A difference between ‘high tea’ and ‘low tea’ does exist; it’s a matter of what you serve and when. [You can read about the subtleties here or here.]
However, if your guests aren’t posh, high-maintenance or British, perhaps you won’t need to worry about these details. Perhaps your guests will be impressed with the mere idea of drinking tea.
In either case, hosting an apolitical tea party can be intimidating. To lessen the stress, here are twelve simple essentials:
Bruges is the unofficial tourist capital of Belgium, and rightly so. Like Amsterdam, Bruges has a rich history and a remarkable canal system, which means that nearly every street includes a bridge, a landmark, and a water-front view.
However, Bruges is much smaller than Amsterdam, and tourists can usually ‘conquer’ it in a day.
The following fourteen photos give an idea of what Bruggian tourists might encounter during that day:
1. The busy train station and its impressive board of glowing departure times.
Coasters, like pillows, don’t need to be ugly or boring just because they’re practical. Making coasters can be a great upcycling project or a simple way to express your creativity and general brilliance.
For examples of interesting coasters, check out these sixteen unique coaster designs found on Etsy:
1. Burlap coasters with customized lettering
- depending on your mood, you can either keep or omit particular letters.
Toast is a simple food, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s boring. In fact, crunchy bread is surprisingly versatile, both as a snack and as a source of creative inspiration.
There are, of course, many ways to eat toast. This list of seventeen is only the beginning…
1. With guacamole, garlic, and salsa verde (see recipe)
- and after-dinner mints, hopefully.
If you didn’t think becoming emotionally attached to a balloon were possible, just watch Le Balloon Rouge. If you don’t love red balloons after the short film, you’ll at least appreciate the color red. (And maybe balloons, too.)
In any case, red balloons are a great addition to nearly any artwork. They’ll make even serious photos seem a bit whimsical and jolly. Just check out the following thirteen pictures of people and balloons to get the photographic feel of Le Balloon Rouge:
Boring clocks exaggerate the worst parts of days. You look at the time and think, ‘Man, even the clock is dull.’
Thus: to improve your day, improve your clock.
For creative ideas, check out these fourteen awesome clocks:
1. For math nerds
- or anyone who would like to seem like a math nerd.
Tofu is more versatile than stir-fry makes it out to be. Its nearly flavorless taste makes it both boring and perfect for almost everything, from desserts and smoothies to sandwiches and snack foods.
Instead of heading for the wok pan, consider using one of these recipes next time you see tofu:
The internet has plenty of advice for people who want to begin a running routine (e.g. this website).
But the best advice is still: just do it.
Chocolate, stuffed animals and flower bouquets are the standard gifts for Valentine’s Day.
However, that doesn’t mean they’re the best.
For a little variation, try one (or several) of the following:
1. A statue, like a heart factory.
The basics of cheese etiquette are adequately explained by numerous food and cheese websites. (See this one, two and three.)
After following every straightforward cheese-serving instruction, however, you may still feel as if your cheese platters are lacking something.
For additional flair or amusement, try one of the following suggestions:
1. Purposefully break etiquette by using only one knife.
It will force all participants to taste the green cheese, even if they were hoping not to.
