Our 53rd Spot:

The Hidden Tea Room

310 N. California Lodi, CA 95240

www.hiddentearoomlodi.com

[Note: No, I didn’t misnumber. It is our 53rd. Our 52nd was rescheduled. Stay tuned for that…]

Don’t judge a book by its cover, they say. It’s really cute in there! And they played really good tranquil music. I actually Shazam’d a few!

You guys already know, I don’t look at any website or socials or menu before I visit a new Spot so I can come with fresh eyes. Had no idea there was a Gift Shop in here too!? I LOVE gift shops!! And so do my 2 girlfriends I brought with me yay! Since we came a bit early, we were able to peruse…and they even walked away with quite a few goodies!

Our table was huge! I felt so far away from my husband (our chauffer hehe) (no but, my girls absolutely love him and he loves them back too)… But it was actually such a good idea, because sometimes at these tea spots there just isn’t enough room for all the tiers, and scone fixings, and teapots. So what a great idea for having all this room!

I could tell from the gift shop and from the names of the teas offered on their menu, that it was mostly (if not all) teas from Harney & Sons. That was okay with me, cuz at least I like that store brand. My girls and Huz got the Bangkok (coconut, ginger, vanilla), Salted Caramel (which we actually have at home…I boil before guests come over for a natural air freshener), and Thai Rooibos (one of my favorite blends from Harney). I ordered their tea of the month which was Cupid’s Cherry Chocolate. Both notes were present, but it was sweetened…and I didn’t like that.

They offer two levels of tea service and one for children. I always get the one with the most stuff, so I can try everything for you guys! Okay so- before I go in on this review, I have to say 2 things. (1) It makes it really really hard to do my job when the customer service is so good AND especially after meeting the owner. And (2) but you know I’m always gonna keep it a hunnid with yall, ALWAYS.

Vanilla Scones – Everyone gets 2 scones, yes! These were really good. Ultra crunchy outside with super chewy fluffy inside. I add all the fixings offered (as per ushe), and ate my whole first one before the tier even came. Never happens! Even my friend who said she’s not a scone person, liked these.

I could already tell when I saw those big-o quiches that this Tea was gonna be just aiight. Don’t forget: I have been doing this for 10+ years and have a seasoned palate. This is not my first rodeo; 52nd to be exact. (yeah I know what I said, labeled “Spot 53” but really our 52nd)

Sundried Tomato Quiche – The egg was so juicy (just how I like), light tomato flavor, seasoned well.

Cucumber Cream Cheese – Far too much cream, barely any cucumber (I mean, you can see from the picture). They were cut so thin, so when you did get a bite in there- it was soggy. (not crunchy, which is how they should be) And the cream cheese had like a tang in it. And not a good kind.

Deviled Ham – We all enjoyed the spice this one had. Buut, that was about it. It was fine.

Chicken Dill – DRY! Shredded breast meat. Too much dill. My girl + I were talking…maybe add some lemon zest in that joint or something!

Listen, I really tried to make it work with these! I even began to emulate my inner Remy (from Ratatouille) and started taking bites of sandwich with different things to make it taste better!! The Cucumber- great with grape. That Ham- amazing with apple. Chicken- take a bite of orange with it, yass. But didn’t finish either and didn’t take home the leftovers.

White Chocolate Chip Blondie, Butter Cookie, White Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroon – I only took a bite of each and didn’t want any more of either. Blondies used to be my favorite. I know me a good blondie! That didn’t taste like a blondie. The white chocolate chip was nice. When she said “rose butter cookie”, I expected to have some rose water flavor or something. Nope. Just butter. And bland butter cookie at that. Again, the macaroon was just okay. The white chocolate on the bottom made it palatable.

Despite the below mediocre food (honestly, my kids could have presented a better tea service), I do have to say: the customer service was GREAT. The owner, oh she was lovely! They have been there since 2016 and she’s only owned it for 2 years. These are the times when I have my husband in my ear reminding me that people could use my Tea Consulting if I just started that business already! If the staff at Hidden Tea Room do happen to read this, I hope they take my notes as constructive criticisms and offer better food and tea. They have a good operation there. I didn’t add a picture of their store, cuz I wanted you to experience it for the first time like I did!

And it’s always a good time with those girls, it doesn’t matter what we do or what kind of food we have! They’re like family, so we know how to make it a party!! We enjoyed the almost 2-hour trip out there and almost 2-hour trip back. Even stopped by a coffee shop on the way home and had my very first Dutch Brothers! (shh, don’t tell anyone I had coffee…I know this is a TEA blog!)

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Our 51st Spot:

Grove 45

965 Silverado Trail North Calistoga, CA 94515

www.grove45.com

I took way more pictures of the building and signs and beautifully muraled office…but this entrance with the painted cow and view of the mountains was just so much better!

When I am curating my Tours, sometimes I am researching places to go to and sometimes places just fall into my lap. I always say I should take notes on how I find my Spots, just for personal records. Cuz I also have said I am not willing to give away those secrets! (wink) In any event, I couldn’t even tell you how I found myself booking in Calistoga…because, I forgot!! Hahah. But what are the chances, when scheduling this Leg, that there would be Afternoon Tea being offered in the same exact city that our dear friends just moved to!? Super. Duper. Cool. They had just moved last summer. And even tho the wife and I have been keeping in contact every few weeks or so through Phone Dates, we really haven’t seen them since. So what a treat for the Huz + I to meet them for Tea.

[Disclaimer: Since we were catching up with friends, I was more present with them than pouring myself into my work. I took a few shots/took minimal notes, because I wanted to fully enjoy their company.]

An intimate setting, my favorite. I think I counted maybe 7 or 8 tables. Also, this is an Olive Oil Tasting place! Something completely different, another favorite.

Comfortable seating. Tasteful decor. And something new I’ve never seen before… (honestly, I didn’t mean for that to rhyme!)

At this tea service, they allow you to make your own tea blend!! Whaaat!? An interactive Tea?? What a fun idea! I loved this. And as a Gourmet Tea Boutique Owner, I applauded this activity so much and was so excited for our party! I especially adored that one of the bases were Olive Leaves. It had been on my Tea To-Buy list from 2 different brands, but I just never got to it… I was so happy I finally got to try. I have heard there are so many good benefits too. The other base was Black Tea, another excellent choice. Then they had Orange Peel, Chamomile, Mint, and Cinnamon to create your own personal tea blends. There were fillable tea bags at the table (that they replenished if you wanted more), and they came around and refilled our teapot with fresh hot water often. It was so cute seeing our boys (the chefs) create their special tea recipes!

I went with a plain Olive Leaf only tea. It was very fragrant and had a bold flavor that was unexpected. Enjoyed it! I had every intention of making more blends, but I only had this one cup because I was preoccupied with my delicious glass of Sauvignon Blanc! (Thanks again dear friend.) Another new experience I loved. I can’t remember ever having wine with my tea service…? Champagne sure, but wine elevates the entire experience.

Grandmother’s Scones – These are the recipe from one of the sweet girls that works there’s gramma! They came cold and already precut. Something I’m not used to, but devoured just the same! I don’t usually have space to finish my whole scone, but these were the perfect size.

Each of these items were made with one of their extra virgin olive oils and/or balsamic vinegars. I appreciated that it was lightly introduced and not in-your-face. It kept you guessing and wanting more!

Cucumber Sandwich – I love when they make their cucumber sandwich set apart from the rest. When there’s a little something in there that you’re not sure what, but you know it’s good. Nice execution on this one, Grove 45!

Egg Salad Sandwich – For my longtime Readers that knew me as a Green Onion Hater…well, I’ve changed! After having a friend’s incredible potato soup (that had green onions) and exploring the world of Caviar (with chips and [vegan] sour cream and chives/green onions), I have become an official Lover of it. Not just that, but like- can’t get enough!! I know, who am I right? Anyway, their Egg Salad had em and I was the happiest girl! Again, I felt like there may have been a splash of one of their vinegars…cuz the egg mixture was just exquisite. (no, not egguisite)

Curry Chicken Sandwich – I’ve had many curry chicken salad sandwiches touring Tea Spots for the last 10 years. There are ones you love, and ones you don’t love. This one was good! There were crunchy apples in there and juicy grapes, yum.

Winter Harvest Quiche – Don’t let the size of it fool you. This exploded with flavor, quite literally. Like it was so juicy with tender egg and veggies. I think this was a table favorite.

French Onion Crostini – Didn’t even write a note on this one, cuz I ate it so fast. Hehe. If you are a Textures Girl like me, you’ll enjoy this one! So much flavor in it too.

Burnt Orange Caramel Panna Cotta – Okay (whiny face emoji), yall know Panna Cotta is my jam. And how I love a thick one. (crying face emoji) This was the beginning of where I think Grove 45 shines. THIS WAS SO GOOD. A generous amount of caramel, just a hint of that burnt orange. My mouth is watering typing this and remembering it! I would make the drive back there again for this one shot glass of panna cotta, no question.

Chocolate Cherry Balsamic Cookie – They just do their sweets so right!! This little cookie packed such a punch! More please?!

We legit had the absolute best time. The customer service at Grove 45 is outstanding. They took really good care of us and made us feel at home. The food was scrumptious, desserts even better. The attention to detail was not just in appearance, but in flavor. And making your own teas?! So awesome, what a fun experience! My girlfriend and I laughed at the top of our lungs and just thoroughly enjoyed ourselves (as per usual, huh sweets?!). Honestly, I think our husbands had an even better time!? Haha. Made me feel good that everyone was so happy to be there. Our friends said it had been about 30 years since they last went to Tea together, and they remembered how much it delighted them. He says (and I asked permission to quote), “My hopes were pretty high, but this is exceeding my hopes.” Nice job, Grove 45!! They already made plans to come back for olive oil tasting…and Tea again, of course! We spent the rest of the afternoon being shown stunning architecture around town and admiring our friends’ breathtaking property. Thank you Calistoga! We love you!

I hope you all try the tea service at Grove 45. It’s usually every 3rd Sunday of the month, so go and make your reservations!

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Our 50th Spot:

Mints & Honey

1524 El Camino Real San Carlos, CA 2024

www.mintsandhoney.com

So, this place was on my radar when I first started the Tour. But as I understood it, it was only an event space then. I tried to ask when they started serving afternoon tea exactly, but I couldn’t get a legit answer from anyone. I scheduled it early in the Leg, since this was on the list a long time ago… This place was also the first on the Tour where they didn’t do reservations. They could just make us some tiers on the fly like that!? I called to confirm, their answer was yes. I made sure our party was small, so we didn’t have to wait a long time to find seats. Originally supposed to be 6, but ended up being 4 of us. Perfect, cuz things were about to get hectic.

As you know, I don’t look at websites or social media accounts before visiting a place. I like to have a clean slate, so everything is fresh when I am reviewing. Needless to say, I was not familiar with how to order when we got there. I should’ve done some homework first tho! That was the MOST CHAOTIC ordering I’ve ever dealt with on this Tour!!

First, you find your own seat. Thankfully, there was a couple that just left an area that seated 4. Waited for that to be wiped up, then claimed our tables.

There are menus by the register. You pick out what you want, order + pay, then take a number to your seat. In terms of their Afternoon Tea Service offering, they have a tea tower for 2. If you want tea, you order that separate. Except, this spot didn’t have tea pots. Ohhkaay… We went up to order and at the register, we didn’t know we had to make quite a few decisions. We sat back down. (Attempt #1)

I guess for these towers, you have the option of either Toast or Waffle bases. She showed us the flavor options. Back at the register and I’m telling her all my choices. But then we find out we need to COMPROMISE (between the two of us) which 4 flavors we want. We sat back down. (Attempt #2)

At the register ooonce agaaain, and now we’re ready! We thought. We come prepared with our shared flavors, aaand- we did it wrong again! Apparently, we chose the TOAST flavors but needed to choose from the WAFFLE flavors if we wanted waffle bases. We quickly figured out what 4 waffle flavors we were going to share while in line (cuz we weren’t about to come up for a FOURTH time), and finally did it right! Then, you choose between a scone or quiche. And when you choose either of those, there are then flavors of THOSE to choose from. [SIGHHH]

When I got to my seat I says to my friends, “I wanna cry!” Man, that was so stressful!! There’s gotta be an easier way! Put specific steps on the menu or don’t have that many choices. It gets worse guys, just wait.

My only cup of tea was already waiting for me while I spent those 45-minutes at the register ordering. The bag was overfilled and it was steeped too long. I chose a Caramelized Pear Tea. There’s a sign up and it’s plastered on their menu that says they proudly serve Art of Tea teas. I know Art of Tea (they serve that at the Four Seasons), and this was not a good representation of how good that brand is.

We seriously didn’t know what to do with ourselves when the tiers (excuse me, Towers) came. I think we sat stunned for a few, before accepting what was in front of us. So, me + my Tower Partner chose waffle bases right. Already having to compromise our 4 flavors, we thought we were going to get TEA FOR TWO!!?! It was Tea for ONE yall. There were 4 waffles, with the 4 flavors, only. That meant: if we wanted to try each of the 4, we had to cut the pre-perforated waffle iron waffle QUARTERS in HALF!!?! This what I had to work with yall-

Go ahead, take your moment. I’ll wait.

I couldn’t even take individual photos of each item (not that I even felt like it), so I got quick pics of each level…

It took me several bites, before I could even take notes on what I was tasting. I chose the waffle base since that was a first for me for afternoon tea. It was a good waffle batter, fluffy + light, almost melts in your mouth.

Prosciutto + Ricotta – My eighth had whipped cream on it, so there’s that. My notes say: “a lot of cream, had lots of cream.” I guess there was a lot of cream… It was a nice start, promising.

Applewood Smoked Salmon – This was good! But again, a lot of the ricotta cream. I scraped most of mine off.

Churro – Lightly scented cinnamon flavor, mostly whipped cream.

Rose + Berry – No rose present. The girls said they could make these at home.

Cranberry Scone – ONE TO SHARE. I took one bite and left it alone after that. Way too crumbly, don’t taste any cranberry, so dry.

The “salad” was not dressed. My girl put some leaves on her plate, then put them right back on the tower haha!

I was excited to hear we were getting Beignets on the tower! Those wasn’t no beignets. Stale donut hole, at best. Barely any glaze. Again, the dryest of the dry.

We had talked about how most French macarons all taste the same…unless they’re really good quality ones. I took a bite of the Chocolate Macaron, and was so surprised. It was good!? It had a nice bite/chew to it, almost brownie like. Best thing on the tier.

The Yogurt Parfait was another pleasant surprise. It was Greek, and the tart was welcome. I did my own Remy Ratatouille situation and had a bite of macaron + bite of yogurt together to end my meal.

Before we were even done eating, the overpowering smell of disinfectant polluted our lungs and tastebuds. They started packing up and washing the floors in the front room, chairs were being stacked all around us. Excuse my language, but it was hella rude. We had to go out the back and figure out how to get to where we parked.

Here are my only positives- the cashier was patient with us when ordering and coming up there 3 times, there were some step-above-mediocre items on the tier, and I was so sterile after being surrounded by clouds of cleaning agent I didn’t feel like I needed to wash my hair when I got home. Will I come back? For tea? Absolutely not. To try more of their food items? Maybe.

THANK GOODNESS for good company!! I was with my husband’s honorary big sister (so my Big Sis), a longtime girlfriend that we have a blast any time we’re together, and then we had a Firstie with us too! The laughs and Girl Time made this tea visit so much better. But now I can’t wait to take them to someplace better next time!

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Our 49th Spot:

The Caviar Co.

46A Main Street Tiburon, CA 94920

thecaviarco.com

[Quick Note: Since we sometimes visit Tea Spots that weren’t officially scheduled on the Tour…even tho I still wrote a review, they wouldn’t get their own spot number. But when I would compile my raTEAng posts, they would still be included and the numbers would be all thrown off. To keep things more cohesive, I decided to match the spot numbers with how many we’ve been to for less confusion. This explains why our last posted spot was 45, and this one is continuing at 49…to account for the past surprise visits along the way.]

Afternoon Tea = check!

Bay Area = check!

Cute little town = check!

Again, I can’t give you all my secrets… But when I found out there was Afternoon Tea in TIBURON!!?! I looove Tiburon! You know I was going. And because it’s a seasonal offer, I was happy to start our Tour there. SO HAPPY we did.

Just the ride over already was so much fun! Anticipating my work (Hooray for the First Spot on our Tour!!), anxious about seeing the water (it’s been a while for us), enjoying deep conversation with the Huz… When you get there, at the end of Main Street, there’s a little cut-out in the road where you can stop and take a few pictures of our beautiful City!! I love my city. I was gonna include some pictures here, but- I think yall should just experience it for yourselves.

It’s not huge in there, which I liked. Intimate, maybe 10 tables. Courteous staff right away.

Upon seating, we were first welcomed with their Spiced Spritz (Veso earl grey aperitif, apple cider, crémant). At first in my notes, I put ‘fruity, barely flavor of sparkling wine but still good’. I really liked the square ice in it. But as I had more (maybe I didn’t mix it), you could taste the alcohol more and more AND I loved that. I had way more sips of this than I should have, and I’m not even sorry haha. It was very good!

They had a simple tea selection. Only 3 bases (black, green, and herbal), but a variety of notes to choose from.

Fireside Toffee Apple – The Huz gave himself a full healthy first pour! This was very good. I was tasting/smelling coconut, not so much apple, and more of a hibiscus.

Japanese Sencha – Nice strong green tea flavor, which I love.

The most beautifulest tier in this world.

Vanilla Bean Scone with Butter & Raspberry Jam – It wasn’t warm. Very crumbly, almost fully crunchy. They use butter (which was a nice change) and a very good high quality preserves. It was just okay for me.

Cucumber and Herb Sandwich with Whitefish Roe – Whatever the spread is, it’s amazing. Not sure if there was citrus in there, or if it was the caviar…but IT’S GOOD. Oh it’s dill!! This cucumber sandwich was slammin. And if we’re just at Cucumber and it’s this good!? Whew, look out.

Deviled Egg with Kaluga Hybrid Caviar – That’s the creamiest deviled egg I’ve ever had. It was SO flavorful. This was our favorite of the Savories fo sho!

I’m like- dang, do I have to eat everything with caviar now??

Toma Quiche with Siberian Sturgeon – I don’t know but it’s good. (whiny face emoji) The salty from the caviar MMM.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich with Salmon Roe – I did a dance and melted. You have to understand: we have smoked salmon on a regular at home. I’ve had smoked salmon sandwiches at at least 30 of the 48 Tea Spots we’ve visited. I used to own a catering business specializing in tea party foods where we did a smoked salmon sandwich. So, it (I guess unfortunately) takes a lot to wow me about a smoked salmon sandwich. I’m not used to a grainy bread with it, but I welcomed it here. Perfect cut of salmon, nice thick (but not too thick) bite. Perfect ratio of cream.

Brie and Apple Sandwich with Classic White Sturgeon – I am a Brie Girl! Whatever kind of jam they used was a good choice. Can’t say I’ve ever had it with caviar…but I love.

Sesame Cone with Smoked Trout Roe – I have to admit: I did feel a little bad like I was eating Nemo babies. (yikes emoji) But that was short-lived haha! I’ve never had anything like this before. Adored the sesame cone, loved the crunch of course. The explosions from the caviar were so fun!

“I feel hecka rich. Hahaha!”

Hacklini Blini with Hackleback – So, blinis are my favorite. Story Time: when I was in college, I dated this guy who was a Concierge at this fancy hotel in the City. I wasn’t familiar with how it all worked…so he explained to me how different places give him the five-star treatment, so he can refer hotel guests there. He took me to this Michelin Star restaurant and ordered blinis for us. Now I had never had a blini canape; didn’t know what it was, didn’t know what to expect. Those little pancakes with all the fixings (smoked salmon, some sort of cream, red onion, and capers) were a combination I instantly fell in love with. After we broke up, I had forgotten what they were called exactly. It was a nasty separation, so I couldn’t ask him… This was the beginning of a search that was never satisfied. Hahah! I finally figured it out, and probably only had it less than a handful of time since then. But, I never forgot how much I loved them!! So- a longwinded explanation of my depth of desire for these! I could have eaten a hundred of those. So buttery and nice chew on the pancake.

Bump of Osetra Caviar – We have never done a bump before! Heheh. We didn’t do the hand, just had it from the spoon. That tasted like the ocean!! I loved it.

“I’m so happy!”

Me: “Why don’t we ever get caviar for home?”

Him: “Cuz they don’t sell it at FoodMaxx, I don’t know!?”

(we don’t really shop at FoodMaxx, but that was so funny)

Poached Pear Panna Cotta – I love pear stuff!! So thick. I love a thick panna cotta, almost like you have to chew it. I think it’s safe to say that this panna cotta is my favorite from the entire Tour.

Dark Chocolate Raspberry Tart – It’s so bitter! It’s so good!

Love that they had only 3 Sweets.

French 75 Macaron – That’s a unique, high end macaron. So so chewy shell (which I prefer over the crumbly).

Random thoughts as I was finishing my tea service:

So happy but also a little sad cuz it’s only 2 months out the year. I feel a Revisit already!

I didn’t know I was a Caviar Girl. I am a Caviar Girl now, watch out!

I don’t usually finish, but I wanted to eat everything all.

After my last bite: “I’m sad, the caviar is over.”

Me with my kids, at dinner that night: “I didn’t know this life existed and I am. On. Board! Like, I want some on my burger.”

Me, while writing this: “This is brutal. BRU-TAL. Writing this and looking at all these pictures.”

I was so proud and impressed with myself for choosing this one as our Tour Opener!! Haha! Such a perfect Spot. And of course, being surrounded by the coastal little town vibe of Tiburon, always an A+. The service was really good. Hi Tess! (she was so cute) This Tea Service is only around for November and December, Wednesdays through Sundays. So make sure you visit before it’s all gone!! I am seriously strategizing on how I can fit it in my schedule + budget to go back this time around! I don’t want to wait a whole year!! (three crying emojis) This place is so good, it’s already HIGH UP on my my raTEAngs list. Please check back after 5 more Spots to see where they landed. Or better yet, get your cute butt over there (who know where that one’s from?!) so you can taste for yourself first!!

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Our 45th Spot:

The Third Floor at The Jay Hotel

433 Clay Street San Francisco, CA 94111

www.thethirdfloorsf.com

Best decision I’ve made: to squeeze this one in on the Tour.

The Jay Hotel has only been around 4 months (formerly Le Méridien) and their afternoon tea only started yesterday. So proud of myself for making reservations here! Hehe.

They offer 5 different bases of tea. I thought I was sold on getting the Black, but I’m so glad they came over with samples to study. Interestingly, the Black wasn’t as appealing as I read. However the WHITE!? Smelled delicious.

WHITE | Dragon Pearl (jasmine, sweet, smooth) – Very floral, such a flavorful white! Was taking gulps!!

GREEN | Genmai Matcha (bright, nutty, smooth) – Could smell it all the way from the other side of the table! A gorgeous chartreuse. Earthy and smooth, like they said!

The tier was minimal. But don’t let it fool you!

Scone – Today’s was Apricot & Walnut. I was casually spreading my devonshire cream and adding some preserves on top and… [GASP] I was totally caught off guard. I don’t even like walnuts!! And this was packed with it! The mouthfuls of walnuts and chewy apricots were just so good together!!

Beef Tartare, Pickled Beech Mushroom, Rice Cracker – The cracker alone was already great, think of a shrimp chip. Fun texture, had a sweetness but also a little spicy, and adored the freshness of the herb.

Truffled Egg Salad on White Bread – This packed such a big punch! I could taste the truffle, but also maybe some curry. Even the bread was so scrumptious + chewy!

Cherry and Walnut Chicken Salad on Honey Wheat and Oat Bread – There were so many levels of flavor and texture in this one. They used the best parts of the chicken, like it’s certainly thigh!! Could even distinguish the oats in the bread!

Apple and Pecan Tartlet with Gouda Cheese – Just looking at this again makes me wanna cry! (whiny face emoji) Thick pastry. Definitely got a cheese-mustache but it was so fun! There was just no cute way to eat it… The saltiness from the cheese with the sweet of the filling was everything Salty/Sweet Lovers want + need in their lives. Which is who me + my girlfriend are!

Lemon Glazed Madeleine – This tasted like a donut! Light lemon + fluffy cake.

Raspberry Macaron – Macaron fillings aren’t usually this runny, but it was so welcomed here. The shell was ultra delicate. Perfect combo.

Caramelized White Chocolate and Pine Nut Cream Puff – It had a conchas topping!! Not your average cream puff. Party in my mouth!

Matcha Cheesecake with Mango – Buttery. Depth. Superior.

Chocolate Cremeux with Tangerine – This was my least favorite of the Sweets… Buut, I still ate it all! 🙂

So- I took my longtime girlfriend here. We’ve known each other since our firstborns were babies (both are 17 now). She’s an incredible single mother of 2 teens, with a corporate job AND a growing Coaching Business (follow her @stephanie.mechelle.coaching). I’ve had the opportunity to see her in action and I am in AWE of her work. We see each other at least every other week for our business accountability meetings on zoom, but we need to get away for some Girl Time too. We can talk for hours and hours! And today was no different! We spent almost 3 hours at tea today, with the occasional stop in from our amazing server (Hi Nate!). So much good for our souls!! But, let me tell you- I had a really hard time paying attention sometimes cuz my eyes were rolling back in my head from how GOOD this tea service was!!!

Please please PLEASE do yourselves a favor and make time to visit The Jay Hotel and have Afternoon Tea at The Third Floor. Periodt. That’s all. Okay?? I cannot stress how much I loved everything about this place. The decor, the service (clapping hands)…I was even Shazam’ing the music! EVEN the valet guy was super nice. And then I couldn’t stop talking about it on my way home. SO GLAD we made the effort to come before I was off Tour. Otherwise I would’ve had FOMO. Don’t have FOMO you guys. Go. Go now! Go ahead, make your reservations. (okay, I’m done being bossy) But I mean it, it’s a good place. Just sayin… Did you hear me?

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Spot #3 Revisit:

Palace Hotel Garden Court

2 Montgomery Street San Francisco, CA 94105

www.gardencourtsf.com

[taken by Cutie Jr.]

Our last hoorah! I chose the Palace Hotel for our Best Venue pick cuz, well I mean, look at it!! So happy the Huz + I got to go with one of our favorite families: Cutie, Cutie Jr. and Cutie’s Mr.! Just being in the hotel is an entire experience in itself, so I took the path of least resistance and just enjoyed myself. Didn’t bring the DSLR, took a few shots and a few notes on my phone. I was thoroughly present and reveled in the company of our awesome party!

Definitely looks different in there. I assumed it would have changed since the last time we’ve been, which was September 2014 haha. I liked the bench seating they had and there were no more round tables with white tablecloths. Lots of children too! That was neat. It was the day before Mother’s Day, so probably lots of early celebrators. But I was totally enamored at all these toddlers and young ones trying to sit still while munching on a tea sandwich!? Too too cute. We were just so thrilled to be there. Something about the beauty of the Garden Court just brings all the JOY!

As we were seated, they immediately set down these shallow square bowls of Berries. Raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. I thought for a sec that they might be a topping for scones or crumpets or something…but then soon realized, it was like the bread you get served at a restaurant upon seating. I tried a bluebe- OHMYGOSHHH. I was not expecting thaaat!!?! (you see me whining) Just as I was about to comment on how good those blueberries were, I see my girl loving them too! I was MAKING OUT with mine mmkay. We decided that they were the freshest, most organic berries we had ever had. Probably from Whole Foods, or Driscoll Farms, or the ROOF upstairs!! And this was just the free appetizer yall! Just wait.

I was a Basic Girl and chose my usual, Vanilla Rooibos. Happy Girl! Nice selection of teas. There were some great ones that our friends chose and they loved theirs. Good tea, check!

Precious presentation of our Savories. Since I start with the cucumber first, I went in order from right to left…

Shaved Cucumber & Watercress (shaved persian cucumbers, soft cream cheese, watercress, whole grain bread) – Didn’t even write any notes cuz I ate it already. It was gone before I could even think of anything to say about it, haha. Obviously, it was good!

Dry Spanish Chorizo (whipped goat cheese, lemon zest, sourdough) – After 47 afternoon tea’s, this is the first I’ve had chorizo on the menu and I was not mad at it! What a brilliant addition, couldn’t get enough. The cheese was citrusy, the bread had such a good bite to it, and that chorizo- mm mm!

Truffled Egg Salad (chives and lemon zest, chervil, brioche) – You see, forgetting to even take pics! Exquisite (no pun intended). The paprika on top was everything.

Mini Lobster Roll (mayonnaise, celery, brioche) – Okay so, I had a lobster roll last night for dinner. And I had just had so much of it, I swore I wouldn’t have another for a long long time. Funny to see this one in front of me. But let me tell you, it was so juicy and the meat was so tender…I had forgotten all about last night!

Roasted Chicken & Avocado (lemon juice, tarragon, maldon sea salt) – This one was just okay for me. Cutie Jr. agreed and said she thought it needed something… I usually really like tarragon, so I’m not sure what this was missing. I enjoyed the fattie piece of chicken I got in one bite, but the rest of the bites were breast. Meh. And I’m not a huge fan of focaccia.

Yay! The tier!

Scones – I do remember loving their scones from before. And today was no different. Cutie loved them too! They’re so fluffy and their preserves are amazing (I even took mine to-go ha!).

All the desserts were incredible as well. Chocolate-Covered Strawberry (yall already know), Mini Red Velvet Cupcake (ugh love cream cheese frosting), decadent Chocolate French Macaron, really well done Strawberry Shortcake, and Cream Puff Swan (a.k.a. Juan Swanson).

Exceptional Venue, Exceptional Company, Exceptional Tea, Exceptional Food, Exceptional Time! We couldn’t have gone with a better group, we loved our time with them. parTEA with me’s planned Tour is officially DONE eyyy! (except I squeezed in one more spot tomorrow! Haha) See you again in a bit.

All Palace Hotel related posts:

Spot #3 :: Palace Hotel

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Our 42nd Spot:

K On The Go

31877 Alvarado Boulevard Union City, CA 94587

www.konthegouc.com

[inhale] I’m taking a deep breath first, to calm myself! There’s so much I wanna say about this spot. And I’m trying to figure out a good place to start… If I’m going WAY back, there was a cute cafe I had pinned years ago that I wanted to try: K-Café Patisserie & Tea. They didn’t serve afternoon tea, so this would’ve been a non-Tour visit for fun. Then the same company started putting up these smaller versions, and THEY served afternoon tea!! Yay for us. The one in Milpitas has already been offering…but I really wanted to try the Union City location cuz it was so close to me! (And I wanted to say the Tour had visited that small city!)

They were due to open January 2024 and were going to be the last of the new Spots we go to on this Leg of the Tour. We forreal pass by this spot every day on our way home! And every day we passed, we still saw the brown paper on the windows. January came + went, but I didn’t want to abandon our visit there. I was lowkey stalking their socials to see if anything came up about UC. Nothing for a while. Okay, I’ll be patient. THEN, I got a random DM from them!! Don’t know who handles their social media, but out of the thousands that followed them (my finsta wasn’t even following at the time)- they remembered to message me about their opening!! (happy crying emojis) Dang, I felt special. They notified me of their Soft Opening on April 23rd. Naturally, my daughter + I stopped by.

[sigh] Still not serving afternoon tea yet. They said mid-May, maybe earlier. Okay.

Randomly, on Monday, I sent them a message asking when they might be serving afternoon tea. The following day they replied saying they were taking reservations. [GASP!] Let me make note here that I had one week before I was going on Break. Our last Spot is this Saturday, and THEN, I even scheduled another last-minute Spot visit for Sunday because this place will be starting to serve afternoon tea and my funny-self thought to squeeze that one in too. Ayyy! My only option would be this Thursday. BUT- they require a 72-hour advance reservation. [whine]

I called. Told them I was hoping to come in Thursday (this was Wednesday btw), but I understood there was a 3-day advance. They said they would take me. Huh? What!? I told them I wanted them to feel comfy + confident with what they were offering, and that I could maybe possibly find a time for Monday. They said they thought it was so sweet of me to consider that/them but that they would make Thursday work. So sweet, right guys?! I was on the books.

I decided to take my kid to this one for a Mommy-Daughter Date. And to make it even more interesting + fun for her, I told her she could Guest Write my blog post for them and even take pictures if she wanted for it. She loved the idea. As an artist + Lefty, she has some pretty cool perspectives and we have some of her photographs framed + up on our walls. (She has this sick one she took of the Bay Bridge right outside Delancey!) Let me take this moment to talk about the flyest 13-year-old girl I know. As mentioned, she has been making and selling her art for a few years now. She has an eclectic taste in music, knows how to play the ukulele and bass, and knows how to speak Korean!! I’m legit her biggest fan and am BLESSED to be her best friend. (but mostly her Momma!!!)

I’m telling you right now- I’m including A LOT of extra shots in this one, cuz there were just too many good ones and I’m sharing them ALL. Before even coming here, I have to admit whenever I would see overly floral cafe’s…I already wrote em off. After going to places like Son & Garden and iChina, where it was more about the trendy atmosphere and Instagram-worthy backdrops than the FOOD, I don’t expect much from anything that looks well (air quotes) too pretty. And altho this spot had the flowers…it was decorated really well. They were more like “statement” flowers, and not as the owner mentioned “gaudy”. But even for my daughter (who takes after her Mom and) who is not girly whatsoever, she could appreciate the interior.

I didn’t know til later, that we were their VERY FIRST afternoon tea party! Look at our cutie table!! I’ve had my name set on tables before, but not PRINTED!!?! That was such a sweet touch and very personal. Love! (yes, my name is spelled wrong but he even fixed it later and gave us the keepsake!)

Everything was ready for us as soon as we got there. We chose our shared pot of tea and she started bringing our tiers out. We each got our own too!! I couldn’t get enough shots!

[taken by my daughter]

I was taking everything in. All the details. Even the mismatched paper napkins, I loved! The Savories were their focus, you could tell. (LOVE THAT.) Points from me already.

[taken by my daughter]

They had 4 tea options. My daughter + I agreed on their Floral Peach. It had good peach flavor, tasted a little sweetened. Darling pink hue, probably from hibiscus.

Daughter – Yes even tho my mom sells tea and goes to tea places I dont really drink tea that often lol Oky! Soooooo my first thought was: Hhmm… the color of the tea is kinda dark… I hope its not too strong. My next thought after I had was: Ooooohhhh!!!! Its not too strong, It was so good that I had way more cups of it than my mom did lol

Truffle in Paradise (truffle cucumber sandwich) – This was me: “mm. Mm. MM!” Truffle is not a usual profile paired with cucumber tea sandwiches, a first for me for sure. She should be proud of herself and that was YUMMY!

Daughter – First thought: Hahaha!!! I love cucumber sandwiches!! After I had it: Hmm… the flavor is interesting! I like the way its not like the typical cucumber sandwiches, and the way you have to come back for more to get the flavor! Ok ok so far so good!

Apple of My Eye (apple chicken salad crackers) – There was maybe a light curry in there… Loved the apple. The chicken was so juicy + tender, like it was fresh off a rotisserie spit rod! I was clapping that there were three of these.

Daughter – First thought: Ok… this could either be really good or really interesting… After I had it: Again I dont really know whats in this… It took me awhile to get it but mom said that there might be a little bit of curry and I’m not the biggest fan of curry stuff but it was really really good! Like they made me a curry fan! Lol

Eggcitement (mini glaze egg croissant) – Egg + dill = GOOD. And of course (hand up) the Croissant-Lover enjoyed this one.

Daughter – First thought: [Back story: I dont wake up early at all oky? Like I’m talking 1:00PM Lol So this was my breakfast…] Oh ok… I’m not exactly excited to have egg breath rn buuuut… I’m still gonna eat it! After I had it: Aaaahhh!!! Its DELICIOUS!!! And is that dill?! I made a HUGE mistake of eating a small little smth before we left…

Talking to my daughter, I couldn’t figure out which savory was my favorite because they were all excellent! They each had just a little something in them to make you question ‘hm, what is that’ which I highly appreciate. Reminded me so much of when we catered for our old tea company. Each of our tea sandwiches from our menu had something different in them that made you keep coming back for more! Well played, K On The Go. (wink)

A verbatim convo between me and my daughter…

Me: “I’m ready for my sweets, dood.”

Her: “Half it!” (talking about all the mini cheesecakes + macarons)

Me: “Hold on, I’m licking my plate!”

HAHAHAH!

All My Ladies Cake (ladyfinger almond sponge cake) – This was so light + airy and had such good flavor. My favorite part were the crunchy pieces on top. What scone?? You did not miss any scone with this on your plate. It was like an elevated tiramisu…

Daughter – First thought: Uhhh….. Ok I’m not a big sweets fan but I’ll have it! lol After I had it: Oooooohhhh!!! I LOVE IT!!! Its soft and not OVERLY sweet! Definitely one of my favorites!!!

Assorted Desserts (changed daily) – Today’s were a variety of mini cheesecakes and french macarons. We couldn’t tell if those cheesecakes were store-bought or homemade and I think that is a compliment! They were fantastic. The macarons, they were really good quality ones.

Daughter – First thought: Ooooohhh they look soooo pretty!!! After I had it: WOW!!! Its rare that I come across food that looks good and taste better than it looks!!!

Just when we were pretty stuffed and about to clean up shop, she came out from the back with more! We were treated to these stunning complimentary desserts for being their first afternoon tea reservations. So so kind of them huh!? All I could say about those- INHALED.

Daughter – First thought: [Back story: The almond sponge cake had a butterfly and I bit it but I dont think it was edible lol but after I tried to eat the butterfly I said to mom: “Edible things like that is the way to win my heart” Then after we were done and they brought the special end and they said that the butterfly was edible my eyes got big and I was so excited!!!] Aaaahhhh!!! I’m soooo excited!!!! after I had it: I scarfed down one of them I said to mom: THIS WAS SOOOOO WORTH SCARFING!!!! As soon as I get a chance, I’m coming back!!!! 🙂

I was THOROUGHLY (how many ways can I highlight this?) impressed. The husband-wife team/owners were a delight!! He kept us company in between customers and she came out in between creating those culinary masterpieces back there. I loved how he was very community positive and got to know everyone that walked through their front door. He was even introducing me to their regulars! (dood, they’ve only been open a few weeks and already have Regulars what!?) You could tell how much awe he has for his wife (excuse me) Business Partner too, cuz he was singing her praises the entire afternoon. And she was just the CUTEST, so rightfully so!! Her imagination and brilliance shined in this tea service. My teenage daughter thoroughly enjoyed herself. We were both already planning when we can come back and who we were gonna bring. She kept saying “I really do love it here” and as a mom, that just made me so happy.

I really wanted this place to work out. Since the downfall of Tyme for Tea, I needed a new spot close to me that I could frequent. Of course, there’s still my new go-to’s Malaya and Four Seasons…but I still have to drive a bit for those. So I’m ecstatic that it turned out to be so good!! Stay tuned cuz they made it pretty high on my raTEAng. You’ll have to see where I put them! And please please please make your way to K On The Go Union City because you will eat well and be treated like family!

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Our 44th Spot:

SanDai & KOPI Bar

1522 N Main Street Walnut Creek, CA 94596

@kopibar.us

Because I am who I am, I found this place a couple months ago. It was a new thing for this area, so of course I booked and fit it in the Tour. When this Tour + Blog started, I was visiting already established afternoon tea places. I don’t know how I became this Scoper for new Tea Spots just started/just starting to serve afternoon tea, but here we are! (open hands emoji) I am a Detective after all. Altho the Huz asked me if I was actively searching for them…and honestly, NO! Haha. I’m telling you, sometimes they just fall into my lap!! But let me not give away all my secrets.

This cafe was cute. But kinda loud. The place we’re sat in is a narrow room, think of a train car. But still, very aesthetic and like I said: cute! This is the first spot that offered their tea service with the choice of coffee or tea. Neat. We chose tea, of course. Only 4 options, so it was easy to choose. And after salivating at their mimosa flavor types, I learned it was included! YAY!! I got the grapefruit and he chose pineapple.

Grapefruit + Pineapple Mimosas. Very good! Mine complimented the meal so well.

Tropic Garden – The menu is minimal, so there weren’t descriptions of the teas. But this one sounded fruity + floral, my jam. A pretty tea! I tasted hibiscus and cinnamon. The Huz said it was “woodsy and earthy” to him.

Teh Halia (ginger milk tea) – It was fun to see a milk tea on the menu. And I’m glad he chose it, cuz I was interested! He said it was “like a chai with coconut and turmeric”. I thought it had a good ginger presence, not too strong.

Something I need to point out… After dropping off my husband’s milk tea, the server looked at me and told me mine was still steeping. If you’re a longtime reader of this blog, you’ll know I have a thing about people bringing the teas to the table already ready! I loved that they brought my tea out to me when it was ready. Points for this.

The first thing I noticed about the tier is that there were 4 items we had to share. To be fair, the event ticket we purchased said “for Two”. But what if we weren’t a married couple? Or what if we weren’t comfy with each other like that? People would have to get real intimate real quick and share food. Now naturally, I didn’t mind sharing with my husband. Or him touching my stuff with his knife, etc… But, I do like it when tea services offer individual items per guest.

The next thing I noticed (from the menu actually): only 2 savories…

Cucumber Tea Sandwich – I like when they made this with butter, it’s a fun change. Packed with slices of cucumber and a nice mild chive flavor. Those cucumbers were so crunchy I could do ASMR! It was too much bread for me tho. (I know right, is there such a thing!?) But I had to make a snake mouth to eat it!! (laughing crying emojis) The Huz was laughing saying I had to unlock my jaw and get around it hahah!

Avocado Tea Sandwich – It was good. Except, it reminded me of the guac that comes in a plastic container in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. The crunchy unripe cherry tomatoes gave a nice contrasting texture tho. And it had the tiniest of tiniest spice, which I liked.

Apricot & Almond Scone – Crumbs, all crumbs. It was so dry, I was having esophageal spasms trying to get it down! It had good flavor…but would’ve been nice with some fixings. There was just butter on the side, for the plain croissant I think.

Classic Croissant – That’s a good croissant. A little sweet. Nice bite.

Blueberry Lemon Tea Cake – Moist, not too sweet.

Pain Au Chocolate – That was a REALLY GOOD chocolate croissant. (a-okay emoji) My favorite so far. Beautiful layers and proportioned filling.

Pandan Coconut Roll – I didn’t know what to say about this one…

Klepon – Just kidding, THIS was my favorite. It had that sticky chewy texture I like, like mochi. And the filling inside was nostalgic for us!

Pandan & Moringa Tiramisu – The coffee they used for this was extraordinary. I just wanted that.

Listen, this wasn’t my favorite Tea…BUT, I understood their concept. They presented a gorgeous tier and we were able to sample some of their offerings from the bar next door. I would have loved more salty options, but we still enjoyed ourselves. The customer service was good and the ambiance was welcoming. We def wanna come back for brunch! They’ve only been serving afternoon tea since March. I’m sure they’ll refine their menu as time goes on and I’m not opposed to trying again! Let us know if you head out to Walnut Creek for their first ever tea experience at SanDai & KOPI Bar!

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Our 43rd Spot:

Julia’s Restaurant at Berkeley City Club

2315 Durant Avenue Berkeley, CA 94704

www.berkeleycityclub.com

Note: Our 42nd Spot was supposed to start offering afternoon tea in January, but they’re not quite up + running yet. Hopefully sometime in May. We’re keeping their spot number the same, which is why this one is our 43rd.

ONLY on Tuesdays. ONLY from 12 to 2. I was intrigued.

I mean, aren’t you now too?! Afternoon Tea served during such a small window. What’s it all about?? I wanna see!!

Tho they had been serving tea years before the pandemic, they only started serving again about a year ago. This Tea Spot was another last minute entry I dug up, and I squeezed ‘er in before the end of our Tour. I tell you, sometimes I surprise myself with how I find about these spots cuz there’s not a lot of promo or press or anything about this one. As booked as I was, I thankfully found one good ole Tuesday I could make before this Leg closed. Thank you to my date for joining me!

Doesn’t look like much outside. An old building you wouldn’t take a second look at if you were driving by. Tho once we got up those steps and inside the front door- immediate vibe change! We were directed by Reception to go to the 2nd floor, and I don’t know why but I asked if I could take pictures. She asked “Personal?”, and when I mentioned for a website, it was a no. I paused for a second to understand what that meant, and then I was relieved. No fussing with my DSLR today! Sure, I could have used my phone to take pics for myself and not post it. But I thought it was so freeing to be “camera-less” for the day AND to do our very first ~ No Photo Review ~ ! So that’s what this’ll be.

But let me tell you- you are gonna wanna come here. I’m not even going to attempt with words on what it looked like inside. Just know, I couldn’t get enough!! I think I’m actually doing you a favor for not posting any pics. Because you’re gonna wanna see this in real life for the first time in-person. I’m telling youuuu.

Off the bat, the service = immaculate.

We must’ve been in a green tea state of mind…because I ordered their Jasmine Flower and my date ordered the Dragonwell. “Good, no sugar, no cream. Not offered,” my date says, noticing no tea condiments left on the table. I’ve taught them well! Tea was great, good quality for sure.

They offered a Plain Biscuit AND a Scone. After having both at the Claremont, I’m now loving it when a place offers both! Butter was offered for the biscuit and cream + preserves for the scone. That biscuit had the most picture-worthy golden brown toast on it. Crispiest outside and fluffiest insides, a little salty. I called it ‘cloudy!’ Their scone wins for Crunchiest Edges!! Oh and I couldn’t get enough of their preserves. The highest quality I’ve had.

They had so many savories, I was so happy! SIX!! Always bonus points in my book when a tea service has plenty of salty options (than sweet).

Cucumber on Wheat – Thin slices are my favorite. It had a spicy spread that hit you in the back and was a nice surprise.

Egg Salad on White – This was my favorite from the service for sure. It was almost mousse-like and they packed a good amount of it! Thick slices of airy bread made for perfectly portioned bites. And it was seasoned beautifully.

Smoked Salmon on Sourdough – When I see capers, I’m happy!

Pesto, Mozzarella + Tomato – I’m allergic to pesto but my date said this was a good one. I wanted so badly to try it! That mozzarella looked so fresh, it was almost dripping!? I did take a nibble and I was right- excellent.

Prosciutto + Fig Butter on Croissant – Love. I’m a big fig butter fan.

Chicken Salad – I don’t know what sweet/fruity spread they added to this one, but it was delicious! My date’s favorite.

They offered 4 classic sweets. A Chocolate-Covered Strawberry, Chocolate or Lemon Macaron, a Lemon Bar, and (so cute) a nice sized Donut Hole. All were very good, and rounded out the meal gorgeously. And i love chocolate strawberries, don’t you? Anytime they’re served is a yay for me.

The tea was good. But, it was the exclusivity of it and the venue that made you feel so cool to be there. I can’t say enough about the customer service here. Our guy was lovely!! Definitely made for a better experience that he was so kind. I did want to walk around the building for a bit (I saw a stunning library when I went to the bathroom), but by the time we were done some doors were closed. Right before we walked out tho, I did get a peek of what looked like a banquet or event room. SO pretty! I wanna have a party there for no reason!! I’ve already made plans to go back with my sister hehe. I hope you guys make it too! And if you do, please share your experience with us!

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Spot #16 Revisit:

Pardee Home

672 11th Street Oakland, CA 94607

pardeehome.org

Last time we were here was October 2015. All I remember was that we had to wait a while to get in (for the reservation) and that it was something I definitely had to experience again. I didn’t think I’d wait so long, but it was mos def worth the wait! (gosh, how many times do I have to say wait?) Since their banquet room only holds 12 and since I voted this Spot ‘Best Experience’, I made sure to fill my guest list. I’m so happy we had the big group we did, because it made for an even sweeter time!

This would also be the first Tea since my shift (read all about that here), so I might’ve been a little anxious or apprehensive about how I was going to handle the “work” part of this visit. Again, since it was all about the whole experience- I made sure my first priority was to be present. Enjoy my girls and the Tour [of the home].

As it was 8 years ago, the house was exquisite. So many little pieces to look at and details that made you ooh and ahh. And just like last time, I’m not including any of those shots on here cuz I want you to come see it for yourself! In real life! I loved seeing my girl’s faces after every new corner we turned. It made me so happy that they were so happy to be there! For me, just seeing the wallpaper alone was enough!! (okay, I’m covering my mouth now…I won’t say anymore) After the house tour, our dear docent guided us to their adorable banquet room. Ugh (sigh), breathtaking. (not in the Seinfeld way tho k)

The amount of labor, love, attention, and meticulous detail that is put into this tea service is priceless. Let me mention here that from placing the reservation, I was speaking to a live person each time. These volunteers are here because they want to be and have an organic passion for this home. It’s brilliant and I was/we were privileged to be a recipient of their care.

First things first, they come around with the only tea option of their proprietary English Breakfast blend. They should be so proud of themselves cuz I’m not even an english breakfast tea girl like that but MAN, that stuff is soo good!! Of course they won’t say what the blend is, but I was getting some citrus or bergamot and some lavender notes… Either way, keep it coming please!

They start you off with their beautiful Tea Sandwiches. (see, I told you) Flawless presentation. I didn’t take pics of each of the items like I usually do…I was in the moment mmkay. But, I did take notes of my thoughts on each.

Cucumber – I can’t ever have enough green crunchy veggies, so I loved the mountain of cucumbers. And they do theirs with like an herb cream cheese. Different, but welcome.

Smoked Salmon – Light cheese, nice dill sprig, yay capers!

Egg Salad – First I was like ‘ew, this is too green oniony’. Then I was like ‘I think I like this’. Hahah! Yall know I hate green onions. But for some reason, the amount and crunch this one had…made me love it. (covering eyes) I know, I know, who am I??

Chicken Salad – There was something sweet and/or curryish in this one. And so cute that it had a profiterole “bun”! I know there were a lot of girls at the table who enjoyed this tea sandwich a lot!

Cheese Crisp – Didn’t expect it to be cold, but I liked that. It had a little spice (which I liked too) and a good texture to it.

Then they served us fresh, warm Savories!

Artichoke – We were all trying to figure out what was in this one…? Despite saying it was a bit “too pickley” for me, as my friend who sat next to me pointed out- I still ate the whole thing. Haha! It was like olivey or had pimento in it or something. And of course, crunchy phyllo is not something you leave on the table. It’s a lot of work, that phyllo!

Mushroom – This one was thee Crowd-Pleaser. It’s like they made tiny slices of bread and toasted them perfectly, then packed that cup with creamy mushroom filling. It was SO GOOD, I am salivating right now just thinking about it again. For me, all those textures made it so fun to eat. I would have a dozen for dinner.

Next course were the Scones! Cranberry Orange today. Don’t you just love warm fresh scones?! These were soo chewy. Great flavor, THAT CREAM, crispy edges. I think the cream made it. I was trying to be modest…but I woulda licked the serving dish clean if I could.

And now, the Sweets! They did a good job too, of coming around sporadically (Tai: Yeah, I hope not sporadically.) refilling teacups of that delicious English Breakfast! At this point in the tea service however, I only had room for a bite each of these. (of course I finished them when I got home!)

Apricot Bar – nice texture, not too fruity

Lemon Tart – pastry is really good + crumbly, my favorite of the bunch

Maple Pecan – buttery chewy maple flavor, Table Favorite!

Pecan Sandies – perfect, so much powdered sugar I love

Double Chocolate Cookie – good chocolate but not too much

Macadamia Shortbread – bland, which was nice (not competing with other sweets)

So yes, this place lived up to its chosen superlative as Best Experience. This was our biggest party of this Leg of the Tour, so it was nice to have a lot of the girls who had already been on tour with me. We did have 2 Firsties (yayyy!), so it was a pleasure having their first afternoon tea be with us! Again, hosting (from reservations to docent to servers) was immaculate. The Pardee Home Staff took such good care of us and showed us a good time, thank you!! I heard a lot of the girls making plans to come back with their families or other girlfriends, and that made me so happy. Such a fun afternoon touring the home and then enjoying a stunning tea party. I was in the moment, present…with a little bit of work. (exhale)

We’re finishing our 3rd Leg strong! (arm flex emoji) Leave your email with us below, so you’ll be notified of all our last Spots. Thank you to all who have/who will donate. This keeps our Tour going! I’ll be back in a week or so about this next Spot… All Love, Oly.

All Pardee Home related posts:

Spot #16 :: Pardee Home

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