Country Zest & Style Winter 2022 Edition

Page 31

Keeping Traditions Alive to a Tea

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Greer’s Antiques GREER’S ANTIQUE CONSERVATION Quality you can trust n

By Linda Roberts

s a child, Allison Ritter enjoyed serving tea to her dolls using pieces from the lovely china tea sets her mother collected. As an adult, Ritter is still serving tea, but these days, she’s pouring it for adults and sometimes to children accompanying their mothers, in her classic tea room on Main Street in downtown Berryville. The Tea Cart transports guests to Britain to enjoy a leisurely two hours over lunch or afternoon tea with the opportunity to savor scones, delicate sandwiches and special desserts while, of course, sipping a favorite cup of tea. Photos by Linda Roberts Visitors have the option to select from a wide Teapots of every imaginable variety of loose-leaf teas, served in a delicate style at The Tea Cart. teapot and poured into an exquisite china cup. “We try to create an experience here,” Ritter said with a smile, adding, “This is what sets us apart.” Obviously Ritter’s vision is hitting the mark. Some visitors are driving to Berryville from as far away as Richmond and Pennsylvania to drink in the atmosphere at The Tea Cart while enjoying a traditional British menu of select teas and delicious tidbits prepared Allison Ritter pauses for a snapshot by chef Jennifer Brewer. with the Queen at The Tea Cart. Reservations are recommended because The Tea Cart often is booking six weeks in advance for weekends and serving 250 to 300 guests per week Wednesday through Sunday. Weekends are particularly busy with special occasion events, such as birthday gatherings and bridal parties. Once a publicist for food brands and restaurants, Ritter moved from Los Angeles with her husband and two young boys to join forces with her mother, Sue Whitbeck of Berryville. Together the mother-daughter duo is tackling the tea room business with great success. Although leaving a successful career was difficult, Ritter hasn’t looked back and has found herself promoting what she intended to create—“a relaxing, leisurely and elegant experience. The guest experience begins when greeted at the front door and invited to select a hat from a stand holding fanciful bonnets of many colors, shapes and sizes. After all, a proper tea party is not complete unless guests don a hat for the occasion. At that point, you and your party are ushered to an elegantly appointed table where lovely china plates, teapots, cups and saucers and linen napkins await. At the conclusion of their experience, guests have the option to purchase the often vintage or perhaps contemporary place settings, including the teapot, should they wish to savor a moment and reflect on their outing at The Tea Cart at their own home. The Tea Cart’s staff goes through what the guest should expect at each setting, an experience that Ritter calls “an absolute ritual. “It is such an escape,” she said. “You are transported into another country’s ritual and try foods and perhaps teas that you hadn’t sampled before.” A highlight of the visit is always a photo opportunity with a life-size figure of Queen Elizabeth that can be moved around the room. “It’s important to keep up these traditions,” Ritter said. “I am so grateful to continue providing this experience. It’s at the forefront of my contribution (to society).” The Tea Cart is located at 16 W. Main Street in downtown Berryville. For additional information and to make reservations visit www.theteacartva.com.

Join us for our 2nd Annual

Holiday Open House www.greersconservation.com

November 8 & 9, 2014 37627 Allder School Road 10am-4pm

Purcellville, VA 20132 540.338.6607 www.greersconservation.com greersant@gmail.com

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Open Monday - Friday 9-4 & Weekends by Appointment Museum Level Conservation and Custom Furniture for 44 years

37627 Allder School Road Purcellville, VA 20132 540.338.6607 greersant@aol.com Regular hours are by appointment only

Country ZEST & Style | Winter 2022

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A Letter From Paris: The Wedding Rehearsal From Hell

5min
page 66

PROPERTY Writes - Willwyn Farm: History and Horse Heaven

3min
pages 64-65

At Wakefield, a Scholarship Made All the Difference

3min
page 63

Middleburg Mayor Off to a Great Start

3min
page 62

TIRTHAS-The Thin Places Where Earthly and Divine Meet

2min
pages 60-61

Two Brave Men Honored as Civil Rights Stalwarts

4min
pages 58-59

Tremelo: A New Bar With a Musical Touch

3min
page 56

Hardly the Retiring Type Advocating for Children

4min
page 54

PATH Foundation Paves the Way

3min
page 53

At Cupcakes and Lace, It’s Sew Perfect

3min
page 52

The Potter’s House Making a Comeback

3min
page 51

A FIELD TRIP FOR THE BIRDS

3min
page 50

Profiles in1962 Courage: Integrating Loudoun’s Public Schools

7min
pages 48-49

Vineyard VIEW: Tasting the Wide World of Wine in Leesburg

3min
page 47

Foxcroft Student Just Keeps Zooming Along

3min
page 46

It’s Home Sweet Home for Miss “Issy”

3min
page 44

Country Zest & Style Winter 2022 Edition

3min
page 43

A Field of Dreams for Bernadette Boland

3min
page 42

Montana and Middleburg: A Perfect Fit

4min
page 41

At Home in the Countryside

3min
page 39

It’s Sophie’s Choice toHelp Save the Land

3min
page 38

It’s Family, It’s Horses, It’s Home

3min
page 37

NOBODY HERE BUT US CHICKENS

2min
pages 34-35

New Technology: BRINGS BLACK HISTORY TO LIFE

5min
page 32

Keeping Traditions Alive to a Tea

3min
page 31

A Music Man with the Touch of an Artist

3min
page 30

STUDIO LUXE: A Welcoming Boutique for One and All

4min
page 29

At Hill, It’s The Path

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page 28

MODERN FINANCE - Electric Vehicles: Driving Toward the Future

2min
page 27

Leesburg’s Glenfiddich House Has Some History

3min
page 26

CARRY ME BACK: Hold Your Horses, It’s All Mush for the Dogs

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page 25

Land Trust of Virginia Had a Very Good Year

3min
page 24

Moonstruck Geologist Played a Vital Role at NASA

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page 23

Physical Therapist Mary Wilson Making a Wheel Difference

3min
page 22

CELEBRATIONS

1min
page 20

For the Bowersock Family, A Final Chapter

6min
page 18

A Vintage Shop Blends Wine, Art and Antiques

3min
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Bluewater Market Has Survived and Thrived

3min
page 16

Cup of COFFEE: A New Year, a New Approach

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page 14

The Ice Was Nice and Thick in the Mid-1800s

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page 12

Crafted With Old World Care

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Young Musicians Will Take Center Stage

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page 6

of NOTE - IT’S FABULOUS FEBRUARY

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For Chef Pete, Cruising to a Delicious Destination

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Straight Shooter Teresa Condon Right on Target

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