Anyone who knows me, is well aware of how much I ADORE Afternoon Tea!  I love tea, different flavors and types and being a foodie, the goodies that are part of an afternoon tea service is always a tasty adventure for me.

Considering that it's not possible to hop over the "pond" to London, anytime me and my gang get an inkling for this British specialty, I took it upon myself to go on an Afternoon tea expedition, right here on Long Island.

The findings were delightfully pleasing and I can assuredly recommend four Afternoon Tea dining experiences that passed the persnickety and discerning expectations of my little trio, and hope you will give them a try when you are in the mood to engage in this English tradition!

"French Flare"
​CHAT NOIR
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
230 Merrick Rd, Rockville Centre, NY * (516) 208-8521
​Reservations Recommended

With light and airy decor, and open white backdrop and quintessential European-styled, ornate moldings, this friendly bistro serves an English tea service in an otherwise French atmosphere.  Musique Française fills the restaurant creating a Parisian ambience that is delightful.

I've eaten here in the past, dining on their delicious salads and scones, but my most recent visit, which included my girls, was exclusively for Chat Noir's tea service.

The tea menu is filled with a variety of black, green, fruit and herbal selections.  It has become a tradition when having afternoon tea, that each of us order a different blend so we can all share.  Blood orange (fruit tea), Cinnamon-Chocolate (black tea) and Green Almond (green tea) were our choices.  While I rarely take milk in my tea, it tasted delicious in the cinnamon chocolate.

Our three-tiered display of goodies included a variety of scones, pastries, namely the cutest swan-shaped cream puffs and an assortment of sandwiches, which included egg salad, cream cheese and cucumber and a scrumptious chicken salad and a variety of scones - chocolate chip, cranberry, and cinnamon.

Our server was polite and accommodating, as was the hostess, who was exceptionally friendly and welcoming!

Tea Service: $22.75 per person
Vegetarian & Vegan Available

"Timeless Elegance"
GARDEN CITY HOTEL
GARDEN CITY
 45 7th St, Garden City, NY * (516) 747-3000​
​Reservations Recommended

Looking for an elegant and formal way to enjoy Afternoon Tea? Then look no further than The Garden City Hotel.  Every Saturday afternoon, beginning at 2pm, The Polo Lounge offers their grand tea service, with an exquisite offering of teas, sweets and savory delicacies.  Three tiers filled with cakes, mini pastries and desserts in all shapes, flavors and presentations are complemented by a variety of finger sandwiches.

My daughters and I felt like we were on a food adventure, tasting and trying each of the perfectly designed and prepared, aesthetic works of pastry art that adorned our display tower!  Savory sandwiches included Minted Cucumber, Roast Turkey with Cranberry Orange Aioli Roasted Pear, Brie and Walnuts.

The rich, dark wood restaurant interior and low-lit accent lighting provides a comfortable and upscale atmosphere, leaving the outside world far away.  The service here is impeccable, with numerous members of the wait staff providing constant attention and accommodating our dietary restriction with great pleasure.  My little group is "mostly" vegetarian and does not eat seafood, which our waiter was sure to have those items replaced for us.

Traditional Tea Service: $45 per person
Vegetarian, Vegan, Glutin-Free, Paleo and Plant-Based Available Upon Request

"Casual Chic"
ROBINSON'S TEA ROOM
STONY BROOK
97 Main St, Stony Brook, NY * (631) 751-1232
Reservations Recommended

In the center of Stony Brook, one of Long Island's most beloved hamlets, is the fanciful and intimate Robinson's Tea House. Casual and very kid-friendly, Robinson's is located in the heart of Stony Brook Village Center, amidst a lovely backdrop of shoppes and outdoor seating.

Relaxed and full of quaint shabby-chic decor, this tea-house is a must-visit for a cheery and informal afternoon of tea and eats.  Most endearing are the numerous teapots, vessels and accents adorning the intimate interior space. 

Our visit to Stony Brook was rather last minute and although I did not have advanced reservations, they were able to fit us in with only a day's advance notice.  The wait staff was quite friendly and personable and even took on the role of photographer, snapping pics of us!

Food-wise, the assortment is terrific!  A choice of scone, clotted cream and raspberry jam along with finger sandwiches filled with egg salad, and cucumber and garden spread were accompanied by seasoned chicken salad phyllo and Spinach & Cheddar Quiche presented beautifully and tasting equally luscious.

Robinson's also offers a special Children's Tea Service, if you are bringing along your little ones to experience this timeless tradition.  Kelsey thought she would give it a try, as the food assortment included her favorites. This colorful and eye appealing offering includes a creative grouping of kid-friendly popular sweets and savories including a choice of scone, choice of peanut butter and jelly, Nutella and Fluff or grilled cheese, chicken nuggets, mini pizzas, fruit skewers and a children's pastry assortment.

Kelsey did manage to steal one of my mini spinach and cheddar quiches, which she devoured!​ The choice of tea was not easy at all, as there are 40 different varieties.  In the end, I went with English Breakfast - a traditional favorite!

British Afternoon Tea Service: $28 Per person
Children's Tea Service: $19 Per child
​Vegetarian Available

"Exceptionally Exquisite"
​SECRET GARDEN TEA CAFE
PORT JEFFERSON
225 Main St, Port Jefferson, NY * (631) 476-8327
​Reservations Recommended

If you are in search of an Afternoon Tea experience that is exquisite in its attention to every last detail, then you must visit Secret Garden Tea Cafe.  Located in the adorable seaside town of Port Jefferson, Secret Garden takes guests into a dreamy, fantasy world with its victorian decor, floral accents and soft, Spring color palette of an outdoor garden!

Established seven years ago by a mom and daughter duo, Katie, the cafe and shoppe manager, and her mom, Carol, the creative genius behind the recipes and cooking, it is one of the finest tea services I have ever had.  

The fantasy begins upon entering the Victorian-themed cafe-shoppe, clad with floral bouquets, lovely adorned tables, and charming china. Guests are escorted to their table and offered the opportunity to visit the hat room where they are welcome to try on and wear a hat of choice during their dining experience, in the tradition of English tea time. Although my girls were not inclined to do so, I gladly partook in finding a hat of my choice!

The overall attention to detail had us smiling with surprise and increased enjoyment as the meal proceeded. From the quaint sugar and creamers, to the floral tablecloths, the various serving utensils, including the mini ones, to the flower embellished three-tier server, it was all enchanting. And that is before even tasting the food.

I was most struck by the original spin given to each of the food items served, both in terms of their miniature size as well as their colorful preparation and presentation. The edibles were a perfect balance of sweet and savory.  Every delicacy was its own specialty, and the thought and effort that went into each one was obvious, only topped by the exquisite flavor and taste.

The tea selection was amazing -  much to choose from and many varieties.  I decided on the Lavender Lace, which was a combination of lavender, mint and rosemary. Although, this sounds like an unusual mixture, it was surprisingly delicious. Kelsey and Gianna both opted for Rainbow Cookie tea - and yes, it tasted just like the infamous cookie for which it is named. 

Our service included two types of scones, an assortment of berries, a delectable raspberry mousse served in a mini teacup with a chocolate handle, mini cheesecakes, mini spinach quiche and variety of mini finger sandwiches, served on different breads, in eye-catching shapes. 
​
The meal was ended with a hot towel and an opportunity to enjoy the intimate victorian themed gift shop, filled with a potpourri of tea related items and gifts.

Full Afternoon Tea: $35.00 per person
​Vegetarian & Vegan Available

Here's to getting your tea on!
-Elisa

A few months ago, while chatting with a friend, who is an avid cycling enthusiast, he suggested that I learn a bit about Annie Londonderry, a late 19th Century bicyclist.  He thought she might be of interest to me, as a travel blogger, obsessed with all things travel, since she was the first woman to cycle around the globe.

Well, he was right - my interest was piqued and I was captivated by the idea of anyone, namely, a young woman, taking on such an adventure, especially, in the late 1890's.  I decided to do a bit of research on this remarkable young woman and realized that not only did she make cycling history, but also achieved some great strides for ordinary women traveling alone.

I'm not sure ordinary would be a word I would use to describe Annie, as she was independent, had a flair for creating marketing and sales, and most importantly, challenged the traditional view of the role of women held by society during her era.

Before we talk about how she shook up tradition, let's take a look into her background and personal life.

 Born Annie Cohen, in Latvia, in 1870, she emigrated and became a United States citizen as a child.  Her Orthodox Jewish family settled in Boston and by the age of 24, she was Mrs. Annie Cohen Kopchovsky, the mother of three children. While her husband studied the Torah, Annie sold advertising for several Boston newspapers, providing her with valuable sales skills, she would later use to self-promote her Round-The-World bike riding adventure.

 So, how did a nice Jewish wife and mother end up becoming the first woman to go round the globe on a bike?  Well, interestingly enough, it all came about as the result of a crazy wager between two rich Boston Men in 1894.  They bet $20,000 against $10,000 that no woman could travel around the world by bicycle in 15 months and earn $5,000.  Sounds kind of nuts, but, as fate would have it, one of these betters is believed to have been Colonel Albert Pope, the owner of Pope Manufacturing Company, which produced (among many other things), Columbia bicycles.

Even more crazy is that Annie Kopchovsky could not have been a more unlikely candidate for such a feat.  In the first place, she was a mother of three small children under the age of six, and moreover, had never ridden a bicycle until a few days before her trip!

However, it's apparent from the historic events that would unfold, that Annie was determined to be that  hypothetical bike riding woman over which the wager was made.  Her savvy business acumen led her to embrace sponsorships, which would be necessary to finance such a world-wide trip.  

​Essentially, she did for herself and the success of her venture, exactly what she had been doing for newspapers - selling advertising space  - only this time it was on her bike and her person.

Turning herself into a moving billboard, she carried a placard attached to the rear wheel that advertised New Hampshire's Londonderry Lithia Spring Water Company, for which the company paid her $100 and she in turn agreed to go by the name "Annie Londonderry" for the duration of her trip.

Annie also happened to be a brilliant storyteller, telling tales throughout her travels of the adventures and mishaps she experienced.  Many believed that a great deal of these were just fabrications and out and out lies, but all of her entrepreneurial efforts to create a buzz and finance her round the world trip proved tremendously successful as her stories captivated the media and boosted her popularity.

For example, while in France she characterized herself as an orphan, wealthy heiress, a Harvard medical student, the inventor of a new method of stenography, and the niece of a U.S. senator.

When she was back home in America, she shared exciting exploits about hunting tigers in India with German royalty and getting sent to a Japanese prison with a bullet wound. Always looking to build rapport and self promote wherever she was, Annie gave cycling demonstrations and sold merchandise featuring her likeness.  Her abilities to successfully market herself are quite impressive.

While there is no diminishing her accomplishments in stepping forward to cycle around the world, get financing and sponsorship to do so, and capture the attention of the press - in an era that did not have electronic devices or internet reach, there is something that impressed me even more.

Remembering that Annie was not living in the free and modern times of today's world, she was a true trailblazer in the late 1800's. Full of courage, not only to venture into the geographical unknowns by herself, but she also bucked the societal mores of the time that dictated that women, particularly, married ones with children, stay at home and embrace their duty.  

Annie, in 1894, went against all of these acceptable rules and set out into the world to ride around the globe for 15 months.  Leaving her husband behind to care for their three children, this fact did not go overlooked.  In fact, one magazine publication at the time, Puck, ran the above cartoon, which depicts a "new woman" leaving home while her husband is caretaker to the couple's children. 

Annie's independent and determined nature set her apart from other women of her era as she shook up society's view of women and what they were capable of doing. In fact, the whole wager was very much a far fetched joke between two wealthy men and Annie undoubtedly, shocked them both!

As a 21st-Century, independent, single mom who travels the world over, both alone and with my children, I take for granted the freedom I enjoy to just up and take off, with my gender bearing no relevance upon the freedom to do so.

It is women like Annie who paved the way for globetrotting women like myself and my cousin Tanya, to enjoy the luxury of solo travel today. Thanks Annie! ​

-Elisa

​I became familiar with the Poe Park Visitor Center through an exhibit entitled The Bronx-La Villette, a photographic comparison between the neighborhoods and residents of The Bronx and those in the Paris neighborhood of La Villette, the creation of French photographer, Matteo Pellegrinuzzi.

The exhibit, which was on display through April 30th this year, was the impetus for my visit two weeks ago.

What I did not realize until my arrival, is that this multi-purpose edifice is an international culture and arts center in the heart of this historic Bronx Park.

I was joined by my 14-year-old daughter Gianna, inspired to come knowing that our visit would include a tour of Poe Cottage, located within the park. Being a fan of the American poet, her curiosity was piqued to get her out of bed and on the road with me early on a Saturday morning!
​

She was equally taken off guard by what we learned from our absolutely lovely meeting with Lucy Aponte, the director of the Poe Park Visitor Center. 

I was pleased as punch to find an abundance of street parking, but once again not having lived in the city for a while, was taken aback by the one hour limit for metered parking and got some good walking in (and laughs), going back and forth to feed the meter every hour.

Upon entering, we encountered an exuberant group of Zumba enthusiasts moving' and shakin' to the energetic beat of dance music in the main hall of The Center. Lucy shared with us that the Visitor Center is the go-to place for dance classes every Saturday morning, offering Latin dance at  9am, followed by Zumba at 10am.  

From the happy look on everyone's face, and their knowledge of every intricate dance move, this was clearly a regularly, well-attended weekly program. ​

Not only is this park's Visitor Center a neighborhood hub for locals to enjoy weekly exercise classes, kids' art and after school meditation and yoga classes, as well as a plethora of other community events, but it has become a destination for international art exhibits, concerts, writers workshops and much more for locals and tourists alike.

Although Poe Park falls under the auspice of the New York City Parks Department, it is clear from where I stood, that Lucy Aponte is the hands-on guiding force behind the cultural happenings at the Visitor Center

In the recent past, artists and photographers from around the globe have had their works exhibited at Poe Park Visitor Center. As its director, Lucy is constantly working with talent from around the world, mentoring and giving a professional, guiding hand on how to develop the best theme and positioning for showcasing new and inventive art expositions.

A few of the most recent successes included "The Bronx-La Villette" by French photographer, Matteo Pellegrinuzzi, (mentioned above), and Austrian photographer, Thomas C. Stubbings. The story of Stubbings' exhibit, from which he later published a book featuring his works, is a perfect example of the time and effort Lucy puts into developing featured events and exhibitions.

Visiting The Bronx and Poe Park as a tourist, Mr. Stubbings was intrigued by the photos he had taken during his trip.  After approaching Lucy about a possible exhibit to display his images, she brainstormed with the photographer to develop a relevant theme for his work, and the collaboration led to a photographic series comparing The Bronx to Mr. Stubbings' native Vienna, entitled "The Bronx Meets Vienna."  This photography exhibit, featured at the Visitor Center in 2013, was to be his very first, which positioned him to do a follow-up exhibit in Vienna, entitled "Vienna Meets The Bronx.

​According to Lucy, she "works closely with all exhibitors to determine what it brings to the Bronx and how it shines positively on The Bronx."  At the same time, the expositions featured reflect an international flair. A good example of this is the upcoming "Immigrantes" Exhibit, from May 1 through 26, 2018,  showcasing the artwork of Dominican artist, Persio Minier.
 
I was able to see the end result of one of the Visitor Center's  projects first-hand. As Lucy, Gianna and I were outside, chatting, away from the music inside, the Zumba class was coming to an end, and attendees were arriving for the next item on the day’s agenda, Poetry Town Hall.  This event features local poets and writers to share their writings with guests, and is sponsored by The Bronx Council on the Arts.

As it turns out, three of the women arriving to listen to the day’s featured poet, Heather Archibald, had been part of another exciting creative initiative, also through the Bronx Council on the Arts, called the Bronx Memoir Project. From all the submissions received from individuals detailing their unique life story and experiences, fifty-one were chosen to be included in the anthology currently being assembled. 

I was fortunate enough to meet these female authors, Pauline Binder, Anneros Valensi and Willy Martin, who, were among those selected as featured authors in The Bronx Memoir Project.  

One of these talented writers, Ms. Valensi, arrived on the scene, full of exuberance and elation as she proudly showed off the new edition of her best-selling, published book, entitled, Where is Home? How A Childhood in East Germany During World War II Shaped My Adult Life, currently available on Amazon.

The shared pride among her fellow writers was palpable and infected both me and Gianna.  What I was particularly struck by was the impact Ms. Valensi's excitement had on my teenager.  Chatting one-on-one with the author, Gianna got a different cultural perspective and life experience from that of her own affluent, suburban upbringing, which left her feeling joyous about the author's happiness and success. This made her mom very happy as well!

For a list of ongoing and upcoming events at The Poe Park Visitor Center, check out their website.

For Your Reference:
​
Poe Park Visitor's Center
2640 Grand Concourse
Bronx, NY 10458
(718) 365-5516
www.  nycgovparks.org 

What started out as a Five Boro Challenge in 1977, to allow students to practice the skills they had learned through a  series of New York City clinics about bike safety and repair, has grown into the annual Five Boro Bike Tour. This annual event, which takes place on the first Sunday in May, attracts 32,000 cyclists from every state in the nation and more than 60 countries around the world to participate in the 40-mile route that takes riders through all five boroughs of New York City. 

Up until the 1977 five boro challenge, most recreational bicycle rides would take place in the countryside or rural areas but this riding challenge would take place throughout the urban locales and irrevocably change bike challenges thereafter!  

These first “five boro” riders included approximately, 250 participants comprised of approximately 50 high school students and 200 members of various bike clubs, traversing fifty miles.  

The initial route began and ended in Flushing Meadow Park in Queens.  From Queens, it would wind south through Brooklyn, over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge into Staten Island, and then, with the help of a quick ferry trip, up through Manhattan, into the Bronx, and over the Throgs Neck Bridge back into Queens.

One year later, with the support of NYC’s Mayor Ed Koch, 3000 cyclists showed up for the Five Boro Challenge and so the annual event was born.   
​

I’m thrilled to report that my Travelin’ Cousins Travel Blog partner, Tanya was one of those 32,000, crossing the country from Anaheim, California to The Big Apple to pedal her legs off around New York City!

According to the official website (www.bike.nyc), the 2018, 40-mile, car-free Tour began in Lower Manhattan.

The start line was at Franklin St. and Church St., with entrance points for each of the four start waves running south along Church to Battery Park.

From there, riders headed north through the heart of Central Park, continuing on to Harlem and the Bronx before returning south along the East River on the FDR Drive.


​

Cyclists then made their way, crossing into Queens and into Brooklyn. Riders literally took over the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway before the  climb up—and then down the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and into the Finish Festival on Staten Island.  

I wanted to shine the light on The Bronx segment of the Tour and I am thrilled to report that Tanya paid special attention to her tour ride through this borough, as it is home to her number one favorite ball team! 

In addition, I decided to do some research on my own, to fill in some of the facts.  The riding route, as described above, had riders make their way north from Central Park, through Harlem. Specifically, the route had them continue up Madison Avenue and over the Madison Avenue Bridge.  This Bridge connects upper Manhattan to The Bronx, leaving participants at 138th Street in NYC’s only borough that is part of the mainland of the United States. 

Tanya was charged with one very important task during her ride - - to soak in the Bronx segment of the tour, namely, riding over the Madison Avenue Bridge and down 138th Street in the Bronx. It give me great pleasure to have my co-blogger, (and cousin) give her first-hand experience, observations, and impressions, as she pedaled her way over the bridge and along 138th Street.

However, before we get to her account, here is a bit of history and information about The Madison Avenue Bridge, an important roadway connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and The Bronx.
 
The Madison Avenue Bridge is a four lane swing bridge that crosses the Harlem River built in 1910 to double capacity and  replace an earlier swing built bridge that dated back to 1884.  For those of you who are not aware of what a swing bridge is, it is a movable bridge that is supported structurally, by a vertical pin and support ring at its center, which allows it to pivot horizontally to allow water vessel to pass the bridge.  

Both bridges were designed by engineer Alfred P. Boller. The original bridge was built in response to business owners on both sides of the Harlem River, petitioning officials in New York City and Westchester County for a Harlem River bridge at 138th Street. (Prior to 1898, The Bronx was part of Westchester County before it became part of Greater New York)
 
The bridge plans detailed that to the south, the bridge was to connect to 138th Street and an enlarged Madison Avenue in Harlem. To the north, the bridge was to connect to a widened 138th Street in the Bronx. As part of these plans, provisions were also made for public parks.

The Madison Avenue Bridge opened for public travel in November 1884 with regular horse drawn trolley service in 1885 and then converted to an electric service in 1892.

By 1900, the New York City Board of Estimate recommended that an "enlarged structure" be constructed, and that approaches "of suitable width" be built. to accommodate the increased traffic and growing city. Boller was once again hired to create the new, enlarged structure, which would provide two 27-foot-wide roadways and two 9-foot-wide sidewalks, doubling vehicular and pedestrian capacity. 

The new Madison Avenue Bridge opened to traffic on July 18, 1910. In 1994, the NYCDOT began a $54 million reconstruction of the existing Madison Avenue Bridge for structural rehabilitation work.

​Today,  the bridge carries approximately 45,000 vehicles per day and is still an important pathway that connects these two boroughs.​

Here is Tanya's first-hand account of her experience in the Five Boro Bike Tour through the Bronx, in her own words:

"Eventually we would arrive at the first of 5 bridges and cross over into the second of the 5 Boros - Da Bronx.

Pedalling over the Madison Avenue Bridge, I had my camera in hand. And with my great interest I would keep my eyes open, pay close attention and take it all in. 

Go figure that this would turn out to be the shortest section on our route of all the Boros. It was as though we pedaled into the Bronx and before we would even blink our eyes we would be pedaling out again!

I, for one, was hoping for more. I was really hoping that the route would take us near Yankees Stadium, and that maybe I’d even catch a home run as I pedaled on by! (Okay just joking about that part.)     But I really was expecting and hoping for more…

What I did get to tour might have only been 138th street and Third Avenue, and yet, just this small section gave a glimpse into the heartbeat of this boro. The warm and friendly Bronx natives that came out to see us. The catchy beat of the sideline entertainment. The waving children and their dancing parents - yes all of this before 9am!  

Somehow this actually was enough and so much more than I could have expected for the short time that we were there. This boro was about it’s people! 
Then before we knew it we were leaving the Bronx, crossing the Third Avenue Bridge (the 2nd of 5 bridges for the ride) and going back into Manhattan."
​

Until next May and the 2019 Five Boro Bike Tour --
- Elisa & Tanya