"High lemonade" just doesn't have the same ring to it. Nor does "Olivia's Dollhouse Lemonaderoom." So, mum's the word, but the substance in those tea cups isn't tea. That's because kids prefer pink sugary stuff.

The beverage may be chilled, but the spot is hot. Olivia's Dollhouse Tearoom in Tustin hosts about a dozen parties a week, usually in celebration of a birthday. Young ladies gather at the elegant cafe to sip "tea" and nibble PBJ finger sandwiches.

That's just half the fun. Playing dress up is the star attraction of Olivia's. "We get the girls all dolled up," says Lulu Chin, manager of the chain's only Orange County location. "They look like they're going to the prom."

Guests squeal and giggle as they don princess gowns, hats, boas, beads and bracelets. The finishing touch: eye shadow, lip gloss and rouge.

"Only the birthday girl gets to wear the crown," Chin says. She also commands the dinner bell, though moderation is encouraged. "If she rings it too often, we call that bell abuse."

Obviously, this isn't really a boy thing. But accompanying siblings can ham it up with top hats and painted mustaches.

A frou-frou fete will cost you at any age. The children's "tea" parties start at $325 for a group of seven.

Chin notices something more than a physical transformation in the queen and her court: "Once they're in costume, the girls act more properly. They say 'please' and 'excuse me,' and use the best of manners. Suddenly, they're all grown up."

CONTACT US: Orange Slices is a weekly feature documenting life in Orange County. Send ideas to Lorren Au at lau@ocregister.com.