Afternoon Tea at The Townsend Hotel

This is exactly how one should celebrate a birthday...Afternoon Tea at The Townsend Hotel.  My tea-loving friend Kathleen is a kindred spirit and I knew that this would be the perfect spot to celebrate.  We would have hot tea, delicious food and plenty of time to talk.  

The Townsend is a luxury hotel in Birmingham, Michigan and the lobby is beautifully decorated and arranged into small sitting areas, perfect for intimate tea parties.  When I arrived, I noticed a group of women hosting a bridal shower near the fireplace. "Tea, sweets, ribbon and friends, do a happy bride make."

Kathleen and I sat together on a loveseat and our tea service was set out in front of us on our own coffee table.  I chose Earl Gray tea and Kathleen decided on a decaffeinated Raspberry Tea.  We began our little party with Orange Cranberry scones served with mascarpone cheese and housemade lemon curd. The Townsend's lemon curd is some of the best I've tried and I ate every last drop. Yum yum yum.

The tea sandwiches were little works of art, each prettier than the last.  We were served (clockwise from bottom left) Shrimp Canape, Asparagus with Boursin Mousse topped with a hard-boiled Quail Egg, Smoked Salmon, Pesto Bruschetta with Marinated Tomatoes and Mascarpone, Smoked Chicken Salad and Cucumber and Watercress. 

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I carried one of my cigar box purses to our tea and it was fun to hear so many people compliment it.  I love when someone says "I just have to ask you about your purse." I gave out many cards that day and explained that my purses were available in my Etsy store (an online marketplace for artists). This picture (above) looks like a magazine spread, don't you think? I love it! 

The staff was so very kind and since it was a quiet afternoon, we had fun chatting now and then with them about how much we were enjoying ourselves, how Kathleen and I became friends and how we were feeling a revival in interest surrounding Afternoon Tea. After this beautiful afternoon, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather take my mom than to Tea at The Townsend.

Our dessert plates each arrived with a lit candle, in honor of our birthdays. We enjoyed a tiny Key Lime Tart, a Raspberry Cheesecake Pyramid, Chocolate Mousse in a Chocolate Teacup and a Passion Fruit Mousse Dome. It was perfect.

It was such a fun afternoon, perfect for two old freinds. Kathleen...what else can we celebrate?

City Series, Birmingham, AL: Banana Pudding

Ahhh...the southern classic, Banana Pudding.  The only problem was that I'm not southern and I had never made or eaten this classic.  Yet I was in charge of helping Melanie make it for dessert at a party hosted in our honor.  Yikes!

I used a Food Network recipe and it was a hit.  This is our masterpiece at the banana stage.  I knew that once it was coated in a blanket of meringue, it wouldn't look as pretty in a photograph.  So here it is so far: Nilla wafers, homemade vanilla pudding and bananas.

Our dear friends, Melanie and Jon (who now live in Birmingham, Alabama) wanted us to experience true southern hospitality during our stay with them.  They decided to throw a dinner party, serve "bar-b-que" (which means bar-b-qued pork in Alabama) and asked their friends to bring a southern dish to pass.  I tried sweet tea, fried okra, fried green tomatoes and homemade peach ice cream...and then banana pudding! 

What a night!  It was all delicious, of course, but what I loved most was seeing the smiles, hearing the stories and feeling so welcome.

It is a big deal when a friend moves far away.  You call.  You write.  And you can only hope that they will make friends as nice as these.  Good job, Alabama.

City Series, Birmingham, Alabama: Art on the Rocks

"Love the cigar box purse."  This was the first thing said to me when I arrived in Alabama, and I appreciated it!

My husband and I had driven from Atlanta to Birmingham in time to meet our friends (Melanie and Jon) at "Art on the Rocks," a self-described food/art/drinks/music/gallery tour event at the Birmingham Museum of Art.  

While we were waiting out front for our friends, a super-stylish guy gave me the compliment about my cigar box purse as he and his friends walked by.  I don't know about you, but a fashion compliment from a stranger always makes me feel like I am doing something right.

When we went inside, we started with drinks and appetizers in the presence of a large-scale installation of Chihuly glass called "Birmingham Persian Wall."  You can see it in the photo above - it's gorgeous!  Then we wandered down the hall to another open space in the gallery, tried more appetizers (fried okra!) and peeked in the museum store.  Then it was upstairs to see the museum's extensive Wedgewood collection.  We ended the night by listening to live music in the outdoor sculpture garden on a beautiful (but humid) Alabama night.  

For my first night in Alabama, how did I like it?  

5 stars! 

City Series, Birmingham, AL: Pepper Place Farmers Market

So beautiful!  I love going to the Farmer's Market and was happy when Melanie suggested we visit Pepper Place Saturday Market, an open market in Birmingham, Alabama that combines produce vendors, arts & crafts booths, and live music.  I thought this display of tomatoes and peppers was gorgeous and asked permission to photograph some of their "edible art."  Fantastic!

In and around Pepper Place are wonderful "bricks & mortar" retail shops selling antiques (King House Antiques), furniture and design pieces (Atmosphere Home Essentials) and garden essentials (Wildflower Design).  These are the kinds of stores that make you want to rush home and change everything.  I was inspired and impressed. 

If you ever get the chance to visit this top notch Saturday market, make sure you allow enough time to shop for food and furniture!

City Series: Birmingham, AL, Beer Selection

Isn't this a cute way for a restaurant to show its beer selection?  This quick and quirky post starts off my "City Series" on Birmingham, Alabama. 

I was so happy when I realized that I could extend my trip in Atlanta long enough to tack on a weekend trip to Birmingham to see my friends, Melanie and Jon.  We spent a glorious weekend seeing some sights, making a traditional recipe and meeting their friends.  It was fantastic - I'll tell you all about it this week.

But for now, take a moment to admire the creativity of iCantina's beer list.  I had a delicious lunch of spicy shrimp quesadillas (shown above) and loved every bit of the restaurant's kooky interior (wax-covered drip bottle candles, Day of the Dead murals and more).  If you find yourself at Pepper Place Farmer's Market on a steamy Saturday, duck into iCantina for a cool and satisfying lunch.