A Birthday Tea & Garden Tour

What a wonderful "Spring Break" week it has been culminating with a fabulous tea party for Jane and garden tour today. I thought ahead while at Alon's yesterday and picked up a few "goodies" that would make it easy to pull a tea party together. I figured I could not go wrong with my favotites: Apple Normandy, Croissants, honey duck breast and Sweet Grass Dairy green hill cheese from Thomasville GA.

Alon's duck breast & Star Provisions asparagus

I spent the morning catching up on a few gardening duties and shopping for some more annuals to go in the planters. The daffodils fell over after the storm and the warmer weather made them even floppier. To continue enjoying them, I cut the blooms and made a wonderful arrangement for the porch.

I planned a simple menu with the gourmet goodies from Alon's and also made some scones and deviled eggs.

 

 

A perfect batch of Savoy scones with golden raisins

piped and ready for a sprig of dill

 

 

Simply roasted asparagus: Asparagus, olive oil & Maldon salt

Happy Spring: roasted asparagus & duck breast

Green tea caramels

All ready for guest

 

 

Cheese from Thomasville

 

 

 

 

 

Homemade golden raisin Savoy scones

Apple Normandy from Alon's

 

 

 

After enjoying tea, we took a tour of the garden. Spring is in full swing!

Double-file Viburnum, Solomon's Seal and Lily of the Valley

Dutch Iris

 

Peony

 

 

White creeping Phlox

Lady Banks

 

Spontaneous Spring Break, Day TWO

Another beautiful Spring day! the plan for today: Another excursion into the city for Linda. She had the day off and Elizabeth and Jean had some errands to run around town. While waiting for everyone to get ready, I did a little "decorating" with my collection of blown eggs.

 

 

top to bottom: turkey, chicken, bantam, quail, button quail

I was like a bird in spring feathering it's nest, laying all these eggs around the house. Before it got too late, we were off to the city. First stop, the Westside!

We had lunch at Taqueria del Sol. After we finished ordering, the guy at the counter said "You know that's THREE orders of guacamole at your table??". But we do love their guacamole, it is always perfect.

I also had the shrimp corn chowder, fish taco and carnita taco

After our yummy lunch we explored the area on foot. I enjoyed browsing through the shops selling all sorts from furniture to fashions. At the the new ANTHROPOLOGIE, they had a wonderful display fashioned out of wine corks. 

A green train roared by while I was crossing the bridge

I loved the planter this olive tree is growing in

beautiful boxwoods at Abatoir

 

After our walk, it was time for a little dessert from Star Provisions. I was surprised how little was left in the duration of an hour since we were in there last. The chocolate meringues and black and white cookies were no longer, so I went with a cupcake and Linda had the ginger molasses cookie.

iced coffee to wash down the dessert

moist cake filled with homemade strawberry preserves topped with strawberry buttercream and fresh farm strawberry, mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

I picked up more giant local asparagus at Star Provisions.

Found a nice birthday gift at Anthro and also picked up a couple of nifty looking earth day invites

We continued the rest of our afternoon adventure around the intersection of Lindberg and Piedmont. Lot's to do here, the Pike's nursery and Home Goods is all we had time for because we wanted to stop at Alon's before headed home. I found all the plants I needed for my planters in the front of the house at Pikes and the perfect green wooden planter for my Pahiopedilum orchids at Home Goods.

My Pahiopedilum tabletop garden 2011 edition is complete

At Alon's I replenished my supply of Perucche sugar cubes and picked up a few goodies for Jane's Birthday Tea on Friday. I also could not resist some of the macarons. I am calling it "research".

Caramel, Green Apple and Rose

We all decided the green apple macaron was ho hum but the caramel and rose were both amazing

Gruyere poppyseed savory scones and plain croissants made with yeast , flour, butter, sugar and egg, basically a REAL croissant without ingredients that are hard to pronounce.

Bulldog Pahiopedilums are lasting nicely, welcome home!