Prince William and Kate celebrate their anniversary today! Eight years ago, we were up at 4:00 AM to enjoy the festitivies!

Mom and daughter, dressed for early morning "afternoon tea" in honor of the Royal Wedding in East Lansing tea room

Today Kensington Palace's twitter account, tweeted:  "8 years ago today - thank you for your lovely messages on The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding anniversary!"

On other social media, my Facebook memories to be exact, this popped up today: "Who would think getting up at 4:30 am would be so much fun! When it's with your favorite daughter and the royals, how can you miss?"

(Never mind my eldest son's goofy comment: "I thought I was your favorite daughter." Mommy Dearest responded, "I'll tell you what, you put on a dress, pearls and heels at the crack of dawn and watch two hours of royal wedding festivities and then we'll talk."  That went unchallenged.)

But that  Facebook memory sent me to dust off my own archived albums from April, 2011 and find the photos of how Rachel - truly my favorite daughter!  - and I spent Prince William and (then) Kate Middleton's wedding day.

Lords and Ladies at The Wanderers tea room were treated to edible goodies and sparkling accessories.

In 2011, Rachel was a junior at Michigan State University and there was tea room, The Wanderers, on Grand River, right across the street from campus, where we spent many a weekend visit. On once such visit,  the owners notified us of their special live-stream wedding day tea event which was to start at 4:30 AM on April 29th.

I was "in" and Rachel went along for the ride. In order to get to the tea room at such an early hour, we booked a stay at a nearby bed and breakfast and set the alarm for 3:45. We showered, coiffed,  put on our fancy dresses and walked across a dimly lit parking lot at 4:25 -  in heels -  to The Wanderers.

Once inside, we were met with other fanatic Royal-philes - some also attired in gowns and tiara's while others came in loungewear or pj's.

Watching the Royal Wedding live-streamed while most of Michigan was still sleeping.

As we watched Kate appear in her elegant, white-laced dress while Prince Harry snuck an approving glance and affectionately nudged the groom, the tea room was filled with excitement and edible goodies. It was one of my best MSU memories with my favorite Sparty (and, just to be clear, both my sons graduated from Wayne State.)

Comparing photos of William and Kate alongside those of Rachel and I from eight years ago today, I think three of the four of us could still fit in the attire they donned on April 29, 2011. (hint: I am no longer a size 8).

Later that summer, Rachel and I went to England and visited Kensington Palace, now home to William, Kate and family

More royal-themed memories were to be made later that summer when Rachel and I visited London again, this time while she did a study abroad. Among many of the places we visited was Kensington Palace, now home to William, Kate, and their three children.

Remember one Royal Wedding Anniversary with another coming up in just a few weeks!

Great memories of a special day for many of us. Back home, I brought out the William and Kate tea towel, royal wedding tea and Wedgwood cups to toast the occasion.

Soon, we'll be celebrating another Royal Wedding anniversary - and, yes, just like you - I know exactly where I was and what I was doing. We'll share those memories in a couple of weeks.

In the meantime, Happy Anniversary to William and Kate and cheers to all of us who shared that special day!

Cafe Du Monde in NOLA: Beign -YAY! to cafe au lait and doughnuts

The Café du Monde in New Orleans serves coffee, milk, juice and doughnuts 24 hours a day

There are many must-do's when visiting New Orleans, but three were told to us repeatedly:  taking in live jazz, parading down Bourbon Street and sampling beignets at Café du Monde. While we did all three earlier this month (and more!) on our visit to NOLA, our stop at Café du Monde was by far the most delicious!



A main staple in NOLA's French Quarter, the Café du Monde has been serving it's limited, but scrumptious, menu since 1862. With very few additions to their menu, (iced coffee and soft drinks were added in 1988), the café offers coffee made with chicory - served black or with warm milk - orange juice, white or chocolate milk and - the piece du resistance! - the beignet!

Arriving early in the morning with our friends, I wasted no time getting seated to start my beignet experience.

The beignet is a plain, square French doughnut heaped with powdered sugar (you'll need more than one napkin). Served up warm and quick to your table, one bite tells you why visitors line up day and night (it is open 24 hours) to indulge in this, quite literally, "hot mess".

The sun shine and warm temps allowed for comfortable open-air seating

Although the experience of sipping café au lait and warm doughnuts in an open café, with rotating jazz bands playing just outside it's borders can never be replicated back in our home in Michigan, I did purchase some beignet mix to at least bring back some of the NOLA flavor.

Bringing home some of the Café du Monde experience. Beign-Yay to this hot mess in a box!

The French spelling may throw you off, but it's correct pronunciation says it all: Beign -YAY!, indeed!

Puttin' on the Ritz: Afternoon tea and all that jazz at the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans

Afternoon tea at the Davenport Lounge in the New Orleans Ritz Carlton

"If you like blues and afternoon tea, I know where you can go and where one sits, Puttin' on the (NOLA) Ritz!"

Although we're taking a some liberties with the classic Irving Berlin tune, "Puttin' on the Ritz", we're here to seriously exclaim, the Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans is the place for jazz AND afternoon tea.  Two weeks ago,  we had the good fortune to experience both.

The Davenport Lounge in the New Orlean's Ritz-Carlton is the home to elegant afternoon teas by day and a boisterous jazz club by night. Because we made the Ritz our home-away-from-home for a week with our good friends, Pam and Quint, we had easy access to the lounge's duel personalities and took advantage of both.

Afternoon tea menu

Beautiful hotel lobby with fresh flower arrangements throughout

Our first full day in New Orleans, we had afternoon tea at the Ritz. The luxury hotel serves tea two times daily (11:00 am and 1:00 pm) and we had made reservations for the first seating. A traditional hotel lobby venue with sumptuous rose velvet sofas and cushy green brocade chairs around a low, glass oval table, the afternoon tea fare was a welcomed twist on classic offerings of scones, savories and sweets.

Afternoon tea savories - more "foodie" than Southern (not that there's anything wrong with that).

The savories included gourmet tiny bites of smoked salmon mousse in a cucumber cup and roasted fig and goat cheese on a thyme blini - all as delicious as unexpected. More "foodie" than "Southern" - not that there's anything wrong with that - the only nod on the menu to the region was the creole deviled egg and caviar.

Fresh baked scones served up with lemon curd, jam and cream.

The scones were bite-sized as well, biscuit-like and very tasty, served up with jam, lemon curd and cream.

Delicious pastries, included two tarts, a tea cake and a chocolate éclair.

The grand finale was the pastry tray, featuring two tarts (lemongrass passion and chocolate), an orange tea cake and a chocolate caramelia éclair. The presentation was impressive with candied flowers, chocolate shavings and raspberry hearts.

Scrumptious desserts with impressive presentation. 

We shared a few pots of Earl Grey, which was served in teapots tagged with descriptions of the tea inside.

Pots of tea served with descriptions of the tea tied to the teapot handles.

Afternoon tea at the New Orleans' Ritz Carlton was a wonderful way to start our week in the Big Easy. When we returned home from our daily excursions, we'd head back to the Davenport Lounge and participate in its evening "alter ego" nightclub, replacing Earl Grey with Sazeracs and listening to live jazz on stage.

The Davenport Lounge is home to jazz and cocktails in the evenings.

Even better, we continued our ritz-y lifestyle back in our lovely accommodations overlooking the hotel's courtyard. 

Staying at the Ritz, allows for the luxury lifestyle to continue. Drinking tea in our room that overlooked the courtyard.

It's always a treat to take a break from the routine, put on the glass slippers and go to the ball. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Ritz-Carlton, afternoon tea, jazz and ALL!  We're ready to go back anytime.

"Come with me, to afternoon tea, jazz and more, waiting through the doors, Puttin' on the (New Orleans) Ritz!" 

British Tea Special Collector's Issue features Barb's Tea Service, Karri Brantley Photography!

British Tea, special collector's issue, features Barb & Rachel Gulley and Karri Brantley Photography

British Tea, a special collector's issue publication from the editors of TeaTime Magazine, features a compendium of British Isle-themed recipes, articles and glossy photos, the last two include contributions from Barb's Tea Service and Karri Brantley Photography.

A contributing writer, photo of Rachel and me by Karri Brantley Photography

There is so much to love about this edition, from its beautiful, textured cover displaying an inviting tea table topped with a crystal and silver three-tiered stand (and a tiny Highclere Castle photo insert at the top) to the twenty-seven locations to take tea throughout England, Ireland and Scotland described inside. With our "family connections" we couldn't be more excited to be part of this amazing British-tea-themed magazine!

Our visit to Highclere Castle in 2015, updated for British Tea

The article that we wrote for TeaTime Magazine, "A Visit to the Real Downton Abbey", is updated with information on the upcoming film as well as news on Lady Carnarvon's newest book.

And, you'll also find us on page eight, as one of three contributing writers to this issue. There's a wonderful photo of Rachel (daughter and Marketing and Ops Manager of BTS) and me, in period attire, sipping tea. This was taken by Karri B. of Karri Brantley Photography (cousin and professional photographer).

Downton Abbey-inspired tea at Meadow Brook

When Lorna Reeves, editor of TeaTime Magazine asked me for a professional photo to use in British Tea, I immediately went to my file of photographs taken by Karri for BTS. After a quick consult with Karri, she found what we believed to fit the bill most perfectly. The photo was taken at one of our Downton-Abbey-inspired afternoon teas at Meadow Brook Hall. You'll see her credit on the bottom of the photo.

Photo courtesy Karri Brantley Photography

The request from Lorna reminded me of how important it is to have high quality photos for your business -  or special event - at the ready. It's an investment that continues to provide returns, whether it be projecting that professional image or keeping special memories as beautiful as the day they occurred. We've used Karri Brantley photography for our business, but  we've also recommended her to friends and family who used Karri's amazing services for head shots and special events (including one of my besties recent wedding!)

Karri B. taking a quick break at my dear friend's wedding

I've been pouring through the pages of British Tea as eagerly and leisurely as I've been pouring myself accompanying cups of tea. I'm inspired to create new afternoon tea recipes as much as I am to visit (or revisit!) some of the amazing historical and whimsical places to have tea across the pond (and when the emphasis is on "whimsey", check out the "Afternoon Tea on the Move" article).

We love British Tea and are thrilled our family-ties are connected! Order on-line or find it at Barnes and Noble bookstore through June!

A visit with Bruch Richardson at Elmwood Inn: A serendipitious and delicious detour!

Barb Gulley of Barb's Tea Service with Bruce Richardson of Elmwood Inn Fine Teas

It's always a treat to stop into Elmwood Inn Fine Teas, but when owner, tea educator, writer and all-around Camilla sinensis guru happens to be there (less that 24-hours before leaving to Japan) on the day we took a spontaneous detour during a  Florida to Michigan road trip, there's no other word for it than "serendipi-tea"!

Elmwood Inn Fine Teas is located in Danville, Kentucky, an hour's drive south of Lexington, in the heart of Bourbon country

Earlier this month, my husband, Chris, and I traveled from Bradenton, Florida to our home in Michigan, driving a U-haul stuffed with heirlooms and treasures from my downsizing in-laws to be dispersed among the family. Along the way, we had planned stays in Savannah,  Asheville and Cincinnati -  but it was on our last leg of the journey, traveling from North Carolina to Ohio, that we decided on an impromptu side trip to see Elmwood Inn in Danville, Kentucky. This town is not only home to Elmwood Inn, but its in the heart of a region famous for Bourbon distilleries, and about an hour's drive south of Lexington.

Although I've met up with Bruce and Shelly Richardson many times of over the past 15 years, I was too late to the game to be a guest at the original Elmwood Inn  and, in more recent times, I never had the chance to visit their newer retail outlet, but it had been on my must-see list for awhile.

I first met Bruce at the Take Me 2 Tea Expo East in 2004 held in  Rhode Island. I took his class on tea basics and it solidified my determination to set up my own tea business in 2005.

With Bruce and Shelly Richardson at Kentucky Craft Fair in 2007

Since that first introduction, we've continued our Elmwood Inn connections at World Tea Expos and the Kentucky Craft Fair. At every encounter, I've come back with more tea knowledge and inspiration to bring back to Barb's Tea Service.  We're a huge fan of their teas and books, and sold many of them at our events over the years.

So, although it was our first time at Elmwood Inn, it felt like home. And, Bruce, ever the warm and welcoming host, made us feel like he'd known all day long we'd be there.

A treasure trove of herbal and black tea blends from Elmwood Inn to enjoy every day, throughout the day.

Best of all, we got to sample some of his tea blends, including "banana split", a delightful herbal tea packed with sweet ingredients, including banana chips, mango and strawberry. We picked up two more herbals and two black teas, including "Bourbon Tea", a smoky, hearty blend that pays tribute to the spirit of the region.

Back in 2005, I would never have imagined at that time, that I'd be writing  articles for Tea Time Magazine along with one of the most respected "tea maestros" in the industry. Bruce Richardson's passion and enthusiasm has nurtured many tea entrepreneurs and we were thrilled to catch him at "home" this month!

For more information on Elmwood Inn teas, books and classes, check out their website, Elmwood Inn.

Afternoon tea at The Inn: Inspired menu in Bitlmore-inspired ambiance

Afternoon tea at The Inn at Biltmore is a gourmet tasting-menu spin on the traditional sweet and savory fare

Afternoon tea at The Inn at the Biltmore is a small-er plates version of traditional afternoon tea and a foodies delight! Although traditional afternoon tea fare is already comprised of smaller versions of savories and sweets, The Inn scales down the size even further, but still packs it all with a wallop of flavor and textures that will satisfy your midday appetite.

Last week, after spending a full morning touring the Biltmore estate, my husband, Chris, and I were looking forward to a sitting down a spell to enjoy a light repast in elegant environs. The Inn, just a short drive from the Vanderbilt mansion and still part of the Biltmore grounds, is perched on a hill overlooking Antler Village. The tony hotel is filled with large windows that take in the spectacular mountain views.

The Dining Room is on the lower level of The Inn and finds inspiration from the Biltmore mansion

The dining room is on the lower level, and as you head down the stairs, you get a peek into the elegant setting which clearly draws inspiration from the Biltmore. Large wrought iron chandeliers hang from the ceiling of the dining area and look as though they could have been taken from the grand staircase of the Vanderbilt home.

Chandeliers in the Dining Room at The Inn

Chandelier at Biltmore

Another fancy connection is the china that the afternoon tea fare is served on. It's a replica of one of the fine dinnerware collections used at Biltmore. 

Fine china tableware at the Biltmore

Similar china at The Inn

But, the menu is what surprised us most. First up, was fresh fruit and scones - served with jam, curd and cream - but the latter was a tinier version of the traditional serving. Although the scones were bite-sized editions, each was strong in flavorful with a well-balanced ratio of outside crunch to inside crumble.

Unexpected twists and turns on traditional afternoon tea menu

And, in a total twist, traditional tea sandwiches were replaced with miniature gourmet delicacies such as a chicken empanada, polenta cake and a tea egg with pickled ginger served up on an appropriate "silver spoon".

Bite-sized scones served with jam, curd and cream

The presentation and employment of locally grown produce was more foodie gourmet tasting menu than the familiar afternoon tea offerings, but that was just fine with us.

Traditional tea sandwiches are replaced with inspired foodie savories like chicken empanada and polenta cake.

In that vein, before the sweets were brought out, a plate of raclette cheese accompanied by fingerling potatoes was served. Raclette is a favorite cheese of ours (back home, our source is in Traverse City) and the preparation at The Inn was a delicious as it was inspired.

Raclette cheese with fingerling potatoes served before sweets

The last course, sweets, followed suit in the unexpected-but -scrumptious-offerings including a blood orange tart with Italian meringue and a brown butter Bundt with toffee sauce. 

A delightful array of desserts included a blood orange tart and a brown butter Bundt

Of course, the essential ingredient for any afternoon tea is tea, and again, the menu did not follow tradition. As many BTS loyal readers know, Earl Grey is my afternoon tea go-to, so I asked our server what they might have in that family as it wasn't included in their tableside tea portfolio. I was told there was a smoky Earl Grey available that wasn't on the menu. We agreed to two pots full and found this hearty variation of my favorite tea to be the perfect pairing for this incredibly unconventional afternoon tea. 

When visiting the Biltmore estate, we'd recommend a short trip to its newer neighbor, The Inn, for afternoon tea ambiance inspired by the Vanderbilt home and an inspired tea menu of its own.

Vanderbilt Gilded Age House Party at the Biltmore: Partying like it's (around) 1899!!

A Vanderbilt House Party, a new Gilded Aged-themed exhibit at the Biltmore estate in Asheville continues until May

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina is currently having a Gilded Age Vanderbilt House Party and I made sure I was in attendance before this exhibit concludes in May.  Last week, we crashed the party (and by "crash", I mean bought tickets a month in advance) and immersed ourselves in the lifestyle of the 19th century rich and famous.

Crashing the party with tickets bought well in advance

A self-directed, audio tour escorts one through the many rooms of the house that George Vanderbilt built in 1895, providing inside details of what it was like to host, prepare and attend a gala evening at the height the opulent and excessive Gilded Age.

While the narration is a little light, the highlight of the tour is most certainly the exquisite costumes displayed in many of the rooms - recreations of the actual gowns, suits and uniforms of the Vanderbilt family, staff and guests under the guidance of John Bright, award winning designer, and creator of many of the Downton Abbey fashions. 

A highlight of the tour, a recreation of  House of Worth gown by Downton Abbey costume designer

One of the most spectacular recreations on exhibit is a dress originally worn by George Vanderbilt's sister which came from the Gilded Age fashion designer, Charles Worth. A delicate gown decorated with mesh butterflies and extensive beading, it is a masterpiece of silk and lace. 

Edith and George Venderbilt welcome a daughter, Cornelia, in 1900

Many of the dresses would be "petite" sizes today, part of the rather uncomfortable legacy of the Victorian ideal figure, featuring an 18 inch waist. One curator on the tour told us they recently uncovered some of Mrs. Vanderbilt's dresses with a waist measuring 20 inches. (I'm still in pain!)

The Winter Garden (room 1)

Family & guest photos displayed in many rooms

The tour starts at Room 1, the Winter Garden, an impressive atrium entryway and guides one through almost 40 rooms, up three floors and down to the basement, the latter is where the staff lived and worked. Each room  on the tour is numbered and black and white photos of the occupants in their dress of the day is on hand to show the roots of the recreated costumes on display.

The library, featuring Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt and Edith Wharton

A favorite room of mine was the library, where George and his wife, Edith, entertained many well-known authors of the day, including Edith Wharton.

The tour takes you up three floors as well as down to the basement.

Knocking on Edith Wharton's door

The house party also  takes one to the guest rooms of some who visited the Biltmore. We knocked on the door of the Madonna Room, where Wharton slumbered and also walked through the Louis XV bedroom, where opera singer, Elizabeth Dodge, stayed.

Louis XV guest room where opera singer, Elizabeth Dodge, stayed during her visit to Biltmore

Two items of note on the Louis XV accommodations:  the china serving pieces on display and the adjoining bathroom.  We'll  get back to first item later, but regarding the second, it is one of forty-three bathrooms from the original construction. Indoor plumbing was a Gilded Age luxury quickly adopted by wealthy Americans, not gaining favor by English aristocrats for years, to the great disappointments of some of their "imported" brides.

One of 43 Biltmore bathrooms

Beautiful Vanderbilt Sevres china tea set. 

In all this extravagance, it's also noteworthy to remember the downstairs family that made such an operation possible. On the lower level, tour guests can view the bedrooms of the staff - austere and drab in contrast to their upstairs counterparts - and the kitchen, laundry room, and other work areas where cooks, maids and housekeepers made the "magic" happen.

Staff "on call"

Downstairs bedrooms, austere and drab compared to those upstairs

We concluded the tour near the Banquet Hall, where beautifully dressed mannequins are waiting for an elegant dinner to be served. I was inspired by the Gilded Age tablescape - a collection of silver, crystal, candles and an explosion of red, yellow and white flowers - and hope to recreate something, albeit much humbler, for my holiday table this year.

Our Biltmore visit didn't stop at the mansion, however. We had afternoon tea at The Inn, the high end hotel on the estate (future blog story!) and walked through  Antler Village, which is home to the Biltmore winery, more gift shops and more eateries.

Afternoon tea at the Inn on the Biltmore estate ( new blog story!)

Is the party over? Not by a long shot! I've purchased my own Vanderbilt reproduction china tea set from the Biltmore estate (just like the china in Elizabeth Dodge's guest room), so I can keep the Gilded Age tea party going in the year 2-0-1-9!. 

Two gilded thumb's up to the Biltmore's Gilded Age House Party!

 This year's holiday table at the Gulleys.