Can tea parties be considered adventurous? I assure you that taking two preschoolers to a tea shop is nothing but adventure. Most of our tea parties happen at home. Usually we begin by baking some fabulous treat, such as Madeleine cookies (we call them Madeline cookies in honor of our favorite girl from that "Old house in Paris") or scones. Then we pull out my toile-inspired tea set (given to me by my family at my law school graduation) and brew a pot of peppermint tea. Meg and Clare each choose a tea cup--either one of the cups from the tea set or a Peter Rabbit tea cup--and I pour a bit of tea in each cup. They pour the milk from the cream pitcher (there is far more milk in their cups than tea) and add as much sugar as I will allow them. The tea party pictured here took place on July 22, 2013. It was a terribly hot day and we were stuck inside. Upon hearing that Prince George had been born to the British royal family, we decided a tea party would be the proper way to celebrate. But most of our tea parties are not to celebrate big occasions; they are just a way to make the day special.
On occasion we do venture out for our tea parties and today was one of those days. We decided to meet our friend Nicole at House of Steep in the Cherrydale section of Arlington. House of Steep has been so welcoming to us, though we are not their typical clientele. Their focus is relaxation--the shop even boasts a foot sanctuary--so I'm not sure how they felt about two preschoolers walking in on our first visit. That first visit to House of Steep was for afternoon tea last March to celebrate my birthday. (I'm not usually big on celebrations for my own birthday, but I really wanted to have tea with my girls.) Since then we have gone periodically for a pot of peppermint tea (it was the House of Steep staff who first recommended peppermint tea for the girls) and a plate of tea cookies with Nutella. (On a side note, House of Steep has wonderful lavender tea cookies that are an absolute must if you are there). On the best days, we sit at an outside table and enjoy people-watching, while the staff kindly keeps a close eye on us to ensure we have what we need. When the weather does not cooperate, we sit inside on the comfy sofa and remind the girls to use inside voices and not to lean on the glass tables that spin.
I am grateful that House of Steep has been so welcoming to us. Having a little tea shop to go to periodically is such a special treat for the girls--and for me.
I am grateful that House of Steep has been so welcoming to us. Having a little tea shop to go to periodically is such a special treat for the girls--and for me.
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