Moms treated to some history and pampering
Lori Ford’s husband is serving in Afghanistan, so she and her two daughters decided to splurge.They drove to Manitou Springs and sat down to a white linen-covered table, donned dress-up hats and treated themselves.The three were among a few dozen guests at the historic Miramont Castle for two seatings of a Mother’s Day high tea, compliments of volunteers with the Manitou Springs Historical Society.The society owns the castle, built in 1895 by a French priest for him and his mother. The four-story greenstone building was later operated as a sanitarium and apartments before the Historical Society bought it in 1976. The group uses proceeds from events such as Sunday’s high tea to restore it.High tea, by the way, is way more than just tea with a pinky finger salute. It’s a four-course meal: pastry, fruit and vegetables, sandwiches and dessert – all served by women in long crisp white pinafore aprons.For the Ford girls, it was a fantasy come true. “They play tea at home all the time,” Ford said of her daughters, Taylor, 6, and Lindsay, 4.”I think it’s cool,” said Taylor, sporting a picture hat provided by the castle.Across the small dining room, the castle’s greenhouse at one time, Historical Society president Lance Michels wrapped his mom, Helen, 89, in a purple feather boa. “It’s a fashion statement,” he said.”I will have to tell my sister,” Helen Michels said. “She’s 94 years old. Too bad she’s not here. We would both be posing.”Meantime, Kelly Hunter, the castle’s executive director, hustled in the kitchen to pour “bold black tea with warm orange spice” into cozy-wrapped teapots, while the kitchen crew whipped up cranberry scones with Devonshire cream and lemon curd, fruit cups, chicken salad sandwiches with avacado and walnuts, and lemon crunch cake and turtle cheesecake.The high teas will continue through the summer on select dates.Call the writer at 636-0238.
Helen Michels (center) chats with her son, Lance Michels, and Lynn McDonough (far right) over tea on Mother’s Day. They were atending a high tea in honor of Mother’s Day at the Miramont Castle on Sunday, May 10, 2009. (In the foreground at another table i Photo by JERILEE BENNETT,THE GAZETTE
Catherine Baker (left) and her daughters, Charlotte Baker and Gillian Webb (right) donned hats for a Mother’s Day tea at the Miramont Castle. They were attending a high tea in honor of Mother’s Day at the Miramont Castle on Sunday, May 10, 2009. (The Gaze Photo by JERILEE BENNETT,THE GAZETTE
Donning vintage looking hats, Jewel Reed (right) enjoys spending mother’s day with her son, Rand Reed. (Husband was there, too, not pictured.) They were atending a high tea in honor of Mother’s Day at the Miramont Castle on Sunday, May 10, 2009. (The Gaze Photo by JERILEE BENNETT,THE GAZETTE