Lazy days of summer

How can it be August already?!?

Source: American Greetings

We're in the midst of another heat wave which got me feeling lazy.

Of course, I continue to drink hot tea in this hot weather...

...while green tea ice cream helps me beat the heat!

My mom found the matcha green tea mini Kit Kat bars at an Asian store. The chocolate bar's slight bitter taste blends well with the sweet ice cream.

 Have you tried any of Kit Kat's interesting flavours?

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden

A French Tea Time

Last weekend, I visited Caniche Bakery, a French-inspired bakery located in Ancaster, Ontario.

Patio tables are available outside...

...or you can enjoy the rustic farmhouse ambience inside.

Caniche offers a variety of sweet pastries. 

When in a French bakery, you order a yummy chocolate croissant!

I've seen Kusmi Teas at specialty stores, but this was the first time I've ever tried the pricey French tea. I enjoyed a delicious cup of the St. Petersburg tea:

"Created for the 300-year celebration of the city of St Petersburg, where Kusmi Tea’s history began in 1867, St Petersburg is a delicious mixture of Earl Grey, caramel, and red fruits with a hint of vanilla." (Description courtesy of Kusmi Tea)

I hope to try the other Kusmi Tea blends one day!

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden

I like big cups and I cannot lie!

I've always liked jumbo teacup planters and always keep an eye out for them at summer clearance sales.

I was thrilled to find this oversized teacup planter with a black chalkboard at Giant Tiger. There were 3 colours available (red, green and turquoise) and I got the last turquoise one!

The sign on the shelf said it was on sale for $12 (regular price: $20), but when the cashier scanned the barcode, it rang up as only $8!

I also purchased this teacup planter with a pretty floral design.

The scanned price was also only $8!

 

These teacup planters were purchased from Michaels years ago. This photo was taken in 2017. One year later and only the plant on the far right is still alive.

This polkadot purple teacup planter was from a garage sale.This photo was taken in 2016 and the African violets are still going strong despite my less than green thumb!

I was too lazy to take a new photo of the brown teacup planter so I'm reusing this fall photo.

So that's my teacup planter collection!

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden

Tropical Tea & Travelogue

Last week, we had a Tropical Tea & Travelogue social at the office. One of my colleagues shared photos from her Hawaii trip.

I brought in "Haven of Ananas" black tea by For Tea's Sake.

I love the pretty tin!

The black tea smelled amazing and was a delicious blend of mango, strawberry and pineapple.

The colleague who did the slide show also brought in this yummy pineapple upside down cake. We enjoyed it so much that only half the cake got captured on camera!

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden

Somewhere over the rainbow

This week, I'm sharing a vintage teacup that I "rescued" at a church sale last spring.

 The teacup just screams summer!

The cheery flowers are also inside the teacup.

 The pretty teacup was made by Royal Standard.

 

I recently scored this cute cozy at at thrift store for only $1.50.

I think it may actually be a toaster cover, but I'm using it as a tea cozy!

What's bringing colour to your world these days?

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden

We all scream for ice cream!

Summer is in full swing and I've been keeping myself cool with some tea ice cream!

This 4 oz tub of Henry Brown's small batch ice cream costs $12. And yes, the delicious Hong Kong Milk Tea--black tea sweetened with condensed milk--ice cream is worth that price tag!

This is what happens when you have a photo shoot during 40C weather. The rich green tea ice cream by Marble Slab Creamery is one of my faves.  The 1L tubs cost $12.49.

Another tasty and more economical option: Green tea ice cream by Hines is only $4.99/1L tub and can be found at the T & T (Asian) supermarket.

It was a pleasant surprise to find these Irresistible (HA!) mini green tea ice cream bars at my local grocery store (Metro). A box of 6 bars were on sale for only $4.99.

What's your favourite ice cream flavour?

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden

The Duchess Tea Room

Last weekend, I visited The Duchess Tea Room, a new Victorian-themed tea room operated by a mother and daughter with a British background.

The vintage furniture lover in me swooned at this quaint set-up.

 I love it when tea rooms use pretty china!

My table setting.

My friend had decaffeinated orange pekoe (top) while I enjoyed a refreshing lemon ginger herbal tea (bottom).

Our delicious tea for two was so filling that we couldn't finish the sweets and brought them home.

It was an enjoyable British tea room experience and I would definitely visit The Duchess Tea Room again!

I'm joining the following parties this week:

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Tea in the Garden