Taking Christmas Tea At the English Rose

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to get to celebrate the upcoming Christmas season with some old friends

We decided to go to the English Rose in nearby Pleasanton since this is one that I've told one of my friends so much about! It was kind of a late time for tea but our appointment (the last available table open for that day) was for 4pm. We arrived to gorgeous festivities not only at the tea room but also all along the downtown Pleaseanton area.

Upon arrival, our cozy table was set up and waiting for us decked out with a tangerine ambrosia salad and a sugar cookie for each of us. While we perused the tea selection deciding on which tea we would like the tea server came around with a pot of their seasonal candy cane tea for samples. She soon then came around again with warm moist towels for us to use before our tea service began.

The tea spread was a lovely prix fixe menu for the holiday season. It started with the sugar cookie and tangerine ambrosia salad and was soon followed by a three tiered plate of five assorted tea sandwiches which included a cucumber sandwich, egg salad sandwich on wheat, chicken salad on butter croissant, a sweet and savory wrap, and a basil and tomato filo, then there were two savories, a fresh scone accompanied by lemon curd, clotted cream, and strawberry preserves, a mini raspberry tart cake, mini mocha cheesecake, chocolate coconut petit four, grapes and slices of oranges, all finished with a small tiramisu. I'm sorry to say I forgot to take pictures of the small tiramisu but I am not sorry I ate it.

While it was a fine tea, there were some things that I had a bit of gripe about. For instance, the menu itself, while seeming a bit fuller than their usual tea fair, did not really seem to come with any special Christmas theme in mind which was a little disappointing. Another aspect of this tea which caused me a bit of heartache is that for the Christmas season the English Rose added an extra seating to their usual three seatings for Saturdays but because they had more seatings than usual it seemed they also rushed us out a bit faster than usual. I am one that really likes to eat slowly and enjoy my meal for any meal time but especially more so while out to tea. I feel like tea should be a leisurly affair and should not be rushed. It was sad to see that during a holiday tea when you have even more reason than usual to relax and enjoy celebrating with good company, that it would be a somewhat rushed affair. Another change that the English Rose did during their holiday tea which I did not care for was that they only allowed two tea pots per table at a time, meaning each of the guests had to agree and pick teas to share. While they let us change out the tea as often as we liked, I found it made things a bit difficult. I'm usually really careful about getting decaffeinated or herbal teas when I go out for tea but since we were all sharing teapots it made it especially tricky to control this while still be gracious to the friends I was out with.

Overall though, despite my misgivings about the seasonal changes the English Rose made, we had a lovely time out to tea out celebrating the Christmas season and enjoying good company. I will definitely come back to the English Rose again but will probably skip their Christmas tea in the future.

Outfit of the Day: 
For this day's festivities I chose to wear something that would be in a bit of a Christmas theme. I picked my Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile which I bought a couple months ago from a friend. I paired it with a red cardigan I got several years ago from Nordstrom Rack, red Ecco flats I found on ebay, a red toggle button overcoat I got a couple years ago from Target, and white ankle socks. To keep extra warm, I also wore nude tights under my socks.  For finishing touches I wore a lollipop necklace I bought recently on sale at Macy's available here and red ruby and diamond stud earrings my mother-in-law gave me for Christmas a few years ago.

Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile- Front View

Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile- Side View

Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile- Front View

Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile- Front View

Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile- Side View

Lollipop Necklace by SIS By Simone, Bernie Dexter Sugar Doll dress in Red Toile- Close Up

Matching Your Dress To Your Teaware Part 22: If You Give a Dog a Tea Cookie

Happy Holidays Friends!

With the Christmas season in full swing I thought it would be the perfect time to showcase this Perfect Pairing featuring Scottie dogs!

I found this adorable novelty Scottie Dog teapot from the online UK based shop, Owl Barn Gifts. In addition to a page full of unique novelty teapots this shop is also chock full of other wonderful gifts and homeware including this teapot which is in stock here!

This unique teapot is in the wonderful shape of a lovable little scottie dog. The dog itself is decked out in red tartan from its cute bow around its neck to the ceramic tartan ribbon that makes up the handle on the lid of the teapot and the handle of the teapot itself. This would be the perfect little teapot to showcase in front of a fire on Christmas morning... even all the better if showcased surrounded by Scottish shortbread cookies!

Scottie Dog Teapot, image source, Owl Barn Gifts: http://www.owlbarn.co.uk/item-p-121939/hw-tp-novelty-teapots/scottie-dog-teapot.htm

Scottie Dog Teapot, image source, Owl Barn Gifts: http://www.owlbarn.co.uk/item-p-121939/hw-tp-novelty-teapots/scottie-dog-teapot.htm

And if this teapot couldn't get any cuter... how cute is this teapot when paired with the Heart of Haute Ella top in Scottie Dogs!?

The Heart of Haute Ella top is a sleeveless cotton button down top featuring a classically cute necktie which gives it a vintage feel. The all over tiny scottie dogs in red and white are perfect against a black with white pin dots background. While adorable in itself, when paired with this lovely Scottie Dog teapot it is cuteness overloaded!

Heart of Haute Ella top in Scottie Dogs- Close Up

Heart of Haute Ella top in Scottie Dogs- Front View

All the tartan on the Scottie Dog teapot reminds me of last year's Christmas time Perfect Pairing of Bernie Dexter's Lori Pin Up dress in Red Tartan Plaid! It's a two for one Perfect Pairing! Check out last year's Tartan plaid post here.

Christmas Horror: An Ongoing List

I love horror movies! 

It's actually my all time favorite genre of movies!

A few years ago Tim and I threw a Scary Christmas Horror Holiday Movie Night. It was great fun. I'm completely desensitized to any of the scares in horror movies but I still love horror movies and it was a lot of fun living vicariously through my friends getting scared watching some of the films we picked. Perhaps one day we will throw another Scary Christmas Horror Holiday Movie Night. Perhaps, we might even make it an annual treat. But for now, after watching Krampus last weekend (see the post here) it made me want to re-write and update my list of Christmas horror movies which I'm sharing with all of you. If you are into really bad movies here is the list for you! There are also some not so bad movies and even some good and really good movies on the list too... but probably more bad ones than good ones. I haven't got anywhere near watching all of these movies myself (as you can see I've rated the ones I've seen which is just a very tiny percent of all the movies on this list). In any case, for those such inclined, happy holidays full of gore, scares, and Christmas cheer! 

The 12 Disasters of Christmas (2012)
12-24 (2008)
Alien Raiders (2008)
ATM (2012)
Bikini Bloodbath Christmas (2009)
Black Christmas (1974), personally I give this one 4/5 stars
Black Christmas (2006), 1/5 stars
The Blackout (2009)
Blood Beat (1983)
Bloody Christmas (2012)
A Cadaver Christmas (2011)
Caesar and Otto's Deadly Xmas (2012)
Campfire Tales (1991)
The Children (2008), 4/5 stars
Child's Play (1988), 4/5 stars
Chopping Mall (1986)
Christmas Cruelty (2013)
Christmas Evil (a.k.a. You'd Better Watch Out) (1980), 3/5 stars
A Christmas Horror Story (2015)
A Christmas Nightmare (2001)
Christmas Season Massacre (2001), 1/5 stars
Christmas Slay (2016)
Christmas with the Dead (2012)
The Conjuring 2 (2016), 4/5 stars
Darkest Night (2012)
The Day of the Beast (1995)
Dead End (2003), 2/5 stars
Dead of Night (1945)
Deadly Dreams (1988)
Deadly Little Christmas (2009), 2/5 stars
Don't Open 'Til Christmas (1984), 3/5 stars
The Dorm That Dripped Blood (1982)
Elves (1989)
Faceless (1987)
Faces of Schlock (2009)
Family Reunion (1989)
Feeders 2: Slay Bells (1998)
Films to Keep you Awake: The Christmas Tale (2005)
Game Over (1989)
Garden of Love (The Hauting of Rebecca Verlaine) (2003)
Gingerdead Man (2005)
Gingerdead Man 2: Passion of the Crust (2008)
Grave Secrets: The Legacy of Hilltop Drive (1992)
Gremlins (1984), 4/5 stars
Hardware (1990)
Hate's Haunted Slay Ride (2010)
Home for the Holidays (1972)
The Horror Seasons (2005)
Inside (2007)
Jack Frost (1997), 3/5 stars
Jack Frost 2: Revenge of the Mutant Killer Snowman (2000)
Kazuo Umezz's Horror Theater: Volume 3 (Present?) (2005?), 3/5 stars
Krampus (2015), 4/5 stars
Krampus: The Christmas Devil (2013)
Krampus: The Reckoning (2015)
The Legend of Hell House (1973) 3/5 stars
Lucky Stiff (1988)
Maniac (1980)
Maniac Cop 2
Marcus (2006)
The Melancholy Fantastic (2011)
The Minion (1998)
Mum and Dad (2008)
Night Train Murders (1975) 2/5 stars
Nixon and Hogan Smoke Christmas (2010)
Nutcracker (2001)
One Hell of a Christmas (2002)
The Ordeal (Calvaire) Belgium (2004)
Ornaments (2008)
P2 (2007), 3/5 stars
Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension (2015), 3/5 stars
The Path (La Senda) Mexico (2012)
Prime Evil (1988)
Psycho Santa (2003), 2/5 stars
Puppet Master Vs. Demonic Toys (2004)
Rabid (1977)
Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale Finland (2010), 3/5 stars
Saint (Sint) Netherlands (2010)
Santa Claws (1996), 3/5 stars
Santa's Slay (2005), 3/5 stars
Satan (Sheitan) France (2006)
Satan Claus (1996), 1/5 stars
Silent Night (2012)
Silent Night, Bloody Night (1972) 3/5 stars
Silent Night, Bloody Night: The Homecoming (2013)
Silent Night, Bloody Night 2: The Revival (2015)
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984), 4/5 stars
Silent Night, Deadly Night, Part 2 (1987)
Silent Night, Deadly Night, Part 3: Better Watch Out (1989)
Silent Night, Deadly Night, Part 4: Initiation (1990)
Silent Night, Deadly Night, Part 5: The Toy Maker (1991)
Silent Night, Gory Night (2008), 1/5 stars
Silent Night, Zombie Night (2009)
Slaughter Claus (2011)
Snowmageddon (2011)
Sole Survivor (1983)
Tales From the Crypt (1972), 3/5 stars
Tales From the Grave, Vol 2: Happy Holidays (2005)
The Thirteenth Day of Christmas (1985)
The Toybox (2005)
Tinsel (2012)
To All a Good Night (1980)
Trees 2: The Root of All Evil (2004)
Treevenge (2008) (short)
Two Front Teeth (2006)
Whoever Slew Auntie Roo (1972)
Wind Chill (2007), 4/5 stars
Wolf Cabin (2010)
Yule Die (2010) 



Honorable mention (movies in this theme that are either not super Christmasey or not really horror):

American Psycho (2000) 4/5 stars
The American Scream (1988)
Bless the Child (2000) 3/5 stars
The Box (2009) 2/3 stars
The Brain (1988)
Black Rainbow (1989)
The Canal (2014)
A Christmas Carol (1938)
A Christmas Carol (1951)
The Clinic Australia (2010)
Cobra (1986) 
Cronos (1993)
Curse of the Werewolf (1961)
The Dead Zone (1983) 4/5 stars
Deadly Games (1982)
Deep Red (1975)
Devil Doll (1936)
Drainiac (2010)
Exte: Hair Extension (2007)
Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed Canada (2004) 4/5 stars
Home Sick (2007)
Horror (2002)
I Am Legend (2007) 4/5 stars
I, Madman (1989)
Jaws: The Revenge (1987)
Lurking Fear (1994)
The Minus Man (1999)
Mom (1991)
Mothman Prophecies (2002) 3/4 stars
Night Killer (1990)
Night of the Comet (1984) 4/5 stars
The Night of the Hunter (1955) 4/5 stars
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993), 4/5 stars
The Omen IV (1991)
The Oracle (1985)
August Underground's Penance (2007)
The People Across the Lake (1988)
Prometheus (2012) 3/5 stars
Psycho (1960) 5/5 stars
Rosemary's Baby (1968) 5/5 stars
Salvage (2009)
Scrooge (1935)
Scrooge (1970)
Scrooged (1988), 3/5 stars
Seeds (1968)
The Shining (1980) 5/5 stars
Sick Girl (2007)
Stalled (2013)
The Stepfather (2009) 2/5 stars
Stonehearst Asylum (2014)
Tales of the Third Dimension (1984)
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976)
The Town that Dreaded Sundown (2014)
Trapped Alive (1988)
Trapped Alive (1993)
Turbulence (1997)
While She Was Out (2008)
Whisper (2007)
Zombie Death House (1987)

Outfit of the Day: Chinese Opera for a Night at the Movies

Last weekend was a good weekend

On Saturday we had some friends over for dinner. Our friends are always inviting us over and doing the cooking so this past weekend I wanted to return the favor. I cooked yellow chicken curry and Thai cucumber salad. After dinner we all decided to go to the movies and watched Krampus! I'd been looking forward to seeing this movie, though was not expecting too much. I'm happy to say it exceeded expectations. :) It was pretty darn good for a Christmas horror movie! If you like horror movies and want to see something festive I would definitely recommend this one!


Outfit of the Day:
For this day's activities I picked my Trashy Diva Annette dress in Chinese Opera, which is still available on their website in limited sizing here. I love how comfortable this dress is. It is a perfect throw on and go dress. Added bonus that it's black and that the print has so many colors in it so you can match it with so much. I thought this Asian printed dress would be fun to wear for my Thai themed dinner. As it turns out, after we decided to go see Krampus I said out loud, "Perfect! I even wore my scary mans dress!" Which is what I really love about this print!

I paired this with a black cardigan, black opaque tights, and my warmest black faux fur lined flats which I got from Urban Outfitters last winter. I wish they would come out with more of these faux fur lined flats... maybe later in the season they will. I also paired this with a purple coat by Tulle which I got several years ago from Nordstrom Rack.

Trashy Diva Annette dress in Chinese Opera- Front View

Trashy Diva Annette dress in Chinese Opera- Side View

Trashy Diva Annette dress in Chinese Opera- Front View

Trashy Diva Annette dress in Chinese Opera- Front View

Trashy Diva Annette dress in Chinese Opera- Side View

A Walk Around the Lake

It might have been a bit chilly but at least the sun was out

As I mentioned in my previous post, on Thanksgiving day Tim and I went on a walk around our nearby lake. The weather was gorgeous for the end of November and it was a great feeling getting out in nature. I just wanted to share with you all some pics I took on our lovely morning out.

Boats docked for the season

Outfit of the Day: Three Outfits for Thanksgiving Weekend!

Last weekend was Thanksgiving weekend and so I got to take a four day weekend!

It was a great weekend full of just the right amount of rest, relaxation, and fun! On Thursday, Thanksgiving day, Tim and I went to nearby Lake Chabot and enjoyed a leisurely walk around the lake. While the temperature was remarkably colder than the weekend before, it was nice that the sun was out shining during our walk around the lake.

On Friday we met up with Tim's mom for lunch and ended up checking out a few shops and even braved the mall. Even though it was black friday, it was surprisingly not as crazy as I expected it to be.

On Saturday, in contrast, my friend and I went to San Francisco to check out the SF Etsy Indie Holiday Emporium. It was the first time checking it out for either of us and we were both completely overwhelmed! It was more crowded then a concert hall letting out. We noticed after a while they closed the doors and stopped letting people in for a while to help regulate the crowd. While it was completely crazy it was still nice to check it out, though I do not think I will be returning next year.


And so here we are...

Outfit of the Day:

Thursday:
On Thursday I decided to go with a Thanksgiving/Autumn color theme. I wore my Pinup Couture Havana nights dress in warm toned cabana stripes by Pinup Girl Clothing. I paired this with a chunky vintage cardigan I found on Etsy a few weeks back, a brown beret I got from Nordstrom Rack a few years ago, brown sweater tights I got recently from Target, and brown houndstooth flats I got from the Gap Outlet several years ago.

Pinup Girl Clothing Havana Nights dress in Warm Toned Cabana Stripes- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Havana Nights dress in Warm Toned Cabana Stripes- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Havana Nights dress in Warm Toned Cabana Stripes- Side View

Pinup Girl Clothing Havana Nights dress in Warm Toned Cabana Stripes- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Havana Nights dress in Warm Toned Cabana Stripes- Front View

Pinup Girl Clothing Havana Nights dress in Warm Toned Cabana Stripes- Side View

Friday:
On Friday I wore my new to me Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral. I picked this one up just recently from a swap and sell group on facebook by trading a dress I had for this one instead. I paired this with a black cardigan from the Gap which I got several years ago and a black embellished beanie which I got from Nordstrom Rack a couple years ago. To keep a little warmer I wore nude tights with ankle socks and then I finished it all off with Jessica Simpson Mandaleye flats which I got a several months ago from Macy's.

Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral- Front View

Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral- Front View

Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral- Side View

Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral- Front View

Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral- Front View

Trashy Diva Honey Ruffle dress in 5th Ave Floral- Side View

Saturday:
With the weather being a lot colder than it has been I was worried it was going to be freezing in San Francisco especially since we were going over to the piers. I picked out my Collectif Simon Houndstooth Doll dress to wear since it's made with a nice warmish flannel material. I got this dress a couple years ago from Modcloth. I paired this with a teal and faux fur coat by Betsey Johnson which I got from Nordstrom Rack a couple years ago, a brown beret also from Nordstrom Rack from a few years ago, black opaque tights and some comfy walking shoes, Sketcher Go Walks, which I got over the summer from Amazon. For an extra finishing touch, I added a "C" initial brooch to my dress which I got a couple years ago from Amazon.

Collectif Simone Houndstooth Doll dress- Front View

Collectif Simone Houndstooth Doll dress- Side View

Collectif Simone Houndstooth Doll dress- Front View

Collectif Simone Houndstooth Doll dress- Front View

Collectif Simone Houndstooth Doll dress- Side View