23rd August 2018
” There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
Henry James
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Having just celebrated Afternoon Tea Week, we delve into one of the most delightful of British traditions.
Explore the journey of tea; from the home of Earl Grey in Northumberland, to Woburn, where afternoon tea was popularized in the 1840’s when Anna, the 7th Duchess of Bedford would drink tea to stop that afternoon ‘sinking feeling’. Since then tea has become synonymous with the British, and the taking of afternoon tea has graduated from a respectable practice for fashionable society to a chance to experience a leisurely and elegant ritual, take a rest from a hectic shopping day or celebrate with friends or family.
Join Dream Escape’s expert guides and take one of London’s tea trails from Garaways Coffee House, where tea was first sold in the 1650’s, to the ‘tea clipper’ the Cutty Sark in Greenwich and the Chelsea Physic Garden with it’s links to the tea trade.
Of course, in modern times there are many ways to enjoy afternoon tea, from traditional to themed and elegant to entertaining.
Perfect for families young and old, the magnificent Mad Hatters tea is on the ‘must do’ list of London’s elite with Alice’s Exotic Fruits “Drink Me” potion and treats such as a Mad March Hare Vanilla Pocket Watch Macaroon and a strawberry flamingo with a white chocolate Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé croquet truffle.
Take a fun twist on this traditional pastime with an Afternoon tea bus tour, which will keep everyone entertained with an endless flow of London’s iconic sights. Head on down to the potion room in a classic Soho bakery for a fully immersive Harry Potter themed afternoon tea. Spend a fun few hours mixing edible potions, drinking teas with names like “Elixir of Life” and “Unicorn Tears,” and Hubble Bubble – your very own cauldron with a lemon inspired potion.
Sample traditional afternoon tea at iconic London venues such as The Ritz and The Goring or perhaps travel to the west of Ireland and experience the splendour of a magnificent 13th Century castle and former Guinness Family home and the Connaught Room, where the ritual of afternoon tea has been preserved since 1868.
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“Tea tempers the spirits and harmonizes the mind, dispels lassitude and relieves fatigue, awakens thought and prevents drowsiness, lightens or refreshes the body, and clears the perceptive faculties.”
Lu Yu, Classic of Tea: Origins and Rituals
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Whether your clients are celebrating a milestone with a family get together or need some time to rest and recon...
Dream Escape’s Head of Guiding Rosie has just returned from an fun, action packed 8 day Educational trip with Melissa McKinley #trvlwithmelissa and Katie Schmit #travelbykatie #Largaytravel. They were joined for 2 days by Head of Sales, Emer.
They covered a huge area of Scotland visiting 14 fabulous properties. En route they saw 8 castles, 12 lochs and at least 5 impressive 18th century bridges. Distillery visit, Neolithic Chambered Cairns, battlefield tour, chocolatier visit, hiking in Highlands, royalty, boats, fishing villages, palaces and lots of Highland Cattle. Set-jetting galore chasing Harry Potter and Outlander. Hundreds of photos taken, shopping galore, delicious food, lots of laughter and great memories. #dreamescapeltd
Dream Escape’s effervescent Head of Sales, Emer Mortell, has just returned from a very successful 2020 Virtuoso Travel Week New York #virtuoso which was held at The Pierre, A Taj Hotel, New York. Emer said there were many highlights and she particularly enjoyed the intimacy of the event with other key travel advisors.
Hello from all of us to Sara Johnson of Largay Travel. #largaytravel . Displayed on Emer’s table are Dream Escape’s 2020 UK and Ireland and 2020 London Calendars of Events. On the I pad Emer is showcasing the Quiraing, Isle of Skye off the west coast of Scotland. Think beautiful scenery and plentiful wildlife and marine life as well as castles, gardens, Clan history, hiking, boat rides and an abundance of fresh seafood. It’s no wonder location scouts frequently choose Skye as a movie location.
A boating element is always a popular inclusion in a Dream Escape tailor-made programme on the seas, rivers, lakes, lochs and loughs of UK and Ireland. Kayaking or canoeing on lochs, loughs and sheltered bays. Cruising to an islands for a picnic or to visit a medieval castle or nature reserve. Monster hunting for Nessie the Loch Ness monster on Loch Ness or her cousin Morag on Loch Morar! Travelling through the Killarney Lakes where the skipper’s mate is a Cocker Spaniel! Cruising from an island to meet the skippers brother who has freshly caught scallops and langoustine onboard his trawler for a barbecue like no other on a sheltered beach. ‘Magic is something you make.’
Relax and unwind on a tailor-made quintessential England programme designed and curated by Dream Escape’s team of talented Creative Planners and Blue Badge Guides. Unique once in a lifetime experiences travelling through Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty with rolling hillsides, country lanes and stone villages experiencing rural life, relaxing and unwinding away from the bustle of city life.
‘Oh, the places you’ll go’ Dr Seuss
Dream Escape’s Head of Sales Emer Mortell is safely home in Ireland after a very successful Sales Trip to Denver, Phoenix, Southern California and LA with Simon Haden of Gregans Castle Hotel Co Clare and Ruthie McGrath of Merrion Hotel, Dublin. Lovely to meet so many warm and welcoming Travel Advisors . A big thank you to Joanna Heathcote of JHHotels for introductions and assistance in LA. #greganscastlehotel #merrionhotel #dreamescapeltd
