You're Never Fully Dressed Without A Cuppa

Giving advice on what to wear can be really sensitive. I for one do not like to be dictated to by fashion magazines or celebrities, or even well-meaning friends. So tackling the subject of suitable getup for tea parties or anywhere tea related is not easy. That being said, here are my feelings about tea wear, take it or leave it:

Tearooms: It all depends on what the style of the tearoom is. If you are taking afternoon tea in a hotel like the St. Regis, you don't show up in jeans and t-shirt. You just don't. It's too fancy a place, you'll feel like a jerk with I Love New York emblazoned on your chest. Extra effort is necessary. If you hate wearing skirts, I'm sure you have some nice trousers (some call them slacks, I don't know, that word makes me gag) and a blouse, that's fine. For guys, skirts would probably be out of the question, though I would have no problem with kilts or kurtas.

Now if you are visiting an "urban" tearoom (see teamap.com), casual wear is just fine. I would still lay off the sloppy t-shirts. Be yourself, just not the yourself as you'd appear rolling out of the bed in the morning.

Tea Parties At Home: It's not always worth it to go all out and frilly when you are invited to take tea at someone's home. If a group of people are coming and it's an apartment, you may end up sitting on the floor. Know your host/hostess and their home if possible. If it's going to be at a dining room table, then lean slightly more towards the Hotel Tea look. Otherwise, even jeans are fine (Marie) as long as they are in good condition and fit. And please, please! No shorts! Cropped pants, maybe, but shorts should be left for the beach and picnics.

Outdoor Tea Parties/Picnics: Also depends on whether you will be at a table or a blanket.

Accessories: This section is certainly not for the guys. Gloves are a waste of time, there are too many finger foods. I love wearing hats to tea, but not baseball caps. It's not necessary, though, just my preference. Too outlandish a hat is no good either - we're not at Ascot, are we? Wear a tiara and wings if you really want to ruin your parties' appetite.


These are only suggestions. I would not apply these bits of advice to the person enjoying a mug of Irish Breakfast at 9am (Gata): by all means, wear pajamas! But when there is an invitation involved or an outing, isn't it nice to look nice? Really, this is applicable to many areas in life. We have a lot more latitude nowadays, it's great to be creative in our dress when possible (modestly, of course.) Have fun, wear something "ethnic" if you want, break out your favorite necklace. And don't forget your best accessory - your smile! Teatime is supposed to be fun! Just not frumpy.

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Gata Spend More Time in Brooklyn, or A Tea Lounge Grows in Brooklyn

Apparently there are two Tea Lounge(s) in Brooklyn. I went to the one in Park Slope, 7th Avenue, with my sister Pam.

Why don't they have places like this in Astoria? I mean, the setup was kind of like Cafe Bar, all random couches thrown about. There was a backgammon table and maybe chess as well. It was real casual, with the token pretentious people conversing nearby - but who can avoid being pretentious once in a while?

Anyway, about the tea. I picked from their adequately varied list two different types of tea. A single pot (which would have been enough for Pam and I) was $2.75, and I had one Persian Peach, which had black tea, and Northern Lights, which was a Chamomile Citrus Blend. There is a counter where you make your order. The staff was friendly in an efficient manner, and prepared to explain what was in each tea. That's always a big bonus. The tea and cup was placed on a block to carry to your seat, which looked unwieldy but turned out to be just fine.

Though we'd already eaten at the Indian restaurant across the street, I ordered a maple scone to split between the two of us. It costed about the same as the pot of tea, but it was good. It would have been better if we were hungrier, I suppose, but good nevertheless.

Otherwise, there are different types of pastries and soup which would have been good on a rainy Friday. There were many different coffees to chose from, and beer - it is after all a lounge - among other beverages. I would certainly recommend this place over Alice's to my male friends.

We were there in the afternoon. At night they have music performances, but I'll have to leave that to another time.

I'm really beginning to appreciate Brooklyn, besides just the Heights. There were so many shops and restaurants on 7th Avenue that I would have loved to explore, if I had more time, as well as 5th Avenue. The buildings around there were so much prettier than Astoria, it was almost a disappointment to return home. Not almost, it was.

Tavalon Tea Bar

I saw Tavalon from across the street a few Sundays ago with Marie, but it looked closed. Actually, it was just about to open. Yesterday, when I heard that it opened, I determined to visit it as soon as possible. So today during our lunch hour I dragged Bonnie through the 4 train to Union Square. That's really not the brightest thing to do, as it seriously cuts into our relaxing and unwinding time. My curiosi-tea got the better of me, though, so on we went.

Tavalon is a small place, with comfortable seating for 5 or 6 tops. It's bright and airy, with a dj above playing dj-type music. There were 2 men staffing the shop, and another giving out samples of a white tea with plum that tasted heavenly. I was informed that there would be a tea class every Friday evening, for anyone who is interested. The man behind the counter (I've got to ask people their names) was informative and friendly, and I ordered the Chai Seduction, iced because it's kind of warm out today. I'm glad to say it was really good, even with soy milk.

Additionally, they had some sweets on offer. I had a green tea cookie. They also have little scones, rice pudding, croissants, and more. I believe they offer sandwiches but as I didn't see any and forgot to ask, I would not go in hungry the first time.

If the two teas I tried were any indication, I would certainly recommend Tavalon. This is not an Afternoon Tea kind of place, it's in a busy but fun shopping area (and getting busier with Trader Joe's having opened nearby.) So if you are shopping in Union Square - and I know you will be eventually, do stop in. They sell loose tea and paraphernalia - I may add them as a link.

Caveat: Don't try to come here during your lunch break if you work in the east 40's (Grand Central Station area)- it's just too much trouble. Really, with Koli Koli closing, there is no lunchy tea place in walking and enjoying distance from my job! Commenters: if you know of any, please let me know.

Beatles Tea Party

Alice's Flippin' Tea Cup, Chapter II

I really don't know about this place.

First of all, I absolutely love the decor, it's all purpley and fairy, ultrafeminine. That being said, it's one of the most difficult places to drag a male. Unless he is with a spouse or kids, the average guy is going to be sick inside Alice's. Even though the food is magnificent, he would not deem the prices worth the torture of the interior (waitresses with fairy wings!) I will no longer attempt to convince any guys I know to visit Alice's Tea Cup, except maybe Marie's Anthony. He was fine with it, though I'm sure it wouldn't have been his first choice.

Maybe this is a good thing. Teatime was always (in western society, anyway) the place for females to get together - an answer to coffeehouses and pubs I guess.

If you are going to Alice's, though, whatever gender you may be, please make a reservation beforehand: not same-day, though. On Sunday Cathy B. and I called an hour before and the hostess advised that they don't do same-day. This I thought a bit odd - in March we made a reservation 2 hours in advance, no problem. Back to Sunday, though I was told on the phone we'd have a 20-30 minute wait, upon arrival it was an hour. Then the hostess said I should have called to be put on a waiting list. Um, duh! Didn't I call an hour before?

I get tired of this kind of treatment at tearooms. I don't really need to be THE TEA QUEEN wherever I go - it's just that everyone wants to feel welcome in a tearoom. This is especially true when I arrive dressed for tea - I could have come in jeans, but I wore a very appropriate and if I may say - lovely! - outfit on Sunday. So did Cathy B. (Tea wear, not ware, will be discussed in an upcoming post.)

We were seated upstairs (this is the eastside Alice's, of course) which is airy and usually the more pleasant option. Sadly, some baby shower spilled out into our room and their table exploded with laughter - not once, but over and over again. HAHA!!..........HA HA!!!!..........................................................HAHAHA!!!!!! Oh, migraine!

Finally, come on! A little more cream! This is supposed to be Alice's adventures, not Oliver Twist!!! (Dang!)

Perhaps the real chapter borrowed from Mr. Carroll's stories was the Mad Tea Party, with emphasis on MAD. The owners must suffer from mercury poisoning.

Love the sandwiches, though.

April

Once an English professor said that more suicides happen in early April, not because of holidays but because springtime is supposed to be the promise of something better. Cherry blossoms, more sunlight, everyone looks forward to this in the winter. For a depressed person, though, it doesn't give hope (unless you have the Seasonal Affective Disorder, I think that's what it's called.) Squashing of hope leads to despair, thus the suicides.

I don't suffer from clinical depression, though I can feel low at times. I do find less joy in April than I used to. I lost two grandparents in April. I took Cinnamon home on 10th April 1993. Now that he's gone it only makes me sadder. My least favorite UK trip took place in April (1999: It's just hard to enjoy oneself when one is absolutely broke and unemployed!)

There are some good moments left, though. Bon's anniversary is this month, I was first exposed to Bohemian Rhapsody, thus turning me into a Queen fanatic, this day in April 1992, and my vacation last April was really nice.

Still, they don't make Aprils like they used to.

Grandma, Grandma

I could never write a tribute as fitting as Bonnie's, so I won't. Suffice it to say I'll miss Grandma very much and remember all the good times we had together as a child and recently. I loved her energy and presence of mind: hopefully some of her positive qualities will manifest themselves in her descendants. I loved the way she posed for a picture on a bicycle, even though she never learned to ride. Sounds like another Catherine I know!

This picture is from last September, when Pam took Grandma and I to the New York Botanical Gardens. We had such a pleasant day. It was rather sunny out, so she had to purchase a hat in the gift shop. It looked like a safari hat. She was slightly self-conscious about it; Grandma always took pride in her appearance, as her many photographs show. Pam and I loved the way the hat looked on her, and I'm glad I had my camera phone that day to get this last image of her.

(As befits this blog, she was also one of my influences in getting into tea. Her 1940's rationing story encouraged me to stop sweetening my tea.)

Weather...or not

I am not particularly fond of weatherpersons right now. All week they have been predicting the opposite of the outcome. It was supposed to rain late last week: I lugged my umbrella unnecessarily. My neck hurt from the extra weight, and I had an inordinate amount of sweat from wearing heavier clothing than was needed. Today I watched two news channels to check for precipitation. Yesterday I had a haircut and it looks really cute and I did not want rain to mar such a good hair day. Both channels said it wouldn't rain till late evening, so I left my umbrella at home. Noontime it was already drizzling! Blast! I feel like I'm watching Bizarro weather forecasts!

At least it was appropriate weather for Tartan Week. They hold this event every year in Grand Central Terminal, so I stopped by. Five travel brochures, two pens, and fantasic live music later, I feel a latent desire to return to Scotland. It's been nearly 12 years, and I'm slightly more mature than I was in my teenage body. It would be a great experience. Yet another possibility to contemplate...

Fond Memories of Winter (now that it's over)

I really didn't mind the quiet of my block when the street was piled high with snowdrifts. Now I must sacrifice the silent nights of winter for the rowdy midnights, if I want to see the cherry blossoms. Half full or half empty?

Strawberry

I tried the new bottled Strawberry Frapuccino from Starbucks today. Though it's not bad, my verdict is "what's the point?" It tastes like strawberry milk, like some Nesquik drink. The whole point of those Frapuccino bottles, to me, is to have a really quick and cold caffeine fix, without the overdose of the "tall" or "grande" sized belly terrors. The strawberry has no caffeine. At least it's better than that mint one last year. Oh blorg!

Crying

I'm not one of those people who cries a lot. Not that I don't at all, but I prefer not to make a habit of it. Sometimes I feel like I should, like at funerals, but it doesn't always happen. These are the things that may set me off:

1- Seeing a man cry - not over trivial things, but in serious moments, it really is intense.
2- Watching a certain Disney movie, for some reason I start sobbing during the opening song. It is so, so stupid. People who know me watch my face when the song comes on, which makes it even worse. There's not a logical reason behind this, almost a weird reaction. There's a Seinfeld episode where Kramer has seizures every time he hears Mary Hart's voice on Entertainment Tonight. I guess I have the quieter version of that.
3-Anger - if I have words with someone, especially someone I care about, I may give way to tears. It hurts to be angry with people I love.
4- Yes, I cried at the end of Titanic. I don't anymore. I refuse to watch Beaches. Oh, and Kal Ho Nah Ho still makes me cry, even the soundtrack. It begins when Shah Rukh's character cries (see #1.)
5- Losing a pet. Both Duforth and Cinnamon's death made me wail uncontrollably, and sometimes I still get choked up. Yesterday I found an old veterinarian bill of Dufie's and was almost there. Hearing about animal cruelty makes me cry, and certain Disney movies with animals....
6-In the extremely rare cases where I throw up, I will whimper and tear.

Otherwise, it's pretty rare. I mean, laughing till you cry is another story, up there withn sneezing till you cry.

The Imaginary Tea Room

http://www.onceuponatimeinc.com/

Clone Attack 2

This is weird...

I was going through the revolving doors of my building, returning from lunch, when I saw a girl going out (I was going in) who looked a lot like me. A LOT. More than my sisters (though not much more than Pam, we do look quite similar), and more than Chelsea Clinton (who I used to be compared with, like it or not.) The resemblance would not have concerned me, but, unbelievably, she was wearing the same coat as me! I started imagining that I had passed through a hole in the time-space continuum and, in fact, was seeing myself at another hour, leaving the building. Then I went back to work.

Really, though, people used to tell me all the time that I looked like Chelsea Clinton, and it made me furious. Once I was even mistaken for her in a coffee shop. Do you people really think the (at the time) president's daughter would go out for pancakes all alone in midtown? Doubt it!

I met Bill Clinton in December 1997 while shopping at South Street Seaport. He didn't say anything about the supposed resemblance. I should have asked, perhaps. Maybe I would have scared him; he may have wondered if he'd spent time in NY 20 years ago. Huh.

Sadly, after she started looking better I no longer got the comparisons. What is that?

Wild Lily Tea Room

Nestled in gallery-laden Chelsea on West 22nd Street, the Wild Lily Tea Room is a fantastic haven for fine tea and a variety of delectables. (How was that?)

Actually, I'd heard about this place years ago and never managed to make it out there, as I rarely venture out to that area since Chelsea Piers stopped having karaoke. I'm glad Marie and I made it there on Sunday, because it was a real treat. Though it was cold and windy, it wasn't terrible, and what better way to warm up than with a warm cup of Passion Green Tea and the Tea Party? Here's the menu:


WILD LILY TEA PARTY
Assorted Tea Sandwiches:
Norwegian Smoked Salmon with Basil Sauce on Baguette
Shrimp Paté on Eight-Grain Bread
Butternut Squash Cream Spread on Walnut Raisin Bread
English Cucumber with Rice Vinegar Honey Sauce on Soft White Bread
Chinese Black Tea Egg Salad on Whole Wheat Bread
Ginger Poached Chicken with Light Curry Sauce on French Bread
Homemade Daily Baked Raisin & Apricot Almond Scones Served with Devonshire Clotted Cream & Homemade Berry Jam
Daily Special Cake
Handmade Cookies - Gingerbread People, Pecan Hearts & Raspberry Windows
Wild Lily Tea Selections:
Passion Green Tea
Traditional Afternoon Black Tea
Uptown Eve Herbal Tea
and many more...

(I cut and pasted it from their website, and now they are another link on this blog.)

The Tea Party was $25, which is about the going rate for afternoon tea, and I always try the afternoon tea at every new tea venue. Yes, it was as good as it sounds, and I couldn't even finish the scones! Marie was all too happy to assist me, as I believe she loves scones even more than I do.

Check out the rest of the menu on their website, there is so much to choose from: soups, stews, etc. Let's not even start to praise the tea selection, which I won't since I only tried one tea and cannot give an expert opinion on the rest. I loved their Asian-eclectic decor and teaware, and the little pool with the little red fish popping out to say "hi." I appreciated the panels between some tables affording a bit of privacy without claustrophobic enclosure. The staff were pleasant and knowledgeable, and dressed colorfully.

Do try it out, and take me with you!

Visualizing Wild Lily

Illustrated Montreal

The pics.

Must Visit Montreal Again

I haven't been to Montreal in almost three years, and I was thinking about how nice it would be to see it again. Montreal is one of those places that marries Europe and America in a way that tends to bring out the best in both.

Second Cup kept me awake on my two weekend visits there. It's Canada's answer to Starbucks, and may I say a bit more affordable. Some of them are open 24 hours, which would have been good to know the time we arrived at the crack of dawn, only to wander aimlessly in search of a decent breakfast place. Later in the day, there are some delectable creperies about Rue St. Denis, and I noticed a tea shop that sadly I haven't had a chance to try out. The shopping's not bad either. I used to get thrilled about the Lush shop, since at the time we had none in New York, but even so. Plus the architecture is quite photogenic.

I'll be back!

One of my finest cat pics ever....

I don't even know what happened to this cat, just one of the many backyard dwellers that come and go. I just love the clarity of the picture. 9 Lives, anyone?

Her Favorite Song is "My Way"

Zeno helped me through my latest migraine by being cuddly. In return she got hold of a silk teabag full of green tea and flowers that Pam had found at the Botanical Gardens. So much for all the other toys I bought her this weekend.

At the Nevele?

I heard a news report about a woman who complained of multiple bedbug bites from her stay at the Nevele, Catskills. It brought me back to my stay there, and to my own travel and tourism experience.

Not everyone knows this about me, but I used to be a travel agent. Then again, seven years after I quit people still ask me about travel deals. I worked at one of the major travel retailers in New York, at four of their Manhattan locations in two years. Of course, the best thing about working in travel is the travel opportunities. I got deeply discounted tickets for my second trip to London, and was able to bring Marie and Cecile at an amazing price. It was a fantastic six days of running around with my brand new camcorder all over the place. I returned to New York invigorated and just in time to go on a weekend fam (familiarization) trip one week later with the rest of my office to the Nevele. I wasn't particularly keen on going, but figured it wouldn't kill me. Hey, free food! Plus I remembered the old commercials and thought maybe I'll get some swimming pool time or something.

Though I survived the trip, I have almost no fond memories of that weekend. First, I had to share a bed with my manager. Though she was a really pleasant woman, she was a smoker and I hated to complain, so I suffered in silence. It wasn't lovely at all to hear the giggles of the women that the guys brought into the suite two in the morning. The food was mediocre, it rained all weekend, and all the dinners consisted of prize contests that had the older travel agents show the WWF side of their personalities. So petty!

We returned on the day of the Puerto Rican Day Parade. That was the same year they made that Seinfeld episode revolving around the parade. I had similar difficulties. It was not fun to get back to Queens. I had to take the N train with all my luggage. A bag full of travel brochures was chucked before I could make it on the train.

There was only one photograph of our group that weekend. The rest of the office was smiling, but right in the middle was a frowning Catherine. I've never seen myself looking so miserable in a photo. I should have gotten a copy.

I wasn't cut out to be a travel agent. I'd had aspirations of being a travel writer, or perhaps working for a specialty tour company; for instance, literary tours, tea related tours... selling packages to Disney World and Sandals was not my thing. It's the only job I quit and my only actual profession with a title and my own business card. Clients must have seen the Nevele Frown on my face often, and that's not motivational. I do miss the discounts though.

I Couldn't Resist!

Yanni, ya-need to call a lawyer! They're gonna haul your mustache downtown! Ha!


Goodness, this guy has aged. How long has it been since I've seen his picture? The ravages of time...

I'd Like to Thank the Academy

Sometimes, on a guilty pleasure rainy day, I'll watch those shows they do after the award shows (especially this time of year), where a panel of fashion critics make catty commentaries about the dresses worn by those on the red carpet. Of course, sometimes they are pretty funny. Usually, though, it's a real waste of time - bits of hours I will never get back. Thankfully I tend to multitask when the TV is on, so I probably organized my socks or something during the shooting off of a Rivers mouth.

Maybe I'm the only person in this world who thinks this, but what was the big deal about Bjork's dress? Do we really want to see her in a demure "red carpet appropriate" outfit, ever? She is not supposed to look normal, she's Bjork! That's her appeal! And, by the way, the shoes were pretty cute. I think the critics are kinda jealous. They could never attempt a bird-inspired dress and look cute anyway.

I may have gone for a peacock, though.

Maybe you should choose Copycat for me...

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Gata+Tea+Queen

Ack Ack Ack

I saw Billy Joel Monday night! Never thought I would go to see him, though I can't help but like his songs. Well, most of them. Our seats were in the nosebleeds, but I must say our view was just fine. It was a superb performance: I've never seen such nimble fingers. Plus, he doesn't try to act younger than he is, but he doesn't seem AARP either. Cathy and I heard all the old favorites, and sang along occasionally.

The only complaint of the night: about four girls sitting next to us were such trash, and I don't usually call another human being that. They were, though. I've never seen so much beer consumed in two hours, and they smoked! Yes, my pet peeve. I didn't say anything, though I did leave my seat to hear "We Didn't Start the Fire" in clean air.

Let me leave this open for comment: should I have said somethink to the drunk girls, or told security on them, or just endured the smoke despite it being a no-smoking building? (Madison Square Garden!)