Goodbye Navy Tea Party! It's time for Tea!!

 

My time in the Navy has officially wrapped up. I finished my enlistment (7 years total) on Monday, 11 June 2018. The weekend before my last day I met up with some wonderful friends to celebrate my new chapter. We went to Tea, at our local tea room, Stillwaterhouse Team room in Suffolk, Virginia. It was amazing to say the least. I also hired a local friend of mine from Raw Vision photography to capture the party. For many reasons the photos were extremely necessary. I am a huge fan of candid shots, real life photography. I feel the photos show you true feelings from the moments. Seeing as my friends are funny and positive people, I felt confident that we would get some great shots!

On another note, it was very disappointing to only find photos of older black women at "Church" tea parties and styled rich white women at luxurious tea parties on Pinterest. I don't know about you, but I love tea parties and do not fit into those categories. (No shade to rich white women or older black church ladies...you are all fly in your own way. It just sucks that I could not find any in between photos for inspiration for my party. So, I felt there needed to be a filler for that gap, and who better to do it than a thirty year old mixed middle class veteran, with a distinctive taste for herbal teas. lol.)

Our tea party began with photos outside of the tea room. When we finally entered the tea house Diane, owner of the Stillwater Tea room, invited us inside and took us upstairs to one of the larger gathering rooms.

Each room was decorated so intricately, vintage and sooooo girly. I loved the soft pastel hues and florals that were everywhere. I also loved the "Tea inspired décor."

Once we got upstairs, Diane came upstairs and went over the menu with us. She then began serving us with a yummy Herbal peach tea (my favorite). 

Next, she presented us with a soup to start (I believe it was lobster bisque).

Next she brought the table sandwiches (pimento and chicken salad) and finally she brought the pastries (petit fours and lemon bars).

The soup was amazing. Like...really good. She also gave us a few pieces of fruit to start as well (watermelon and grapes). The chicken salad sandwich was delish and the petit fours were up to my standard (baker, from a baking family with a harsh outlook on others baking). My friend Tisha, who never eats cake, only really eats my cake. But man, she loved the petit fours so much, we had to split the last one our friend Bethany graciously gave us. I could have drank the tea and ate the little cakes alllllll day. After the Tea party, we spent a few minutes saying goodbyes, taking last photos, signing my ceramic plate that belongs to my mother (but may have belonged to my grandmother according to her) and laughing as we shared interesting stories of where life is heading and where we have been.

I had a great time in the Navy and I have grown tremendously since joining. I thank God for the experiences being in the Navy has taught me. I feel beyond confident in my choice to return to the civilian side to finish my degrees, all the while remaining hopeful that I may return one day. But if not, and God has other plans, I will say yes, smile, apply my lipstick, and hold my head high knowing that whatever I face, wonderful things are waiting.

Also, check out Raw vision photography! I couldn't be happier with the results. They sat through our girl talk and captured every moment without judgement. Overjoyed with our experience!