Simple Pleasures: Afternoon Tea
Historically speaking, of course, 4pm is the hour for high tea and smoking doobies. This post deals with the former pursuit (for musings on the latter, see here ).It occurred to me this morning that the genius of The Office is the way it demonstrates how patently uncivilized it is to arrange 30 people in a room where they can see, hear, and smell one another for upwards of 40 hours a week. (Last night I saw a rerun where "Jim" gives "Pam" a teapot--a thoughtful but wholly anachronistic gesture for a workplace that runs on vending machines.*)
My sister once worked with a woman who kept a teapot in her office that she filled every day at 10 and 2. How totally inspired. At the other extreme, I recently started a job where you have to insert quarters into the coffee/tea dispenser. It is tres ghetto.
Which is why I escape to the novels of Barbara Pym, who has been called "a twentieth-century Jane Austen,"--though I think that's overstating things quite a bit. In her books, all of the characters--curates, antiques dealers, "spinsters" with no apparent or implicit sex drive--stop what they're doing to take tea at 4p.m. daily. Tea and cake, rather. I was so inspired by the idea of a mid-afternoon break that I bought this bone china tea set for one in a Shelley pattern (sounding quite reminiscent of a Pym novel) called "Hedgerow Ideal." All you need to know: it has floppy pink and orange flowers. I am irrationally attached.
And due to the unfortunate aesthetics of the office, I am all the more determined to take tea--burgundy naugahyde furniture and fake plants be damned! So no matter where you are at 4pm today, take a moment to read something utterly delightful and rest your weary bones. (It sounds funnier if you say it out loud.)
P.S. The word of the day is "combinations." n. for undergarments, as in, "The new curate seemed quite a nice young man, but what a pity it was that his combinations showed, tucked carelessly into his socks, when he sat down." -from Barbara Pym's Some Tame Gazelle. Or as in, "Who wouldn't want to bump into a woman wearing silk combinations?" On clearance in an intriguing shade of blue for $40.
* How's that for a power couple: A Smartfood founder and Annie (of mac & cheese fame)?
Comments
I like this post immensely. I'm very much a tea drinker, and I just love taking tea from a pot and dainty cup. I've kept a little microwavable teapot here at work for year, and I keep my pretty teacup and tea accouterments here as well. So when I want a pot of tea, I just pop my little 2-cup pot in the microwave and have tea in style. It's amazing how such little touches make a day feel more balanced.
Posted by: Grace | November 6, 2007 10:40 AM
I JUST bought a lovely single teacup and saucer from a local thriftstore for this VERY purpose!! It's a lovely patterned thing. Lilacs trimmed in gold. I work in a 'bullpen' type setup where there is no respite from the day, or annoying coworkers except for an afternoon tea in my very own, non-coworker shared, teacup!
Posted by: EB | November 6, 2007 11:53 AM
I can't believe I've found another Pym fan! I have never met anyone besides my mom who has even heard of Barbara Pym. My personal favorite is "Excellent Women." Congrats on the lovely tea set too, what a find :)
Posted by: Alison | November 6, 2007 12:12 PM
Dunno if you've ever spent time in English offices (Of if you've seen the original English "The Office") but tea drinking is part and parcel with the 40 hour. 'Time for a Brew' (The unposh version of 'Tea Time') is the great equaliser in a country where heirarchy is everything.
Posted by: Buffy | November 6, 2007 12:55 PM
Loved your insights...great post. I'm into the whole afternoon tea as well, sans feathers and lacy gloves...but I must tell you what I have learned as I now cater and teach on these teas: it's not "high tea," but "afternoon" or "low tea." High and low refer to the height of the table it was traditionally served with, and high tea (at the dinner table) was served with pot roast and beer, while low tea (coffee table) is what we aspire to in taking wee sips and luscious ly crafted bites of scones and sandwiches. Just thought you might want to know!!
Posted by: Ruth Simons | November 6, 2007 4:59 PM
Grace, I totally agree with you. Isn't it amazing how little things can make such a difference?
And Ruth, Who knew? Thanks for the info!
Posted by: Sarah | November 6, 2007 5:14 PM
i forgot to mention that i just started reading excellent women because of this post!
Posted by: Sarah | November 6, 2007 7:27 PM
Katy, your mother loves Barbara Pym too...my teacup has bees buzzing around alpine strawberry plants full of ripening fruit - subtle, like Barbara Pym.
Hey, who sewed that white slipcover on the chair in the background? XOXOX MOM
Posted by: Allison Conley | November 7, 2007 8:36 AM
Aaahhh, afternoon tea, a big part of my everyday! Growing up in post colonial South Africa has a tenancy to do that to you. If only I had a tea buddy in cookie-cutter California.
Posted by: Shazz | November 7, 2007 12:33 PM
We drank tea in my family if you had a cold, cancer or a broken heart. Every time of the day was tea time.
I have read every Barbara Pym I could get my hands on and then read them again.
I am new to your blog and delighted to find you. Will read you at 4 as I chug out of my mug (we are Irish tea drinkers, so black, rough tea with milk and sugar.)
Posted by: Anne | November 7, 2007 1:25 PM
Cold, cancer or a broken heart: what a lovely and lyrical description. So many women drinking tea in style, to boot.
P.S. I once asked my mom what her vanity plates would say if she won a new car, and she said "HOT TEA" which is awesome, if not subtle. xoxk
Posted by: Katy McColl | November 7, 2007 6:01 PM
Did you know that the English refer to a cup of tea as, "the cup that cheers but doesn't inebriate"? Also, did you know that you might be asked in the north of England whether you are MIF or TIF, namely, "milk in first" or "tea in first." I am strictly TIF but some people like to put an exact measure of milk into the cup BEFORE they add the tea.
Posted by: Ann | November 7, 2007 6:34 PM
I get lost in your words, my dear! You are an amazing writer!
Posted by: Lauren | November 8, 2007 9:34 PM
Tea is lovely - I have it every day. I used to collect all manner of teapots, too, until my space became quite limited and I had to downsize my collection.
I have to tell you that what you have is not a teapot, per se, but a chocolate pot. Chocolate pots were made for when cocoa was considered a breakfast drink (ahh, the good old days - let's bring 'em back!). The itty bitty spout near the top of the pot, as well as the pot's height, is their defining characteristic.
Still, tea's lovely. Especially Earl Grey, hot.
Posted by: Bronwen | November 15, 2007 7:16 PM