A Christmas Tea

As you might remember, S's mother, Cheryl's birthday was on Thanksgiving. S heard an ad on the radio for a "Holiday Tea" at the Dallas Arboretum. He thought this was something his mom might like to do. So, he signed me up to take her as her birthday present.

I suggested to S that he take his mother to the tea. Not that I wouldn't like to go, but I thought she might like to spend the time talking with him. I like teas too. This idea didn't fly. He wasn't into going at all. For the record, there were some men in the room.

It was very nice. Here are the highlights.

The table setting.

A place setting.

The centerpieces.

The centerpieces were not real. They were plastic flowers and ornaments. Normally, one wouldn't even notice this, but this is the Arboretum where flowers abound all year long. Apparently, some very helpful women had noticed, so a note was attached to the menu that explained they used those centerpieces, approved by the horticulturists as looking authentic, so they wouldn't have to cut down their "real" flowers with regularity just for a centerpiece for the tea.

The Menu.

Cheryl with the large nutcracker next to our table.

The china.

The first course was a tomato broth and cheddar biscuit. I didn't photograph it. I ate it up quickly. As you know, if you're one of my two regular readers, photographs around food are touch and go with me. I might remember to take it, I might not. A girl's gotta eat.

The second course were these little sandwiches.

Egg salad on onion bread, cream cheese on apple spice bread.

Turkey on cranberry bread, cucumbers on white bread.

The last course was dessert.

Scones and tarts and cookies.

Cheryl and I, taken by Nelson.

After a long, leisurely tea, we walked around the grounds for a bit. Even as winter approaches in Dallas, this place is beautiful.

A pond by the fern garden, with White Rock Lake off in the distance.

The sun coming through onto a walkway.

The view from behind the tea room.
Again, that's White Rock in the distance.

A blooming plant - what is it?
Can someone tell me?

Look at this beautiful little cove.

I could sit there all day.

Another type of bloom on another beautiful plant.

One of the covered walkways - a favorite with bride photographers.

Detail of gate near that walkway.

It's easy to photograph and look at.

I could stay here all day too.

Right after we walked through this trellised walkway, two guys on a golf cart came through with some cargo...

What's on the back of the cart?

A sofa!
Not what we were expecting to see.

At the tea, they gave you a coupon for 15% off at the Arboretum gift shop. So, we walked over there to see if there was anything we couldn't live without. There wasn't. It is a nice shop, nonetheless. On the way to the shop, we came across another one of those covered trellises.

Covered area near the gift shop.

And the view from under the trellis.
White Rock Lake and Downtown Dallas.

I would recommend the Arboretum tea to anyone looking for a special holiday outing. Make reservations well in advance - it's popular around these parts! Thanks, Cheryl, for going with me. I hope it was a nice birthday present!