BTS at the movies: 'Spencer' includes a BTS connection and highlight, The Royal Chef!

Royal Chef depicted in Spencer as sometime confident to Dianna. 

The movie "Spencer" gives new meaning to spending the holidays with the in-laws. The film depicts Princess Diana's visit to Sandringham in 1991 to join the royal family for Christmas. Coming in at just shy of two hours, "Spencer", at a plodding pace, overwrought with metaphors and fantastical imagery, often feels as though its being filmed in real time. But, there are some bright moments and, one in particular, features a BTS connection:  Dianna's sometime confident and Royal Chef, Darren McGrady, who we met in person a few years back.

In September of 2013, I met up with Darren McGrady, culinary consultant and author of the book, "Eating Royally", in Traverse City ("Meeting the Royal Chef in northern Michigan").  It was his first trip to Michigan although, at the time, he'd been living in Texas for sixteen years.  The week before his visit to northern Michigan, I interviewed him via phone for an on-line newspaper I was writing for at the time. After our call, we arranged to meet up in person at "The Taste of Traverse City" event where he'd been invited to present.

Outside Buckingham Palace where McGrady started as jr. chef

He shared many interesting stories of his time serving the Royals, and true to the movie, McGrady, who started as a junior chef at Bucking Palace and rose in ranks to be Dianna's personal chef at Kensington Palace, shared many conversations with the Princess. In fact, it was actually Dianna who inspired the Royal Chef to come to the US. She often told McGrady that they should move to America, and after her tragic death, he decided to do as Dianna suggested, even after Prince Charles had made him an offer of employment.

Kensington Palace where McGrady became Dianna's personal chef

In our chat with McGrady, he also confirmed the Royal family's tradition of opening up presents on Christmas Eve, as depicted in the movie. Although - our scoop from almost a decade ago - "only after tea"!

In recent articles, the Royal Chef, has noted that there are some truths in the movie, but a lot of fiction as well. In last month's interview in the New York Post, McGrady - although he is the only palace staff member mentioned by name in "Spencer" - says he was not at all consulted for the film. He adds, "maybe because they'd have to pay me".

Darren McGrady has authored two books, including Eating Royally

"Spencer" is a gloomy, almost gothic tale where Sandringham, as a few movie reviewers have noted, resembles images from "The Shining" (WSJ: Spencer Review; The Guardian: Spencer Review). However, it does *spoiler alert* end on a lighter note, with Dianna taking her two sons to a fast-food drive-thru. This activity, not typically thought of as one engaged by the Royals, is confirmed by McGrady in his recent YouTube talk as well as his interview with Marie Claire (2017):

"I remember the Princess came into the kitchen one day and said 'Cancel lunch for the boys. I'm taking them out, we're going to McDonald's. And, I said, 'Oh my god your royal highness, I can do that, I can do hamburgers.' And, she said, 'No, it's the toy they want'."

A happy meal ending to an unhappy "fable based on real events". As McGrady told the New York Post, he prefers to "treasure the memories of the joyful occasions left out of the. . . film". 

And, we treasure our Princess Dianna connection with Darren McGrady, Royal Chef, author of Eating Royally and "a fellow afternoon tea enthusiast". 

Christmas tablescapes - don't wait until the last minute. . . but if you did, here are a few, last minute tips!

Christmas tablescape that did take some planning

 

Seems we here at BTS are always finessing tablescapes right up until the moment guests arrive, but we're always on the lookout for new inspiration and themes. Suggestions and advice come in a variety of sources. including, just this week, our local paper, (The Birmingham-Bloomfield Eagle) which featured an article, "Dining Decor can brighten your festive feast". It was filled with ideas for holiday table settings, adding a bit of comfort along with a slight admonishment.

Let's get the "tough love" out right away - per the article, and I quote- "Reminder:  don't wait until the last minute to begin setting up your table." 

While that's truly the ideal, and some years we're more prepared than others, we do always have the tablecloths selected, washed (and, in rare cases, even pressed) and ready to cast out on the designated table or tables a few days in advance. China, crystal, candles are also washed, polished and dusted before the big event. But, while loving the traditional, we also welcome change and new approaches to arrangements and accommodations and if they come with a few time-saving suggestions, so much the better.

Per the "Dining Decor. . ." article, tablecloths set a more formal tone, but for a more casual vibe, placemats should be used. Color also adds to the mood - "bright colors, red and green, are for the holidays. . . (but) there are other options. Blues are relaxing and cooling (and) very popular right now."

So, if you are a little short on the classic Christmas colors, use any in blue hues and you'll be remarkably trendy!

Looking for some quick table decor?  The article suggests going out to your backyard and cutting some evergreen pieces for your table.  Or, place some shiny ornaments in a glass or crystal bowl - standalone or in addition to the greens.

Chargers can add some flare for not much fare

Chargers for wedding reception

Chargers are also recommended to add some easy and effortless visual effect - and they don't have to be pricy.  (They can even be found at the dollar stores.) We're very fond of these table accessories and used them this fall for a large, outdoor wedding reception and again, this month for small, festive gathering.

Same charges used for small, festive get-together this month.

The comfort I found in the article was the advice to not feel the need to have everyone at the same table. Over the years, we've expanded and contracted our table needs - adjusting as the family grows, relocates, comes back, and increases again. This year, we're returning to multiple tables, practicing social distancing as well as comfort.

One new item to my table this year that I found on-line, that is also relatively fast and easy, is a new napkin presentation! - specifically, folding it into the shape of a Christmas tree. There are a number of sources on this, but we followed the instructions from Homes and Garden. If you have the time, a freshly ironed napkin is recommended. (We were slightly pressed for time, excuse the pun, so our tree had a few curls at the corners, but still, overall, a nice effect.)

Napkins folded into Christmas trees are new to us this year!

We embrace the tablescape - sometimes with a lot of prep time and sometimes less so - but, perhaps, articles that emphasize more planning should come out before the week of Christmas. :)  

But, wait until next year - Downton Abbey comes to Bloomfield condo. (Napkins will, indeed, be ironed!).

Tablecloths or placemats, dining tables or snack trays, rack of lamb or pizza, it's all about the spirit of the season and the family and friends you share it with.  

Merry, Merry Christmas from Barb's Tea Service!!

Unsure what to wear as the hostess for the holidays? Relax and take a cue from Edwardian tea gowns!

Comfort and style are in! Ditch the heels for (Chervet) slippers say fashion experts

These days, we've gotten more comfortable with, well, being more comfortable and hosting a holiday party doesn't mean you have to ditch the relaxed fit for snug pants or tightly cinched dresses. It's time to revisit the allure of the Edwardian tea gown where "loose-fitting" and "stylish" were not mutually exclusive.

A recent article in the WSJ ("Sorry Betty Draper:  How Hosting Style Went From Stifling to Cool"), notes that with the impact of Covid and the onset of vaccines, people have returned to entertaining, but with smaller groups in more intimate settings, primarily their homes. While there is a renewed interest in dressing up, it's not the stiff, binding attire of the June Cleaver or Betty Draper era women are keen on emulating, but a throw back to the beginning of the last century where hostesses would greet guests in elegant but loose-fitting tea gowns. In fact, as we've mentioned in earlier posts about such festive frocks, it was the only dress (in the many changes an aristocratic women would make during the day), that did not require a corset. Who wouldn't be excited to get to tea time?

Tea gown of late 1800's, less comfy than those of the early 20th century 

(But, take care to get the tea gown from the right century. French socialite, Countess Greffuhle (said to be have been the inspiration of Marcel Proust's character Duchess de Guermantes in "In Search of Lost Time") was a women with an impressive social circle, however, she primarily entertained at home, wearing such "tea gowns" created by Charles Worth (the Gilded Age designer). One such dress of the Countess from 1897 - on display at Paris' Palais Galleria - is certainly beautiful, but doesn't quite evoke lounge-worthy.)

In the WSJ article, Sherri MacMullen, who owns MacMullen Boutique in Oakland California, advises that "fluidity and comfort are important". Claire Olshan, owner of a New York snack company and frequent party goer, not only agrees with MacMullen, she pushes the envelope further, feeling anything goes - even sleepwear. However, she qualifies that by saying if one chooses pajamas, they "should be the most decadent, glorious pajamas".  And, how about this? - Olshan also gives the green light to barefeet(!) or slippers for acceptable hostess footwear.

Not quite "anything goes" for hostess pajamas

I must hastily add, in fair and honest reporting, that the pajamas recommended for hostesses are a bit more fanciful than the flannel puppy-print top and pants I favor. Highlighted in the article is a shimmery "lounge suit" from The Sleeper.com for $270. The slippers are also not fleece-lined crocs, but Charvet velvety slides that I found on-line, on sale, for $194 (down from $390).  

Getting closer to acceptable hostess attire. Loose fitting tea gowns and Allbirds slippers

So, bottom-line, there's probably a happy medium (or, to be really comfy, an "extra large") with all of this. I may not wear a sparkly lounge suit or velvet slippers this holiday entertaining season, but I'll leave the doggie jammies and heavy socks in the dresser drawers until I go to bed.

ElderBlu: a tea (and more!) company in Western Michigan, both known for blueberries and sunsets! Our interview with ElderBlu's owner and a sampling of some ElderBlu blends

ElderBlu, a tea company in Western Michigan, features blueberries and sunsets

Western Michigan is known for its remarkable sunsets on Lake Michigan as well for being a region rich in blueberries. It's no surprise, then, that a tea company from that area would have blends that reflect such notable features. Among some of its unique teas, EdlerBlu has "Blueberry Mornings" and "Michigan Sunset" - but that's not all.

Beautiful sunset on Lake Michigan on one of our many visits to the western side of our state

I came across ElderBlu last month in Frankenmuth. The Christmas store was selling tins of "Cuppa Christmas", a chocolate-mint, black tea from ElderBlu. I was impressed with its natural ingredients and genuine taste - as opposed to some artificial flavorings that can be overbearing or cloying.

I reached out to ElderBlu this month and, over email, had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing ElderBlu owner, Rick VanderKolk. 

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BTS:  How long has ElderBlu been in business?

Rick V.:  ElderBlu Farms is about two years old, as is the ElderBlu trademark, and is an offshoot from three generations of blueberry growers in West Michigan, starting with my grandfather, Arnell, in the 1950s.  I was raised on the family farm learning broad knowledge of blueberry varieties, farming practices, the health benefits of blueberries, and just the overall blueberry farming culture.  A few years ago, I began taking some of our blueberries and creating blueberry concentrate, blueberry salsa, jam, syrup, and other items.  And while that was great, I wanted to explore other fruits and herbs;  due to their reputation of helping with immune support (reminiscent of the reputation blueberries enjoyed for decades) a deeper exploration into elderberries began, and ElderBlu was born.  

BTS:  What made you want to start a tea business?

Rick V.:  Personally, whenever I prepared tea, it was for a particular health-related purpose:  as a sleep aid, treating a sore throat, or soothing an upset stomach.  If it tasted good, all the better.  

BTS:  Many of your tea blends have health benefits. This is important to you because. . . ?

Rick V.: Because of that background, when we develop new products, it is usually with health & taste in mind, so the health aspect is driven by the established reputations of the respective ingredients- mugwort, passion flower, chamomile for sleep;  turmeric, ginger, et al for inflammation or stomach issues, and so on.  Many people find our teas because they've been researching individual ingredients before finding us.  

BTS:  What additional information about EdlerBlu would you like to share?

Rick V.:  There are surprises along the way.  I had no idea, for instance, our Deep Dreams Mugwort Tea would become a favorite. It took months of experimenting to get that blend just right.  

I love product development!  One of my main goals is to find ways of introducing these unique blends to the non-tea drinking world.  Among other things, that has meant getting creative on the form and brewing process; for example, we've been testing different types of filters to see what works as a pour over or single-serve version.  While a traditional 10-15min steep is usually preferable, a few blends do pretty well with our single serve filter.  The hope is that people will love the introduction, from something like a single serve, and want to explore other brewing methods.  

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Here at BTS, other than Cuppa Christmas, we've recently sampled three more ElderBlu teas:  Michigan Sunset, Blueberry Mornings and Dreamsicle.  We enjoyed them all.

Dreamsicle, flavors of creamy orange ice cream

Dreamsicle:  An herbal tea blend that includes orange, apple and rosehip pieces, sunflower, hibiscus and safflower petals as well as organic vanilla. It will remind you of that yummy, creamy-orange popsicle - but not in an overpowering way. We could taste the citrus and vanilla notes, but just to inhale the loose tea is a treat. (I'd love to have a potpourri of this!).

Blueberry Mornings, black tea and berries

Blueberry Mornings:  This is a black tea with an addition of blueberries, apples, hibiscus, cornflower petals, elderberries, currents and raisins. This blend packs a punch of berry flavor, rich in color and, with the caffeine that comes with the black tea, this is a great way to start your day.

A  cup of Michigan Sunset brings to mind the calming effects of sunset on Lake Michigan

Michigan Sunset:  If you've ever witnessed a sunset along Lake Michigan, you its beautiful as well as calming.  Michigan Sunset herbal lives up to its title - a calming blend that includes among other ingredients: chamomile, rooibos lemon balm, anis, cinnamon and orange peel.  We could definitely detect the citrusy-cinnamon flavors. With or without your camp chair parked on a Lake Michigan beach as the sun goes down, this is comforting way to end your day.  (These came to us in tea bags).

Instructions for brewing are on each tin.

We'll be sampling other ElderBlu products and sharing them in future blogs. They also have teas available for Keurigs and - yes(!), even coffee!

Currently ElderBlu products are available on their website or Amazon.

Product review disclaimer: I received one or more of the product or services mentioned above for free or a discounted price.  Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 

Tea-rrific gifts for the tea enthusiast. BTS' top twelve!

Every December, BTS assists those looking for some last minute gift ideas for the tea enthusiast on their holiday list. We pull from a variety of items that have caught our eye over the year as we travel to various places local and abroad. This year we journeyed from  "little Bavaria" in Michigan, Frankenmuth, to Regensberg in (big) Bavaria, Germany and other towns along the Blue Danube. And, while BTS may have visited many of the retail establishments personally, thanks to the extraordinary access we have on the internet, on-line shopping makes it convenient to purchase with just a click or two on one's laptop or smartphone. 

We've selected items in some of BTS' favorite categories, including tea accoutrements, chocolate, tea literature and, most certainly, tea!

With that, we bring you BTS' top twelve (you know how we love the "steeper by the dozen" theme!) gift suggestions this year (and links provided for almost all):

Cuppa Christmas from Michigan's ElderBlu

1.  Cuppa Christmas tea from ElderBlu:  This is not only a delicious chocolate-mint naturally flavored, loose leaf tea but it's from Michigan!  We found it in Frankenmuth earlier this month, although the company is in Zeeland and you can purchase on-line. (More to come on ElderBlu and its tea products in upcoming blog! - so stay tuned). Price, $19.99 for a tin that yields 30 cups.

Shake up the Afternoon tea tradition by switching babka for scones

2. Chocolate babka:  Speaking of Frankenmuth, we were gifted this fall with a chocolate babka from some very special houseguests and they bought it in Michigan's most famous Christmas town. The guests are from New York and talked about how delicious babka is, although I had never tried it. That was remedied after they came back from Frankenmuth and now I'm a fan. At tea time, switch out the traditional scones for a little babka for a new sweet pairing!  A quick check in at the Frankenmuth bakery shows it is currently unavailable, however, we found it locally at Whole Foods. Price is $7.99 for 16 oz.

Sacher tea and torte from Vienna's Hotel Sacher

3. Sacher tea is special Earl Grey blend from the Hotel Sacher in Vienna. We bought a tin (and some scrumptious sacher tortes!) of this "tee" when we visited Austria in October, but you can buy on from the hotel's website. It is an excellent loose leaf tea and the tin is a beautiful addition to any kitchen counter.  Approximately $16.00 plus twice that for shipping. (Maybe buy a torte or two to spread out the shipping charge!)

Herend tea cup from Budapest

4.  Herend tea cup for your Downton Abbey tea fan.  On that same Blue Danube trip this fall, we also landed in Budapest, Hungary, home to the fine china company, Herend. I purchased a tea cup in the Chinese Bouquet pattern, rust hue - the same china that is served to Cora Crawley on her breakfast tray at Downton Abbey. We found it is also available on Herend.usa and Scully & Scully.  The bonus with the latter retail outlet is that you can also buy a similar breakfast tray as Lady Grantham for the full aristocratic experience. Tea cup and saucer, $155.00, tea tray $215 - $265.00.

Harney teas, Soho and soho much more!

5.  Harney tea is a treat any time of the year, but add a site-wide holiday sale, and it's even tastier! We were at the Manhattan Soho branch in July (with those special Babka-giving houseguests) and we sampled many teas, including the Soho blend. Again, no need to jet to the Big Apple to secure these teas for festive stocking stuffers, just click on their website link! Soho tea retail price $13.00 (without discount).

More tea and chocolate from Patricia's and LOD

6.  Patricia's Chocolate tea collection:  Tea or chocolate? No need to choose with this chocolate assortment infused with tea from Traverse City's Light of Day Organics. Patricia's Chocolate is located in Grand Haven in western Michigan and we were there in May to stock up. But, we've also had great success in ordering on-line when our stock runs low. Retail price $16.50.

TeaTime Magazine, great to pair with a pot of tea!

7. TeaTime Magazine: Tea devotees do not live on tea and chocolate alone.  Nothing pairs with a hot cup of Earl Grey like an afternoon perusing the latest issue of our favorite tea periodical, TeaTime. Their 100th issue was celebrated this year along with a move to have each edition contain 100 pages! As a tea writer who has contributed to TeaTime, I'm passionate about this magazine. It's stuffed with informative articles, beautiful photos of tablescapes and tea rooms, and oh-so-many fabulous recipes.  Its subscription rate is currently 44% of newsstand prices! Six issues for under $30.00. 

Dining and tea etiquette from BTS!

8.  Twelve Etiquette Essentials - Formal Dining and Tea Time:   More informative reading with a BTS book available on Amazon. Part of our (yes, here it comes!) "steeper by the dozen" series, we cover how to set a formal table, what really are the "finger foods", how to navigate a business lunch or dinner and proper protocol for an afternoon tea.  Price is only $10.95.

BTS programs come to you or Zoom. New this year, Bridgerton. Dust of your Regency ball gowns!

9.  Barb's Tea Service event, Zoom option! BTS is available for your special group event (book club, shower, fav group of friends). We travel to your location or we provide a Zoom program, a nice option for those groups whose members may be geographically distanced.  A list of all our programs is on our website, including our latest Brigderton-inspired afternoon tea (dust off your Regency-era ball gown!). 

Wedgwood blue and white teapot ornament

10. Wedgwood ornaments and advent calendar: For specialized holiday gifts, Wedgwood comes through with a new collection every year. I collected in year's past, but this year picked it up again - just in time to get this pretty Wedgwood blue and white tea pot ornament.  We found this one on Amazon for $30.59.  

No one minds "catching up" with this calendar.

And, for those you know LOVE Wedgwood, new this year is the Wedgwood Advent Calendar. Even though, we're halfway through December, a Wedgwood devotee will not mind playing catch-up with this calendar. Each box contains a porcelain, limited edition Wedgwood item. Price is $750.

Tea cup provides holiday decor and sweet treats when unwrapped

11.  Pretty tea cup wrapped up in a bow:  Two of my favorite gifts this season were not found on-line, but at craft shows and by crafty people. The tea cup cinched with a bow came from my great cher amie, Loretta. How festive is this? A pretty tea cup wrapped up with a jar of preserves and a single serving tea bag. For the holiday season, I am leaving "as is" because it adds to the seasonal decor on my hallway console. A great "two-for-one": seasonal ornamentation to be followed by an unwrapping of tea, teacup and jam.  

Put together a basket full of items your tea person will love

12.  Basket of tea stuff:  This basket came from my daughter and son-in-law this fall. They were shopping in a fancy international market in Ohio and selected items that they thought my husband, Chris, and I would enjoy. And, of course, we did - it included, among other things, a large selection of different teas, honey butter, coffees, noodles and olive oil. They assembled everything in basket with an awesome presentation. If you want something already assembled, we found this one at Macys.com for $49.99.

Already assembled from Macy's

Our top twelve gift selections are just a few of the items we think your tea enthusiast will enjoy (or as some may suspect -it's a thinly veiled BTS wish list). But, we know that the best gift you can give your tea devotee is an hour or two of your time to share over a pot of tea. And that is truly priceless!

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Joyous New Year from BTS. We can't wait to share a cup of tea with you in 2022!

Lots of fun presents, but the best gift of all is sharing some time over a pot of tea!

The Wedgwood Blues for Christmas: Jasperware ornament tradition continues!

Getting ready for a Wedgwood blue Christmas

I'm going to have a blue Christmas this year. . . but that's a good thing with Wedgwood blue.

I've been a fan and collector of Wedgwood for years, mostly Jasperware and mostly in the traditional blue color. I've scoured estate sales, antique stores and retail shops for, IMHO, an amazing array of items that wear that distinctive white-on-blue coat including lighters, clocks, trays, tea cups and, aided by my Mom, in the decade before the new millennium and a few years after, a collection of Christmas ornaments.

It was an annual tradition that started innocently enough on a mother/daughter holiday shopping excursion back in the mid 1990's.  I'm what one might refer to as an "avid collector" of many things, my Mom, not so much.  Her household was always one of order and extreme tidiness and displaying treasures didn't interest her at all. She viewed such things with an upkeep perspective and thought of them primarily as "dust collectors".  But, great mother that she was, she enthusiastically enabled several of my passions and amassing Wedgwood ornaments was one.

 Wedgwood blue Jasperware collection, four decades in the making

As I recall, some thirty-odd years ago, we were in, what was back in the day, Hudson's, at Oakland Mall shopping for Christmas gifts - for other people, might I hastily add. My Mom would always indulge my trip to the china and crystal department so I could see the holiday  tablescapes and scout out additions for the season's entertaining.  My Jasperware sensitivity was quite developed at this time, and I spotted a round-shaped blue ornament with a festive white bas relief decoration. It came in a befitting snap-hinged jewelry box and I was smitten. Without warning or little ceremony, my Mom picked up the box, inspected the contents quickly, and declared she was buying it for me.  She made her way to the counter - without even looking to see if there was a sale or ask when there would be one (another great difference in our personalities) - thus initiating my  Jasperware ornament collection.

Other colors of Jasperware curated with love by BTS

While my interest in Jasperware dates back to the 1980's, it's been around for a few centuries.  As noted on Wedgwood's website, it began with Josiah Wedgwood, who, in 1759, at the age of 29, started his journey as independent potter in Staffordshire, England. He began experimenting with clay and "exploring its many possibilities".  He soon became known for his high quality, beautifully designed porcelain products and twenty-five years into Josiah Wedgwood's pottering career, he developed Jasperware, an unglazed stoneware in various solid colors with classical and contemporary reliefs. The eye-catching light blue hue, the most popular color of Jasperware, gave rise to the expression 'Wedgwood Blue' and continues even today to be a recognizable symbol of the company world-wide.

Although a long-time fan, I still enjoy being welcomed to Wedgwood

My own ornament collection grew each year on those annual Christmas shopping treks with my Mom. She'd snap up the current year's Wedgwood Blue ornament and purchase it for me, while I waited in line with her like the cliched kid in a candy store, anxious to take my treat home with me and hang it on a tiny tree I bought specifically to show off these holiday baubles. Over the next few seasons, as the fancy hinged boxes were replaced with cheaper (but still Wedgwood blue) cardboard boxes, I'd supplement my Wedgwood ornaments with other Jasperware decorations, almost completely filling out my tiny tree. 

Starting to decorate the new tiny tree

I love that tree and the benefactor of its ornaments. My Mom passed away in 2004, and although I didn't add to the collection (until this year - but more of that shortly),  I would bring out the dedicated Wedgwood tree at Christmas, put the ornaments on it and remember those so-much-fun times holiday shopping with my Mom. 

Bringing the Wedgwood tree and tea tradition back home

However, as great and special as that tradition was, once we moved to our condo four years ago, I had put some holiday decorating on the back-burner. There was unboxing our boxes, temporary storage, Covid - any and all of the above. But, this year, I was on a mission to recover the Jasperware ornaments and start displaying them all again. And, although I couldn't find the special tree, I did find all the Jasperware Christmas decor and even bought myself a new ornament - a tiny teapot (and I did shop on-line for a bit until I found it on sale).

Wedgwood Barbie found!

Holiday Barbies need a good dusting

While looking for the tiny tree in all our storage closets in the condo, I did come across another Wedgwood Blue find - a Barbie! But, I'll save that whole other (dust) collection for another time.

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

Merry Blue Wedgwood Christmas to All!

Schonbrunn Palace Part I: Discovering all the connections to Versailles (or the "Real HouseQueens of Austria")

A trip to Vienna's  Schonbrunn Palace in October

Schonbrunn Palace is an impressive Viennese residence, the  summer home to the Habsburgs, and filled with original paintings and ornate furnishings from the Austrian royal family. But, up until this year, sadly, I had never heard of it - unlike the more well-known French royal abode, Versailles. However, after visiting Schonbrunn in October, I found it to be incredibly beautiful with ties to not only the Habsburg dynasty, but Versailles as well, which we visited in 2008. 

As part of our Blue Danube cruise this fall, we spent a few days in Vienna and opted for the Schonbrunn Palace tour. We were so glad we did - truly one of the highlights and I learned more about European history that I can remember from any high school or college classes. Specifically, I got schooled on the story of the Habsburg summer palace and its connections to other royal residences, including Versailles.

The garden side of Schonbrunn Palace

Like Versailles, Schonbrunn was once a hunting retreat:   the later estate came to the Habsburg in the mid-16th century via Maximillian II and, after his death, it passed on to  his son Rudolph II, who used it as a hunting ground. In 1612, he was said to have discovered a "fair spring" (in German, "schnoner brunnen"), which eventually gave the site its name. Just five years earlier, as noted in Chateau Versailles' history, the future King Louis XIII, first became acquainted with the famed French palace's grounds as a young boy, in 1607, also on a hunting excursion.  It would be the next few generations of each family, however,  that would build both royal homes to the grandeur we see today.

Versailles(2008) - the French chateau, like Schonbrunn, was once a hunting locale for royals 

Schonbrunn's opulence began under the direction of Empress Maria Theresa when her father, Charles VI gifted it to her in 1736.  She reigned over Austria from 1740 -1780 (give or take a few other countries/empires here and there) and, along with her husband, Francis I, she had sixteen children. While supervising the restructuring of Schonbrunn, she was also the great political power of the Austrian  couple. One of her strategies to keep peace among the many empires was to marry off her children to regal spouses in other countries. During her forty year rule, Maria Theresa was pregnant for half of it and still managed to oversee a country and expand Schonbrunn. 

Even Maria Theresa's rival, the Prussian Emperor was said to have remarked,  "When at last the Habsburgs get a great man, it's a woman."

The "mirror hall" of Schonbrunn is not unlike Versailles's Hall of Mirrors.

Maria Theresa augmented Schonbrunn to not only accommodate her growing family, but also compete with other royal residences, including Versailles.  Rooms were ornately gilded and flocked, much like the French estate, but perhaps, the biggest "lift", is seen in Schonbrunn's "mirror hall", looking very much like the "Hall of Mirrors" at Versailles.

But, the strongest tie to the two palaces was the royal match of King Louis XVI to Maria Theresa's daughter, Maria Antonia, better known to the world as, Marie Antoinette. 

Adding to my Marie Antoinette collection: a picture from Rachel's visit to Paris, a copy of her china from Bernardaud in NYC and now, postcard of her childhood home

That was a connection I hadn't put together until we walked the halls of Schonbrunn. The young French Queen of the famed "Let them eat cake" decree (which, whether she really said that, has been heavily disputed) spent her formative years at  Hofburg Palace (the family's home in "downtown" Vienna) and  Schonbrunn. 

After Maria Theresa's death, Schonbrunn had a number of eclectic and eccentric residents, including Napolean Bonaparte, who, after divorcing his first wife, Josephine, married the grand niece of Marie Antoinette. 

The gardens of Schonbrunn

The crazy pair-ups could easily play out in a "Real Related HouseQueens of Austria". Consider  one of the later pairings in the mix, the marriage of the penultimate Austrian Emperor, Franz Joseph. His mother had selected his bride, her niece, Helene, from Munich.  When Franz Jospeph first met Helene, who was accompanied by her mother (his aunt), and younger sister, Elisabeth, he took matters into his own hands. Franz Joseph overrode his mother's pre-selection and chose Elisabeth instead who, by portraits and other written accounts, was the great beauty of her time.

Franz Joseph's style was much less ostentatious than some of his predecessors and his spaces reflect a quiet elegance. Both he and Elisabeth's (widely known as "Sisi") rooms are also part of the Schonbrunn tour (Napoleon's, too!)

The last emperor, Karl, abdicated in 1918.  One year later, once again, the French palace was tied to  Austria with the Treaty of Versailles.  As part of that agreement, Germany was to sever all ties with Austria. That held . . . for awhile.

The connections to the royal families and their palaces of Europe are as fascinating as they are complex.

It's time to take a break with something else from Schonbrunn: Vienna tea from its gift shop!

Stay tuned to Schonbrunn Palace, Part II, where we actually talk more about the many rooms inside.

Vienna tea, from one of the gift shops at Schonbrunn.