Researching...but not tea

Mariage Freres - tea emporium - 1000 teas from 36 countries.

Arriving early for an informal research seminar with a fellow researcher, there was time to walk the length of the ground floor (Comptoir de Thé)taking in the rows of teas tastefully displayed in bespoke floor to ceiling shelving.  There was time to appreciate the design and decor of the building, and there was time to panic slightly when thinking about which tea should accompany the research seminar.     

In an hour an a half, two pots of the 'smokey earl grey,' accompanied by a fruit scone and tea infused jelly (jam), were taken.  In an hour and a half,  myself and fellow research and two other tea drinkers were the only customers in the Salon de Thé.  Admittedly the weather of the day was unabatingly wet, cold and grey... all the more reason to drink tea one would think, but perhaps from the warmth of one's own home, by a roaring fire.

The research, the tea and the environment will remain memorable... excellently sized tea pots served to provided ample quantity of tea, the quietness permitted, indeed invited, conversation where the conversation was both individually and jointly focused. A critical question, unrelated to the research topics at the centre of the seminar focused on the ratio of staff to customer which was approximately 8:4.  Can you guess the question?

The tea was excellent, as was the company and the quality of the research seminar.