A Little Bit of Belle: Afternoon at the Arboretum

I went down to New York again this past weekend for my cousin's bridal shower. While there, my sister, Mom, and I took my Nana out for afternoon tea at the Bayard Cutting Arboretum.

The arboretum, now officially a state park, was originally the private estate of the Cutting family in the early 1900s. Similar to the Newport mansions, the estate is a beautiful and intricate home surrounded by breathtaking grounds and views.

I remember visiting the arboretum many times when I was younger. In fact, when my Nana would take my sister, brother and me there, she used to tell us that leprechauns lived in the gardens and throughout the grounds. She would then drop coins at the bottoms of trees or tie green ribbons on branches for us to stumble across. We of course, thought they were gifts from the leprechauns.

I also remember climbing these really cool trees. They had tons of low, strong branches that gradually slanted up towards the top of the tree. It was as if they were meant for little kids to climb up. My siblings and I would spend all day under those trees if we could.

Trading leprechaun hunting and tree climbing for tea drinking this time around, the four of us ladies made our way to the main house.

Where we were then seated at a table in the library, with a nice view towards the backyard.

There were a ton of tea selections to choose from and we were quite happy when our waitress told us that we were not limited to the same flavor for every 2-cup-teapot we had.

I ordered Irish Breakfast, Nana got vanilla cream, Cait chose maple, and Mom went with her favorite, earl gray.

Warmed teacups and plates were shortly brought out, along with our tea.

As we sipped our tea, we gabbed and gossiped about what we were up to and what was going on in each of our lives.

My Nana also told us stories of when she was younger, relating the present day to how it was back then. In some ways similar, in others different.

I swear she has had the most fascinating and fulfilled life. Each story was more interesting than the next. I could have sat there all day, listening to times past.

After a cup or so, our food was brought out.

Scones, sandwiches, and desserts galore!

There was so much of it - and all of it looked, smelled, and tasted amazing.

The scones were my favorite though... warm and heavenly.

We couldn't possibly finish all of what was served.

Cup after cup and bite after bite, we all had our fill and had to package up the rest.

Once through with our tea (a high ranking tea on my list so far, I might add),

we headed off to walk around the arboretum for a bit.