Not the 1950 Musical Film starring Doris Day, which I have now decided is a necessary movie that will be gracing my television sometime today. I don’t know why, but there’s something magical about watching some of the older films. I recently got on the kick after watching “Charade” (1963) with Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant. I did a bit of a time jump and watched a few of Robin William’s earlier films, “Good Morning, Vietnam!” and “Dead Poets Society”.
Films have always been a guilty pleasure of mine, since growing up in a small town doesn’t always afford you the joy of many interesting activities. Reading books and watching films gave me the ability to transport myself somewhere exciting. Now that I’m older and attempting to write my pieces, I understand things a bit better. Or worse. You can’t hold onto jaded ideals when you’re writing for young adults or children. You have to inspire hope and give them ability to open their imaginations.
So now that I’m done with that tangent, let me get back to my former thought pattern. I’ve had a hankering for a tea party. When my mom and dad split back in high school, my mom had a brief tryst with a lovely gentleman from England. I fell in love with tea time and hot tea. It was definitely not something I’d ever experienced in the Deep South. I never had the privilege of travelling to England myself. My mom always went off on her own. Whenever her boyfriend would come to America to visit us, he made sure to have a “proper” tea.
I know for most people, coffee is the drink that motivates them. I can drink it. I prefer espresso over plain coffee, but it definitely is not my go to drink. I still remember one of my favorite birthday’s. I was living in a fraternity house with my ex husband. The girls who lived there organized a Mad Hatter style tea party birthday. Nothing extravagant. They all chipped in to buy me a kettle, since we always boiled water on the stovetop in a pot. And then each girl gave me a box of their own favorite tea.
My go to favorite tea is Earl Grey. I know for some people, the citrus of the bergamot can be off putting. Growing up in the Deep South, most tea that you taste is iced and sweet like candy. During the summer time I love making different types of iced tea. My SO’s favorite tea is a Citrus Mint Green Tea from Adagio. It’s very good and I definitely recommend it.
I’ll admit I’m not a tea snob. I don’t know the exact times to steep certain teas or how to serve each kind. I’m just bound to the nostalgia of drinking tea with snacks and taking a moment to relax. Tea time is definitely something I wish America had adopted from it’s Motherland. I enjoy the process of finding what teas certain people enjoy. The drink someone leans towards can tell a lot about their particular taste buds. You can take a peak at my Amazon List to see what kinds of teas I favor.
Last year before the COVID pandemic, I found an adorable tea pot at the Asian Mart in town. I bought a small matching cup. I had planned to buy a second matching cup for tea parties, but the tea pot itself does not hold enough liquid for two servings. During my most recent journey out, I did find a matching mug. It has a lid to keep your tea warm longer. I’m in love with this unplanned matching set!
It was only a few dollars for each piece. A definite perk from cruising the aisles at the Asian Mart. You never know what you’ll find there. It might be a very small adventure compared to traveling to a foreign country, but it suits this bookworm’s comfort zone.
So tell me, what’s your favorite tea? Or what’s something you bought that you treasure. I’d love to hear from you all. As always, thanks for your time and consideration!
Atelier Whootique 