Afternoon Tea: Alice in Wonderland Style

As the weather slowly started to feel crisp and turn to Autumn, a warm cup of tea felt like a great way to spend an afternoon. I'd heard of an Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon tea at the Sanderson Hotel in Fitzrovia. I mentioned it to my friend Jenn and she was just as excited as me. We grabbed a reservation and prepared ourselves to 'go down the rabbit hole.'

Look at us in our trenches. We've embraced the London weather.

Photo bomb from the wait staff!

Everything about the table created a whimsical atmosphere from the dishes to the tea pots.

Cutlery was wrapped in a riddle. Mine read: 'At night they come without being fetched. By day they are gone without being stolen. What are they?'

Answer: the Stars of course!

The teas were exotic mixes of sweet flavors. I went with the lovely strawberries and cream. It smelled and tasted heavenly.

Our sugar even came in jewelry boxes! I had that exact one when I was little. It played the little song and everything.

The tray of savory and sweet treats finally arrived. It was a sight to see.

My favorite part, the 'drink me' potion that was a mix of coconut cream, passionfruit and mango puree. It really made the experience. I loved this afternoon tea. Definitely worth a trip there.

It was dark by the time we left. Yes, London gets dark early now. I'm adjusting!

High Tea, Langham Style

It's a frigid 23 degrees here in Chicago (and dropping). So what's a girl to do on a snowy MLK Jr. Day? Grab some girlfriends, your new favorite bag (!) and head over to the new Langham Hotel for their Downton Abbey edition of afternoon tea.

New bag, check! Not quite the Prada but still gorgeous and a fraction of the price. I love this new baby!

A quick trip downtown and I was at the Langham, thoroughly enjoying the ambiance. It's a stunning hotel with a little bit of quirk.

I walked through the lobby and could not stop looking at this sculpture. It had a warped feel and reminded me of those 3D picture books I use to try and play with my brother on long road trips.

Hop the elevator one floor and you'll find yourself in the most beautiful restaurant lobby you ever did see.

I'm a sucker for pretty bathrooms and these did not disappoint. I love the backsplash in the stalls.

We settled into our cozy couch seats and prepared to relax and watch the snow fall down. We were greater with our friendly server, Marco. He was awesome. He knew everything about the menu and was quite the impressive prosecco pourer. We cheered him on.

Bottoms up!

Now onto the main event: food! The Langham's tea service has a three course feel to it. First up was an amuse bouche. I wish I could remember exactly what it was. It included gelatinous, roe like beads in a glass topped with a palette cleanser reminiscent of apples. A great start packed with flavor.

I ordered the Rooibos tea which descended upon the table with more fragrance than any other high tea I've been to. And that bone china-- we were all obsessed with it!

Soon after came our second course. Savory bites with an Edwardian feel for the Downton Abbey menu. My favorite were the deviled egg salad with truffles. The presentation alone knocked my socks off.  The lobster and tarragon pudding target (left side of the plate) was close second.

Next up, scones! My favorite part of afternoon tea.Traditional and earl gray raisin scones with clotted cream, apricot jam and honey butter. I can never manage to stop at one!

Last but not least was the dessert course: Rasberry Charlotte Russe, The Queen's "Chocolate Perfection Pie", and Manchester pudding. These were just ok, but I also may have been too stuffed to enjoy them at this point. Poor me, I know.

Clearly it was a successful day and I can't wait to do it again! Kudos Langham, I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fancy but modern take on afternoon tea.