Tea room 16 welcome to Shangri-la

[UniS]

Shangri-la = a hidden valley with beautiful views and crystal streams of course, and some inter-far eastern type of chalet things set around a Serene Courtyard with ever-blooming Japanese cherry trees, lots of refreshing fragrant teas, silk cushions, tinkling tiny waterfalls and bonsai trees, Gardens of Tranquillity etc.

Home to teh 16th Tea room, a haven for those with one or more or less children who like cake, tea, talking nonsense and oggling Mellors ( our handyman/ butler). If its your first vist, pull up a cushion .Mind out for the guinea pigs and other pets and do take care not to squash the teeny tiny naked mowhawk babies ( nmbs
, no longer naked and now toilet trained you will glad to hear)as they go about their duties helping Mellors.

Confused... come on, jump in and have a hot chocolate.

No problem. You really don't want to be there this week as 5000 physicists descend on the city.
Any central restaurants you can recommend ?

Barberofseville - we don't make a lot of sense a lot of the time, but pull up a comfy chair, grab a glass of something cold and bubbly, and tell us about yourself

Wonder what I've forgotten to chuck at suitcase pack. Have bought some Fitflop a likes to see if they make my feet feel better in the evenings. Am ever hopeful, as what they really need is Mellors to come with me and rub them gently with aromatic oils

Please pack very lightweight/loose clothing!!! It was well over 100 degrees there last week. Records were melting left, right and center! And it's much more humid than the UK as well. Drink LOADS of water while you're there.

Will have a think about restaurants. Go to the Italian Market for lunch things if you can. Very yummy!

Will you get a chance to sight-see?

Sorry, BarberofSeville, I didn't mean to ignore you. What brings you here? Are you an opera diva?

We do quite often manage to have a sensible conversation here but it's approaching the end of term and Scout and I have been swapping Guide/Brownie notes.

And BoS, I'm American (living in the UK, so CMOT and I have been discussing the merits of my hometown -- FOOD!!! (Yummy!)

Have packed for heat, but is always hard to be v formal too. No sightseeing or lunch for that matter - is basically a case of hotel or convention centre the whole time, and rarely get any breaks. Last year this meeting was in Anaheim, and I did sneak off on the setup day to meet Jacksmama who happened to be on holiday there too
Am v disapppointed to find on a search that there is no PF Changs - I'm gluten free, so I like it there, and is always a popular choice with the rest of the team

Oh. for you -- Philly is lovely, even though July is hotter than h*ll there. And since you're gluten free, I'd steer clear of the cheesesteak. They are fabulous!

evening all.
Hi BoSeville , welcome to the tea room, it grows on you. If you like chattering drivel some of the time and fantasy some of teh time and cooking, families, and other animals teh rest of teh time. Oh, and if you can cope with my persitant mis splelling of some aledgedly simple words.

Smores- just like teh lady said. I grew up British, so I do teh Brit version. and 9 times out of 10 had eaten the biscuit and chocolate before my marshmallow was toasted. One of our great camp "treats" back in teh early 80s was "witches brew" , lemonade , apple juice and food colouring... we thought we were VERY grown up. one year I suspect the rangers substituted cider for apple juice. I was very sick.
Also chocolate baked banana.

Chese steak? dare I ask, or should I just google...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheez_Whiz

oh dear , I shouldn't have googled. It that stuff allowed to be sold for human consumption. It looks slightly worse than cheese strings .

Chocolate banana? Not Banana Boats? Banana, still in it's skin, wrapped in aluminum foil with a slice lengthwise through it, stuffed with chocolate and marshmallows, toasted in the embers of a dying fire. Yumyumyum!

YUMMY Cheesesteak I never said it was good for you, but boy is it yummy!!! As for cheese whiz, it's not cheese, it's processed cheese food spread. (Former private label grocery geek, so know way too much about US food labelling regulations!)

I once made tacos for my Juniors for dinner at camp. One little girl took a bite and started waving her hands in front of her face exclaiming "My mouth's had a surprise!" Apparently it was too hot (temperature) and just a tad spicier than she anticipated. LOL My first camping trip as a Cadette (I was 12) I had the pleasure misfortune of being told why this one big girl (16/17) was a vegetarian while tucking into my Campers' Stew. I just looked at her and said "Do you mind, I'm trying to eat my dinner and I'm very hungry." I wasn't normally so bold, especially at that age, but it was soooo yummy!

Oh dear, between the talk of cheeseteaks, the Italian Market and camp food, I'm SOOO hungry now!!! And I have nothing even remotely appealing in the house....

Really Scout? Nothing appealing in the house? Not even MrScout?

'Allo, Tea! That's very interesting article. Which side of the Channel are you on tonight?

Ahh, Small, MrScout is always appealing. However, unless he's bearing something yummy from the States or campfire cooking he can stay well clear of me! LOL Though that said, MrScout knows his way around a campfire and outdoor cooking (useless with in-the-house cooking, though).

Very interesting read, I agree!

Barberofseville - I also have no idea what is going on 99percent of the time but I like it here and like to think you will too! Please do stick around!

I find that if you nod and smile for long enough you suddenly realise that you are having fun and then without realising it you are asking the tealadies for advice on really important things in life like how to make the perfect smores [I have no idea what a smore is emotion]!!!

s'mores

G'night Tea Ladies. I'm off to dream of the perfect cheesesteak and campfire s'more.

Goodnight! I'm going to bed with John Updike!

Hi small and scout I am on this side of the Channel tonight...

fr.news.yahoo.com/3/20100714/img/pwl-france-bastille-day-9c5-1dd616870725.html

Scout I only recently clicked that you are of the American type... how long have you been in Blighty for?

Mary - GREAT r.e meet up - let's do it!

hi peops
Racing, how is Wriggle's head? That seems most important ongoing thing, save that I am going to have to brush up my "dib dib dibs and dob dob dobs" to stay abreast of hte convo soon!

Am thinking of my £6.39 parcel - do we have to do all eat, read, drink, laugh in one parcel? Heck

pass the bolly Small!!

Morning all!
BarberofSeville, welcome! It is perfectly normal not to understand anything on this thread. The certainties are these: really nice people, virtual tea/coffee/more exciting drinks/cake. Place to just chill out/say how life is. Join in anywhere and anyhow . Would love to hear about you.

Oxeye, you are not a man! Well, not unless you really are a builder/trucker called Dave! Have a coffee!

tea, yes, I am, ahem, American. Also British now, too, thanks to thousands of pounds spent on various visas, tests and citizenship ceremony. Having an English DH meant I could apply in three years instead of five. I have lived here permanently five years next month, but my first trip to England was seven years ago this month. I seem to have been pregnant with BabyScout when I had my citizenship ceremony (only I didn't realize it) so I did have my two most important boys there.

Parcels will be fun.

Not sure I'm looking forward to today. No reason particularly, just not.

x-posts -- Morning amber!

If you were a very stupid person who, for example, is 99.999% that their car is insured becuase they got an automated e-mail saying that the insurance would be extended unless they objected, but can't find the paperwork or the e-mail and can't remember the name of the company because you picked it from a list on a comparison website, is there any way you could find out if said car is insured and if so, with whom? Failing that, is it legal to insure the same vehicle twice?

D'oh! Hoping you weren't in an accident, RS! Can you check your bank statements for automatic payment to said insurance company?