==========
GREETINGS (top of page)
========== Once again Thanksgiving will soon be upon us. I can never find enough words to express how grateful I am for the many good and challenging events that the year has brought my family and I. Perhaps it's knowing that there is always a lesson to be learned out of every experience that we go through. So, for example, when I complain about chores around the house, at least I have a home to take care of. That is just one of many that I am grateful for. This month we're featuring Kathryn's Tea Room Floral & Gift & The Good News Shoppe located in Indianola, IA. It was truly a delight to interview Kathryn and her father, Mark, who not only were welcoming but I had never felt so comfortable and relaxed as in their tea room! I hope that you enjoy this issue. Please note our latest tea room listed on the website. It is called Lynn's Country Tea Place located in Waverly, IA. Also located within the store is a small antique store called Two Hens and A Rooster. I have not personally been there yet but I understand from Lynn that her tea place is in a remodeled chicken house on her farm. Sorry to disappoint all you faithful readers, but this will be the last issue for the year. Don't forget to join me here again in the New Year. Do keep checking back because our website does get updated periodically. So until then, I wish all you readers a very happy and safe Thanksgiving, as well as a very Merry Christmas and New Year 2004! Have a bountiful Thanksgiving!
Warm wishes,
Annette
TeaRoomsOnLine.com
P/S Don't forget to mark your calendar, January is National Hot Tea Month.
|
=========================================== KATHRYN'S TEA ROOM & THE GOOD NEWS SHOPPE (top of page)
=========================================== I've often asked myself what are my expectations when I visit a tea room. It depends, of course, why I would visit a tea room. Sometimes it's to have lunch or interview the owners or to simply just lose myself in the browsing, which happens often to me. So for me, the welcome, comfort and ease when I enter a tea room are the primary things that affect my expectations. Although, one may argue that the ambiance and surroundings plays a significant role, my feelings are that those are simply secondary. Sometimes I simply just like to browse, and then some and to be offered that opportunity or being welcomed to do so at my own pace, certainly helps. Sometimes, I'd like to just sit and drink tea, and I'd like to able to do so without the feeling that my table is needed for the next seating. From some of my readings, the whole idea of how tea rooms or tea places came about was because women, primarily, wanted a place to be able to do so. (See Tea at the Blue Lantern Inn: A Social History of the Tea Room Craze in America or even books that describe such tea rooms like the Laura Childs Tea Shop Mysteries). I remembered a quote I heard once, "To be the best servant, one must be able to anticipate the needs of his/her master". Keyword being "anticipate" and granted that this quote came from someone in service, I feel you can pretty much use that as a baseline for everything else. Tea rooms, I believe, are no different. They are in service to their customers and potentially, through word of mouth, they are either rewarded for that service or they are not. For the service that I provide, one tool that I have at this website is the feedback and the message board. And likewise for the tea rooms, it is the same when owners make time to visit with their customers and care enough to get their feedback. Kathryn Wright's tea room is no exception. Today, her tea room has evolved from what she has gleaned from her customers and various other sources including her family. The welcome ambiance of her tea room leads one to comfort and ease just by being in her tea room. Blend in some good food and a hot pot of tea, it just makes it a relaxing place to sit and chat and be with friends. Kathryn really had no idea that she would be running a tea room. After 14 years of running a daycare from her home, her thoughts were far from another business. Kathryn was diagnosed with cancer a couple of years ago and it couldn't have been the farthest thing from her min d. Today, as I speak to her, she counts her blessings having recently completed her chemotherapy. As time passed, she toyed with the idea of opening a tea room. With the encouragement of her father and family, and some ladies in the local community who spoke of wanting such a place where they could come and relax while enjoying tea, Kathryn decided to investigate it further. While on a trip to England to visit some family members, she took the opportunity to research some tea rooms. Upon her return, she decided to give the tea room idea a shot and it became a reality. Running the business together with her father, Mark Marquis, the last 18 months has simply flown by. Mark had previously, owned and ran a Christian bookstore and consignment store in the same location, in the ten years prior to the tea room. That is why it is named Kathryn's Tea Room Floral & Gift & the Good News Shoppe. The majority of the cooking is done by Kathryn, along with the help of her son, who does the baking. She loves to experiment with the menu (in a good way!), and she always tries to get feedback from customers. She also employs two other full-time help to serve in the tea room. When she gets a chance to take a break from the kitchen, she enjoys making a point of visiting with her customers. Her father, Mark, usually mans the gift shop, although I believe he secretly harbors a desire to entertain the customers if he's given the opportunity! While I was interviewing Kathryn, Mark joked that he did so. "Well, he would like to," said Kathryn, "but we just don't let him," she added. So perhaps there may still be an opportunity there, Mark. Outside from running the tea room, Kathryn also caters for weddings, church events, birthdays etc. She also does floral arrangements, and coming soon in February, she will add a Floral room along with an Inspirational room in the back of the tea room. Recurring events at the tea room are every 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month. Kathryn's Tea Room serves High Tea with a Fashion Show along with sometimes either a violinist or a harpist accompanying the show. They are mainly local talents from Indianola. The High Tea is served at 12:30 pm and can last up to 2:30 pm. This is by reservations only. However, she has informed me that there will be no High Teas served during the months of December 2003 and January 2004.  The tea room has its daily specials, so I encourage you to call ahead. Upon request at reservation time, she can prepare homemade scones with clotted cream and jam, if you so desire. However, she currently does have her Fall/Winter menu as well that will run through to February 2004. You can view this at the website. Desserts are homemade and menus are named after family members. Get this, one of them is called Mark's "Confusion" Cake! You guessed it. Named after her dad, this cake consists of seven (yes, 7) different types of chocolate! She also serves homemade caramel apple pie with pecans, Alan's Devilish Delight and cheesecake etc. The tea room also serves fresh brewed leaf teas (what I love!) and also different flavored chai.
 The gift shop carries the April Cornell clothing line, Red Hat Society's gifts (of course), handbags (I was tempted!), hats, jewelry (even more temptation), bone china products from Norway, Russia, England, various scone mixes, dessert toppings, teas, Christian books and music and much more. The business hours are Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm and Saturday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Closed on Sunday. The tea room can easily seat up to 36 people, and on a really busy day, even up to 72.
Kathryn's Tea Room Floral & Gifts & The Good News Shoppe is located on the south side of beautiful Indianola's town square at 119 West Salem, Indianola, IA 50125. Their telephone number is 515.961.6385. It's a good 30 minute drive south of Des Moines on Hwy 65/69. For more information on the tearoom, please check into our website at www.tearoomsonline.com. |
