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Showing posts with label Empress Hotel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Empress Hotel. Show all posts

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Sarah Palin...at rally in leathers! Republican make-over magic...



When I casually mentioned in a post on Justin Bieber's appearance on the Dave Letterman Show, that his fashion statement would trigger wardrobe sales at retail outlets around the country the next day, I didn't expect Sarah Palin to be at the head of the line.

Uh-huh.

With an obvious nod to Justin, Palin turned out at a Republican rally in Arizona (with wrinkly-old white Dude Senator John McCain in tow) sporting a chic leather jacket with all manner of snazzy eye-catching zips and snaps!

Justin Bieber
(Post)


I half-expected the reality-show celebrity to take a cue from Cher.

"Let's hear it for the jacket."

Talk about an about-face!

On the campaign trail last year, Ms. Palin dressed-to-the-nines (at Republican expense) in conservative suits and tasteful wardrobe ensembles that projected a prim-and-proper image voters around the country were inclined to warm up to.

So, what gives with the biker chick look?

After all - on the last occasion I took high "tea" at the Empress Room in Victoria - the well-heeled crowd in attendance there were suitably attired in threads that were decidedly understated and elegant.

Maybe "tea party" afficianados are hankering to transform their image (youth-an-ize it) in a sly bold-faced effort to lure a demographic with a bit of clout (and less snoozing power) at the polling stations.

And, as Columbo would say.

"There's just one more thing."

Sarah, your jacket is "too tight".

I didn't need to be a detective to fathom the obvious up.

The leather folds stretching taut at the seams screamed it out.

Just maybe, Palin scoffed the jacket out of Crystal's closet?

Talk about incestuous!

Sarah, you're an uncooth cougar, alright.



Sarah's "Born Again Christian" look!


Sunday, October 5, 2008

Tea...how to make a great cup! Victoria's Empress Hotel has a tradition...


Americans don't know how to make a good cup of tea!

Maybe it's my English heritage, but when it comes to tea, I want 'em to get it right.

One day last week I popped in to the Farmer's Market to do a bit of shopping.

Afterwards - I was inclined to order up some brew and a snack - and sit back and take a gander at the tourists strolling by.

Sure enough, the young lady behind the counter proceeded to fill up a glass bottle with lukewarm water - at which point - she plunked a teabag on the side of the saucer for me to "dunk" in, I suppose.

Yuck!

To make a good cup of tea, there is a certain protocol to follow, 'ya know?

First - a die-hard Englishman - "hots the pot".

A few jolts of piping hot water are swished around inside the Brown Betty, for instance, to warm up the insides a tad.

Then, the tea bags are slipped into the pot with little more ado.

In the event loose-leaf tea is favored - a tea totaler from the old school - will probably facilitate a hand-tooled perforated ball designed for the occasion.

Now, piping-hot water is poured into the pot, to ensure the full rich flavor is extracted from the blend.

A real fuss budget will undoubtedly crown the pot with a "tea cosy" - perhaps a gayly-colored one hand-knitted by Aunt Gertrude - until the tea has brewed.

The end result?

A delicious cup of English tea!

'Ya know, I am surprised that even Starbucks can't make a tasty cup of tea.

Like others in the cafe business, they just offer up a cup of hot water - and a tea bag (packaged by its lonesome) - to dip sadly into a paper cup.

By the way - for some inexplicable reason - tea tastes much better in a china cup.

Must be psychological, eh?

When you consider the sophisticated manner in which the numero uno coffee-seller has advanced the coffee business in recent years, it makes you wonder why they haven't jumped on the tea caddy!

I just betcha that if they taught their staff how to make a good cup of tea, business would flow in a whole different direction for the Seattle-based giant.

And, I'll take a biscuit with that, please!