 | A Pleasant Surprise in Florida by Patty Suchyposted by TeaHouseTimes Admin, ADVERTISER TEA RELATED PRODUCTSFriday, June 25th 2010 @ 2:51 PM |
I don’t know why when I travel I sometimes go with pre-conceived notions of what I’ll encounter. But that is exactly what I did in my recent trip to Florida. Yes, I knew I would have nice weather, see palm trees, eat lots of seafood and spend some time on/near the water. And all of that happened. However, I didn’t expect Arcadia, Florida.
Mentioning to my friends, Phyllis and Dale, that I wanted to do some antiquing and visit a tea room was the start of a very memorable day out. Dale, having lived in Florida for a number of years, suggested we go to Arcadia, Florida – which is best known for the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo held in March of each of the last 82 years. And with a small population of around 7,000 people, I didn’t realize I would be visiting such a historic community, which would fit all my needs of antiquing and tea.
Lots of history is found in this southwest Florida community and they take pride in revitalizing the historical architecture through their Arcadia Main Street Program. It’s great to see a community, that although being around since the late 1800s and has seen the ravages of a fire in 1905 and also the effects of Hurricane Charley in 2004, continue to work to maintain and revitalize its historic areas. Most of the buildings today were built after the 1905 fire and are the focus of today’s revitalization. And the best part is that they have converted most of the downtown area into antique and specialty stores – where a few new found gems had to go home with me.
Just when I was already pleased with my great antique finds, we came across my other wish for the day – a unique tea room. Mary Margaret’s Tea & Biscuit located in the historic downtown area was an extremely fun find. Named after the two owner’s (Dennis Tyson & Bruce Neveau) mother’s first names, you are welcomed by the gentlemen in their top hats into a peaceful Victorian ambience. After buying a historic home in the area, they decided to add to the Main Street Program with their tea room business. It took quite some time to remodel the 1927 Arcade Building. However, they wanted to do it right and took their time finding the right furnishings to give it the Victorian flavor it has today.
The tea room doesn’t have an afternoon tea seating per se. The menu offers a variety of dishes – and of course English scones – which are available during opening hours. You’ll find soups, salads, and luncheon items. The tea room also includes some typical English desserts such as sticky toffee pudding. Several of the recipes are from their families, handed down over the generations. But it’s the ambience of the place that draws you in. Certainly after rummaging through a variety of antique stores, you’re ready for a good cup of tea and refreshments. I liked the fact that members of your table can order different kinds of tea, with each being served in individual pots – lemon lavender is their most popular tea.
Now after you have had your tea and refreshments in the tea room, you may be in the mood for a walk. And Arcadia offers an informative book (for a small fee) that provides a recommended approach for your walk. The guide not only has pictures of the homes you’ll be seeing, but also gives a brief history of the home’s architecture and past residents. Dennis Tyson and Bruce Neveau’s historic home is on the tour. And the booklet offers two versions, east and west parts of Arcadia. So you can break up your walk if you like -- perhaps with a spot of tea in-between.
I hope the next time you are in southwest Florida, you’ll consider a visit to Arcadia. Visit the tea room and let Dennis and Bruce know that you learned about them in The Tea House Times. And always be ready for the unexpected when you travel. You just never know where you’ll find the next wonderful tea experience. To learn more about Mary Margaret’s Tea & Biscuit check out their website -- http://www.marymargaretsteaandbiscuit.com
~Patty Suchy is founder of Novel Explorations, Where Fiction and Travel Merge. Dedicated to providing unique travel learning experiences. For further details about creating a tea tour for your tearoom or a group of friends, you can contact her at novelexp@comcast.net or call her at 815-714-2981. Visit www.novelexplorations.com
From the May/June10 issue of The Tea House Times. To view the most recent issue, please register / log-in at http://www.theteahousetimes.com for free access.
