Pssst. I have a secret to share.

I’ll be going on an epic 3-week adventure in the UK this fall. I know — I’m so excited! A few years ago we spent a little over a week in London, and after that trip, I yearned to see more of England.

Not much of this upcoming trip is planned beyond spending two nights in Swanage and two nights in Tintagel. Have you been? If so, pretty please reply to this email and send me your recommendations. I’m all ears.

And yes, I’ll be sharing about my journey when I return.

While we were in London, I enjoyed a fancy English tea at the Diamond Jubilee Tea Salon. Wow — what an experience. So this past Valentine’s Day, my husband offered to take me to tea at the Pritchard House. Here are the details…

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Admission:
$40 per person for Afternoon Tea and Tour
(March 14, May 9, June 13, July 11)

Tours are available daily from 9am - 6:00pm
$15 per person

Reservations required. Call 321-607-0203

This gorgeous home was built in the Queen Anne style for the Pritchard family in 1891. It was later purchased by Brevard County and lovingly restored by the North Brevard Heritage Foundation. They offer tours of the house and also host themed Afternoon Teas about once a month during the winter, spring, and summer.

We toured the home last March, and it was lovely to see it again this year — especially all dressed up for Valentine’s Day.

There were about 20 people at the tea, mostly women, but a few men were in attendance as well. We were seated in the parlor with another couple (one of whom is from England — more on that in a minute!) and a table of six women. The rest of the group enjoyed tea in the dining room.

The menu featured three kinds of finger sandwiches, a scone with raspberry jam and whipped cream, a brownie, and a slice of tea cake. They served an endless supply of Earl Grey, of course. The tea lasted about an hour, and then it was time for our tour.

We broke into two groups. Sadly, I can’t share photos of the interior — pictures aren’t allowed inside. Our group was led upstairs to see the bedrooms, an outdoor porch, the original bathroom, and the maid’s quarters. The home was fitted with electricity and some indoor plumbing, which was unusual for its time. Likely because James Pritchard established Titusville’s first electric generating plant in 1890 before selling it to purchase a hardware store in 1898. (The store remained in his family until it closed in 1981.)

Then we headed downstairs to tour the parlor, dining room, and kitchen. The objects inside the home were donated from other local houses but represent the early 1900s. The Pritchard family owned the home until Mary Pritchard Schuster sold it to Brevard County in 2005 for $250,000.

The gardens surrounding the home are very pretty, too. If you visit, allow a little extra time to stroll through them.

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A week after the Afternoon Tea at the Pritchard House, I had the chance to meet my new English friend for a more typical afternoon tea in downtown Melbourne.

As you can imagine, the British don’t have a fancy tea every day — or hardly at all. That’s more of a tourist experience. But they do meet up for a pot of tea and scones. So that’s exactly what we did.

The Tea House offers a selection of homemade finger sandwiches, scones, and macarons, along with a nice variety of teas served by the cup or by the pot. If you prefer specialty drinks, they also offer kombucha (a fermented tea), chai lattes, or even a London Fog — Earl Grey with steamed milk and vanilla syrup.

You can sit at a table or relax on one of their pretty couches or chairs. The atmosphere is casual, and they don’t rush you at all. (We spent a couple of hours talking and getting to know each other.) The owner even brought us samples of their chai latte and chatted about upcoming scone flavors and different teas they’re excited about.

You can go all out with a full afternoon tea for $40 per person. We chose to share a pot of tea and two scones — one with butter and one with jam — for $20.

The Tea House recently moved, so it’s a little tricky to find since the map pins aren’t quite right yet. Follow the pin, then walk down the little alley lined with shops. It’s right next to Whisky Business, a rather cool whisky bar where you can enjoy a wide variety of whiskies and specialty drinks.

One thing I’ve been enjoying about these weekly journeys is revisiting places to gain a deeper understanding of them — and also putting myself out there to make new friends. It can feel a little scary to do that as a grown-up!

I had wanted to visit The Tea House this winter, and this was the perfect opportunity. My new UK friend told me about a steam train that runs from Swanage to Corfe Castle in the UK — and we’re planning to meet up when I’m there. How fun is that?

‘til next week, happy exploring!
Kathleen