Channelling my inner Barbie at the Langham Hotel

I’m not sure why, but the older I get the more girlie I seem to become. Pink now seems to be a colour palate I’m drawn to and I definitely like quirky, cutesy events. So what better way to be girlie then to head along to the Barbie High Tea at The Langham Hotel in Melbourne. One of my fellow travel blogger friends, Nicole from Bitten By The Travel Bug was turning another year older and suggested that we head along on her birthday. I think she was expecting me to laugh or scoff at the idea but I got ridiculously excited and so that’s how we ended up channel our inner Barbie’s for an afternoon of high tea and pink lemonade.

The Barbie themed high tea is on at The Langham Hotel during the Easter school holidays for mothers to bring their daughters or granddaughters along to. Now neither Nicole or I have kids so I was expecting a few odd looks of the ladies sans children giggling over Barbie themed cakes, but there were actually a few tables like us, who had forgotten the kids at home, or simply didn’t have them. I was also anticipating children drugged up to the nines on sugar highs swinging from the chandeliers, but they were all surprisingly well behaved and you hardly noticed there were children there at all. I think Nicole and I were getting more attention photographing everything that was on our table.

We had a choice of 3 high teas – the Barbie Tiffin (usual for the little people but we were allowed to have a look and photograph the Barbie shaped delights), the Langham Tiffin (a selection of scones, sandwiches and sweet treats) and the Chocolate Indulgence Tiffin (similar to the Langham Tiffin but with a lot more chocolate). Nicole and I decided to share the Langham and the Chocolate Indulgence Tiffins. Tiffin is the word for lunch or light meal. The word originated in India during the British Empire, and referred to afternoon tea or the snack in between meals.

Our tiffins were delivered one at a time on a 3 tiered stand and although it didn’t look like a huge amount of food, it’s surprising just how full we were by the end of it. We even had to take away some with us as it was too good to leave behind. Our eyes were definitely bigger than our bellies.

The Langham Tiffin included 2 scones with clotted cream and jam, a selection of sandwiches, a chocolate dipped strawberry, teacake, chocolate éclair, seasonal fruit tart and lemon curd tart and a champagne truffle. The chocolate indulgence had a selection of sandwiches, a crayfish profiterole, scones with jam and clotted cream, mushroom puff pastries, a mini quiche, and then 4 amazing chocolate treats including a chocolate torte with edible gold leaf.

Each of the tiffins came with a choice of teas or hot drink. I went with the classic Earl Grey which was brought to the table in the shiniest of silver tea pots, and drunk out of a beautiful gold edged porcelain tea cup. We also got to sample the Barbie pink lemonade too, which was surprisingly delicious and reminded me of parties when I was a kid.

I guess deep down I’m a closet Barbie fan from way back, so really wanted one of the Fashionista Barbies that came with the Barbie High Tea. I guess closet is the wrong word for it now as I now seem to have fully jumped out screaming – but hey, we’ve all got to have a bit of girlie girl every now and again right? My Barbie is now proudly displayed hugging my lucky bamboo plant in my living room – no judging!

For more information about the Barbie High Tea at The Langham Hotel Melbourne go to http://melbourne.langhamhotels.com.au/barbie.htm (note this is on for a limited time till the 19^th of April 2013 – each holiday another themed high tea is run so keep an eye out).