Win a Sweetheart Afternoon Tea for Two from @urbanteamerchan and @hummingbird604
If you know me well enough, you’ll know that I am a fan of all things England. One of my best friends is English (Andy Peatling), I did one of my graduate degrees in Manchester, and in general, I am fond of the English traditions, especially afternoon tea. I think high tea and afternoon tea are rare opportunities for friends and loved ones to spend time with one another in a peaceful atmosphere while sharing a nice cup of tea.
I am thrilled to announce that The Urban Tea Merchant decided to partner with me to give a lucky reader of mine (and their sweetheart, or a good friend, or whoever they choose) a chance to experience a Sweetheart Afternoon Tea For Two for the Downtown Vancouver location. I’m a big fan of local companies, and in particular, I have turned to tea lately. And who can say no to Afternoon Tea, seriously? 🙂
A Sweetheart Signature Afternoon Tea for Two [$48 per person (includes special tea gift $29.95 value)]
Sittings: 11:30am-1:00pm, 1:30-3:00pm, 3:30-5:00pm
1070 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, B.C.
(Entrance also from Alberni Street)Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday: 10am – 7pm
Thursday & Friday: 10am – 8pm
Sundays & Holidays: 12pm – 7pm
To make a reservation:
I asked Tom (CEO of The Urban Tea Merchant) to share some of the history of this wonderful tea salon. Here’s what he told me:
In 2001, our family left for a four-month trip around the world. Our tea pilgrimage included Europe, Africa, India, and Southeast Asia. Our eyes and hearts opened wide to the exotic cultures we experienced through our travels. There was a most surprising discovery that awaited us in the fabulous, centuries old, Maison de Thé in Paris. As we crossed the threshold of these extraordinary places, we paused for reflection, and looked at each other knowingly. Inspirational surroundings and exquisite tea from around the world gave us the epiphany we were looking for. THE URBAN TEA MERCHANT was born.
We opened our first pilot store in West Vancouver in September 2004 and our vision has begun to unfold. We are in the experience business, reflecting the lifestyles of exotic cultures, experienced through the rituals of tea. The business has enjoyed a substantial continuous natural growth.
In 2009 THE URBAN TEA MERCHANT designed a web site for e-commerce and began its wholesale division, focusing on upscale lifestyle stores, French patisseries and exclusive department stores. At the same time, the first flagship store opened its doors in Vancouver on Alberni Street – home of many luxury brands – Shangri-La, Fairmont, Burberry, Hermès, Louis Vuitton and Tiffany & Co, just to name a few. The downtown Vancouver location serves a thriving urban community of residents, businesses and distinguished travelers from around the world. Within the 3,000 sq ft store, there are three interdependent businesses, each contributing to the success of the whole.
To enter this giveaway, and since I mentioned that I needed a giveaway for singles, I’m opening this for everyone. Answer on this post: which famous person (alive or not) would you want to have afternoon tea, if you were given the chance? I will count a comment on this post as a first entry, and a second entry if you post the sample text below on Twitter:
Read who I’d like to share afternoon tea at @urbanteamerchan if I win @hummingird604’s giveaway http://is.gd/pLQtSz (you could win too)
I will draw a random winner on February 11th at 2pm. And the winner will probably have to make reservations fairly soon thereafter as I’m sure The Urban Tea Merchant will be booked fairly quickly. You don’t necessarily need to do Sweetheart Afternoon Tea For Two on Valentine’s Day but it’s an option.
i would love to have tea with salvador dali 😀
I’d have afternoon tea with Picasso. I’d like some more information on his political views.
Your famous right? I would like to have tea with raul!
I think having tea with Elvis would be fun 🙂
Having tea with Steven Erikson (he is an author) would be amazing!
I would love to share afternoon tea with the famous cellist player, Yo-Yo Ma.
His passion for the exploration of music as a means of communication is amazing.
His music stimulates the imagination.
Plus, his cello is named Petunia ( after a little girl that once asked him if it had a name ) and I love petunias.
And I also love having tea at The Urban Tea Merchant, the last one I shared with Aiden & Arieanna, and Aiden loved my Rooibos.
The dalai lama
Kenneth Branagh for sure. He seems like so much fun. He once had tea with a producer of mine at CBC. He baked her some cookies and Irished up their tea. <3
I would love to have afternoon tea with the Dalai Lama, what a wonderful experience that would be.
I have a girlfriend that I often go off for tea with So we would definitely enjoy this!
…And since I apparently cannot read (although she is famous & fabulous to me & her other friends / coworkers) I would really like to have tea with Stephen Hawking. The Queen would be nest too.
I would enjoy having tea with the Queen. She’d be in a familiar environment, and hopefully she’d be comfortable enough to share her stories with me !
If I was given the chance tea with Lady Diana Spencer would be wonderful. As a live person, George Stroumboulopoulos would be really terrific as well.
I would go with Taylor Swift.
Take tons of pictures with her! 😀
I would love to have tea with Queen Elizabeth.
I think it would a blast to have tea with Russell Brand. He is such a unique personality.
I would love to have tea with Morrie Schwartz from “Tuesdays with Morrie” and Professor Pausch who delivered The Last Lecture
I’d like to have tea with Ricky Gervais. Although I probably would choke on my crumpet from laughing.
I would probably choose Mark Zuckerberg. Young, talented, and famous, bet he’s quite the character to talk to! (although I read he’s somewhat socially awkward..)
I would love to share tea with Harry Jerome if he were still alive. Else, a fast cup of tea with Usain Bolt could be fun!
I would love to have tea with Gandhi. What a fantastic experience that would be!
I would have tea with…Winston Churchill!
Given the chance, I think it would be beyond amazing to have tea with Jesus.
I would have tea with Picasso!
Well, clearly I’d want to have tea with the Flying Spaghetti Monster, but he’s more of a monster than a person, so I’ll have to go with the Queen. Because that woman knows how to do tea!
I’d love to have tea with Shakespeare. I’d tell him I read his work when I was in high school.
Hmmm… I think I would like to have tea with Elvis, just because.
Emmanuel Steward, one of the greatest boxing trainers of all time. I would just love to hear all the insider stories he would have of all the fighters he’s trained in the past.
I’d have tea with Queen Esther…a woman of courage and faith.
Id love to have tea with Clinton
Tea with Alex Burrows. And yes its very cool to do so. I know. hahahaha
Mmmmm probably tea with who else..but the QUEEN!!!!
I’d love to have tea with Princess Diana.
I would have tea with Leonardo Da Vinci and ask him who the Mona Lisa is based on.
I would choose the Persian poet, Rumi.
Brad Pitt.
I’d like to have tea with my mom.
I’d like to have tea with the Attorney General.
Tom “f***ing” Cruise. who else?!?!
@oceantang
I think that having afternoon tea with Hunter S. Thompson would be an absolute riot! I couldn’t imagine two things so different and that’s why it would be great. Literary, gun-toting genius plus scones and finger sandwiches? Legendary.
I’d like to have afternoon tea with Jake Gyllenhaal. Who wouldn’t love the opportunity to gaze into those beautiful blue eyes? =) @elisacheng
I’d love to have tea with Johnny Depp. Can’t you just picture it?
with Warren Geraghty, West Restaurant’s former executive chef. i wanna know where he’s now and what he’s doing, ask for recipes and his perspective on food, and ask him to cook for me. lol..
I would have tea with Ellen DeGeneres…she’s soo funny.
If given the chance, I would love to have afternoon tea with Princess Diana!
I’m a political junkie so would love to have tea with Barack Obama!
The girl who sings Rolling in the Deep, which I’m totally digging at the moment…
My mum! She’s all the way in Calgary and I miss her 🙁 Especially when I remember the cute things she did for us kids in Valentines day!
UPDATE – And the winner is – Ocean – please contact me!