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There's
nothing like being pampered, is there? And short of a
full body massage, nothing pampers the body and soul like
a visit to a tearoom. Luscious fragrances, warm treats,
soothing, delightful fabrics and decor.  Unlike
the urban bustle of a coffee shop, a tearoom is a mini-vacation.
And now you can take a quick break in the heart of Bel
Air at Tea by Two, a sweet retreat of a tearoom. Tea by
Two is next to Richardson's Florist Shop on Route 924
- 814 South Main Street. In fact, the building they're
in was the home of Mrs. Richardson until recently. There
are only a few spots for parking in front, but don't let
that disappoint you - there's a large lot in back.
No
Wrong Way to Eat a Scone
What did I love about Tea by Two? Well, unlike many tearooms,
you can enjoy High Tea anytime during s normal hours of
9 AM to 5 PM. And for guys and other creatures that might
feel intimidated by little tea sandwiches, they serve
a savory (shepherd's pie the day I was there) with a wonderful
salad. Mine had cranberries, crunchy sweet almonds, and
a sweetly flirtatious dressing. A pot of suggested Chai
Americaine was rich (a quality I don't usually associate
with tea) with cinnamon and nutmeg.
 The
staff is truly helpful and attentive - and nobody is a
bit snooty. When I asked if I was correctly eating a chocolate
chip scone - served with (homemade, I'm sure) clotted
cream in a separate small glass bowl with a little silver
knife - the server let me know that there's no correct
way to do it and that I was doing just fine breaking bits
of scone off and spreading on the cream.
Meet
Erin and Janet
Don't miss the delightful rest room- the wallpaper is
a pattern of colorful  teacups
and saucers on a pretty yellow background. Other teacup
touches catch your eye all over the place. There's a teacup
chandelier in one alcove. And out in the gift shop area,
cup-and-pot combinations draw attention to themselves
just because they're so cute. The owners also operate
the shop. Erin Bradley and Janet Meyers do the numbers,
the cooking, the brewing. They traveled quite a bit to
see other shops. They took the best of what they learned,
gave up their day jobs, and started Tea by Two - and have
been busy since they opened the doors this past April.
Good for them, too, because they really have done this
right.
Special
Holiday Goodies
For the holidays they will have special teas beginning
the Saturday after
Thanksgiving and every Saturday in December: reservation-only
seatings at 11 AM and 2:30 PM, and a candlelight tea on
December 14 at 6:30 PM. Call 410-838-8611. Erin and Janet
already have a loyal set of regulars, so make reservations
early.
You'll
want to do some gift shopping there, too. One favorite
of mine: note cards in boxes that look like different
Victorian shops. The milliner's has hatshaped note cards,
the shoe shop has high-button shoe-shaped cards, and so
on. They carry Mary Engelbreit items, as well as holiday
tea towels that make perfect hostess gifts this time of
year.
 A
svelte little tree displays small teacup-and-saucer ornaments
for your tree. And there are scone mixes to bake at home,
tea cookies, and of course, you can buy any tea on the
menu that they make from loose tea.
And
if all this doesn't tempt you to visit Tea by Two, how
about the Tea Guarantee: if you don't like the tea that
you're served, they'll gladly bring you a fresh pot of
any other flavor that you'd like to try. And if that doesn't
whet your appetite, I can only say - good: more for me!
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