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 Sales Emer Mortell, based in Dublin, makes a new buffalo 🐃 friend in Co Cork, Ireland!
With thanks to #KorenaSinnett for these lovely photos of Emer taken on a #VirtuosoLife Photo Shoot in Ireland.
Dream Escape designs programmes in UK and Ireland full of immersive experiences and interesting ways to explore these destinations. With an emphasis on exciting, inspiring and authentic visits, clients can discover the true essence of each country enhanced by our portfolio of hand picked, expert guides.
Having recently been awarded the Travel + Leisure “A” List Travel Agent status for 2019, we asked David for his personal “A” List recommendations.
• Flying into beautiful Barra island in the Outer Hebrides and landing on the only beach runway in the world.
• Take a 4×4 safari on the Balmoral Estate, Scottish home to the Royal family.
• Take a swim at the horseshoe shaped Keem Bay on Achill Island in Country Mayo, one of the most spectacular spots in Ireland.
• Fishing for trout from one of the piers in the Shetland Isles.
• Enjoy a private visit to the ‘Poldark house’, Chavenage in Gloucestershire.
•’Tickets for Wimbledon’s Centre Court.
• An evening with Lord & Lady Erne at Crom Castle in Northern Ireland.
• Enjoy an incredible retreat at Broughton Hall in the wonderful Yorkshire Dales.
We are absolutely delighted that Dream Escape’s very own David Tobin has been awarded a place in the 2019-2020 Travel + Leisure A-List of the World's Top Travel Advisors, by one of the world's most influential travel brands. Thank you Travel & Leisure for recognising Dream Escape’s expertise in the luxury travel business and also our amazing Dream Escape Team and loyal clients, for your continued hard work and support! @travelandleisure @dreamescapeltd
Check out our latest blog and find out what David's A-list recommendations are for the UK & Ireland in 2020! dreamescape.co.uk/davids-a-list-recommendations/
Dream Escape would like to welcome Georgia Beith who has joined the company as a Creative Planning Assistant and will be based in Dream Escape's London office on a full time basis joining Creative Planner Louise Murray, Creative Planner Michael Davies and London Blue Badge Guide Sally Strange.
Originally from West Yorkshire Georgia now lives in London and has recently graduated from Royal Holloway University with a First Class Honours degree in BA History!
Georgia is a keen writer with a major interest in motorsports and recently enjoyed a visit to the 2019 British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
Photos of Georgia exploring London, Louise experiencing the Thames Rocket with her daughters and Sally checking out the Kent and East Sussex Steam Railway today!
Welcome to the Dream Team Georgia!
Dream Escape’s Managing Director, Claire Stone, and Head of Planning, Lesley Scott, have been over in Ireland 🇮🇪 for 4 days. They’ve been out and about visiting properties old and new and discovering new experiences for clients along the way.
In a wood near Killarney, Co. Kerry ☘️ they enjoyed Walking with Hawks where Claire and Lesley made some new friends - Tex the Harris Hawk 🦅 , a lovely soft and gentle tawny owl called Riley that Claire fell in love with and a graceful barn owl🦉
