Princess for a Day

One of the many, many things on my list of things to do with my girl this summer was High Tea at Chateau Laurier. My girl is definitely at least part princess, and has a deep appreciation for all things pretty, sparkly and luxurious. She also loves spiders and dirt, but there's a time and place for everything, right?

When I first asked her if she wanted to go to tea with mama at a Real Castle, she was intrigued, but I sensed her hesitation. "Babies don't drink tea, right mama?" she inquired doubtfully. Then, when I explained the concept of British "tea", adding that this particular castle substitutes hot chocolate for the underage crowd, the furrowed eyebrows shot up well past her hairline and she was sold. Casually toss the word "cupcake" into the conversation and you had better have this excursion planned for the VERY near future because you will have an EXTREMELY impatient princess on your hands.

We had the distinct pleasure of entertaining friends Rob and Shaggy from London last week and, knowing Shaggy to be an enthusiast of all things decadent and girly, I suggested we make it a Tea Party for three. It was a wild success. From the moment we emerged from the Dungeon (parking garage) into the Castle proper, E immediately shouted "I AM HAVING SO MUCH FUN!!!!" And it only gets better from the dungeon. Giant bouquets of flowers, gilded walls, marble floors...it was more opulence than she had ever experienced. Once we found the tea room, the staff made sure to treat her in the manner to which a lady of her standing is accustomed, and she gobbled it right up. She was a fabulous dining companion, even if she did wrangle some of Shaggy's treats away from her.

I have a feeling that tea parties around our house are going to become a bit more elaborate in the future. I'm not sure watered-down juice and wooden strawberries will cut it anymore.