Dress up at new tea house

The Union staff

A tea house opens today in Grass Valley with a new twist: It offers dress up - hats and boas, Red Hatter trinkets in a private room and the ultimate "Little Girl Party Room," in which girls can dress up in, for example, tiaras and fancy dresses, do craft projects and take etiquette lessons from the hostess.

Sound like fun? It's called My Cup of Tea and is located at 124 Olympia Park Road. It features afternoon tea (for which you can choose the hat of your dreams), lunch and even to-go scones. Oh, my. And there are loose-leaf teas in the gift shop, as well as other treasures such as greeting cards, hats and Victorian décor. Jeannine Watson and her mother, Nita Jacobsen, both of Grass Valley, are the proprietors.

Watson says, "I absolutely fell in love with the idea that there are places where people (women, especially) could go and slow down, take some time for themselves and spend an afternoon with treasured friends, all while being fed little yummies with tea and being treated like a queen. I will pamper the tired, stressed-out woman (or man), spoil every little girl that comes in (especially for her first tea party) and always offer my friendship, good food, and hot tea. I want My Cup of Tea to be a place where everyone feels welcome, warm and leaves with more happy memories than they came with."

Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last serving for afternoon tea at 3, Wednesday through Sunday (closed Monday and Tuesday).

Call 477-5505 for more information or look online at www.mycupofteaGV.com.