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A Week's Worth of Adventure

If someone asked me to dream up my vision of the perfect beauty salon, it would look exact like Taylor Taylor near Spitalfields Market in London. From the wrought iron birdcage with its sweetly chirping occupants to my very own mismatched china tea service, the vibe was Miss Havisham meets (insert your favorite Lawrence Alma-Tadema painting here). The ultra-luxe shampoo room is actually a candlelit gold mosaic cavern. Yes, please! (The pix of the salon weren't taken by me--to see more, head here.) Thanks to stylist Siobhan Benson for the fringe (pictured above).





Last night we had a nightcap with the ghosts of murdered highwaymen at the Spaniard's Inn (former haunt of Charles Dickens and Keats), while earlier that day we wandered around Hyde Park, snapping photos of the Italian Gardens  and snacking on lemon cake (G: "Hawaii called.  They want their sugar plantations back.") and hot chocolate (above) at the Lido.

Free Night at a Romantic B&B

Nicki sent me this link to an offer by Stash Tea. Get a free night when you book a second night at any of the romantic B&Bs listed in their guide. (You'll also need to collect three proofs of purchase.) Details here.

Tea of the Month: How to Curry My Flavor

Bangkok is "the city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukam".  Harney and Sons' exotic Bangkok blend, a green tea with lemon grass, ginger and coconut, lives up to its appellation. 

Tea Time

I'm sitting here drinking my second cup of the morning--my everyday tea, PG Tips, but in a pretty porcelain tea cup from Amy--and in between blogging, phoning in birthday wishes, and making travel plans, I've been perusing Portsmouth Tea Company's site (via Daily Candy). The site is designed beautifully and the teas are organized by type of tea, taste (creamy, bright, malty, bold, etc.), and color. You can even create a wishlist and there is, of course, a tea blog. Speaking of tea blogs, I can't remember where I saw this, but someone on my blog roll recently linked to Tea Birds, a photoblog of pretty girls drinking tea.

Image: Anthropologie's elegant Tuxedo tea set is now on sale.

Paris, Je T’aime

After discovering Harney & Sons Paris blend in MQ contributor Sara Woster's Brooklyn apartment on a trip to New York earlier this year, I've found one place--so far--that serves it here in San Francisco. In the best bit of luck, it's available with the puff pastries at Beard Papa's which has two locations, each just a block from my office. I prefer my puff pastry and tea al fresco at the storefront across from Yerba Buena Gardens and just next to St. Patrick's church. The other Beard Papa's is located in the chaotic below-ground food court in the new Westfield Shopping Centre. (The exquisite Palace Hotel serves Harney & Sons' blends, including a special Palace blend, at their afternoon tea service, but Paris isn't on the menu.)