Tea in Wallingford
Well, all the wind and rain has resulted in some localised flooding. I joked that now we live in The Lake District, because all the fields are lakes! The Thames and Windrush have resulted in some sewer and drainage problems in Northmoor and so what are we going to do?
This:
We went for the day to a lovely market town about 23 miles away to have a mooch in the antique arcade and a bit of lunch.
The first thing I saw was the stall with this shelf. OMG! I loved everything on it! I loved the dog and the funny harlequin cat, that weird…thing in between, and I love the paintings. Wanted to buy it all. Ok, let’s just get something straight right now. I actually wanted to buy 75% of everything in the arcade…lol.
But I wanted to have a look at some lovely tea also. What do we all think about the tiered plates/cup/thing? I kind of like it. The cup might hold some flowers while the plates hold the goodies. (Assuming the water doesn’t run out thru the hole.)
You know, I really would love to learn how to carve wood because these funny ducks would be the first thing I’d carve. Love how they sit in this basket.
Look at this! Here is an exquisite hand-painted Victorian tea service.
And Robbie found a friend! This is Milo, the same name as one of our Vancouver cats and so we loved him right away. He was such a soft, foxy, friendly little thing.
And then this! The next tea tray I make will have a friendly pig in the centre.
After we had a good look around, we went to find a lovely spot for lunch. At first we thought about a pub, but then we found this lovely, friendly, yellow cafe called Catherine’s cafe, which had a great view of the arcade.
We chose this little table upstairs in the tea rooms, with turquoise seats, flower pots and a reading angel. Catherine is a retired English teacher and has brought her classic book collection into the tea room for customers.
I bet you’re all wondering what I bought. I wanted to buy absolutely everything, but I bought this little green hat pin and this lovely old Christmas bobble.
AND ALL THIS EPHEMERA! Not sure how these things will end up being used, but it’ll be great.
Thank you so much for this lovely day Robbie…PS. I’m going back for that painting. 🙂
Daryl
lovely afternoon … and some fun tschkas
Veronica
And we all need more of those…err… 😀
eclecticshorebird
What a lovely day! Love the piggy!!!!
Veronica
Yes! Me too! 😀
Bernideen's Tea Time Blog
I love that server with the cup on top – would be cute for Valentines Day. I would love the go to those places. Because we have a lot of US military who were stationed in England, I do have success finding English teacups! So glad you linked!
Veronica
I never thought of that Bernideen, but of course! Perfect fro Valentines. 🙂
Sandi
What fun! To visit England would be such a treat for me! I’ve always wanted to visit the old country where a lot of my ancestors hailed from. You found so many wonderful and interesting things. I love the little doggie and the angel reading her book. The piggy is cute too. Thank you for sharing and coming to tea. Happy New Year Veronica!
Blessings,
Sandi
Veronica
If you get to visit, see if I’m here and I’ll show you around the Cotswolds and Oxfordshire. 🙂
dianecayton
Oooh, what a cute piggy he is! Just love that.
Veronica
Me too Diane, and thinking back, he would have fit right into the Vancouver house along with the flying pig and the poltergeist pig. If he’s there next time I’ll get him. 🙂
artful affirmations
What a lovely place to wander around! I loved that tea set! You really restrained yourself coming home with so little. But what you did bring home is fab. Is it the waterfall painting you are going back for? It is lovely!
Happy New Year!
Terri
Veronica
Hi Terri, I think I’ve decided to paint something like it instead of spending the £50 for the painting. The ephemera I see as an investment in future art…always good. 🙂
Marie
I would love to visit those shops. I would have a though time restraining myself.
Veronica
I know, I know! 🙂
TerraMediaMarketing (@TerraMediaMark)
Thank you, Veronica, for taking us along on your antique shopping trip and for tea as well. I enjoyed my afternoon jaunt with you. Let’s do it again sometime. 🙂 Eydie 🙂
Veronica
I’d love to Eydie, I’m always out and about. 🙂
Di Hill
Sounds like a great day out. We had a Milo – a miniature long haired dachshund. I’d love to visit the village too.
Veronica
Gosh Di, loads of people seem to have Milos. Such a lovely name…even if ours gets called Mo half the time. 🙂
vastlycurious.com
Don’t you LOVE these places? I could move right in! The Victorian Tea set looks wonderful for you and C , if you have somewhere to store it. What did you buy?
Veronica
Oh Kathryn, it is just too tempting to buy everything! But actually, I refer a one of something to mix and match and then a bargain to boot, so the beautiful Victorian set wasn’t for me. 🙂
vastlycurious.com
I 100% understand , my house is at full capacity. I am highly selective now!
Veronica
Oh me too Kathryn, plus I’m cheap and absolutely refuse to pay over flea market or car boot sale prices…unless I really, really want something…which is rare these days. 🙂
Joanna Sormunen
What a lovely day, even if it rained. I would have wanted to buy everything also. That is why I never go to places like that, lol. But the café is absolutely wonderful! Hope I can visit it some day 🙂
Veronica
Hope you can too Joanna. But bring loads of money because it really is extremely tempting! 🙂
Kathyb.
Now that is the way I love to spend a day. Shops with so much to see and even better , have a friendly furry resident. I think you made the best choices and am looking forward to how you use the ephemera in your art.
Veronica
Thank you Kathy, me too. I looked at all of then again this morning and read thru the correspondence. I love poking my nose into other people’s mail…once I own it that is…lol. One year a wrote a life story in poetry and paintings from several letters from one lady. 🙂 So much fun.
dawnsrays
That painting looks like something my dad would paint, how cool is that!
Looks like a really lovely day out and I think you would be fun to window shop with, lol
~Dawn
Veronica
Do you have your dad’s paintings? I have my aunt’s. Love family history. Maybe one day you could do a post; I’d love to see some of his art. 🙂
Catherine Llewellyn
Veronica you have completely inspired me about Wallingford, I can’t wait to go there and explore it! Love Catherine XX
Veronica
You should go Catherine. 🙂 Maybe we can go together in the summer. 🙂
catherine
I’d love that! 🙂 X
Catherine Llewellyn
i went today! … and met Milo and told his owner about your blog – she was thrilled – and so was Catherine at the cafe – so you may get visits from them – it was a lovely morning wandering around – thanks for the inspiration – and yes of course let’s do it again in the summer 🙂 X
Veronica
Aw, that’s sweet. 😀 Yes, let’s do that.
Sonya Mann
What a lovely outing! I want to buy ALL THE THINGS also, especially the ephemera. (So much collage material!) And the friendly pig. And the gorgeous tea services. Okay–just everything!
Veronica
I know Sonya! You would have loved a little section with vintage clothing!