miss b loves .......a surprise afternoon tea and 'couture' nail polish.

Regular readers of my blog already know about my obsession with afternoon tea and a surprise visit to Great John Street Hotel in Manchester was the highlight of my birthday the weekend before last.....

This beautiful building was formally a Victorian school and there are reminders throughout this sympathetically restored hotel.

Old photographs hang on the walls .......

This little boy doesn't seem too keen to be there!

This was very much a summery afternoon tea with flowers and fruit adorning the traditional three-tiered stand which was laden with sweet treats.

miss b loves ........extra-special gifts...and an award

Father Christmas was very good to me this year and brought me lots of gorgeous presents but some were extra-special! I especially loved three gifts which were bought in Istanbul....

....a box of Vakko chocolates .......

......decorated with a beautiful Christmas tree brooch which I could also make into a very glamorous tree decoration next year.....

A hammam towel, lightweight, more absorbent than a regular towel and perfect for the beach........

....and a wonderful hamper from the Olive Farm shop.......

miss b loves .....Tea Palace, Covent Garden

I am a bit of a tea snob starting my day with Twinings English Breakfast (it just has to be Twinings!) with Earl Grey or Green Tea with mint as a favourite afternoon tipple. I'm not really very adventurous with tea - smoky lapsang souchong, iced teas etc. just aren't my thing but strolling through Covent Garden the other day I came across a gorgeous shop with two assistants outside with a glass tea infuser filled with tea and slices of fruit and they were offering samples of iced blood orange tea. I was so impressed with this summery, refreshing drink that I had to buy some (and the tea caddies are so stylish!)