My Love for Tea: How it all began

Cari's Story

I first fell in love with Afternoon Tea when I was about 15 years old. During spring-break, I vacationed with an afterschool program in Nassau, Bahamas. As a welcome activity, our group was invited to the Governor’s Mansion for a tea party. It was epic. The pomp and circumstance drew me in and captivated me in such a way that I didn’t want to leave. There were several awards and presentations taking place and even a fashion show. However, the tea itself was the true star! The table décor, exotic floral arrangements and fine china perfectly placed on all the tables were astonishing. I was so impressed with the level of detail. Although we were on a tropical island, it felt like time stopped with each sip of the green-citrus tea.

At that moment, I knew I would hold on to that memory and have a strong desire to also curate extravagant experiences for my friends and family. Later, that year. I started my first job at a five-star hotel. The hotel held a seasonal Victorian style Afternoon Tea. 18th Century Self-tipping Teapots were strategically placed at each table along with a live harpist playing all Disney classics.

The tea-room was located on the top floor of the Hotel and had a breathtaking 360-view of Lake Michigan. It was magical to say the least and I was like a kid in a candy store. I would walk past the tea-room several times during the course of my work-shift just to admire the décor and set-up. Obviously, I wasn’t allowed to attend the afternoon tea as a hotel employee, but I knew that I would become a regular as soon as the opportunity presented itself. I would stalk the company website and study the tea-list so I could learn all the lingo when it was finally my time to attend. Eventually, I went away for college and was no longer employed by the hotel. I went on to attend Afternoon Tea each Fall going forward.