Coffee, Tea, or Milk

If you know me, you already know that I don’t drink milk, never have. I stopped drinking sodas last summer because I finally realized that they could not possibly be good for me.  It takes me a long time to make up my mind to refrain from doing something, but once my mind is made up I can quit cold turkey.

This past Saturday, I had a unique beverage experience as I visited Marlene’s Tea and Cakes, in Carmel Valley, with a group of young ladies from Morse’ class of l980.  There were sixteen of us, decked out in our hats ( I borrowed mine from a 96 year old friend--Jacqui’s grandma, Madea) as we enjoyed  the exquisite atmosphere created by the owner, a Morse graduate, and member of the class of ’80, Marlene DeCastro Spawton. Marlene, though trained in computer software, is realizing her long time dream of owning a tea house.  It has been a little over a year that it has been open.

There were two types of teas,  beautiful china, flowers, gifts for each of us, wonderful service, and delicious food.  The interesting thing  about the food, is that, everything was tiny, and gorgeous, yet we were all full when we left.  We were also given to go boxes--my husband was ecstatic with the beautiful desserts I brought him.

Interestingly enough, I do not drink tea.  However, I drank mango tea, and the black tea which was offered.  I now think that tea is better in its natural state, without any sweetener.  A little like life, now that I think about it. But, as usual, I digress--that could be a blog unto itself.

On top of it all, our organizer supreme, Susan Roe, brought her dad’s Oregon jam for each of us, along with two beautiful momentos of the day.  I love doing something new--and I had never done this before, even when we were in Asia and there was tea as far as the eye could see.  We brought back sooo much for our tea drinking daughter, but none for this lady.  I will have to re-think it all.

Then, today, I met Renata  Sahagian, from the MS Society, with whom I often have coffee at Starbucks. We discuss travel--she has been everywhere, and just have lovely conversations about everything.  She is the person in charge of the Elite Feet category of fundraiser, and with the help of generous friends, I an in that category.

  I am not a Starbucker either (it is the alcohol of this generation), although I do like the CEO.  I ordered my no frills coffee (which embarrasses my daughter when I go with her), the smallest, regular, coffee. HOWEVER, following Renata’s advice, I added cinnamon.  I saw all of the things which could be added (I had never noticed before), and cinnamon was one.  I asked her, and she said her parents always add that because it is good for high blood pressure (and probably other things).  Lo, and behold, to my surprise, it was fabulous.  Perhaps I will keep some cinnamon in the car to add to my $1.00 McDonalds coffee, which is my coffee of choice.  So, I learned two new “drinking” things within three days.

Coffee, Tea, or Milk? So far, just coffee, plus cinnamon, and tea at beautiful tea houses!