FLASH THIS
The Ritz London hotel: Christmas Afternoon Tea available from Saturday the 24th of November 2012 holiday season. For Christmas or New Year celebration events or to browse the Festive Menus 2012 please visit www.theritzlondon.com For more information or to make a booking, please telephone our Christmas coordinator on: +44(0)20 7300 2512 or email festivities@theritzlondon.com
London, England: Charles Dickens’ former home reopens with great expectations http://bit.ly/VDywN3 . Link supplied by eTalk CTV News.
Marilyn Monroe: A British Love Affair is at the National Portrait Gallery, London from 29 September 2012—24 March 2013. Marilyn starred in the Prince and the Showgirl. Marilyn loved a lovely cup of tea…especially if enjoyed in the company of a handsome prince. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoWifilKK7E
You’ll be a hero when you take the kids on this London ride to see the River Thames. And it isn’t the famous ferris wheel. http://youtu.be/MvtZxUixARE
The “Shard” glass building in the city of London just opened. See this stunning structure as I did on a BIG BUS tour…you’ll see the tallest ferris wheel, and Stella McCartney’s fashion shop, too ( daughter of former Beatles member Sir Paul McCartney and the late American photographer and animal rights activist, Linda McCartney). I got on the bus outside The Ritz, London hotel beside Green Park underground station where you can purchase Big Bus tickets. Great park for a walk to the Queen’s palace. www.bigbustours.com
Copyright © 2011 by May Georgina DeLory
A Royal Celebration on April 29th! Interested in how the royal affair went down? Read on for ideas on how to recreate your own royal wedding celebration.
The Ritz London’s Bar Manager, Jean Claude di Lizia, created the Ritz Club Royal Wedding Cocktail in celebration of the upcoming marriage of His Royal Highness, Prince William of Wales and Kate Middleton. The cocktail is comprised of Martell XO Cognac, Cartron Creme de Cassis (a fruit liqueur made from blackcurrent berries grown on the hills of Burgundy, France), Grenadine, sugar, Ritz Rose Champagne and a few marinated red berries placed into the glass. A mixture befitting a royal coupling.
A royal tea affair will take place in The Palm Court at The Ritz London, April 29, 2011, beneath a glazed roof-light in celebration of Prince William’s marriage to Kate Middleton. There is a long list of royal celebration at The Ritz London: His Royal Highness The Duke of Windsor dined and danced in The Palm Court; Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 80th birthday; and His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales awarded Ritz London the honour of a Royal Warrant. The April 29th 2011 “Royal Wedding” will be televised live and shown on large screens and shown again throughout the day. Tea, pastries, scones and finger sandwiches will delight. A commemorative souvenir menu and limited edition chocolate heart bearing the initials of the Royal Couple are included with each confirmed reservation. +44 (0) 20 7300 2345. Toll Free from USA. 1-877-748-9536. www.theritzlondon.com/giftshop www.theritzlondon.com
The Royal Wedding Brunch
The Ritz Restaurant celebrates the Royal Wedding with a sumptuous April 29th 2011 brunch, 10:30 am to 3:30 pm. Themed food platforms serve hot/cold selections. Some of the cold offerings include: English asparagus, var oak smoked salmon, cold wild salmon, octopus, tuna, lobster, and quail egg & duck egg salad. Hot dishes include: Lamb Belle Époque, and Beef Wellington. Expect a wide selection of salads, including watercress and pomegranate. Desserts include fruit chartreuse en gelee, strawberry terrines with Chantilly, macaroons with rosewater and raspberry, croquet en bouche and cheese board. I adore eating out of doors…so was thrilled when I learned The Royal Wedding Brunch is served in The Terrace, which overlooks Green Park and is one of the very few outdoor venues in London. There will be fillet of beef, chicken, spring onion brochettes, lamb cutlets, prawn, sea bass and stuffed squid from The Grill. Enjoy a glass of Champagne while you toast the happy couple during live televised streaming of the wedding.
The Marie Antoinette Suite located off the Long Gallery & adjacent to The Ritz Restaurant accommodates up to 100 cocktail party guests
The Palm Court – known as Winter Garden in the early days of The Ritz London—offers grand and opulent open spaces. If one enjoys gilded motifs derived from life and nature then The Ritz London should not disappoint.
Mewès & Davis, at the turn of the century, designed the Winter Garden (The Palm Court) to present head-on the full impact of a grand hotel to those guests who entered the Ritz from the Piccadilly entrance. Mewès and Davis were of the Beaux-Arts training. Throughout the hotel we see design on a grand scale with breathtaking proportions, gracious line, classical detail, and ornate chandeliers — the pièce de résistance of The Palm Court and The Restaurant.
Today, one may approach The Palm Court after first passing through the hotel’s main lobby from the Arlington Street entrance and then passing through elegant glass panelled French doors to the Grand Gallery. A suggestion made by the late Queen Elizabeth the Mother to meet safety of guests climbing stairs led to the installation of softly curving brass handrails and swirling cast-iron balustrades in the Palm Court entrance.
Afternoon tea is served in The Palm Court with five daily sittings to handle the popularity of the long-standing ritual. Reservations weeks in advance are the order of the day; but for those arriving to The Ritz London on short notice The Rivoli Bar with its panelled walls in polished camphor wood veneer and onyx marble cocktail bar counter entertains the identical tea service and freshly prepared cream cakes and freshly cut finger sandwiches as that of The Palm Court. (Rivoli Bar open daily from 2:pm.) Afternoon tea in The Palm Court serves as an alternative to lunch and begins at 11:30 a.m., finishing with a champagne tea at 7:30 p.m. One need not be an overnight guest of the hotel to enjoy either The Palm Court or The Rivoli Bar or dining of any sort at The Ritz London. If you really want to knock someone’s socks off, consider asking head mixologist at The Ritz London, Francesco Orefici, to create and name a bespoke cocktail just for YOU or someone you want to impress.
For those who must savour their potation with something of a kick…then there is The Ritz 100 cocktail. Don’t forget to eat the real gold shavings glistening at you from the bottom of a most beautiful piece of stemware. Stay on to dance the night away in The Ritz Restaurant, “Live at The Ritz”, features a four-course dinner with dancing to the sounds of Peter O’Donnell and his band with Cole Porter and contemporary blues jazz selections. Friday and Saturday evenings. Ask about the “back by popular demand” JAZZ evenings. 19 July & 23 August 2012. Sharing a platter of cocktail tidbits and glass of champagne. Based on two persons sharing. £50 per person. Reservations: kelly@theritzclub.com http://theritzlondon.skchase.com/
In love with the Marie Antoinette Suite? I am, too; it’s lovely. I found the room calming; it’s adjacent to The Ritz Restaurant which is at the far end of the Long Gallery. The Marie Antoinette Suite comfortably holds up to 100 guests for cocktail receptions. William Kent House, a Grade II structure constructed in the 1740′s and adjoining The Ritz London hotel, was acquired by The Ritz in 2005. After an extensive restoration, five banquet and private dining rooms were opened in 2006. The Music Room is the largest salon in the William Kent House. You may be interested to know The Laurent-Perrier Bicentenary Dinner celebrates this milestone and its gold-medal victory at The RHS Chelsea Flower Show. The Louis Roederer Champagne Dinner (£325 per person) will be held on Thursday, 29th November 2012 in the magnificent 18th century surroundings of William Kent House, commencing with a Champagne and canapé reception in the Queen Elizabeth Room and followed by dinner in The William Kent Room. For reservations and booking information, please contact Victoria Payne in The Ritz Events Department on +44 (0)20 7300 2233 or at vpayne@theritzlondon.com. Check out The Ritz London for their monthly featured Champagne dinner. To combine dinner with a stay in one of the Hotel’s opulent guestrooms, please contact the hotel on +44 (0)20 7493 8181 or email enquire@theritzlondon.com. Rooms start from £390 per night, including VAT. (check out my blog post titled: Kids at The Ritz.)
Cunard Royal Court Theatres On The High Seas
Travel like a pro with Peter! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLN_AOiHs14&feature=share&list=UUYLzScyXuSNHf72lBI6iRNQ
Cunard http://www.cunard.com/ has a Royal history going back over one-hundred-and-seventy-years. Queen Mary 2, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth ships will celebrate the Royal Wedding of the Century in the plush cinema comfort of the Royal Court theatres on all three ocean liners whilst at sea on April 29th with a BBC live feed from Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Queen Mary 2 has the largest theatre of all three ships. QM2 will be at sea April 26 to May 2 during her Transatlantic Crossing, New York to Southampton. Peter Shanks, president of Cunard, says he intends to cater to the obvious interest his passengers have in the Royal Wedding, putting into use for overflow, the planetarium and lecture facilities. Cunard has ships named by Her Majesty The Queen or by Her apparent successor, HRH The Duchess of Cornwall. The April 29th evening’s dinner on all three ships will reflect the momentous occasion with commemorative menu and French Champagne toast! The Queen’s Room will hold a special Royal Wedding celebration dinner with Buckingham Palace wines and French Champagne. More Veuve Clicquot Champagne will be drunk on Queen Mary 2 April 29, 2011 than on any other ship in the world. Twinning House will serve a special tea created for the Royal Wedding afternoon tea celebration. Many guests and especially Americans booked Queen Mary 2 — Cunard’s flagship ocean liner — in order to celebrate the Royal Wedding April 29, 2011 on QM2. Guests will be over the moon when they see what Cunard has planned, including a Royal Wedding celebration cake. Cunard has a Eurostar transfer from London to Paris, leaving St. Pancras Railway station. www.cunard.com 1-800-cunard Watch the QM2 Royal Wedding preparations. Check out Cunard’s “Feel Famous” promotion. www.cunard.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oejI9MVd0c&feature=youtu.be
Just launched and served in the Commodore Club on all Cunard Queens to celebrate Bombay Sapphire’s 250th birthday, a Royal Tea with a spot of Bombay Sapphire gin. Queen Victoria is on the blue bottle. Several other Royal Cocktails have been especially designed by Bombay Sapphire. Here’s the recipe:
SAPPHIRE® English Tea
1.5oz BOMBAY
SAPPHIRE Gin
½ oz Earl Grey-infused honey syrup
Dash of angostura
bitters
Orange zest
Muddle orange zest and stir all with ice in a Boston
glass. Serve over one large ice cube in a tea cup. Garnish with a wedge of
lemon on the saucer.
Wedding Celebration Champagne Tea Garden Tour at Highgrove in England, April 26, 2011 in the Orchard Room to commemorate the Royal Wedding of HRH Prince William and Ms. 
Catherine Middleton. An exclusive presentation gift box is included with your ticket. Please telephone England: 0207-7766-7310. Regular garden tours begin 4 April – 21 October, 2011 with reservation only. Garden tours take place weekdays only. Tea cafe at Highgrove. Profits from Highgrove sales are donated to The Prince’s Charities Foundation. www.highgroveshop.com
Bettys is a well-known cafe tea room in the city of York in Yorkshire. York is less than a two hour journey by high-speed train from London, England or Edinburgh, Scotland. www.britrail.com www.nationalrail.co.uk Reservations at the various cafe tea rooms are not taken except in the Imperial Room at Bettys Harrogate on 
Saturdays between 1.00pm and 4.30pm and on Sundays from 1.00pm until 4.00pm. Bettys Harrogate overlooks the Stray and Montpellier gardens. For further details, or to make a reservation, please call 01423 814070. I’m sure many will celebrate the Royal Wedding with a Bettys Simnel cake. They deliver worldwide. www.bettys.co.uk
A Royal Empress Room Dinner
The Fairmont Empress, Victoria, British Columbia, will offer a wide selection of royal-inspired events during the month of April. The hotel has a Royal pedigree: King George VI and Queen Elizabeth enjoyed a gala luncheon at the Empress in 1939. The Queen’s china has not been used since her visit in 1939—until now. A Royal Empress Room Dinner will be offered for three nights: April 29, 30 and May 1. Served in The Empress Room, this exclusive dinner will be served on the Queen’s china (used only once and not since 1939) with dinner menu items inspired by the Royal visit in 1939. $150 per person. www.fairmont.com Telephone 250-389-2727. 1-866-540-4429
Empress 1908 Cocktail Recipe
1 1/2 oz of Empress Tea Infused Vodka
3/4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
3/4 oz Simple Syrup
3/4 oz Egg White (1/2 of 1 egg white)
Steep your favourite vodka with our Signature Empress Blend Tea for 4 hours. We use Absolut Vodka. Measure ingredients and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into martini glass with a half sugar rim. Pairs deliciously with a mini scone: Recipe compliments of Fairmont Empress.
Rise & Shine with the Royals
The Fairmont Empress hotel on Vancouver Island, British Columbia is no stranger to hosting royalty. Getting up at the break of dawn will be both breathtakingly beautiful and rewarding. Breakfast 3:00 AM, Friday, April 29 (Royal Wedding aired live from Britain). Guests are invited to don their favourite pajamas or Fairmont robe and watch the wedding broadcast live during breakfast in the Tea Lobby ($39 per adult, reservations required). Afternoon on the Empress lawn with Royal Subjects Picnic & Tea. Empress hotel guests enjoy a cup of tea, traditional scone with cream and jam, mini sandwiches, pastries and a flag to wave. $20. And for an extra treat, dog owners should bring along their pooch for the “best dressed” dog contest on the lawn of the Empress from noon to 3pm. April 24th Royal Easter Brunch. Telephone 250-389-2727. 1-866-540-4429 www.fairmont.com
Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea
The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver will feature a special Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea for the month of April. $36 per person, 2:00pm to 4:30pm weekdays, 12:00pm to 4:30pm weekends. Reservations essential. Afternoon tea will be served early the 29th of April starting from 11:00am with a televised replay of the Royal Wedding from London, England on a huge screen for the I-feel-I’m-at-the-wedding! sensation. Guests named William or Kate will receive 50% off afternoon tea (April 29 only, alcohol excluded). On the 29th of April guests will receive a special castlewedding bell to commemorate the occasion. Ask about Fairmont’s Prince and Princess Tea ideal for children. I enjoy this hotel because it’s so close to the sorts of shops, restaurant I like as well as being across the street from the Vancouver Art Gallery. 1-866-540-4452 www.fairmont.com/hotelvancouver
Royal Rocky Mountains Possible Honeymoon Locations
The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta, Canada, was built in 1915, offering golf in a glacial-fed lakes and wildlife environment with UNESCO designation. In 1939 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stayed in “Outlook Cabin”. In 2000 the cabin was destroyed by fire. A complete reproduction plus additional 600-square feet was erected soon after the fire using the hotel’s original blueprints for design and furnishings. Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip in 2005 stayed in the new Outlook Cabin when visiting Jasper National Park to celebrate Alberta’s 100 Anniversary. Jasper Park Lodge is two-hours’ from Calgary via the Trans Canada highway. The route holds stunning mountain views and abundant wildlife. www.fairmont.com
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise http://ow.ly/7ozYf is world renowned and may be the honeymoon location for William and Kate. I’ll never forget entering the Chateau for afternoon tea and hearing and seeing a woman playing a grand harp. Believe me this experience is a once in a lifetime event and a must do! It’s net every day one gets to be this close to such a magestic instrument of music. Opened in 1890, the hotel is considered the birthplace of Canadian mountaineering. Phillip Abbot was the first man to fall to his death just shy of the summit of Mount Lefroy. Immediately thereafter, two Swiss mountain guides were hired by the hotel to guide guests up the mountains. When I stayed at the hotel several years ago in spring I witnessed two small avalanches. I still recall the powerful rumblings of the rushing snow. The Swiss influence from fondue to mountain exploration is still evident at the Chateau to this day. The famous lake once was known as Emerald Lake due to the blue/green colour of Lake Louise. In honour of Queen Victoria’s fourth daughter, Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, the name was changed to Lake Louise.
Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
The Fairmont Banff Springs is another hotel in the Fairmont family befitting the Royal Couple. Banff Springs is fondly referred to as the “Castle in the Rockies.” The hotel is built of rundle rock and sits within a protected national park. It’s an all-year resort hotel known for its cuisine, exemplary service, spa, indoor and outdoor heated pools, original art collection, golf and year-round leisure opportunities in a mountain setting, and, for a most special Hollywood actress: Marilyn Monroe. Monroe stayed at the hotel while filming took place on River of No Return, released in the USA in 1954. Hotel staff were ove the moon when she sprained her ankle and had to spend more time around the place until she fully recovered to continue with the film. Remember, the Bow River has rapids (great scene in the film of rapids). If you have not relaxed outdoors in a heated pool, snow-capped mountains soaring towards the sky yet seeming close enough to touch then you haven’t lived. Banff Springs is blessed with natural spring waters and spectacular mountain scenery unrivalled anywhere in the world. The hotel converges at the Bow Valley and Spray Rivers. The celebrated golf course follows part of the Bow River. In 1992 the government of Canada declared Banff Springs a National Historic site. In the 1990’s 25-million was spent on the Art Center. The Conference Center ranks with the best of facilities. The Alberta Rockies have been well received over the years by the Royal Family.
The Fairmont Banff Springs. Telephone TOLL FREE: 1-866-540-4406. Telephone: 403-762-2211 FAX: 403.762.5755
The Royal Wedding Celebration (UK)
You might not have been invited to Westminster Abbey to celebrate the marriage of HRH Prince William and Miss Catherine Middleton, but you can celebrate this Royal love story at Sir Rocco Forte´s Villa KKennedy in Frankfurt, Germany by joining our sparkling lunch party starting Friday, 29th of April, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. Arrive in the morning and watch the wedding day unfold via live broadcast, enjoy unlimited sparkling wine, bring a flag and enjoy a traditional wedding day party lunch. € 59.00 per person and includes: unlimited sparkling wine; broadcast of wedding celebrations; British Luncheon; Royal Wedding Themed Surroundings. A reply is requested by 22nd of April 2011 to Villa Kennedy snielsen@roccofortecollection.com The first 20 RSVP’s will receive a royal surprise! www.villakennedy.com
Villa Kennedy http://www.villakennedy.com/health-and-fitness/ has an exalted lineage going back to 1904 when Villa Speyer was built for Eduard Beit and his wife Hanna Lucie Speyer, co-heiress of Frankfurt’s banking dynasty Lazard Speyer Ellissen. Eduard Beit was knighted by Kaiser Wilhelm II during this period to become Beit von Speyer. 1963 saw President J.F. Kennedy visit Frankfurt. Forsthaus Strasse, the street on which Villa Kennedy is situated and just off the south bank of the River Main, was renamed Kennedyallee in honour of President Kennedy’s visit. You’ll find Germany’s largest hotel suite at Villa Kennedy, the Presidential Suite, where your wish is their command! Not to be out-done by jazz on the ivories in JFK Bar is Villa Kennedy’s adjacent Italian fine dining spot Gusto. The hotel is centrally located amongst manicured gardens and just fifteen-minutes from the International Airport and a few minutes from the main train station. http://www.villakennedyhotel.de/ www.roccofortecollection.com http://www.villakennedy.com/pdfs/Villa%20Kennedy_Celebrations.pdf
Create your own storybook ending
Much is being written right this second about the Royal Couple and more will follow after Prince William and Kate Middleton tie the Royal Knot and hightail it to live the quiet life in Wales. So, if following in the steps of a literary giant rings your wedding bell, a visit to Pamplona, Spain is in order. Earnest Hemingway visited Pamplona several times to watch the Running of the Bulls, an event known as the San Fermin Festival, held annually in July over nine-days. Hemingway usually bunked down in Hotel La Perla in Pamplona. When I was in the “Hemingway” suite the hotel manager told me the hotel hasn’t any problem renting out the room. Not too far from Hotel La Perla is Cafe Iruna in city centre where Hemingway regularly drank and ate and used material from personal experience to write one of his most famous novels, “The Sun Also Rises”. Actress Ava Gardner starred in the 1957 film based on the Hemingway novel of the same name. http://www.spain.info/
Royal-Tea-In
Le Meurice, palace hotel in Paris, France, serves Royal Tea in Restaurant Le Dali, April 29, to celebrate the marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Champagne, and pastries by Le Meurice pastry chef Camille Lesecq, marks the momentous occasion. The hotel claims a long list of celebrities on an international standing and royalty to its coffers, including Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The press of the day constantly reported the Taylor/Burton couple were treated as if royalty. The Duke & Duchess of Windsor, Kent, York & Marlborough, the King of Montenegro, the Shah of Iran, the Baron de Rothchild, Sir Anthony Eden and the rulers of Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Greece, Italy as well as a host of other countries all made a home away from home at Le Meurice. Bar 228 serves seventeen exclusive cocktails. The Starcky—named in honour of Philippe Starck who reinvented the decadent ambiance of Le Meurice with his signature “opulent” style. If you choose to abstain from spirits and lean more towards something “green”…try Le Meurice Tonic. The 100% Green Cocktail, introduced in spring 2010 by William Oliveri, head barman at Bar 228, is said to energize and detoxify. Freshly squeezed pineapple juice and spirulina—what some believe to be a “whole food”. As much as I enjoyed Le Meurice’s Afternoon Champagne Tea with fingers sandwiches — it is a very, very elegant offerings — something “green” is on my mind for my next visit. So, bring your sweetheart pooch and celebrate the Royal Wedding in any way that touches your heart. www.lemeurice.com
A Right Royal Bed-In
If you intend to celebrate the Royal Wedding with a cocktail in bed then consider Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in the city of Montreal, Quebec, Canada a cozy spot. The hotel has seen the likes of the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, General Charles de Gaulle and His Highness Felipe of Spain since the hotel opened in 1958. John Lennon (The Beatles) and Yoko Ono held a Bed-In for Peace that took place in suite 1742 on May 26, 1969. Fairmont mixologists of the Voyageurs Bar created an original martini for the occasion. YOKO FRESH: cucumber slices, Vodka, Sake, lime juice and sugar syrup with a cucumber slice as garnish. You can stay in the John Lennon Suite. The walls are covered with memorabilia of the famous couple, including framed gold records of the song Lennon wrote to mark the Peace Movement protesting the war in Vietnam, Give Peace A Chance. In 1969, the hotel suite was turned into a recording studio where Lennon on the spur of the moment, June 1st, wrote the music and lyrics to the famous song. www.fairmont.com Telephone the hotel directly to reserve the Lennon Suite, 514-861-3511 Telephone: 1-866-540-4483 http://www.fairmont.com/queenelizabeth/accommodations/suites
Jazz Brunch & Moet
Prince William was a student at St Andrews University when he met Herb Kohler, proprietor of Old Course Hotel Golf Resort & Spa, in Scotland. It is said the two men struck up a conversation in the hotel’s famous Road Hole Bar on their mutual interest in jazz. It’s fitting, then, that the Road Hole, which occupies a splendid location on the top floor of the hotel, offering views overlooking the renowned links and to the sea, celebrate the Royal Wedding the 29th of April with a Jazz Brunch & Moet morning. The Road Hole serves over 260 of the finest malt whiskies from over 200 distilleries. After you raise a glass in toast to the Royal Couple hit the greens, redesigned in 2006 by golf course architect Tim Liddy and listed #10 in the top 25 Foreign Golf Resorts in Conde Nast Traveler, April 2011.
http://www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk/restaurants/rhb_royal_wedding_jazz_brunch.html
Royal Wedding Weekend!
St. Andrews, Scotland is known for more than its greens—at least since the pretty Kate came on the scene. Kate Middleton starred in the now famous fashion show where it is said Prince William‘s head was first turned in Ms. Middleton’s direction. http://www.fairmont.com/standrews/hotelpackages/celebration/royalweddingpackage.htm
Mix it up yourself celebration
The Cool Caribbean Cocktail Book by Gilly Gobinet. Cocktail recipes from great bars and restaurants from Antigua, St. Kitts, Nevis, St. Lucia and Grenada (the Spice Island). www.foodanddrink-caribbean.com The Cool Caribbean Cookery Book won “Best Illustrated Cookery Book in the World 2008″ for Antigua, awarded by the Gourmand World Cook Books.
Tea Caddy
Queen Anne Tea created in 1907 to commemorate the reigning Sovereign at the time of Fortunum’s foundation. www.fortnumandmason.co.uk
Marco Polo, a marvellous fruity and flowery tea. Around 1660, on behalf of King Louis XIV and the French East India Company, the ancestors of the Mariage brothers sailed to far off lands on a quest for new and exotic flavours. Tea soon became a strong family passion maintained over the centuries in a tradition of excellence in taste and creativity, giving birth to the French Art of Tea www.mariagefreres.com
A celebration of the Royal Wedding can only be augmented with a visit to the heather-covered valleys, rugged hills and North Sea cliffs of Yorkshire. The landscape inspired James Herriot, author of All Creatures Great and Small, and the writings of the Bronte sisters’ Jane Eyre and many other novels. Be sure to enjoy a lovely cup of tea by Taylors of Harrogate, North Yorkshire, after a walk over the moors. www.yorkshiretea.co.uk By Appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales.
mariage freres, tea samovar
Macha with a light green colour is used in Japanese tea ceremony; it is produced from the buds under a cover to block sunlight. The very young leaves are steamed, dried with no rubbing and then ground by a hand mill. www.cjaytea.com
http://www.fairmont.com/palliser Royal Tea and Breakfast, April 29, 2011
Delicate pastries on the Crown Princess
www.princesscruises.com Celebrates the Royal Wedding in their outdoor theatres. Movies under the Stars! Princess Cruises are known for excellent pastry and fansy cakes. I was not disappointed when I sailed aboard the Crown Princess. Check it out for Valentine’s Day…I’ve seen some marvellous V-Day creations while sailing Crown Princess. http://www.princess.com/video/dvd/MUTS.html
www.fairmont.com Banff, Alberta, Canada. The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise Tea Blend. 1-403-522-1817
http://www.oldcoursehotel.co.uk/
www.mariagefreres.com Find this tea at Brock & Weber, Steinstrasse 16-18 in dusseldorf, Germany. I adore the Marco Polo blend as it’s mild with a milky after taste that I love. Easy on the tummy, too.
www.tealeaves.com Served at http://www.wedgewoodhotel.com and www.lhermitagevancouver.com in downtown Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Pear Tree green tea offers sweet memories of childhood; Imperial Earl Grey black tea and Lavender Earl Grey are wonderfully mild tasting. Need to calm down after all the Royal Wedding excitement? Chamomile Flowers with Egyptian chamomile flowers. I swoon at the aroma.
http://www.taylorsofharrogate.co.uk/
http://www.ronnefeldttea.ca/ The tea company was founded by Johann Tobias Ronnefeldt in Frankfurt am Main in 1823. Fine teas primarily processed by hand using tea leaves from the best tea gardens of India, Ceylon, China, Taiwan and Japan.
http://www.yorkshiretea.co.uk/
www.tenren.com.tw Ten Ren Tea Co., Ltd. in Taipei. Check out their American Ginseng Oolong Tea next time you visit Richmond, British Columbia, Canada.
www.stratfordtealeaves.com Get your tea leaves read in Stratford, Ontario, Canada
www.cjaytea.com Macha light green colour Japanese tea used in Japanese Tea Ceremony
www.harney.com 1-888-427-6398 I enjoyed Harney & Sons’ Organic English Breakfast tea so much while visiting The Boulders Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona I purchased the Winter White Earl Grey. It comes in a pretty robin’s egg blue tin and tastes wonderful. I’m going to try Harney & Sons cherry tea next.
www.theritzlondon.com The Ritz Restaurant, Five Couverts classification. Winner of the Tea Guild’s Top London Afternoon Tea Award. Conde Nast Traveller UK Gold List 2010. The Ritz Club gaming rooms are as of May 13, 2013 open 24 hours 24/7.
www.princess.com Afternoon tea is quite the intimate celebration with Princess Cruises. I enjoyed tea on the Crown Princess. Excellent pastry chefs!
The Shard, London, England
FYI for travel to the UK
http://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/prestigeticketing London 2012 Olympic Games
I love a good train ride! See Britain! Get your BritRail Pass by calling ACP Rail’s Call Center today at 1 866 938-RAIL (North America) or by visiting www.ACPRail.com or www.BritRail.com. Remember to buy before taking flight as BritRail Passes cannot be purchased in Britain.
Travel by train London to York to see The Minster Cathedral. York is a vibrant city here modern meets historial for a memorable journey. FREE day out for the whole family in York at the award winning National Railway Museum. 300 years of fascinating history in York’s only National Museum. http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/york www.visityork.org
(www.atlantic-links.co.uk) Saunton in north Devon will stage the English Amateur Championship in 2014. Saunton’s East and West Courses, recognised as two of the most distinguished links in south west England, have been given the honour of hosting the blue riband men’s event on England Golf’s 2014 calendar in late July in two years’ time.
A very cute pooch waiting for Will and Kate in Quebec City, Canada. http://travelglossary.wordpress.com/
Ten places to spot The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on your next visit to London. www.visitbritain.com
Royals tour Canada 2011. They are going to fall in love all over again…with PEI! http://www.tourismpei.com/royal-visit
Champagne Tea Garden Tours at Highgrove in England (additional tickets just released). Garden tours take place weekdays only. Tea cafe at Highgrove. Profits from Highgrove sales are donated to The Prince’s Charities Foundation. Highgrove is pleased to announce that we have been able to release a small number of additional individual, group and Champagne tea tour dates in August, September and October for 2012. Limited availability. Tickets are sold on a first come first served basis. We are sorry for any inconvenience caused if you are unable to secure tickets on this occasion.
Highgrove Champagne Tea Tour dates: Saturday 25th August; Friday 21st September; Wednesday 26th September. All tours must be pre-booked and entrance is by ticket only. £70 per ticket for Champagne Tea Tours. All tours must be pre-booked and entrance is by ticket only. £19.50 per person for individal and group tours. Booking: To book tours please book online here (open 24 hours) or call the Booking Office on 0207 766 7310 (open 9am – 5pm, 7 days per week). Further information on Garden Tours is available at www.highgrovegardens.com www.highgroveshop.com
The Queen: 60 Photographs for 60 Years The Queen: 60 Photographs for 60 Years exhibition, Saturday, 04 February 2012 to Sunday, 28 October 2012 at Windsor Castle, London, England. Sixty photographs of The Queen, including the work of leading press photographers of the past six decades, are brought together for display at Windsor Castle to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. To purchase tickets online for this exhibition and/or tours please visit: www.rceltickets.com If you have disability access needs and would like to visit within the next 48 hours please do not proceed with this online ticket application. Instead, please telephone the Specialist Sales team on +44 (0) 20 7766 7324. The office is open from 9am – 5pm every day.
British Airways UK: Share your hints and tips for a Perfect Day for London 2012 with our new iPhone app: http://bit.ly/OQ8l3V
Helen Mirren in The Audience. A new play by Peter Morgan. Directed by Stephen Daldry. http://www.theaudienceplay.com/ World Premiere. London, England. Gielgud Theatre. Previews from 15 February 2013
Live London like Bond’s 007 London http://youtu.be/dl218z68iC4
For information on Art on the Underground see http://art.tfl.gov.uk
If you are visiting London and intend to use the Tube and other forms of public transport, you can buy a Visitor Oyster Card, delivered to you before you travel. Start using it from the moment you land in London, avoiding queues at the airport to buy tickets. The Visitor Oyster Card calculates the cheapest fare for your journey. You can purchase a Visitor Oyster Card before your trip to Britain at the VisitBritain shop www.visitbritainshop.com.
Tea with Eleanor! Travelling to Canada’s east coast? A must-see is President Roosevelt’s beloved island in the Bay of Fundy area. One of the special events is Tea with Eleanor. Visit President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s vacation home on Campobello Island In New Brunswick for the day or stay overnight on Campobello Island in a chalet – log housekeeping cottages. Cross the FDR Bridge from Lubec to the Island and take the first road directly across from the Tourist Info Center. There is much to do and see at the Roosevelts’ summer home. One of the highlights of my visit to the Roosevelts’ summer home was the tour inside the 34-room family home with original furnishings. Wheelchair use a ramp for easy access to the first floor. The two-and-a-half story red and green Arts and Crafts-style structure was built in 1883. The Roosevelts began living in the summer home in 1885. The Roosevelt summer home sits on 2,800-acre of Park Commission land. www.anislandchalet.com www.fdr.net www.TourismNewBrunswick.ca www.gnb.ca
Royals in Jordan, 2013. http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/life-in-pictures
Photos of The Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge in Quebec, Canada Copyright © by Cherie DeLory.
Photo of The Shard Copyright © by May DeLory (the building was in its beginnings of construction. You should see it in summer 2012 completed!)
Photo of London Ferris Wheel Copyright © by may DeLory
Photo credit, courtesy of Cunard
Photo credit, courtesy of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts
Photo credit, courtesy of the Ritz London
Photo credit, Villa Kennedy, courtesy of Rocco Forte Collection
Photo credit, Le Meurice
Photo credit, tea pots, courtesy of Mariage Freres
