Barb-ie Tea Service: Sharing some of our favorite Barbies and Barbie movie review!

I'm a Barb-ie girl attending a Barbie movie

This weekend, inspired by the recent blockbuster movie and a lifelong love of the doll that originated about the same time I did, we are, temporarily, Barb-ie Tea Service. We come bearing some of our favorite Barbies  as well as our opinions on the long-awaited Greta Gerwig film that pays homage to the fashion doll that broke barriers while always being well-accessorized.

With sister-in-law, Sandy, we were Barbie girls this past weekend.

Yesterday, along with my sister-in-law, Sandy, I went to see "Barbie" and, unlike "Oppenheimer", the movie I saw the previous weekend, I had to put some thought into what I would wear to the theater. It had to have some element of pink, of course, but also some Barbie-esque accessories. To accompany my pink sweater and pink and white flowery blouse, I donned pink sunglasses, a necklace with a pink flower pendant and a pink ribbon bracelet. Barbie would approve! 

The movie is sweet, goofy, funny, outrageous and even has a few moments that tug at your heart. It certainly brought back memories from my childhood as well as when the pink baton was passed to my daughter, Rachel. In that span of time, Barbie had taken on many more professions and was skating on neon yellow rollerblades. 

My first Barbie, bubble cut, has held up well for several decades. 

My first Barbie was the "bubble cut" edition. These dolls, according to the on-line Fashion Doll Guide, were made from 1961 to 1967 and replaced the original ponytail hairstyle with a fluffy bouffant.  I'm guessing I must have received this long-coveted doll (at least a year, as I recall) around 1966, and - considering all the years I've had her- she's held up quite well.

I also had a Francie, Barbie's "MOD-ern" cousin.  According to History.com, Francie came onto the scene in 1967 to reflect the modern fashions and swinging bands coming from London. I LOVED Francie. She was adorable and way cool, and, in a bit of departure from the legions of fair-haired Barbie's, she had big brown eyes and long brown hair. 

But, along with my other prized Mattel dolls, "Tutti and Todd", Barbie's younger, twin siblings. and their ice cream parlor, Francie has been long gone from my collection for decades. (If I had saved all of them in their original boxes, eBay tells me, I could pack my bags and take a fancy trip).

Front and center, a brunette Holiday Barbie.

In their place, once we were blessed with Rachel, and with the aid of my "enabler" Mom, we purchased Barbies for a new generation. Along with the Holiday Barbies, which like my Francie of yore, has one brunette in the series, I also started to veer into that collector's realm and bought a few for myself. Most, again, according to eBay, have not yielded high returns (but, still better than all those Muffy Van De Bears). 

In the big scheme of things, though, it's not really about the financial ROI, - the big payoff is the true joy they bring to big and little kids, whether they're five or sixty-five. 

And, that's why I was so excited about the movie, and like the wild fur coat and gold lame boots my Mom bought for my Barbie back in the 1960's, it exceeded expectations. A story about moms and daughters, glamour and independence and the hilarious challenging of the patriarchy (which, it is sadly discovered, has little to do with horses), it moves so quickly and cleverly through real and imagined, you will once again believe in the magic of Barbie.

***spoiler alert*** 

Rachel and I discussed the Barbie movie and, aside from our mutual "like" of the film, we both had a shared pride in never having possession of a "Weird Barbie". We respected our dolls and never cut their hair of colored them with markers.

We also agreed, one of the best scenes in the movie is the depiction of "depressed Barbie" who, dressed in unfashionable sweats, spends too much time on her smartphone and too many hours watching "Pride and Prejudice" -specifically, our favorite film-adaptation, with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

We vote for "Chillax Barbie" who takes it easy and watches Jane Austen

So, following suit, after the movie, I became what I would like to call "chillax Barbie" and I summoned up an old film adaptation of "Persuasion".  Barbie is still inspiring. ; )

And, for those who take issue with Barbie the movie, we recommend the wisdom of the crew of MST3K, ". . .repeat to yourselves, it's just a show, I should really just relax".  

And, for more Barb-ie tea service, see our video on YouTube: 

Barb ie Tea Service - YouTube

Austentacious Tea: Much felicity at Bloomfield Township Public Library!

Brooke H. of Bloomfield Township Public Library with Barb and Pam of BTS

This week, Barb's Tea Service presented an "Austentacious Tea" at Bloomfield Township Public Library and served up Twinings tea to a most agreeable assembly of guests. 

"Sold Out" event, afternoon tea fare and tea served up in library "tearoom".

At the invite of Brooke Hoskins, Assistant Department Head, Adult Services, the BTS team, including Pam B, brought a bit of the Regency era to this most excellent venue in our own backyard.

A "sold out" event, the library's meeting space was transformed into a lovely tea room, with tables - adorned with white tablecloths - displaying a pretty assortment of tea accoutrements, tasty treats and bursts of lavender. 

We enjoyed meeting Carol M. and friend at the Austentacious program

Although the BTS team had teacups at the ready, many guests brought their own and we enjoyed hearing all their special stories.

Winner of our book giveaway to a special guest with a July birthday

After the presentation, we gave away one of our books, Twelve Etiquette Essentials, to a very special guest who has a July birthday!

Great meeting new friends and seeing those from the neighborhood!

We had a delightful time meeting this wonderful group of guests (and a shout out to those in our neighborhood who came out, too!). Thanks to Brooke and all at the Bloomfield Township Public Library. Much felicity to be had and we look forward to coming back!

 

Royal afternoon tea at the Prince of Wales hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Royal Tea at Prince of Wales in Niagara-on-the-Lake

When staying at the Prince of Wales hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake, it only seems fitting to continue the theme with a "Royal Afternoon Tea".  Last month, that's exactly what we did and, to paraphrase a royal quote, we were most amused.

The Prince of Wales is an elegant hotel in downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake. Originally built in 1864, it went by several names until the start of the twentieth century. In 1901, after a visit from the Duke and Duchess of York (later to become King George V and Queen Mary, also parents of Princess Mary), it was renamed in honor of the Royal guest.

Royal Tea in The Drawing Room

The Royal Tea includes a sparkling drink

As our grand home-away-from home for a few days, my husband, Chris and I, along with travel companions, my brother, Ed and sister-in-law, Sandy, we enjoyed the hotel's beautiful rooms (incredibly, ours was decorated in red velvet and toile, as if I had filled out a preference option beforehand!) and the charming dining venues. The latter category included The Drawing Room, where we made reservations for afternoon tea.

Grand hotel rooms, our decorated in red velvet

. . . and toile!

The Drawing Room's menu has a wonderful selection of different types of afternoon teas. Building on the traditional tea fare, the "Prince of Wales Tea" adds a variety of Canadian cheeses. The "High Royal Highness Tea" is a nod to the highlands with a full charcuterie board and a serving of 12-year old Scotch.  But, we chose the "Royal Tea" which is comprised of scones, savories and sweets accompanied by a pot of tea and glass of sparkling wine.

Savories and sweets

Warm scones served with jam and creme fraiche

In addition to cucumber sandwiches, other savories included a meat and cheese filled croissant and avocado toast. The scones were warm and served with strawberry jam, butter and creme fraiche. And, on my favorite, the top tier, there were macrons, fresh fruit, cookies and tarts.

The Drawing Room at Prince of Wales hotel

All tea fare and tea was absolutely delicious and presentation was perfection as was the service and ambiance. We were particularly fond of our seating at the front of The Drawing Room with its wall of windows that faced the city's main street. 

Additional seating at the front of The Drawing Room with its many windows facing main street

Every table was decked out with crisp white linen, floral patterned fine china and a rose centerpiece.

Prince of Wales front lobby

Prince of Wales, downtown Niagara-on-the Lake

The Prince of Wales afternoon tea was exceptional and we plan to be back next time we're in town, ready to be treated royally.

Teapots, teacups, birds and more! BTS interviews Canadian artist, Cori Lee Marvin

 

Clematis, part of the reflective series by Cori Lee Marvin

Last month, Barb's Tea Service headed north for a great Canadian adventure. While visiting family in Kingston, we took a day trip to Perth where we discovered RiverGuild Fine Crafts, one of Canada's oldest Artist Collectives. Here, we came upon the work of Cori Lee Marvin and became instant fans of her watercolor paintings featuring teapots, teacups, birds, frogs, flowers and a happy hodgepodge of colorful antiques. We purchased several of her art cards and went searching for more on her website; marvindale.ca.  There we found so much more to love and add to our collection. 

We reached out to Cori Lee Marvin to learn more.  She graciously agreed to an interview and her story is as endearing and captivating as her art. We thank Cori for her time in sharing her artist's journey as well as the beautiful images (Copyright @ 2023 Cori Lee Marvin)  to accompany our blog post.

BTS interview with artist, Cori Lee Martin:

1. I see from your website that you have been a professional artist for twenty years. What took you on this path? What drew you to watercolors?

After university, I spent a lot of time roaming across Canada, working in bookstores from here to there. I’ve never been one to follow the predictable path and it became pretty clear to me in my twenties, that I’d be a much happier soul working for myself. So, I made the decision to pursue the skills I had as an artist. I was privileged enough to have the support of my family as I hunkered down to build a portfolio. It’s funny, looking back. I never really doubted that I could eke out a living that way. In retrospect, I guess I’m pretty lucky.

2. The subject of much of your artwork is a mix of animals and antiques. How did these themes come about? 

Yes, part of the privilege of my early years was that I took up residence with my 90 year-old grandma in the family farm house. It sits upon a hundred acres of naturally diverse land here in Northumberland County. So, the pairings of antiques and animals were quite natural. As a former student of writing and literature, I was taught the idea that, for the best stories, you ‘write what you know’. So, I took my surroundings and began storytelling through pencil and paint.

Finch in a Cup

3. You noted the tea paintings are close to your heart. Is there a special connection you have to tea time and teacups/teapots? Do any of those tea accoutrements belong to you? 

Some things just click. I remember the moment when tea accoutrements lit up my mind with ideas. I was so excited. For me, it was the perfect marriage of beauty, and nostalgia. As a painter, the knowledge that an object has a history, a tradition, is huge. It brings things to life. And the fact that my grandma still had all of these well-worn teacups, pots, sugar bowls… It was magic. All of the artifacts in my work are things that share space with me in this doddering, old house. We have a connection.

Music Lessons

4. The captions to your artwork are clever, descriptive and many are funny (e.g. "Music Lessons", "Toad Stool" - even the owner of the Perth studio said he enjoys how you title your work!).  Do you caption the artwork after completion or is the idea for the caption what inspires the picture?

As I mentioned, I have a background in literature and bookselling. I’ve always been a ‘word bird’. I’m also married to a fella with a Masters degree in Comparative Literature. It’s part of our fabric to use words this way, to play with language. The titles of my work are really important sometimes. Often, the titles will live in my head for years before the right time comes to make the painting. So, yes, sometimes the title comes first, before the concept. Other times the painting steeps for a while before the right title floats past. Occasionally, there are paintings where cleverness or word play doesn’t work and the image must simply be labelled.

Home Grown

5. Your reflective series is beautiful and there's a story within the story/picture within a picture (reflection of the room on the central object). Will you have more in this series?

The reflective series takes place, almost exclusively, in our country kitchen. It has always fascinated me that a single room can present so differently in these reflections, depending on the shape of the object, its position, angle and time of day or weather outside. I’ll likely be doing more in this series as I find the process calms me and hones my skills simultaneously. These days, time is always the issue as I have little kids and a rambunctious dog in the mix.

Singers

6. Currently, your artwork is available on your website and various retail stores and art shows in Canada. Any plans to expand?

The idea of expansion doesn’t come up very often. Part of my world-view is keeping our footprint small and cultivating an appreciation of what we have, without the perpetual grasping that fuels so much of our world. But practically speaking, I simply don’t have the time for further growth and the business is almost at capacity as it stands. With the help of my parents, who live next door, my husband and I work together to make it all happen. We also home-school our kids! We are busy and we are happy. 

I'm a Little Teapot

7. You live on 100 acres with your family. This is your home and home of your studio as well? Do you farm/garden there, too? Are the animals in your art visitors/residents of your place? 

Our kids are the 8^th generation of my family to live on this land. We grow and preserve as much of our own food as we can. It’s a constant battle though, as any gardener knows, against weather, and pests. The amount of work that goes into a small crop of food? It’s quite astonishing. We can’t call ourselves farmers but parts of the land (the few parts that are flat) are still rented to neighboring farmers for crops. Our land is a fantastic combination of hills, valleys, streams and forests, none of which makes for easy farming. My ancestors did the best they could, with orchards and market gardens and livestock. Nowadays, my dad and mom have spent their retirement reforesting and naturalizing the 100 acres. It’s an amazing place for kids to grow up and the source of all my inspiration. All of the critters in my work are either residents here or are plucked from encounters I’ve had nearby or at the Toronto zoo.

 

8. Anything else you'd like to add that I didn't cover in my questions.

Maybe I’d add that, a question I get asked frequently (apart from where I get my inspiration, which we’ve definitely covered) is what my style is called. And, while I don’t have a specific answer, my goal is to unite realism with nature and imagination. I think when the technical skills of drawing and painting can team up with the uniqueness of my environment and a vivid imagination, a little magic can happen. My favorite pieces are the ones that make a viewer feel like they’ve stepped into a quiet scene unfolding under slightly mysterious circumstances. A whimsical snapshot from a world that’s just like ours but quieter, more peaceful.

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We again wish to thank Cori for sharing her story and incredible art. We know what to add to this year's wish list. For more happy shopping and browsing, visit Cori's website, marvindale.ca

Irish Design: After twelve years, a return to the Niagara-on-the-Lake specialty store and former tea room.

 

First visit, with Pat H. of Irish Tea Room

Recent meet up with Maureen D of Irish Design

It had been over a decade since our last visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake, and unlike our last stay, this time we did take in a play at the renowned Shaw Festival (which was amazing!) and stayed at the Prince of Wales hotel. But along with the "new", a top priority was to return to a few of our favorite spots which included a small sampling of wineries and the "Irish Design" store in downtown NOTL.

Irish Design is on Queen Street, the main thoroughfare in Niagara on the Lake

When we were at Irish Design in 2011, it was "Irish Design" and "Irish Tea Room". At that time, we met with tearoom owner, Pat Henry. We were instant fans of this charming venue and wrote about it in our blog:  "The Irish Tea Room in Niagara-on-the-Lake:  Warm, inviting and delicious!"

Last week, we met with Maureen Dickson, Irish Design co-owner and the sister of Pat. When we asked about the tea room, she said Pat retired a few years ago - enjoying life and her grandchildren.

It's easy to tell Pat and Maureen our sisters:  they look alike -  pretty ladies with bright blue eyes and friendly smiles - and also have the same warm and engaging personality.

Prince of Wales hotel, also on Queen Street, just a short walk to Irish Design

Although there is no longer a tea room, along with all the exquisite Irish merchandise, they do sell tea. We picked up some Barry's Irish Breakfast tea, so we could continue the Irish experience back home in Michigan.

Irish Design sells wonderful merchandise from Ireland and tea, too!

We plan to return to NOTL and the Irish Design store in the near future. It won't be another ten-plus years!

For more information on lovely store, click the following link:  Irish Design

And, about that Prince of Wales hotel, we'll be writing about our afternoon tea experience in an upcoming blog. As we are so fond of saying at BTS, stay tuned! 

Delightfully Different: A lovely place for afternoon tea in Kingston, Ontario

Delightfully Different Tea Room's outdoor patio space. A pretty repast sanctuary in Kingston, Otario

Kingston, Ontario, is a charming, historic town that borders the northeastern edge of Lake Ontario. A college town that boasts scenic views, historic limestone buildings and a lively downtown square, it's only fitting that, tucked away on one of the busy city streets, Kingston is also home to a very delightful tea room. In fact, it's delightfully different!

Delightfully Different Tea Room, owned and operated by Denise Paquette, is a surprisingly secluded enclave on an otherwise bustling thoroughfare. Once you enter the front door, you feel right at home as Denise - and the tearoom's great collection of eclectic teapots and teacups - greet guests warmly.

A secluded enclave on a busy city street

Guests will feel at home at Delightfully Different

Last year, while visiting family in Kingston, I stopped in to investigate and was instantly a fan. Though circumstances on our end did not allow us to stay for longer than a quick, but (yes) delightful, chat with Denise, this year, we were determined to fully experience this lovely tea spot.

Along with our local family, our two aunts and cousin, my husband, Chris and I made reservations for lunch on the patio last Saturday. Delightfully Different's outdoor space is shared with Martello Alley, an artist collective, - and, rather appropriately, the setting is pretty as a picture. Bright yellow and blue chairs anchor white tabletops in a cozy space filled with pink and purple flowers and a few striped umbrellas.

Enjoying pots of Earl Grey and Jasmine tea with Kingston family at Delightfully Different.

There is no side door that leads to the patio, so ordering and servicing is all conducted through the window. Different? Yes - delightfully different!

Our party ordered a variety of menu items, including gazpacho soup, cucumber sandwiches, and a classic BLT. All were delicious.

With no side door, ordering and delivery is conducted through the window. Chris assists in serving.

Most tea selected by our group was Earl Grey (well, yes, perhaps, I suggested 😊) but one ordered the jasmine tea. Both were delicious. Pots were filled with loose tea and guests all received an individual tea strainer. 

An Afternoon Tea menu is also available, but reservations are required.

On the patio of Delightfully Different showing off fancy bling, fit for tea

Our Kingston family had never been to Delightfully Different Tea Room, but enthusiastically said they'd be back. So will we. Even though it's a bit of a drive from our home, we look forward to our next visit to Delightfully Different Tea Room,

For more information click on this link to Delightfully Different Tea Room Facebook page. 

 

Good Four-tune on For-tea! Celebrating the Ruby Wedding Anniversary!

Different cake, but same couple and napkins

Cutting the wedding cake, May, 1983

         

In May, my husband, Chris, and I celebrated our 40th "ruby" wedding anniversary. Several shades of hair color ago, we were married on a cool, but sunny Saturday evening in May of 1983, followed by a reception with close friends and family. 

We decided a few years ago, that we'd take an extended trip across the pond to celebrate this milestone anniversary. That is, indeed, booked and coming up soon. But, for our actual wedding date weekend, we shared a fancy dinner and exchanged gifts. I received a gold heart necklace with a ruby and I gifted Chris a bottle of 40 year-old port. 

Vintage napkins and toasting glasses, filled with ruby red tea in the AM, tawny port in the PM

We also spent some time browsing the wedding album with members of the wedding party at my oldest son's lake house, on a sunny AND warm Sunday evening in May. 

That album was the inspiration for recreating the cake-cutting photo from forty years ago. A bit less formal, but with no less enthusiasm, bride and groom performed the ceremonial first slice. Although the tiered white-frosted traditional confection was replaced with a chocolate bumpy cake, both sweet desserts were served to guests with the same napkins. Yes - a box of unopened napkins survived these past forty years as well as our toasting glasses. It seemed an especially good time to bring them out to commemorate this special occasion.  In the afternoon we sipped hibiscus ruby-red tea and in the evening we filled those vintage glasses with vintage tawny port.

Forty years: marriage and port!

Forty years has brought us an embarrassment of riches:  three amazing children and incomparable in-laws, a few homes, two dogs and more laughs than I could ever add up. And the bumps - they were mostly in the cake. 

Ruby Anniversary, filled with love, family, friends and a bit of bling!

This may be our ruby anniversary, but we struck gold forty years ago. The real gems are the love, family, network of friends and never-wavering mutual support we've been fortunate to have for four decades.  

But, a close second gem is the ruby necklace. That has staying power, too! 💓😉