Naughty tea
(Afternoon tea with Joy: Glasgow, Scotland)
As a jolly round up of a project I did for Joy, she treated me to afternoon tea in a local hotel. I designed a sparky logo for her Gaelic music label, Sradag. The afternoon tea had a few surprises in store as the ‘tea’ was actually a teatime cocktail with a very vague tea content. A chatty waitress warbled through a short history of American prohibition whilst she mixed the drink. I fear we were to be parley to this history lesson whether we were interested or not. I have the impression that it is the management’s method of justifying the afternoon drinking by comparing it with similar activities of a historical nature. Hence, the drinks were tea inspired – I think it contained a fruit tea element along with generous splashes of a few rather more potent liquids.
The highlights for me, aside from the fine company of Joy and her sparkling discourse was the fact that the cocktail was genuinely refreshing and fruity, without feeling terribly alcoholic. The cakes and sandwiches were first rate with the crusts cut away in a decadently wasteful way, the sun was shining and we could sit comfortably in the outside air, but what topped it off for me was the music. The aural accompaniment was perfectly acceptable, and even though we were sat outside, it hovered just underneath our conversation. What was particularly nice and interesting was the method they used to play music outside. Look over my shoulder and you might be able to make out the window with two small speakers hanging out of it on their wires. I was mightily amused by this and we commented that it seems fitting that even the most polished Glasgow establishments are merely a façade. I find it more endearing than disappointing but I’m sure other people* would beg to differ.
I’m writing this from the (delayed) evening train to Carlisle from Glasgow. It’s a very busy one – probably due to tomorrow’s holiday for Good Friday, then followed by the Easter weekend. Why it was delayed, I have no idea, but it isn’t unusual. I hope to be updating you with more sunny antics from Carlisle this weekend, weather permitting.
* Probably people from Edinburgh.
– Today Rosie has no solid plans, but they will probably involve family time in some manner or other in Carlisle, England –
