Tea Blog

Want to stroll through London, tea capital of the UK, with your teacup in hand, and take in all the quaint, picturesque sites there? Okay, let’s go! No jets, passports, or suitcases required. And you don’t have to worry about that tea sloshing out of the teacup all over you when someone bustles by. This is a photo tour, courtesy of a very talented photographer – Camila Román Demo. Fill your teacup and settle back for a trip (shamelessly biased toward tea-related locations) around this exciting city. (All photos below are screen captures from her flickr page.)

	Tea Palace is a modern tea emporium with two locations in London: Kings Road, Chelsea and Covent Garden. The one shown here is located at 12 Covent Garden Market, Covent Garden, London. They are open 7 days a week for your strolling and shopping pleasure. The founder is Tara Calcraft, and her company has been featured in a number of magazine articles. The drawback is the price you pay for the teas plus some staff members are not fully knowledgeable about the products. One customer commented that he saw a Ceylon tea in their store that was labeled as being simultaneously from the Dimbula region and the Uva region; the label did not seem to indicate that this was a blend. However, in all fairness, these two regions (there are 11 tea growing regions in Sri Lanka at present) are next to each other, so it could be a garden that is partially in both.
	The Palm Court, originally called the Winter Garden, is an elegant salon at the heart of The Ritz hotel in London. It was intended as a place to see and be seen by the upper crust of the upper crust. The room has high walls covered with gleaming mirrors, a ceiling that seems woven of intricate gilded trellis, ornate birdcage chandeliers, an amazing stone fountain with large gilded statues, and a dominating central floral display. If you’re planning to have tea there, prepare to dress up. No jeans, and you fellas have to wear a jacket and tie. The Afternoon Tea menu offers your choice of 17 loose leaf teas, finger sandwiches with traditional fillings, tea cakes and pastries, warm baked scones, strawberry preserves, and Devonshire clotted cream. The waiters are immaculately dressed, and the pianist provides a musical backdrop to the whole affair.
	Lina Stores is an Italian Delicatessen/Grocery (actually, London has quite an array of nationalities represented). The store was started in the 1940s and has been owned by the same family for 50+ years. True Italian flavor in   the Soho area of London. And fresh produce. All to appeal to foodies and   Italian expats alike. They carry olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and even coffee. In addition, they have an amazing array of cheeses and meats. This display of cheeses can make just about any mouth water. And pairing the   right cheese and tea is quite an art. Their in-house chef makes fresh pasta, cakes, and sandwiches. Open Monday through Saturday.
	When you’re tired of all that walking around (or in this case just flipping through photos), zoom up to Duck & Waffle on the 40th floor of Heron Tower for a breathtaking view. This is the highest restaurant in the UK and has an unparalleled menu by award-winning Executive Chef Daniel Doherty. They serve a British and European inspired breakfast, lunch, brunch, dinner, and late-night offerings; plus an ever-changing cocktail list. They first opened in 2012 and welcome you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, so you need never wait to satisfy that craving for fabulous food! Many of their dishes are meant to be shared, so bring along a friend, or two, or three.

Check out these and many more from her London set on Flickr. Shopping, dining, and sightseeing are all featured. And when your teacup is empty, just pause the tour, get a refill, and begin the journey again.

Who is Camila?

Camila is an English teacher in Argentina. She has a degree from Instituto de Educación Superior Nº28 Olga Cossettini, taught English at Instituto “Let’s Go” for 6 years (2008-2013) and also at Colegio “San Bartolomé” for 2 years (2012-2013), both in Rosario, Argentina.

See more of A.C. Cargill’s articles here.

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