High Tea At Prince Of Wales

A few months ago, my friend Paula and I decided we really needed to start implementing some fun time in our busy schedules. We've had a few great outings, including pedicures at Great Wolf Lodge (what a TREAT!!!), and some relaxation halotherapy time at the local Healing Salt Cave. 

So a few weeks ago, while planning another playdate, Paula told me she wanted to surprise me, refused to tell me where we were going, and simply instructed me to "Dress as if you were going for High Tea with your grandmother". You have no idea what that did to me, with too many cute outfits to choose from, and try, and not being sure if they'd be fancy enough, or TOO fancy! LOL!!! I finally narrowed it down to two of my current favourite dresses, and some of you kindly helped me with my final decision - I went with the blue wiggle dress with tulip sleeves. Both were lovely, but the blue just felt so right to me. 

My beautiful friend Paula, in front of one of the beautifully decorated trees at Prince Of Wales, in Niagara On The Lake.

And Moi.

The front of the hotel was so beautifully decorated, but the interior was breathtaking. I wish we had walked through the whole first level, just to show you all of the lovely baubles. This life-size nutcracker was quite eye catching, and they had quite a few of those.

The High Tea room setting was just breathtaking. I loved walking through and seeing a few guests who really took their High Tea finery seriously. I'm talking fancy feathered hats, , full gowns, opera length gloves, and rows upon rows of pearls. But for the most part, the guests chose a generally modern dressed up approach. There were also a few demure gatherings, for what we surmised were bridal or baby showers, and both Paula and I thought this was such a lovely quiet setting for both. 

We each got to choose from a lovely selection of loose teas, Paula chose Earl Grey Classic, and I went with Deep Green Embrace, a caffeine-free tisane labeled as "a lively blend of herbs and spices, such as mint and cardamom, and finished with sweet notes of rose". It smelled like Christmas!

Pretty Paula!

And Moi, again, trying to fluff my hair back up after wearing a hat in the cold, dry, staticky air.

LOL! 

Our goodies were served on pretty china, with Victorian flair. Everything was presented so perfectly. we each got our own pot of tea, and matching cups and saucers. We were surrounded by absolute prettiness, and honestly, a girl could get used to this sort of treatment. 

We were served a pretty little tray of finger sandwiches, and miniature treats. Including coconut macaroons, tiny frosted cupcakes, and bagels with cream cheese. My favourite had to be the chicken salad stuffed puff pastry. OMG Delicious!!! Also, I never knew I could get so stuffed on Miniature foods! LOL!

These fresh from the oven raisin scones were TDF served with a side of butter, creme fraiche, and strawberry jam.

Look at all this delicious perfection! I loved the attention to detail, and our server, Mehdi, made sure all our needs were met.

Paula and I spent a good 3 hours, just munching on our goodies, sipping on tea, people watching, and catching up on life. 

We had such a great time hanging out, that we decided to finish off our evening with a few hours of getting our sweat on in Paula's backyard sauna. Let me tell you, there's not much more invigorating than stepping our into the cold winter air, your skin steaming from the hot sauna.

How often we forget, especially moms, that we simply must refill our own cups. We are so busy meeting everyone else's needs, that we push our own needs aside. These are the little pockets of luxury that refill our cups, and give us that feeling of being Human again. These moments are refreshing, replenishing, and so desperately needed. 

And I'm already looking forward to the next one!! 

TTFN Dolls! 

Jules