Afternoon tea (& shopping...)

A treat and respite from our current wet washout summer in London: taking afternoon tea at the Fortnum & Mason store in Piccadilly. I was meeting my friend Candie whom I had not seen for a while but she had an appointment in Victoria, so it seemed the ideal place to while away an hour or two (after a drink first of course) particularly as one also got a free glass of champagne by quoting a magazine offer! 

I had never done afternoon tea before but made an effort by wearing a tie and smartening up - and I have to say I loved it all. The room is spacious and bright and airy with the tables well spaced out. The finger sandwiches were perfect and one could have a second helping! I had never tried cucumber sandwiches before, they were wonderful as was the beef with horseradish and capers etc. I will have to make my own finger sandwiches now .... the scones with clotted cream and a selection of jams were also ideal and we could have had more. By then we barely had room for the delectible fancies - the attentive waiters replaced the tea and milk and offered to bag up what we could not eat, so we had a doggy bag (a nice box) to take away, with a gift of their Jubilee tea brand. One could also help oneself to cake from a selection on the trolley, but we just couldn't manage it.

Of course one had to stop off in the shop (which I used to visit regularly when I was working in Regent Street) for some of the jams and preserves and a pork pie to take home.  Highly recommended then and well worth the money. I feel quite jolly today now. We will be planning our next foray there when a friend is over from Northern Ireland in August ... and my sister-in-law from Kerry will love it too.
Plus some shopping:
Blue cologne bottles - I just love them, and those intoxicating scents by Tom Ford (his new 'Portofino') and Acqua di Parma Blu Mediterraneo (which has several versions: 'Amalfi', 'Capri', 'Calabria' etc)... thats me set up for summer! They are all doing Italian names now - Dolce & Gabbana have just brought out 'Stromboli' for men and their 'Portofino' for women, Voyage To Italy indeed !