Thursday, June 13, 2013

Josephine's Tea Room, Godfrey, IL

 

For this week's contribution to The Tablescaper's Oh, the places I've been" link up, I am taking you to lunch at Josephine's Tea Room (and shops!) in Godfrey, Illinois. A 30 minute drive from downtown St. Louis, if you live close, or are passing through, it is well worth a stop.



I celebrated my last two birthdays here (October 7th in case you want to send a card), which is why the pictures are more fall-ish than summery, but if you're anything like me, you are probably looking for seasonal decorating ideas all year long.  So relax, take a good look, and soak up all of this botanical gorgeousness.






Every time I see the gardens here I wonder what the heck I am doing wrong with my own faded, spindly plants. Look at these!  So lush!

This planted window just blew me away, well, not literally, but the day was windy.  Again, lush, gorgeous, and very clever the way the pots are attached to the shutters. I love this look, but my shutters are brand new and I just can't see myself heading toward them wielding a power drill even though I know that I'd love the outcome.





The interior of Josephine's is as pretty as the exterior.  Items that are available for sale in the shops are attractively displayed everywhere. When I see displays like this, well, I just want to go home and spit on my mantle.


Little bits of charm lie everywhere.


This picture is fuzzy because the dining room was packed, we were sitting across the room in the corner, and I was without flash and using a telephoto lens, but check out the stenciling!  Back in the day, every room in my house was stenciled.  I was a woman on a mission with a stencil brush in my hand. For a while I hired out and managed to stencil English ivy around a room in an old house, even across the front of a radiator!  Tricky, but it looked great.  If any of you stencil, please tell me where I can find this monkey stencil. I have the PERFECT place for it in my house.


More stenciling, more fuzziness, but you get the idea as to what a visual wonder this place is inside and out.


Now for the food.  I had a salad and the lobster bisque.  Yummy!  


The dessert tray.  Need I say more? 


Maybe that I selected the biggest one!

Josephine's Ltd.
Tea Rooms and Gift Shops
6109 Godfrey Road
Godfrey, Illinois
618 466 7792

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3 comments:

Ivy, Phyllis and Me! said...

Good Evening Pattie, I know I would absolutely love Josephine's Tea Rooms, not only are the gardens beautiful, but the interior as well and not forgetting the food. What is there to say about the lovely dessert tray....well if I am forced to say, it looks fabulous and yes, I would have chosen the same dessert as you, as chocolate and cream are definitely my downfall.
What a lovely way to spend your birthday.
Best Wishes
Daphne

ellen b. said...

This does look like a charming place to visit. The tea looks delicious!!

Mary said...

What a wonderful spot for a birthday lunch! Love all the decorative touches and the window grill mounted to the siding to hold pumpkins! I had to chuckle at the spitting on your mantle comment :)