Tea the Second

Come along inside… We'll see if tea and buns can make the world a better place.

Kenneth Graeme - The Wind in the Willows

Brown's Hotel, Albemarle Street, W1S - Saturday, 9th February, 2013

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Tea takers

Sarah Ryan

Paul Ryan

Olivia Ryan

Sandra McNally

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Brown's opened in 1837 as London's first hotel. Situated in Mayfair, (in the street next to Dover Street, so it's well situated for the Drones club) it is everything you would expect in terms of elegance.  I last had afternoon tea here in summer 2002 having just discovered I was pregnant with Olivia, so it was nice to return with an almost ten-year-old who can now enjoy the scones on her own behalf.

The scones were indeed stupendous. Pleasingly small but also plentiful and replenished at our lightest whim. All sandwiches and cakes were lovely, and nice to see the Battenburg making an appearance (even if no-one actually ate it).

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It was delightful to be joined for this tea by the lovely Sandra McNally, who is the first (and probably only) Professor to join the odyssey.  She was charming and entertaining company, as ever, and for all of us it proved a fine precursor to the evening's Lourdes reunion dinner at St Mary Moorfields. All in all, a very jolly and sociable day.

Sandra must also be congratulated on a particularly fabulous and apposite age-specific birthday card. (Which makes me think that we must ensure Desmond and Raymond get to be guests at least at one of these teas, although possibly in slightly different containers)

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The lounge pianist provided considerably better music than we had the day before - here we see father and daughter enjoying Dancing Cheek to Cheek.

We were also treated to two performances of Happy Birthday to You*, one being in my own honour and accompanied by:

(*Criminal act? Based on the 1935 copyright registration, Warner claims that the United States copyright will not expire until 2030, and that unauthorized public performances of the song are technically illegal unless royalties are paid. In one specific instance in February 2010, these royalties were said to amount to $700. In the European Union, the copyright of the song will expire on December 31, 2016).

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Second Tea - Second Year

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Most disconcerting element of tea No. 2 - the black and white photograph of a matador smoking a cigarette, hanging in the Ladies' toilet.  I find no reason at all.

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