On a recent trip to Albuquerque I got to know the city’s more refined side at the St. James Tea Room. The decor of the venue, from the furniture to the fabrics to the music, is Victorian, and you’ll be able to enjoy your own private tea room with a personal tea server.
The mission of the venue is to act as a “catalyst for change in our society, toward a return to grace, civility, beauty, gentility and excellence,” and, at least for the time you’re there, you’ll do just that.
The experience starts out with a Prelude like lavender-sugared grapes before a three-tiered tray of finger foods like Lady Catherine’s blackberry & rocket salad; Mr. Darcy’s cheddar scones with clotted cream; traditional cucumber and turkey sandwiches; Mr. Collins’ Crustless Quiche; Elizabeth’s Brie butter canapés; and Pemberley stuffed dates is set before you. This is followed by a handmade dessert for a sweet finish. The food is paired with three delicious teas, which your server will instruct you on how to best flavor with milk and sugar.
For a visual idea of the experience, check out the photos below.
Jessica Festa is the editor of the travel sites Jessie on a Journey (http://jessieonajourney.com) and Epicure & Culture (http://epicureandculture.com). Along with blogging at We Blog The World, her byline has appeared in publications like Huffington Post, Gadling, Fodor’s, Travel + Escape, Matador, Viator, The Culture-Ist and many others. After getting her BA/MA in Communication from the State University of New York at Albany, she realized she wasn’t really to stop backpacking and made travel her full time job. Some of her most memorable experiences include studying abroad in Sydney, teaching English in Thailand, doing orphanage work in Ghana, hiking her way through South America and traveling solo through Europe. She has a passion for backpacking, adventure, hiking, wine and getting off the beaten path.
