23rd August 2018
” There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
Henry James
______________________________________________________
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.
______________________________________________________
“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
)
Whether your clients are celebrating a milestone with a family get together or need some time to rest and recon...
We are very proud of David Tobin for being awarded MVP (Most Valuable Person/Player) Award for Excellence at the recent Brownell Academy.
Nominations and voting for this award are by Brownell Travel advisors themselves based on demonstration of the core values of Brownell – Passion, Integrity, Graciousness, Innovation and Excellence. To have received this award is fantastic and reflects Dream Escape's commitment to it's agencies and advisors.
A big thank-you to Brownell Travel for their incredible support, it means a huge amount to the Dream Escape team.
(Dream Escape Owners David Tobin and Holly Tobin pictured with Brownell Leisure Operations Coordinator, Ashley Pate and VP of Leisure Sales, Beth Flowers)
Congratulations David!
#dreamescapeltd #brownellacademy #brownellmvpawardforexcellence #brownelltravel
Our very own Sally Strange had a wonderful day yesterday showing Susan Boehnstedt around London - the Dream Escape Way!
#dreamescapelondon #dreamescapeltd #luxurylondon #CriticsChoiceVacations
Dream Escape Blue Badge Guide’s Sally and Rosie met in London today for a chinwag and catch-up at Dominique Ansel Bakery. Visited the truly dazzling and spectacular TUTANKHAMUN: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh at the Saatchi Gallery, there until 3rd May 2020. More than 150 original objects from the tomb, 60 of which are travelling out of Egypt for the first and final time before they return for permanent display at the Grand Egyptian Museum which is currently under construction at Giza. Not to be missed is Enter the Tomb: Virtual Reality Experience showing the enormity of Howard Carter and George Herbert, 5th Earl of Carnarvon’s discovery as they enter the tomb of Tutankhamun.
Creative Planner Louise Murray and Blue Badge Guide Sally Strange, based in Dream Escape’s London office, have been exploring in the city!
They went on a ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour of St Pauls Cathedral and stepped into the world of Harry Potter. The Geometric Staircase in the South West Bell Tower of St Pauls Cathedral features in the Harry Potter movies – initially in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. The students at Hogwarts had to climb to the top of the ‘Divination Staircase to gain access to Professor Trelawney’s Divination classroom. ⚡️
In the world of Harry Potter the ‘Divination Staircase’ is a narrow, spiralling set of stairs accessible from a corridor on the seventh-floor. At the top of the staircase is a small landing with a trap door on the ceiling, by which a ladder gave access to the Divination Classroom!⚡️
Dream Escape team members experiencing and enjoying ‘Scotland in Miniature’ in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park on the shores of the ‘Bonnie Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond’. A wonderful day which Dream Escape can offer clients which includes a very special whisky experience, a trip on a luxury motor cruiser on Loch Lomond, lunch at The Boathouse, Cameron House and a Bird of Prey experience. What could be a better day out from the office!
