Tea was served on bone china the same eau de nil colour of the exterior paintwork, and it involved beautiful sandwiches, crusts off naturally, scones with clotted cream and jam, biscuits, slices of delicious cakes and copious amounts of tea. We got very giggly trying to get the sugar lumps out of the sugar bowl with the silver tongs and I hashed up by forgetting to use the tea strainer (clearly lack of breeding!).
She was bowled over when the pianist (on a grand in the corner), struck up happy birthday and the other diners gave her a polite round of applause. When the waiter, with great solemnity, brought her a cupcake with a lit candle in it, and her smile was from ear-to-ear!
Earlier that day, I had popped in on my sister at work - at a jewellery shop in Burlington Arcade, which is also in Piccadilly,
which is full of amazingly smart shops mainly selling jewellery, leather goods and watches. Great for window shopping, but I get scared by shops which you have to press a bell to enter! Piccadilly Arcade opposite is even more handsome and kits out the grandiose gents of W.1.
However, one of my favourite coffee shops in London is just at the entrance of Burlington Arcade. It sells wonderful coffee and the most sublime macaroons on God's earth. I just cannot describe how much they differ from normal mass-produced ones - they are soft but slightly chewy with fillings made from intense fruit purees or creamy ganaches,
I bought a box to take home,
They were not
easy
to share.
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