My Vintage Tea Party
Ramblings and Reviews From a Lover of Tea and All Things Vintage
For some reason, I am positively smitten with nautical inspired clothes and accessories. The square collars, the bright colors, the neckerchiefs...it's all so neat, polished and classic looking. So when I spotted this full skirted, adorable sailor dress on Unique Vintage's website, I knew I had no option but to buy it. A year and a half has gone by since I bought this dress, and even though I haven't worn it much it is, without a doubt, one of my favorite clothing items. Pretty much everything about this dress is perfect. I prefer the look of full skirts and dresses that fall below the knee and have a defined waist. In my opinion, the silhouette of a defined waist and a full skirt just can't be beaten. It's so feminine and elegant! The dress also fits like a dream-- it can be difficult to buy clothing online because sizes aren't always consistent (and don't even get me started on inaccurate sizing charts...), but I couldn't ask for this one to fit any better. I believe this is the only thing I own from Unique Vintage, not because they don't have clothes that I want-- I have a pretty extensive wish list on there-- but because I try very, very hard not to order more than one or two clothing items a month and there is a seemingly endless number of other clothing sites that I drool over on a regular basis. Unique Vintage stocks a wide variety of retro brands, but this dress happens to be by their very own Unique Vintage brand! The purse I'm carrying is by Tatyana, formerly known as Bettie Page Clothing, and has two compartments-- one on each side. The little yellow guy you can see hanging off of it in the picture above is a Winnie the Pooh Tsum Tsum keychain that has an eco bag inside. It's nearly impossible to tell from the pictures, but my bow has little anchors on it to match the sailor theme.
I know that my overall look is more on the girlish side and not entirely "mature" or "glamorous," but sometimes I like looking a bit like a doll. I used to wear the Japanese Lolita style everyday, and even though I've moved more towards the retro/vintage look I still feel most like myself in outfits with a cutesy, innocent twist. I'm afraid I'll always have to be content with looking more doll-like-- a big reason being that I can't wear heels on a regular basis. I would love to be able to, but like I mentioned in a previous post my ankle and knee problems prevent it. So, it looks like I'm stuck in mary janes, saddle shoes, and comfortable sandals like the ones I'm wearing here. Oh, well. I think I do pretty well coordinating outfits even though I have limited shoe options! Dress: Unique Vintage Shoes: Clark's Purse: Tatyana (Bettie Page Clothing)
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First let me begin by saying that I am embarrassed by the fact that this tea is (way) over a year old, but in my defense I store tea properly so it is still good. Anyway, I will be reviewing some of my favorite tea ever: a Ceylon tea from Duffy's Easter Fair 2015 (a special event at Tokyo Disney Sea that lasts about a month). I am a HUGE fan of Duffy the Disney Bear, and a few times a year Tokyo Disney Sea (TDS) comes out with limited edition Duffy merchandise, so I make a point to order a few things to add to my collection. Here in the US, Duffy is simply not as popular as he is in Japan; probably because our culture feels that teddy bears and cutesy things are only for children. I'm pretty bitter about that, to tell you the truth. But moving on. The quality of the merchandise from TDS is amazing, and the designers of the products really put thought into every last detail (are you listening, United States Disney? You need to step up your game). This particular tea came loose leaf, and they even added little sugar flowers that dissolve to add a tiny bit of sweetness. Yes, it even came with a special tea scoop. These are the kinds of details that keep me buying from TDS. The actual tea, which I mentioned was a black Ceylon (grown on the island of Sri Lanka) really is amazing. The minute I opened the air-tight tin I was overtaken by the beautiful scent. When steeped 3-5 minutes (I usually go for the full 5), it creates a full-bodied black tea that really has that "punch" that I love about Ceylon teas. I will be so sad when all of it disappears....I believe I have enough for one more cup.
There isn't any other flavor to this tea-- it's just plain black and the sugar flowers are not flavored either. I actually prefer it that way so I give this tea high marks for being both good quality and delicious. The tin it came in is also beyond adorable, and I will continue to use it to store loose tea. Due to a serious lack of tea rooms near where I live, I really only get to experience them when I travel. However, sometime last year I was browsing the internet for a list of tea rooms in my state and stumbled upon the tea room at the Smith-Byrd House Bed and Breakfast. This hidden gem is located just an hour away from me in Prattville, Alabama-- still not close enough to be able to just pick up and go whenever I feel like it, but not hours away either. After months of not being able to find a suitable weekend to make the excursion, March rolled around and so did my birthday, and I decided that a trip to the tea room would be the perfect gift to ask for from my boyfriend. Seeing as how I adore the late Victorian era, I could not wait to go have tea in a restored 1880s bed and breakfast. It truly is a beautiful house, and when I stepped inside I felt right at home. The tea room itself does not seat very many people, so it is highly recommended that you make reservations well in advance. I must say, the first thing that really impressed me was their selection of tea-- over 100 blends! Needless to say, it took me a while to make up my mind which one I wanted to start with. You are able to try as many kinds as you like when you pay for a pot of tea, and that did help although there was no possible way for me to try all of the ones that caught my eye. In addition to tea, my boyfriend and I ordered lunch, scones, and a selection of small desserts. I am sorry to say that I don't remember what I had, just that it was very tasty. The scones and desserts were also delicious, and I'm afraid I had too much sugar as I felt a bit jittery after all the tea and sweets. The staff was very warm and friendly, however one thing that I would certainly change if I ran the tea room is the servers' attire. The servers in the tea room all seemed to be younger girls, perhaps late teens and early twenties, but none of them looked as if they made any attempt to dress nicely. With the Victorian feel of the house and dining room, it would have added an extra level of class to have servers at least in something a bit nicer than t shirts and jeans. As is usually the case with tea rooms, the Smith-Byrd House sells their teas in case you want to take some home. Before all was said and done, I think I left with about 15 1-ounce samples. Their selection includes both plain and flavored whites, greens, blacks, reds, and herbal blends so no matter what your tea preference is, you will find plenty that suits your taste. Also, be sure to stop by the gift shop for Downton Abbey merchandise, recipe books, and other lovely tea accessories. I do wish I lived closer to this tea room, as they sometimes host tea tasting classes and events that I know I would thoroughly enjoy. In any case, I'm sure I will be visiting the Smith-Byrd House again, as it was a very delightful experience! This is my other half, Stephen. I'm so glad he enjoys doing things like this with me!
As for my outfit, I decided to go with the Lolita style for my birthday. |
About Me
Greetings, readers! My name is Jordie, and I am a tea obsessed, history loving young lady who just happened to be born about 60 years too late. Archives
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