Tea at the London Olympics

In London for the games? (Lucky so-and-so.) Looking for tea shops or afternoon tea? I spent five days in London a couple of years ago doing nothing but tea sampling. Here's what I found:

• Afternoon tea at the Langham Hotel is just off London's well-beaten paths and in a bright, surprisingly modern room. The gin menu we enjoyed seems to have changed, but whatever's current I suspect is just as delicious.
• My takes on tea at the Ritz (overblown, skip it), the Mandeville (they've completely remodeled since I was there, but their current afternoon tea menu looks just as hearty and impressive), and the divine Dorchester (book it now).
• Tea shopping at Fortnum & Mason (way better than Harrod's — the Queen agrees) and the splendid Postcard Teas.
• Tea and half-naked women, should you desire.
• If you wind up at the Victoria & Albert museum, check out their teawares.
• You might want to check out the new East India Co. store. Yes, that East India Co. Sort of.

Other Olympics-related tea tidbits:

— I've seen several tea towels for sale, each branded with various London 2012 designs. This one (pictured above) is my fave. I dig this one, too, though it's sold out. Plus, here's one for the ’48 London games.

— Since tea is an iconic British image, it shows up in odd ways among the mountain of merchandise — including these three logo lapel pins.

— Olympic officials had to adjust their doping tests when green tea was found to help cover certain steroids.

— The phrase "tea leaf" in London is slang for a thief. Who knew?