Making Time For Me – With Tea!
There are some days in Chicago where I need a little pick me up. I’m a mom and always running. When something needs to give, it always seems to be the one thing that’s for me.
When The Chicago Moms were invited to The Penninsula Chicago for afternoon tea, however, I was going to make sure I did this for me. I love tea. I’ve been to teas downtown for wedding and baby showers, and they’re always such a relaxing and indulgent experience that I promise myself I’ll be back again soon.
I never am.
This time I made it, though forces were conspiring against me. Once I got everyone dropped at school, I ran home to pick up Little Miss’s backpack and lunch she’d forgotten. Back to both schools I went – Mister Man had forgotten to take his teacher appreciation gift, too – realizing that I wasn’t going to make it to the gym that day. Once I finished my work on the school supply kits that I “volunteered” to run, I took a quick shower before heading to the train station – at the only hour there’s no train running to the city from 6am to 12am.
I needed my time for me even more, and I hopped into my car to drive to the city. Once I arrived at the Penninsula, all my stresses melted away. The hotel is service and first class all the way.
While our tea was just for us and all about the moms, The Penninsula caters to more than just us – as the cutest little poodle at the table next to us proved. Yep, dogs under 20 pounds are welcome! Kids, too. And teens. They have teas just for them, and oh are the plates adorable and clever.
They even have Peter Bear, the mascot of the Penninsula hotels, who visits children staying in the hotel. He did, of course, come to visit us, as well – what a hoot to see him and have him stop by! And yes, children who have tea at the Penninsula get their own Peter Bear to take home.
But this afternoon was all about me – and the other Chicago Moms. I have to admit that I made the ultimate sacrifice. I tasted every one of the delicious items the staff of the Penninsula put in front of us. (Lots of photos of the tea are here.)
The scones were great – maple glazed scones with dried blueberries. As one blogger commented, “This is the best lemon curd anywhere!” I think I might agree. And of course, the requisite clotted cream and jam were also provided.
The sandwiches and quiche were all great, too, though my personal favorite was the smoked salmon, asparagus roulade on marble rye. Then again, give me anything with asparagus or salmon, and it’s bound to be a winner. They were the perfect bite sized portions that allowed me to also enjoy dessert.
The tray contained six tiny desserts to sample. And the chef sent out one extra that was still warm from the oven. As wonderful as they all were, I had a favorite. If I could, I would make “Le Rusee” Pralin at home and quite possibly hide it away so that I wouldn’t have to share with anyone!
After all that brunner (that’s what you call it when you combine breakfast, lunch and dinner, right?), it’s a good thing I parked over on Dearborn and Chestnut. I needed a little walk from the Penninsula to burn off a few of the calories I ingested. Because I might have maybe eaten more than one of those pralins.
Even the rush hour traffic back to the suburbs wasn’t enough to ruin my mood of bliss and happiness for having done something just for me. I need to head back there for another tea someday soon. They’re very kid-friendly, so maybe I’ll bring one of the wee ones. But maybe, just maybe, it’ll be another day just for me.
Anyone want to join me?
Related posts:
- Family tea-time at The Peninsula Chicago
- Enchanting Mother’s Day Celebrations
- Chicagonistas in NY for an Afternoon Tea @ The Plaza by Dyson
- The Peninsula Chicago Is Surprisingly Kid-Friendly
- Caution and Compassion: My Cup of Tea
Category: Chicago, Community, Dining, entertainment, Events, Mom Challenges, New Posts
