News Archive | The Press-Enterprise, November 27, 2003 Sweet treats served at Tea A ballet preview and time to chat fill the afternoon at Moreno Valley Senior Center By Melissa Eiselein/The Press-Enterprise MORENO VALLEY – Pearl Medina saw the Sugar Plum Tea as an opportunity to spend time with her two grown daughters. Medina, 58, of Moreno Valley bought three tickets to the tea and spent a recent Sunday afternoon sipping tea, watching ballet dancers and chatting with her daughters, Andrea, 23, and Rebecca, 22. The trio was among about 175 people attending the tea at Moreno Valley's Senior Community Center. Sponsored by Integrated Care Communities and Jan Peterson Child Day Care Center, the event was hosted by Moreno Valley Unified School District's Access to the Future, the Moreno Valley Chamber of Commerce and Soroptimist International of Moreno Valley. Each of the table settings at the 22 tables was different. There were tall cups, wide cups and dainty little cups the size of a child's hand. Some of the cups were decorated with pastel flowers. Others had gold bands around the rim. At the center of each table were a teapot and a tray laden with finger foods such as small squares of cake, slices of fruit, miniature cheesecakes and other sweet delights. As Ballet Theater Company dancers Janelle Junio, 17; Katie Ruwe, 15; and Michelle Lindeman, 15, entertained with numbers from " The Nutcracker" ballet, Violet Miranda, 6, of Moreno Valley nibbled on cake and sipped from her teacup. Violet's cousin, Natalie Bragdon, was also at the tea. Natalie, 4, is a student at the Ballet Theater Company in Moreno Valley. She will be on stage during "The Nutcracker" performance, said her grandmother, Diane Bragdon. "She's going to be one of Mother Ginger's kids," Bragdon said. Pearl Medina said she and her daughters enjoyed the short dances so much that they are planning to attend the full performance in December. Return to News Archive Main Menu