Fantastic Flower Fairy Sugar Scrub

Do you like wildflowers?  Do you ever imagine being surrounded in a sea of them while you look up at a clear blue sky?  Or do you want silky smooth skin that sparkles like sunshine?   If it is yes to any one of these questions then this is the beauty recipe for you.  This formula is said to be Queen Maeve's favorite beauty product. 

It was created by her seven fairy maidens who have served her since the beginning of time.  Their names are Candite, Coulante, Fleur de Farine, Miettes qui Tombent, Canari qui Chante, Violente and her most trusted messenger, Fee des Lilas.  After Queen Maeve’s son, Oberon took over her throne, he sent her into exile but her fairy maidens never left her side.  To make a long story short, Oberon botched things up with the humans and many mystical clans when he was king of the fairies.  The fairy kingdom saw that Queen Maeve was the better ruler.  So the fairies in the fairy kingdom sent for her and voted her back as their queen.  Oberon was forced to step down and do 10,000 years of good deeds to mortals to make up for his mistakes.  

It may have taken 500 years but Queen Maeve happily took back her place as the queen of the fairies. To celebrate the queen's return the fairy maidens created a flower fairy scent and mixed it into a gentle scrub.  This scrub will give you the glow, sparkle and smell of a fairy with the beautiful soft skin to match.  Just follow this recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Raw sugar
• 1/4 to 1 cup Sunflower oil
• 1-2 drops each of Essential oil (Lilac, Lavender, Rose, Lily-of-the-Valley, Gardenia,  Honeysuckle, and Jasmine)
• green tea leaves

*Some of these essential oils are easy to find while others you will have to search for.  A lot of what I get are from farmer's markets, travel expos or online.*

Directions

1.      Mix the raw sugar and oil together in a container.

2.      Add the essential oils and mix well with a stirring stick (I use the stir sticks because the essential oils will stain cutlery and it’s difficult to get rid of)

3.      Take the desired amount of green tea leaves and sprinkle them into the mixture.  Mix well.

 There is a reason why fairies love all of these ingredients.  The raw sugar strips away all negativity, the green tea livens up the skin, while the sunflower oil brings on the smooth and the sparkle that every fairy needs.  What truly makes this a fairy potion is the scents.  These fragrances are very special to the fairies because the fairy maidens are in charge of these particular flowers.  Due to their love and loyalty to their queen, they managed to protect her from danger, teach her the ways of the world and sneak her back into the fairy kingdom when the timing was right.  She would never have gotten her throne back without their help.  When it comes to beauty, I find that a little help goes a long way whether you are mortal or immortal. 

Vancouver Island: Tea time at the Empress

I have always been a little bit fascinated with royalty. As a small fairy, I would slip into their gardens and sitting rooms to determine how they dressed, what they were talking about, and especially what they ate and drank. It is therefore no surprise that when I discovered the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, Canada, served high tea to anyone who was appropriately dressed and could afford the experience, I couldn’t wait to get there.

The Empress has served Afternoon Tea for over 105 years but with the massive fire in downtown Victoria in 1910 and the start of the Great War in 1914, we of the Nether World decided to stay away from the Earth Realm for a time.  And then I just got busy.  You know how it is; life happens.

This August, I finally got to go and I was not disappointed. The hotel is filled with beautiful furnishings and décor from the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Table cloths and napkins are crisp and white. The china is produced exclusively for the Empress Hotel and was first used in 1939 on the occasion of a visit from King George VI and Queen Elizabeth of England.  Silver teapots, trays, cream pitchers, and sugar bowls are used to pour tea. A piano player tickles the ivories in the background.  I do not see this kind of elegance very often today and it was like I had actually walked into the past.

My companions and I were taken to our table and seated. Our server provided us with the carte du jour listing the delicacies we would be served. We had a choice of teas and my companions opted for the Empress Blend. I chose the Madame Butterfly Jasmine loose leaf tea. Tea was brewed at the table and poured by the server. My tea was a blend of jasmine and green tea from Fuijan province in China. The tea’s aroma reminded me of being in an oriental temple surrounded by trees, little streams, and mountains. How heavenly and serene!

To start, we were served a dish of fresh blueberries with Empress Cream. Empress Cream seems to be a cross between whipped cream and Devonshire cream. I made myself take the time to savor each spoonful. Next came a tiered tray with finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries. My companions are not vegetarians and their sandwiches included smoked salmon with dill cream cheese, honey ham with Dijon mustard, egg salad, Moroccan spiced chicken, cucumber and ginger. Where their sandwiches included meat, the chef replaced the selections to accommodate me.  I got a carrot sandwich, an eggplant with curry, and a tomato. Each sandwich was made with a different kind of bread: croissant, butter brioche, marble rye, and more.  Next came scones with Empress Cream and strawberry preserves. And last, but not least the pastries: chocolate cup with berry mousse, pistachio cream tart, rose petal shortbread and at least two other offerings. We had more food than we could eat. Our server graciously boxed up the extras and also presented us with a souvenir package of Empress Blend tea. What a lovely surprise.

The Afternoon Tea is rather costly but it is a wondrous and unique experience. I recommend you allow a lot of time to fully enjoy the tea and to tour the flower gardens outside. Extraordinary! Don’t you deserve to be an Emperor or Empress for at least one afternoon?

 

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A Brownie's Best Breakfast Idea...Ever!!!

Don't you all just love the brownies?  How these wonderful little creatures come, in the middle of the night and make you the greatest breakfast you could ask for?  Well that happened to me a couple of days ago when I was staying in Vancouver Island. 

 

Now what are brownies?  I can hear you all ask.  Brownies are apart of the fey clan that love the home and hearth.  They only work at night but they take a lot of pride in caring for the house and look to make it a happy place to live.  In other words, they are our best house cleaners and caterers.  They are short, often stocky with spindly arms and legs.  They often have childlike faces that have a spark of mischief in their eyes.  Don't worry, they are very friendly and benevolent. Here is my story of the good deed that they did for me. 

 

Early in the morning, I woke up smelling the glorious scent of fresh baked bread filling the air.  I thought I was dreaming because I was smelling this in my bedroom.  It was also early in the morning and just like the T-shirt says, I do not do early mornings.  In fact, I have a lot of trouble getting out of bed but this morning was different.  I got out of bed and walk into the kitchen where I find the a nice surprise.  At the table there was the most beautiful looking breakfast.  It was a miracle to see this colorful array of fresh fruit, a newly baked croissant and a warm slice of brie cheese just waiting to be eaten.  

 

This doesn't usually happen for me, especially in the Earth Realm but here it is.  At first I wondered who would do this for me.  Then it hit me.  I left some of my black forest cake and ice cream out on a plate on this very table before I went to bed.  There was no trace of either the cake or ice cream around until I saw the plate was washed and sitting up in the cabinet.  This is kind of thing that only a brownie would do.  And knowing that this particular kind of fairy loves dairy foods along with sweets was just a dead give away.  

 

Those kind and caring magical creatures snuck in and did a nice thing for me.  Thank you very much to you wonderful souls for it.  They can help many others at any given time.  Have any of you had an encounter with these helpful hobgoblins?  Please share your story.  I'd love to hear it. 

 

East side Marios

East Side Mario's is a popular Italian chain restaurant that originated in New York.  It is popular for a reason.  I find some of the finest fairy food there.  Don't worry there are all kinds of foods fit for sirens, shape-shifters, elves, etc.  Vampires on the other hand, will have a tougher time.  It's the kind of food that you vampires have when you are dieting.  So for you lot, I recommend a virgin caesar with no salt.  I know you all like to slurp clams when you want to lose weight.  Or there is always the steak dish with the steak rare and extra bloody but you might raise some eyebrows.  That's never a good thing.

I always order the stuffed mushrooms, garden salad and the tomato garlic soup.  With this meal, I step back into the enchanted woods and eat something magical.  It is easy to miss a home cooked meal especially in this world.  Luckily, you will be able to find meals or make meals in this world that have the same effect. 

After all that, if you are still hungry for something sweet, go for the mini mousse cake.  It is the perfect size after a huge meal.  This small rich decadent dessert looks like a small pixie top hat.  It's almost a shame to eat it except get real!  It is made of chocolate and we of the fey are all addicted to chocolate.  One bite of this little cake launches you into ecstasy and you will not disappointed.  Like I said, the finest fairy food you can find. 

Their slogan is very appropriate for them.  Bada-Bing-Bada-Boom!  It almost like they can open a portal into our world and summon up dishes from the "Black Dragon's Pub."  Oh I miss that pub.  The food is excellent at the pub and also at East Side Mario's.  So check it out.  It's a home away from home.