I was sitting as still as a mouse that had just spotted a cat and wasn’t sure if it had been seen. Trying to become one with my surroundings, I managed to refrain from moving, but couldn’t suppress a big smile spreading on my face. A bouncy bundle of cuteness was approaching us, and one of its members, with the lightness of a feather, had decided to hop onto my shoulder, smelling my hair then my lips with its tiny nose.
If you’re looking for a nice day out, surrounded by trees, uncut grassy fields, woven paths AND a classic cream tea, look no further than Pembroke Lodge. The Grade II listed Georgian mansion (that’s property talk for buildings considered nationally important, with extra legal protection) in the beautiful and vast Richmond Park in the London Borough of Richmond Upon Thames, is a local favourite for a catch-up in serene surroundings.
On a cold November night, when we entered the hallway of Hotel Café Royal, it was not only the warmth that greeted us as we came in, but the pleasant, enrapturing scent of Paris perfumer Diptyque candles. I can’t recall whether it was the smell of Feu de Bois (Wood Fire), Noisetier (Hazel Tree), Verveine (Lemon Verbena), or one of their dozens of other aromas, but whatever delicious combination chosen, it certainly set the mood for the afternoon tea that was to come.
It’s December now, and Christmas is near. As if there weren’t enough things reminding us of the fact already (think Regent Street Christmas lights, Costa Coffee Christmas cups, and Christmas songs playing on the radio), The Chesterfield in Mayfair is offering a Winter Wonderland afternoon tea as well. What a great way to get you feeling festive, and if anything, to sprinkle in some fun and delicious creativity in the form of Christmas tree and Yule log shaped sweet treats.
Last year I did something crazy and ordered an advent calendar for myself. And it wasn’t just an ordinary chocolate one, but one that I could enjoy in a cup every day. An avid tea drinker as I am, always keen to try new varieties and blends, the Posttea Christmas calendar was a daily package of joy. (more…)
We all do something special at Halloween, or most of us anyway. I can be a bit of a party pooper when it comes to the full dress-yourself-up charade, and may prefer a quiet night in with some friends rather than dancing the night away with more than a 100 strangers. However, I still buy into the whole extravaganza around it, and enjoy a spiced up, special occasion version of a very classic thing – in this case the British afternoon tea. (more…)
As you may have already read about in previous posts, I’m a bit of a stickler for innovative afternoon teas with a playful twist, be this a Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-factory themed adventure, a retro-style afternoon tea indulgence, or a Spanish-tapas-infused tea time extravaganza. Much like the latter, the afternoon tea with an Italian twist offered at Il Pampero takes the virtues of another cuisine’s bite-sized foods and seamlessly integrates it into a British tradition. Fusion, if done right, can yield the best results. After all, traditions are nothing other than the best fusions celebrated and eternalized.
When my friend, who was in town for a week, asked me if I wanted to try out the Aqua Shard afternoon tea, of course I was in. The Shard, a now iconic 95-storey London skyscraper shaped like a shard of broken glass (hence the name), boasts no less than five different afternoon teas in four separate establishments.
When I came across a TimeOut voucher for a cream tea and scones afternoon at Lady Dinah’s Cat Emporium, I could not pass up this opportunity to visit one of only two cat cafés in London, and take one of my best friends with me – an easy decision to make really, since we’re both cat-crazy.
