Homes of Jane Austen Tea Talk: Another delightful day at the office for BTS with the best of company!

The Jane Austen House in Chawton, one of the Austen homes in Hampshire, England.

We were back in the "office" last week, presenting Homes of Jane Austen, to a wonderful women's group at a local restaurant. Though the venue is well known for its signature wines, Friday afternoon, tea was the beverage of choice for the amazing ladies who filled its cozy, private dining space.

While we've presented many an Austentacious tea talk throughout the years, for this organization's local chapter -  many who trace their ancestors to England  - a request was made for our Austen presentation, but with a focus on the areas Jane lived. 

Getting ready for another day at the office with the best of company!

In our half a dozen trips to England in the past twenty years, we've made a point to always include a Jane Austen-themed side trip, be it where she shopped for tea in London, country estates that inspired her novels or homes she lived in. With the latter, we took it a step further, actually staying at one of the townhouses Jane lived in with her family when they first moved to Bath. 

Our Homes of Jane Austen starts in Hampshire from Southampton to Winchester, moving west to Bath and north to Chesire. A few Austen-adjacent and Austen-adjacent-adjacent estates were added to round out the regional representation of England. We've personally visited all the shops and homes shown in our slides, although we've only slept over at No. 4 Sydney Place.

Chris tracing his family roots to an Austen-adjacent-adjacent village.

We also share a bit of our own ancestral search in Yorkshire where my husband, Chris, could trace family roots from the 17th century. Though a bit out of Austen-land, it's the site of a grand residence once the home of Princess Mary and a filming site of Downton Abbey. (That's one of the multiple "adjacent's").

We loved our day in the workspace, outfitted with fancy teacups and chintz teapots filled with beautiful floral bouquets. We also much appreciated our take-home bonus: one aforementioned bouquet and a generous slice of chocolate cake. 

Bonus: aside from best company, lunch, flowers & cake.

A truly incredible afternoon in "good the best company". 

Persuasion's Anne Elliot defines "good company" as a "fellowship of clever, well-informed people who have a great deal of conversation and a liberality of ideas".  However, she is quickly corrected by her cousin, who proclaims "that is not good company, that is the best".

More tea talks scheduled for 2026 including A Jane Austen Christmas this December. We're happy to customize any of our BTS programs for your group. Check out our BTS website, barbsteaservice.com, for a list of current programs. 

Breakfast at Zingerman's: A quick return to the gems at the Next Door Cafe!

Though it took us forty years to finally visit Zingerman's Deli this summer, once introduced, we knew we'd be back soon. Last weekend, after our first drop-in this summer, we returned to the locally renowned Jewish delicatessen, but this time it was for breakfast at the Next Door Cafe. 

Located in the Kerrytown region, Zingerman's has been a presence in Ann Arbor since 1981. A decade later, it extended its footprint to an adjacent building, appropriately named the Next Door Cafe. Here one can order sweets and savories at one counter, pick up the contents at another and pour a cup of Zingerman's java at the self-serve coffee bar.

At our first visit, (Zingerman's with Barb's Tea Service) our mission was lunch enroute to see a play at The Encore Musical Theater in nearby Dexter with our fellow podcasters.  We ordered monster sandwiches along with iced tea and found outdoor seating in a shady tent between the deli and the cafe.

Glass showcases filled with gems:  scones, chocolates. pastries and more. 

Before heading out to Dexter, we did one final sweep of the deli and I filled a bag with two packages of Zingerman's tea and half a dozen rugelach. (The latter are bite-sized pastries with a variety of fillings including chocolate and apricot).

Not unlike our initial Zingerman adventure, last weekend's stop was also tied to a theater performance - this time, at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea, another short drive to Ann Arbor, though our order was reversed. On Sunday, we took in a matinee performance and dined at JD's with fellow Patrons of the Arts, (Devin Scillian at Purple Rose), then camped out at Weber's Inn overnight.  The Next Door Cafe was apres, apres theater - not far from our hotel and proved to be a most excellent place for breakfast.

Savory cheddar herb biscuity-scones were delicious (as was the "other hot beverage").

My husband, Chris, and I both ordered a savory cheddar herb scone which was delicious. A fine blending of flavors in a biscuity-like scone which - bonus! - was served up with a complimentary rugelach.

Although we helped ourselves to a few cups of that other hot beverage (which was, seriously, awesome), I once again stocked up on three more blends of Zingerman's tea (blog stories soon).

Zingerman's takeaway: Three more tea blends!

Like many things we may have put off for a variety of reasons and circumstances, once "bitten" the return is quick. Possessing more "gems" than a Tiffany's showcase, we'll be back soon for another Breakfast at the Next Door Cafe.

Devin Scillian's new play at Purple Rose, followed by dinner at JD's: Our "first degree" connections to both playwright and actor

 

Meeting Devin Scillian in 2021, pre-playwright.

A Bastard came to the Purple Rose Theater and we were delighted!

This weekend, we saw the play written by a long-time (now retired) Detroit news anchor, Devin Scillian,  in a theater founded by famous actor and Mitten State native, Jeff Daniels - and,  yes, we've been up close and personal with both.

Play, Patrons and Pizza:

My husband, Chris, and I, have joined fellow Patron of the Arts and great friends, Tim and Joni H., to see live theater for several years and four of those outings have been at the Purple Rose Theater in Chelsea, Michigan.  Like the town it's situated in, the theater is small, unpretentious and welcoming. It's also home to some fine acting, writing and directing and this season's opener, Bastard, scored high on all three.

Patron of the Arts at another great Purple Rose performance.

The plot revolves around family conflict - two brothers who could make sibling rivalry an Olympic event. But, it's not all combat.  Between verbal jabs and attacking old wounds, there's still room for warmth, humor and a plot twist none of saw coming.  

We give this "eight thumbs up".

So close to the stage at the Purple Rose, we could be considered part of the set. 

The ending, however, wasn't the only surprise: this year a new restaurant is in town, JD's. Like the theater, it too, was founded by Jeff Daniels though, per its website, it was a "vision twenty years in the making".  

Yooper is on the menu!

This play runs through Dec. 20.

Again, we Patrons of the Arts, found much to rave about at this new dining establishment. Joni and I ordered the specialty pizzas and they were delicious. The gents, too, were pleased with their respective steak and fish entrees.  Though we didn't sample any of their signature cocktails, we did get a kick out of the one listed "Yooper", most assuredly a nod to Daniel's play and movie, "Escanaba in da Moonlight".

Front row seats to die for:

We secured our tickets in August, as soon as the "new season" offering went on sale. This gave us the closest seats we've had at the Purple Rose to date, front row and just shy of being considered part of the set.

Broadway seats for Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch - we could touch the stage.

But, this wasn't our first encounter bordering the stage with Purple Rose connections. In 2019, while visiting our son Matt the year he moved to Manhattan, we gambled on a last-minute ticket purchase to the Broadway production of  To Kill a Mockingbird  starring theater/restaurant owner and award-winning actor, Jeff Daniels. 

Celia Keenan-Bolger (now on Gilded Age) won a Tony as Scount

Again, we had seats in the first row - so close we felt we were sitting at the kitchen table with Daniel's Atticus and Tony-winner (now starring in The Gilded Age) and Michigan native, Celia Keenan-Bolger. 

No surprises here, the production was as magnificent as our seats.

Devin rocks , news at 11:00: 

While we were once in striking distance of Jeff Daniels, we had an even closer encounter with the playwright, Devin Scillian - and not just from our family room television. Back in 2021, during a local tour of Scillian's band, we met him when he performed in Huntington Woods. 

Devin: early evening rocking to late night news anchor.

Every bit as engaging as his anchor persona, he put on a fantastic concert and met with guests after the show. Friendly and fun, he was a treat to talk to. And, in an impressive Clark Kent maneuver, he turned from early evening rock star to late night on-air journalist within just a few hours. 

A Great Day in our Lives:

As we wrapped up our day in Chelsea, we Patron of the Arts were pleased to once again enjoy great theater, a scrumptious repast and terrific company.

And, yes, for the none who were wondering, there is Days of Our Lives connection! Mark Colson, who plays one of the warring brothers, has occasionally played archangel Gabriel on the long-running soap opera. 

Countdown to Gilded Age, Season 4: Deep pockets vs Hot Pockets!

Anxiously awaiting The Gilded Age, Season 4, and viewing scenes from Troy, NY.

The Gilded Age, Season 4, will premiere on HBO November 1. In a new trailer, we find out "old money" matron, Mrs. Van Rhijn, is hosting the President of the United States, specifically Grover Cleveland. While that is indeed impressive, the casting of the role may be more so. Grover Cleveland is played by comedian, Jim Gaffigan.

It has us wondering, will the President be asking for Hot Pockets at dinner? 

In less than two weeks, we're not only looking forward to reuniting with some of our favorite old guard and new money families, but spotting the actors and the sets we saw during our visit to one of the filming locations in New York's capital region this summer.

As noted in our June blog (Gilded Age Season 4 coming this fall:  BTS' not-so-exciting, but exclusive scene previews), my husband, Chris, and I had the good fortune to witness some of the on-location filming of The Gilded Age in Troy, New York. This area is a perfect stand-in for late 19th-century Manhattan, as the architecture remains true to the period and its smaller size makes production easier. 

One of the Pinkerton Men. Who needs protection?  We'll find out soon!

Back in June, we witnessed "Pinkerton Men" walking down the street, some gents sauntering down an alley and a group of working class folks gathered outside the St. Denis Hotel. What is going on? Who is in trouble? Why the extra security?

We'll get the answers starting November 1 and per the recently released trailer, we're getting a few more teasers. Peggy Scott's wedding is under way, but not without her future mother-in-law's strong opinions. New money couple, George and Bertha Russel appear to be still at odds and, then there's Mrs. Van Rijn entertaining that very special guest. 

Will this be on the menu? 

Subject of Jim Gaffigan's stand-up. Perhaps a fav of Grover Cleveland?

See you all in 1886, November 1 for The Gilded Age, Season 4 on HBO/Mox!

London Fog is calling! Trader Joe's tea concentrate is quick, easy and very sweet.

 

Trader Joe's London Fog Tea Drink Concentrate.

London is calling Barb's Tea Service once again, this time in the form of tea concentrate from Trader Joe's. 

Trader Joe's is always an adventure - a happy place to shop whether stocking up on the usuals or, my favorite, searching for new products. There are always a lot of seasonal items offered, recently pumpkin chocolates and pumpkin butter, but then there the surprises that show up on shelves without notice. This weekend, we were introduced to London Fog Tea Drink Concentrate. The price and easy-to-prepare instructions made this an easy choice to place in our shopping basket. 

Few ingredients and easy-to-prepare instructions have great appeal. 

It had been years since I had a London Fog Latte. Actually, looking through the BTS blog archives, I first tried this specialty drink back in 2009 (London Afternoon Tea in an Unlikely Place). I don't recall having it since. I tend to like tea without a lot of "extras". But, even after so much time had gone by, I do remember liking it. And, with Michigan autumn temps now fluctuating between the mid 50's to the low 70's, there was a lot of appeal in this tea's label noting it could be served hot or cold. 

Final product, easy to fix, tasty, but very sweet - hot or cold. 

Anxious to try our new Trader Joe's find, once home and shortly after unpacking our bags, I set out to prepare my London Fog latte. Again, the recipe and preparation called to me in their outrageous simplicity: one part concentrate to two parts milk, mix and serve (heating optional).

I started with a half cup of tea, added a cup of milk and placed it in a plastic measuring cup with a lid and shook it heartily.  I took a sip of it cold - tasty, but very, very sweet.

Ready to eat and delicious!

Festive TJ chocolates. 

         

Next step, I heated up the brew and tried it hot. Though I thought it was better warm, it was still sweet. 

I'm not giving up on London Fog lattes - though my last stretch was 17 years -  but at Trader Joe's, I'm going to keep looking for other fun discoveries.

In the meantime, the Trader Joe's pumpkin (and other festive fall) chocolates are ready to eat and delicious!

Wedgwood Blues for Christmas, Part II: London Scene is Calling!

Wedgwood Christmas London Scene plates add to our holiday blues decor.

 

I'm having the blues again for Christmas - and when it's of the Wedgwood variety, it's always a good thing. 

I first wrote about the Wedgwood holiday blues back in December of 2021 (The Wedgwood Blues for Christmas: Jasperware ornament tradition continues!) when I once again started displaying my Wedgwood ornament collection.  It's a pretty assortment of Jasperware minis that brought back great memories of Christmas shopping traditions with my Mom. 

This year brought a new collection of seasonal Wedgwood decor to our house with Jasperware Christmas plates. Thanks to my "thrifting" daughter-in-law, the blues tradition not only continues, it's expanding. Bonus - the price tags are as lovely as the dishes.

My daughter-in-law is a master thrift store shopper and has sourced a number of great items for me to date, including a vintage, beaded sweater, a Japanese teapot, and, in the Wedgwood family, most recently the commemorative Prince Charles and Princess Di wedding plate. All beautiful, all at bargain prices.

Wedgwood thrift find: Prince Charles / Princes Di wedding commemorative.

Last month, while on shopping excursion in the Bronx, my daughter-in-law found these plates, texted me their price and their picture and asked if I was interested. I responded "yes" in less than a New York minute.

Although I've been a fan of Wedgwood for a long time, and very much tuned-in to their Jasperware items, I didn't know that much about their Christmas plates, so I did a little on-line digging.

Per Replacements.com, Wedgwood started the Christmas, London Scenes series back in 1969 and continued issuing a new one every year until 1988. They start with Windsor Castle and end with The Old Royal Observatory. 

My collection consists of one 1971 Trafalgar Square, two 1974 The Houses of Parliament and two 1975 Tower Bridge. 

A few of the Jasperware ornaments on display. 

They arrived in mint condition and well-cared for. I gave them a light refresh, following the cleaning instructions on the Wedgwood website - a dip in mild dishwashing soap and for a small stain on one of the white bas relief pieces, a soft scrub with a toothbrush.

They look fantastic and I'm thrilled to add a little more Wedgwood to my holiday decor. 

In the meantime, once again: "I'll be doing all right, with my Jasperware of white, along with my Wedgwood, blue, blue, blue, blue Christmas"!

A day at the tea "office": Grateful to be part of the Fortunate 500 (plus)

 

Barb's Tea Service at the office:  Chris and Barb on assignment/afternoon tea.

Choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life.

That optimistic adage sounds good, but, for those of us who love what we do, it's a bit misleading. There's always work. 

I've had my own tea business for over twenty years and I do love it. I love presenting tea talks on a variety of topics, I love penning my blog and Substack page, I love podcasting and I love writing for specialty magazines. However, like any other job, there's commitment, preparation, requirements, deadlines, and, yes, even stress. Ultimately, though, it is rewarding and a great deal of fun.

BTS typical day at the office, podcasting at the studio.

I was reminded of the joys of my "job" when I recently posted a photo of my husband, Chris, and I at a fancy tearoom during our visit to another state.  I captioned it "another day at the office". It was figuratively true - I was there on an "assignment" to write an article, but it struck a chord with many folks. It generated a lot of "likes" and support. 

I have to admit, it's great place to work, but it took awhile to get there . . .

For a quarter of a century, I clocked in at a real office at a Fortune 500 company (although, shortly before I left, they slipped to being an "almost" Fortune 500 company). In a colorless cubicle wonderland, I reviewed documents, held conference calls, and wrote thousands of emails. And, yes, it was every bit as exciting as it sounds.

There were of course, perks. I received a good and steady paycheck, met friends I still hang out with today and. . . well, yes, I think those were it. 

But, wait, there's more to love!

Before my twenty-five corporate years, I taught Marketing part-time at two Michigan universities. It was a great fit when our kids were young, and like my tea business, it was a job I truly loved - though with grading term papers and exams, it, too was plenty of work.

Beyond the colorless cubicle wonderland, BTS office is spectacular.

Looking for more fulltime opportunities, I eventually left the classroom, but not without a takeaway. I found I had a passion for research and public speaking. Teaching inspired me to become a tea educator and set me on the path to Barb's Tea Service. 

Yada, yada, yada. . . 

I made the move to big business and after twenty-five years, I retired. (Oh, and I love that, too.) 

I didn't receive the classic "gold watch" parting gift, but instead I was gifted something precious in that precious metal family:  a Wedgwood Renaissance gold teapot.  It's beautiful and symbolic - I was ready for the next chapter.  At this point, I was perhaps a bit "mature" for a rebirth, but I was definitely repositioning - more time for tea, more time all the things I love.

My Wedgewood renaissance gold teapot, beautiful and symbolic.

In a coming-full-circle-moment, the fancy tea room/"office" Chris and I occupied this month served up delicious tea fare, wonderful service and their teapot? It was Wedgwood Renaissance Gold. 

My former occupation provided me with a lovely 401k, some of the best besties a person could have and a most elegant teapot.  But, with my tea business, I am truly grateful for being part of the Fortunate 500 (plus):  I have a job I love and an office that's spectacular.