Weekend favorites

There are two sights in the city that always make me smile. One of those sights is the Royal Palace at dusk: all the streams of color set against the gold, birds perched high above, the quiet river at your side. (I'll write about the other sight another day.)

What is it about a simple breakfast, including coffee from my french press, on a Saturday or Sunday morning that makes the day seem so yours for the taking?

Afternoon tea!  This time inside the brightly-lit Conservatory of Raffles Hotel Le Royal.  I chose a black toffee tea.

The ritual of shopping for produce at Natural Garden, after an afternoon of reading and coffee-sipping at a cafe, is the perfect way to face a new week.

Afternoon Antics

I never tire of afternoon tea. Over steaming cups of cardamom-and-vanilla-infused chai and berry teas, Cherlou and I recalled the tea house we visited a few years back, the one tucked away in the hills of the Oregon countryside, up the meandering dirt road lined with christmas trees. This time, there were no dirt roads to navigate or christmas trees paving the way, but there was certainly good tea. The tea house was Chado Tea Room, which was adjacent--or was it inside?--the Japanese American Art Museum in Little Tokyo. I must say, Alex was such a sport for putting up with the two of us and our conspiring ways!

Afternoon Tea

Thank you, Jeanice, for a lovely Valentine's Day/Lunar New Year celebration over tea and biscuits! Clotted cream, lemon curd and tea! Oh, my.

I am feeling very grateful for the inspiring women in my life.