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Cheshire Cat, white rabbit and friends attend Mad Tea Party in Portland
Sunday, 05 April 2015 Kristyna Wentz-Graff |
Oregonian staff writer and photographer
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Wentz-Graff, Kristyna. The Oregonian: “Cheshire Cat, white rabbit and friends attend Mad Tea Party in Portland”, 05 April 2015 |
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As people strolled through Peninsula Park in Portland on Saturday, many did a double take. A Cheshire cat was seen lounging in the grass as she listened to the smooth sounds of a cello. A white rabbit posed for photos amid a sea of mannequin legs. And dozens of Steampunk-clad people sipped tea and while playing croquet with bowling balls and sledgehammers. It was all part of a Mad Tea Party organized by Fredrick Zal, a Portland resident who describes himself as creating "silly things". Zal, a lover of tea and tea rituals, was mulling over the idea of a Mad Hatter tea party. His original plan was for a small, intimate event. "It was going to be four or six of us, but we put it on Facebook and it got a lot bigger," he says. When he saw the interest in a themed tea party, he started planning. It took two months to put it together. A formal tea was served, British style, with custom tea blends created by Friday Afternoon teas. Caterers provided savory and sweet treats, described by Zal as having an "Alice in Wonderland flavor". |
 Carolyn Baker of Portland, dressed as the white rabbit for the Mad Tea Party held Saturday, April 4, 2015 at Peninsula Park in Portland. |
 The event featured an array of custom-blended teas, sweet and savory nibbles, live music, and three types of croquet. |
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People enjoyed the warm weather, playing miniature golf with flamingo-shaped golf clubs, standard croquet and Mondo croquet, where players use a sledgehammer to move bowling balls around a course. A live performance by cellist Skip vonKuske and Grace Young on viola provided a relaxing tea drinking atmosphere. Tickets were sold online and about 40 people attended Saturday's inaugural event. Costumes and formal attire were required. "It's Portland," says Zal. "If you can get people together, why not have them dress up? It's more fun." |
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 Kathryn Graziano of Gresham (left) chats with others at the Mad Tea Party |
 Cellist Skip vonKuske of Portland provided musical entertainment |
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 Gwynievere Marlow (left) and Carolyn Baker share a laugh |
 Veruca Dulce of Beaverton (center) dressed as the Cheshire Cat lounges on the lawn |
 C.G. Acharjya of Portland |
 Allyn York of Portland |
 Julie Johnson of Corvallis plays "flamingo mini-golf" with her son Abram Pond-Johnson, 5 |
 (Left to right) Hillary Rose Christen, Brigitte Takach and Ashlynn Johnson drink tea |
 Edie Reid of Banks (left) chats with Nancy Lisicki |
 (Left to right) Raymond Thomas of Los Angeles, Janessa Horner of Portland and Adriana Rivadeneira of Portland chat over tea |
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 Janessa Horner (left) of Portland pours tea for Stashia Cabral of Portland |
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 Julie Johnson of Corvallis (left), Ashley Zielinski of Portland (center) and Abram Pond-Johnson, 5, arrive |
 The event featured an array of custom-blended teas, sweet and savory nibbles, live music, and three types of croquet. |
 Jason Borgardt of Portland sips tea on the queen's throne |
 Veruca Dulce of Beaverton (center) dressed as the Cheshire Cat lounges on the lawn during a Mad Tea Party |
 Gwynievere Marlow blows bubbles |
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 C.G. Acharjya of Portland plays mondo croquet |
 Stashia Cabral of Portland |
 Allyn York of Portland chooses a tea cup |
 Stashia Cabral of Portland (left) and Gwynievere Marlow (right) take a photo of their footwear |
 Julie Johnson of Corvallis (left) talks with Ashley Zielinski of Portland |
 Clubs for a game of "flamingo mini-golf" |
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 Stashia Cabral of Portland |
 (Left to right) Corinna Gelster-Borgardt, Gwynievere Marlow, Carolyn Baker, Tony M. and Jason Borgardt, all of Portland, pose for a photo |
 Gwynievere Marlow |
 Fredrick Zal of Portland was the coordinator and host of the Mad Tea Party |
 (Left to right) Gwynievere Marlow, Corinna Gelster-Borgardt, Carolyn Baker, and Tony M. joke around |
 (Left to right) Brigitte Takach, Hillary Rose Christen, and Ashlynn Johnson review a photo of themselves on a cell phone |
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 Tony M. (no last name given) of Portland |
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 Kathryn Graziano of Gresham |
 Bowling balls for a mondo croquet game |
 Brigitte Takach |
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 Mondo croquet at a Mad Tea Party |
 Adriana Rivadeneira sits on the queen's throne |
 (Left to right) Ashlynn Johnson, Brigitte Takach and Hillary Rose Christen |