Tag Archives: high tea

Afternoon Tea at The Waldorf Astoria, New York City

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Afternoon Tea on The Cocktail Terrace at The Waldorf Astoria (image courtesy of The Waldorf Astoria)

Afternoon Tea on The Cocktail Terrace at The Waldorf Astoria (image courtesy of The Waldorf Astoria)

If there ever was a luxury hotel that embodies New York,  it’s the Waldorf Astoria. Of course it’s a landmark luxury hotel, but it’s steeped in so much history that it’s difficult to talk about New York without mentioning the Waldorf.  From Guy Lombardo’s annual New Year’s celebrations broadcast from the Grand Ballroom to guests including heads of state and Hollywood royalty too numerous to mention, the hotel has a long and storied past.

Historically, The Waldorf is responsible for transforming the role of major urban hotels into establishments that do more than just provide temporary accommodations to travelers. These grand urban hotels were to become social centers in cities and prestigious destinations for visitors.  The Waldorf was also at the forefront of advancing the status of women by being one of the earliest to admit women singly, without escorts. Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea at The Pierre, New York City

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Afternoon Tea is served in The Pierre's 2E Lounge

Afternoon Tea is served in The Pierre’s 2E Lounge

Ah, The Pierre, a luxury hotel in New York City and one time home to actress Elizabeth Taylor, former Harrods owner Mohamed al-Fayed, and the French designer Yves Saint-Laurent.  Charles Pierre, an immigrant from Corsica, began in the restaurant business in New York and over the years established social ties with some of Wall Street’s largest financiers. In 1930, they joined together to form a venture to build The Pierre, a 42 story hotel on Fifth Avenue and east 61st Street, in Manhattan. The Great Depression doomed the prospects for this and many other hotels, and it was forced into bankruptcy in 1932.  J Paul Getty then purchased the building in 1938 and converted some of the hotel’s rooms into cooperative apartments. As of 2005, The Pierre is a Taj Hotel, a global chain of fine luxury hotels and resorts.  Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea at The Plaza Hotel, New York City

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Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel in New York for Afternoon Tea

Palm Court at The Plaza Hotel in New York for Afternoon Tea

The Plaza Hotel in New York City is a landmark and a Beaux-arts masterpiece, built in 1907 and occupying a prime piece of New York City real estate near the fabled corner of Fifth Avenue and Central Park South. While it normally offers a superb and elegant afternoon tea in its dramatic Palm Court with stained glass ceiling, that room is temporarily closed for refurbishment. Update: The Palm Court is now open, click here for updated pictures. Afternoon Tea is now being offered in The Champagne Bar, but it is not the “featured” event that one would expect to find in the Palm Court.

That being said, I still couldn’t resist visiting this grande dame of all New York hotels to sample their afternoon tea service . On the Champagne Room’s menu are caviar, oysters, cocktails, light food, afternoon tea and, of course, champagne. It is an elegant two-story space that is carved out of the Hotel’s main lobby area and has Fifth Avenue views overlooking the Pulitzer Fountain.  Seating options are varied and include free standing tables and chairs, sofas, and high-backed upholstered chairs arranged two by two near the windows. Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea at St. Regis Hotel, New York City

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Afternoon Tea at Astor Court (image courtesy of St. Regis Hotels)

Afternoon Tea at Astor Court (image courtesy of St. Regis Hotels)

It was a beautiful, sunny day in New York City so I decided to walk to the St. Regis Hotel’s afternoon tea from Grand Central Station.  As I made my way up Madison Avenue to 55th Street, I couldn’t help thinking about a television series that’s popular in the U.S. right now.  In case you’re unfamiliar, Madison Avenue is the iconic street that is home to New York’s storied advertising agencies, and it’s also the inspiration for the critically acclaimed television series, Mad Men, broadcast in the United States on the AMC Network.

By way of background, the St. Regis Hotel in New York City was built by John Jacob Astor in 1904, the same Astor who was to later give up his seat  on an RMS Titanic lifeboat to his young wife and die tragically in the 1912 sinking. Afternoon Tea today is served in the Astor Court of the hotel. Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea at Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse

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Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Interior (image courtesy of The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse)

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse Interior (image courtesy of The Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse)

One would not normally expect to find a Teahouse from Tajikstan in Colorado, USA, near the world famous ski areas of Aspen and Vail. Yet you will, if you travel to the city of Boulder, about an hour’s drive from Denver International Airport. To celebrate the establishment of sister city ties, the mayor of Dushanbe, Tajikstan (Maksud Ikramov), announced in 1987 that his city would be presenting a Teahouse to Boulder.

Over the next few years, Tajik artisans and master craftsmen produced the decorative elements that adorn the magnificent Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse. These include the hand carved and hand painted ceiling, twelve intricately carved Siberian-cedar columns, and eight exterior ceramic panels, all completed using 2,000 year old techniques and traditions. Lado Shanidze traveled to Boulder to act as chief archtect during the construction. In the center of the teahouse is another gift of seven hammered-copper sculptures displayed in a fountain that commemorates a 12th century poem entitled, “The Seven Beauties.” Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea With My Daughter at The Ritz London

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Palm Court Afternoon Tea (image courtesy of The Ritz London)

Palm Court Afternoon Tea (image courtesy of The Ritz London)

My daughter and I had just landed at Heathrow Airport after an overnight flight from the United States. We were in London to do a little sightseeing, take in a play in the West End, perhaps some shopping in Knightsbridge, and finally take afternoon tea at The Ritz London.

Since it can be difficult getting a reservation for afternoon tea at The Ritz, I reserved a few months in advance.  There are many wonderful things to do in London, but there is only one Ritz and taking afternoon tea here is “the” quintessential British experience.

We did quite a bit of walking on this trip, and even though I pointed out many of the major London landmarks, my daughter wanted to take pictures of the flower boxes hanging from the windows of buildings we passed. After a busy couple of days, the time for our “tea party” at The Ritz had arrived. Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea With My Daughter at The Lanesborough, London

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Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough (image courtesy of The Lanesborough Hotel)

Afternoon Tea at The Lanesborough (image courtesy of The Lanesborough Hotel)

After flying all night on a transatlantic flight, my daughter and I arrived in Britain early one Saturday morning. Before landing, the captain announced that the local London weather was sunny, calm and 60F/16C, just about as good as it gets on an early fall day in England. Later that day, we had a reservation for afternoon tea at one of the grandest hotels in London – The Lanesborough. After catching a few quick hours of sleep, we made our way over to Hyde Park Corner where we walked under the Wellington Arch on our way to the hotel.  Approaching the front entrance,  I couldn’t help but notice the number of Rolls Royce’s parked nearby – some bearing license plates from foreign countries. Now that’s the way to travel- have your automobile shipped with you. Continue reading →

Afternoon Tea at The Peninsula Hotel, Chicago

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The Lobby (image courtesy of Peninsula Hotels)

The Lobby (image courtesy of Peninsula Hotels)

It was 2:45 pm and I had arrived early for the Afternoon Tea Service at The Peninsula Hotel in Chicago. From the moment you walk in, you sense something different, elegant. You get the feeling that if you simply think of a request, someone would appear to fulfill it without any further effort on your part. Continue reading →

Join Me As I Visit 50 Afternoon and High Teas Over The Next 24 Months

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Palm Court at The Ritz London

The beautiful Palm Court at The Ritz London (courtesy of The Ritz London)

My goal is to visit 50 Afternoon Teas/High Teas over the next two years.

If you’re looking for unbiased journalism or a critical review site, sadly, you won’t find it here. Why?  Because there just aren’t too many things we don’t like about afternoon tea.

Let me also briefly clarify that High Tea and Afternoon Tea are, in fact, two very different things. Afternoon Tea has a 19th century English-aristocratic origin and evolved into a social gathering that included light food to tide one over between lunch and the evening meal. High Tea is generally served later in the day with “heavier” foods and is considered a replacement for the evening meal.

Afternoon Tea at The Drake Hotel, Chicago

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Palm Court Fountain (image courtesy of Drake Hotel)

Palm Court Fountain (image courtesy of Drake Hotel)

Outside, it was warm and humid – unusual for an early autumn afternoon in Chicago.  As I arrived at the Drake Hotel and proceeded into the hotel lobby, I couldn’t help but relax after sensing the palpable calm inside.  Leaving the noise of the city behind, the interior of the Drake was a welcome oasis.

As I walked up a short flight of stairs, I could already hear faint harp music drifting through the air. “Afternoon Tea, Sir?”  “Yes,” I said, “Thank you.” I was shown to my table and immediately began to unwind.

The Drake Hotel is located on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile overlooking Lake Michigan and was built in 1920, designed in the Italian Renaissance style. Visitors to Chicago are often advised to take Afternoon Tea at the Drake as one of the not-to-be-missed things to do in the city. Past visitors to the hotel include Winston Churchill, Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Elizabeth Taylor, Judy Garland, and Frank Sinatra. Continue reading →