Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Official Bourgie Saturday #2 - High Tea in Annapolis

High Tea at Reynolds Tavern, Annapolis


For our second Official Bourgie Saturday, The Bourgie Saturday Team headed out to Annapolis, Maryland for a high tea. 




From BourgiepediaHigh tea: High tea is typically served in the late afternoon - typically around 4 p.m. Often served are savories (small sandwiches), scones (yum), and pastries. Read about the history of the afternoon tea and the Duchess of Bedford here. 

Location, Location, Location


Reynolds Tavern is a delightful bed and breakfast/tea house/gift shop/pub located in Church Circle in beautiful Historic Downtown Annapolis. When you walk into the historic building, you are greeted by a delightful staff, and feel that you're in a different time period. The dining room is located to the left, and the hallway is filled English antiques and photographs. 


The dining room is beautiful! It is very cozy, which means it is not ideal for large parties or groups with small children. It is a truly intimate setting, which is great for tea. 


Tea


Miss CeeCee had the prettiest tea at the table. She ordered a pot of blooming tea, which really came to life at our table. It was almost too pretty to drink! (It was also delicious.) Everyone else's teas paled in comparison to this lovely blooming tea. (Read more about blooming teas here)


Normally, when visiting a tea house, one would order... well, tea. Having visited Reynolds Tavern before, I had taken advantage of their Afternoon Tea Selections; however, we were HUNGRY!


Eats


For an appetizer, Miss CeeCee ordered the crab dip, which she kindly shared with the table. If you're ever in Maryland - especially Annapolis - you must try crabs! Nobody does crabs the way we do crabs in Maryland, and Annapolis is the Mecca of Crab. The crab dip was delicious, and at $9 was a good amount of food for the price. 


The best appetizer at Reynolds Tavern has to be their cream of crab soup. Order a bowl because a cup just won't be enough of this delicious soup! Sometimes the server will offer it, and sometimes you have have to ask, but make sure you get a splash of sherry in soup. It definitely brings out all of the flavors of the soup, and adds an extra dose of bourgie to your meal. 


Side note: Sometimes I pick up some of their soup during my lunch breaks in the winter. It is so warm and delicious, and helps take your mind away from your work day for just a few minutes. 
Those who like sweet appetizers will love their sweet potato fries. They are a very generous serving, and are very sweet. Share these with a group of friends when you come and have your first Bourgie Saturday.


For our meals, three of us ordered the jumbo lump crab cake. Crab cakes can be hit or miss: some places make heavily breaded crab cakes which should really just be called jumbo cakes since they're missing lumps of crab, while other places mostly season the crab meat and form it into a cake (the proper way). Reynolds Tavern definitely knows how to make a jumbo lump crab cake. I ordered spinach and mashed garlic red potatoes to accompany my crab cake. Perfection! The spinach wasn't too salty, and the potatoes really complemented the crab cake. 


Triston wasn't too fond of the turkey reuben, but I can't exactly explain why. If I ever find out, I'll edit this post. (It has become a Bourgie Saturday tradition for Miss CeeCee, Jean, and I to love our meals, and for Triston to hate his. He's always the anomaly!) 


Bourgie Fashion


We really bourgie'd it up for RT. We looked chic and bourgie - but never flashy!



  • Alexis was representing Ann Taylor with one of their black virgin wool sheath dresses,  a light pink blazer, and added a leopard scarf for the drive in. Every bourgie lady should own a sheath dress!
  • Miss CeeCee added a twist to a modern tea outfit by wearing a soft peach cardigan over a white colored shirt, and khaki-colored pants instead of a skirt (it was cold!). 
  • Jean went with the H&M/Top Shop/Urban Outfitters trifecta for this Official Bourgie Saturday outing. Pair a blazer with a skirt/shirt combo and you've got a chic, bourgie look for all seasons.
  • Triston - Every self-respecting bourgie man needs an argyle sweater in his arsenal. Throw an argyle sweater over a white collared shirt, and you have instantly gone bourgie! 



Get Your Bourgie Up


Craving tea after reading this article? If you want to try some interesting teas, head to your local Teavana. You can buy all kinds of tea accessories in their stores, sample teas mixed by the staff, or even order iced tea to go. Think of them as the Starbucks of Tea. (Their prices are similar as well.)

Monday, August 8, 2011

What Does it Mean to be Bourgie?

Bourgie 


"Stemming from the French word bourgeoisie. Pronounced 'boo-zhee.' 

Someone who is class-conscious, with educated and discerning tastes, and interested in enjoying the finer things in life. It is definitely not high-class, aristoratic, snooty, or snobbish. “Bourgie” is as much an idea, and a state of mind, as it is an attitude towards enjoying good food, good friends, and good conversation, everyday. It evokes a mood of simple elegance, casual yet sophisticated—modern."


from Daily Mail
Some people use the term "bourgie" when they are calling someone a snob. It is true that this is one definition of bourgie, but for the purposes of this blog and Bourgie Saturday, it is quite the contrary. Our brand of bourgie pertains to enjoying the world and all of the beautiful things it has to offer. If enjoying a high tea with scones is snobby, then slap me and call me Victoria Beckham. If you, like us, consider it to be delicious -- and possibly best with lemon curd -- then you've come to the right place! This blog is best viewed with an impeccable sense of humor and an open mind. 

Enjoy!

The Bourgie Saturday Team

Welcome to Bourgie Saturday!