I’d love to come to London. It and NYC are my favorite cities; however, I start my retirement next year, and like many, I have failed to save enough money for a comfortable and free retirement period, so traveling to London, even for such an excellent price, unfortunately is now out of my price range. I’ll be thinking of your group as you wander through the lovely city, although I won’t envy you the plane trip there. I hope no Karens or other weird vacationers travel with you. SAFE AND ENJOYABLE TRAVELS TO ALL! 🇬🇧👑🌂💷
Oh. My. GOSH! To be in London with you would be a dream! We can’t afford it this year, but I’m sending you all the love!!! This makes my heart so happy for you!
This is so cool! I do wish that it wasn’t over Rosh Hashanah (fully understanding how hard it is to schedule things like this) Maybe I can join next time.
I know 😔 this was the only week that worked on both ends — so sorry! The fall is packed and we wanted to do something before the end of the year. Hoping to do this again ❤️
This is amazing! I’m telling my fam about this now, so that for the next one, I can join! (These dates happen to fall during another trip we have planned) 🙌🙌🙌
When I read your newsletter today I squealed, “This trip is perfect! These are my people!” And then of course I immediately started thinking about what to wear! I was supposed to babysit my 2-year-old granddaughter that week while her parents were in Europe, but that just got rescheduled. Seems like fate that my schedule is free! Hoping there is a spot! Thank you, Elizabeth, for cooking up a terrific trip!
It sounds like an amazing trip. I hope your American guests will have a wonderful time in London. Including afternoon tea is really special. (And it’s afternoon tea, not high tea, which is something completely different!)
High tea was what servants of a large house ate downstairs at around 6pm, after the aristocrats upstairs had been given their afternoon tea.
On the servants menu were things like large joints of meat (often a roasted ham), slices of thick bread, potted shrimps, a big cake to share, and ale. Tea replaced ale when it became affordable for ordinary people.
It was eaten at a proper table, rather than a lower, coffee table, and so it became known in the servants’ hall as ‘high tea.’
High tea is still observed in some institutions, more typically in nurseries, boarding schools, private nursing homes and gentleman’s clubs. It has otherwise lost the ‘High’ and ‘tea’ is widely used as a colloquial term for dinner.
Afternoon tea is typically served between 12 and 4pm. The upper class Victorians who invented the rules of this ceremony ate dinner after 8pm. Made up of several courses, it finished late into the night.
Afternoon tea consists of tea served with three courses, also eaten in the order of: i) sandwiches (which may include the addition of bite size savouries) ii) scones and iii) sweets (cakes and small individual desserts).
When served with champagne, it is called a Royal Afternoon tea.
Cream tea is tea served with scones only. Scones are traditionally offered as plain or fruit and served with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
However, having said all this, some hotels in London will capitalise on tourist trade. Serving Afternoon tea from as early as 10.30am until 7pm at night. Even adopting the name High tea in their promotions.
There is a foreign notion which assumes ‘High tea’ is synonymous with ‘High society.’
Whilst nothing to lose sleep about, I hope you agree that it’s helpful to explain the history behind traditional practises.
A collab I didn’t know we needed. 🥰🥰🥰 This will be so much fun!
I’d love to come to London. It and NYC are my favorite cities; however, I start my retirement next year, and like many, I have failed to save enough money for a comfortable and free retirement period, so traveling to London, even for such an excellent price, unfortunately is now out of my price range. I’ll be thinking of your group as you wander through the lovely city, although I won’t envy you the plane trip there. I hope no Karens or other weird vacationers travel with you. SAFE AND ENJOYABLE TRAVELS TO ALL! 🇬🇧👑🌂💷
Oh. My. GOSH! To be in London with you would be a dream! We can’t afford it this year, but I’m sending you all the love!!! This makes my heart so happy for you!
This is so cool! I do wish that it wasn’t over Rosh Hashanah (fully understanding how hard it is to schedule things like this) Maybe I can join next time.
I know 😔 this was the only week that worked on both ends — so sorry! The fall is packed and we wanted to do something before the end of the year. Hoping to do this again ❤️
This is amazing! I’m telling my fam about this now, so that for the next one, I can join! (These dates happen to fall during another trip we have planned) 🙌🙌🙌
Ah, sounds like the trip of a lifetime! I wish I could join though excited to follow along will keep my fingers crossed for the next opportunity. 🤞🏻
Omgosh. 👀
When I read your newsletter today I squealed, “This trip is perfect! These are my people!” And then of course I immediately started thinking about what to wear! I was supposed to babysit my 2-year-old granddaughter that week while her parents were in Europe, but that just got rescheduled. Seems like fate that my schedule is free! Hoping there is a spot! Thank you, Elizabeth, for cooking up a terrific trip!
What a fun trip and opportunity! Although, i won’t be able to go, im so excited to follow along with the journey and all that you do!
It sounds like an amazing trip. I hope your American guests will have a wonderful time in London. Including afternoon tea is really special. (And it’s afternoon tea, not high tea, which is something completely different!)
In addressing this controversial question…
Afternoon tea is not the same as High tea.
High tea was what servants of a large house ate downstairs at around 6pm, after the aristocrats upstairs had been given their afternoon tea.
On the servants menu were things like large joints of meat (often a roasted ham), slices of thick bread, potted shrimps, a big cake to share, and ale. Tea replaced ale when it became affordable for ordinary people.
It was eaten at a proper table, rather than a lower, coffee table, and so it became known in the servants’ hall as ‘high tea.’
High tea is still observed in some institutions, more typically in nurseries, boarding schools, private nursing homes and gentleman’s clubs. It has otherwise lost the ‘High’ and ‘tea’ is widely used as a colloquial term for dinner.
Afternoon tea is typically served between 12 and 4pm. The upper class Victorians who invented the rules of this ceremony ate dinner after 8pm. Made up of several courses, it finished late into the night.
Afternoon tea consists of tea served with three courses, also eaten in the order of: i) sandwiches (which may include the addition of bite size savouries) ii) scones and iii) sweets (cakes and small individual desserts).
When served with champagne, it is called a Royal Afternoon tea.
Cream tea is tea served with scones only. Scones are traditionally offered as plain or fruit and served with clotted cream and strawberry jam.
However, having said all this, some hotels in London will capitalise on tourist trade. Serving Afternoon tea from as early as 10.30am until 7pm at night. Even adopting the name High tea in their promotions.
There is a foreign notion which assumes ‘High tea’ is synonymous with ‘High society.’
Whilst nothing to lose sleep about, I hope you agree that it’s helpful to explain the history behind traditional practises.
Sending hugs ❤️ Claire
This just popped up on my Facebook!