A Visit to Winchester Cathedral

If you like visiting churches, you will enjoy visiting 900 year old Winchester Cathedral. The location of the cathedral was originally a Benedictine Monastery established over a thousand years ago. It is considered one of the finest medieval cathedrals in Europe. Today, the Cathedral is the home of a thriving Christian worshiping community. Besides offering religious services, the Cathedral serves as a venue for music and the arts, educational programs and family programs. It is a popular visitor attraction that welcomes more than 300,000 visitors a year. Its café offers visitors tasty treats. Its gift shop carries a wide variety of souvenirs. 

A visit to Winchester Cathedral is also an opportunity to make a pilgrimage to Jane Austen’s gravesite. Although Austen is most often linked with Bath, in May of 1817 she moved to Winchester to put herself into the care of a doctor at the County Hospital. She died at the age of 41 on July 18, 1817 and was buried in the Cathedral. 

Today, Jane Austen is celebrated as one of England’s greatest novelists. However, when she died, her memorial stone did not mention her books. The original stone is on the pavement of the north side aisle of the cathedral. A brass plaque on the wall nearby, erected in 1872, says that she was “known to many by her writings.” Fans of Austen leave floral tributes at the base of the plaque. When I was there recently, a “thank you” book that looked like it had been created by a school group was at the base of the plaque. In it were handwritten notes of appreciation to Ms. Austen for her work. It was very touching.

The gift shop has a very large collection of Jane Austen memorabilia and books. There is something for everybody. I bought a Jane Austen magnet for a good friend who lives in a small Manhattan apartment and has no room for nick knacks.  For myself, I bought a lovely little book titled, “Tea With Jane Austen,” by Pen Vogler. It has recipes inspired by Austen’s novels and letters. https://www.amazon.com/Tea-Jane-Austen-Recipes-inspired/dp/1782493425 

Besides the Cathedral, which is huge and deserves at least a couple of hours, and a visit to Jane’s resting place, Winchester offers a number of other places to see and enjoy. There is a Science Centre and Planetarium in Winchester itself and several homes and gardens nearby. Jane Austen’s home, Chawton, where she lived at the end of her life before moving to Winchester, is nearby and open to the public. 

A visit to Winchester is well worth the journey. A word to the wise: wear very comfortable walking shoes!

The Old Bell Hotel
England’s Oldest Purpose-Built Hotel – 1220
Malmsbury, UK
www.oldbellhotel.co.uk

Alice’s Tea Cup – Chapter II, 156 E 64th Street, New York, NY
Dress is casual.
www.alicesteacup.com

Afternoon Tea in the Big Apple 

“Life is like a teacup. To be filled to the brim and enjoyed with friends.” Anonymous

The first time I had a “proper tea” in England was at the Ritz in London. It was the early 1980’s. The setting was elegant. The china was beautiful. The service made me feel like I was a princess. I thought that I had died and gone to heaven. It cost 6 pounds 50 shillings per person, roughly $20. That wasn’t cheap, but it wasn’t ridiculously expensive. Today the cost of tea at Ritz is 70 pounds ($85) for adults and 48 pounds ($58) for children. At that price, at the very least I’d leave the kids at home!

English Tea in The Big Apple – New York City – is available in a range of experiences and price points. I live not far from Alice’s Tea Cup. The décor, as one might expect, is lifted right out of Lewis Carroll’s famous stories. It is a big hit with mothers and their children after school and on weekends. They also host parties, so it is often crowded. Their prices are moderate, the ambiance is fun – not elegant – and they have food. They even have some vegan selections. The dishes are old and mismatched and support the theme of a mad tea party in progress. I occasionally have lunch there with a friend. Sometimes I stop by and buy a vegan scone to take home. They cater and do parties. This is a very good place to go with kids.

Winnie’s Jazz Bar
Dress is smart casual, although there is no posted dress code.
63 W 38th St, New York, NY 10018

winniesnyc.com

For something a little different, Winnie’s Jazz Bar has recently started to offer Afternoon Tea on Sundays from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. According to their website, they offer carefully curated teas from Bellocq, a local manufacturer, miniature sandwiches and savory bites and a variety of desserts, from dainty pastries to exquisite cakes. Jazz is included.

Almost all the places that serve “English Tea” offer it with a champagne option or something similar. Winnie’s offers a non-alcoholic tea for $65 per person and a champagne tea for $75 per person. Reservations are strongly recommended. I haven’t been there yet, but hope to go during the holidays just to check it out. Almost no restaurants that serve English Tea make accommodations for vegans. Vegetarians generally have no problems. This is something of which to be aware if you are, like me, a vegan.  Anyway, Winnie’s looks like fun and I can always drink the tea and champagne.

The Palm Court
768 Fifth Avenue (at 60th Street)
There is a dress code. According to the website, guests are requested to dress for the occasion.
No shorts, men’s sleeveless shirts, ripped denim, casual hats and athletic wear.

www.theplazany.com/dining/the-palm-court

Tea at the Palm Court at The Plaza is a “thing.” It is served from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are choices. One may have the standard “Afternoon Tea,” the “Eloise” Tea for young people twelve years of age or younger, or the “Vegan Tea.” The cost of tea at the Palm Court is $118 per person. The “Eloise” tea is a mere $90 per child. There are also special promotions that celebrate Eloise and holidays. Costs vary.  The price for the Eloise Anniversary celebration varies from $140 per person to $599 for two. The higher prices include champagne and caviar. Thankfully, they don’t offer a vegan menu!

The Palm Court is fabulous.  There’s no place like it in the world. The setting will make you feel like you’ve been transported to another time and place. The food and service are generally good. The menu for the Vegan Tea is truly spectacular. It’s very well designed for taste, variety and presentation. However, do I really want to spend $118 plus tax and tip (minimum 18%) for Tea?

To put the cost in perspective for folks who are not from New York, the cost of Tea at the Plaza can buy you two or more seats to a Broadway show. On the other hand, Tea at the Palm Court is a performance in itself.

Sometimes, one wishes to indulge oneself to celebrate a special occasion. If you see me at The Palm Court, you will know that’s what I’ve told myself!