Christmas in June

How many times are you invited to a Christmas in June party? When Linda Hylen, venue manager for the Julia Morgan Ballroom invited me to her cocktail party last week, showcasing Christmas decor for 2010 Holiday Parties, I was more than willing to fast forward 6 months for eggnog, warm cider, and festive fun with good friends in the industry!


Elisheva Basseri, Shannon Leahy, Catherine Hall and I had a wonderful time connecting and enjoying the beauty of what had been put together by Hartmann Studios, Napa Valley Linens, Spiral Hand Florals, Kent Strand, and the talented chef from Credo and the Merchants Exchange. Please enjoy the amazing preview of what can be done to enhance the already spectacular Julia Morgan Ballroom!

Cool whites and warm off whites, pearl, crystal, and silver were the color palette for this elegant table setting.

Huge silver branches representing trees, with sparkly crystal decor, and spectacular blue and white lighting, reminded everyone of the magic of Christmas, even in June!

Here, the enhancement of gold, copper and a touch of red provided the understated festive tone of a Christmas or New Year's party.

After being in the cozy atmosphere of Christmas and the excitement the holidays bring, it was a surprise to walk outside to the sunshine and warmth of a San Francisco evening...but we took with us the warmth of what is ahead, in just 6 months!

A new SF gem: Crown and Crumpet

The entrance to Crown and Crumpet welcomes you with an assortment of sweets, bulk tea, and hand made tea cozies for sale.

What I love most about tea is the way people slow down to enjoy the experience; having tea is such a friendly and happy thing to do, and the new Crown and Crumpet, in Ghiradelli Square, is a perfect spot to enjoy the total experience with friends!

Viola Sutanto, owner of Chewing the Cud, me, and Jubilee Lau, owner of Jubilee Lau Events.

Can you imagine a more cheerful table setting than this!? Jubilee, Viola Sutanto, and I met to reconnect over tea, after several months of not seeing each other. We had all heard of the new tea shop in San Francisco, and were excited to check it out together.


Our "tea for three" tray was a yummy combination of gourmet sandwiches, tiny sweets, and of course, fresh scones with lemon curd and clotted cream! We each chose a different kind of tea, which was served in individual tea pots with bright and very efficient tea cozies...ahhhh, tea cozies are so comforting!


In the back part of the tea shop is an area for settling in with a cup of tea and a good book...the fire is always roaring, as it is on a digital screen..no heat, but lots of ambiance for some of those cold SF summer days!

The owners of Crown and Crumpet have a refreshing sense of humor, which is evident in every aspect of their decor and even on their plates. In case you can't read this, it says: "Never trust a man who, when left alone in a room with tea cozy, doesn't try it on his head."
This especially appealed to me because my husband has been known to embarrass me in front of friends by putting our tea cozy on his head, instead of on the pot of tea; now I see his uncouth behavior is in the range of normal...at least at Crown and Crumpet!