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Tea at the Ritz

Post Text

Every little girl loves a tea party. I had many when I was a child. I sipped milk from a tea cup covered with delicate pink flowers and served Oreo cookies to my favorite bear and my mother. One of my most cherished memories is having a real royal tea at the Ritz Carleton with my mother and sister. We had always talked about going to tea and wearing those big fancy hats and feathered boas that you see the older women wearing in movies, but we never had the opportunity. One day out of the blue, my mother surprised my sister and I with a train ride and reservations to the Ritz Carleton for afternoon tea in Tysons, Virginia. When we arrived we were seated in what looked like an English palace. Everything was accented with gold and over stuffed floral chairs. The atmosphere was so dainty and regal. When we sat, we sat like ladies, crossing our ankles. We were then served delicate finger sandwiches and tea. There were so many flavors of tea and scents filled the air of jasmine and spices. The tiny sandwiches had cucumber and watercress with cheese, not my favorite, but I stuck my pinky out as far as I could while I placed the tiny morsels in my mouth. The desserts were art. There were chocolate covered strawberries, fruit parfaits, and éclairs filled with cream, fluffy as clouds and too beautiful to eat. We relished in the memorable moment together. Feeling like royalty, we gave each other a proper English smile. We knew this special memory would stay with us forever.