I ate things with funny names like clotted cream (I get an image of a blood clot when I hear this) and lemon curd (makes me think of sour cheese curds) that I had never sampled before. I discovered that scones are not always dry and stale and that cranberries and dried banana chips taste great on a leafy green salad.

I learned that tea cozies are for function as much as for fashion, and that buttermilk cake (which I was kind of wary about trying) is amazing and doesn't taste at all like cake. I even ate something with mushrooms -- which is taboo in my book -- and enjoyed it.

The two hours flew by. Tea room owner Millie Liberatore kept coming out to the table to tell us the history of the place, explain what each of the teas tasted like, and what each food item was that we'd be sampling and what it was made from.

We got to choose our tea pots and cups from an eclectic collection on the sideboard and could browse the gift items near the stairwell in between courses.

If you're looking for a leisurely way to reconnect with friends or family in a relaxed atmosphere while expanding your palate, I'd recommend checking out the Ladybug Tea Room. Just don't forget to ask about the story behind the gas lamp on the stariwell.