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Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea

October 9, 2018

Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea

Do you dare try the terrifyingly gruesome Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea at the Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop in Essex. Running for the month of October 2018, this Colchester Tea Shop is offering a frightful treat!

You don’t know whether to be horrified or delighted by the selection on offer with the Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea. The table is set in a Halloween theme ready for you when you arrive. When our afternoon tea was presented at our table I was amazed at the attention to detail. Each element of the afternoon tea had been carefully thought out to both horrify and thrill the customer.

Savouries

With the savouries for the Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea, do not expect your normal mundane sandwiches! Expect a gruesome worm sandwich (hot dog in a brioche bun) served with a syringe of ketchup, devilled eggs and a warming tomato soup.

The Sweet Stuff

The sweet selection on offer with the Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea are just as ghastly as the savouries!

You are served these devilish delights: green ghost scones, fresh eyes (really yummy lychee and blueberries), a chocolate tomb cake, a brain jar (a delicious cheesecake) and lots of other gruesome treats!

It is all served with your choice of tea/coffee or cold drink. The Cardamon Tea Lounge has over 50 varieties of tea on offer.

Kid’s Haunted Mansion Platter

Children also get the chance to sample these scary Halloween treats this October too with the kids Haunted Mansion Platter. Platter is £9.50 and includes, sandwiches, drink and themed sweet treats.

The Haunted Mansion Halloween Afternoon Tea is £20 per head and available to book for the month of October 2018 at the Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop in Colchester. Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.

Other themed afternoon teas

To read our reviews of Cardamon Tea Lounge’s other fantastic themed afternoon teas in Essex. Please see below:

Wizards themed Afternoon Tea, for any Harry Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea.

Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea, Practically Perfect in every way.

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea.

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea.

Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea.

Be Our Guest Afternoon Tea for any Beauty and the Beast fan.

The Cardamon Tea Lounge features in our list of the Best Afternoon Teas in Essex, please see here.

Thank you for reading The Haunted Mansion Halloween inspired Afternoon Tea.

Written in collaboration with the Cardamon Tea Lounge, all views and opinions are my own.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food, Home

Be Our Guest – Beauty and the Beast inspired Afternoon Tea

August 19, 2018

Cardamon Tea Lounge

The Cardamon Tea Lounge and Shop in Colchester Essex hosts a monthly themed afternoon tea. For the month of September welcomed the wonderful Be Our Guest, Beauty and the Beast inspired afternoon tea.

They offer over 50 varieties of tea and lots of other savoury and sweets treats in a traditional tea room environment.

Be Our Guest Afternoon Tea

This wonderful Beauty and The Beast inspired Afternoon Tea is one of my very favourites. Accompanied by Mrs Potts and Chip, this afternoon features wonderful theming based on the much loved tale of Beauty and The Beast. The Be Our Guest Afternoon Tea comes beautifully displayed on a traditional cake stand.

Savouries

The savouries are French themed and really delicious. You receive a chicken and cranberry croissant, Brie and apple mini roll and Croque Monsieur cheese and ham wraps. Alongside the sandwiches you receive a mini salad served in a tea cup!

Sweets

The sweets are a real treat with this Beauty and The Beast themed afternoon tea. You receive very own chocolate Cogsworth, a macaroon served in a mini clear dome, a Belle themed lemon cake, ‘Try the Grey stuff it’s delicious’ sweet treat and a strawberry mousse parfait served in a tall glass.

To accompany the sweets, a vanilla dress shaped scone is served with clotted cream, jam and a chocolate pot. The scones and cakes are all made in-house and are very fresh and delicious. The lemon cake is covered in sweet buttercream icing and crusted with sugar, amazing!

Children’s Be Our Guest Platter

A children’s version of the Be Our Guest, Beauty and The Beast inspired afternoon tea is also available. Each platter comes with a teapot and dress shaped sandwiches, a mini croissant and a mixture of themed snacks and treats, along with a drink. They are always so beautifully put together and children love them! So much attention to detail. They are very reasonably priced at £7.50 per child.

The Be Our Guest Afternoon Tea is £20 per head and available to book for the month of September 2018 at the Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop in Colchester. Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.

To read our reviews of Cardamon Tea Lounge’s other fantastic themed afternoon teas in Essex. Please see below:

Wizards themed Afternoon Tea, for any Harry Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea.

Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea, Practically Perfect in every way.

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea.

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea

Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea.

The Cardamon Tea Lounge features in our list of the Best Afternoon Teas in Essex, please see here.

Thank you for reading Be Our Guest – Beauty and the Beast inspired Afternoon Tea. Written in collaboration with the Cardamon Tea Lounge, all views and opinions are my own.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food, Home

Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea

July 29, 2018

Cardamon Tea Lounge

Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop in Colchester, Essex is one of our favourite tea rooms to visit! They feature on our list of The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex. Cardamon Tea Lounge specialise in such imaginative themed afternoon teas and children’s platters. Each month they introduce us to an exciting new theme. For the month of August 2018 is the Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea. Perfect timing for any Winnie the Pooh fans out there as it hits the big screens the same month.

Silly Old Bear Themed Afternoon Tea

The Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea is very charming. The thought, planning and effort that goes into each themed afternoon tea is incredible. The Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea does not disappoint. Your table is decorated with cute Winnie the Bear themed props. A map of One Hundred Acre Wood with Winnie the Pooh and friends including Piglet await your arrival. The look is completed with crockery laid on its very own grass place mat decorated with carrots and flowers.

The Cardamon Tea Lounge have over 50 wonderful varieties of tea to choose from to accompany your afternoon tea. The Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea can also be served with a delicious homemade fruit compote. Due to the hot weather, this time round I opted for a minted ice tea and it was the perfect refresher.

SAVOURIES

The sandwiches were served in mini picnic baskets and were a great selection. My favourite was the vegetable salad and mayo, I didn’t know what to expect but it really was delightful. I think Rabbit would be a big fan! You also receive a cheese and tomato sandwich and a ham and mustard mini roll. Alongside the sandwiches you also get a mini salad in a tea cup. A combination of spinach, feta, strawberries and nuts. It made a delicious accompaniment to the afternoon tea.

Sweet

The scones arrived in their own mini picnic basket served with little buckets full of clotted cream, jam and lemon curd. The scones were delicious and freshly baked.

‘Winnie’s Delicacies’ consisted of a honey cake, chocolate mouse with chocolate crumble served in a mini plant pot, a mini muffin with vanilla cream centre and chocolate topper and a sweet pastry! The sweets treats were also accompanied with a wheel barrow of fruit and some sweets and chocolates! The honey cake was amazing, light and covered in cream and drizzled with honey, a sure favourite for Winnie the Pooh!

CHILDREN’S SILLY OLD BEAR CHILDREN’S PLATTER

A children’s version of the Silly Old Bear afternoon tea is also available. Each platter comes with a bear shaped sandwich, a mixture of themed snacks and treats, along with a drink. They are always so well themed and children love them! Very reasonably priced at £7.50 per child.

The Silly Old Bear Afternoon Tea is £20 per head and available to book for the month of August 2018 at the Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop in Colchester. Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.

To read our reviews of Cardamon Tea Lounge’s other fantastic themed afternoon teas in Essex. Please see below:

Wizards themed Afternoon Tea, for any Harry Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea.

Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea, Practically Perfect in every way.

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea.

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea.

Written in collaboration with the Cardamon Tea Lounge, all views and opinions are my own.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food

Charlie and The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea

July 10, 2018

Cardamon Tea Lounge

Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop in Colchester is one of our favourite tea rooms to visit! They feature on our list of The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex. Cardamon Tea Lounge specialise in magical and enchanting themed afternoon teas. Each month they introduce us to an exciting new theme. For the month of July is the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea

The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory themed afternoon treat is such a delight. So much effort, planning and preparation has gone into each themed afternoon tea. Your table is decorated with fun themed props. Props range from funny Wonka glasses, giant sweets and even a Wonka-vision selfie frame so you can snap some memories from your visit.

The Cardamon Tea Lounge have over 50 wonderful varieties of tea to choose from to go with your afternoon tea. The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea is also served with a yummy chocolate milkshake.

Savouries

The sandwiches served are a great selection, salmon and cream cheese, Cheddar and caramelised onion and a mini egg mayonnaise roll. We even received a Nutella and raspberry sandwich and it was a delicious taste explosion! Perfect for any Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Fan! Quite delicious!

Sweets

This themed afternoon tea came with so many colourful, exciting sweet treats. We enjoyed a cheesecake topped with candy floss and blueberries, a cupcake with a hidden surprise, a macaroon pop, a Wonka bar and we even got an everlasting gobstopper!

Lastly, no Charlie and the Chocolate themed Afternoon Tea would be complete without a ‘chocolate’ scone! A nice variation from your average plain or fruit scone.

Children’s Platter

The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory children’s afternoon tea platter is great fun! A tasty selection of sandwiches, fruit sweets and a chocolate dessert. It also comes with a mini chocolate freak shake! The children’s platters are such good value and children find them so exciting to eat. A real treat!

The Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea is £20 per head and available to book for the month of July 2018 at the Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop. Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.

To read our reviews of Cardamon Tea Lounge’s other fantastic themed afternoon teas in Essex. Please see below:

Wizards themed Afternoon Tea, for any Harry Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea.

Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea, Practically Perfect in every way.

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea.

Thank you for reading ‘Charlie and The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Tea’

Home, Shows, Unusual

Alice In Wonderland Ballet Show – Let’s All Dance

June 20, 2018

The cast from The Alice in Wonderland Show with Lets All Dance

A Ballet for the whole family

I took Eden to see her very first ballet, ‘The Princess & the Frog‘ by Let’s All Dance. It was a magical experience that we both really enjoyed. I then found out that Let’s All Dance’s next production was going to be ‘Alice in Wonderland’ which is a particular favourite story of ours! Even better, the Alice in Wonderland ballet was touring and visiting our local theatre. I booked tickets right away. These ballet shows are perfect as a first ballet and to entertain the whole family. They are suitable for all and especially aimed at 2-11 year olds, including children with special needs. The productions last around 30-40 mins so perfect for smaller children. You also get the opportunity for a photo with the cast on stage after the show which is really exciting for the children to meet the characters.

Alice In Wonderland Ballet

Let’s All Dance brought the wonderful story of Alice in Wonderland to life with beautiful dancing, much loved characters and super costumes in this magical ballet production.

The ballet began with a very charming Alice who disappeared down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. She met many of the characters along the way. Alice met the White Rabbit first. The dancing was so beautiful, fun and energetic. It was so mesmerising to watch. Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum were great characters and really made us all laugh. They were definitely the children’s favourite. The pair danced cheekily with Alice on stage.

On our journey through Wonderland we were also introduced to the angry Red Queen, she was quite a character! She was not happy with Alice who ate her chocolates and chased after her through the crowd. During the performance the characters left the stage to interact with the audience and the children loved it… They even got to stroke the flamingo puppets. It really brought the production to life and engaged with the audience!

Alice in Wonderland was a truly spectacular children’s ballet show. I found it even more enjoyable than the Princess and the Frog, we really liked all the extra characters. The way the story was told was also incredibly clever… Alice even shrunk and grew just like the real story! The dancing was superb and so hypnotic to watch. I would absolutely recommend trying one of these beautiful ballet shows. I would of loved for this one to be even longer, we enjoyed it so much! We can’t wait to see the next Let’s All Dance production. To see what coming next, visit their website.

Don’t be late for this very important date!

To book tickets for Alice in Wonderland please visit the Let’s All Dance.

Thank you for reading ‘Alice In Wonderland Ballet Show with Let’s All Dance’.

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Written in collaboration with Let’s All Dance, all comments and opinions are strictly my own.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food, Home

The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex

June 8, 2018

The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex

Anyone that knows me will know I love Afternoon Teas! Whether it’s to celebrate a birthday, a baby shower, to catch up with friends or spend time with my family. I enjoy the whole experience. I’ve visited many great Afternoon Tea venues in my time and after writing about some of my favourite afternoon teas, I thought it was time to review some of The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex. What a journey it has been, I’ve discovered that Essex has some true gems to offer! So without hesitation and in no particular order, here they are The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex:

Roslin Beach Hotel, Southend

What an utter delight it was to visit The Roslin Beach Hotel in Southend today for afternoon tea. Set in absolutely beautiful surroundings, with attentive staff and some of most delicious sandwiches I’ve tasted!

T he Roslin Beach Hotel in Southend Essex, is a stylish and luxurious hotel in a quiet location overlooking the sea. From the moment I arrived at The Roslin, I was excited. Greeted by a most beautiful floral display at the entrance, as soon as you step inside the Roslin Beach Hotel, you know it is going to be a good experience. The doorways are decorated with gorgeous floral displays and the venue decor is modern and classy. I felt that everything had a luxurious feel to it. The staff couldn’t be more helpful and the Afternoon Tea certainly lived up to my expectations.

Afternoon Tea at The Roslin Beach Hotel was enjoyable from start to finish. The sandwiches had a great selection of fillings, from roast beef and horseradish to coronation chicken, they were generously filled and extremely fresh. A quiche is served alongside the savouries. The Roslin invites you to replenish your sandwiches at no extra cost which is always a nice touch.

The selection of cakes were some of the best I have tried during my tour of the Best Afternoon Teas in Essex. We were served a delicious array of mini sweet treats and the creme brûlée was simply to die for!

I felt The Roslin Beach Hotel was an amazing experience, from start to finish. I really enjoyed my luxurious experience, I’m sure you wouldn’t be disappointed! Afternoon Teas at The Roslin Beach Hotel start at £21 with the option to add a glass of Prosecco. Children’s afternoon teas are also available. For more information or to book please visit their website.

Stifford Hall Hotel, Thurrock

Today I’m at Stifford Hall Hotel as part of my journey reviewing the Best Afternoon Teas in Essex! Stifford Hall Hotel did not disappoint. Simply lovely nestled in a cosy fire lit library, with a feast of sandwiches and delicious cakes!!!

Stifford Hall Hotel in Thurrock is an elegant 18th century Georgian mansion set amongst pretty grounds. Our afternoon tea was set up in the library. Cosy and relaxed it had a great feel to it with a beautiful stained glass window. They also serve afternoon tea in their Garden Suite which is light and airy with pretty views over the gardens.

I was blown away by the amount of sandwiches we received with Stifford Hall Hotel’s afternoon Tea. I received a cake stand full of sandwiches with a huge selection of fillings, a tier of meat, fish and vegetarian. They were all very fresh and extremely delicious. It’s not often I am outdone by the sandwiches but this was a feast and even beat me!

The cakes were a good and varied selection and very nice. There were some amazing custard and fruit tarts and the scones came all ready topped with a huge dollop of clotted cream, jam and a strawberry.

I really enjoyed my visit to Stifford Hall Hotel, it’s a real hidden gem and absolutely deserves its place on The Best Afternoon Teas In Essex list. Afternoon Tea at Stifford Hall Hotel is £15.95 which is excellent value for money. For further information or to book please visit their website. They also do fantastic roast dinners on Sundays which I definitely recommend, again very good value for money.

Merrymeade Tea Room, Brentwood

Enjoyed a wonderful afternoon tea at Merrymeade Tea Room! Great value and you can even enjoy soaking up the rays on their terrace while the kids play in the gardens.

Merrymeade Tea Room is set within Merrymeade House in Brentwood, Essex. A quaint traditional tea room with views over the gardens and opening onto a Terrace with outdoor seating. I felt Merrymeade Tea Room deserved their place on ‘The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex’ list as they offer such brilliant value for money in a lovely traditional setting with the added bonus of dining on the terrace. It is the perfect spot to to relax and enjoy afternoon tea whilst children can play in the gardens.

Their traditional afternoon tea is £11.95 and includes sandwiches, scones and sliced cake. The luxury afternoon tea is £13.95 with the addition of chocolate dipped strawberries, grapes and unlimited tea.

You can choose 3 options from a good selection of sandwiches, we opted for coronation chicken (a favourite of mine), chicken, bacon & avocado and Brie & cranberry. The sandwiches were incredibly fresh, generously filled and very tasty.

Whilst Merrymeade Tea Room doesn’t claim to bake all of their own cakes and scones, they do offer a good selection of traditional homemade cakes. I can personally vouch for the lemon drizzle cake, it was moist and full of flavour. The chocolate strawberries were a lovely addition to the afternoon tea and tasted amazing!

Merrymeade House also offer a children’s afternoon tea which is a very generous portion. For further information or to book please visit their website.

Prested Hall Hotel, Colchester

Tried out Prested Hall’s Afternoon Tea today, think oak beams, comfortable surroundings with a hint of luxury and scones to die for! What a treat… a traditional afternoon tea but like they say ‘just that little bit different!’

Prested Hall in Colchester Essex is a gorgeous 15th century Manor House set at the end of a long and impressive driveway. I absolutely loved the relaxed and comfortable feeling I had when I entered Prested Hall. It’s a wedding venue, boutique hotel and spa, traditional crossed with modern, makes for a great experience.

Our afternoon tea at a Prested Hall was set within the cosy library, a lovely room where I felt as if I were ‘Lady of the Manor’. They also serve afternoon tea in The Garden Room and The Orangery.

The afternoon tea that arrived was very impressive. The sandwiches included some more unusual fillings from your regular afternoon teas which was a really nice addition. They were very fresh and generously filled.

The scones were some of the best I have tasted, lightly spiced and served warm with a choice of jams and clotted cream. They were a real delight. The cakes and sweets were all very good. A really nice selection of cheesecake and other perfectly sized sweet treats.

I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at Prested Hall, from the sweeping driveway, traditional and classy venue to the very enjoyable afternoon tea! It’s definitely one for our list of the Best Afternoon Teas in Essex! The menus are changed regularly and available online. They are very reasonably priced at £16.50 for their Traditional Afternoon Tea or £23 for the Champagne Afternoon Tea. Prested Hall also offers a children’s afternoon tea. For further information or to book please visit their website.

Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop, Colchester

The Cardamon Tea Lounge and Shop is a quaint traditional tea room in Colchester. They absolutely deserve their place on The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex. It is a real hidden gem, we originally stumbled across it one day and have been regulars ever since. We aren’t the only ones that like it, it won the Essex Life Food and Drink Awards 2017 for Best Coffee/Tea Shop. Now its quickly becoming a popular spot for wonderful and imaginative Themed Afternoon Tea in Essex.

The Cardamon Tea Lounge offer something that little bit different from everyone else. They specialise in themed afternoon teas, each month brings a new theme. The attention to detail is incredible. I have reviewed several of their themed afternoon teas, you can read about some of my favourites below:

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea

A Wizards Themed Afternoon Tea

Practically Perfect Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea

The afternoon teas at The Cardamon Tea Lounge always vary so much with exciting fillings, incredible home made cakes and desserts. I am always amazed and surprised at the sheer imagination and thought gone into each and every afternoon tea. Themed children’s afternoon tea platters are also available and are sure to delight almost every child with many themes to choose from throughout the year.

Themed afternoon teas are £20 per head. Their Alice in Wonderland theme afternoon tea runs throughout the year and is £14.95 and their luxury Queen of Hearts afternoon tea is £20 per head. Childrens platters are £6.50.

For further information or to book please visit their website, where you can find their afternoon tea event calendar.

The County Hotel, Chelmsford

What a treat, enjoying not only a traditional afternoon tea but also The County Hotel’s Best of British Afternoon Tea. An excellent twist on a traditional classic!

The County Hotel is an elegant and classic hotel situated in Chelmsford Town Centre. Afternoon Tea at The County Hotel is served in the award winning Samphire Restaurant. You can opt for either the classic afternoon tea for £14.95 per head or their Best of British afternoon tea for £20 per head. They also serve childrens afternoon teas.

The classic afternoon tea came with a selection of freshly made finger sandwiches, not one but two warm hand made scones per head and a wonderful selection of handmade sweet treats. It was a really nice traditional afternoon tea and enjoyed it very much.

The Best of British afternoon tea was simply amazing! It consisted of roast beef and coronation chicken sandwiches and then some hot savoury delights. We enjoyed a scotch egg, chunky sausage roll, mini fish and chips, a Ham and Cheese Croque Monsieur and some pork crackling sticks. The sweet stuff didn’t disappoint either, some of my most favourites were on offer! A chocolate brownie, carrot cake and a chocolate eclair. I thought the Best of British Afternoon Tea at The County Hotel was an excellent twist on the usual afternoon tea. I would definitely recommend trying it out!

For further information or to book please visit their website.

Orsett Hall Hotel, Orsett

Lovely sunny afternoon enjoying a wonderful afternoon tea and children’s afternoon tea at Orsett Hall! The Garden Brasserie is just so pretty, even more beautiful in the sunshine! We even enjoyed a wander around the grounds!

Orsett Hall Hotel is such a pretty venue, a stylish boutique hotel and wedding venue with Spa. They serve their afternoon teas in the beautiful Garden Brasserie with floral-inspired décor and lovely views of the hotel grounds. Its really is a spectacular room with the most stunning multi-coloured chandeliers.

Afternoon Tea at Orsett Hall feels like a luxury affair, gorgeous surroundings and attentive staff. Sandwiches are filled with the traditional afternoon tea fillings and comes with a warm mini quiche. The sweets and scones are always very good at Orsett Hall. On this occasion I had enjoyed the most delicious white chocolate and ginger cheesecake. It blew my mind, it was absolutely amazing!

Afternoon Tea at Orsett Hall Hotel starts at £20.95 with the option to upgrade to a Champagne afternoon tea for £28.95. They also offer a savoury afternoon tea (which I am yet to try) and a children’s afternoon tea which is brilliant. It is served on its own mini cake stand! My daughter loved all of it!

The Chichester Hotel, Wickford

Afternoon tea at one of our favourite venues in Essex, The Chichester Hotel, Wickford, Essex. (Amazing Sunday dinners too!).

The afternoon tea at The Chichester Hotel in Wickford already features within my post about my favourite afternoon teas. The Chichester Hotel is a charming renovated 13th century farmhouse in Wickford, Essex. The afternoon tea is served in the Gallery Restaurant. I can personally recommend their fantastic sunday roasts!

The Chichester offers great value for money at £14.95 per head for their afternoon tea. A lovely relaxed environment and the staff are always so helpful. The sandwiches are always freshly made and well filled. The thick cut ham was amazing! The sweets are always good, normally a yummy cheesecake with a selection of cakes, you also get a plain and a fruit scone.

Thank you for reading ‘The Best Afternoon Teas in Essex’. I had such a wonderful time visiting each of these venues and would happily recommend each and every one. If you know of an amazing afternoon venue in Essex that I need to try, please pop me a note in the comments!

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Written in collaboration with the above venues, please note all comments and opinions are my own. All prices correct at time of publishing.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food, Home

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea

June 2, 2018

Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea

The Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea is appearing at one of our favourite tea rooms in Colchester, Essex. Cardamon Tea Lounge & Coffee Shop host themed afternoon teas, each month brings a new theme. Running for the month of June 2018 and absolutely perfect for Fathers Day is the Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea! Elementary my Dear Watson!

Cardamon Tea Lounge offer over 50 different tea variations, so there is something for everyone. My personal favourite is Karak Chai, a wonderful blend of Assam, cardamon and made with condensed milk.

Savoury

The Sherlock Holmes afternoon was a real treat, served upon a board game with lots of fun props, magnifying glass, hat, pipe etc. It really looked the part.

‘A game is afoot’ sandwiches were served upon a gold tray. A delicious selection consisting of a roast beef and egg mayonnaise mini roll (which was amazing) and then cheddar cheese & caramelised onion, ham & mustard and lastly smoked salmon and cream cheese.

Served warm were cheese and bacon mini rolls, which were almost like a scone with a soft and cheesy centre. These were simply diving and shouldn’t be missed!

Sweet

The sweets arrived and they did not disappoint! The spiced scones were again served warm with butter, clotted cream and jam. They had a great flavour!

‘A logical conclusion’ cakes were beautifully displayed on a framed newspaper print, complete with magnifying glass and liquorice pipe! A real treat for any chocolate lovers out there. A chocolate cheesecake, salted caramel brownie and the most delicious macaroon that melted in the mouth! The cakes were a wonderful conclusion to the afternoon tea, I enjoyed every bite!

Children’s Sherlock Holmes Children’s Platter

A children’s version of the Sherlock Holmes themed afternoon tea is also available. They are always so well themed with a mix of sweet and savoury and served with a drink. The children always love them! A bargain for £6.50 per child.

The Sherlock Holmes Themed Afternoon Tea is £20 per head and available to book for the month of June 2018 at the Cardamon Tea Lounge & Shop. Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.

To read our reviews of Cardamon Tea Lounge’s other fantastic themed afternoon teas in Essex. Please see below:

Wizards themed Afternoon Tea, for any Harry Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea.

Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea, Practically Perfect in every way.

Thank you for reading ‘Sherlock Holmes Afternoon Tea’.

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Written in collaboration with Cardamon Tea Lounge, all views and opinions are my own.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food, Home, Lifestyle

‘Practically Perfect’ Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea

April 30, 2018

Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea at Cardamon Tea Lounge

‘Practically Perfect’ inspired by Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea is appearing at one of our favourite tea rooms in Colchester, Essex. Cardamon Tea Lounge & Coffee Shop host themed afternoon teas, each month brings a new theme. Running for the month of May 2018 ‘Practically Perfect’ themed afternoon tea is sure to delight any Mary Poppins fan!

‘Practically Perfect’ A Mary Poppins inspired Themed Afternoon Tea

Cardamon Tea Lounge always pay so much attention to detail on their themed afternoon teas and this Mary Poppins inspired afternoon tea is no exception. We choose from one of the 50 choices of tea to go along with our afternoon tea. I can personally recommend Karak Chai, a wonderful blend of Assam, cardamon and made with condensed milk. It was amazing!

The ‘Practically Perfect’ afternoon tea was beautifully displayed with lots of hints from the much loved film.

Savoury

The afternoon tea consisted of some delicious savouries served in a picnic basket. We enjoyed an egg mayo mini roll, salmon and cream cheese wrap, cheese & cucumber sandwich and a tuna & sweet corn sandwich. I love how The Cardamon Tea Lounge make their sandwiches with mixed breads, one side white and one side brown! A unique but very tasty idea! This afternoon tea also included your very own teacup salad finished with Feta, walnuts, red onion and strawberries.

Sweet

The sweets for the Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea were very exciting. We enjoyed lemon and poppy seed scones with clotted cream & jam. The scones were accompanied by lots of other sweet treats. A homemade Victoria sponge, a kite shaped brownie and your own spoonful of sugar to name but a few. There was even a chocolate umbrella!

To make your visit even more exciting, Cardamon Tea Lounge are offering two very special dates (5th and 26th May) where for a small extra charge you get to meet Mary Poppins herself! It’s sure to be a very special day!

Children’s Mary Poppins themed afternoon tea platter

Cardamon Tea Lounge make lots of themed platters for children! At just £6.50, the children’s platter includes a yummy milkshake or drink, shaped sandwiches, along with lots of yummy biscuits, chocolates and sweets! Each one carefully designed to fit in with the film. Eden absolutely loves the kids platters and the Mary Poppins inspired platter was no exception!

The ‘Practically Perfect’, Mary Poppins inspired Afternoon Tea is running for the month of May 2018 and is £20 per head (at time of publishing).

Children’s platter is £6.50.

Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.

To read our reviews of Cardamon Tea Lounge’s other fantastic themed afternoon teas in Essex. Please see below:

Wizards themed Afternoon Tea, for any Harry Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea.

Thank you for reading ‘Practically Perfect Themed Afternoon Tea – Mary Poppins Themed Afternoon Tea’.

Written in collaboration with Cardamon Tea Lounge, all views and opinions are my own.

fitness, Food, Home, Lifestyle

Relax and unwind with David lloyd, not just a gym…

April 11, 2018

david lloyd collage photos relax and unwind with david lloyd

Relax and unwind with David Lloyd Clubs

I regularly go to the gym, workout and then leave. Sometimes I stop off for a quick coffee or breakfast, but often overlooking the other great facilities that are available to me. I go to the gym to get into shape and then go about my day to day activities. Recently I’ve had a stressful time in my personal life. It can really take its toll on your mental health so I’ve needed to learn to relax more and find some ‘me time’. I’ve looked for ways to help me to de-stress and I now feel like I’m finally learning to relax and unwind with David Lloyd.

Over the past few weeks I’ve made sure to book into some of the more relaxing classes like Pilates and Body Balance. I always walk out of a class feeling so good, feeling like I am benefiting both my mind and body. Recently I’ve been using the David Lloyd club as a spa experience. I’ve met up with friends, relaxed by the pool, treated myself to a jacuzzi, followed by a steam or sauna session. I have enjoyed eating some delicious lunches, relaxing in the quiet room with a book and catching up with friends on a comfy sofa in the lounge over a coffee (or wine!). When the weather gets warmer I’m really looking forward to making the most of the outdoor pool and relaxing on a sun lounger outside, dreaming of warmer climates!

Fun for kids

David Lloyd has been great for my daughter too, I’ve been able to get some much needed ‘me time’ whilst Eden is busy having fun. David Lloyd offer a mix of sports and games clubs, dancing, football, along with creative art and craft classes. She has an amazing time in one of the many classes or meeting new friends playing in the soft play area. It’s allowed me to just sit quietly with a coffee and catch up on life! Sometimes we forget about our mental well being and how important it is to look after ourselves both physically and mentally. I always train hard and try to eat well (in between the afternoon teas)! I now know to spend a little bit more time focusing on me and relaxing more too! It has really helped me get back on track these past few weeks. I’ve continued with my usual classes in the gym and incorporated some relaxing using the other facilities.

My local David Lloyd Club hosts lots of brilliant social activities too, whether it’s a theatre coach trip to the Westend or a Casino night in house. The kids are not forgotten either… there were Chocolate making parties at Easter, a fabulous panto at Christmas and lots of great things on for kids throughout the year! Once a month they even have a children’s entertainer come down to party with the kids with no extra to pay! The kids absolutely love it, especially Eden, she is a party animal!

Check out David Lloyd’s website or pop into your local club to see what activities or offers they have available! You would be surprised David Lloyd is not just a gym but also a great social experience too and perfect for kids. See why we love being members at our local David lloyd here.

Thank you for reading ‘relax and unwind with David lloyd, not just a gym’.

Written in collaboration with David Lloyd, all views and comments are my own.

Afternoon Tea, Eating Out, Food, Home

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea in Essex

March 31, 2018

Cardamon Tea Lounge

With the recent release of Peter Rabbit we were super excited to try out A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea at one of our favourite tea rooms in Colchester, Essex. Cardamon Tea Lounge & Coffee Shop host themed afternoon teas, each month brings a new theme. Running for the month of April 2018 ‘A Tale of Peter Rabbit’ themed afternoon tea is sure to delight any Beatrix Potter fan.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea

Cardamon Tea Lounge pay so much attention to detail on their themed afternoon teas and ‘A Tale of Peter Rabbit’ themed afternoon tea is no exception. On arrival your table is laid with your very own grass mat, complete with flowers and carrot accessories, setting the scene for an exciting afternoon tea. We choose one from over 50 choices of tea to go along with our food.

The afternoon tea consisted of Mr McGregors garden goods, a selection of delicious sandwiches, wraps and bread rolls filled with delights straight from the garden. Cream cheese and radish sandwich, egg mayo and advocado roll, cream cheese and asparagus wrap, houmous pot with veg to dip and a wonderful fresh feta and spinach salad with blackberries and walnuts… Mr McGregor would have enjoyed this feast, it could also be suitable for vegetarians.

After the savouries we had Peter Rabbit’s hot cross bun, this made a nice change from the usual scone that is expected with an afternoon tea. It even came with a mini trowel and mini bucket full of jam to spread on top!

The sweets included a deliciously moist and tasty carrot cake, a chocolate pot served in a plant pot topped with a strawberry, a lemon tart with an edible cabbage moulded from nougat and a chocolate eclair finished with petals.

A Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea was so wonderfully put together, so much effort to theme each and every piece of food. It wasn’t your traditional afternoon tea, it was a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach. So much fun to eat!

A Tale of Peter Rabbits Children’s Platter

Cardamon Tea Lounge do so many fabulous platters for kids! At just £6.50, the children’s platter includes a yummy milkshake, shaped sandwiches, along with lots of yummy biscuits, chocolates and even a few sweets! Eden absolutely loves the kids platters and the Peter Rabbit platter was no exception!

The Tale of Peter Rabbit Themed Afternoon Tea is running for the month of April 2018 and is £20 per head (at time of publishing). Children’s platter is £6.50. Pop over to their website or Facebook page to book or for further information.