My Vintage Tea Party
Ramblings and Reviews From a Lover of Tea and All Things Vintage
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.
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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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