A Tea Party at The Manors Celebrity Place

Once upon a time, the first cup of tea was sipped and hence mankind discovered yet again another beverage to add to his repertoire. Its flavor and healthful benefits have made tea endure throughout the ages.

According to tea party expert organizer Noreen Belen, though no one knows exactly when the first tea leaves were brewed, legend has it that a Chinese emperor traveling through the woods of his vast empire had ventured to rest and ordered his servants to boil a pot of water for him. Just as the servants were putting the pot of water on top of the fire, a gusty wind blew, taking with it a bunch of dried leaves that immediately landed into the pot. By the time the servants noticed this, the leaves had already steeped into the boiling water, lending it an amber hue. Since there was no time to boil another pot of water as the emperor was very thirsty, the servants supposedly served the amber liquid to their master. Fortunately, the emperor liked what he tasted and ordered his servants to serve this drink to him from then on. Thus, so they say, tea was discovered.

This tale could not be verified, however, but history would tell you that tea was first drunk in China and was later brought to Japan by Zen Buddhist monks who felt that drinking the amber liquid aided their meditation, kept them awake, and probably kept their hunger pangs at bay.

Many years later, tea was brought to several parts of the world via large ships - the same ones that brought Asian spices to different areas of Europe. Shipping made tea expensive and hence, only the very rich, those from the noble classes in Europe, could afford to drink it.

 Belen says that during the 1700s, Europeans ate only two meals a day: they broke their fast very early in the morning and would have dinner late at night. Thus, there is a yawning gap in between these two meals that quite frankly, made some very hungry.

Duchess Anna of Bedford, Belen continues, could not stand the hunger any longer and therefore devised a way in which she could still eat and yet not spoil their appetite for dinner. She invited her friends for a tea party and thus was born what is known today as the Victorian Tea Party.

Belen relates that Victorian tea parties of old were very elegant affairs - hosts or hostesses used the best silver and China, served the most exquisite sweets and the most expensive teas - a graceful backdrop for conversing with friends, family members, or new acquaintances.

Today, however, Belen says tea parties can be both simple and extravagant, depending on the occasion and desires of the host but with a unifying element - teas, some food, and lots of conversation. A taste of the tea party as we know it today was brought to the guests at the recently concluded open house event in DMCI Homes' The Manors at Celebrity Place in Diliman, Quezon City.

A Tea Party was held at the Portchester activity area of The Manors for the entire day on February 4. The day began with a Holy Mass celebrated by Fr. Inocencio Garcia. Afterwards, a ceremonial hand over of tea sets was conducted by DMCI Homes for the newly moved in residents of The Manors at Celebrity Place.

To complete the tea party experience, a tea exhibit featuring various concoctions of herbal teas was also given by DMCI Homes, as well as a tea talk by Belen who presented a lecture on how to mount a proper tea party.

Belen explained that there are two kinds of teas - a low tea and a high tea. Low teas are held using low tables or coffee tables such that you would find in many homes all over the world and are usually done in the early afternoon. Dishes that are filling, such as sandwiches, pasta, and other hors d'oeuvres that are savory rather than sweet and have meat in it are normally served during low tea. High teas on the other hand are done in the late afternoon wherein sweets, pastries, cookies and cakes are served.

Belen gave tips and valuable advice on which teas to serve during high or low tea. She also told the guests that today, tea parties can be conducted using a certain theme; for example, a Victorian hat tea party wherein guests are requested to come to the party wearing their most Victorian-ish hats, or a teacup party where guests are asked to bring their favorite teacup and take their teas in it after explaining to the other guests why their teacup is special to them.

The guests were treated to a buffet lunch wherein they sampled various dishes that would normally be served during low tea - sandwiches, pasta, crepes, and of course, Ceylon tea.

While the guests were enjoying a leisurely lunch, classical music was performed by duo Guitarista Simpliciano. Bringing children along these affairs would normally stress out the parents since, while enjoying the activities for the day, the children would be left with nothing to do but whine and ask when they could leave. But not with any DMCI Homes event because there is always an activity catered specifically for children. This time, at The Manors Celebrity Place, a clay art painting activity was held to the delight of the parents and their children.

The Manors at Celebrity Place is another prime community development of DMCI Homes that entitles the homeowner to an automatic membership to the exclusive Celebrity Sports Club. The sports club boast of modern sports and fitness facilities that features an Olympic-size swimming pool which continues to be the centerpiece of the the Celebrity Sports Club, indoor tennis, basketball covered court, badminton courts, 16-lane bowling center, an archery and fencing hall, the newly-built boxing ring for boxing aficionados, and the state-of-the art gym. The club also features a Grand ballroom which is ideal for weddings, debuts and club-produced shows, two fine-dining restaurants and business centers. Homeowners can enjoy all of these fantastic amenities with just a very minimal monthly fee.

Living in The Manors at Celebrity Place is having it all - the convenient location and proximity to the top universities in the country such as Ateneo and UP Diliman, leisure areas, places of worship, key government institutions and different hospitals, means you are never too far away from anything and anyone.

As for the condominiums, the homes at The Manors bear the trademark of the quality workmanship of DMCI Homes. Spacious living spaces coupled with the clean lines of the buildings, lots of open spaces, drying and storage areas all make for a relaxing abode amid the largest city in Metro Manila.

DMCI Homes is the only Triple-A builder/developer that provides premium quality, urban friendly, fully serviced communities for the young families with modest income aspiring to live in comfort with the conveniences of the city.

If you want to find out how you can have it all at The Manors Celebrity Place, you may call our hotline at 888-3333 or visit the model units located at the Ground floor of Celebrity Club(formerly Celebrity Sports Plaza) Main lobby along Capitol Hills Drive, Old Balara, Diliman, Quezon City or you may log on to our website at https://www.dmcihomes.com.