Monday, February 14, 2011

Tea For Three In White Rock

MY WORLD LAST WEEK included meeting two fellow bloggers for afternoon tea at a restaurant in White Rock, BC. After hugs and greetings, we sat down at a beautifully set table that reminded me of a picnic in an elegant spring garden. Clancy’s Tea Cosy was brimming with charm. The sandwiches and pastries we ordered were delicious and the tea choices were overflowing. The good food and cheerful atmosphere matched the occasion.

Our conversation was a delightful brew of experiences shared by people who enjoy capturing the sights around them and writing about what they see. It was fun to meet Lynette from Imagination Lane in person. It was also great to see my long time friend, Kay, from An Unfittie's Guide To Adventurous Travel who happened to be visiting BC from Alberta.

Lynette surprised me with a gift of postcards showcasing her creative photographs and writings. Our two-hour visit went quickly and all too soon it was time to say our goodbyes.

Stopping to take pictures on the way home, I noticed that local artists had not neglected the upper portion of White Rock on Johnston Road. Although not photographed or painted as avidly as the scenic views at the bottom of the hill on Marine Drive, there were creative touches to enjoy along my way. The butterflies at this bus stop were a burst of color against a golden background.

A brightly painted vase caught my eye as it pressed against a store wall.

I noticed that a faded fence with peeling windsurfers had seen better days.

A tall chiseled totem with its head in the clouds ...

hovered over the street near where a bench rested.

As lofty as the totem was, it could not compete with the recently constructed and controversial highrises. The two apartment buildings stood out amid the smaller more traditional structures in their shadow.

I was glad the nearby mural, painted in the 1980s by Robert Wyland, still graced a wall of a bank on Johnston Road. The building had been considered for demolition during the debated highrise construction. The Whaling Wall is a local attraction with global connections that sets the seaside community apart. The work is one of a series of one-hundred life-size marine murals spanning thirteen countries on five continents. Although its survival seems assured, I have taken its picture on different occasions to record its existence.

Time is not static and surroundings change. Later that evening, I marveled at how accurate the White Rock banners (pictured above) were in depicting a West Coast sunset (pictured below).

My meeting with fellow bloggers confirmed that recording life's passing moments is a passion many of us share. As I wrote in an earlier post: " ... bloggers ... strive to capture their own enchantment of life whether through exploring the minute details of their neighborhoods or the enormity of distant shores. The stories they tell through prose and photos show a love of the moment and for the environment that with technology can so easily be shared. As I develop my own blog and open doors to other sites, I enter a world of awe-inspired journeys."

Explorers can find more sites from around the globe at My World.

Visit Postcards From Penelope Puddle to view more BC scenes.

Copyright by Penelope Puddlisms

16 comments:

  1. It was wonderful to be one of the three for tea in White Rock last week. I know you and I always enjoy our visits when I'm at the coast seeing my family, but Monday was extra-special because we got to meet Lynette, and see samples of her beautiful work.
    A tea party is a great way to get to know one another, too. And a good time was had by all!
    Luv, K

    Kay, Alberta, Canada
    An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

    ReplyDelete
  2. What fun to meet your fellow bloggers for tea. Looks like a great place to get together. I love the art at the bus stop and the totem pole, and all the shots for that matter.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm impressed by how much art there is in your world! And how nice to get together with fellow bloggers!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Oh, it is such fun to get together with fellow bloggers! I met with one yesterday and will meet with another next week! And what a beautiful and delightful place you had to meet and spend time together! All the art work is gorgeous! Love your photos! Hope you have a wonderful week!

    Sylvia

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have lots of color in your world.
    I think that blogging is its own world. It allows us each a space to showcase our creativity and an opportunity for new friendships. People who may be shy and uncomfortable in a face to face situation can bloom on the internet. People who are naturally outgoing have a chance to further their horizons.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Isn't it wonderful the connections we make here. A big bonus of blogging. I love the teacups So nice for a get together An the art you showed it great I am taken away by the butterflies on the busstop I love them. no not bus stops. Thanks for sharing

    ReplyDelete
  7. What an upbeat and colorful post. I enjoyed seeing the sights there in White Rock. I also loved the tablecloth!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I have yet to meet a fellow blogger in person. How nice it was reading your story.

    ReplyDelete
  9. A nice place to meet with some fellow bloggers.
    The colourful art brightens dull places. I liked the vase painted onto the wall; I have a similar wall in my herb garden. I was always wondering what I could do with it. You gave me a very good idea. Thank you so much.

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a delightful outing. Those murals are charming!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Beautiful. The tea shop looks so charming and a delightful place to meet your blogger friends. You have taken some great photos also. Hope you had a great Valentine's Day.

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a wonderful afternoon you spent! The tea looks lovely and what a treat to meet up with blogger friends for real! :-D Too bad West Africa is so far away...

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a lovely post, Penelope. I so enjoyed taking tea with you and Kay...we settled in to chat and nibble as if we were old friends, which I now consider us to be!

    Thank you for your kind words on my cards, and for the great pictures you took, (says the woman who forgot to bring her camera!). Our tearoom was very sweet, as your photos illustrate, and I love how you continued the afternoon with more shots that highlight what a charming corner of the world White Rock is. I should hate to see the Whaling Wall gone…it perfectly captures the breadth of our West Coast spirit, doesn’t it? And your sunset photo along with the banner is just spectacular!

    I particularly like your closing paragraph about bloggers capturing and sharing their enchantment of life. What a special community we all build together, and making friends with kindred spirits is one of the greatest benefits it offers. Our visit was great fun, especially as it was our first time to meet in person…with any luck, we will get a chance to do it again!

    Have a wonderful week…I look forward to talking to you again soon…:)

    Lynette,
    Imagination Lane

    ReplyDelete
  14. Your "tea for three" post offered so many treasures, Penelope. First, friendships - old and new, celebrated in such charming elegance. Then, as you basked in the warmth of those connections, your eyes continued to catch the art-glow around you on your return home. The high rises may have towered over the totem, the butterflies, the whales and the vase, but they fade into the background as I am drawn with you to see the smaller in stature, but huge in impact, creations along your route.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You High Tea party looked like fun, the table so colorful with the different colors and patterns. It is a nice way to meet new people and old friends too.

    I love the colorful walls you posted too!

    ReplyDelete
  16. (Oh, dear! My comment seems to have disappeard in the cyberspace. This is the second try.)

    I enjoyed seeing the colorful, beautiful images and reading your sweet experiences with your blog friends.

    Thanks for your visit and comment. Regarding deer, it’s not so easy for humans and wild animals to coexist, but people have made efforts so much, and deer in Nara are so lucky to be protected cause they have been regarded as a messenger of God since the 8th century.

    I look forward to your next post as one of the like-minded.

    ReplyDelete

YOUR THOUGHTS add colour to the content and are always much appreciated.