A tale of two teas

I recently became aware of an afternoon tea being offered by the Reagan Library.

As I am closely associated with the Simi Valley Historical Society, which is offering an afternoon tea, aptly named Friendship Tea, at about the same time, I thought it would be interesting to compare the offerings of the two organizations.

After taking a close look at the advertisement from the Reagan Library and comparing it to my understanding of the afternoon tea we are offering, I believe the only significant differences are in the setting of library versus our decorated barn and the offering of a tour.

We are offering a tour of the Strathearn House in the park after the tea is finished, but, quite frankly, it cannot compare to the tour offered at the Reagan Library.

I am guessing the Reagan tea and tour will be more reserved in presentation and conduct than our tea, which offers an opportunity for individuals to dress in period costume in a generally fun and relaxed setting. This is enhanced by the frivolity occurring during our raffle and auctions.

As for the service, which is done by professionals at the Reagan Library, I believe our servers are well-trained and without doubt, in my estimation, do as good a job as any professional.

As for the table settings, I believe we are comparable, using china and fresh flowers, unless the service at the Reagan Library is done on some White House or replica tableware.

I believe one feature of our tea is the enjoyment the guests receive from seeing the variety of china used for table settings.

As for the price for attendance, we are less costly. Because everything is done by volunteers and the food is donated, I suspect we are more profitable.

In closing, I believe our offering is as it is intended—fun to attend with the right mix of fun, dignity and professionalism while being profitable for the society.
Don Rohkar
Simi Valley