The T-Cozy

Enter My Fifth Blogiversary Giveaway!

Today marks a major milestone for my blog. The T-Cozy is five years old today! And you know how I like to celebrate an important occasion such as this — with a giveaway. Yay!

The lucky winner will receive this array of T-Party gifts — a new Bee House aloe green ceramic teapot with a built-in stainless steel infuser (just like the ones used at my former tea room); a matching Bee House aloe green tea mug; a handmade tea cozy made by me from a re-purposed vintage tablecloth; a cellophane bag filled with Comptoir Du Sud rough cut cane sugar cubes; and a 4-ounce tin of Lavender Lace, a caffeine-free loose leaf herbal infusion that is soothing, light and fragrant, containing lemon verbena, spearmint, cinnamon, lavender and rosemary. 

To enter my giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post. For those of you who feel ambitious, do some digging in the T-Cozy's archives from the past five years and let me know which post was your all-time favorite and why. If you do, you will be rewarded because I'll enter your name a second time to improve your chances of winning. (And if you reference a post that is older than the ones shown as you scroll down, I'll really be impressed.)

If you are shy about leaving a comment, please don't be. I'm not looking for anything profound here, just a little feedback on what has interested or inspired you on my blog. Are you new to commenting? Read the instructions titled "How to Leave a Comment" found in the column on the lower right.

The deadline for leaving your comment is midnight on Saturday, March 10. The winner will be selected at random and their name will be revealed in a post on Sunday, March 11. 

This is my 898th post, so I hope you don't mind that while you are busy perusing my blog this week, I will be taking a breather to recharge my blogging batteries. And please know that even if you choose not to enter this giveaway, I truly appreciate your readership, comments and kind support over the last five years.

Many, many thanks!!!

Susan

When the Food Network Stopped By

For your viewing pleasure, here is a video of when my tea room made its television debut.

 
Yikes! I cringe when I watch this. Filmed seven years ago, back then, my hair was five inches shorter and I was ten pounds heavier. Plus, they mispelled my last name and my comments in the segment were downright inane. Even so, I'll never forget how truly thrilled Cathy and I were when the Food Network called with their offer to feature T-Party on Roker on the Road. 

To prepare for our debut, we scrubbed the kitchen until it gleamed, swept away every cobweb, and dusted each nook and cranny; not an easy task as antique shops are notoriously dusty. We were ready — and also a bit nervous.

At 9 a.m. on a sunny Monday in May 2005, a Food Network producer, camera man and sound man arrived to film our segment. But — no Al Roker! We were told that he only went to about one out of every four locations filmed for each show. However, the production team was first rate, making us feel relaxed and comfortable right from the start. They were very thorough and began the day with shots of Cathy making scones and tea sandwiches. Then came interviews of both of us. At midday, we assembled tea trays to welcome a full tea room for filming. And by 3 p.m., we were on to two hours of close-ups of food and loose leaf tea. Nine hours later, we were done. The result: six hours of tape shot for a five minute segment. That was a very long day.

How nice to get a glimpse of my former tea room. It was such a fun place. And doesn't Cathy's food look amazing? It tasted even better.

Susan

An Oasis of Wonderful in a World of Wacky

The title of this post was coined over four years ago by Cathy Santarsiero, one of my loyal patrons. Cathy was referring to my former tea room, a happy place where you walked in the door and left the cares of the day behind. Whenever I hear from my shop's patrons, they tell me how much they miss my tea room, especially on a breezy day like to today, when there is nothing better then sitting in a cozy spot across from a good friend, sipping warm tea, and munching on tiny treats.

I, too, miss my shop. But more than that, I miss seeing my favorite customers on a daily basis. Luckily, I still hear from many of them. In fact, one of them is stopping by my studio today to pick up a large order of loose leaf tea. 

These days, my "oasis" has become my home studio. It is the one place in our home that is all mine, and I love how I can do whatever I want it with it. But when we moved into our house over 20 years ago, my studio didn't even exist. In fact, we had difficulty even finding a house to buy that had space for a home office. Back in the late 1980s, working at home was not as popular as it is today. However, I had already started a home-based freelance graphic design business so that I could be near the children we were planning to have.

In our home search, all of the houses we looked at didn't have a dedicated space for working at home. I would have had to convert an upstairs bedroom, work in a dank basement, or add a costly addition to have the space required to run my business. What I really wanted was a room on the main floor with a separate entrance to allow for the easy flow of clients and suppliers that would need to stop by. That was a tall order, and John and I searched for a house for over two years.

By the time we bought our current home in late 1990, Hannah was seven months old and we were bursting at the seams. My first house in Rowayton was a tiny 1920s cottage, too small to accommodate a new baby, a home office and a sitter who watched Hannah for a few days a week. Fortunately, our new house had over three times the square footage of our old one and it had lots of potential. But it still required some tweaking to create the studio of my dreams.

The house had a small den that was attached to a screened-in back porch, so our idea was to combine part of the porch with the den. A friend/architect drew up the plans and once they were complete, we hired a contractor. Very soon after, he gave us the bad news that the existing screen porch was not stable. So what we thought was a simple project, turned into building an addition after all. The porch came down, and in its place we constructed an airy space with a vaulted ceiling off the existing den, along with a small screened porch off the kitchen. 

I was so excited about getting a custom built office for my growing design business. I remember standing in the space when it was nothing but rough framing and thinking about how I would decorate this special place. 

Over the years, my studio's decor has changed. At first, it had a round conference table, a huge photocopier, and two wooden flat files to store large mechanical boards for my clients. Before long, everything I designed was done on my Mac, so the flat files were no longer needed. Then, with the advent of email, I rarely needed to see my suppliers and clients face to face, so the conference table was out the door. And finally, two years after I opened my shop and tea room, I decided to leave my 24-year graphic design career behind for something new. For a while, my studio sat idle. But now it has come back to life.

I am back spending every day in this space and I truly love it. Filled with all of my favorite things, everywhere I look, I find inspiration. As I share more of my "oasis of wonderful" with you over the next week, I hope you will find some inspiration, too.

Susan

My Three Hoosiers, Revisited

Today I had the distinct pleasure of being a guest blogger on the Etsy Vintage Team's blog. They gave me free rein, so I chose to write about Hoosier cabinets, their history, and the trio I've owned.

Remember the two I used to have that sold in my shop/tea room?

And then there is my treasured oak model in our kitchen at home. It's the one I will never sell. Ever!

If you can, hop on over to read my post at the EVT blog here.

And while you're cyber-hopping, I was mentioned on a "Scoop.it" blog called whats cool on etsy this week. Nina, from Norway, is its talented curator. Very inspiring!

Susan

A Serving Tray With A Story

To those of you who ever dined at my former tea room, this vintage aluminum tray may look a little familiar.

I acquired it back in 2003 from the landlord of my former shop when he was clearing out his father's estate. The tray then went on to a prominent spot in my tea room. For five years, it sat on the white buffet, below, and I used it to serve each and every happy tea patron. Needless to say, it "served me well."

This tray with a story, and loads of good karma, can now be found for sale in my Etsy shop here. For sentimental reasons, I kept it for the last 2+ years since my store closed. Now it's time for this tray to find a happy new home. 

Susan

The Demolition That Didn't Happen...Yet

Remember my sweet little antiques shop and tea room? The one that was located in a charming 1890 farmhouse? 

To refresh your memory, my brick and mortar shop closed a little over two years ago. When its five year lease was up, I hoped to move the business to a new location because the landlord had plans to demolish the building to make way for a new, larger structure. Unfortunately, I was unable to find a suitable and affordable new location. Then several months after my business closed, the economy took a nose dive.

And guess what? The building still stands! Here's what it looks like today . . .

And it has this sign posted outside of it . . .

Apparently the landlord would like to get tenants in place for a building that hasn't even been built yet. That's a tall order when the economy is in the shape it's in. (Right now, the space houses the landlord's daughter-in-law's art gallery.)

I had the opportunity to stop by my old stomping ground last week. I needed to retrieve the packing box that I forgot up in the building's attic in order to recycle and send off an old T-Party computer. It felt really weird walking through the place.

Unfortunately, the building has been neglected and is looking extra shabby. So sad! Take a look at the front porch now . . .

And here's what the porch looked like when my business was there just a few short years ago . . . 

If this was my building, I'd restore it instead of tearing it down. The structure is sound and the place has good bones. And I'll just bet the original clapboards are lurking under the dingy vinyl siding. Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what the future holds for this little farmhouse.

Susan

Favorite Posts from the Last Three Years

The T-Cozy's anniversary has given me the urge to take a look back at my three years of blogging. So here are a few posts from the past that I particularly like. I hope you'll enjoy them, too.

I've listed them chronologically and included the title and first line of each post. If you'd like to read more, simply click on the title to be redirected to the original post.

June 06, 2007: Every Day is a Picnic.  I must confess that I have another large collection.

June 19, 2007: Rites of Passage. Last week marked two significant events for our son.

July 29, 2007: It's Not All Glamour. A lot of people, especially those who have always wanted a shop or tea room of their own, ask me what it's like to own one.

June 01, 2008: All Good Things Must Come to an End. Yesterday was the last tea day at our sweet little antiques shop and tea room.

June 24, 2008: My Tribute to T-Party. I'll be taking a little blogging break for the remainder of this week to give my aching back a rest.

January 04, 2009: Setting Foot on the Appalachian Trail. Early last week, my family and I took a short two-day trip to the northwestern corner of Connecticut.

February 01, 2009: My Pie Safe Revisited. While housebound due to Wednesday's snow and ice storm, I went ahead and gave my pie safe a face lift.

February 28, 2009: Elevating the Lowly Lunch Box. This past week, I rescued a black metal dome lunch box from the thrift store.

May 19, 2009: A Very Special Summer Place: Our Cozy Screened Porch. At 6 a.m. today, here's what our screened porch looked like.

September 23, 2009: The Well-Dressed Toaster. I had a guest in my studio this past weekend.

October 27, 2009: Feats of Fondant: A Fish Cake for John. You don't turn fifty every day.

February 15, 2010: Snow Day Creativity. My "Great Wall of Cottages" has a new addition.

As I browsed through close to 600 posts, I noticed that my photos have improved and I think my writing has gotten better, as well. At least I hope it has. Here's to my next 600 posts! And don't forget to enter my Get Your Cozy On contest.

Susan

My Hoosier Cabinet

I am the proud owner of a marvelous antique Hoosier cabinet. It resides along a prominent wall that spans our kitchen and adjoining family room.

If you’re not familiar with this type of cabinet, here’s a little background information. Founded in 1898 in Indiana, The Hoosier Manufacturing Company came up with the clever idea of taking a standard cupboard and turning it into an efficient and compact baking center. These free standing work stations had every “modern” convenience such as a tilt-out flour bin that could hold 50 pounds of flour with a built-in sifter in its base. With an enamel pull-out work surface, they also boasted a sugar bin, spice rack, tin lined bread drawer, additional drawers for utensils, and shelves behind the doors for more storage. Most had a roll-down tambour door tucked just below the top doors to hide away clutter.

 

Between 1900 and 1940, several other manufacturers such as Sellers, McDougall, Wilson and Boone, turned out slightly different versions, with great success. (The name “Hoosier” stuck, even if the cupboard was produced by another maker.)  Earlier cabinets were made from sturdy oak; later versions used lesser grade woods painted to match kitchen color trends of that time. These ingenious cabinets could be purchased from the Sears catalog or other merchants and delivered anywhere within reach of a railroad. The Hoosier cabinet fell out of favor when built-in kitchen cabinets became all the rage in the 1940s.

My extra-wide Hoosier is one of the older oak models. It has lovely etched glass in the upper cabinets and lots of extra drawers. It provides an amazing amount of storage and houses all of our bake ware, cookie sheets, mixer, placements, cloth napkins, glass serving pieces, and more. It has a pull-out enamel top and a wooden cutting board along with its original roll-down tambour door.

 

On top of our Hoosier sit three of my vintage 1940's wooden soap powder dispensers.

 

Along the side, I've hung the sweetest wooden Dutch girl. Out of all of my vintage pieces, this one may be my favorite!

A set of pretty floral Japanese pottery canisters rests behind the tambour door.

 

Inside the top doors, you'll find my collection of vintage glass ware; lots of cake pedestals, bowls and platters. I like to use glass serving pieces because they blend with any of our dishes. Plus, they are inexpensive and can be found at most thrift stores and flea markets.

 

My oak Hoosier is unusual; along with having large drawers in the bottom unit, it has three smaller drawers in the upper portion below the tambour door. One of them holds a collection of vintage cutlery with bright red bakelite handles.

 

Hoosier cabinets make wonderful display pieces. In my former antiques shop and tea room, I had a couple of different cupboards in the front room. Above on the left is a white Sellers brand cabinet with red bakelite knobs and deco stencils. It was sold at T-Party to a gentleman from New York City who planned to use it in his guest bathroom to hold extra towels and toiletries. Then I acquired a 1933 green cabinet with original art deco stenciling on the upper doors. It still had the old sifter and flour bin with an oval glass window so one could see how much flour was remaining. It even had a meat grinder. I sold it at T-Party to a couple planning on using it in their beach cottage kitchen.

I love Hoosier cabinets. If I ever have another antiques shop, I envision having all sorts of Hoosiers lining the walls filled with wonderful old kitchen ware. Wouldn't that be fun?

Susan

A Couple of Anniversaries

It's hard to believe that it has been a whole year since we served our last afternoon tea at my tea room. Now that was a quick year!

Today is also the one year anniversary of Pink Saturday, the day pink-loving bloggers get together to post photos of all things pink. In honor of both anniversaries, please enjoy this final look back at the brick and mortar T-Party Antiques and Tea Room . . .

 

Having a shop and tea room was a great experience. Though I miss it from time to time, I am grateful and fortunate to have had some of the nicest patrons ever, many of whom still keep in touch with me. 

If you have a moment, you may want to offer your congratulations to Beverly, the host of Pink Saturday, who has done an amazing job organizing this group share for the past year. You can visit her at How Sweet the Sound to see who's getting in on the pink fun today.

Susan

Memories of a Pink Tea Room

For "Pink Saturday" today, I thought it would be fun to indulge in some reminiscence and take you on a digital tour of my former shop. I hope you'll enjoy this little look back at T-Party's oh-so-pink tea room . . . and a peek at some cute pink tea patrons, too!

Since I consider myself a pink fan, I've enjoyed participating in Pink Saturday every now and then. Beverly, the host of Pink Saturday, organizes the hundreds of pink-loving bloggers who get together every week to post photos of all things pink. Please be sure to visit Beverly at How Sweet the Sound to see all the pink that this Saturday has to offer. There you'll find links to everyone getting in on the pink fun today. 

Susan

Baking Scones the T-Party Way

I just finished baking scones for the Rowayton Library tea I am hosting at 2 p.m. today. I used the T-Party tried and true recipe which always seems to produce scones with a wonderfully delicate, flaky texture. I decided to make wild blueberry scones as they were always a favorite at my former tea room.

Although I don’t ever share that scone recipe (sorry!), I am happy to offer some advice on how to achieve the perfect scone.

The key is to be sure to use very cold butter and very cold Half & Half. And most important --- DON’T OVERWORK THE DOUGH! Remember, a light hand is needed.

Use dried fruit, if possible, as fresh fruit may make your scones soggy. And it's also a good idea to line your baking sheets with easy release non-stick aluminum foil.

These yummy scones will be served with strawberry preserves and authentic clotted cream imported from England. Now I better take some time to review my notes for the little tea talk I'll be giving that will accompany these delectable treats.

Susan

Tea and Company

I mentioned a few posts back how excited I am to be included in the spring issue of Studios magazine. It's been a while since I've been in a national publication. The last time was back in January 2007 when my brick-and-mortar store was featured in Romantic Homes. Here's a look back at that article . . .


It was so nice of Romantic Homes editor Jacqueline deMontravel to feature my little shop and tea room. Nice article, don't you think?

Susan

Once Upon a Tea Room

Valentines Day was always one of the busiest days at my tea room. After all, there's nothing better than sitting across from someone you care about on a cold February afternoon and enjoying yummy tea time tidbits and a pot of your favorite tea. Though you can still get all of T-Party's loose leaf teas and Bee House teapots on my website, unfortunately I can't offer the food part of the meal. So here's a feast for the eyes only; a look back at what we served for Valentines Day last year . . .

Along with delicious tea sandwiches and fruit scones, we offered these delectable treats: sweetheart brownie cakes, heart sugar cookies, mini valentine cupcakes and strawberry tartlets. Is your mouth watering yet?

Happy Valentines Day!

Susan

My Tribute to T-Party

I'll be taking a little blogging break for the remainder of this week to give my aching back a rest. All of the lifting and moving has made it difficult for me to even sit at my computer comfortably. But before I put my feet up and switch on the heating pad, here's a little tribute to T-Party. I took a stroll around the shop a few months ago taking photos to help me remember all of its nooks and crannies. So come on in and take a last T-Party tour . . .

 

After five successful years, the brick and mortar T-Party Antiques and Tea Room has now officially closed. And though it was five years of incredibly hard work, it was also a lot of fun. This isn't the first time I've left a job that I really enjoyed. But shutting down T-Party has been entirely different for me since I built it from the ground up.

So this has been a bittersweet week. Certainly I look forward to having more time to do those things I haven't been able to fit in over the last five years; like having time to read and comment on my favorite blogs, hosting more dinner parties, taking a yoga class, going to a museum in New York City on a weekday afternoon, and of course, spending more time with my family. But I also know how much I'll miss my little shop.

I feel so fortunate that my vision of "vintage treasures and afternoon tea" became a reality in T-Party. One of my most exciting moments was early on when we had a full tea room of happy patrons. I listened to their lively conversations and realized that I had done it; my little idea had became reality!

My hope is that T-Party Antiques and Tea Room provided our patrons with something unusual that they couldn't find anywhere else. Its goal was to be a place where it's not unusual to be greeted by name as you walk in the door; a place to unwind and be enveloped in the comfortable warmth of time spent with good friends and family; a place filled with nostalgic items from a simpler time. I'd like to think that our shop was a local gem, unique in today's monolithic, bigger is better world of retail chains.

 

 

So what is the future of T-Party? I'll still be around doing many of the things I love to do. You can keep in touch through this blog, The T-Cozy. My other blog, Kitsch Encounter, will continue to offer fun collectibles for sale. (I also plan to sell on the Etsy web site soon.) And I'll continue T-Party's web site, tpartyantiques.com where you'll find vintage wares along with teapots, loose tea and tea related items. The revamped T-Party site should be up and running by early September. In the meantime, if you are in need of loose tea, a Bee House teapot, or any other vintage or tea item, feel free to email me at info@tpartyantiques.com.

Remember when Seinfeld went off the air? They decided to end their run when they were on top. And though the closing of T-Party is entirely out of our hands since our building is being torn down (and we were unable to relocate due to high rents in our area), I feel a little like Jerry. According to TeaMap.com, T-Party was ranked #1 out of 21 tea rooms in Connecticut and was in the top 100 in the country. Those statistics make me very proud.

 

Rankings like that are nice, but it's really the people who made T-Party so special for me. I'd like to thank everyone who patronized T-Party Antiques and Tea Room over the past five years. I've been so fortunate to have had the very best customers and it was my pleasure to serve you. I'll miss you all.

Susan

All Lined Up

Shoppers were all lined up outside our door today for the start of T-Party's closing sale. And all of our tea room items were lined up as well, ready and waiting for purchase.

 

It was an exhausting first day and we have many more sale days ahead as we liquidate all that was needed to run our store and tea room. Cynthia and I manned the register and front desk for hours without a break. But it was nice to see and chat with many of our loyal patrons who were searching for that special item to help them remember our shop. From tea and toast sets, to tea trays and Bee House teapots; now many of these folks are well equipped to enjoy a little tea party at home. We hope they'll think of us when they do.

Susan

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Yesterday was the last tea day at our sweet little antiques shop and tea room. Cynthia and I served 46 people, most of which were our beloved "regulars" who reserved seats for our very last seating at 3 p.m. It was a wonderfully crazy, busy day; so busy in fact that I didn't even have time to get sad. It was simply a celebration of five successful years of T-Party. We tried our best to document the day, grabbing the camera whenever we had a free moment. Cynthia was really sneaky and snapped photos of me surreptitiously.

Shown below, left to right: Cynthia baked, and we sold, 216 scones in these flavors. Devoted tea patron Linda Rose. Devoted tea patrons Angie and Bob. Cynthia's completed tea trays. Sarah, Cynthia's daughter, takes a break after helping us through our last seating. Me making the rounds in the tea room for hot water refills. Devoted tea patron Lynne. Cynthia scoops loose tea into Bee House pots. Me resetting tables between seatings. Devoted tea patrons Katy and Sasha. John brings me and Cynthia flowers. Devoted tea patrons Dorothy and Joanne. Me at the register. Jacob and John help out in the kitchen. John sweeps the tea room. Me imputing sales at the computer after a very long, last tea day at T-Party.



But we're not done just yet. The month of June will be devoted to selling off all sorts of items from our tea room, kitchen and shop. So we still have a fair amount of work ahead of us.

As far as the future; Cynthia plans to keep baking and I will continue T-Party's web site selling vintage treasures, loose tea, Bee House teapots and tea related items. And of course I'll continue The T-Cozy and my Kitsch Encounter blogs. I also hope to start selling on Etsy at some point. Plus, I have a few more ideas up my sleeve that I'll let you in on in the fall.

For those of you who haven't read up on why we are closing; the 1890 farmhouse that we have rented for the past five years is going to be torn down to make way for a larger building. We have been unable to find an affordable new location as most everything we inquired about was triple our current rent.

So as they say; all good things must come to an end. And the "brick and mortar" T-Party Antiques and Tea Room was most definitely a good thing.

Susan

A Week of "Lasts"

At T-Party, sadly this is the week we'll be doing many things for the last time . . .

Saturday was the last children's birthday party at our shop. My daughter has been running our kids' parties for a couple of years and has done a super job. After this last group of ten year olds, below, had their tea sandwiches and birthday cupcakes, Hannah taught them how to make origami birds out of lace paper doilies. Then they moved on to a T-Party word search.



Monday was my last turn to wash and iron the napkins we use in our tea room. I've probably ironed several thousand in total over the years. Though tedious, Cynthia and I always reminded ourselves that each napkin washed and ironed represented a happy tea patron.

 

And finally, this is our last week of serving tea at T-Party. (But we'll remain open in June for retail sales so that we can liquidate our goods and kitchen equipment.) I've been trying to figure out how many tea seatings we've had over the past five years. Probably close to 2,000 and tomorrow at 3:00 p.m. will be our very last one. Many of our devoted regulars will be coming in for what we've dubbed our "Last Chance Tea." I can't think of a more fitting way to cap off these five years and I'm sure our last seating will be both memorable and moving. I better keep some tissues close at hand!

Susan

Our Last T-Party Mother's Day

Over the next few weeks, I'm sure to be writing more about T-Party than ever. Especially because we'll be doing so many things for the "last" time.

Yesterday we had a whopping 54 people in for tea to celebrate Mother's Day. Cynthia and I are so grateful to everyone who chose T-Party as the place to spend time with their cherished family members. I hope we helped to make this Mother’s Day weekend special for all of them.

Thank you to my sweet husband for helping us get through the hectic day by washing dishes and filling teapots for us. It's a good thing we’re not open on Sundays, as we all need a little time to recuperate. And I have a zillion T-Party napkins to wash and iron!

Now I'm off for a walk with John and then brunch with my family. Happy Mother’s Day to you!

Susan

Big Little Fans

T-Party's fans come in all sizes.

These two girls (along with their dolls) came in for tea on Saturday and brought a handmade sign expressing their feelings about our tea room. Too cute!

Susan

Parting Gifts

This week, Cynthia and I gave our valued patrons the sad news; T-Party will be closing at the end of June. The 1890 farmhouse we rent is being torn down as part of a downtown revitalization in Darien. Although we've had five successful years here, we have been unable to find an affordable new location. All of the properties we've seen have rents that are triple what we currently pay! That just won't do, so we have no choice but to close our doors.

We'll miss so many of our wonderful customers. And as I've said so many times in the past; we really do have the BEST customers. Linda Rose and Mary, a couple of our favorite patrons, brought us gifts this week after they heard the news of our closing.

Linda Rose is a devoted T-Party patron who is so nice. She comes in for tea often and stops by for our freshly baked scones almost every Saturday. Her gifts to us were charming tea cup note cards.

Linda Rose also sent us a heartfelt email that stated, "You and Cynthia have given so many wonderful memories to so many people that have passed through your doors. This alone is an accomplishment that not many could take away with them. As I said before, you have your hearts in the right place."

Mary has been coming to T-Party for several years. A great fan of tea rooms, she seeks them out wherever she finds herself. When Mary came for tea yesterday with her daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, she brought Cynthia and I the loveliest gifts; cute cloth butterfly napkins and a pretty tray for Cynthia and a beautiful floral teapot with a butterfly on its lid for me.

The kindness of our customers never ceases to amaze me. Thank you Linda Rose and Mary!

At least we still have a couple of months left in which to enjoy the company of our wonderful patrons. I plan to cherish these remaining moments.

Susan

Put the Kettle On

The soft pink walls of T-Party's tea room are covered with framed sepia-toned photographs of people enjoying tea through the ages. From Alice in Wonderland to FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt, our patrons can look up and see that they are taking part in the long-standing tradition of afternoon tea.

In an old folder recently, I found more interesting historic tea shots that didn't make it to our tea room walls. Aren't they fun?

 

Makes you want to pour yourself a cup! I'm off to put the kettle on...

Susan

April Showers

Saturdays are our busiest days at T-Party. Often times, patrons reserve our tea room for baby or bridal showers. Yesterday we hosted a shower for bride-to-be Polly.

Check out Polly's fabulous tiara; it's a giant diamond ring crown with a veil attached! Always a highlight of each celebration is the opening of the presents.

Polly received practical items along with fun ones. Below left, she peers inside a vintage jewelry box filled with family heirlooms.

All of Polly's relatives and family friends looked on as she opened her gifts.

After the last present was opened, Polly was handed her "bouquet" made from of all of the bows and ribbons from each gift.

She will use this as her stand-in bouquet at the rehearsal dinner the night before her wedding in July. We wish Polly all the best.

As my 20th wedding anniversary approached next month, showers like these bring back fond memories. And at T-Party, we are honored to host these special, joyous events.

Susan

An Enchanting Archipelago

Last week, we had a most interesting group visit T-Party. The Antigua Board of Tourism hosted an after hours tea for 20 travel agents to acquaint them with their beautiful Caribbean island.

This lovely lady, who is an author, read her poetry and stories about island life to the group. She wore what is considered the island's national dress featuring a madras frock with a gathered waist and puff sleeves over a starched white apron. These aprons are sewn by hand, having frills, lace, several tucks and pockets. This garb was fashioned after the outfit worn by market vendors and cake makers in Antigua and Barbuda as far back as 1834. It was selected as the island's national dress in 1992. The madras used was chosen for its symbolism; the red, gold and green represent the dynamism of the Antiguan people and their African heritage.

The travel agents, who came to learn about what this enchanting archipelago has to offer, got into the tea spirit and donned hats for the occasion. Some were stylish, some were silly, all were fun.

A contest was held for the best hat and Cynthia and I were asked to be the judges. We picked the lady in the straw hat and brown blazer whose hat featured sea shells, mini beach umbrellas and witty verbiage relating to Antigua. It was a clear winner for both effort and creativity. She was awarded three free nights at a resort in Antigua! Kudos also went to the woman with the hat covered with blue feathers and exotic birds and to the brave gent sporting the springtime creation featuring the bunny.

This was our second year hosting this special tea. (Last May, Anguilla was the focus.) What a fun and lively group. It's always interesting to see what hats they will come up with and also learn about a beautiful vacation destination.

Susan

A Special Story to Welcome Spring

Yesterday was the start of T-Party's Welcome Spring Teas.

Along with our delicious tea sandwiches and signature fruit scones, Cynthia has created some delectable treats. Here's what is on our menu through March 29:
Tea Sandwiches: English cucumber; chive egg salad; basil chicken salad; cream cheese and ginger preserves; watercress and sharp cheddar cheese.
Scones: Assorted fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserves.
Desserts: Sweet mini cupcake; spring flower cookie; strawberry tartlet; chocolate brownie cake.

And here is that special story I'd like to share with you . . .

Yesterday one of our nice tea patrons, named Sue, brought her dearest childhood friend to tea who was visiting Connecticut from their home state of Oklahoma. Friends for over 40 years, Sue wanted to ensure that their tea was memorable. When her friend excused herself from the table to visit the restroom, Sue called me over to ask if she could buy the dishes and cloth napkins they were using at their table! That was certainly a first, but I was happy to oblige. I wrapped up two clean sets along with a couple of freshly laundered napkins (shown above left). Sue's wonderful plan was to keep one set for herself and send the other home to Oklahoma with her friend. That way, when they each sit down to have a cup of tea in their respective houses 1,300 miles apart, they will think of one another and remember their special T-Party tea. Isn't that the sweetest?

Happy spring!

Susan

For those of you bloggers out there with an interest in tea . . .
Check out the Gracious Hospital-i-Tea Blog-a-Thon where you are invited to share some of your favorite things about afternoon tea from March 15 through May 31.

Sweet Stuff

Have you noticed the "sweet" theme in all of my posts this week? And for today, what could be sweeter than sugar?

At T-Party, we use special rough cut cane cubes from France at tea time. They almost look like pebbles. Though brown in color, they are technically not "brown sugar" which has molasses in it. According to the ingredients on the box, they are pure cane sugar along with ordinary caramel made from cane sugar.

We can't have sugar in our tea room without something to put it in. Here's a peek at the variety of sugar bowls you'll find on T-Party's tables. Which one is your favorite?

If you ever come across this rough cut sugar, called Comptoir du Sud, give it a try as these cubes impart a wonderful flavor. (For those who prefer honey in their tea, we also provide a Bee House honey dispensers on each table. And from time to time, a patron will request an artificial sweetener such as Splenda.)

So that wraps up my sweet week. I hope you have a sweet weekend, too.

Susan

A T-Cozy Birthday

The T-Cozy turns one year old today! And I've thoroughly enjoyed all of my 366 days of blogging so far. This is post #217, and though I may not have time to write a post every day, I am thinking about new ones all the time and have so many more ideas and places I plan to share with you.

Have you enjoyed this year-long peek into my little corner of the world? I hope I have given you a little inspiration and also some insight into running a shop that also happens to be a tea room. At T-Party, our patrons rely upon us to provide them with things difficult to find anywhere else; a place where it’s not unusual to be greeted by name as you walk in the door; a place to unwind and be enveloped in the comfortable warmth of time spent with good friends and family. I hope that my blog has been that for you.

My surprise for today was to unveil a new banner in honor of this one year milestone. But I have yet to come up with something new that I like as much as the one I've had happily hanging out on the top of this blog for the past year. (I am so picky!) Perhaps this summer when time permits, I'll redesign a new banner that I'll love just as much. In the meantime, I hope you're not too tired of my current one.

In honor of this birthday, here's a brief look back at some of the posts (along with the first line of each and links back to them) from my first blogging year . . .

Nasturtium Happy. In my April 12 post, I promised a peek inside the cabinet in my kitchen that houses all of my favorite vintage kitchenware.

It's Not All Glamour. A lot of people, especially those who have always wanted a shop or tea room of their own, ask me what it's like to own one.

Basking in the Glow. We're back from Martha's Vineyard having had a spectacular week! Here are a few highlights from our trip.

Anatomy of a Tea Sandwich. Cucumber sandwiches are the quintessential tea sandwich.

Mine, All Mine. The place I spend most of my time when I’m home is my studio.

Mamas in Pajamas. Yesterday may very well have been the busiest day we’ve ever had at T-Party.

FAQ: Laundering Vintage Linens. One of my favorite things to collect and to sell at T-Party are vintage linens.

The Elephant's Trunk. Every Sunday between April and early December, a devoted group of antiques dealers from near and far make their way to New Milford, Connecticut . . .

Late Afternoon in the Tea Room. Another Tuesday at T-Party.

Ironing Day. One of the T-Party chores that Cynthia and I share is doing the cloth napkins that are used at our tea room.

My Pretty Porch on May Day. Spring is my favorite time of year.

The Origami Love Note. Here’s what I was up to 19 years ago today.

I'd like to thank you all for stopping by over the past year. And I really appreciate all of your comments as they let me know that I must be doing something right. Those of you who have been too shy to comment in the past, it's never too late to let me know what you're thinking. I'd love to hear from you.

This next year will be filled with lots of changes in my life; a big anniversary, my first child off to college, the probable closing of the "brick and mortar" T-Party, and a milestone birthday. And just as I wished in my very first post, I really do hope you'll come along for the ride.

Susan

Cute!

When people walk in the door at T-Party for the first time, the word they use most to describe our shop is "Cute!"

Well, just look who came to tea today . . .

Not only is our shop cute. Our customers are, as well!

Susan

Tea and Tarot

After our winter break, we hosted a lovely group of ladies for a baby shower at T-Party on Saturday. Amanda, the expectant mom, had many friends and family in for tea.

Once everyone was done sipping and eating and the presents were opened, Amanda requested a Tarot card reading. That's Cynthia's forte, so here's a little peek at Amanda's reading . . .

You have to admit, there's something irresistible about casting one's fate by shuffling the cards and laying them out on the table for all to see, looking into the unknown, and having one's life explained by a stranger. That said, we don't take any of this seriously at T-Party. Our Tarot readings are all in fun and that's what everyone had at T-Party that afternoon.

What a nice bunch of ladies. We wish Amanda all the best.

Susan

T-Party's Valentine Tea

Yesterday was the start of our valentine theme teas at T-Party. Just look at these delectable treats Cynthia has created for this very special Grand Afternoon Tea . . .

Here is what's on our menu through February14:
Tea Sandwiches: English cucumber; chive egg salad; basil chicken salad; cream cheese and ginger preserves; roasted turkey with cranberry mustard.
Scones: Assorted fruit scones with clotted cream and strawberry preserves.
Desserts: Mini valentine cupcake; heart sugar cookie; strawberry tartlet; sweetheart brownie cake.

We had a diverse group of tea patrons in for this Valentine tea yesterday. The table below had three generations along with a couple of dogs!

When our tiniest patrons bring along a friend, we provide a vintage toy highchair for visiting stuffed animals or dolls. This sweet little girl put her pups in and lent them her napkin, too. So cute!

Susan

A Family Affair

When we opened T-Party Antiques and Tea Room in 2003, one of our most important decisions was which tea purveyor to use. We knew we wanted excellent customer service and the very best loose leaf teas. We found those qualities and more in Simpson & Vail, located just an hour away from us in Brookfield, Connecticut.

Founded in 1904 by Augustus Walbridge in New York City, this company was originally named Augustus M. Walbridge, Inc. In 1929, Walbridge sold the business to Mr. Simpson, his accountant, and Mr. Lester Vail, his tea taster. Jim and Joan Harron purchased Simpson & Vail in 1978. In 1990, two of the four Harron children, Cyndi and Jim, Jr., joined the company full time. Their business continued to grow and the Harrons relocated from New York to Brookfield, Connecticut.

I've always wanted to visit Simpson & Vail. So during my week off from T-Party in December, my family and I took a drive to see them. Simpson & Vail's facility encompasses warehouse space, offices, and a lovely retail showroom overlooking a tranquil old rock quarry. I really enjoyed seeing where all of our beautiful blends come from. Shown below are Susan's Blend, Vintage Rose and Lavender Lace.

It was a pleasure chatting with Jim Harron and his daughter Cyndi. What nice people and how nice that their successful business is a family affair.

Susan