STORY TIME: I was trying to think of where to start this, and realized it stems as far back as our wedding day in January 2003. The plan was to be wed surrounded by ocean views at my dream location: The Lighthouse Hotel in Pacifica. The intimate 25-people ceremony we initially wanted was vetoed by our grandiose narc bio moms, so we needed more space to accommodate their egos. Plan B – Have a beach wedding on our favorite beach in HMB. Since January is winter and beaches are outdoor, that too was out of the question. We just wanted to be married… We gave in and allowed our mothers to have the show they both needed, 300+ people later, nowhere near a beach.

We wanted to do a big 10 Year. But the way events in our life worked, it was going to have to be a big 11th hehe. Again, my dream of that Lighthouse Hotel filled my headspace. It was 2012 and I got to work with brainstorming and planning. I started a Pinterest Board. “Farmhouse decor” wasn’t yet so big at the time, so I wasn’t really able to find my vision on the internet. I just pictured lots of white linen, burlap table runners, and lots + lots of mason jars!! It was going to be clean + minimal, with a touch of farmhouse, shabby chic, and beachy elements. I love me a good mismatchy moment. So I wasn’t gonna just BUY uniform mason jars at the store. I was going to drink, eat, and use all the things that came in different heights and thicknesses of mason jars, so that I could have them as decor for my party! And I had 2 years to do this!! (of course my family helped, and we thrifted some too)

When you’re excited about something, you tell people right!? I shared with a few close friends about my party plans, because I was thrilled to be having the wedding event that I(we) originally wanted. “Lots of white linen…burlap…mason jars…”

A friend of mine was throwing a party for her best friend and her husband. Their 10-year anniversary in December, so a month before ours. In a conversation with some friends, someone asked her what she had planned. “A LOT OF WHITE LINEN…BURLAP DECORATIONS…AND MASON JARS…YOU KNOW, SHABBY CHIC.” I was floored. There was no question that she had clearly copied my entire design for our anniversary party that I had been planning for the last year. I told her verbatim what my plan was and she was even following me on Pinterest.

No more dinner party for us. No more beach views. No more Lighthouse Hotel. No white linen. No burlap. NO MASON JARS. I was done. I surely wasn’t going to have a party the month after with the same items from hers. We aborted mission and had to start from scratch. Thankfully, because I was the experienced Event Planner at the time that I was, I was able to come up with an entirely new direction and we had the celebration of the decade!! We hosted an Anniversary Showcase instead. Untraditional, because that’s who we are. Rented a small theater, hired 2 American Idol finalists to perform (I was a big American Idol fan back then), and hosted an amazing show + night for 200 of our friends and family. We even had a step and repeat backdrop so our guests could take photos with the performers!

And the mason jars, you ask? What happened to them? Well, while we were transitioning out of ‘dinner party’ mindset… My husband goes, you should just show up at her front door with all these mason jars and say (with disgust at their existence and embarrassment that they’re old news): “Here, I don’t even need these anymore.”

---

I had to tell that story because it seemed the only + perfect way to explain why I am retiring.

Yes, that’s what I said. I am retiring. At the close of this Leg of the Tour, I will no longer be visiting Tea Rooms and Tea Houses all over the greater San Francisco Bay Area and reviewing + writing about them. I have been at this for over 10 years and I have wanted this since last year. My health isn’t getting any better. (For those that need to catch up, start with this post: ‘I was given 3 years’) As a matter of fact, I only went through with this 4th Leg because my husband said it could be my last…

I will still go to afternoon tea, of course I will. It just won’t be a “job” anymore. I will get to go to all my favorite places with all my favorite people whenever I want, and not have to take notes or take photos of everything (or worse, video ew). Don’t get me wrong. It has been an absolute pleasure getting paid to write and do what I love. And I have met and made real relationships with so many along the way, professional and personal. I just wasn’t a fan of the business and socials part of it all. I am NOT an Influencer or Content Creator. I have ALWAYS first and foremost been a Writer. When I started this website over 10 years ago, I didn’t have to make reels or TikToks to get traffic to my site. And while many of you were still visiting this page even while we were on hiatus for a bit, numbers don’t lie. It is BECAUSE of our social media activity that our views get booming…after that Threads post, or after that funny voiceover I posted on TikTok. And it is through Instagram that I have been able to chat with many of you, and send you to all these places, and hear about how much your party enjoyed them. So I get how social media helps, I really do. However- it’s not where I want to be.

I have also closed my small private gourmet tea boutique. I have cut out a lot of unnecessary activities and distractions around me. I’ve wanted this for a long time! I guess this 4th Leg was my last hurrah. People (the few that I’ve told) have asked what I am going to be doing now that I am moving away from Tea. And- nothing! For however long I have left on this earth, I just want to live it in peace, quiet, and ease.

I read a thread recently. April Kae (I don’t know who she is but I always give credit where due @aprilkae) said: “The worst creative trap is creating only for applause. Don’t. Create for the part of you that needs to be heard.” And it struck a chord with me. I replied: “I feel this. I’ve created for so long… I have told my story, I have felt heard, and now I just want quiet.” Being done with creative ventures means I no longer have to soothe my trauma. To be perfectly honest- I needed all these [good] distractions all my life to keep from crumbling. Now, I’m okay with the quiet. I’ve healed enough to be okay with quiet.

How does this all connect to mason jars?

When I found out someone had stole my idea and tried to sell it to everyone as her own (btw, not the first time that was done to me…read more here)- I was DONE. Get those mason jars out my face, I don’t wanna see another mason jar for as long as I live, don’t ever associate me with mason jars ever again. I just wanted to wash myself from ever having collected them in the first place. They were beneath me. And NO! No one is trying to steal my website. And NO! I don’t think afternoon tea is beneath me. Not at all, never that. With what I see on social media, with Afternoon Tea just being overly saturated (errybody and they gramma wanna serve afternoon tea now) and taking away from the real + purist tea rooms… I just feel done. The aversion I feel isn’t isolated toward tea, the tea community, or even social media per se. To be CLEAR- it is for needing it and using it to put a veil over the repercussions of traumas that I no longer allow to hurt me.

One of my favorite lyrics from a song I appreciate says:

I wanna say I lived each day, until I died

I know that I had something in somebody’s life

The hearts I have touched, will be the proof that I leave

That I made a difference and this world will see

I was here

I lived, I loved, I was here

I did, I’ve done, everything that I wanted

And it was more than I thought it would be

I will leave my mark so everyone will know

I was here

I have made my presence in the Tea and Foodie Community. I have the respect and recognition from reputable people there. I have nothing to prove. “Queen of Tea in the Bay Area” was a name given to me. ORIGINAL CREATOR of “parTEA with me” is who I will always be. No one can change that. (no matter how much they might want to ha)

I am deactivating all my social media accounts. But this website will stay open (with the exception of archiving some more personal posts). If you haven’t already, please please PLEASE enter your email and subscribe to our email list. That will be the only way you can keep up with what we got going on in the future. There are still places I want to try! If I write about them or not…you’ll have to stay tuned. So much love to all of you who have been loyal to parTEA with me from the very beginning. (three prayer hand/gratitude emojis) Every single one of you who have donated have a special place in my heart. There are specific instructions my husband has as well, to update you all on my health… See you again. All Love, Olyve Rose

New Menu Visit:

Muir’s Tea Room

330 S Main Street Sebastopol, CA 94572

www.muirstearoomandcafe. com

The Owner and Chef at Muir’s are basically family at this point. (winky smile) We have been there for each other through deaths in the family and graduations…it’s all love! My favorite part is when they invite me over to try their new themes and I get to fawn all over it + them in a blog post. And then they said “Mermaids!” And then they said “all over the world!” You bet I was in. Couldn’t wait to try everything and couldn’t wait to see them!!

Honestly, this is my favorite seat in the house. I always feel like we have our own private little cove. It’s a little dark, but I love that. Shiny holes of sunshine peek through the leaves…it’s a dream! Then we get sporadic breezes, ugh so good.

Lime Chiffon Rooibos Tea – I love me a lemon chiffon tea, so why not try the lime right!? Oh so good. Creamy, just how I like.

Arnold Palmer – The Huz and Little Girl (she’s actually 14 now, so not so little) had a craving for these, so here are their His + Hers. They were very good. I said they tasted like Gramma just made it fresh for you real quick!

Sebastopol Apple Blossom Prosecco – Perfect ratio. Delicious, they were done so right.

English Garden Prosecco – This one tasted like it had a touch of cinnamon or something, that was really nice.

Seasonal Summertide Salad – They always HIT with the salad. Great dressing, FRESH fresh ingredients. Those red onions are the best red onions of all the red onions. (Office reference!)

Their tiers remain the FULLEST tiers everrr.

Parthenope “Limonchino” Scone from the Southern Italian Coast – Today, I couldn’t get enough of my scone. Most times during a tea service, I don’t have room for a whole scone… Today, this tea service- I ate the whole thing and wanted more. It’s their house-made lemon curd!! No one does it like them, no one.

Orkney Island “Sea Cucumber” Tea Sandwich – That lovely chive. Crunchiest of cucumbers.

“Sirena” Pesto, Seasonal Tomato Tea Sandwich, from Sorrento, Italy – That was the juiciest tomato! Very basily, which is what makes it spectacular.

“Ningyo” Teriyaki Vegetable Puff Pastry, from Japan waterways – I just kept saying “mmm”…”mmm”… The pastry just melts in your mouth. The tofu + veggies had a nice bite to them.

Thetis: Spanikopita Tart from the Cyclade Islands, Greece – Okay this tart was incredible. Again with the crispy distinct layers of pastry! That spinach filling was everything. I want a hundred more for dinner tomorrow. My favorite of the tier and I was so sad to take my last bite.

Atlantis “Un-Tuna” Finger Sandwich – Beautiful toast, nice textures, refreshing veg. The pickled tart was a brilliant addition. The crunch of this I couldn’t get enough!

Wahine hi’u i’a Coconut Cupcake, from Hawaii – Smells like a vacation! MMM.

“Merrow” Orange Shortbread with chocolate drizzle, from Ireland – Just a thin dip of dark chocolate. So good.

Selkie, Strawberry Tart, from Scotland – That cream is like no other. Perfect sweetness, tart strawberries. Couldn’t even save my last bite! The tarts today were the stars!!

Since I booked the last seating of the day, we got to hang out for a bit afterwards and chat with Mom + Chef. I’m telling you- I would choose them as friends even if we never met in the Tea Community. They are such good-hearted people and really just SO GOOD at what they do. It was so special for me (and my family) to hear about the history of Muir’s and future plans. Service was always remarkable. They stocked some new stuff in the store too (don’t you just love gift shops!?). And it was just the best way to spend a Sunday afternoon. Love you so much MUIR’S!!! Thank you for always welcoming me and my family and treating us to such EXEMPLARY TEA.

[such a cool shot taken by the Huz]

All Muir’s Tea Room related posts:

Spot #28 :: Muir’s Tea Room

Spot Revisit :: Muir’s Tea Room (#28) – Best Overall

NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Alice in Wonderland

NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Holoholo Tiki Tea

NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Winter Woodland Wonderland

Follow us @parTEAwithmeBlog on Instagram | Threads | TikTok

[photo by Lady T]

We’re currently 6 months into this Leg. Everything was going smoothly until February hit. That’s when the schedule mess started with Beacon and Spot 53. Little did I know, that was just the beginning… Now, my Spot for April has paused its tea service and my Spot for May doesn’t even have their calendar open yet. (sigh) I check on two surprise/last minute squeeze-in locations (to see if I can still make my time count and do those), and I’m having a hard time even getting through to them. I didn’t want to make any changes for my June visit, because that’s a popular one for my guests (stay tuned for that one!) who are already anticipating that time… So, I check on my July Spot and their website says to make reservations on OpenTable buut when I do- OpenTable says the restaurant has not yet registered with them to accept reservations!? Ay-yay-yay!

As of right now, I did get into one of the surprise* ones (there are 3 in total currently, that could always change) and am currently on the waiting list for another. I’m just gonna have to wait until my April Tea Spot is ready to start offering tea again and fit them in whenever I can. Also still waiting for May’s, so I can schedule that one…which I feel bad that my guests aren’t going to be given the usual amount of time in advance that I like to give. I’m hoping my June Spot won’t give me any problems, and will just deal with my July’s when I get there. All my Spot numbers will be thrown off and topsy-turvy tho, which I don’t like. But what can I do? I guess I’ll manage that one too when it comes down to it. [*when I say “surprise”, I really mean unscheduled or last-minute addition to the Leg.]

Aside from all this (second sigh), I’m hoping the next 8 months of this Leg introduces me to new exceptional places. I’ve already found 2 really good ones, The Caviar Co. and Beacon Grand Hotel, so I’m happy about that. Also thrilled to hear such great feedback from you guys!! I love hearing about reservations yall have made to try Spots you’ve heard about on the blog! That brings me so much joy, forreal. And if you follow us on Threads, you’ll see that I’ve been posting about new (and returning) countries viewing the website from all over the world!! It’s the absolute coolest thing. Hello to our Readers in Malaysia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Lebanon, Portugal (which could have easily been my Sister cuz she was there recently!), Australia, Ireland, Finland, Singapore, Sweden, tons of you in Egypt, Taiwan, Russia, and Namibia!!! And I’ve only been posting on this for the past 2 months…so there’s definitely been more. I SEE YOU ALL and am blown away that this little blog has reached all the way over there!!?! Say hello in the comments or our DM’s, we’d love to hear from all of you!

Everything will work out for this Leg, as it usually does…and I will see you all in our next Review! LOVE YALL SO MUCH. Thanks for sticking around!!

Follow us @parTEAwithmeBlog on Instagram | Threads | TikTok

New Menu Visit:

Muir’s Tea Room

330 S Main Street Sebastopol, CA 94572

www.muirstearoomandcafe.com

How fortunate am I that I get to try Muir’s Tea Room’s NEW Winter Woodland Wonderland Tea Service on the first weekend it comes out!? What a privilege to be invited and what an honor to get to tell you guys all about it!

If you’ve been here awhile, you’ll know that Muir’s is my number one Tea Spot and has been since I first visited them in 2018. Since then I’ve been able to come back for leisure tea times and collab moments, and every. Single. Time. They outdo themselves. On the way over, the Huz asked since I’ve been quite a few times…what was something I was looking for today. I mentioned how their Alice Tea had this amazing sausage sandwich that I’ve never forgotten. They must’ve heard me…

The Huz’s first time inside today. A sweet + cozy table by a window. Perfect lighting for each item’s photoshoot!

Enchanted Forest (A delightful and enchanting blend of mellow sencha and spicy green mate, paired with a black forest cherry cake and almonds.) – I could definitely taste the cherry and almonds. And I have been in a sencha state of mind lately. So good.

Barry’s of Ireland (Blended for the Irish palate, this national tea of Ireland has a brisk refreshing flavor and a bright golden color.) – This tasted like a restaurant tea in the best possible way, but had more depth to it.

Hunca Munca Prosecco Cocktail (apple essence with bubbly prosecco) – I have been in my Luxury Era and was really looking forward to that champagne taste…and the apple didn’t overpower so hooray. Finished.

Bramble Blossom Prosecco Cocktail (strawberry lemonade with bubbly prosecco) – The strawberry and lemonade were definitely there. Such a good drink!

Wintertide Seasonal Salad with Muir’s Signature Dressing – This was me: “I don’t know why but it tasted wintery! One of the fronds is really herby, and the only way I could describe it is ‘winter’ hahah!” They always do a good job with the salad. He said- the lentils at the bottom were really nice.

Muir’s will always have the fullest tiers! (I probably wrote that already in one of my posts of theirs) I had to take both sides, cuz each showcased all the beautiful goodies. And then I threw in another one for good measure!

Orange Zest Scone with Currants (imported English preserves, “clotted cream” & house made lemon curd) – That was the best bite of scone I’ve ever had! Muir’s scones are always good, no question. But today’s (whiny face), today’s was just exceptional. So soft, chewy, warm still. I could lick that cream container, and their house lemon curd is addicting.

Cucumber & Chive Tea Sandwich – Always in disbelief that that’s not real cream. I look forward to their cucumber sandwich every time. I feel like they always select the crunchiest, crispiest cucumbers only! And no one else packs em with as many chives as Muir’s does, which I love.

Mock Turkey & Cranberry Finger Sandwich – That tastes like real mayo in there! And whatever they used for turkey had me, cuz I swear it was stringy just like shredded turkey hehe. And looved aaall the celery.

House-made “Cheddar” Bread with Tomato, Greens & Scallions Tea Sandwich – Okay. [takes deep breath] That sauce made it. A little spice in there was wonderful. That tastes like cheese!! It was even a little smokey AND I even ate the green onion! (who am I?) Favorite of the afternoon.

Mushroom Tart with Chestnuts – Mushroom? Yes. Chestnuts? YES. Perfect pair. Want more.

“Sausage” Roll in Puff Pastry with Herbs & Caramelized Onions – That pastry was everything. The maple! I could just eat the pastry, empty! Gosh this was so good.

Gingerbread – Spiced perfectly, nice bite, SO chewy, almost like a brownie. This was my favorite! I realized there was a hint of ‘burnt’ in there (like a creme brulee topping) that was making me continue to take bite after bite…after bite. After. Bite.

After.

Bite.

(haha, okay I’m done)

Russian Tea Cake Cookie – Melts in your mouth, so flaky, love the extra powdered sugar.

Eggnog Cupcake – Loove all the crunchies!! Such a moist + dense cake altogether. He said- there was a comforting spice to it.

Peppermint Patty with crushed Candy Cane – That’s a THICK patty. Not overpowering mint, so it won’t take away from anything you’re still having bites of.

Alice who? Haha, just kidding. This New Menu definitely pulled out all the stops. Their savories today really made me forget I was at a plant-based tea room. I’m always so fully taken care of here. Lots of visits + hugs from the Owner and Chef, and our Server today was thee coolest. I’m just so grateful to have met them and become friends, and can’t believe they host me and show me (and whoever I take) to such an incredible afternoon tea. Like, pinch me somebody!! I seriously need to just move in haha. THANK YOU MUIR’S!!!

Yall- you only have til January 1st to experience this special Tea Service, so make your reservations like yesterday!!

All Muir’s Tea Room related posts:

Spot #28 :: Muir’s Tea Room

Spot Revisit :: Muir’s Tea Room (#28) – Best Overall

NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Alice in Wonderland

NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Holoholo Tiki Tea

Follow us @parTEAwithmeBlog on Instagram | Threads | TikTok

New Menu Visit:

Claremont Hotel

41 Tunnel Road Berkeley, CA 94705

claremontresortandclub.com

IT’S TIIIII-IIIIIIIIIIME!!

No, not for Mariah’s song… For Afternoon Tea at the Claremont!

Of all the Tea Spots I’ve visited, I get the most messages, the most inquiries, the most wish list confessions about the Claremont Hotel! Yall are obsessed!! “When will the Claremont be serving Tea again?” “Can you ask the Claremont when they’ll be serving Tea again?” “The Claremont should serve Tea all year round.” I really should have been taking screenshots, cuz yall know I love me a receipt haha.

That long awaited time is finally here! During November and December, every Saturday and Sunday, at 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM seatings, the Claremont Hotel will be serving their Festive Holiday Afternoon Tea! And of course, yours truly had the absolute pleasure of trying it all on the first day it was offered! Thank you to their amazing staff for hosting us once again and showing us a fabulous time!

What initially impressed me was how neutral this theme was executed. Festive: cheerful and jovially celebratory; Holiday: a day of festivity or recreation when no work is done. There weren’t Christmas trees everywhere, no tinsel or mistletoe. Even the menus just had a pretty floral design. So for those that don’t celebrate the popular events that happen around this time of year, they are free to come and enjoy this theme without compromising their own set of beliefs or traditions. Well done, Claremont.

Creamy Earl Grey (a remarkably heady earl grey tempered with wickedly delicious cream flavor) – I was so surprised I hadn’t ordered this one yet, as I’m a Creamy Earl Grey Girl! We made sure to try teas we hadn’t tried yet this go around. Very perfumy up front, not much depth.

Organic Oregon Mint (with a blend of the world’s finest spearmint and peppermint, this tea offers a strong aroma that’s soothing & invigorating) – Very slight minty background, not strong at all. I think I’m not too excited about the teas so much, because the food really takes center stage.

Afternoon Sparkler (Chandon champagne, Empress gin, lemon juice, lavender simple syrup) – What a cool addition to this service, we got to try some cocktails too! (clapping hands) Their sweetest bartender (always nice to see him!) surprised us with these selections, and so glad he did. So so fragrant. The citrus hits you right away, that’s niiice. Lavender is perfect. Nice tang.

Oolong Sour (oolong-infused Gold Bar whiskey, lemon juice, egg whites, simple syrup) – Ohmygosh!! That’s one of the best cocktails I’ve ever tasted. You barely know you’re having alcohol, which Chef says could be a good or bad thing haha. We loved this one so much tho. “Save me sooome!”

Spectacular tier.

Rosemary Buttermilk Biscuit (Claremont Gold honey butter) – So fluffy inside, the accompaniments go so well with it, and love love love that honey. (I made sure to take some home with me this time yay!)

Lemon Poppy Scone (orange marmalade, devonshire cream) – I don’t know how he nails that crumb every. Tiiime!? Only a little lemon which I like, but serious crunch for days. Had to take a second bite, before I moved on to my next tasting…

Winter Vegetable Quiche (honeynut squash, kale) – I don’t know but I tasted greens and it brought me right back to my Southern Granny’s greens. There was an unexpected smoke. Thick, crumbly pastry. Gooood.

Wild Mushroom Tart (truffled fromage blanc) – There’s a freshness in this one right off the bat. Chewy bread, tart in the cream, micro greens were a nice finish. This was the table fave fo sho. I could’ve eaten a million of those. It was the cold, chewy mushrooms for me.

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Salad (croissant) – Love how the salmon was minced, adored that texture. Then that good crunch in the cucumber. And I love croissant anything.

Dungeness Crab Salad (fennel, avocado, parker house roll) – Very light. Loved the fennel. I am a Fennel Girrrl!!

Prime Rib (black garlic horseradish aioli, gem lettuce, caramelized onion, sourdough) – I am all about the horseradish. And that rib was so tender!

I don’t know how he exceeds EV-ER-Y TIME!!?!

I’m usually all about the biscuit…but the scone today!! I don’t even like lemon! LOL.

It’s the choice of bread for each thing too.

Vanilla Panna Cotta – The peppermint meringue was a nice touch. But I always love the fruits, so the blueberry was it for me.

White Chocolate Cranberry Financier – Cake is always so moist. The cranberry topper was quite welcome.

Matcha Roulade – Not strong matcha at all, which is a good thing for this sweet. Inhaled this one.

Citrus Cheesecake – There’s a bitter in the citrus that I really liked. The cheesecake was more spongy than I like, but I still ate it! Haha.

Strawberry Champagne Macaron – Always excellent. Perfect amount of flavor of each profile.

We (as per usual) had an AMAZING time. The meal was excellent. Chef came out a couple times to chop it up with us (do people still say chop it up?), always good to see him and hear what he has going on. [Chef Joseph L. Paire III, Executive Chef, follow him @chefjosephl] Service is always impeccable. You will be treated with only the utmost respect and care here. They made sure we had everything we needed for a brilliant afternoon. During our visit the Hotel Manager stopped by to say ‘hello’. I was so caught off guard! It was toward the end of our meal. A few sips (of each cocktail PLUS a glass of Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut, Epernay) in and my One-Bite’s just hanging out (if you don’t know what those are, click here), and here he came for a Meet + Greet! He was so kind and I was a little starstruck at the moment hahah. After he walked away, it was discovered that I had a huge black poppyseed in my teeth!! We died and cracked up about that for a couple minutes!

It seriously is always a pleasure to visit the Claremont. Their hospitality is top tier (pun intended). For all of you who ask me about this place, help me show them some love back and take advantage while their seasonal Afternoon Tea is available. You have 8 weekends still!! I just might go back too, when my sister gets back into town. She’s always wanted to go, and we have yet to! If you see me, say HI! And if you have Tea there, tell us how it went!

All Claremont Hotel related posts:

Spot #40 :: Claremont Hotel

NEW MENU ALERT! Claremont Hotel | Galentine’s Day Tea

Follow us @parTEAwithmeBlog on Instagram | Threads | TikTok

I’ve been thanking people for donations for a while now. Sometimes my Stories posts mention donations. But, donations for what? Since we’re so close to approaching the 4th Leg of our Tour, I thought I would do a full blog post just about that.

Full transparency. (as per usual that you get from me)

At the bottom of every blog post I publish, you’ll see a Donations Form. It gives you options for monetary donations on a one-time, monthly, or yearly basis. And if you are moved to contribute, I wanted to tell you what that money goes towards.

If you’ve been here a while, you’ll know that Afternoon Tea is expensive. If you’re new around here (well, first Welcome!), hey Afternoon Tea is expensive. Our Leg’s are usually a full year long, sometimes longer. We do one a month. At average $50-70 each tea service, times 12 months = $600.00-840.00! And again, this is average. The most I’ve paid for tea was $250, and the least around $40.

Let’s get this straight right now: I AM NOT ASKING YOU TO PAY FOR MY TEA, that I volunteer and choose to do on my own.

For those that have and would like to donate, I’m just here telling you what that goes to. So yes, I/we have decided to visit these Afternoon Tea Spots all on our own. And I pay for these visits myself. (and my girlfriends do the same; of course, not all of them are going to ALL Tea Spots like I am) With the exception of less than a handful of collabs a Leg (that I disclose on those posts), each and every visit on the Tour is paid out of my pocket.

And that’s all that your donations go to. Not clothes, not camera equipment, not books (I’m a book-lover, are you?!). Just tea.

Without putting aaall our business out there- we are a one-income household and I am legally disabled (without disability benefits). My day job as a property manager pays me $11.00 every 2 weeks (yup, no typo there, no missing 00’s or anything). I own a small private gourmet tea boutique where I create and sell teas, for mostly friends + family. (so I’m not making major bucks off my friends or anything, the little I make goes towards my Tour visits or book habit hehe) This website is monetized, but it’s not like paying off my mortgage or anything! SO YOUR DONATIONS HELP SO SO MUCH!!!

Thanks to you kind Donators, friends and strangers, I have been able to continue doing what I love. I have never ASKED for donations, I just let you know that option is available should you choose to give out of your own genuine free will. I APPRECIATE ALL of you, whether you donate or not. Those that follow, ‘Like’, comment, share our social media posts- I see each and every one of you. Those who have entered your email and subscribed to this website (which you can do at the bottom of each blog post too)- I see each and every one of you. Those who vibe with me and get to see my personality on Threads- I see each and every one of you. Those who laugh with me and get my silly voiceovers on TikTok- I see each and every one of you. So really, while this is meant to inform you of behind-the-scenes stuff… It really is an APPRECIATION post to all of you who inspire + motivate me to keep going. THANK YOU for letting me write. (three hand thanking emojis, that are really hi-five’ing emojis, but we use for hand thanking or praying)

Follow us @parTEAwithmeBlog on Instagram | Threads | TikTok

Tasting:

Alexander’s Patisserie

209 Castro Street Mountain View, CA 94041

www.alexanderspatisserie.com

Do you Brunch?!

My sister + I were just talking about meeting for brunch someday soon when heyyy! Did you know that Alexander’s does BRUNCH!!?! They only started offering it recently. Daily until 2p. And YES we would love to try it!! Sadly, she had to take an emergency trip so she wasn’t able to come with me this time. But we will def be coming back cuz I have to share these gems with her!!

Tornado Egg Omelette (egg, ham, homemade honey mustard, croissant, fruit) – These eggs were scrambled just like mom would make them at home, so you’re instantly met with nostalgic comfort. The ham had a nice saltiness. As simple as this one was, it was SO good. My 2nd favorite, hands down.

Champion’s Croissant Avocado Toast (oeuf poche, avocado, crispy prosciutto, pecorino romano, micro arugula, on top of the famous flat croissant) – Freshness hits you first, then the crispy prochutes (that’s what we call it at home!) (I know, what kind of Italian am I?! hehe), a little avo action, and juicy egg! There’s a nice heat that hits you in the back of the throat…but what I really liked was that citrusy sour note.

Spiral Burger (prime beef, triple cheese, runny egg, veggies, secret sauce) – I don’t even know what to say about this… (whiny emoji) Burger King who? McDonald’s who? This burger was so juicy, the sauce was exquisite, and that croissant bun just puts it on another level. Also if I might add, if you’re an arugula freak like I am- all the arugula galore that you could ever hope for!! (clapping hands emoji) We would happily pay this price over value menu pricing any day.

Coconut Overnight Oats (chia seeds, seasonal fruit, honey glazed nuts, coconut milk, maple syrup) – Creamy like a panna cotta (raise your hand if you know that’s my favorite dessert), nice crunch from all the nuts, honey hanging out in the background, and perfectly-timed ripe sweet berries. Spoon, licked clean.

Roasted Beef Panini (roasted prime beef, sweet onion, grilled pepper with onion olive oil, secret sauce) – Let me start off by saying: I didn’t even want this one. Hahah! (I was looking at their chicken one with more arugula and garlic aioli) But I am soo grateful that I agreed to what my date chose, because this was my absolute favorite of the brunch!! The tanginess of that sauce!! Onion was grilled to perfection, the juiciest red pepper, and the bite to the beef was excellent. I’m gonna have to ask the Huz to pick me up one of these when he’s on that side of town again, cuz…ugh, SO GOOD.

What a treat, we even got to try 2 of their NEW DESSERTS! Thank you to our gracious host for picking these beauties!

Mango Tango (mango cremeux, vanilla chiffon, passion whip ganache, vanilla mousse) – The mousse was delicately light. But don’t let that fool you cuz it was FULL of mango flavor! I want more!! (Legit just remembered I had my second half in the fridge and devoured it just now after writing this!)

Zen (matcha diplomat cream, matcha sponge cake, raspberry confit) – I had to have a moment after my first bite. I keep using the word ‘perfect’ in this, but I can’t think of a better adjective!? Soo I’m gonna keep using it k! PERFECT matcha flavor (not too earthy, not artificial tasting at all) with a light raspberry vibe.

So back to my question ‘Do you Brunch?!’… If you do, I have just the place! Go for the Roasted Beef Panini alone man, seriously!! But don’t forget to get the Tornado Egg too. And you’ll have to try the Spiral Burger of course. Oh, and the Champion’s Croissant too! Just come okay!! I’ll meet you there!

Thank you thank you thank you once again to the entire Alexander’s Patisserie team for showing us such a good time! We are always welcomed with such warmth and love. You are all such a pleasure to work with, I always leave not being able to wait to come back! (and then my poor husband gets sent there consistently for the following weeks after, to fetch craving requests for me hehe. LOVE HIM for it, thank you Poppi) If you’ve not already, please visit my friends at Alexander’s and enjoy their new Brunch Menu! Then tell us all about it, we love hearing from you.

All Alexander’s Patisserie related posts:

Spot #36 :: Alexander’s Patisserie

TASTING at Alexander’s Patisserie

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“Break-shmeak!” is what I told her verbatim. Did you guys really think I would miss out on the opportunity to try Muir’s tropical tea service and surround myself with their translation of Polynesian decor?! Absolutely not. My late Hawaiian maternal grandmother would be upset! (well not really, she never got mad at anyone actually…this was just my way of bringing up my roots I guess, hehe) Their once every summer theme has returned, and parTEA with me was there the very first weekend it opened to taste everything and report back with all the deats!!

New Menu Visit:

Muir’s Tea Room

330 S Main Street Sebastopol, CA 94572

www.muirstearoomandcafe.com

The garden is in full bloom! We took our preferred patio seat outside of course, but this time on the other side. And. I loved it!!

Grandma’s Garden (A caffeine free beautiful red tea, with ripe fruit and berries.) – We both wanted something different this time, so we tried 2 teas with the words “Garden” in them. We love a red tea (rooibos) in the house, so this was an easy choice! Fruity, slight tart, (def has hibiscus in there), slight cream.

The Queen’s Rose Garden (The Queen’s roses lend their soft touch to this beautiful and sweet tea, which is richly enhanced by warm sweet vanilla.) – This tea is incredible. Yall already know the ‘vanilla’ part is what caught my attention. It had thee best vanilla flavor. I don’t know WHY I hadn’t tried this one yet…it was on their regular menu.

English Garden Prosecco Cocktail (Cherry, Pomegranate and Elderberry Juice Mixed with Grenadine and Bubbly Prosecco) – There’s the word “garden” again! We got to try some alcoholic beverages too this trip!! (yayyy) You could def taste the cherry in this one. Complex flavors made you keep sipping!

Butterfly Bellini Prosecco Cocktail (Peach Juice with Bubbly Prosecco) – Simply explained and simply delicious. The dancing glitters were a nice touch!

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad on a bed of greens – It’s hard for me to try anyone else’s mac salad, cuz the Huz makes an excellent one. But this was really good. And they always kill it with the dressing! The celery was a great addition too (which isn’t usual in your typical Hawaiian mac). My favorite part is knowing it’s not gonna tear up my stomach cuz it’s dairy-free!! For as long as I’ve been coming here, I never finish the salad. It’s a mountain of it and I always know to leave room for the tier + sweets. Girrrl, no To-Go today cuz I finished every morsel.

Mango Scone with house made lemon curd, jar of imported raspberry preserves & “cream” – Most perfect scone. Nice crunch at first bite, then all the fluffy. The mango bits were fun to chew! Lemon curd = unmatched.

My sister voted them Most Fullest Tier! The tickets were GENIUS.

Kukama (cucumber) Tea Sandwich with Chives – My favorite is that they do all the chives and use a whole STACK of cucumbers!

Ahi Kanuika | Chickpea “Tuna” Salad Finger Sandwich – I was trying to figure out what I was tasting… Is that citrus? Is that dill? It was sweet relish!! Oh man, and it was so tasty. This one had a good mouthfeel.

Uala Uwale | Sweet Potato Slice with Avocado – Okay, my favorite so far. Super roasty! Adored the caramelized edges.

Luke Melehune ‘aka ‘akai | Lettuce Cup with Mushroom Filling – “Is that poi??” That’s what my sister asked when I sent her a pic of the tier. That’s what I thought, and that’s what the Huz was thinking. WELL DONE Muir’s, well done. (three clapping emojis) It looked just like poi. Had me salivating just like poi does for me. But, it wasn’t poi. Clever tho huh!? The crunch of the lettuce and the goo of the filling just worked so well.

Ko ala ‘ala | Terriyaki Tofu & Veggie Puff Pastry Dumpling – Can’t believe that’s tofu. The sauce was everything. Pastry, always perfect. Every time you bite it, there’s something new! All the veggies in there were cooked to perfection.

Guava Cupcake – Legit licked the paper. What does Joey say…? “I’m not even sorry!” Haha. The syrup was so good!! I’m like- can I have some of that guava syrup to-go please?!

Macadamia Nut Shortbread – As always, gold standard.

Hot Lava Volcano | Coconut Stack dipped in Chocolate – Soo inventive! The moistest. Ugh, and the crunchy sprinkles. (the sighing I can’t emoji) They really think of everything!

Okay so- they executed this amazingly. It wasn’t too overly Hawaiian, like there weren’t hibiscus flowers everywhere! Muir’s did what Muir’s does and presented this theme with such class and respect for all Poly cultures. As a real Hawaiian-blooded diner (my DNA says so), I Olyve Lokelaniho’āla, appreciated this theme so much. I already can’t wait til next summer!!

If you noticed in the picture of the Tier too, they hooked it up with my favorite and had some Li Hing Mui on the side! Yezzir! Or lihimui (what we’d call it) if you grew up with it, or just li hing. IYKYK. The Huz and I practically cleaned that little dish out! They always pack their tiers with so much fruit, and this just elevated the entire experience!!

After our Service (I lie, I was eyeing about $100 worth of stuff before I even got to my seat!), I went to grab all my goodies at their Gift Shop. They hand-select specific items to be sold there and they must’ve just restocked or brought in some new stuff cuzzz- I wanted to buy everything!! MAKE SURE you peruse when you go.

A cute thing they do that I didn’t get a picture of last time (but I did this time!) is wash + leave out the old preserves jars that people leave from their tea service, for guests to take for free. The Huz got a kick out of this since we just cleaned and restocked our spice rack at home. We were short some jars, so he was excited to take a few today!

So yes, I’m still on Break…but this was so much fun! Anything for Muir’s, seriously. I am so happy & honored to be able to share this New Menu with all of you. But, I need a favor. If you’re reading this and are on social media (since I’m currently not), would you mind sharing it for me please?! Help me spread the word about this terrific theme cuz I don’t want yall to miss out! Thanks in advance. By the way, are you guys liking the Top 5’s?? I thought that would be a fun way to still put out some posts for you loyal ones while I’m out. More coming!

~ SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THOSE WHO ARE CONTINUING TO READ THE BLOG, FOLLOWING, DONATING, AND STILL ROCKIN WITH US ON OUR SOCIALS ~ I will be back in no time!

All Muir’s Tea Room related posts:

Spot #28 :: Muir’s Tea Room

Spot Revisit :: Muir’s Tea Room (#28) – Best Overall

NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Alice in Wonderland

Follow us @parTEAwithmeBlog on Instagram | Threads | TikTok

Quoted from my March 6, 2024 journal entry:

“I am NOT an Influencer and I am NOT a Content Creator. I am no one special. I do not have a Platform. And I don’t need to make money on what I love doing for the fun of it.”

I had a few topic ideas for this About The Author post between my tea house visits…but this seemed more pressing to talk about. When I used to watch family vlogs, even tho I knew they didn’t owe us any explanations for absences from filming or content changes- I appreciated the heads up. So, that’s what I’m doing here. Even tho I don’t need to, it is a courtesy to share this change in my mindset.

I was gonna talk about the similarities I share with Prince, Dave Chapelle, and Barbara Streisand. But I don’t want to give away my entire farm now! (and if you happen to just know what they all have in common, share your thoughts in the comments!) There’s A LOT that goes into this decision. I could talk about distractions… I could talk about my view of money… Or, I could even talk about running themes. But, I don’t want to. (can you tell I’m trying to prolong this?)

I’ll just say: There’s been a shift.

I am + have been blown away by the enormous success that came in a hurry for me + this blog in recent. Never in my hopes and dreams would I ever have thought that I’d be in the position(s) I was in!? (brain explosion emoji) Having the incredible privilege to work with some amazing establishments has been humbling. With that said, these partnerships came so fast I didn’t even realize how huge it all was until they passed…!? That, coupled with being surrounded by Foodies who were quitting their day jobs… It was a lot. To say the least.

I was getting caught up. “Work” was being taken too serious and I wasn’t being present to enjoy it all. In the last couple weeks, I have taken the time to understand what this all means for me. This Leg of the Tour ends mid-May, and I am taking a well-deserved BREAK. I’ve talked about this before and I knew what that looked like. I would be free for leisure Tea with girlfriends, and continuing to post on all my socials.

However…

After this shift in thinking, that might look a little bit different now. I do still have a FULL 4th Leg planned to start late this year. BUT, let’s see how my break goes! No promises from me as of yet. Okay yall…? I still very much love to visit tea rooms + tea houses. I still very much love to review them. And don’t get me wrong (okay “Establishments”?! Hehe), I still very much loved/love working with awesome people!! This isn’t, like, a Retirement Speech or anything! I’m just letting yall know that I’m doing a reset, going back to basics, and making sure I’m being fully intentional with everything I got going on when it comes to this Blog. I am a WRITER first and foremost. Not a Foodie, not an Influencer, not a Content Creator…not a videographer, not a TikToker. Let me get back to my first love…

Thanks for listening! (muah)

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Whew! February was a whirlwind!! I had the absolute pleasure of being invited to try TWO new tea service menus, revisiting TWO old beloved Tea Spots, and being hosted to a Patisserie Tasting! (sweat bead emoji) (humbled emoji) FIVE Tea Things, 4 of which were in the span of just 2 weeks!! I feel blessed and honored. If you haven’t caught up yet, here are the quick links:

2/4 – NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Alice in Wonderland

2/10 – NEW MENU ALERT! Claremont Hotel | Galentine’s Day Tea

2/15 – Spot Revisit :: Lovey’s Tea Shoppe (#18) – Best Tea

2/17 – Spot Revisit :: Dartealing Lounge (#10) – Best Sandwiches

2/24 – TASTING at Alexander’s Patisserie

Okay, now for the topic at hand… I couldn’t wait to write about this one! It’s been marinating around in my brain for some months.

So, in July, this website will be 10!!! And if you’re a longtime Reader/Follower, you will have noticed that we NEVER changed the theme. It’s been the same corally orange, with that same tea set pic in the upper lefthand corner, with the same ribbon headings. For. 10. Years. I love our theme!! Of course, just as I’ve aged 10 years, so has my taste in decor and style. However, there was something pulling on me to stay loyal to this original design…? So I just never changed it! And come on, I’m a Creative Director. I would have loved to put my skills into meticulously decorating this space. I can’t even get the font + spacing how I want on here!! Hahaha.

But since coming back on, after our break in 2018 and then the Pandemic… It goes without saying (whatever that means) that there has been a maaaajoooor boost in views, visits, follows, subscribers, donators…everything!! And just recently, I had to put out a Stories post on IG, notifying everyone that this website crashed as the hosting I use wasn’t able to support the level of traffic we were having.

Remember, we are about to be 10-years-old. And in internet age, you might as well be a zillion! I started this website FOR FREE, with the most popular website host at that time. Needless to say, it was taking double + triple time to upload things and save things…and wait for this host to keep up with what I was producing. Coupled with my dinosaur laptop, I am surprised I don’t have carpal tunnel and tennis elbow and a hunchback from what I’ve endured in recent!? HA! But this is no complaint. I am beyond ecstatic to have the workload that I have had!! I just need to make some changes.

Sooo. All this to say- I am in the process of changing my host. Which breaks my heart a little, cuz I will probably have to find a new website theme. Say ‘goodbye’ to the ribbon headers guys! Until then, if you haven’t already, PLEASE GET ON OUR EMAIL LIST. This will ensure you don’t miss out on any updates or changes during this process. And with all the angst about Instagram going down (or other platforms for that matter), at least we will always have this way to keep in touch.

Thank you to our REAL ONES!!!

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