gallery.  Why do people feel the need to make comments to unsuspecting strangers?  It was weird and after I gave her a nice smile I turned around, rolled my eyes, and held in my anger.  I don't wear high heels every day.  Just on special occasions so I would be thankful if little gray hairs would keep their comments to
 themeselves.

Enjoying my Blue Mango Tea

Greta & her Mocha Tea

We were off to the tea party after church and I rode there with Road Rage Greta.  I thought we were going to die on the way, but thank the Lord we didn't.  We all arrived at the White Linen Tea Room and we each checked out each others outfits and oooed and awed.  The little tea place is decorated sooo stinkin cute.  We had a long table right next to the fire place.  The menu of teas seemed endless and I finally decided on a tea called "Blue Mango".  It was a

Amazing Strawberry Salad

Green Tea and I must say it was very good although I had tea envy for the people who ordered the Mocha Red Rooibos.  My cousin Katie literally got yelled at by our server who named herself the "Tea Nazi".  Katie went to put cream in her team and she was quickly scolded due to the fact that you are NEVER suppose to put cream in your tea.  Only milk.  Cream is too heavy I guess for the tea so creaming it is a BIG No No.  The service was ridiculously slow and Greta was very nervous she wasn't going to be able to eat before she had to go to work at 3.  We were all getting a little antsy for her and besides we were HUNGRY!  Our salads finally came and they were absolutely delicious.  It was this strawberry and orange salad with strawberry dressing.   So good!

Afton & I's Tier of Food

After our salads were finished my cousin Marnie arrived.  We didn't think she would be able to make it since she worked till 1:30 but low and behold she was able to come!  Our food finally came and it was so cute on these little three tiered trays.  Our choice of sandwiches were tuna, egg salad, cucumber and cream cheese, garden medley, apple walnut & cream cheese, and chicken salad.  They were all very yummy.  I loved all the little finger desserts as well.  After all the complaints about slow service and not enough food we were all completely stuffed by the end of it.  Who knew afternoon tea could be so filling?  After we were all stuffed and cultured, it was time for the bill to arrive.  We were all like "Wow!  Bazinga!"  It was a little high priced after tax and tip it ended up being about 31 bucks a person.  So yeah a little steep but again, it's not like we do this every day.  Next time it might be more like having afternoon tea at someone's house.  I enjoyed myself immensely and I hope all the ladies in the family did too.  Nothing like afternoon tea to bring a family together!  :) 

The Demster ladies and little Grandma G

Aunt Becky and Me :)

The Himes Sisters and Aunt Elaine

All the Maines Girls