Easter Afternoon Tea Blog
May. 6th, 2022 11:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
abhorrentfrillsHello everyone,
This is my first attempt at creating a blog so please bear with me while I work out the details. I'm hoping to create a wee diary type blog series to share my experiences wearing lolita and making memories with friends.
I'm starting with the Easter Afternoon tea event that I attended last month, my close friend "Flowers" was hosting for the first time and I had a wonderful day <3
So, it was Easter Sunday, and I woke up early as I expected some delays in public transport. I made my morning coffee then threw on some clothes to walk my dog (her name is Blue). We got home, I completed some tasks, had a light breakfast. I ironed and lint rolled my dress and bolero, the issue with owning a cotton ivory dress and a jet-black dog is that hair tends to linger.
I got dressed for the meet, I expected the weather to remain warm and sunny throughout the day, so I was attempting my first blouseless coord. I think it worked out quite well for the occasion. My main coord inspiration for this meet was Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, I loved her books as a child and Easter always reminds me of them.
I packed my handbag before I left the house, I'd bought some KitKat bunnies and Lindt mini eggs to give to comm members to celebrate together. Grabbed my parasol before heading out the door. I ran into my neighbour in the hallway, so we had a quick chat then I walked round to the bus stop.
Travel -
So here is where things went a bit sideways, the local bus didn't actually turn up for 20 minutes. I waited at the bus stop with a polite elderly man and I also saw my Girlguiding leaders heading to church with their family, we chatted briefly before they continued on. The bus arrived and the elderly man gestured for me to board the bus first, he was lovely.
I checked in with the comm to let them know I was running late, at this point I'd wished I had taken my bike into town; I had already decided to take the train to the city because bus times are unpredictable on holidays. I got off the bus and sprinted the short walk (in my white tea parties) to the train station to catch the next train, made it just in time.
Train journey was pretty uneventful, it only takes about 10 minutes. The city station was very busy with lots of families. Due to the meet location I had to catch one more bus. Which again, did not turn up. Thanks to google maps, I managed to locate another bus route and caught a different bus rather quickly.
Now, I was running late and did want to get to the meet quickly but not "bus driver runs several red lights" quickly if you get what I mean. I was a ball of anxiety for the next ten minutes. When I pressed the stop button, I braced myself as the driver hit the brakes, I was relieved to get off that bus. I hurried down to the side lane to join the meet.
Afternoon Tea -
Arriving 20 minutes late, I was the last to arrive. Everyone was having issues with the transport that day, so we had been slowly trickling into the venue. There was 8 attendees total making this a modest sized meet for my comm. I greeted everyone before rifling around in my bag and handing out the easter treats I'd brought, I was also given Lindt and KitKat chocolate bunnies from comm members.
The venue we were at was a small tearoom tucked away in a side street in the city. I had never been before but several comm members including the host "Flowers" had visited several times. We were sitting on the second-floor balcony next to some high windows that allowed sunlight to flood the dining area. At the recommendation of my friend "Plum", I ordered Lapsang Souchong tea to try from the varied tea menu.
A few comm members exchanged items we had arranged to buy and sell; I collected a gorgeous Victorian Maiden red velvet bustier and an Alice and the Pirates black corset top I had bought. I think these will be an excellent addition to my wardrobe especially in the colder months.
Most of the comm ordered the classic or vegetarian afternoon tea but the option called the "wee tea" took my fancy. The "wee tea" included 3 mini sandwiches, a large scone (with jam and fresh cream) and a pot of tea. I don't have much of a sweet tooth so this cheaper option that excludes the fancy cakes was perfect for me. When our food was brought out, they weren't lying when they said a large scone, it was huge!
Everything we ordered was wonderful, I'm wary of egg mayo sandwiches but this one I had was lovely. I enjoyed the smokiness of the Lapsang Souchong tea, reminded me of late-night campfires. The scone was freshly baked and crumbly. A comm member sitting opposite me was sitting in direct sunlight and feeling too warm so we swapped seats. She was actually so warm that when she went to the bathroom, she discovered the glue on her hair accessories had melted! Luckily, nothing had been lost.
Coord Photos -
We paid the bill and headed outside where we discussed taking some coord photos and group shots. One of the business owners on the street had overheard our conversation and offered to unlock one of the garden areas attached to his shop. He hinted that we should tag his business if we planned to post on social media, sly one Mr. Business Owner. We thanked him and agreed to tell him once we were finished so he could lock up again.
We spent some time taking coord photos together with a few curious onlookers watching from the tearoom windows. An older woman came round to speak with us and offered to take a group photo, she said her daughter loved styles like ours, it was a very pleasant interaction. After she had left, the "comm babies" as we are affectionately called took a few silly shots together. We moved back onto the side street, thanked the owner and said goodbye to some comm members as they headed off.
Bubble Tea -
The weather by this point was really warm so the remaining comm agreed to take a walk to a local bubble tea shop together. I decided this was a good time to use my parasol as I don't cope very well in the heat. We walked past one of the large art galleries and the park, taking in a lot of the city's old architecture. Unfortunately, my friend "Plum" had hurt her ankle, so we were taking the walk slowly. The atmosphere was relaxed as we reached the bubble tea store.
At the bubble tea store, I think the whole comm ordered Damascus rose tea with lemon. A perfectly refreshing drink. We started discussing some of the latest releases from Japanese brands and then the conversation moved on to the active Lace Market listing for the Moi Meme Moitie synthetic leather set released in 2001. We started debating on how much the final price might be due to how rare and iconic the set is (it sold for 1,285 pounds two days later so my guess of about 900 was a little low). My friend "Plum" then had to head home as she had a long way to travel.
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We exited the bubble tea store and slowly said our goodbyes as people left in different directions. "Flowers" and I joined another comm member to drop off bubble tea at the university for her friend. As we made our way back through the city, we passed the bakery a comm member was talking about earlier in the day. The Easter display had cakes shaped like little bunnies and I wish I'd snapped a picture. What I did end up snapping a picture of was the mattress we saw with calligraphy on it, I have weird priorities.
Going Home -
"Flowers" and I said goodbye to the final comm member, and we caught the train back into the city centre. We debated getting dinner together, but it had been a long day and we were both worried about our available evening transport given it was already unpredictable earlier in the day, so we decided against it. I waited for "Flower’s” train to come in first since hers are less regular than mine, we both agreed it had been a successful day despite the hectic start. We said our goodbyes with a long hug and left for our platforms.
The train ride back was uneventful as usual, I got a seat easily. I texted my mum that I was on my way home and messaged the comm to tell them I had a lovely time. My mum had been out for the day so she arranged to pick me up from the local station. It was slow moving through the crowd to reach the exit, I spotted my mum's light blue car and jumped into the passenger side. Mum was listening to ABBA and made a joke about my outfit matching the car today. We made a quick stop at the supermarket.
It was a short journey home, and I was quick to change into pyjamas, putting my coord over my rocking chair to be sorted later. I made dinner and the rest of the evening was relaxing.
Final Thoughts -
I definitely want to visit this tearoom again in the future, it's been one of my favourites so far. I was glad the weather stayed so nice because it was one of the few times I didn't bring a coat to a meet.
I hope this was an enjoyable read, this blog will hopefully encourage me to practice my writing skills more regularly and I’ll get into the habit of posting here on Dreamwidth.
Have a wonderful day, bye bye for now <3
This is my first attempt at creating a blog so please bear with me while I work out the details. I'm hoping to create a wee diary type blog series to share my experiences wearing lolita and making memories with friends.
I'm starting with the Easter Afternoon tea event that I attended last month, my close friend "Flowers" was hosting for the first time and I had a wonderful day <3
So, it was Easter Sunday, and I woke up early as I expected some delays in public transport. I made my morning coffee then threw on some clothes to walk my dog (her name is Blue). We got home, I completed some tasks, had a light breakfast. I ironed and lint rolled my dress and bolero, the issue with owning a cotton ivory dress and a jet-black dog is that hair tends to linger.
I got dressed for the meet, I expected the weather to remain warm and sunny throughout the day, so I was attempting my first blouseless coord. I think it worked out quite well for the occasion. My main coord inspiration for this meet was Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit, I loved her books as a child and Easter always reminds me of them.
I packed my handbag before I left the house, I'd bought some KitKat bunnies and Lindt mini eggs to give to comm members to celebrate together. Grabbed my parasol before heading out the door. I ran into my neighbour in the hallway, so we had a quick chat then I walked round to the bus stop.
Travel -
So here is where things went a bit sideways, the local bus didn't actually turn up for 20 minutes. I waited at the bus stop with a polite elderly man and I also saw my Girlguiding leaders heading to church with their family, we chatted briefly before they continued on. The bus arrived and the elderly man gestured for me to board the bus first, he was lovely.
I checked in with the comm to let them know I was running late, at this point I'd wished I had taken my bike into town; I had already decided to take the train to the city because bus times are unpredictable on holidays. I got off the bus and sprinted the short walk (in my white tea parties) to the train station to catch the next train, made it just in time.
Train journey was pretty uneventful, it only takes about 10 minutes. The city station was very busy with lots of families. Due to the meet location I had to catch one more bus. Which again, did not turn up. Thanks to google maps, I managed to locate another bus route and caught a different bus rather quickly.
Now, I was running late and did want to get to the meet quickly but not "bus driver runs several red lights" quickly if you get what I mean. I was a ball of anxiety for the next ten minutes. When I pressed the stop button, I braced myself as the driver hit the brakes, I was relieved to get off that bus. I hurried down to the side lane to join the meet.
Afternoon Tea -
Arriving 20 minutes late, I was the last to arrive. Everyone was having issues with the transport that day, so we had been slowly trickling into the venue. There was 8 attendees total making this a modest sized meet for my comm. I greeted everyone before rifling around in my bag and handing out the easter treats I'd brought, I was also given Lindt and KitKat chocolate bunnies from comm members.
The venue we were at was a small tearoom tucked away in a side street in the city. I had never been before but several comm members including the host "Flowers" had visited several times. We were sitting on the second-floor balcony next to some high windows that allowed sunlight to flood the dining area. At the recommendation of my friend "Plum", I ordered Lapsang Souchong tea to try from the varied tea menu.
A few comm members exchanged items we had arranged to buy and sell; I collected a gorgeous Victorian Maiden red velvet bustier and an Alice and the Pirates black corset top I had bought. I think these will be an excellent addition to my wardrobe especially in the colder months.
Most of the comm ordered the classic or vegetarian afternoon tea but the option called the "wee tea" took my fancy. The "wee tea" included 3 mini sandwiches, a large scone (with jam and fresh cream) and a pot of tea. I don't have much of a sweet tooth so this cheaper option that excludes the fancy cakes was perfect for me. When our food was brought out, they weren't lying when they said a large scone, it was huge!
Everything we ordered was wonderful, I'm wary of egg mayo sandwiches but this one I had was lovely. I enjoyed the smokiness of the Lapsang Souchong tea, reminded me of late-night campfires. The scone was freshly baked and crumbly. A comm member sitting opposite me was sitting in direct sunlight and feeling too warm so we swapped seats. She was actually so warm that when she went to the bathroom, she discovered the glue on her hair accessories had melted! Luckily, nothing had been lost.
Coord Photos -
We paid the bill and headed outside where we discussed taking some coord photos and group shots. One of the business owners on the street had overheard our conversation and offered to unlock one of the garden areas attached to his shop. He hinted that we should tag his business if we planned to post on social media, sly one Mr. Business Owner. We thanked him and agreed to tell him once we were finished so he could lock up again.
We spent some time taking coord photos together with a few curious onlookers watching from the tearoom windows. An older woman came round to speak with us and offered to take a group photo, she said her daughter loved styles like ours, it was a very pleasant interaction. After she had left, the "comm babies" as we are affectionately called took a few silly shots together. We moved back onto the side street, thanked the owner and said goodbye to some comm members as they headed off.
Bubble Tea -
The weather by this point was really warm so the remaining comm agreed to take a walk to a local bubble tea shop together. I decided this was a good time to use my parasol as I don't cope very well in the heat. We walked past one of the large art galleries and the park, taking in a lot of the city's old architecture. Unfortunately, my friend "Plum" had hurt her ankle, so we were taking the walk slowly. The atmosphere was relaxed as we reached the bubble tea store.
At the bubble tea store, I think the whole comm ordered Damascus rose tea with lemon. A perfectly refreshing drink. We started discussing some of the latest releases from Japanese brands and then the conversation moved on to the active Lace Market listing for the Moi Meme Moitie synthetic leather set released in 2001. We started debating on how much the final price might be due to how rare and iconic the set is (it sold for 1,285 pounds two days later so my guess of about 900 was a little low). My friend "Plum" then had to head home as she had a long way to travel.
We exited the bubble tea store and slowly said our goodbyes as people left in different directions. "Flowers" and I joined another comm member to drop off bubble tea at the university for her friend. As we made our way back through the city, we passed the bakery a comm member was talking about earlier in the day. The Easter display had cakes shaped like little bunnies and I wish I'd snapped a picture. What I did end up snapping a picture of was the mattress we saw with calligraphy on it, I have weird priorities.
Going Home -
"Flowers" and I said goodbye to the final comm member, and we caught the train back into the city centre. We debated getting dinner together, but it had been a long day and we were both worried about our available evening transport given it was already unpredictable earlier in the day, so we decided against it. I waited for "Flower’s” train to come in first since hers are less regular than mine, we both agreed it had been a successful day despite the hectic start. We said our goodbyes with a long hug and left for our platforms.
The train ride back was uneventful as usual, I got a seat easily. I texted my mum that I was on my way home and messaged the comm to tell them I had a lovely time. My mum had been out for the day so she arranged to pick me up from the local station. It was slow moving through the crowd to reach the exit, I spotted my mum's light blue car and jumped into the passenger side. Mum was listening to ABBA and made a joke about my outfit matching the car today. We made a quick stop at the supermarket.
It was a short journey home, and I was quick to change into pyjamas, putting my coord over my rocking chair to be sorted later. I made dinner and the rest of the evening was relaxing.
Final Thoughts -
I definitely want to visit this tearoom again in the future, it's been one of my favourites so far. I was glad the weather stayed so nice because it was one of the few times I didn't bring a coat to a meet.
I hope this was an enjoyable read, this blog will hopefully encourage me to practice my writing skills more regularly and I’ll get into the habit of posting here on Dreamwidth.
Have a wonderful day, bye bye for now <3
no subject
Date: 2022-05-08 09:42 pm (UTC)That scone is huge! :o I went to a tea meet yesterday and the scone, while tasty, very quite small and somehow flat. I would say yours is about 3x as large.
This was a fun read, so I hope you do blog more in the future.
no subject
Date: 2022-05-10 09:30 pm (UTC)I'm very lucky to have an active comm so there's plenty things to blog about, I've got a couple things in the drafts already <3
no subject
Date: 2022-05-11 03:56 am (UTC)