Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Good Friends, Tea and Gardens

Although the past week has been busy it has been a fun filled week. As I wrote in my last post we were in San Diego for a business convention. It is always fun to reconnect with the many friends that we have met over the years and this time was no different.



San Diego was an especially fun trip because I have a dear friend who lives there. Although the area is just a few hours south from us, we seldom get a chance to get together due to conflicting schedules. We go back many years to the time when we were both military wives stationed at the same places while our husbands were in flight training. She actually watched our now thirty eight year old son when I went to the hospital to deliver our second son. This trip allowed us some wonderful time to visit.



Barb had made reservations for the two of us for tea at a positively charming tea room. Not only was the food fabulous, but the ambiance was delightful as well. There are small tables set up throughout the shop and each one is as charming as the next. All are done with lace and china - a very elegant setting. One does not receive a menu for the food as it arrives on a tiered server. One does, however, receive a menu for which tea one wishes to be served - two pages of teas!! Each person has their own tea pot and heated stand to keep it warm.









Here is our tiered service. The bottom plate had two of everything as did each tier after that. It included cheese muffins, egg salad sandwiches, savories, cucumber sandwiches, many fruits, chocolate mousse, bread puddings and almond cookies. And as if we weren't stuffed enough after that we were brought two freshly baked orange scones. Everything was delicious.









After practically rolling our bodies out the door we went to visit a quilt shop. This is a quilt shop unlike any that I have ever seen. One cannot even begin to imagine the number of fabrics that this shop had inside of it. The "rooms" were broken down into colors. I mean this shop was HUGE! There was also a room for quilting supplies, a room for books, a room where they had classes going on and a room of batting. Next door to that shop was the Gam*mil longarm education center and dealer. Oh dear......what a shop. We got to "play" with the various machines and my heart was immediately captured. I could have spent a lifetime there. I so wished that these shops were closer.



The following day we ventured out to my other weakness - a nursery. Again, this was a fabulous place to visit. They not only sell plants, but they also have many darling small gardens which they call fairy gardens. They have these tiny gardens tucked in old wheelbarrows, garden carts, bird baths and anywhere else one put one. I really want to build one in my yard somewhere. Everything is in miniature with trellis plants, birdbaths and garden furniture.








There is a calming coffee shop in the middle of the nursery. It was so peaceful to lounge in big rattan chairs and sip tea amidst the plants and running waterfalls.



They have one maze that is replanted several times a year in different plants. It is currently in morning glories but I understand that the spring sweet peas are also beautiful. As you can imagine, it was a day enjoyed by all of us, including my friend from England.








Speaking of gardens, I have to show you a sculpture of a woman in an art garden that we recently visited. Is this great or what?









The hotel where we stayed in San Diego was right on the waterfront. We looked out onto the water and the Hotel D*el Corona*do. As you can see, we were high up - on the twenty fifth floor. I definitely got weak knees looking down from our balcony.









We returned home to the tragic news of the deadly train crash in our area. It has shaken our entire community as so many of the victims lived locally. Our hearts an prayers go out to all of the families as they try to understand and cope with the deaths of their loved ones.



It will hopefully be a couple of quiet weeks ahead while we await the arrival of our 20th grandchild which is due towards the middle of October. This will be our daughter and SIL's first and everyone is making guesses on what it will be - blue or pink. It is so much fun to not know.



I hope everyone has a great week ahead.

16 comments:

  1. What a delightful way to spend an afternoon with a good friend!!!
    Diane

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  2. Tea with a good friend! What a great way to spend an afternoon. Everything looks and sounds so yummy.
    Love your view from your hotel. Looks like it was nice and clear..
    I was so sorry to read of that train crash. Such a tragedy. I didn't know that it was nearby.
    When I read that they thought the engineer had been texting it just made me so sad. What a senseless tragedy.
    BTW, this last weekend was back to school for Cal Poly. The town was packed!! We love it though!
    xo

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  3. I had two posts to catch up on! How'd I miss one! Glad you had such a good time with your friends from England. That will be nice if they find a place near you. That tea room looks to die for! I sure could go for that tiered platter of goodies right now, the grand kids wanted to eat dinner at Burg*er King! Bleck! The quilt shop sounds WONDERFUL!!! I'm drooling! I've had a wonderful week with my T and D. I will miss them when they go home! R got home tonight from his trip and J and S will get home tomorrow. We got pictures done yesterday and more today. I hope they come out good of the horses and the ones I had taken of T and D sitting on the fence. D is asleep on the sofa and T is still awake. They don't seem to want to go to bed at 7:30 like at home so I let them stay up a bit later. T and I did the barn work and then she drove the Gator all over the place with me riding shotgun! ha! We went up to see Buddy's place and then along some of the carriage roads. We met R and T on the way back, they were wondering where we were. It gets dark so early now it's always dark by the time we finish chores.
    It sure is going to seem quiet around here without them here!!

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  4. Oh that tea room sounds absolutely delightful and I love how they present the food! I've yet to experience a real tea room so hopefully one day soon:-) I'm so glad you were able to spend time with your friend, sounds like the shops were great to visit as well!!! Such a beautiful scenery you could see from your hotel room.

    How very sad to hear about the train wreck and finding out that people died. My heart goes out to all the families. xoxo

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  5. Hi Mary -

    What wonderful photos! and I was glad to see that you gave the camera to someone else, so your sweet smile could be included in some of the shots!

    The whole tea experience sounds like it was so charming, especially with an old, dear friend! And I loved seeing the garden photos. What a great time you must have had in San Diego! I just may have to drive down there someday, to see the quilt store you rave about. A room for each color? I'd be in heaven in GREEN!

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  6. What a wonderful trip you had! We had a wonderful tea shop like that in our town. It was so beautiful and the food so delicious. They decided to close it and retire, and nobody took up the challenge to keep it going. It was sad.

    It would be such fun to have tea together someday! The other adventures look like such fun as well --

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  7. Now that is a real tea shop! I could have tagged along with you everywhere you went - the lovely tea, the quilt shop and the nursery.... all are places I seek out wherever I go! What a great time you had with your friends!
    I heard about the train crash, and didn't realise it was near your place. Dreadful for all the families and the community too.

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  8. What a great trip! I love that area, we lived in SD twice when my husband was in the Navy stationed there. I would love to go to tea at that Tea shop! And the quilt store! What a treat for you! Great pictures!
    I was so sorry about the train wreck. It is such a sad thing and my heart goes out to those who are injured and the families who lost loved ones.
    Have a great weekend!

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  9. That looks like so much fun! I love San Diego mainly because my grandchildren live there! I have always wanted to stay at the D*l C*r*nad*! It is so beautiful and has such great history! Glad you had a good time.

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  10. Tea with a friend is so much fun!
    My prayers go out the those involved in that train accident.

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  11. What a wonderful way to spend the afternoon! San Diego is a beautiful place. That is where Phillip and I met. :0)
    ~Kelli

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  12. Oh my! Spending an afternoon with a friend, tea and visiting gardens is "my cup of tea"! Everything looks so cozy and comforting. Loved Grandpa's BD party also!

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  13. What a beautiful view of the bay at San Diego.
    Having windows done is a chore I know.
    How lovely to be able to have your dear little grandchild to stay. he's cute.

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  14. Forgot to mention. We saw the train crash on tv here. I now know that you live north of LA.

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  15. Good evening, I have enjoyed sharing with you and Barb at the tea room...we have several tea rooms in town and they are great..last year a few of us blogging babes went to a tea room wearing our hats and gloves...what fun we had ...

    The train tragedy was very sad...my heart and blessings go out to the families...

    Isn't it a treat to keep our grands and love on them and share special moments with them.
    Have a good week-end. Hugs, Baba

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  16. Oh my goodness - your 20th grandchild? How absolutely wonderful! It must be crazy at Christmas!
    Kathy

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