Our Story

For nearly 10 years, the Tudor Rose English Tea Room was a staple in Sonoma County. Nestled beside the original Russian River Brewery Company, the Tudor Rose was a place of magical splendor and delightful eats, filled with vintage hats, a toasty fireplace, and traditional high tea for all.

From weddings, baby showers and birthdays to retirements, holiday celebrations and live performances, so many beautiful memories were shared there.

The Tudor Rose would have been nothing without The Pinkies Up community. Our loyal patrons watched The Rose grow, and shared their stories and lives over a cuppa tea and homemade scones. It was a wild, beautiful ride, and if COVID taught us anything, it’s that life is too short to keep the joy within four walls.

So here’s to our next chapter–Tudor Rose Events!

About The Owner

I was born and raised in Wallasey, a small northern England town across the Mersey River from Liverpool–yes, where the Beatles are from! Given the lack of opportunity, many left school at the ripe old age of 16 and spent their lives working in factories. This was the life scripted for me, my parents and five siblings. My parents retired from Cadbury Chocolates, which turned out to be my first job ever. I worked on the factory line and was fired after three months for falling asleep on the belt and causing a six-foot chocolate pile up. My mother did not speak to me for a month. In her words, I had disgraced the family name.

At 18, I left for the big city–London beckoned. My first job was as a chambermaid at The Grand Russell Hotel, my introduction to the world of hospitality. Bartending and waitressing followed. At 26, I moved to America, one of our colonies (we don’t hold that little revolution against you and still regard you as part of the empire), with two suitcases, $2,000 and a dream to be a star. I wound up in glamorous Los Angeles and back in the fast-paced restaurant industry. Actress by day and hostess by night, this new life so far from my small hometown felt so foreign and exciting–except the next chapter didn’t involve big screens and long cigarette; it involved marriage and a new born baby girl!

As life moved forward and my daughter grew, tea parties and celebrations of all sorts seemed to always be a theme in our household. When my nest became empty, I quickly realized how much I missed bringing people together to create unforgettable memories, usually involving tea.

During a trip back to England, I came across a sign that read, “high tea being served”. It was a small thatched cottage in the middle of nowhere, not a business but a home. We were greeted by a friendly face and good cheer, and ended up having the most memorable tea of my life. It was a fundraiser to help build a playground for children with special needs. I was touched by these people who cared about others less fortunate than themselves. This was their home, and their daughter was a teacher at the school. We chipped in and donated more than we could afford, but they were thrilled and everyone was in tears. I left that trip knowing that I wanted to recreate the love I had received in that little cottage on the Moors in Devon. As Maya Angelou once said, “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will often forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

The Tudor Rose Tea Room was dedicated to that family who reminded me what love and joy is all about. Now, on this next chapter, Tudor Rose Events will be dedicated to all things magical, and we invite you to come along for the ride.

– Angela Grant