Rugala

Today we are serving Twining's Lady Grey tea and raspberry rugala in the cubicle. We love bite-sized nibbles as tasty indulgences. While the rugala came from Costco and was not homemade, our Jewish officemate in the cubicle next door gave it her authentic seal of approval.

Blueberry Coffee Cake

This week we are serving a homemade, multigrain, blueberry coffee cake. Tea accompanying it served in a blueberry mug, of course.

Cats Love Tea Time

Miss Stripey Cat enjoys lounging in the parlor on a very old pillow given by our older sister years ago. That pillow has been slept on, chewed on, sat on, and still is well loved.

Red Rose Tea

June is such a lovely, but hot, month out here. The early morning, however, is perfect, and sitting on the patio is one of my most favorite things in the world. Add tea and a book and the parlor is in heaven.

This week, we've been serving blueberry waffles, turkey bacon, and good, old fashioned Red Rose tea. It takes me back to being a little girl, at my grandmother's with my mother and her sisters, when they drank Red Rose tea and sat at the lace-covered table, gossiping and chatting and having a wonderful time together. It's homey and comforting and surprisingly delicious. Now we are looking for a lace tablecloth for the parlor.

Danish Pancakes and Tea

Sunday we served Danish pancakes, turkey bacon, and Ausperitea Silk Road Bazaar Kandy Mid-grown Organic Ceylon on the patio. The Danish pancakes are just slightly sweet, so a sprinkling of powdered sugar is all they need. The smooth Ceylon is a wonderful accompaniment. This tea grows even more on one with each tasting.

The Bungalow

The Bunglaow in Mesa, AZ., is a wonderful, turn-of-the-twentieth-century bungalow remodeled into a cafe, yoga studio, and event location. The cafe is fronted by a large patio with ramadas and shaded tables and chairs. Three of us had lunch at the Bungalow yesterday and were enchanted. The Chicken Waldorf Salad had been recommended to me by the woman at the Fiber Factory (which is just steps away from the Bungalow), and it was delicious! The chicken salad was freshly made after I ordered it, not scooped out of a large bowl, and served on a wonderful bed of greens. A raspberry vinaigrette is also available for this salad, and it is also available as a sandwich (on whole wheat), which one of our party tried. A small cup of fresh, seasonal fruit is one of the sides (a bean salad or chips are the other options). The third member of our party had the curry chicken salad, which was nice and spicy, but a little too spicy for her.

The Bungalow serves loose leaf tea (I think it was Sereni-tea, but cannot verify that at this time), and we sampled the Bard's Tea, a brisk, tasty black tea that was perfectly brewed. Three sizes are offered, with loose tea served in paper sachets. We also love that condiments included honey and agave nectar (which is served here in the parlor).

The cafe itself is very low key, with separate dining areas in the various rooms and patio, large couches in front of the fireplace, bookshelves and windowsill brimming with hardcovers, and a reproduction antique map in the original dining room. The patio has been used for several weddings (see the photos on their webpage for some lovely images), but is perfect for just sitting, sipping, and relaxing. And for the other dog lovers out there, they have Leash and Latte Nights.

The Bungalow is worth is worth a visit if you are in Mesa, and makes us wish we had something like it here.

Tea Stationary

Delightful stationary with a charming tea cup atop is a cry to return to the days of the hand-written note.