Afternoon Meetings

Because of my breakfast meeting this morning and a couple of newly scheduled appointments, my lunch meeting was pushed back until almost 3 p.m. After a quick consultation, we decided that rather than trying to find lunch at that hour, we'd do something civilized and meet over tea at the Mayflower Hotel on Connecticut Avenue.

Other than a couple of conferences many years ago, most of my experiences at the Mayflower involve late nights at the Martini Bar, so afternoon tea was a nice change. The Cafe Promenade is beautiful and comes complete with a balcony for the harpist. We were settled at a corner table with tea menus. Resisting the urge to order "Tea. Earl Grey. Hot." we agreed upon the full tea, including savory sandwiches and a variety of sweets. My favorite is a tie between the raspberry tart - 3 perfect, fresh raspberries on a small spoonful of custard, all nestled in a flaky pastry shell, and the chocolate dipped strawberry

There's something about afternoon tea, particularly on a rainy day, that is like a spa treatment for the soul. And a mundane employee development conversation becomes a much more meaningful exchange about future plans, goals, and possibilities.

We might have to make this a new tradition.