High Tea

While in Miami recently, my sisters and I went to visit the fabulous Ms. Ruth. To know Ruth, is to love her. She is one of the most "larger than life" people I’ve ever known. She’s an artist, very smart, and a psychic who responds with quick wit that's always insightful and often hilarious regarding any and everything in life. She’s no joke! The first time I met Ruth was in 1979. I was living in Miami, braiding hair for a living. Ms. Ruth an art student at the University of Miami, decided she wanted to learn how to braid. I was braiding the hair of one of her friends and this friend called her up and told her to come over and meet me. Boy did we ever meet! She was damn near in my lap trying to see and learn my techniques! I was appalled by her overt enthusiasm. I wanted nothing to do with her. She was a pushy, up in your face, older lady (35 yrs. old). At the time, I was 23 and thought I was all that! She immediately set me straight right then… and many times thereafter. To my surprise we became fast friends. She would not give up on me, insisted on being my friend. I was too different at the time for anybody else in Miami to embrace me. I wore extension braids, East Indian clothing and did yoga, totally weird back then. And did I mention the movie “10” was all the rage at the time. Years later Ruth and I eventually became business partners and later opened a Khamit Kinks in Atlanta.

So this visit was long over due. I hadn’t seen Ruth in about three years and my sisters hadn’t seen her in over a decade. She asked my sister MK, what would she like to do if money wasn’t an issue. MK promptly replied, “I would like to be a lady who lunches”. A couple of days later we were invited to join Ms. Ruth at a spot called Hidden Tea Secrets and believe me it was hidden. We were so lost trying to find this secluded enclave.

The Hidden Tea Secret is antique Victorian, flowers everywhere, but very classy and beautiful. We were the only folk who looked like us there. The teas, the ambiance, the fine foods, the over the top fancy hats, it was simply delightful and the company was the very best. Of course I had to ask for honey and that’s when the heart rates went up. The waitress brings this very odd honey jar that has a saucer attached to the bottom. As Ms. Ruth is trying to get the honey to flow, the saucer releases itself from the jar, falls and shatters when it hits the floor. In this very quiet space, I swear the sound was so loud it could be heard in the next county. Ms. Ruth was so embarrassed. But the lovely son of the owner came over and assured us that it happens often… How nice was that?

I had never had high tea before and now I have, thanks to none other than Ms. Ruth. Of course Ms. Ruth topped it off by purchasing each of us a china teacup with matching saucer. I love tea and I must admit it taste so different in a china teacup as compared to a paper cup or a mug. I’m use to drinking out of big mugs, the bigger the better. Now when I really want a treat, I just get out my beautiful teacup from Ms. Ruth. Thank you Ms. Ruth, for yet another great experience. You’re the absolute best!