It’s high tea time

Amy R. Spurgeon

BALBOA ISLAND -- It was definitely a party for girls.

Every one of the 10 little girls, all dressed in silk and chiffon and

boasting overstuffed hats with feathers and lace, agreed.

“It’s a girls’ party,” one little girl said. “Boys would have a

basketball party.”

But no boys were present for their birthday “teacup” party Thursday

afternoon at Teddy Bears & Tea Cups, a new retail shop on Marine Avenue.

“Isn’t this every little girl’s dream,” said Susan Horsager, mother of

6-year-old birthday girl Haley Horsager.

The 5- and 6-year-olds from Mariners Christian School in Costa Mesa

joined together to help kindergarten classmate Haley celebrate her

birthday.

Guests arrived bearing gifts in the intimate tea room, a cozy replica

of an enchanted doll house at the back of the store. The girls were

encourage to bring a guest -- most brought a stuffed animal or doll.

Some girls had their nails painted with shiny, pink polish while

others layered strands of pearls around their delicate necks and wrists.

Five-year-old Elizabeth Rainey arrived late and wasn’t too excited

about the thought of leaving her dad at the door. She hid her face behind

her large overstuffed teddy bear, trying to decide her next move.

In an effort to coax his young daughter inside, Tommy Rainey planted a

large party hat with feathers and lace on his head and walked inside. An

hour later -- after her dad had gone back to work -- Elizabeth seemed

like a different child. She sat grinning and giggling with her friends

and looking forward to cake.

The birthday girl seemed pleased with her party, which featured a

three-course meal and choice of tea or lemonade.

Haley and her brand new doll sat at the head of one of the tables in

an oversized armchair and chatted with her friends about boys, hopscotch

and “Star Wars.”

Mothers looked on as the girls nibbled on their raisin scones, sipped

from their tea cups and munched on frozen grapes. Haley’s looked on,

puzzled.

“I don’t know where we go from here,” Horsager said of her daughter’s

next birthday. “How do you top this?”

box follows:

Teddy Bears & Tea Cups is at 225 Marine Ave. It offers etiquette

classes and high tea, as well as birthday parties. Reservations are

required. For more information, call (949) 673-7204.