“Are princesses bossy? Are princesses polite?” Just ask as Rebecca Czarniecki, I mean Mrs. B, and her band of princesses as they congregate at the Royal Ball. When I mean royal, we’re talking fancy dresses, jewelry, make up and eating from real china. Ah yes, being a young princess has its 
perks. The best part is that Mrs. B entertains the lovely girls while mom and dad have 2 1/2 hours to do grown up stuff elsewhere.
Follow the trail of bubbles to what was an industrial garage turned into a Victorian palace filled with paintings, a wall of mirrors, hats, antiques, and fans from across the world. Mrs. B has impeccable taste and an infectious personality oozing with charm and grace.
Initially my daughter was a tad shy, but she was welcomed by a circle of girls ranging in ages from 4 to 10. They each took turns saying their name and what they were going to be for Halloween. Each time a child spoke, the group said “Hello Princess ______.”
After getting to know one another, the festivities officially began with dress up. When the armoire opened, the girls squealed in delight seeing fancy costumes fit for the royal occasion. The young girls helped one another get dressed then went to the vanity to put on make up. Then Mrs. B presented the girls with a gold box overflowing with costume jewelry. The excitement among the children continued when Mrs. B asked “who will wear my pearls?”
Dinner featured pizza on china plates and a choice of juice box or water. Mrs. B encouraged and praised every child for using their silverware to cut their pizza. I love that Mrs. B ordered a gluten free pizza for a child who had a food allergy. What’s dinner without dessert? Sweets included fruit kabobs, delicious mini cupcakes, and chocolate drizzled pink marshmallows.
Note this is a parent-free event. However, being that I had to write about the experience from a child’s perspective, I was put to work helping the girls make lip balm and painting their nails. Before this, each of us received a sprinkling of fairy dust. When I asked a few of the girls if this was the first time they attended the royal ball they mentioned that Mrs. B hosted their birthday party here. That’s a sure sign that Mrs. B is well-loved by children everywhere.
The evening winded down with a screening of Tinkerbell and popcorn. We sat on beadazzled pillows under dim lights. While we watched on a decent sized computer, Mrs. B’s future goal is to have a large screen to have a home theater feel to the room. Nonetheless, all the girls had fun giggling, learning a “sprinkling of manners,” and having genuine fun.
Upon leaving, Mrs. B asked us to look for the fairies hiding in the bubbles as they floated away. I hugged Mrs. B goodbye and told her that the evening felt like a sleepover without the sleeping bag. She couldn’t agree more.
Details
The Royal Ball is $25 per child and all ages are welcome to attend. Space is limited to 14 guests. You can call or e-mail to secure your advanced reservation. The event is held on select Fridays from 6 to 8:30 pm. The dates for the rest of the year are October 18, November 1, 15 and 29, and December 20, 2013.
Other Events
Tea with Mrs. B offers many other events to include:
- Story Time Tea at Morrison House in Alexandria
- Toddler Tea on Tuesdays
- Manners class Boys and Girls ages 4 to12
- Family Manners NIght
- Camp (held throughout the year)
- Teen, Adult, and Corporate Etiquette
- Girl Scouts
- After School Enrichments
- Birthday Tea Parties
We first met Mrs. B a year ago when attending Story Time Tea at Morrison House. Now she is a mother and her love of children and tea continues to grow. This was the second time we attended an event and it gets better every time. I highly recommend you take your princess to the Royal Ball.
Photos by Kathleen Molloy.
