Seattle Tea Vaca - Day 1

I recently took a "tea trip" to Seattle. I had a free SW ticket to use by Nov 1, and have always wanted to go to Seattle. It was a solo trip, which gave me the freedom to center the entire thing around tea. :-)

I landed midday on Friday and made my way to the Bacon Mansion B/B. My room was so cool - literally, in a dormer in the attic! I love slanted walls as they remind me of my childhood room. The room was perfect for me! Check out the cute door to the closet. The main door looked this way, too.
















After I was settled, I went for a walk. Not even 2 blocks away was Volunteer Park. I visited the park Conservatory. I love the integration of human-made physical things, like this bell, into the conservatory plant space. For me, this added an experience of contrasts and similarities. The hard, shiny surface of the bell and the soft, delicate petals of the flowers. But they blend beautifully.















Later that afternoon, I walked through the Capital Hill/Broadway area (on my way to Afternoon Tea). The Capital Hill/Broadway shopping area is very trendy and a great place to observe human differences. All types of people were through here - working folks in costumes of all kinds (from designer suits to mechanic jumpers), young girls with pink hair, old women with blue hair. It's all here! One of the best things, for me, was that this shopping district was only about 3 blocks from where I stayed, through a well-lit and safe neighborhood. This meant I felt safe walking there alone at night.

I had Afternoon Tea on this Friday at the Sorrento Hotel. I sat in the Fireside room. The Sorrento served Mighty Leaf Teas in a silk triangle (but flat) bag. I had the "Leaves of Provence," a black tea blended with the Herbs de Provence mixture. It was a decent tea, but it didn't seem to take the second steeping too well.

The menu:

Savories (finger sandwiches)

• Smoked salmon roulade
• Mint chicken apple sandwich
• Celery root salad in a cucumber cup
• Apple wood smoked ham sandwich

Scone

• The biggest scone I've ever seen! It covered almost the entire dessert plate! The scone had dried cherries and apricots (entire ones) in it. While the size was impressive, I think smaller ones might have actually been a better choice, as the middle wasn't completely cooked through.
• Served with a yummy and tart Devonshire cream (a tangy whipped cream)

Dessert (which I took most of with me to eat later)

• Blackberry fruit tartlet
• Cream puff filled with a Bavarian-cream like center and topped with whipped cream
• Petit four
• Cookie assortment (tiny little cookies): shortbread, walnut, madeleines, etc.