E-Zines

This is an archive of emails we have sent to our customers.  You can sign up to recieve our e-zine for information, recipes and coupons.

Dear Tea Lovers,

Our latest newsletter is out!  In the newsletter we detail our new project, International Tea Sippers Society.  We are working very hard on it and are very excited about it!  Check it out!

Also in the newsletter are the upcoming class and events schedules, details of our Alice in Wonderland Tea, Mother’s Day Tea and much more!

The “Tea of the Month” is Irish Crème.  For the month of March it is 25% off.

Amy

Dear Tea Lovers,

In case you missed it our Valentine’s Day Tea was a great success!  We had the most men in the tea room at one time since we opened in 2003.  It looked so beautiful at night.  I think we’ll do more evening teas in the future. Pictures will be posted later this week.

I have so much to tell you!  I’ve been busy working on a few new projects.  Babette Donaldson and I are starting a new tea membership community.  (For those of you who don’t know or remember her, she writes the darling Emma Lea books.  She’s signed books at our children’s events).

The benefits of the membership would include a membership card valid with participating tea rooms and with specific tea vendors, who in turn would offer you special discounts and special membership only events.  The membership website will be content rich, full of tea information, videos, on-line classes, and a directory of tea rooms.  There would be a forum where tea lovers could discuss their favorite teas.  We would host tea experts like James Norwood Pratt and Jane Pettigrew to add value to the site through interviews, columns and videos. We’re very excited!  I can’t wait to share all the details with you.  An Afternoon to Remember will be hosting the first membership event in March or April.  We’re working on my favorite tea guy, James Norwood Pratt.  We’ll let you know as soon as the details are finalized.  I can’t wait to tell you more!

Last but not least, our upcoming events:

• Don’t forget to take advantage of our Tea for Two offer.  It ends February 27th.
• Wednesday is our first class with Certified Retreat and Life Coach Cindie Wilding.  Join us this Wednesday on February 18 at 9:00 am for tea and scones and some lovely tips on taking wonderful care of YOU.
• Special Hands-On Scone Making Class – March 2nd

Have a wonderful week!  I know it’s dreary and rainy, but perk yourself up with a cup of nice hot tea!

Amy

Hi Tea Lovers!

I just returned from my San Francisco tea weekend.  I had a blast! To read more about it, visit my blog.

I have so much to tell you about oolong teas.  For those of you who don’t know exactly what oolongs are, they are a semi-oxidized tea.  They fall in between green and black tea, but that description doesn’t even give them the credit they deserve.  They are so much more than that!  Since the World Tea Expo last year when I purchased 9 new ones, I have fallen in love with them.  Now that I know even more of the history, and the varieties, I’m even more enamored.  They are so unique!  There are 5 main types of oolongs:

Pouchong – such as Jade Pouchong
Jade – such as Jade Oolong
Amber – such as Ti Kwan Yin and Wuyi Rock (one of my new favorites)
Champagne – Oriental Beauty and Silver Tip Oolongs
Aged – many different ones, this one goes through a unique process where it is stored in porous jars for a year or so, then baked again, then stored, then baked, this can be done for many years. It produces a sweeter taste and much of the caffeine is baked out.

If you are interested in learning more, come to our oolong class on February 6th. The class size is very limited as we will be doing our own tastings on at least 6 different oolongs.  So don’t delay if you are interested.  You can sign up on-line or call the tea room directly.

If you don’t have any Superbowl plans this weekend and you don’t like football, why not come and have tea with us on Sunday?  We are the perfect girlfriend get-away. Your husbands will be very occupied and you can relax and enjoy a day of afternoon tea. Call or reserve on-line today!

Upcoming Events:

This is the last week to sign up for discounted Valentine’s Day Tea.

• How to Make Delicious Tea Sandwiches – January 30th
• Tea 103 – Oolongs – February 6th
• Hands-On Scone Making Class – February 9th
• Tea 101 – February 12th
• Valentine’s Day Tea – February 14th

Tea for Two Reminder:

Make yourself a priority!  Take an afternoon to relax and enjoy the company of a good friend.  We have a special “Tea for Two” offer during the months of January and February.  Make a reservation and bring in the latest newsletter to receive a special price of $38.95 (plus tax) for a full tea for two.  This offer is only valid for parties of two, four or six and can only be used Wednesday-Friday on a Full Afternoon Tea.  It cannot be used for events.  You must print and bring in the latest newsletter then present it to your waitress. No exceptions please. Make a reservation today! Enjoy each other’s company. That’s what tea is all about.

Have a fabulous week!  Enjoy lots of tea!

Amy

Hi Tea Lovers,

I hope 2009 is starting out to be a great year for you.  I’m kicking off the year by a tea week in San Francisco this Sunday.  I’ll be attending the Fancy Food Show, the Western Tea Business Association Meeting and my favorite event – participating in the Level 3 Oolong Class with the Specialty Tea Institute. It’s going to be a fantastic week. I can’t wait to tell you all about it. Stay tuned and check out my blog to read all about my adventures.

We’ll be stocking up soon on new tea items. We are planning a big spring kick off open house in March. Look for more details in future e-zines.

For my business women customers – I wanted to tell you about a group called, “Women on the Move.”  Their mission is “to support women who desire to reach their full potential by offering practical and vital education, teaching self-reliance and success practices and principles.”  Their first meeting of the year will be held here, An Afternoon to Remember on January 27th from 6 pm – 8 pm with registration at 5:30 pm. If you are interested please check out their website, www.womenonthemovenow.com.  Registration will be through them.

Don’t forget about the tea for two special in the latest newsletter.  If you didn’t get the newsletter e-mail for some reason, you can download it here.  Also remember it’s free shipping this month when you order items on-line. If you haven’t tried the on-line store, it’s very easy, fast and secure.

Upcoming Events

• Organized Home = Happy Home – January 21st, 9:00 am – 10:45 am
• Getting Your Life Wheel Balance Rolling Smoothly – January 22nd, 9:00 am – 11:00 am
• Women on the Move – January 27th, 6 pm – 8 pm
• Valentine’s Day Tea – February 14th, seating times 11 am, 1 pm, 3 pm, 6 pm

Finally, I want to thank you all for your continued support of our tea room. It is because of you that we are still here. It makes me sad to hear of so many tea rooms closing. There aren’t too many of us around these days, so thank you for supporting us now and in the future!  Have a fantastic day and don’t keep us a secret!

Amy

Toffee Brittle Bars

• 1 1/3 c. unsalted butter
• 1 c. sugar
• 3/4 c. brown sugar
• 2 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. baking soda
• 3 c. flour (exact, do not pack it down)
• 1 1/3 c. unsalted butter
• 2 c. white chocolate chips
• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 c. Heath Toffee Bits

White Chocolate Drizzle

• 1 c. white chocolate chips
• 2 T. vegetable oil

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Drizzle

• 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 2 T. vegetable oil

Melt butter in microwave until soft.  Cream butter, sugar and brown sugar together.  Add vanilla.  Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes until creamy.  In a separate bowl mix together salt, baking soda and flour. Add to creamed mixture and mix at low speed.  Add white chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips and toffee bits.

Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper and spray with flour spray. Press mixture into pan.  Bake at 350 for 12-15 minutes until light brown.  Bar will be soft in the center.  Let cool.

To make drizzles: Do this for each chocolate in separate bowls.  Melt 1 c. chocolate chips with 2 T. vegetable oil in a small bowl in the microwave-about 1 minute.  Mix with fork. Do again for second drizzle. Drizzle white chocolate at an angle across the toffee brittle.  Drizzle semi-sweet chocolate at an angle in the opposite direction over white drizzle.  Sprinkle toffee bits over the drizzled bars.  Cool in refrigerator 1 hour and cut into diagonal bars.  Makes approximately 50 bars.

Dear tea lovers,

This message is from Pat, Amy’s husband, and I’d like to beg your indulgence in using the mailing list for a personal reason.  But I think it’s a pretty good one…

This Friday, January 9th, is Amy’s birthday.  If you have time, drop by for tea and wish her a very happy birthday.

She’s going to kill me for sending this, so it has been my pleasure working behind the scenes for you all these years. :-)

Warmest regards,

Pat (Amy’s, soon to be dead, husband)

Dear Tea Lovers,

Our latest newsletter is out! Check out the Winter class and events schedule, details of our Valentine’s Day Tea and much more!

The “Tea of the Month” is Velvet Fog.  For the month of January it is 25% off.  This is my husband’s favorite flavored tea.

It’s a new year and I am looking forward to making this one even better than last year!  I’m enjoying the cold weather and a pot of Master’s Choice Ti Kwan Yin.  It’s perfect to warm me up when it’s cold outside.

Amy

Dear Tea Lovers,

Are you making those New Year’s Resolutions?  Do they include dieting and saving money?  We’ll be showing you how you can do both with afternoon tea.  Stay tuned for our next e-zine!

I’ll be finishing up the January newsletter soon, but I wanted to let you know about a few new classes we are offering this month. I’ve teamed up with some fantastic e-Women members to bring them to you.

Here they are!

Organize your Business for Maximum Efficiency

January 7th, 2009 3PM-5PM
$28.95 per person plus tax (includes the class and afternoon tea)
Sign up on-line or call the tea room at 916-663-6358 to reserve your space

We’ve teamed up with Kelli Wilson from A Simple Plan for this great class!

We can all get bogged down in the day to day clutter in our offices and homes which can distract us from working “on” our business and spending time with our family. We might “think” we need to get things done before we can sit down to work or maybe we can’t find what we need in order to be productive. Creating an organized work space and home frees us from distractions and allows us the focus we need to be successful.

This is a pre-pay event. Sign up on-line or call 916-663-6358 to make your reservation. Payment of $28.95 will be taken at the time the reservation is made. No refunds can be given for cancellations.

Computer Essentials For Business Owners

January 13, 2009 9AM-11AM
$59.00 per person (includes the class, scones and tea)

We’ve teamed up with Cybertary for this special class. For this class only please call them to reserve your space:
Phone: (916) 303-4550 Fax: (866) 416-5184
Roseville@Cybertary.com
http://cybertary.com/roseville

In this 2 hour crash course you will:

• Learn how to use Microsoft Word to create your own letterhead and labels for customer mailings
• Use Microsoft Excel to create a contact database and learn to create formulas for faster data analysis
• Learn backup strategies on how to protect your data

You will also receive a course manual and a CD with templates that are covered in class.

Registration open through January 9, 2008.

Organized Home=Happy Home!

January 21, 2009 9:00AM-10:45AM
$18.95 per person plus tax (includes the class and scones and tea).
Sign up on-line or call the tea room at 916-663-6358 to reserve your space

We’ve teamed up with Kelli Wilson from A Simple Plan for this great class!

Wouldn’t you love to have a place for everything and have everything in its place? What if your kids picked up after themselves? (even if they are only 3 or 4) What if you could save money by getting organized?

At this powerful event you will learn:

• Clutter and disorganization – the truth about the “stuff”
• Front to back organizing
• Organizing tips for all ages
• Organizing your financial records
• Tips for maintaining your organized space – the 5 minute rule

Kelli Wilson – Owner of A Simple Plan Consulting specializes in residential organizing and small office/home office (SOHO)- bringing the peace and calm back to the workspace. She helps clients simplify and create systems within the home and home office that are workable and maintainable.

This is a pre-pay event. Sign up on-line or call 916-663-6358 to make your reservation. Payment of $18.95 will be taken at the time the reservation is made. No refunds can be given for cancellations.

Getting Your Life Balance Wheel Rolling Smoothly

January 22, 2009 9:00AM-11:00AM
$18.95 per person plus tax (includes scones and tea)
Sign up on-line or call the tea room at 916-663-6358 to reserve your space

We’ve teamed up with Life Coach Cindie Wilding. She’ll be presenting our class.

We all talk about resolutions at the beginning of every new year. What if instead of thinking in terms of “shoulds” and lists and vows to do better, we shifted our thinking to mindfully looking at all areas of our life with intention and with our own wants and needs in mind? Join Certified Retreat & Life Coach Cindie Wilding for a morning tea of scones and tea along with some relaxed introspection at all aspects of your life wheel. We will do some guided visualizing with journaling prompts to stir your right brain creative side. Have fun, gain some insights and clarity about your direction for 2009. Bring some friends and enjoy some tea and company.

This is a pre-pay event. Sign up on-line or call 916-663-6358 to make your reservation. Payment of $18.95 will be taken at the time the reservation is made. No refunds can be given for cancellations.

Have a Happy New Year!

Amy

Dear Tea Lovers,

This Friday, December 19th is the last day to order quiche, scones, lemon curd and Devonshire for Christmas. You may pick up pre-ordered items up until 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 24th.  If you’re feeling a bit stressed and running out of time, believe me this is the perfect solution to an easy Christmas morning breakfast-that’s what I’m doing!

Order here.

Also don’t forget we have gift certificates for those last minute presents.

For those of you needing some entertainment for your holiday guests, we will be open for tea service on December 24th.

Our holiday schedule:

• Closed December 25th and 26th, and December 31st and January 1st.
• Otherwise we’ll be open our normal schedule.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Amy

Dear Tea Lovers,

Tomorrow’s our big event at the Sacramento Magazine’s Best of the Best Party.  Thanks so much for making us Number 1 this year!  We’ll be serving our delicious scones and decadent desserts. They are expecting over 7000 in attendance.  (Dena our baker, may not be thanking you today as she’s getting everything baked for tomorrow :) If you are interested in attending they are selling tickets at the door and all of the proceeds go to benefit the March of Dimes.

New on-line ordering for quiche, scones, Devonshire Cream and Lemon Curd:

Serve a very special and easy Christmas breakfast with our delicious Black Forest Ham Quiche and our freshly baked scones in these varieties – Newcastle Mandarin, Cranberry Orange or Cinnamon Pumpkin Pecan. Reserve now and pick up as late as Christmas Eve day.  When you order on-line you save $1.00 off of Devonshire Cream and Lemon Curd and when you order 1 dozen scones or more, you save $5.05.

Upcoming Events and Sales:

• Sugar Plum Fairy Children’s Tea – December 5th, 12th and 19th
• On-line order Special – Free shipping on all website orders

In store offers only:

• All 4 oz. tins of tea on sale 25% off this month.
• Buy 3 Afternoon to Remember cookbooks, get one free.
• Buy 2 full tea gift certificates and receive a free trivet.

Peppermint Brittle Recipe:

• 1 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 t. baking soda
• 1/4 t. salt
• 3/4 c. unsalted butter — melted and cooled slightly
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/3 c. brown sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• 10 oz. white chocolate chips
• 1-3 t. oil to thin white chocolate
• 3/4 c. candy canes crushed (put them in a zip-lock bag and crush them with a hammer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a 9×13 inch pan with parchment paper.  Stir
flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl stir in melted
butter, both sugars and vanilla until smooth.  Stir in flour mixture until
just blended.  Stir in 1 c. of white chocolate chips and 1/2 c. crushed candy
canes.  Press dough onto the parchment paper in 9×13 inch pan.  Bake cookie
until top is firm and dark golden, about 30 minutes.  Be sure they are baked
long enough so they will be brittle when cool.  Transfer to rack and cool.

In a small bowl melt white chocolate chips with  1 t. oil in microwave on half
power for about 30 seconds.  Stir add 1-2 t. more oil if needed to thin to
make a drizzle consistency.  Melt 30 sec. more until chips are melted.

Drizzle half of the melted chocolate in thin lines over pan.  Sprinkle
remaining crushed candy canes over chocolate.  Drizzle more white chocolate
over top.  Let stand until chocolate sets about 1 hour.  Break into irregular
shapes about 2-3 inches pieces or cut into bars.  Store in an airtight
container at room temperature.  Makes about 24 pieces.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Amy

Dear Tea Lovers,

I just wanted to let you all know that I finished my YouTube video on “How to Make Cranberry Orange Scones”.  We worked very hard to get it out before the holidays. I wanted you to be able to watch the video ahead of time so you could learn how to make delicious scones as a special treat on Thanksgiving morning. Please watch the video and share it with anybody that might be interested in learning how to make scones. It’s just under 7 minutes in length.

We have also finished our first e-book which is a collection of our delicious scones from all of the cookbooks. There are 20 scone recipes in all.  It’s $14.95 and can only be purchased on-line. You’ll be directed on how to download it immediately after ordering.

Upcoming Events:

• We’ll be closed Wednesday and Thursday – November 26th and 27th for the Thanksgiving Holiday, but we’ll be open the day after Thanksgiving.  So if you have company in town, it’s the perfect get-away from the men and football!  Make an on-line reservation or leave a message on the machine if you call while we’re closed and we’ll be in bright and early Friday morning to return messages and confirm your reservations.
• Sugar Plum Fairy Teas – December 5th, 12th and 19th.  We still have spaces available, but they are going fast so call soon if you want a special holiday treat for your child or grandchild. Rumor has it that Santa may visit on the 19th.  We’re crossing our fingers!
• Bring in this email November 28th-30th and receive a free Afternoon to Remember cookbook with purchase of $75.00 or more.
• Remember tea makes the perfect gift for teachers, neighbors and friends. Plus it’s great to have on hand during the holidays.  We also have cute little gift sets with tea cups and a tin of tea.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Amy