Tag Archives: tea party

Spot #55 :: Elliston Vineyards

Our 55th Spot:

Elliston Vineyards

463 Killkare Road Sunol, CA 94586

ellistonvineyards.com

Last spring, I was invited to a lovely dinner party. The location sounded familiar…and sure enough, it was going to be at the same vineyard I had plans to visit for this Leg of our Tour! I tried not to look around too much, so I could still have fresh eyes for our Tour visit. But let me tell you, the views from their banquet balcony- (smoke blowing emoji) STUNNING. I am purposely not including too many photos of this place, as I want you to experience it for yourself in-person like we did today!

I mean, look where we got to have tea! You know I love eating outside!! It was a cozy but comfy round table. There were 7 of us, but enough room. I actually appreciated the closeness, it was nice. We had 2 OG’s, 2 that have been with me since last Leg, and 2 new ones! A sweet bunch.

Osmanthus Tea – This loose leaf tea was freshly arrived from China. We had a good 5-6 refills of it, it was so good! I think this tea made the whole service, if I do say so myself. All the girls loved it!

Gorgeous tier and beautiful display. We all got up to take photos of it!

Cucumber Sandwich – You guys know I respect it when you can do something different with a cucumber sandwich. The cream was tangy, the vegetable was crunchy, and that pepper on top was so welcome.

Roasted Tomato Sandwich – Perfectly roasted tomatoes and plenty of nice basil. My favorite part of this one: it was spicy! Not ruin-your-tastebuds spicy, but exciting spicy.

Smoked Salmon Sandwich – This wasn’t your average smoked salmon from the grocery store.

Chicken Salad Sandwich – Very flavorful! Had an intriguing spice or herb… And loved the texture.

Scone + Sweets – I think the savories and tea were definitely the star of the show here. I was only able to have one bite of the scone and sweets. I loved that cookie!

I would come back for the surroundings and tea alone. But let me not forget to talk about how wonderfully we were treated! From our gracious server to the sweet woman that brought our tiers and cleaned our table…and then even meeting the owner! It was a charming tea from beginning to end. I had an amazing time with my girls and just an all-around peaceful afternoon. Oh, even the music was perfect! I sure hope you make the time to visit Elliston. We already can’t wait to come back for a tour of the house and to spend the night at their Bed & Breakfast!

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my raTEAng 1-54

From It’s giving ‘It’s okay you don’t have to serve Afternoon Tea’ to The tea party is tea-partying:

54. iChina Restaurant, Santa Clara – Unsanitary tea spouts…need I say more?

53. Tal-Y-Tara Tea & Polo Shoppe, San Francisco – Outright rude and has no business being a tea house.

52. Tudor Rose English Tea Room, Santa Rosa – Eleven levels of tea service and you don’t even want one. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

51. Secret Garden Tea House, San Francisco – Filthy place with yummy scones. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

50. The Tearoom, Oakland – They don’t know how to make tea, don’t go.

49. Tea Time, Palo Alto – Awkward dirty cafe that left us thirsty.

48. The Golden Tea Garden, Hayward – Bad-mannered + arrogant owner with dollar store decor + tea. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

47. Leland Tea Company, Burlingame – A cafe that serves food you can make yourself at home + buy yourselves from shelves, on 3 tiers.

46. Sip Tea Room, San Francisco – Take 2 of boring tea.

45. The Hidden Tea Room, Lodi – Everyone gets 2 scones.

44. Mints & Honey, San Carlos – Want waffles?

43. The RoyalTea Garden, Pleasanton – Forgettable tea service.

42. Son & Garden, Palo Alto – Take your selfie, leave the tea.

41. Croissante, Santa Clara – Not everyone needs to offer afternoon tea, especially this place.

40. Linde Lane Tea Room, Dixon – Snooty but pretty with fun sorbet intro. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

39. Chill Tea & Coffee, Brentwood – Best theme everrr.

38. Lovejoy’s Tea Room, San Francisco – Pretentious area with spectacular Black Vanilla tea.

37. Quail & Thistle Tea Room, Capitola – Adorable building with overwhelming all-in-one plate. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

36. The Rotunda at Neiman Marcus, San Francisco – Matter-of-fact service and expensive teeny tasteless food.

35. Eddison & Melrose Tea Room, Monterey – Okay tea, but recognition of who we were made my year. [TEA ROOM PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

34. Proper Hotel, San Francisco – Hodgepodge decor and hit-or-miss tea party foods.

33. Tyme for Tea & Co., Fremont – FORMERLY the perfect tea house, with perfect food, and perfect service.

32. SanDai & KOPI Bar, Walnut Creek – Cute concept and yay for included mimosas.

31. Satori Tea Company, San Jose – Interesting + eclectic, rum butter crumpets, and purple tea. [TEA ROOM PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

30. Filoli Gardens, Woodside – Stunning garden views with subpar overpriced cuisine.

29. Grove 45, Calistoga – First time make-your-own-tea experience!

28. The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco – A definite must-experience with exceptional service.

27. Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco – Complex + unique flavors that just work, and a have-to-have pear compote.

26. Napa Valley Wine Train, Napa – A luxury and leisure tea I could totally get used to.

25. The St. Regis, San Francisco – A tea service that makes you feel rich, regal, and important.

24. Palace Hotel, San Francisco – Breathtaking surroundings and flawless food.

23. Lovey’s Tea Shoppe, Pacifica – Black Vanilla with Lavender tea, asparagus sandwich, and sweet staff.

22. Camellia Tea Room, Benecia – Impeccable service and an all-around wonderful time. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

21. Lisa’s Tea Treasures, Los Altos – Like going to your sister’s house and having delicious tea.

20. Julia’s Restaurant, Berkeley – Like having tea in a secret society!

19. Maison Danel, San Francisco – A Croissant-Lover’s dream, but get dropped off. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

18. Crown & Crumpet Tea Stop Cafe, San Francisco – Unforgettable crumpets and scrumptious tea sandwiches.

17. Tal’s Patisserie, Danville – Best rustic tea meal for a bread-lover, with best store-bought tea.

16. Beacon Grand Hotel, San Francisco – Worth the wait.

15. Pardee Home, Oakland – A tour in a tour that will feed you until satisfaction and the definition of ‘cuteness overload’.

14. Alexander’s Patisserie, Mountain View – Home to the Best Tea Sandwich I’ve had on the entire Tour.

13. Crown & Crumpet, Ross – Gold standard of Afternoon Tea.

12. Jade Chocolates, San Francisco – Lilikoi marshmallow. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

11. Chelokababi Restaurant, Sunnyvale – You’re missing out if you’ve never had Persian Tea before.

10. Dartealing Lounge, San Francisco – Best sandwiches and cutest ambiance.

9. Claremont Hotel, Berkeley – Would come for the biscuits and scones alone.

8. The Third Floor, San Francisco – Eyes rolling in the back of your head good. [TEA SERVICE PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

7. K On The Go, Union City – I would come here every day if I could.

6. The White Hart Tea Room, Pacific Grove – Really like going to someone’s house for tea (cuz you are), and having true homemade food (cuz you are). [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

5. Four Seasons, Palo Alto – Really good everything and you’ll want to come back already by the end of your meal.

4. The Caviar Co., Tiburon – If you’re not a Caviar-Lover, you will be.

3. Malaya Tea Room, Alameda – New go-to spot with exemplary finger sandwiches.

2. The English Rose Tea Room, Pleasanton – A hundred delectable teas and textbook shabby chic decor. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

1. Muir’s Tea Room, Sebastopol – There are no words invented yet that describe how GOOD this Tea Spot is, it excels in all aspects of Afternoon Tea.

See you after the next 6 Spots! And to all Tea Room Owners, remember: for every Permanently Closed spot, you get to move up one!!

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Spot #54 :: Chill Tea & Coffee

Our 54th Spot:

Chill Tea & Coffee

2545 Sand Creek Road Brentwood, CA 94513

www.chillteaandcoffee.com

[photo by Kika]

“This is my family. I found it all on my own. It’s little, and broken. But still good. Yeah…still good.”

So- I tried to schedule this Spot for our 3rd Leg in 2023. I think we weren’t able to fit it in our schedule, so I let it go for the time being. When compiling my list for Leg 4, I’m glad I came back to this one. It’s kind of on the outskirts of the Bay, but I was moved to include it. Waited patiently (and anxiously) for them to release their May date + theme (since that’s when we were scheduled to go and they change every month). Um, so SO happy I did!! LILO + STITCH, are you kidding me!!?! We were still on our Disney-high (read this post here) AND he’s my absolute fave!! I am an orphan with a created family, too. I’ve never been more excited for a tea theme in my life!

[photo by Kika]

They really committed to this theme! The music was the beast part!! Lots of Anuhea was playing, definitely some Elvis, I think I heard a Kolohe Kai song. The Hawaiian in me was celebrating! It’s a small operation. A cafe within this adorable plaza. They close off the back, and there’s maybe like 5 tables. Uuultra intimate, which you guys know I love. It just feels super exclusive and special.

[photo by Kika]

I took my OG Tea Dolls with me this time around. We love a good drive to catch up, on the way to and from our tea party. I’m carrying my DSLR less and less. It’s a lot to juggle with my cane…and I’m wanting to focus more on being present with my friends and less on the “work”. I think my iPhone 16e did okay tho! And thankfully, our one girl loves to take great shots with her phone’s high-quality camera.

Strawberry Pomegranate (black) – Good flavor, tastes sweetened.

Maui Mango (herbal) – I’m not sure what made it so bright yellow… It was steeped too long by the time I had it. Again, tasted sweetened.

Passion Fruit, Orange, Guava (chilled) – When I was a little girl, I used to collect the free Pass-O-Guava’s that my family got on the plane rides to/from Hawaii haha. So, this is a favorite of mine. We had this one toward the end of our tea service, refreshing. So cute that even tho it’s chilled, they still put it in a teapot! A bit sweet tho.

Spam Musubi Bites – Let’s all say it together: “I love Arrival Appetizers!!” So fun to have these first thing! It was a nice cut of Spam. Grilled but still soft inside. Nice sauce, nice rice ratio.

What a fun tier! (big smiley face emoji) My inner child couldn’t wait to get my hands on my Stitch ring heheh!!

Egg – There wasn’t a menu (in-person or on the website), so I don’t have the official names and descriptions for each item. Their egg salad could use some salt, the chive was nice.

Cucumber – That cream was thicccc! It was an unexpected but fun texture for me. Cool citrus + dill flavor. Crunchy cucumber, wish there was more.

Chicken – I felt like it was dry at first and could use more seasoning. But I loved the cut of chicken. And all that arugula- yesss!

Lemon Blueberry Scone with raspberry preserves – I only took a bite of this one, I thought it was dry. My girlfriend said she wished it wasn’t store-bought. (which they later confirmed it wasn’t, and pride themselves in “making sure that none of our food items are store-bought” and “really really focus on no store bought items” per their owner)

Maha Blanca – First time being served this on a tea service and I was so excited to hear that!! My Tutu used to make and sell these from her home for many years. So my assessment of theirs wouldn’t be fair. My girls all loved theirs tho! The flavor was good, tho I wish I tried it fresh. This one’s texture was more like a jello, and what I was used to was smoother. A+ still for the darling container they used to serve these!

Mango Panna Cotta – Good flavor.

Salted Caramel Cheesecake – This was my favorite from the tier. More of a chewy cheesecake, which I don’t mind. Really salty, which I appreciated. I think I was looking for more savories…

Red Velvet Cupcake – I couldn’t taste any flavor from mine. And it was dry.

Streusel Loaf – Only took a bite, it was okay.

Macarons – Macaron.

You guyssss. I didn’t wanna write this one. When I know my review will only be “okay”, I just wanna leave my card on the table and haul booty outta there. Cuz when I stop to meet the owners…that’s when things get tricky for me. But our server as it is was just so so delightful (and stunning btw too), so I knew if I talked to the owners they would just melt me. And they sure did! It’s a husband + wife team. I emailed with the wife to make our reservations and she was so accommodating. Then I met her and (whiny face emoji) she is just LOVELY. I hope she knows my review comes from honesty and just tasting 50+ Tea Services!! I mean no shade or disrespect and I really do look forward to coming back to Chill Tea again! We were given such good care, the theme was so fun, and like I wanna be her friend she was so cool.

So generous- they even gave a free gift and packed our leftover teas in to-go cups! I hope my Readers give them a chance. Follow them on Instagram @chillteaandcoffee Check out their upcoming themes. Maybe you’ll see me there!

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Music.

I touched on this in my recent About the Author post…about how big of a role Music plays in my life. And then I said I was gonna do its own post, buut that’s kind of a loaded topic for me. So I figured- I can just share in increments! For this one, we’ll be discussing my all-time favorite albums and my all-time favorite songs. Deal?

Thanks to Google for these images. (cheesy smile emoji) During the Pandemic, there was a small trend going around that asked for your top 6 favorite albums. That’s why I have 6 of em… Here are mine, from number 1 to number 6.

ALL-TIME FAVORITE ALBUMS, NO SKIPS!

1. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill by Lauryn Hill

2. II by Boyz II Men

3. Dreams of Freedom: Ambient Translations of Bob Marley in Dub by Bob Marley

4. Calling All Lovers by Tamar Braxton

5. The Places You Gave Come to Fear the Most by Dashboard Confessional

6. Rock Steady by No Doubt

I have been trying to get them all on vinyl, tho my collection started late and I’ll have to dig through crates to find 2 of them since they probably don’t/won’t make em anymore. Such a different sound on vinyl!! I didn’t know about him yet when that trend came about… So for an Honorable Mention, I’ll put down Something to Feel by TEEKS! (Do yourselves a favor and look him up!!)

Okay, now, for Favorite Songs… I have a playlist on my phone called #1s and for some reason I stopped at 14. I thought I had 15…? But I can’t seem to figure out what the 15th song was or would be. So, we’ll stick with the 14! Haha.

  1. “On Bended Knee” by Boyz II Men
  2. “Love and War” by Tamar Braxton
  3. “I Refuse” by Aaliyah
  4. “Hold On” by H.E.R.
  5. “Easy On Me” by Jessie J
  6. “Circles” by Tamar Braxton
  7. “Impossible” by Christina Aguilera
  8. “Love of My Life” by Brian McKnight
  9. “Empty Boxes” by Tamar Braxton
  10. “Lost One” by Jazmine Sullivan
  11. “I Was Here” by Beyonce
  12. “To Be Loved” by Adele
  13. “It’s Over” by Drop’n Harmony (DnH)
  14. “Gone” by Kelly Clarkson

As you can tell, I love me a good strong ballad. I love songs that tell stories. I love songs with a great arrangement. And, I love songs with a healthy crescendo!! Soul is my genre of choice (even named my daughter after it), but I listen to almost anything + everything. R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz…etc etc. Lots of Lauryn (no favorites of hers cuz I love em all), lots of Teeks, Eli-Mac, HER, Adele, Alicia… P!nk, Selena, Chris Brown… Freddie Mercury, Mariah Carey… 2pac (clean versions), Celine Dion, Christina Aguilera… Bruno Mars, old school 90’s hip-hop, original underground rap artists… Stylistics, Chicago, Stevie, Smokey, Luther… 112, K-Ci & JoJo… Boyz II Men OF COURSE in heavy rotation… J Boog was my kids’ first concert, Anuhea, Kolohe Kai, Fia, Sammy Johnson, Josh Tatofi… I used to be maaajorly into Reggae. Selecta Bam Bam was my favorite, Matisyahu too… And Freestyle, of course. “Take Me in Your Arms”, “Can’t We Try”, “If You Leave Me Now”…

So now you know my music preferences. What does it tell you about me? Hehe. I’m curious to know!? Leave in the comments here, or DMs on IG, or on Threads.

So…we were supposed to do a Surprise Tea this past Sunday, but that fell through. It was the first Sunday I was available during the Tour, so when reservations opened I booked it right away. It said nothing about being Easter-themed. Sweet. But when I went to check my confirmation- yeah, it was Easter-themed. Bummer. I wanted to try their ‘normal’ tea service, so we’re waiting… Still no calendar out from our May Spot, so I may just have these 2 months off. Not my favorite because I like to make my time count. And I’m DEF not rearranging the entire Tour cuz of these 2 Spots… I’ll just add em in when I can. Aaanyhooo, since there was no Tea Review post for you this week, I thought I should at least pop out an Author one for ya. I think I’m gonna keep adding to these Music ones as I am moved. Increments, like I said.

Thank you for taking the time to read these Get To Know Me ones! Still funny for me to talk about myself, but I’m slowly refining the balance of what I want to share and what I need to keep for me. This is the internet after all. And I’m sure you’ve seen/read those posts on monitoring spirits (“trolls” I think they’re called). They could do what they want…hi guys! (wave emoji) Donate while you’re here hehe! (wink)

See my loyal Readers + Subscribers whenever the next Tea happens! mwa

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Leg 4 Updates

[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!!

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Spot #52 :: Beacon Grand Hotel

Our 52nd Spot:

The Post Room at Beacon Grand Hotel

450 Powell Street San Francisco, CA 94102

www.beacongrand.com

I love being proved wrong. I’m not one of those girls that always needs to be right! (stick out tongue emoji) I already explained in my last Spot Review that this one had to be rescheduled, which is why we did 53 first and this one is 52. I like to plan my Legs months before it starts. Beacon had been on my radar for a while, tho they were only offering a Christmas Tea. I wanted to see what a standard or general tea service from there was like and just about a year ago, they started serving year-round. Yes! I called in again while I was creating my plans for Leg 4 and was assured they’d be offering their tea service passed the Christmas season. However, when I tried to make reservations to visit in February, I was denied. Their afternoon tea service was paused and would resume in March. Ay-yay-yay! I had to rearrange my entire Tour. It wasn’t just a matter of switching my February Tea to my March Tea…my individual guests’ schedules and a lot more is involved. Anyhow, I worked my magic and fixed everything. But even when March arrived, reservations on their OpenTable page weren’t available yet… I had to call in several times and was given promises of returned phone calls or emails back for confirmation, but received nothing… It was mad annoying. So prior to my arrival, I was already perturbed. Didn’t even feel like bringing my professional camera, so everything is taken on my iPhone 16e. And then. I walk. Into. This:

My attitude immediately diminished. What beauty! My girls + I took a few selfies by the flowers and got excited for what lay ahead.

The 3 of us got sat at this quiet corner. Snug + comfy chairs, delicious views of the place. There was a pianist/singer whose amplified sound decorated the ambiance. She played the best covers and she did em justice!

Upon seating, they bring over a cart of their offered teas. Brilliant display and set up. I especially loved how she brought the samples to you, so not everyone is touching everything and breathing all over everything. An OCDer’s dream!

Black Vanilla Rose (rose petals, rich vanilla and full bodied black tea leaves are perfectly balanced by the subtle sweetness and delicate floral notes of rose petals) – There were so many good ones, from the modest number of teas they offer. But these flavors are all my jam, so of course this one caught my attention. I chose right! Blended perfectly.

The other teas chosen at the table were: Hibiscus Berry Herbal (blend of hibiscus & herbs for a soul searching, mouth watering cup of calorie free, sugar free, and caffeine free heaven), which my friend kept repeating “This tea is wonderful! Did I say that already?!”; and Bourbon Vanilla Rooibos (bourbon vanilla, African red herbal roasted with notes of malt & Madagascar vanilla bean) which our other friend described as ‘homey, nostalgic, and comforting’. Teas were great, to say the least! And always a plus for me during tea services.

Remember “The World’s Most Amazing Vacations Rentals” on Netflix!? I loved that show. While I enjoyed taking a trip with them all over the world, (covering mouth) hehe, my favorite part of each visit were the Arrival Appetizers!! I mean, who wouldn’t? Free food + alcoholic beverages just waiting to greet you?? (raises hand) Yes please!

So once we were settled with our teas and choice of Brut or Rosé Proseccos, they brought us WELCOME Chocolate Covered Strawberries!!?! I loved that!! Nice touch Beacon, well done.

[photo by my girl, we’ll call her “Wife of Filipino” (inside joke) for her blog nickname]

So many luscious colors on this tier!

No individual shots of each item this time, I (as my husband said) “Grove 45‘d it” and just took the fewest amount of pictures possible so I could be present with my friends. Of the couple angles I took, the overhead ones were my fave!

Ube Scone – This was so crunchy! More like a biscuit than a scone, to me. Either way, I slapped some honey butter on that joint and ate it all up! Light ube flavor.

Tomato Mozzarella Scone – I didn’t think I would like this one, cuz I just wasn’t in a tomato frame of mind… But it surprised me! Packed a punch of chewy goodness.

Mixed Berries Streusel Muffin – Give me anything with a streusel! Again, just light flavors here. Still ate it tho!

Egg Salad (lemon aioli, amarosa potato, spinach bread) – The bread was fun. Again, light flavors… Everything was “light” for me. This one wasn’t my favorite, but still a good sandwich. My girl W.o.F. loved this one.

Prosciutto & K&J Orchard Figs (fig jam, goat cheese, pistachio, brioche) – Now we’re talkin! Fig jam – loove! It was a nice + welcome sweetness. Arugula – loooove! Can never have enough of that leaf.

Black Angus New York Strip (horseradish aioli, arugula, white bread) – Thanks to Wife of Filipino for warning us of the strong horseradish with this one. She did not like that. Me, I adore that stuff. I like it when you can’t breathe for a quick second!! HAHA. Appreciated everything about this tea sandwich.

Maine Lobster Roll (brown butter, meyer lemon, house made sweet roll) – The bread on this one was too toasted. Like, I was scared I was gonna cut the roof of my mouth. But the lobster inside were nice big chunks of it, and the sweet relish was unexpected but good.

Coconut Pandan Rice Cake – Loved the bouncy texture, but this tasted like perfume to me.

Passion Fruit Cupcake with Mascarpone – Perfect pastry, didn’t like the cheese…but I will always love the pop of a lilikoi seed!

Coconut Lemon Cake – Nice spongey cake, light flavors.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself here. Once again, happy to be proven wrong! The setting was stunning, the food was very good, and the teas were top notch. But what made this the very best experience was our amazing server (I don’t usually write names here) Tessa!! She showed us a spectacular time and her zest for life was just infectious. The girls I was with, W.o.F. and [I’ll call her] my New York Sweetie, were so much fun too. The conversation never stopped! Thank you ladies, for making it an afternoon to remember. It was a whole 7 weeks since my last Tea, and while I was dragging my feet getting to this one- yall made me remember why I love doing this.

Thank you Readers/Followers/Subscribers/Donators for keeping me here! See you again soon! Visit us on our socials!

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I left my heart in Disneyland.

I had 2 other topics in line for today’s About The Author post, buut I don’t wanna talk about them! I really just want to talk about our recent trip to Disney.

Our family hasn’t been out of the Bay Area since 2019. We’re not big travelers anyhow, and when we do go it’s only a couple hours away. The furthest we’ve been was when we were coerced into visiting the narc mom.

I grew up a Disney kid tho. My bio mom was an ultra-fanatic, so we went AT LEAST once a year. For her, not for us. And after that, the last time I was there was my senior trip in ’98. Soo, it’s been 27 years for me.

Our family was in desperate need of a trip. The Huz even declared that the first thing we were spending our tax return on this year was just that. But late October last year, we got a text from dear friends inviting us to join them for Disney. We honestly thought we were just never gonna go. Our kids were never interested, cuz they never saw the movies. And for a family who lives a simplified life, we just never thought we could ever afford it. As a matter of fact, when our kids were little- they thought the Disney STORE was DisneyLAND and that was enough for them!! Haha! This invitation was too good to pass up and we adored this family, so it was a simple yes for us.

We took our time traveling to get there and spent our first night at Downtown Disney. Never been, didn’t know anything about it. Um, how cool!! We had these amazing burgers for dinner and walked around a bit, looking through a few shops.

The next day we did Disneyland. Days and weeks prior, we would ask each other around the dinner table what we were looking forward to most. I would always answer: “Just being on Main Street.” Well that, and the gift shops. I didn’t even have anything to buy!! I just wanted to look at everything! And sure enough, as soon as we entered and walked on Main Street, it hit me- we were in DISNEYLAND!!?! I was brought right back to Little Me. I don’t have very many fond memories of my childhood, but walking into Disneyland had all the nostalgia for sure.

I needed to use the bathroom. (I’m not gonna say too much about the friends we traveled with to protect their privacy…plus, this is my story) We were taken to this exclusive lounge, as they wanted us to see + use the nice bathroom. I had to be taken up by elevator, since I was in my wheelchair. I just had to use the bathroom real quick, no biggie. When we got up there and the elevator doors opened, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Thee Mickey and Minnie were standing right in front of me. I paused real quick to realize what a big deal this was. There are scheduled times they are brought out in the park and LINES formed to meet them. But here they were, standing in front of me, waving!? SO UNEXPECTED. There was a handler standing next to them. Yes I needed to use the bathroom…but I wasn’t gonna just let them be right there and not even say hi! I asked if I could say hi and their handler said of course. When I tell you they FAWNED OVER me like they KNEW my inner child and KNEW she wanted to feel seen!! They barely even acknowledged my daughter who was pushing my wheelchair (they did finally say hi to her real quick tho). She said Mickey made a “pwa” sound when he kissed me! Tears were rolling down my face, I couldn’t control it. I asked if we could take a picture and again the handler said of course. The tears still kept rolling. By the time we were done and met my son (oh yeah I did use the bathroom), he was like “are you good?” haha cuz I was still crying! It wasn’t that I was “starstruck” per se, it was all Little Me. The way that they just gave me all this attention (which side note – I did notice cast members waving + smiling at me and not so much my son while he was pushing my wheelchair, like it’s something they are told/taught to do) just made Adult Me feel so loved. I understand the Disney “magic”.

The next day we did DCA. Again, never been. And that place was even cooler! We had the best hosts that knew all the cool rides and places to eat and things to do + see. I loved Soarin’ and the Cars ride! I was honestly just so happy to BE THERE. It didn’t even matter what we were doing…I was so GRATEFUL. My daughter, my only 13-year-old daughter, said something pretty profound. After telling her how happy I was to be at Disney, she says “This time you get to do it for yourself, and not for her.” (speaking of the narc bio mom) Are you crying?? What an incredible thing for her to think of and say!! #InnerChildHealing

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Spot #53 :: The Hidden Tea Room

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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Gallery-themed Home Decor

In my second to last About the Author post, I talked about my love for art and my being a fine art collector. I also said I would do a whole separate post on it, so here we are! Aside from this being more on how to get to know the Writer behind this website, what does this have to do with Tea…? Well to make the connection: one of my draws to Afternoon Tea Culture was the interior design you find in most tea rooms. There, I made it work haha.

I thought I was going to start with one of the first pieces I bought… But actually, it goes further back. So I’ll start there.

When I followed my old Old Navy Manager (she was a proxy mom to me) to work at Michaels Craft Stores, she put me in Custom Framing. Which was perfect for me as I’ve always loved art. I learned really fast and I got really good. One of my favorite jobs to date! In no time, I became the Senior Certified Framer. But the best part of my days was when I got to listen to people’s stories of their beloved pieces and help them come up with a mat + frame that would complement their art. Again because of my tetrachromat eyes, I would put together unexpected combinations that would highlight their paintings or tapestries or posters. I slowly started framing my own pieces, then our friends would come in to see me…it became a passion. Before this, I would visit art galleries and just observe and admire. But now I was going to art shows and buying pieces! A loved show the Huz + I attended was by artists that created cover art and promo posters for musicians. We have original pieces for concerts of Bob Marley, 311, and the Gorillaz.

I got busy with motherhood and parenting, so the art purchasing kinda stopped. Now I was putting up family pictures and kids’ art on the fridge. But when my babies got older and I had the time for home decor again, I started to get my feet a little bit wet. I even started an Instagram account dedicated to my decor ideas, a ‘diary’ if you will.

May 2019 – I remember walking through a food truck event with my family. Yes, I’m there for the food. But my favorite part of those things are the booths! I love seeing all the independent vendors and small business shops of crafts + art. One in particular caught my eye. It was of a woman with really exaggerated long hair. I bought 3 pieces of his!! Haha.

July 2019 – My Sister dropped off a bunch of extra art supplies she had lying around the house, including some canvases. All different sizes. When I started my trauma recovery and started painting, it was mostly objects. I had never tried my hand at canvas before… I created my first piece on 7/18/19. There were some tiny ones from that box too, a 3-inch by 3-inch. I had been painting abstract seascapes and wanted to keep with the coastal theme. I was obsessed with Mexican blankets. They just reminded me so much of our time spent with the ocean, and that brought me so much comfort. I love their pattern and thought I would try and paint one! Something about creating those lines over and over, calmed me. I painted more. Then more. Didn’t know what to do with them, until someone suggested I try to sell them online. What? No one cares about these! I tried. They sold out. I kept creating more and people kept buying more. One customer commissioned TWENTY to be made!! When I moved onto serape blankets, oh everyone wanted those. These were tiny canvases. Intricate pieces. Some took me HOURS to finish. The first time I felt “successful” was when I sold one of my 3″x3″ paintings for $125.00 and someone was actually EXCITED to pay me that much money for my art!!?! Yeah. Talk about brain explosion emojis! After I made my first couple hundred bucks, I went back to that artist (Chris Ouk of Wikid Canvas) I found at the food truck event- and commissioned my own piece. What a full circle moment.

We were deep into the Pandemic now. Stimulus checks were coming in. We have always lived a simple life, the 4 of us (5 including the dog). We don’t travel, we don’t eat out much. Once needs were taken care of, we were allowed to each spend on whatever brought us joy…especially since we were just ALWAYS HOME. I chose art. I had a finsta where I followed all my favorite artists. David Garibaldi, Tim Okamura, Erin Yoshi… Camilla West, Robert Roth, Stephen Magsig… Classic favorites: Norman Rockwell, Margaret Keane, Rothko… New favorites: Loui Jover, Lindsay Rapp, Leslie Weaver, Jessica Durant, Claudia Tremblay, Amanda Ryan Tucker… I was heavily tapping into my Hawaiian side at the time, so I fancied Punkyaloha, Aloha de Mele, Mayan Llanera, Kat Reeder… Coastal art of course: Chilvers, Abel Arts, Courtney Mixed… I honestly could go on and on. And on. And on and on and on.

I began purchasing and collecting. Our walls started to fill up. There is not a room in our entire house that doesn’t have art in it. I always say our home decor is like Art Gallery meets Beachy VW Van hahah! (cuz I also wanted comfort right, so we have these huge ugly dark brown cozy couches with serape blankets hanging on the back of them) But, I was able to acquire quite the collection and have vignettes carefully created all throughout the house. I love it here.

In my imagination while planning this post, I visualized taking gorgeous shots of all the corners of our home and sharing them here. That, or maybe tediously looking up each and every piece I have bought over the years and linking them. However, some things have to be kept private and/or left to the imagination or interpretation. It’s more fun that way! So I encourage you to look up these artists! I didn’t link them so you could have the honor and excitement of doing that part yourselves. I hope you find a new favorite and start a collection of your own! (if you haven’t already got one) Thank you for taking an interest in my interests!! Next one I think will be about music…so leave your email with us, so you don’t miss out!

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Spot #51 :: Grove 45

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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