Afternoon Tea at Laura Kate, Welwyn .... vintage deliciousness.

My friends and I just came home from a lovely afternoon tea in the village of Welwyn. I have been to quite a few afternoon teas over the past year and have written about them on my blog - The Conrad St James, The Milestone, The Ampersand  all lovely posh places in London. Today I thought I would try a rural tea in leafy Hertfordshire.

We chose Laura Kate in Welwyn. It is a tiny Tea Parlour set on the High Street, seating about 16 people. We thought it would be interesting to see the sort of tea available, especially as the Laura Kate tea costs £14.95 - half of the cost of most London teas.

We arrived to friendly smiles and were shown to our table. The shop is pretty, mainly white with fresh pink roses and displays of their delicious cakes - all made on the premises by the team.

Our waitress took our orders for tea. My friends had English Breakfast Tea while I ordered Peppermint Tea. They both arrived in pots, loose leaf tea, which, during the course of the afternoon, were refreshed frequently. Delicious! There was a good tea menu, offering the teas we had alongside Assam, Darjeeling, Earl Grey, Chamomile and more.

Our tea stand arrived and the contents were explained to us. We had previously been asked whether we would like to choose the flavour of our cupcakes or be given a surprise. Being quite courageous types we went for the surprise option!

I loved the quirky tea stand - made of stiff cardboard and so pretty! When we booked (booking is essential) we were asked about our dietary requirements and they took note of my friend being a vegetarian. Everything is served on quirky vintage plates with funky cups and saucers too.

We began with the sandwiches ...

Beef with horseradish, egg mayonnaise, cucumber & cream cheese, brie & cranberry.

They were all delicious, on soft, soft fresh bread, but I think my favourite was the beef ... or possibly the egg ...!!

Next we moved onto the freshly baked, warm scones. It is a fact universally acknowledged that scones should always be served warm from the oven, and I was very pleased to see that these were!

There were two scones each, served with lashings of clotted cream and raspberry jam. The waiting staff were incredibly attentive and friendly without being intrusive. We were asked if we needed more jam or cream and although there was enough of both we were feeling rather greedy and asked for even more.

By the time we had eaten our scones we were starting to feel a tad ... well, to put it bluntly ... stuffed!

And yet we still had the top layer to go ...

Banoffee shots

Millionaires shortbread bites...

 Raspberry white chocolate, chocolate, vanilla cupcakes.

I have to admit that we simply could not finish our cupcakes, but the lady serving us noticed this and offered to wrap them for us so we could take them home. They were brought back to us wrapped in cellophane and ribbon. How lovely!

We spent our afternoon laughing and chatting, totally relaxed and having fun. The afternoon tea at Laura Kate is absolutely delicious! All the cakes are baked on the premises and everything we had to eat and drink was beautifully presented, wonderfully fresh and scrumptious!! I have to say that the tea was one of my favourites, coming in second after the Conrad's Festive Tea. Everything from the welcome to the service and, of course, the food was really super. I highly recommend, if you are in Hertfordshire, that you make a booking for tea, or just pop in for a cuppa and a crumpet ( Marmite provided!) or a homemade cupcake. 

And, just in case you are wondering ... we paid full price of £14.95 for our tea and were most happy to do so!

The Body and Void Exhibition at The Henry Moore Foundation, Perry Green.

Last year, on its last day, I went to see the Rodin Moore Exhibition at the Henry Moore Foundation in Perry Green, Hertfordshire. I loved the exhibition and wrote my review with enthusiasm. I realised, however, that it might have been a better idea to visit the exhibition on the first day so that my review could be read by other people in time for them to be able to visit Perry Green! This year when I heard of the Body and Void: Echoes of Moore in Contemporary Art Exhibition, again at Perry Green, I decided to go early and write my review in plenty of time! So ... this is it.

My husband and I tootled off through the Hertfordshire countryside of high hedgerows and picturesque villages last Friday. The skies were grey, but, to be honest, whatever the weather the Henry Moore Foundation is always a treat to visit. Its like stepping back in time, to a place where the world is quiet apart from the gentle hum of bees and the rustling of the wind through leaves.

We bought our tickets in the little shop and were shown where to go by the very friendly lady behind the counter. You will find, if you visit, that one of the best things about Perry Green is the staff, largely volunteers, who man the galleries and workshops. They are all friendly, enthusiastic and endlessly knowledgeable about the art on display. They are eager to share their joy, which I find infectious!

We wandered off around the beautiful gardens of Hoglands, Moore's home, where his and other artists sculptures are installed. The Body and Void Exhibition is a celebration of Moore's work and legacy. Artists such as Anish Kapoor, Damien Hirst, Rachel Whiteread and Richard Long have been invited to contribute work to the exhibition, alongside work by not only Moore, but Thomas Schutte, Paul Noble, Antony Gormley and a host of others. It is fascinating to see how Moore has influenced and inspired a whole generation of artists.

Rachel Whiteread's Detached 3 2012

One of the first pieces we came across was Rachel Whiteread's Detached 3. At first glance, walking across the grass, you think its just a shed, one of many buildings scattered around the grounds, but then you realise that this is a concrete cast of the inside of a shed. It is the hidden space, the void, which is usually never seen. There is something brilliant about this idea to me. I loved the idea of making solid something that is normally hidden and unconsidered. As we went into the Body and Void gallery we saw another Rachel Whiteread work which, again, cast the void in solid form...

Rachel Whiteread Pink Torso 1995 ( photo courtesy of britishcouncil.org)

Can you see what it is? The space inside a hot water bottle ...  a space you would never normally see. I loved that idea!

The theme of the void is something that Moore explored and with Reclining Figure: External Form 1953-54 he combines this with another of his favourite subjects, the reclining female figure. The form is hollowed out to show not only the voluptuous curves of the body, but also the interior spaces. As with many of Moore's works I just feel compelled to touch the surfaces, explore the curves and textures. Beautiful!

I think that another thing I love about Perry Green is the continuing inspiration Moore gives to up and coming artists and students. As we walked around the grounds there were, and always are, people sitting on the grass or standing near the sculptures, sketch books in hand, drawing. The calm is captivating.

Henry Moore Two Piece Reclining Figure: Cut 1979-81

For me, one of the strongest images, and one that had not struck me so intensely previously, was that of the void between two forms. Above you can see Moore's figure cut in two. The void between the two pieces is as powerful, if not more so, as the bronze pieces themselves.In my opinion there is an energy between two forms that used to touch and no longer do, or almost touch and never will. This theme is seen again and again, not only in Moore's work, but that of others too ...

Henry Moore's Working Model for Oval with Points, Michelangelo's Adam, Des Hughes' One Thing Leads to Another, Damien Hirst's Mother and Child (Divided),

I think my husband thought I had lost my mind, but I could really feel the energy in those spaces. I love that something that is not actually 'there' can be so powerful! When we visited the Body and Void gallery and saw Damien Hirst's Mother and Child (Divided) I just couldn't bring myself to walk between the two halves of the animals. It seemed somehow wrong - a space between two halves that should never have been separated. Again the space was very powerful - the act of separation intense.

As always I loved visiting Perry Green and its treasures. We visited the gallery, but also the workshops and here the staff were keen to give us insights into the works displayed. Their nuggets of information are so fascinating! If I was more knowledgeable I would love to volunteer there! They manage to share what they know without making you feel like an ignoramus - rather that you are part of an excellent adventure into the world of Art!!

The Body and Void Exhibition is on all summer until 26th October 2014. I really recommend it for an inspiring day out. Let me know if you go!!