CELEBRATING WITH A ROYAL TREATMENT

If you said you were "getting the royal treatment,"  what would that mean to you?  When I go to Virginia to visit my daughter, I "get the royal treatment."

• I have my choice of beds
• I don't have to cook, or clean or do the dishes  
• We go shopping
• We enjoy lunch or coffee out
• I don't have to answer my phone or emails
• We watch favorite movies together
• She brings me tea
• I enjoy a spa bath
• I relax on the deck

Actually, if I experienced any combination of these things at home, I would consider myself getting the royal treatment.  This is the kind of atmosphere I like to create at my tea parties - a sense of getting away, and enjoying time for oneself that is above and beyond a normal lunch or casual gathering.  

I had recently attended an afternoon get-together, which included a variety of fresh vegetables and fruit, wine and light soft drinks, and.... a foot spa.  The atmosphere and enjoyment stayed with me for a long time, and I just knew I wanted to share this with my friends.

So now I was thinking, "royal treatment" equals atmosphere, relaxation and tea!

When I heard that Queen Elizabeth was celebrating her 90th birthday on April 21, 2016, I realized her birthday would be an opportune time to get together and share "the royal treatment."  So I began searching for the Queen's favorite food recipes, and as always, starting to compose my guest list.

It could be a delightful afternoon get-together, a foot spa, "getting the royal treatment," served with tea time treats. I knew that either this would be a successful event that I'd want to hold again, or that it would be a one-time event.

"Royal Treatment = relaxation (foot spa), atmosphere (tea party), tea (Raspberry Earl Grey Tea created with the Queen's birthday in mind.)

Treat yourself to a Royal Afternoon

Thursday, April 21

1:00 pm

Foot Spa and Tea Time Refreshments

In honor of Queen Elizabeth's

90^th Birthday

By Sarah with Arbonne
Tea by Plum Deluxe

If you aren't interested in a foot spa, come to enjoy some Royal tea time refreshments

I must admit that it was a challenge to choose attire that would fit in with an afternoon tea, but would be comfortable and appropriate for a foot spa.  I realized this might create a challenge for my guests as well, so I made sure to encourage them to dress for comfort. "You have hats for us, don't you?"

 

Another goal that I had for this afternoon's gathering, was to provide a respite time for my daughter who recently had her sixth child.  I encouraged her to bring her little guy, so we could show him off but I also had an agenda in mind.   "I know that we can't true royaly this afternoon, but it has been confirmed that we will have a visit from the Prince."  I knew that Prince Simon Charles would be a welcomed addition to our "Royal Treatment Celebration."  Once Sarah K. began explaining the products, and we dipped our feet into our own foot spas, Prince Simon sat on my lap, and gazed at all the ladies enjoying their own royal treatment. 

Shortly after, I laid him on the floor in the other room where he could enjoy some quiet time, and soon he was fast asleep.  And my daughter?  She was enjoying herself immensely. Based on the pleasant responses and laughter from the afternoon get together so far, I knew that I would want to provide an experience like this for my guests again. It was already a success! 

In between enjoying my own foot spa and experiencing the royal treatment of the products Sarah K. had chosen for us, I steeped the tea and arranged the first course food on the tiered plates for the guests.  

It is a pleasure to welcome you all to my home.  Here is Sarah K, enjoying some tea after a fun royal treatment foot spa.  

I found a wide assortment of recipes for Queen Elizabeth favorite foods. I created my own version of this recipe I found on Pinterest for chicken salad.  I used freshly cooked chicken, finely chopped, and a blend of mayo and Greek yogurt with honey, a small amount of curry powder, and fresh dried celery leaves, with chopped mango as well.  To accompany the chicken salad on tea buns, I served apricot appetizers from a Tapas menu.  I had never tasted cream cheese, basil and honey together, so I suggest you try them first before you decide.

I loved the flavor of the honey, basil and cream cheese mixture so much (even though I am lactose intolerant) that I added basil and honey to my cottage cheese.  Try it!

I would usually serve scones for the second course, but I chose Queen's Cakes for the occasion, which I served with lemon curd.  If you have enjoyed other English bakery such as Heavy Cake or Currant Cookies, you will enjoy the Queen's Cakes.  I'll definitely be making them again.

For the dessert course, I made a chocolate brownie torte.  It was the perfect size for eight servings, and turned out to be about the size of a loaf pan.  I used this recipe for the chocolate brownie, and keep in mind it doesn't rise much.  

So I cut it into three evenly shaped rectangles which became the layers of the torte.  The cream layers are sweetened cream cheese (sour cream and powdered sugar added), to which I also added about 1/2 tsp or so of the loose Raspberry Earl Grey Tea from Plum Deluxe.  Made the night before, the flavor of the tea had time to permeate a bit.  Along with the torte I served a cranberry oatmeal cookie which is my version of an oatmeal raisin cookie, but with cranberry butter instead of the raisins.  This cookie will be very moist and freezes well.   

 Many of my guests say that it is often hard to imagine sitting down to tea with people they don't know.  But it isn't long, and everyone is sharing their ideas and perspectives; their favorite teas or how much they are enjoying dressing up and having some time away from life's tense moments. Kathy, Karen, Jan, Wendy, Lisa and Deb - had spent some time with a spa treatment on their skin, and now they are drinking it in!

Deb is demonstrating a metal tea infuser she found.

 

Karen and I shared a dressing room in the recent PAAC production, "Revolutionary Brassiere." Karen admitted that she didn't drink a lot of tea, but I think she is open to trying new flavors.  She has a new acquaintance who is English, so tea drinking is going to be a more regular activity for her.  I am so glad we could share the afternoon together.

My cousin Wendy, and long-time friend and tea-loving associate always surprises me with her tea-time attire - the dress, matching jewelry, fascinator, gloves, purse, and shoes - are all coordinated.

 And look where Prince Simon Charles is sitting!  An enjoyable afternoon was had by all, Sarah K!

 A Royal Treatment Celebration was a fabulous afternoon.  Until we meet again, may you be as blessed as your friendship is to me!

.     

A Friendship Tea

At 6 pm Friday night, I received a phone call, a personal invitation to attend a Friendship Tea at the Mitchell Methodist Church, a short drive from my house.  "If you don't have any plans for tomorrow afternoon, would you like to go to a tea?"  Yes, I had plans, but not the kind of plans that would keep me from enjoying a relaxing afternoon of tea.  I could sit outdoors, take a walk, do some paper crafting earlier or another day. "Yes, thank you. I would love to go to tea."

What will I wear?  Usually on the 12th of March, the ground is covered with snow and the temperatures are consistent with winter: 25 - 30 degrees.  But not this year.  This has been an El Niño winter.  And so we were blessed with abundant sunshine on a cloudless day, and temperature way beyond normal - 63 degrees!   This will dictate our fashions.  I chose a long skirt with a lace sweater, and a hat like a spring garden.  Were other ladies wearing hats?  I didn't know, but I knew that's what I would wear to a tea.


"How did you hear about the tea?"  I was asked by a member of the United Methodist Women's organization.  "I was invited just yesterday," I replied, "and my friend who invited me, was invited by a lady from your women's organization."  She replied, "We sent invitations to area churches.  We have flyers and posters all over town."  Another lady noted that she thought there would be more than 35 in attendance, looking around the room that was set for 50.  "I never thought to personally invite someone.  I guess we could have invited our neighbors and friends, who don't come to this church."

That is the message that the new "president by default," Ethel Dobson expressed. She is the new president because the former president of the women's organization passed away.  "This afternoon's event is an ecumenical event.  It's where women of many faiths come together to enjoy the afternoon," and celebrate our faith in Jesus.  Having never attended their Friendship Tea in the past, I never once felt that the event was lacking in anything.  Yes, there were several empty chairs, but there were many ladies in attendance as well.

Ethel introduced a talented guitar player and vocalist, who freely shared a message of love in her three songs.  We were encouraged to clap and sing, something many of us have not grown up with in a church setting. Linda's voice and guitar playing made me want to do more than clap and sing - it made me want to get up and move with the Spirit of Christ that I felt coming through her music.

Pastor Doug welcomed us and read about International Women's Day, followed by reading Proverbs 31, and specifically, Verse 10, " Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies."  He declared that this text related to every woman sitting in this room. 

 Following a prayer of blessings on all in attendance, thankfulness for the hands preparing the food, and requesting that God used each of us in our lives, by orderly fashion, we filled our plates with delectable savory sandwiches and delicious sweet treats. 

The women of the Mitchell United Methodist Church used St. Patrick's Day as their theme, which many ladies in attendance did as well with their choice of clothing.  It was such an honor to be in attendance at this annual event, a Friendship Tea.  Whether I was meeting someone who knew my parents, or saying hello to Eliza who will be 103 years old this year, sharing memories and making plans to meet again, this afternoon was full of God's blessings.

Thank you for hosting a Friendship Tea.  Thank you for blessing us with your music, beautiful decorations, delicious food, company and fellowship.  I'm planning to attend the Friendship Tea at the Mitchell United Methodist Church again next year.  Let's celebrate Women together!