Breakfast in Florence with ''A Room with a View''

Would you like to join me for breakfast (with tea of course) in Florence with a room with a view over looking the Arno?

Come and sit down, let's have tea!

Florence, the birth place of Renaissance, has been a dream city for many people. Walking on the stone paved pavement and looking at the architecture, you will find yourself back to the Renaissance period. Is that a deja vu? Maybe. Or.. Had you really lived there once before? Maybe.

Florence, with its magic and mystery, has inspired many writers. No doubt British writer, E. M. Forster, found inspiration and made Florence as the backdrop for his book ''A Room with a View''.

photograph courtesy of the film 'A room with a view''

''A Room with a View'' starts with Lucy's adventure in Florence with her chaperon Charlotte, there they meet the unconventional Emersons--a father and a son who always mean to be kind but because of the lack of tact, are often considered ill-bred by their own countrymen. Something happens between Lucy and George Emerson after George rescues Lucy during a scene of a fight between two Italian men. However things are stopped with the interference of Charlotte and the return to England of Lucy and Charlotte.

Back home, Lucy accepts the proposal of the socially suitable gentleman Cecil. Will Lucy really get married to Cecil or is she going to break free and chooses George at the end?

In the movie, we can find two afternoon tea scenes.

tea in countryside (phtograph courtesy of the film)

''Tea at a Renaissance villa? Nothing had been said about it yet. But if it did come to that---how Lucy would enjoy it!''--- A Room with a View

tea in the garden (photograph courtesy of the film)

The tea set trio I present here today is by Royal Doulton. The simplicity of the set reminds me of the innocence of Lucy in ''A Room with a View''.

I love the hand-applied turquoise beads and hand-coloured rose buds on the cup. They are like the decorations you can find in Edwardian gowns.

According to the seller, Royal Doulton started using this pattern from 1902. I guess the set dates from 1902--1920.

The laurel wreath around the cup shouts victory. Will George Emerson gain victory over Cecil in ''A Room with a View''? Does love triumph all? Why dont you find out yourself?

''A true Florentine smell!''--Miss Lavish in A room with a view. Nice to smell Florence in sleep.

In the meanwhile, I am going to hug my pillow covered by the hand emboidered linen pillowcase bought from Florence during my first visit and dream a Florence dream.

And hopefully I wake up with breakfast and tea in front of me!