Tag Archives: tea service

Mason Jars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How does this all connect to mason jars?

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

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

I wanna say I lived each day, until I died

I know that I had something in somebody’s life

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

That I made a difference and this world will see

I was here

I lived, I loved, I was here

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

And it was more than I thought it would be

I will leave my mark so everyone will know

I was here

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

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

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My CD Insert

After a Leg is done, I usually like to share my Final Thoughts and personally thank my guests that have come…etc etc. This is going to be a bit different. I’m gonna do the little summary for Leg 4, sure. But then I am going to add some Highlights and name some special people (I don’t usually include names), from the ENTIRE TOUR since 2014! And at the end of all that, a cool little feature- I’m going to list everyone (just initials to keep my personal friends’ privacy) that’s ever joined a tea party with me and the number of times they’ve attended our California Tea House Tour!!

LEG 4

This one was messy. No matter how much you plan (even my meticulous organized OCD self), there are just some things you won’t have control over. There were way too many Spots this Leg that just either didn’t have their act together, stopped their tea service, or weren’t sure if/when they were bringing it back. And I wasn’t gonna bother with any of that, so I just left them out. Quite a few, however, also popped up so we had additional ones to visit in place. I did discover some new gems, so I was really happy about that. I’m def going back to The Caviar Co. (already been twice more since hehe), Beacon Grand, Elliston, Kiki’s, and Rosewood Sand Hill FO SHO. Found my new “Regulars” too. These Sweethearts just make it so EASY for me, and I love that. I will invite them to Tea anytime, all the time. My health was slowly deteriorating all year, so I was getting slower with each new Spot Visit. Lots of times I didn’t even bring my DSLR, so the shots you see were just from my phone… Thankfully, my girls all knew how to support me when needed. Thank you to all who waited for me + my cane, parked closer (VIP paking with my placard heyy), offered their arm, or just made me feel like a human being. My husband said this could be my last Leg. And while sometimes it was a struggle, I’m glad I did it. I can’t say how many times at Tea, my friends talked about special moments on the Tour for them or how much they liked or disliked a place I brought them to. Those memories will be etched in my heart for always.

HIGHLIGHTS

When we met Amy, the owner of Crown & Crumpet, and she showed us such a good time I just knew this was going to be the start of something extraordinary.

When someone from this Spot searched for my name on facebook (I don’t have an account there anymore) to write me a nasty message about how I shared a FACT about his place. Changed my name on there after that.

Finding my new favorite go-to afternoon tea spot, The English Rose. I lost count how many tea parties I hosted there after that.

When we were offered the teeniest tiniest pre-selected [for us] tea sandwiches at this Spot and were treated awfully. Then went to have dinner at the Beach Chalet directly after because we were starving! But not before we all had to stop at the bathroom downstairs first where it smelled like the worst long lost dump you could ever imagine!!

When we met Ramesh at The Ritz-Carlton, and he gave us each to-go boxes with fresh new sweets and new jars of condiments to take home.

When we went to this Tea Spot and the owner came to our table and asked us: “Are you parTEA with me??” and was so excited to meet us! Decade made.

That potato salad from Muir’s Tea Room.

The filthiest tea pot spouts I’ve ever seen in my entire life. Writing about it. Writing the owner. And him writing me back, telling me that they bought things to clean it and are now having their staff trained on how to do it.

Meeting Mom (Christine) and Aubree (Chef) at Muir’s. Not knowing they were going to become like family.

The exemplary tea sandwich sizes at Malaya Tea Room.

That egg salad sandwich at Alexander’s Patisserie.

Having tea on a TRAIN!!

The Executive Chef Joseph L. Paire for Claremont Hotel coming out to meet + chill with me and the Huz.

Seeing owner Pauline at Dartealing Lounge, and her coming out to meet + speak with my girls and making it really special for them.

Having THREE COLLAB’s in a month!!?!

Revisiting my 2nd favorite tea room, only to be disappointed with how much their quality has lowered and moving them 28 spots DOWN on my raTEAng. (never done before)

Being the very first tea party reservation at K On The Go and meeting owners Justin + Tea, not yet knowing that this would become our 2nd home and we’d be seeing them often! And having my very first (and only) Guest Writer, my Daughter!!

Having the Hotel Manager at the Claremont come out to meet me and me having something in my teeth, sitting in front of my plate of One-Bite’s. (melting emoji)

Caviar.

The candle at Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel.

TEA GUESTS

Of the 78 official Tea House and Tea Room Visits, here’s how many my 73 friends + family have attended!

V.Ro. “Kika” – 23

M.K.K. “the Huz” – 21

N.V. – 17

T.L. “Florecita” – 14

M.S. – 13

S.M. “Earl Grey Gal” – 13

F.F. “Rizitos”- 13

A.P. “Mariposa” – 10

B.A. “Cutie Jr.” – 7

P.T. – 6

I.M. “Seat Mate Date/Wife of Filipino” – 6

Mar.A. “Cutie” – 5

E.B. “Big Sis” – 5

E.R. “Indy” – 5

S.E. “Daughter” – 5

R.L. – 4

Li.C. – 4

Me.A. – 3

A.V. – 3

J.C. – 3

Mic.M. – 2

P.A. – 2

A.L. – 2

H.M. – 2

F.S. – 2

M.D. “Mrs. Mamoa” – 2

Mir.M. – 2

Ma.M. – 2

I.S. – 2

E.S. – 2

L.L. – 2

T.H. – 2

T.W. – 2

St.R. – 2

1-Timer’s: G.M., R.P., R.R., C.P., V.H., Lo.C., B.L., N.M., M.V., V.Ri., Sha.M., Shi.M., R.C., S.C., O.I., NOVA, Mo.M., A.M., L.M., A.O., Ja.M., J.B., R.M., E.E., Jo.M., C.F., E.A., S.A. “Cutie’s Mr.”, M.C., D.L., J.S., R.D., A.T., L.E., So.R., H.A., C.R., Y.A., Man.A.

*SHOUT OUT* to Kika for going to 30% of all the Spots!! And to the Huz for coming with me to most of my Collabs and Late Entries!!

And here’s something fun I thought of including last minute… This is a FULL LIST of all the different places + countries that have visited + read our blog!! Hello to all you beautiful people and thank you for visiting my website! If you are from one of these countries PLEASE say ‘hello’ in the comments and tell us which one?!

United States

Albania

Algeria

Argentina

Australia

Austria

Bangladesh

Belarus

Belgium

Bosnia & Herzegovina

Brazil

Bulgaria

Cambodia

Canada

Chile

China

Columbia

Côte d’Ivoire

Croatia

Curaçao

Cyprus

Czechia

Denmark

Ecuador

Egypt

European Union

Finland

France

Germany

Ghana

Greece

Guatemala

Hong Kong

Honduras

Hungary

India

Indonesia

Iraq

Ireland

Israel

Italy

Japan

Jordan

Kenya

Kuwait

Lebanon

Malaysia

Maldives

Malta

Martinique

Mexico

Moldova

Mongolia

Myanmar (Burma)

Namibia

Netherlands

New Zealand

Norway

Pakistan

Paraguay

Peru

Philippines

Poland

Portugal

Puerto Rico

Qatar

Romania

Russia

Saudi Arabia

Singapore

South Africa

South Korea

Spain

Sri Lanka

Sweden

Switzerland

Taiwan

Tanzania

Thailand

Türkiye

Ukraine

United Arab Emirates

United Kingdom

Uruguay

U.S. Virgin Islands

Venezuela

Vietnam

Zambia

Zimbabwe

IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, PLEASE LEAVE US YOUR EMAIL IN THE FORM BELOW. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THE NEXT POST.

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my raTEAng 1-62

Thank you for waiting for these last 2 so I could include them! You guys love these!! Here you go!

From Stop it. Get some help. to I already can’t wait to go back:

62. iChina Restaurant, Santa Clara – Unsanitary tea spouts…need I say more? [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

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

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

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

58. The Tearoom, Oakland – They don’t know how to make tea, don’t go. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

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

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

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

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

53. Hello Kitty Cafe, Santa Clara – Expensive nostalgia that doesn’t taste very good.

52. The Burgundy Rose Tearoom, Livermore – Not enough food…but that’s okay.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

38. SanDai & KOPI Bar, Walnut Creek – Cute concept and yay for included mimosas. [TEA ROOM PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

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

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

35. Table For 6, San Mateo – Personal tea service in the Bay.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23. Crown & Crumpet Tea Stop Cafe, San Francisco – Unforgettable crumpets and scrumptious tea sandwiches. [PERMANENTLY CLOSED]

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

21. Elliston Vineyards, Sunol – The most enchanting setting and pure tea.

20. Hotel Nikko, San Francisco – A bounty of food and tea in a chic hotel.

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

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

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

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

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

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

13. Always Yours Bakery Cafe, Castro Valley – Everything was good, which is not common.

12. Kiki’s Coffee Shop, San Mateo – Hosted by a brother + sister and fed so well.

11. Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel, Menlo Park – “Desserts on the tier, but the sandwiches were slammin.”

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.

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Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a one-time donation! Thank you in advance!

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Thank you so much for reading about our Tea House Tour! If you are moved to contribute to our visiting more Tea Spots for you, here’s where you can make a yearly donation! Thank you in advance!

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Daughter Tea x2 – Always Yours Bakery Cafe

THIS was the Tea that I originally wanted to bring my daughter to so she could Guest Write…

Here we go again with me not remembering or writing down how I even knew this place served afternoon tea hehe. And you all already know that I don’t look too much on website or socials… But I remember looking at a few of their Stories (when I was trying to find out if/when they were gonna offer Tea again) and noticed a handle: @sweetcraveblog They sound familiar… They sound familiar… Oh! I’ve met the Baker behind this business before. And I’ve even enjoyed his creations! A friend of ours sent us a dozen blueberry cheesecake cupcakes for our son’s 8th grade graduation some years ago…and they were slammin!! I never forgot about those cuz I was secretly trying to eat as many from the box as I could haha. Wait- he works for Always Yours?? I def need to try their Afternoon Tea.

Always Yours Bakery Cafe

20634 Rustic Drive Castro Valley, CA 94546

www.alwaysyoursbakerycafe.com

Cuuute. I didn’t realize how intimate it was!? Even more special. And if I read through their Tea Time Offering, it did say that each time slot can accommodate only 12 people.

DAUGHTER – We get in and ofc it’s really cute. But anytime I see a place like really cute I always think that they might be compensating for not having as good food (especially with the hello kitty tea).

Cute setup, I dig the vibe! I notice all the details, and I could appreciate the floral wall then marble accent wall. I liked how each table had a different color tea set too, that was sweet. It was clean and minimal, with aesthetic pops here + there. I understood the vision!

DAUGHTER – As mom was taking pictures I felt like this different vibe. Like the other ones that I’ve been to at least had this kinda like official vibe. But this was weird, this was like are u a cute little cafe with some sweet treats or are u a sit down enjoy ur food with friends (or mom hehe). Okyyyyyy ik that Im judgy and I didn’t even eat anything yet but I wasn’t judging the food just yet dw, if anything the food looked amazing and pretty good quality.

Earl Grey Creme – Smelled so creamy! Maybe it wasn’t steeped long enough or maybe there wasn’t enough tea in the infuser… Even on my second pour, it was still kinda light. I looked in the basket and they def could use more tea in there. It was a great tasting earl, just light. [Later while chatting with our server, when she asked if there was anything they could improve on we talked about the tea. She mentioned patrons complaining before that it was bitter. Suggested they use an easy fill bag with a string and offer a little cup…that way people can remove the bags after their preferred steep time. Honestly, I think all Tea Spots should do this!]

DAUGHTER –  It was oky, I mean nothing special. It was just a normal earl grey but it tasted kinda like nothing, so we were hoping that it just needed to steep a bit longer. (spoken like a true daughter of a tea boutique owner heheh)

I wanna say this was my first time coming to a Tea where the tiers were already full and on the table… I don’t know if I judged that when we walked in initially…but I think it wasn’t a bad idea actually. Then they didn’t have to fumble around with bringing the whole thing out and having to find space on the table etc etc. They might be onto something here…!?

Blueberry Scone – Okay. (sigh) You guys know my love for “crispy edges and fluffy insides” right? This didn’t have that. BUT. Am I changed?? Cuz. (another sigh) These were so good I wanted to cry!! They were more doughy, but like- melted in your mouth. And I bet the preserves they use is the same exact one we get for the house cuz I loved it. I didn’t realize my Daughter’s was different, otherwise I would have included her in the picture…

Cranberry Orange Scone – I don’t like to have the scone with anything for the first bite, so as always I just tried it as is and it was so good just by itself that I didn’t want to put anything else on it. I just wanted it as is.

Egg & Spinach Quiche – So savory, so good. Green onions yay! The crunch of the pastry was the best part. I’m usually like ‘once a quiche, always a quiche’… I don’t get excited when I see them on tiers. Howweverrr, this one was def set apart from the rest!

DAUGHTER – THINGS KEEP GETTING BETTER. Did I feel like it might give me green onion breath? Yes!! Did I care? No!! I WANT MORE.

Bruschetta – Slammin. LOTS of flavor, LOTS of basil (my fave). Juiciest tomatoes, nice garlic. Favorite of everything for sure. I coulda had an ENTIRE tier of just 2 dozen of these. Give it to me!!

DAUGHTER –  It was really good!! There was like just the right amount of flavors, like it wasn’t too strong or too bland. I like this.

Prosciutto with Arugula – PACKED with arugula, just how I like. Couldn’t have satisfied me more with this one.

DAUGHTER – Usually the ones I go to, give us the traditional cucumber sandwich. Which there’s nothing wrong with that. But this was nice and refreshing to have a new type of sandwich on the tier, and it was really good! The only thing tho is that it felt a little dry, but besides that it was pretty good.

Smoked Salmon/Cucumber – Perfect ratios of each, and whatever cream they used was really a good choice. I think the cucumbers were slightly pickled (welcome change) because they had such a great crunch and enhanced flavor. This was our favorite of the sandwiches!

DAUGHTER – A classic that I love and they did it justice lol. It wasn’t so moist that the sandwich was falling apart and it wasn’t too dry that u just pawn it off to the side. It was really good and I was really happy eating it.

Chicken Salad – All. The. Crunch!! Love it when it has crunchy stuff! And I can SEE the green onion. (For those that are new here- I used to despise green onions…but now I need it in everything I eat. And an unhealthy amount of it at that!) It was heaviER in celery flavor, which I like.

DAUGHTER – Growing up my moms chicken salad was my favorite and it still takes first place, (AWW thank you baby!!) so I wasn’t blown away with this one. But so far I am blown away with how balanced all the flavors were!!! (And ofc I’m gonna eat and finish with joy the sandwich)

The choice of bread they used for these was really good. The kind I like: chewy! And these were full size sandwiches!!

Tiramisu – Gold standard.

DAUGHTER – Hehehehe one of my favorite desserts (besides my Lola Edith’s flan) and they did a good job!!! As yk I hate overly sweet things, but this was the perfect amount of sweetness that I finished mine right then and there.

Strawberry Panna Cotta – I took more than one bite for my “taste”, which is all you need to know right there!

DAUGHTER – By now I am blown away with the great balance of flavors. And also this is where my emotionless dead self bites me in the butt bc I cant even piece together the right words to describe how great things are.

Fruit Tart – Crunchy pastry yumm. Light cream. Nice bite to the fruits.

DAUGHTER – Tarts aren’t my first choice but I’ll still eat them. And so I didn’t feel anything special, but it was still really good.

Cheesecake – I had been craving cheesecake for like 2 weeks now. Didn’t expect to get my fix today but was so happy about it! (like REAL happy) I was so fixated on those blueberry cheesecake cupcakes from the baker we knew that worked here, I was thriiiiiilleddd with these!! Also the crust was such a deep color, it was giving brown butter vibes…so much depth in flavor.

DAUGHTER – There was a cupcake but somebody took mine. (ha-ha-HA Funny Girl) jk my mom got really excited ab the cupcakes so I gave her mine. (Awwww thank you my sweet girl)

White Rabbit Macaron (pink + blue swirl) – Had to take a moment. My inner child was so happy, they did a good job with that translation.

DAUGHTER –  I LOVVVEEEEEEEE MACARONSSSSSSS!!!!! (It’s my 2nd fav after things like a edible butterfly hehehe shout out k on the go my 2nd home) I haven’t had white rabbit in a long long time but this was sooooo good and hit the spot.

Lychee Macaron (hot pink) – Light lychee flavor, not too sweet.

DAUGHTER – I love lychee treats. It’s my fav fruit and it’s also like my childhood fav little shnack lol and it was really good!!!!!! I loved it. And the pink was giving “it’s me Duh”(calling all piece/ Piwon fans).

Cookies & Cream Macaron (cream with brown speckle) – Good flavor. The shell is so chewy, these are high quality baked-with-love type macarons!

DAUGHTER – I’m not a big cookies and cream fan and my head jerked back a bit cuz it was just a lllliiiittttllleeee too sweet for me but that’s just me.

Pistachio Macaron (green) –

DAUGHTER – Mom can’t have pistachio stuff bc she just nonchalantly told me that she just stops breathing rq. So I ate it and I don’t have pistachio stuff like at all. Not bc I don’t like it, it’s just bc I just never eat them. But it was good lol I mean bc I don’t eat pistachios a lot I didn’t know what I was looking for but it was pretty good.

This was our last Spot on the Tour, and I’m soo so happy I got to spend it with my Little Girl and that it was what we call “a good tea.” There was so much food, I was so full after. Great ratio of savories to sweets too: 5 savory things and 6 sweet ones. Yall know I love that. Our server was WONDERFUL! Very attentive and helpful. My Loyals will know it’s not always a good thing for me to meet the owners…especially when I have to write a blasé review. But this time- I was ASKING TO MEET the owner!! I had just missed her, so I didn’t get to this time. This was a Special Event that they put on, so I don’t know if/when/how often they will bring it back. Maybe if they get enough requests from you guys, they will! My Daughter + I would love to have their Tea again. We had a blast together, as always. Cracking up about something. It’s in a really cute location too, so there’s plenty of cute little shops to peruse after. We walked into Hallmark across the way!

DAUGHTER – Overall I had a really great time!! The food was amazing and everything looked so cute and the ppl there were so nice!!! If they’re still gonna have tea as a option there I would love to go again. I ALSO HAD A GREAT TIME WITH MY MOM WHO’S STILL BREATHING BC I ATE THE PISTACHIO MACARON!!

For more Guest Writer pieces written by my Daughter:

Spot #42 :: K On The Go

Daughter Tea – Hello Kitty Cafe

You are not gonna want to miss the next few posts I have coming out. PLEASE enter your email in the form below so you don’t miss it!

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Backyard Tea – Table For 6

I read an article and knew I had to be a part of this!

Table For 6

San Mateo, CA

tablefor6.co

Even tho I took some beautiful pictures, I decided to leave them out because I want you to experience the same moment I had when I walked in!

Sweet personalized touch!

Strawberry Focaccia with Housemade Loquat and Plum Jams – Who doesn’t love a chewy bread?! And those strawberries were so juicy! But what I couldn’t get enough of was that plum jam!! (sorry, not pictured) At the end of our visit, I was just having bites of it…I couldn’t stop.

Charcuterie Board – Beautiful spread. Good choice of cheese and meats. Those roasted tomatoes were delicious! My favorite were the pickled onions.

Premium Kashmiri (Indian green tea, cardamom, cloves) – I love a cardamom tea! I put cracked pods in my teas at home all the time, and the benefits are so good for you too. This was either steeped quite strong or there was a lot of tea used, but I wasn’t mad at it. Had more than one cup even.

Cozy Campfire (Assam tea, cinnamon chips, cocoa nibs, marshmallows, lapsang souchong tea) – This one was smokey and sweet.

The sun was making my shots kind of hard, but still a pretty tier! The bottom layer were all dairy-free items for me and my sis.

Roasted Root Sandwich – This was so much fun! All the textures. Flavors went so well together.

French Onion Grilled Cheese – The Huz + my (even our son’s, I brought a bite or 2 home that he tried) favorite of the bunch. Lots of perfectly caramelized onions.

Jagerschnitzel Canape – Was nice to have a hearty sandwich like this included. (sorry, no photo of the mushroom gravy that accompanied this) But my sister and brother-in-law were thrilled to see German foods on the menu, her having German roots and all. I was so happy for them and glad they enjoyed!

Pfeffernusse Cookies – Yum!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie – Fluffy, moist, rich pumpkin and filling was great. (thanks sis!)

Cinnamon Chai Tiramisu – This was such a cute presentation!

Earl Grey Creme Brulee – Good and eggy, nice flavor. Sweets just kept coming out!

Pistachio Praline – The Huz’s regular + my dairy-free one.

Caramel Apple Kuchen – Very fluffy, not too sweet, excellent streusel topping.

We’re at the tail end of this Leg and I was happy to have fit this in. I had a nice conversation with the owner beforehand and got to know her thoughts behind this passion. This is definitely her labor of love. Her niche or what sets her apart is presenting foods that accommodate food allergies and/or dietary restrictions. Which was perfect for us because I decided to bring my sister and BIL and daughter’s best friend’s mom (Hi 4th daughter!) and husband (who we’re also like family, I just like bringing up my daughter and her BFF!!), and between the 3 of us Ladies had enough for the owner/chef to use her talents on! We had a delightful afternoon. Of course, which is easy when you’re surrounded by good food, adorable birds that visited their garden, and your comfy people. Time with our family always feels too short, but I was so happy to include them on my workday.

Okay folks, only one more Tea Spot to go before Leg 4 is complete! Check back soon!

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The Dark Side of Tea [Reviewing]

So I was supposed to have a Last Entry Tea this Saturday, but the owner called me and they’re having some issues with their tea supplier (cuz of the tariffs)…so I didn’t think it would be fair to visit them when they weren’t fully ready. He was really kind + accommodating about it too. I figured since it’s been a while (because we’ve had back-to-back Teas to write about), that I would hit you with an About The Author post. I’ve been flirting with this idea…and now’s as good a time as any.

When people find out about what I do, I’m almost always asked the question: Do you ever get any pushback when you write a negative post?

I’m not like a family vlogger or anything…saying that I am only gonna post happy stuff to keep the mood light around here. Afterall, I AM known as the “brutally honest” Tea Room Reviewer and I’ve always given yall the real deal Holyfield. So this post won’t be far off from anything I’ve written before. Just maybe some BTS stuff I’ve never chosen to include in my posts…but might have brought up if asked in-person.

Here’s some anecdotes for ya…

After only our 2nd visit, I wrote something about being overwhelmed that their WHOLE tea service was on ONE plate. Yes: the scone + fixings, 4 tea sandwiches, 2 savories, and sweets = one plate! A few days later, I got a furious message on facebook of all places from the owner of that Spot. Seems he searched for my name + account, just to write this message. He was upset that I had said that they put everything on one plate. But they did!! And I didn’t say anything incorrect! I changed my name on my website and facebook account after that…and I’m no longer on fb anyway.

Truth is, one of the hardest parts about doing this is meeting an owner after I’ve had mediocre tea. Especially…especially, especially…if they are perfectly nice. If I know I just had bad tea and now I gotta write about it, I honestly wanna just drop my card on the table and haul booty outta there. But sometimes, sometimes- the owners get excited to see my card and come out and wanna meet me. Which I really don’t mind meeting them, not at all. It’s not about that. I appreciate meeting new people and hearing their stories. And I’m not afraid to write about my truth, either. Not at all. What’s tough is when they are wonderful people- I don’t want that creating a bias toward my write-up.

I had just written a Thread about how I would say I “could be” only one comment away from someone not liking how I said something and all of the world wide web bandwagoning and me being cancelled. My son quickly humbled me and said I would have to be “popular” first, in order for enough people to know me and cancel me. (HAHAHA.) But in the 10+ years that I had been doing this, someone did finally decide to add their 2-cents on one of my TikTok voiceovers just recently. So, I say ‘slammin’ a lot. I’ve been using that word since 2001! And in one of my TikTok posts, I had called a hotel’s tea sandwiches: slammin. Someone got on there and TRIED to insult my class, saying that I didn’t belong at this specific hotel if I am labeling something of theirs ‘slammin’. I could’ve commented my thoughts on them starting their own website and writing their own review back…but I just deleted and blocked them. Things like that don’t bother me enough to be affected by it. I don’t have time for nonsense.

Something that does annoy me sometimes is the behavior and politics of social media. Particularly, from some social media managers from certain Spots. (ooh, now it’s getting juicy huh!?) I’m not messy, so I won’t say who. But if they’re reading my blog posts, I hope this helps them think about how weird they’re being and treat other people that help them- kinder. I’ve said this before and I will continue to say “I am not an Influencer or a Content Creator.” Have I done collabs where Tea Spots in a sense hire me to write about + promote their tea service in exchange for a compensated meal? Yes. Have I filled out Influencer Agreements? Yes. (Also: Is the first thing I bring up in our agreement that I will be writing an HONEST review? Yes.) But I am and always will be a Writer first and foremost. Look, we are not owed any sort of gratitude or public commendation or anything. But THEY know and I know the amount of business I have brought them. Not bragging, just facts. A simple ‘Thank You’ goes a long way, right? But I have had certain Spots follow me on social media, DM back and forth (friendly + business), accept collaborated posts, HIRE me, and…unfollow me!!?! HAHAHA, like whyyy? That’s mad weird brooo, haha. What are you doing?! There are also plenty of times where I’ve posted Spots (on my own free will) and brought them business. I’ll message them that a post has blown up or that I’m sending tons of people their way (who have been DMing me inquiring about them) (not for any recognition but again just to be friendly), only for them to respond “That’s great to hear” and tell me that they’re getting lots of new reservations. No ‘thank you’, no nothing. It’s rude. Don’t get me wrong tho. There are WAAAY MORE Tea Spots and Owners or Social Media Managers that are grateful and kind, than there are who are not. Just giving you some tea…of a different kind! (wink)

Anyywhooo, this post wasn’t meant to be written in a complaining spirit. Just wanted to give you some very real behind-the-scenes tales for your entertainment! Hope this holds you over until our next review…thanks for reading!

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Spot #58 :: Hotel Nikko

Our 58th Spot:

Restaurant Anzu at Hotel Nikko

222 Mason Street San Francisco, CA 94102

www.hotelnikkosf.com

I saved this Spot toward the end of this Leg cuz it just already seemed so chic from what little I knew about it. I like to build anticipation!

It’s on the 2nd floor and you get to pass by + overlook this stunning lobby area. No photos, cuz I want you to experience the grandness of it when you come!

So. Much. Chartreuse. (three clapping emojis) Immediately in love. It’s my 2nd favorite color! There were 8 of us this time…and of the three gorgeous rooms, we were the only ones dining!! We had the whole place to ourselves and it felt even more exclusive.

Nikko Boutique Blend – Cherries and rose? I’m in. They had a nice selection of teas. Not too much to choose from, but enough variety. While I almost went for my beloved vanilla rooibos, I spotted this one last minute and went for it. Happy I chose it. Even had 2 cups! (my Loyals know I only do more than one cup if it’s a high quality cuppa)

They served healthy servings of tea boyy! These were like 4-cup teapots!! (when usually most places offer a 2-cup pot…and then just continue filling with hot water) Like, I use this exact teapot at home when I steep for the family. Then they came around and gave each of us a little cup to try each other’s picked blends. Very thoughtful. I got to try someone’s Lady Blue Earl Grey and someone else’s Jasmine Pearls. Both delicious!

Listen, there was a BOUNTY of food! This tier is just the Sweets!! There were PLATTERS for the sandwiches, and more than one sandwich a person. And these were like full-sized ‘I just cut the crusts off’ tea sandwiches! Plenty of food for everyone, more than enough. No one was going home hungry. Five of us even brought full to-go boxes home with us.

Cucumber – Forgive me cuz it’s been over 10 years and I am over 75 Teas in…but I can’t remember ever having a cucumber tea sandwich with tomato in it (or at least not a memorable one). It’s not usual. But I loved it!! This was SO GOOD. Nice crunch, light cream, and I feel like I was tasting basil. This was my favorite of the 3 offered. It was just so refreshing!

Egg Salad – It had green onion!! My new favorite thing. There was a nice crunch to it. Bread was kinda dry…buut I also kinda liked it like that haha.

Smoked Salmon – It was a good smoked salmon. I think I would have liked a top slice of bread (like the others had). Nice herby cream. I told you there was a plethora of food cuz- my girls were putting 2 of these together to make fuller sandwiches!

Sweets – I tried to put a variety of items on my plate for the photo (even tho I did not plan to eat all this), so you could see…but I wasn’t even able to get one of each thing served!? [scroll back up to the Tier] I don’t think you can tell just how big this thing was!! That bottom layer was the size of an extra large pizza! Everything was really good. The scone was dense and had nice flavor, good with the apricot preserves. They had these pregnant madeleines that were so fluffy, those tasted homemade for sure. The tiny eclair was so moist. And all the other sweets were just high quality picks. Toward the end, divvying up all the leftovers- we ran out of room in our to-go boxes and people were getting doubles of stuff. There was so. Much. Food!

I had to make sure and include this shot cuz my girl ‘Wife of Filipino’ and Cutie Jr. and I had a FULL ON Photo Shoot of it!! Hahaha. These are different height glass canisters of their teas offered on a cute cart in their front room. They had labels on them, but I didn’t want the white stickers in my shot so we turned them all around. Then WoF even made sure that the contents inside laid nice + even! Hehe, too much fun with these. But it turned out pretty right!?

This was the last big party I had for Leg 4. We had a blast and were laughing most of the time. We had 2 Firsties (first time afternoon tea attenders) with us and some girls who had never met before. That’s my favorite part. I’m sure I talked about this before, but I’ll say it again… I love love LOVE it (it really is my favorite thing) when I introduce two of my friends who don’t know each other, they hit it off, exchange numbers and make plans! I am not one of those jealous people that needs to be a part of everything. Like I WANT you to get together and vibe…without me hahah. I love to see it.

Customer Service was excellent.

We’re in the final stretch of the Tour guys! Three (potentially 4) more ‘Last Entry’ Spots to visit. Thank you for continuing to support by reading, following, subscribing, donating, and engaging with our socials. We have had some cool “out of towners” visiting on the website too! *Shout Out* to our Readers in BRAZIL who blew my numbers up out the water a couple weeks ago!! NINE TIMES our average view count!!!

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Daughter Tea – Hello Kitty Cafe

While finishing up Leg 3 last year, there was a cute place that opened up in Union City that I wanted to take my daughter to. We had the brilliant idea of having her Guest Write for this Spot and she had so much fun doing it, even taking some photos of her own. (you can read her review of K On The Go here) For Leg 4, I knew I wanted to invite her again! I had a place in mind, but they had closed their tea service momentarily. (Actually, they’re bringing it back so I will still take her!) When I heard about the Hello Kitty Cafe opening in the Bay Area, obviously I was going to take her. Now, she wasn’t THAT familiar with Sanrio or Hello Kitty…but she knew enough. Her first introduction was when she was 3 and I couldn’t wait for her first Sanrio experience!! They were still open then and we took her to our local mall. She picked out some trinkets and stationery, and we allowed her to pay for them herself. Of course, the Mommarazzi I was, took all the pictures!!

You’re in for a treat with this post because my Babygirl is back and you get to enjoy a 14-year-old’s perspective on this Spot! She took it very seriously and I love love LOVED watching her get into it. I’m sure people around us probably had silent opinions of ‘oh poor mom takes her daughter to afternoon tea and the kid is on her phone the entire time…’ That’s okay, cuz I knew what she was doing and we had a blast in between notetaking. We have the kind of relationship where we can just look at each other and know what the other person is thinking! I can’t wait for you all to read her stuff!! (honestly I can’t wait to read it either…cuz it will be my first time as I input her notes here!)

Hello Kitty Cafe

2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard Suite 2280 Santa Clara, CA 95050

www.sanrio.com

I just love that shade of pink. The neon signs and all the details were so cute, you already get excited upon seeing from a distance.

DAUGHTER – When I saw the outside I was like awww oky very cute, but in my head I was like “are they compensating for smth?” But the inside is even cuter and I was trying not to nerd out over the kpop playing! And everyone in there was so nice and took care of us.

So the front part is the cafe’s storefront. Then there’s a room, called the Bow Room (ugh so cute), to the side where someone walks you in when your reservation is ready. There’s about 10 tables in there, nice and exclusive. I didn’t include photos for this, cuz I want your first encounter to be in-person!

Strawberries + Cocoa Cream – They had an Arrival Appetizer! You guys know I love those. And it just so happens that strawberries and chocolate have been my jamm lately. It was really thick only chocolate-scented whipped cream, but the strawberries were at least very fresh + ripe.

DAUGHTER – I thought it was good and simple. idk if it was just me but I couldn’t taste the cream too much, which I didn’t mind bc I don’t like things way too sweet.

Honeyed Pear – All I could taste was: burnt. I don’t know if it was just steeped too long or what. I reluctantly drank it for the rest of my tea service. I love a good pear tea! I make a good pear tea. This wasn’t it. I thought about changing my tea. They offered a ‘creamy and floral blend’ which yall know is my JAM, but I really wanted to check out their translation of pear. Even still at the end of our visit, I thought about ordering a cup of that one to-go. I really wanted to give them a chance to redeem the tea part.

Mango Iced Tea – This is what my daughter ordered. (I didn’t take a picture) I thought it was very nice and refreshing! If possible, it reminded me of a lollipop from Sanrio!! That tasted like Childhood. I kept thinking I should’ve ordered one for myself…

DAUGHTER – Really really really good! I was kinda thinking like “will the mango be overpowered by the tea or will the tea be overpowered by the mango?” (dang, she’s good huh guys? [this is Mom btw]) But honestly it was really well balanced and ngl I was really surprised with how things were from the start.

Cutest tier, but not so practical. I had to like cling arms with one of the side frames to get to my scone…

Cucumber Sandwich – I understand the concept (Hello Kitty cutout) but eh. It would’ve been more noticeable if they used something for at least her eyes. Cucumbers were crunchy (which I like), cream was okay, and the bread was dry.

DAUGHTER –  I haven’t been to as many places as my mom. But I feel like with most places if you’ve had a cucumber sandwich once, you’ve had them all and that was the case with this one. I mean yes we were busy taking notes and taking pictures so we didn’t try it as soon as it came out, but the bread was a bit stale and the moisture of the cucumber was gone so I wasn’t really impressed. But it was just an ordinary cucumber sandwich so I was hoping that things would get better.

Egg Salad – Mm that’s fun! Crunchy waffle, nice sesame flavor. The egg was more like a soft scrambled texture, which was different but welcome. I loved the bit of spiciness at the end.

DAUGHTER – IT WAS REALLY GOOD!! The waffle cup thing was holding up everything really well, and the egg salad inside was really good! I would remember the salad but it wasn’t too different for me to set it apart from others, but overall I would take like 10. (me too baby, those were slammin huh!?)

Beet Hummus Pita – I think I would have liked a pita CRACKER instead. Good flavor of hummus, slight bitter of radish, always a fan of beet.

DAUGHTER – It was so cute and I was hoping it would be my favorite thing but it kinda threw me off… The filling thing was oky, but the bread at the bottom was like: are u moist or are u toasted a bit? Like it was giving “I was sitting out on the counter”. (raise hand emoji)

Chicken Salad Croissant – That croissant was wonderful, slight sweetness to it. The chicken tasted homemade which is A+ in my book. Could have used more in it tho. I thought this kinda had an Asian flare…

DAUGHTER – The croissant was good! It tasted like butter, but I couldn’t taste the chicken filling. I would get little hints, but it was like 90% croissant and 10% filling.

Seasonal Scone – Just okay. Definitely needed some preserves…but even then, it was only aiight. The glaze drizzle kinda helped, but not by much.

DAUGHTER – The scone by itself I liked, but it wasn’t mind blowing. It was just a scone and I didn’t try it with any jam or anything bc I feel like it shouldn’t need anything to be liked. (Mom: wow good one, girl) I mean adding smth when it’s already good could be a plus, but if it needs it then what’s the point? Now it’s just a jelly sandwich u run out with before u have to go and start ur day!

Apple Pie Tart – Before I could finish my bite- give me more! Perfect crumble topping, nicely sweetened gooey apples, just a pinch of cinnamon, and yummy pastry.

DAUGHTER – In general, I don’t really like apple pie things. But this was pretty good! It had a chewy gummy thing going for it.

Strawberry Shortcake – Soggy Bottom. The pastry had a nice sweetness to it tho. And again the cream was just so airy (like the chocolate whipped cream), you just knew you were gonna have gas after haha. Also, second strawberry item on the menu. I feel like they could have ventured out some for this one. Maybe a blueberry shortcake?

DAUGHTER – Again too sweet for my liking. But it was really fun the way the filling on the inside bursted. The outside felt a bit fragile but pretty good, just a little too sweet for me.

Raspberry Macaron – That was nice. I don’t even like raspberry that much. But there was a nice chew to the shell and fresh fruit.

DAUGHTER –  I’m not a fan of raspberry, but this wasn’t bad. It wasn’t too sweet and overpowering, it was pretty good.

Hello Kitty Mini Cake – Very almond forward. Eh.

DAUGHTER – I’m not a fan of overly sweet things and me personally, I found it overly sweet. So much to where I twitched my head a bit (a tick of mine when things are too sweet). For others this might be the thing that they liked, but not for me. My overall thought….breathtaking. (Seinfeld reference iykyk)

It was cute. A lot of cuteness. If you have an Inner Child that was obsessed with Sanrio + Hello Kitty like I did and you want to go for the nostalgia or bring your kid to share something you loved with them- go for it. But for the price that I paid (yes, out my own pocket), I think it’s a One-and-Done type of Tea. I hardly ever bring up cost in my posts, but I think I’m still having some sticker shock side effects. For my daughter + I (party of 2) with mandatory gratuity (and they even had the nerve to ask for “Additional Tip”), it was $178.00. And I don’t think it was worth it. Sure, there were some standout items. I adored the egg waffle tart, apple pie, and macaron…but they weren’t good enough to bring me back. The rest of the items were below mediocre and there were not enough savories. I will say however that the customer service was remarkable! So if you go, you’ll at least be well attended to. I had the most amazing time with my daughter so it wasn’t a waste. We usually can make any environment a fun one! The memory of watching her work and do what I do will be treasured for sure.

DAUGHTER – My final thoughts of the place: Meh… Some things were good but not enough to come back or remember. Just a cute little spot but the tea food was meh. It was really fun to have a little date with my Mom!!! And everything we ate or saw, we wouldn’t have to say much. All we had to do was look at each other’s eyes and know exactly what we thought lol.

For more Guest Writer pieces written by my Daughter:

Spot #42 :: K On The Go

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NEW MENU ALERT! Muir’s Tea Room | Mystical Mermaids of the World

New Menu Visit:

Muir’s Tea Room

330 S Main Street Sebastopol, CA 94572

www.muirstearoomandcafe. com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Their tiers remain the FULLEST tiers everrr.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[such a cool shot taken by the Huz]

All Muir’s Tea Room related posts:

Spot #28 :: Muir’s Tea Room

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

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

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

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

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Spot #57 :: Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel

Our 57th Spot:

Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel

2825 Sand Hill Road Menlo Park, CA 94025

www.rosewoodhotels.com

[incredible shot taken by Kika]

We walked in and immediately felt the tranquility. There was this beautiful scent that made you feel like you were on a tropical vacation. Where’s my sunscreen and swimsuit?! We later found out it was from this single candle in their giftshop. We all wanted one! Happy for my sweet girl “Wife of Filipino”/one of the Bellas, who got to take one home!! Can’t say I’ve ever had afternoon tea in a library…but I was thrilled to add that to my list of tea experiences!

Cedarberg Rooibos – I was feeling something comforting today, so I went with my preferred naturally caffeine-free tea base. This was very flavorful! I know my way around a rooibos, and this was a good one. I appreciated the size of the teacups too…it was Goldilocks-sized: just right. I usually don’t go through that many cups of tea during a spot visit, but I had a good 4 or 5 of these!

Rolled Jasmine – This was steeped too long. A good 2-minutes will do ya. While the flavor was really good, it was also really intense. My girlfriend had to doctor hers up with some honey and dilute it with the extra hot water left at the table. (I liked that touch btw, so we didn’t have to always ask for hot water)

Masala Chai – This was on their online menu, but not offered on the in-person menu. Nothing a little question can’t fix tho, so my girl was still able to order it. Nice spice, more cinnamon than anything else.

Smoked Trout Caviar Cream Puff (beet crème fraîche, horseradish)* – Just so everybody knows, if I see “caviar” I’m gonna have some! The bite-sized portions were cute, tho I coulda had a dozen of these no prob! Adored the pops of caviar (of course), the dill was so so faint, the beet was kind of in the back, and a nice salty flavor of the trout. Horseradish was not overpowering at all (I like for it to make me cry and stop breathing for a sec haha)…my friend compared it to ‘like salt bringing out the flavor of something’.

*not included in tea service, additional item on menu

Cucumber (citrus labne, mint, pain de mie) – Spongy bread, really good citrus, light mint, crunchy cucumbers.

Smoked Salmon (cream cheese, dill, pickled red onion, rye) – It was a multigrain bread with rye. I don’t know that I’ve ever had salmon and rye together…but it’s genius!! I’ve had like 57 smoked salmon sandwiches on this Tour; this one is definitely a standout. And that pickled red onion was a nice surprise pop of flavor.

Okay at this point in the tea service, I had decided that I would come back just for the bread alone. “Can I get some loaves up in here to-go please?!”

Dungeness Crab (hass avocado, wheat) – “Dungeness” caught my eye, first thing. It was A LOT of crab, and thank goodness. Ugh, I loved the stringy texture of crab. The a-little-bit-more-than hint of spicy was really welcome. Again, really good bread. It could have used some salt tho…

Coronation Chicken (golden raisin, cilantro, walnut & currant) – This one had so much flavor, like almost too much flavor. Loved the crunch, but it was a lot going on. The tartness was good, but it got overwhelming.

[photo by Kika]

When we first walked in, we kept smelling something caramelized. We got excited thinking there was going to be something brûléed. In my whole time during this Tour, this was the first ever Tableside Torching!!! That was so cool.

Happy the sweets were on a tier!

Traditional Scone – Classic, well done. High quality fixings.

Cocoa Nib Scone – This one didn’t need anything!

Petite S’mores – IS THAT A BISCOFF??!! Dood, they put the best biscuit of all time as the base for their smore. Gooiest, freshly-torched marshmallow. Decadent chocolate.

Honey & Peach Cake – This was just okay for me. Nothing wrong with it, I think it just got lost in the shuffle of all the other amazing desserts.

Chocolate Canalé – I didn’t like this one that much…but the moist center was fun.

Strawberry & Elderflower Panna Cotta – Table Favorite. It’s a GOOD ONE. And the strawberry bits and preserves just worked seamlessly with it. My girl was only trying to have a little bit…but kept picking it back up until she finished it hehe!

Cacao Pâte de Fruits – Fun to chew and feel the bits of sugar crunching between your teeth.

Plum & Raspberry Fruit Tart – Okay (takes deep breath), I wanna cry thinking about this one again because it’s really close to being the BEST SWEET of the entire California Tea House Tour mmkay! The crispiest chocolatey pastry, filling was divine (I don’t even use that word), crunchy not-too-sour plum.

[photo by Kika]

Dandelion European Drinking Chocolate – And because this was a collab with San Francisco’s Dandelion Chocolate, we of course had to order a cup of this. First sip was pure melted marshmallow. Nice thick slightest bitter hot chocolate. Loved it.

We had an incredible LEISURE time. I think we easily spent 3 hours there. With the patio in the back and the shops, it felt like a full Weekend Getaway. We’re only sorry we didn’t book spa treatments!! So much fun with my girls. A couple that have been Regulars on the Tour, a couple I haven’t seen in a bit, and one that I’ve not seen for a long while. I am so grateful to each of them for spending this time with me and getting me out my head. No one knew the wiser…that I had been bawling my eyes out the days prior, completely emotionally exhausted from a serious doctor’s appointment I had the day before. They each took care of me in their own caring ways, and I couldn’t feel more grateful and loved. Thanks Girls.

The staff there was genuinely kind as well. We never felt rushed and they took excellent care of us. All while displaying big smiles. I loved our server. Even the Torch Guy! Everyone was so gracious to us. Listen- food was great, tea was great, sweets were great, venue was great, staff was great, company was great…nothing to complain about. Which is just what I needed. I’m excited to add Rosewood to our raTEAng. I suspect they’ll be high on the list! Please make your reservations to visit and then tell us how much you loved it!

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