WEDDING DRESSES AFTERNOON TEA @ PARK LANE SHERATON

Afternoon tea at the Park Lane Hotel is pretty special at the moment: in conjunction with the rather glamorous Wedding Dresses 1775 - 2014 exhibition currently hosted by the V&A, the Art Deco Palm Court invites you to a seriously stylish tea of champagne, scones, pastries & chocolates!

With a harp playing delicate melodies in the corner, the lounge offers a complete respite from the frantic business of Picadilly & tourist-London. Greeted with a glass of Moet & 2 tuxedoed chocolate-dipped strawberries, we sank into the huge sofas & prepared ourselves for a variety of treats. For the teas, I chose a sweet rosebud blend, whilst my companion chose a black vanilla. Cumin-scented cheese straws were the centre piece of the first plate, surrounded by a shot of cucumber vichyssoise dusted with gold leaf, smoked salmon & cream cheese on granary, San Danielli ham & asparagus brioche, poached chicken, tarragon mustard & lemon creme fraiche rolls. 

Second course was filled with the cutest heart-shaped scones, some classic, some apple & raisin. Raspberry & strawberry jams accompanied them, alongside clotted cream - what else? - & a lovely tangy lemon curd.

Finally, what you've all been waiting for - the cake! Something old - a vintage inspired pear & vanilla cake - something new - a golden ring of passion fruit with gold leaf on a biscuit base - something borrowed - a lemon & pistachio polenta cake decorated with a "borrowed" brooch - & something blue, a blueberry almond mousse with a luxurious chocolate cream - almost too rich to finish, but not quite!

This afternoon tea isn't just for couples or old-marrieds: celebrate friendships, old relationships, new couples - hey, tea & cake brings people together! I loved the little touches, scones moulded into the shape of a heart, the dress-inspired round of cakes, & the glamour that epitomises weddings & the V&A. We left with a final favour, white chocolate & espresso fudge gifted in a paper bag pinned with paper hearts <3

This particular afternoon tea is only running until the end of June, so make sure to check it out if you can! More details here.

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{all photos & edits by me}

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KENSINGTON CREAM TEA

Vintage-themed afternoon tea at The Pelham, South Kensington this weekend. Wearing almost entirely Miss Selfridge (boyfriend-coat, neon-panelled dress, booties), we sampled the lightest powdered scones with jam & clotted cream, fingers sandwiches with the crusts cut off, citrus macaroons & chocolate cheesecake…

(PS i totally blogger-failed & whilst i packed 2 lenses, i forgot my camera battery! all these photos were taken with my reliable iPhone!)


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{all photos & edits by me or Ceri}

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DRINK SHOP & DO AFTERNOON TEA FOR TWO

Glittery red heart-shaped lollies, salt & pepper shakers in the shape of sea shells, pink & yellow roses, & lemon gingham tablecloths: afternoon tea at Drink Shop & Do is as magical & kitsch as it sounds!

Ceri & I started off with a seasonal bellini, a late summer mix of prosecco & peach, a strawberry floating amidst the miniature bubbles (tea would come later!) First layer, the sandwiches: salsa verde & tomato on white bread, egg mayo on wholemeal, cucumber & cream cheese on sundried , crab with salad, & then ham with English mustard, all the crusts cut off & in the shape of soldiers, naturally. Second course came by way of 2 rounds of scones: original served with a herb & olive butter, & then the classic currant scone with strawberry jam & lashings of cream! Somewhere around this point, we chose our teas: I went for a cherry & rose blossom which had a lovely mild floral taste to it, beautifully scented. Ceri's rose, mallow & almond tea however tasted divine, like bakewell tart captured within a cup! The little plate right at the top of the tower held 4 miniature cakes: a salted caramel chocolate heart (very chocolatey, dusted with cocoa), a bakewell tart (moist & delicious, topped with toasted flaked almonds), a lemon & earl grey victoria sponge (light & fluffy), & our favourite, the rose & pistachio, whose icing was simply heavenly, like a mousse & a butter whipped into an incredibly light smooth swirl.

Drink Shop & Do don't just offer the one afternoon tea, they do a Man's tea (which includes a pint of Freedom lager, pork scratchings & a Yorkie bar), a Night Flight (sparkling wines, potted fish, Grand Marnier cream on scones), & a Mrs Sparkles (unlimited Canal Grando Rose Prosecco!)

Huge thanks to Drink Shop & Do for hosting us!



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{all photos & edits by me}

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Tea for Three at Bea's

In celebration of my sister's birthday this week, mum took us for afternoon tea at Bea's in St. Paul's. Following a family recommendation, we went for this branch in the City, the younger sister of the original Bloomsbury cafe which is said to get crowded quickly. 

The decor at Bea's was simply lovely; it certainly stood out upon first appearance, especially in an area of city malls & office blocks. I loved the fact that it sort of combines a smart City feel conducive to Bankers & Lawyers - plush chairs with ornate cushioning - with a more whimsical, old-school kitsch & dress-up. & yes, I did take pictures in the powder room, it was that nice!

Afternoon tea was served on the cutest stand by Undergrowth (available for purchase), red heels kicking up amongst the mountains of cake. Mini baguettes to start - chorizo, ham, sun-dried tomato, buffalo mozzarella, rocket: it was all there (rather Spanish influences). I'm not a wholehearted carnivore, so it would have been interesting to see what the vegetarian option would include, but the sandwiches were a great kick-off, & it was nice to see a fresh, crispy baguette instead of the crust-cut white bread sandwiches that are usually served.

Scones with jam & clotted cream sat around the middle of the stand. The perfect size, & from viewing I guessed that wholemeal flour was used in the baking process, leaving a lovely nutty flavour to the scone. Miniature treats piled around the top, the last layer before moving on to the cupcakes! Here we had a passionfruit marshmallow (fresh marshmallows! These have to be tasted!), a brownie, a blondie (lovely & moist, a good vanilla flavour), & an adorable teensy-tiny meringue. These were followed by a cupcake each - blueberry & mango, red velvet, & vanilla. The icing was piped so gorgeously, & tasted incredibly light, no trace of heavy buttercream here. Perhaps some sort of intense whisking brought the frosting together, the result was so smooth & creamy. Favourite afternoon delight? I think I would place money on the blondie.

Bea's is a wonderful, modern choice for afternoon tea. I think my only concern was that there wasn't an excess of space, our little table only just survived under all the goodies that graced its surface. But this is minor, & almost irrelevant: if it fits on the table, we'll be sure to eat it!

Find out more here.

{all photos by me}

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