The651.com

Whether your drink of choice is wine or tea, St. Paul has you covered this Saturday afternoon.

The serious tea drinker best put on her white gloves and head to the venerable St. Paul Hotel, whose high tea – served most Saturdays throughout the year – is the most authentic in the Twin Cities. Served in its elegant lobby, the five-course afternoon tea includes a wide array of loose-leaf teas, scones and pastries. For the connoisseur, the hotel also offers etiquette classes so you can learn how it’s done. (3-5 p.m. $27 per person. 350 Market St. RSVP required to 651-228-3860.)

Other St. Paul establishments that serve high tea:

· Lady Elegant’s Tea: Classical music and vintage china in a Victorian-English styled dining room. (2230 Carter Av., 651-645-6676.)
· Cedarhurst Mansion: 9 and 11-course afternoon teas served Tuesday through Thursday, 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. (6940 Keats Av. S., 651-769-8918.)
· Marjorie McNeely Conservatory at Como Park: Periodic afternoon themed teas. (1225 Estabrook Dr., 651-487-8240.)
· Café Latté: Afternoon tea served daily noon to 5 p.m. (850 Grand Av., 651-224-5687.)

Wine more up your alley? Then check out the Rosé Tent Tasting event today at W.A. Frost put on by St. Paul independent wine shop Solo Vino. The shop, which was named the Best Wine Store in the Twin Cities by City Pages this year, will be offering tastings of more than 100 wines from 10 different countries with a focus on what’s new and tried-and-true for summer, paired with food from W.A. Frost – known for its great patio. (2-5 p.m. $20. 374 Selby Av. RSVP to 651-602-9515.)

If you can’t make it to the event, we highly recommend you hit up the shop when you get a chance. The shop’s selection of wines, focused on Spanish and Portuguese varietals, is all handpicked by its knowledgeable staff of seven. Best of all, they’re always happy to help you pick out the perfect wine, whether you’re a novice or a connoisseur.

When I want to trick myself into a spa-cation and work in a challenging yoga class that ends with a blissful dose of relaxation, I head to Core Power Yoga on Grand Avenue.

My husband and I decided to make an afternoon date of it, finding a babysitter and going out for a late lunch after. (Yes, there are men in the class, too, I reassured him, since he was concerned he’d be the only guy there.) We stopped in on a recent weekend, showing up 30 minutes early to find parking—more on this later—rent towels, buy bottles of water (oops, we forgot our SIGGs!) and secure decent spots in the always crowded yoga studio.

The “Core Power 1 Intro to Power Yoga” class provides a good base to start with. Even though I’ve been practicing yoga for many years, I love going back to the basics, focusing on my alignment, and most of all, paying attention to my breath. Meanwhile, my husband, who doesn’t have much yoga experience, found the instruction thorough enough for a beginner. Our teacher for the day, Saren, reminds us frequently to come back to our breath, synchronizing our movements with our inhales and exhales. The music is motivating, but not distracting, and it builds with intensity as our practice does, before slowing down as we cool off.

While this probably sounds silly, I always plan a little extra time after class for a shower in the spa-like locker room simply because it is a serene place to be. Complete with smooth stone shower mats, luxurious shampoo, conditioner and body wash (not the smelly, bright pink stuff at my gym), a neutral decor and bamboo, it’s hard to believe I’m on the 2^nd floor of a building on bustling Grand Ave. The locker room is even stocked with natural deodorant and hair dryers. Clearly I get excited about the little things.

Afterward, we round out our afternoon date by walking across the street to Café Latte for a bite to eat and drink. I’m known for caving into my cravings for sweets—especially at a place that tries to sell you dessert before you go through the rest of the cafeteria-style line—but I’m feeling so relaxed and rejuvenated that I really just want a salad. The lemon basil shrimp salad hits the spot. For those who want to try more than one thing, I recommend choosing the 3-salad sampler plate.

The particulars: First try to find parking in the free Victoria Crossing lot just north of Grand Ave. between Victoria and Milton. If that doesn’t work, you can cruise the street for an open spot. Or, make things easy from the get-go and drive straight to pay lot across from Core Power (located adjacent to Pottery Barn). Core Power will validate two hours of free parking before 5 p.m., or $1.00 after 5 p.m., so don’t forget to bring your ticket inside with you.