Afternoon Tea at Fornum & Mason

I booked a spot for Afternoon Tea at the famed St. James restaurant in Fortnum & Mason, London.



Here's what the confirmation message said (emphasis added):

"Fortnum & Mason St. James Restaurant is delighted to confirm your reservation. Please make your way to the 4th floor on arrival to the store. Our dress code is smart casual and we ask that gentlemen wear long trousers and closed-toe shoes and that both sexes lean more towards elegance than the beach.... We look forward to welcoming you to the St. James Restaurant in Fortnum & Mason. With kind regards..."

This is great. I would say it's quintessentially British, but something tells me that Afternoon Tea nowadays is more of an elaborately constructed trap for affluent foreign tourists (or, in my case, ex-students with Fathers on business trips) than a long-standing British tradition.

Oh, well. It's nice to have Fathers on business, even if it means I'll be on my own most of the time. At least we'll have Afternoon Tea.