Shopping Fortnum & Mason — and a giveaway!

Today, friends, I must ask you to forgive the glare on a few photos, but it simply wasn't to be avoided. Still, I just know many of you would have oohed and aahed over these window displays at Fortnum and Mason just as I did — even if you can glimpse the street in the background!

I love the idea of using these large frames to showcase their offerings. See that pretty Herend coffeepot at lower left? It rotated!

And of course I liked the eau de nil frame showing some of their food hall offerings, such as cakes and jams.

I was pleasantly surprised when I asked an employee about their photo policy and she happily informed me that yes, photos were permitted, they just didn't like for photographs of single products to be taken up close. No problem! Here are some of the floral teawares they had. At back are lots of blue and red transferware, which made me think of my friend Phyllis.

Now I do wish I had a closeup of one of these teacups, because they're not exactly what you might think. A designer named Richard Brendon has brilliantly found a way to rescue orphaned saucers with his "Reflect" wares. He searches them out and pairs them with platinum and gold teacups which "reflect" the pattern of each saucer. You can go here to read more about what he's doing.

Brendon is also the designer behind this "Patternity" design of teawares, which I also think is quite clever. I like these because they're in that eau de nil color I so love, and I also think the contemporary design may attract a whole new type of tea(ware) lover. I can just see a young man or woman who's not particularly enchanted with grandma's fusty old pink teacups going for these, can't you? (And actually, I think they're quite cool myself!)

If china's not your thing, well, a) you're probably at the wrong blog and b) check out the silver at Fortnum and Mason! Lots of eye candy here for certain.

Meanwhile, downstairs from the teawares there are lots of teas to choose from. I love that these loose leaf teas are displayed in glass teapots! And do you see that sculpture at right, of two teapots pouring tea into a teacup?

I decided to "bring it home with me" in the form of a tote bag, and it's perhaps my favorite tote bag ever! On a side note, they didn't have this design of bag upstairs with the teawares, and when I asked about it, a saleswoman said she believed some of these designs were down below and insisted on going downstairs to check for me herself. That kind of service is pretty unheard of these days, isn't it?

Since it was my birthday that day, I decided I needed this lovely tin of Celebration Blend Tea. It's a blend of strong Assam and jasmine teas, which I thought sounded intriguing. When I got home and tried it, I found this combination works well and I really love this new tea!

Since I was looking for "unbreakable" souvenirs which would travel well, I was delighted to find this pretty tea towel. I'm thinking of getting it framed to hang in my dining room!

Last but not least, I was delighted to find copies of the book "Fortnum & Mason: The First Three Hundred Years." It's packed with great historic photos, including some of royalty, and discusses the history of the firm, including the Royal Warrants they hold as grocery and provisions suppliers to Queen Elizabeth and the Prince of Wales. I hope you can see why I adore this lovely store. (I told my husband I want my ashes scattered here, and I'm only partly joking!) To thank you for humoring me by reading all these overly-long blog posts, I have a copy of this book and a small tin of Fortnum and Mason's Afternoon Blend tea to give away to one lucky winner! Just leave a comment to this post between now and 7 a.m. EST May 27 and you'll be entered to win. (U.S. and Canada only, please.) Good luck!