Up For Air

Six weeks already?  Don't know how that happened.  Here's what I do know: working 12 hours a day 7 days a week is something only the very young and fit should do.  Having said that I must admit that this schedule has resulted in me finally losing those persistent 10 lbs - you know, the ones you mysteriously gain with each new decade?  Maybe I could market it as the new 12/7 Plan - eat no protein, only tons of fabulous baked goods (hey, it's called quality control) and no gym required! 

It's been an amazing and thrilling and exhausting time.  So many wonderful moments and so many new and interesting and funny people.  We even have regulars - Michael, Charlie, Douglas, Michelle and Tim, Effie, Joshua, Jolie, Graham, Rob, Nicole, John, Rosie, Steve, Sherri, Holly, Jaya - and many more whose names I'm still learning, but whose faces always brighten my day.

The Tea Mavens and Bakers are doing an amazing job making everyone feel welcome and cared for.  Tony and Marjorie are keeping the store sparkling clean.  I feel blessed to have so many talented and enthusiastic people to work with.

The Clotted Cream Revolution is under way!  Most Americans have never had it before.  They often think they have but it turns out they had ersatz CC - usually whipped cream with something added to it.. I've witnessed eyes rolling into the back of skulls and unashamed licking out of CC containers.  I'm thinking of getting a sign printed that says "Sure I'll tell you how I make it, but I'll have to kill you afterwards."

We've unleashed Cornish Pasties on the unsuspecting populace as well.  Despite their lamentable habit of asking for "pay-sties" rather than "pah-sties" I've been very pleased with the response. Next up: real Aussie sausage rolls.

Here are some photo highlights from these first few weeks.

Strange shenanigans in the courtyard.  Stay tuned .....

My lovely banker #2 who lent us $$ for the new kitchen - Mark Bowman from Craft3

Tea dance?

Friday specials

Cute dogs!

Cute babies!

Modern tea room.  Old fashioned stress relief.  Every Thursday 1 - 4 pm.

Nicole and well behaved PT

New teas for the holidays - Tiger Spice, Buttered Almond, Licorice Love and more!

More well behaved dogs - the Hotchkiss pack.

Curried chicken pasties

SOCS gathering - Sisters (and a few ringers) of the Commonwealth Society. Cleaned us out of scones and clotted cream!

Tony, proud member of the Clean TeaM.

Marjorie - the other half of Clean TeaM.

The cutest customer ever - we should have paid her to wear our shirt.

Honeymooners!

More honeymooners!

Fritz and Rika

Another satisfied Blue Moon Blackberry Pie customer.

Watch out!  It's time for the Kinetic Skulpture Kompetition!  Next Saturday - stay tuned.

The fabulous Noel (Assistant Manager) with roommate Madeline and pack.

The elegant Mike modeling elegant tea glass.

Me modeling CelebriTea Baker Leslie's Blue Moon Blackberry Pie.

And for those of you who don't do Facebook, here's one of the many reasons I LOVE Port Townsend.

Sssh - don't tell anyone ....

We finally took down the brown paper on Monday.

It's official - we are OPEN!

But please don't tell anyone.  We have quite a few kinks to still work out and the Blending Bar is not ready, and someone dinged my wall and the notice board is not up and ....

Thank goodness No. 2 Daughter - Hilary - is here to lend a hand.

And here's our first official customer of the day - Ruth.  We let her in early because she was sailing on the noon tide.  Come back soon!

Assistant Manager Melanie and CelebriTea Baker Teana (I promise I did not make her change the spelling of her name!)

More friends stopped by, and poor Ken the postman got a bit of a shock when he tried to deliver out first official mail (all bills of course.)

Judith and George Deacon

Jary and Jay

The Lovely Linda Livingston

Cindy and Nathan from the Old Consulate Inn

Our first Tea Shirt sale!

Yummy babies - just as delicious as CelebriTea Baker Sarah's OMG Cookies

 

 Tea Mavens and CelebriTea Bakers are all fired up and ready to go. 

 We had a  Pre Opening Celebration to thank everyone who helped build and launch the store. 

 Beautiful flowers from so many people, including sister Penny and hubby Andre in Spain.

We even had Maven Jan's hubby Larry pipe us on our way, and Drywaller Extraordinaire Lon's wife Peggy serenade us with her witty lyrics and lovely voice.  Good times ahead!

 So, okay, come on in.  We really are ready (sort of.)

Are We There Yet?

How about now?  Now?

Well, the good news is:    It won't be long! 

And now that the sign is up it feels "official" somehow (and slightly terrifying.)

Dan assisting Dave from The Drawing Board - that thing is HUGE!

There have been the usual setbacks in the last few weeks - slow moving stainless equipment, wrong oven, wrong cabinet dimensions, "forgotten" counter tops, a leaky hood, a too tall tea bar -  BUT we are moving forward towards our Softly, Softly Opening in just a few weeks.

The Great Wall of T ea

The sexy fireplace!

One of the seating areas.

Wrangling the fridge.

A veritable hive of strapping lads.

In she goes (just)

The stainless stuff finally arrives.

You should see what else they fitted in there!

My Adored Bakers and Mavens are patiently waiting in the wings, ready to lavish their attention on you the second the door opens.  And if some of you like to live dangerously we'll be needing a few  Crash Test Customers  to practice on the week of August 6th. Click on the orange link to send me an email and we'll see about signing you up for some free tea and fabulous baked goodies.  No need for helmets - we'll be gentle.

Bob and Kevin, painters extraordinaires.  I'll miss you chaps!