Team Oolong is BACK!!

What a surprise I had in yesterday's mail!! 

I opened the package without fail!!

Amazon parcel on my stoop, 

Hurry and lift with a scoop!!

Run inside open up,

Quick grab a cup!!

I feel something warm and cozy,

is about to make my month rosy!!

Rainy and LaDonna have to our rescue come,

Tea....we will be sharing some!!

Tea friends, I am so excited about hosting the Traveling Teapot for the month of October! I have lots of plans swirling in my head! Talk to you soon, Diana

TEAM DARJEELING: PASSING THE TARDIS ON FOR SEPTEMBER

It is sad to see my month with Irma come to an end.  

I will say, my last day with her was absolutely delightful!  I met Barbara, our September host, for tea midway between our towns at The Secret Garden tea room in Sumner, WA.  We had never met before, and our only interaction up to this day was emails arranging this date to have tea and exchange the tardis.  What a treat to meet a fellow tea lover, and a new friend :-)  We chatted as if we've known one another for a long time...tea really does bring people together. 

Here is the entrance to the garden 

The Victorian mansion that houses The Secret Garden tea room is the historic Herber Williams House.  Here is Barbara and I outside the tea room.

The ambiance of The Secret Garden is spacious, friendly, and warm.  The gift shop is fabulous and the food is incredible!

We started with lemon-chicken soup (below right), followed by sorbet, scones, orzo pea salad (below left), then the 3-tiered tray of goodies!

The scones were served with cream, lemon curd, and jam

The server

Top Tier:

English cucumber sandwiches, dilled egg sandwiches, topical chicken sandwiches, artichoke spread with bread

Middle Tier:

Zesty peppadew with cream cheese filling, sundried tomato and basil short bread, gorgonzola and pear tart

Bottom Tier:

Vanilla pannacotta with passionfruit boba

Orange creamsicle shortbread, fudge brownie with hazelnut topping, chocolate macaron, chai tea creampuff, vanilla cupcake with raspberry buttercream

Irma sat at the table with us while we had tea

The owner, Elizabeth is great!  She is always so friendly and nice to talk with.  We shared with her all about ATAA and the traveling teapot.  She shared with us some of her exciting new tea tours she is leading through England and Canada.  

The photo below is taken with Elizabeth holding Irma....I wonder what Barbara will name our Tardis next???

TEAM DARJEELING (STILL AUGUST) TEA IN A TENT

Back in the US, at a local festival, I came across this fun booth!  The lady who made these fun decorations for the garden is Sue of FreshJoy Garden Creations (FreshJoySue@hotmail.com).  She makes these darling decorations from China, teapots and teacups.  A strong tea theme going on here ladies!

She met Irma, and I didn't even sense a hint of her thinking I was a bit nuts as I told her the story of the traveling teapot as I pulled it out. :-)  She was super friendly, and she does ship if anyone is interested you are welcome to email her.

Do you see Irma in this photo below? 

Aren't her creations so cute and fun!?!

Of course I had to take one home with me :-)  It was hard to choose!

 I brought along some store bought macaroons and my husband and I enjoyed them at the festival

TEAM DARJEELING: Parque De La Reserva and the teapot fountain!

After doing a little research online, I found a fountain that I knew I had to see and take pictures of for my friends following the traveling teapot.  I actually left the teapot at home this evening because my husband rolled his eyes when I told him I was going to bring it, and he mentioned that it was dark and wouldn't show up in pictures anyway.  Irma WAS there in spirit!  Once I arrived at the Parque De La Reserva, I realized I had been there before (a few years prior when I was in Lima).  I did not, however see the fountain I had come to see this day on my prior visit.

Although it was dark outside, I think the teapot would have showed up in some pictures.  However, I'm not sure we could have fit it in the car with  all of us (photo below is taken inside the car) They don't have the same seat belt laws in Peru as we do in the U.S.  I had my daughter on my lap and we were seat belted in. (We were lucky to have gotten a cab with seat belts this time, as they don't all have them!)

The park is a water park...primarily with beautiful fountains to look at.  Some you can play in and some are set to music with lights.  Because August is winter in Peru, we chose to not go in any fountains.

The show on this water feature lasted approximately 20 minutes or so with music, lights, and pictures/video showing on the water.

We walked through this tunnel without getting wet!

Here is one of the fountains you can play in.  On a summer day, I would have gone in for sure.  The water would change sporadically and suddenly.  Daring types would try to walk to the middle when the water dropped in front of them....but many were often caught unexpectedly getting sprayed when the designs of the water changed.

See the beautiful colors in this rainbow fountain- isn't in gorgeous?!

Yes, it is water!

And now I know how I missed this one the first time.  There is a second park- which either wasn't there last time, or we didn't venture over there.  In fact, we would have left this night, except for I wasn't going to leave without seeing the fountain I'd specifically wanted to see!

Here it is- see the steam coming out of the teacups?

Of course I had to pose like I was being poured a cup of tea :-)

Forget the cup, said my daughter

Thanks for coming along with us to the Parque de la Reserva!