2nd Annual San Francisco International Tea Festival

Afternoon Tea Across America members meet up!
Photo: Elizabeth Urbach

Mr. Fong and Mr. Pratt opening the
2012 Festival.  Photo: Elizabeth Urbach

My friend and I went to the The San Francisco International Tea Festival at the Ferry Building Marketplace last Sunday.  A big highlight for me was meeting up with some of the members of the Afternoon Tea Across America e-mail group on Yahoo (see photo at left)!  We had a good time, and will probably go again next year.  The festival, open to tea lovers outside the professional tea trade, involved 16 tea vendors and various experts who offered samples of their tea and tea products, gave lectures and led tea tastings.  There were about 1,000 attendees, who received a small bag of promotional handouts, a few samples of tea, and an official tasting cup, at the festival entrance.

Join the South Bay Ladies' Tea Guild when we meet author Rhys Bowen!

Award-winning author, Rhys Bowen. Image from www.rhysbowen.com
I was watching the local news and chat show View from the Bay a while ago and happened to catch their segment introducing Bay Area author Rhys Bowen, who was promoting her book Her Royal Spyness. Not only did the story sound interesting and lots of fun, but Ms. Bowen created a short video for her television appearance, showing everyone how to give a proper English tea! It was so much fun to watch. I knew that I'd like to meet Ms. Bowen, and thought that others would enjoy knowing her, too. Now that I've read two of her books -- which I find delightful -- I'm really looking forward to meeting her. I looked up her website, and ended up e-mailing her, and inviting her to tea with The South Bay Ladies' Tea Guild. She seemed happy to hear about us, and asked if she could come and meet us for tea, and talk informally about writing. I know a lot of writers, and even more people who love to read, so I've set up a tea party for the South Bay Ladies' Tea Guild members, and other book-lovers and tea-lovers, to come together and meet her. Here's the information as it now stands:

Tea with Author Rhys Bowen: the author of the charming Lady Georgiana Rannoch mystery series is a resident of the Bay Area! Come and enjoy an English cream tea and meet Ms. Bowen, while discussing mystery stories and writing. Tea, homemade scones, jam, lemon curd, cream and other goodies will be provided. If you have a copy of one of Ms. Bowen's books, why not bring it? She may be up to providing autographs!

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2009, 2 p.m.
Location: a private home on N. 15th St., San Jose, CA 95112.
Food fee: $30 per person. *R.S.V.P. and send your payment by Saturday, Sept. 5!*
Suggested Costume: “nice” modern afternoon dress.

For more information, or to R.S.V.P., e-mail southbayladiesteaguild@yahoo.com. (I need to have an accurate head count a week in advance so that I can prepare enough food, or cancel with Ms. Bowen if nobody can come! ) I can take checks, made out to Elizabeth Urbach, or I can take credit card payments through PayPal. E-mail for more information. See you soon!