Taste of the Town

It's A Girl

Lest you think I purchased a house on some tropical island and left the still-wintry streets of Milwaukee for warmer ground, let me set the record straight. I’m still here. Only now I’m spending a lot more time indoors admiring the new addition to our household. Yes, it finally happened. A few days ago our precious little girl, Eva, was born. Naturally, I think she is the most beautiful child to ever grace this earth. I’m totally smitten with her and hope you’ll understand if I take a few more days to ooh and ahh over her before returning to the blogosphere. ;-)

Tea Time

Customer Service Rule #456: Do not assume all pregnant women want decaf. Do you have any idea what a limited amount of sleep I’m operating on? I need something to help me stay awake and get this nursery organized before the child decides to arrive! 

Since Brew City Tea is right around the corner from where I get my hair done, I stopped in the other day. Having never been, I asked for advice on my selection. The only stipulation I provided was that the tea be black, nothing fruity. You would’ve thought I’d asked for advice on how to engineer a trans-Atlantic bridge. First the lady looked at my protruding tummy and asked if I wanted decaf. (See aforementioned rule.) Then, instead of taking the opportunity to educate me about the available teas or to share her favorite with me and tell me what she enjoyed about it, as their website said they liked to do, she simply turned to a line of tall, silver canisters she’d previously pointed out and reiterated that these were the black tea selections. Sigh. 

I finally decided on something, and within moments I was handed a tray bearing an earthy-green ceramic tea pot (I was told they don’t sell by the cup, only by the pot.), a timer, and an Asian-style teacup. After allowing it to steep for the preset amount of time, I poured some into my cup and took a sip. Nice, smooth. A good alternative to coffee. I might even be inclined to return for more.

But first I think I should check out one of Milwaukee's most longstanding tea places, Watts Tea Shop. (I say that as if tea shops are numerous, when, in fact, they are not.) Perched on the second floor above the George Watts china shop, the tea room offers breakfast, lunch, and an afternoon tea.

The breakfast menu features omelettes, French toast, and fresh fruit, while lunch includes a selection of salads, sandwiches, and classic entrees served with soup or salad and a roll.

Afternoon tea is served Monday through Saturday, 2:30 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. and offers patrons an assortment of finger sandwiches, pastries, fresh fruit, scones, and their choice of tea.

For parents searching for ways to keep the young ones entertained, I noticed that Watts will be holding “Breakfast with Benjamin Bunny” on March 22, a child-friendly event complete with breakfast and a reading of the Tale of Benjamin Bunny.  Later, in May, mothers and daughters can enjoy a special afternoon together at the Mother-Daughter Tea. If you’re interested in either event, you can find more information about cost and reservations on the website.