The Huntington Library Tea Room, San Marino, Southern California

The Huntington Library in San Marino, California, with its art collections and gardens, is one of the best things in Southern California. The Library, which contains incredibly medieval manuscripts like the beautiful Ellesmere Chaucer, a Gutenberg Bible, letters and rough drafts of the works of Twain, and Joyce, and early Shakespeare editions is surrounded by 120 acres of gardens, including a rose garden, a cactus and succulents garden, a Japanese Garden . . . It's a lovely place to spend a day. In addition, the Huntington art galleries contain Old Master paintings, sculptures, fine porcelains, furniture and art objects. There's an admissions charge of $20.00 per adult on weekends, and $15.00 on the week days that the Huntington is open. Admission is free on the first Thursday of every month with advance tickets.

If you're going to visit, do plan on spending the day, and saving time for tea. Tea is served in the Huntington Tea Room, surrounded by three acres of roses. You need reservations; you can make them online, or hope for a lucky spot on the day of your visit (there is always a wait list). You are seated at a table, and offered a choice of several hot teas, herbal and otherwise, or coffee. A basket of small freshly baked scones are brought with your pot of tea or coffee, and both are gladly refilled. The teas range from the traditional Jasmine, Lapsang Souchong, Oolong, Darjeeling, Rose petal teas, to the more interesting Keemun, Lemon Apricot . . . there is always a choice.

The scones are some of the best I've ever had. They are still warm from the oven, and while small, are plentiful. Usually each basket contains two sorts. I've had ginger scones with crystallized ginger, apricot scones, chocolate-chip scones, among other sorts. There are cream, butter, and jam to accompany the scones. There are also several long buffet tables, offering tiny tea sandwiches, of several sorts (watercress and cucumber, salmon, albacore tuna, egg salad, ham, various roasted vegetarian offerings) on various kinds of fresh bread. Fresh fruit, cream, domestic and imported hard and soft cheeses, crackers, and tiny fruit tarts, pastries, and lemon bars are also available. There's a sample menu here.

The tea is not inexpensive, at $25.00 a person, with a surcharge for large groups. You do need reservations, except on the first Thursday of every month, when no reservations are allowed. The food is plentiful, and it's a lovely way interrupt a day at the Huntington, especially if you follow tea with a stroll along the many paths in the gardens. I'm not the only fan, either; here's another review.