I expect to see the ladies of Downton Abbey taking Afternoon Tea, but not the ladies of The Big Bang Theory. Sheldon might offer a hot beverage, but it took a mild identity crisis to bring Penny, Amy and Bernadette to the table.
The idea of Afternoon Tea comes as a way to be more "grown-up", which they find to be misdirected: they get dressed ladylike, and Amy wears her legendary tiara, and find themselves surrounded by mothers and their little daughters. Well, I could have told you it's a little girl thing. I've been trying to market Afternoon Tea as an all-gender, all-culture, and certainly all-age group encompassing activity, but one step into Alice's Tea Cup might convince you otherwise. Still, I was disappointed to see how quickly they abandoned the tea and ended up at the bar. I'm no teetotaler, but enjoy one thing at a time! Also, in case you want to feel a little adult, there's usually such a thing as Champagne Tea in hotels.
Of course, I'm arguing with a fictional TV show, one that has no problem if women are interested in science,but apparently they can't be bothered to get into sci-fi or comic books. It's still one of my favorite shows, but nothing is perfect.
I do wish 'taking tea' appealed to more demographics, but then again, who wants it to get too popular? Personally, I like the combination of the childlike enjoyment of sweets, with a slightly refined edge without being overly formal. Tiaras optional.
