A Marie Claire Tea Party!

I decided that it would be a cute idea to start doing the occasional post where I check out the best of New York City — restaurants, exhibits, and Broadway shows.

Nina Garcia's assistant, Tina Kuo, knows all the best eateries, lounges, and bars, so I trusted her to plan our first Marie Claire excursion. She chose tea at the Crosby Street Hotel, a spot that I've frequented for drinks but never for brunch. But, apparently that is the case for most people: the Crosby's tea-time offerings are a bit under the radar. And that was actually the first thing I liked about the place. There were people there, but it wasn't at all crowded, so you could have an intimate conversation with someone and not worry that the table next to you could hear everything you were saying (yes, we did gossip a bit!). I also loved the décor. Its decidedly playful interior — a colorful meeting place of Morocco and English countryside — was a breath of fresh air from all these minimalist hotels popping up in the city.

The food was also delicious: scones! cupcakes! mini sandwiches! And the wide variety of tea was impressive. I don't fancy myself a tea connoisseur, but the Crosby waiters sure do. Our waiter knew about all the teas and infusions and recommended me an infusion of earl grey with peppermint (sans milk, he advised, since I had a cold). All in all, I loved the experience and definitely want to make this a Sunday ritual. See below for more pics from tea time as well as some thoughts from the other MC editors I went with.