Finding anything on the internet, even tea rooms in Los Angeles
First, Los Angeles is a wonderful place to capture photographic moments, and why not Tea Rooms?
Tea Rooms have been around for centuries and exist in many countries and cultures. The version of tea may differ, as well as the accompanying delicacies, but the act of congregating and sipping a hot (or iced tea) seems to be a common cultural enjoyment. For example, China has its list of top tea rooms, with the Asian culture taking precedence (definitely worth the addition to your travel plans!). The US has adopted the cultures of many countries in providing English tea, Japanese tea, and Chinese tea, to name a few.
Please note: We wrote this about a year ago, for another site and we have since beefed up this article with our professional tips for photography. However, with all of the companies coming and going, it is possible that these four may not have stayed at the top (or even on this earth). Nonetheless, the photography tips still apply to places that match the aesthetics of these particular tearooms and so the photography tips do not expire 😉
Here is a listing of some of the top tea rooms located in Los Angeles, CA, favorite hotspots for Deborah E (#1 Jazz Singer) of deborah.info.
Chado Tea Room
369 E 1st Street, Los Angeles, CA * (213) 258-2531
A bright and spacious establishment, Chado Tea Room features a large selection of teas, including various blends and organic varieties. Indoor and outdoor seating is available at this downtown Los Angeles tea room. White tablecloth settings and comfortable chairs are accentuated by an extensive assortment of teapots, teacups, and other tea-related items that are displayed on shelves.
Afternoon tea is served daily at Chado Tea Room, with several refreshing food items to accompany the experience. A nice menu of sandwiches (often called “tea sandwiches” in certain cultures), soups, salads and desserts are available, to be served at the Chado Tea Room, which is open daily.
Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room
1450 S Robertson Blvd., Los Angeles, CA * (424) 274-1115
A fun place where tea parties regularly take place, Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room features an elegant, yet fun decor and atmosphere that is all ready for the tea party. A wide variety of teas are served at Olivia’s, and prices are very reasonable.
This tea room is a popular spot for birthday parties, baby showers, bridal showers, and other types of events. Private tastings are available, as are party packages for people of all ages. With the décor and appeal, it is a great place to use to introduce the younger crowd to the concept of a tea party.
The “Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room” that is linked, above, is actually the Lomita location, even though it is the Los Angeles location that is being written about in this article. The original link was the link at http://oliviasdollhousetearoom.com. Interestingly, a couple of months after we wrote and linked to that website (which is also linked from the Lomita website, as the “corporate Olivia’s Dollhouse TeaRoom” site) went down, never to return. Following that, a site showed up at http://oliviastearoom.com and that one did not make the wayback machine at http://www.archive.org, but did show as active, judging from the Google listings and links, but then went offline, as well.
If you haven’t gathered, it Olivia’s Dollhouse Tea Room is a franchise opportunity. That information was on the corporate site, when it existed, and we were able to read about it via the wayback machine, with the first corporate site. So, that explains why there is such a differentiation in how the sites and domains appear, even though there is a consistency in what we see as the princess experience that is offered. Ok, on to our Professional Photographer’s recommendations, should you find yourself able to visit any of the Dollhouse Tea Rooms (or open one yourself!)…
American Tea Room
909 S Santa Fe Avenue, Los Angeles, CA * (213) 239-9100
This Los Angeles tea room, a part of the multiple locations of the American Tea Room, possesses a hip and modern environment that includes a living-garden wall. High ceilings and exposed woodwork provide a pleasant setting for enjoying the impressive selection of teas offered at the Los Angeles locations of this tea room. An appetizing food menu is provided, and a bar is also on the premises.
Pacific Dining Car
1310 W 6th Street, Los Angeles, CA * (213) 483-6000
A wonderful afternoon tea is presented daily at this classic Los Angeles restaurant, Pacific Dining Car. At this afternoon tea, eight different teas are served, along with champagne, sherry, scones, lemon cookies, and petit fours. Elegant surroundings and top-rate service make this tea room one that floats high on the list of posh and exotic places to visit and partake in the tea room experience (and more).
For a list of 14 “Posh places” to have the Los Angeles afternoon tea, visit this list article. The article is worth bookmarking, as it adds and removes tea rooms according to what is going on in the “tea room scene” in Los Angeles.