Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
UK Day
For some reason, I feel like talking about the UK today. Perhaps it's because I recently saw this funny little Cultural Guide to the UK that features tea (and is by the guy who did the Radiohead dot matrix printer remix). Or maybe the BBC tea documentary I saw in a fellow blogger's post the other day. Or the British dim sum menu (complete with hot tea, iced tea and tea cocktails) that my Londoner sister sent me last week. Or even the fact that I keep meaning to update my articles on afternoon tea and high tea with information from helpful British readers and from Ellen Easton's NYC Coffee & Tea Festival lecture and book "Afternoon Tea... Tips, Terms and Traditions." (Soon, soon...) Or the responses from people who read my recent Tea & Sympathy tearoom review, saying things like "I totally LOLed" (which I find to be a very humorous cultural juxtaposition in and of itself). At any rate, I suppose I've talked about it now. Readers, care to add anything? Interesting links? A story or two?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
New Vee Tea Article
There's a new Vee Tea article up on World Tea News! It's part two of the American tea palate series. Excerpt:
Despite the shift toward “pure” teas, blended teas are holding strong. Most sources linked flavored teas’ popularity to palatial accessibility, but Pratt offered a more practical reason: “Flavors are essential in places like most of the American West, where the water is so bad, real tea flavors are undetectable.”
Flavored specialty teas are here to stay, but sources said they are undergoing radical changes. According to Harrison, “In the past, low-quality black tea was a carrier for an artificial fruit flavor. Now, there is an understanding for intelligent tea blending that goes way beyond fruit and fannings.”
Read the rest on World Tea News!
Despite the shift toward “pure” teas, blended teas are holding strong. Most sources linked flavored teas’ popularity to palatial accessibility, but Pratt offered a more practical reason: “Flavors are essential in places like most of the American West, where the water is so bad, real tea flavors are undetectable.”
Flavored specialty teas are here to stay, but sources said they are undergoing radical changes. According to Harrison, “In the past, low-quality black tea was a carrier for an artificial fruit flavor. Now, there is an understanding for intelligent tea blending that goes way beyond fruit and fannings.”
Read the rest on World Tea News!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
New Vee Tea Article
TeaMuse just put out a new Vee Tea tearoom review. Excerpt:
Tea & Sympathy is a small and perpetually crowded tearoom in the West Village's so-called "Little Britain" district. It has been serving up classic British fare such as bangers and mash, Welsh rarebit, treacle pudding and, of course, an abundance of (mostly flavored black) teas to British expatriates and Anglophiles alike for nearly two decades. At first taste, Tea & Sympathy is enough to make you wish the States hadn't caused that whole "Boston Tea Party" fuss and simply let the British carry on with their whole "world domination" bit unchallenged. However, by the end of the meal, you'll be glad to walk outside and know you are on American soil (or sidewalk, as the case may be).
You see, when the denizens of Boston decided to throw tea overboard ships as a symbol of rebellion against the British, they set off a chain reaction spanning down the East coast and resulting in the voluntary end of tea drinking for many a proud soon-to-be American. Tea was still consumed in some areas, notably in the form of iced green tea punches in the South, but lost its former status and was no longer culturally ingrained in the same way. An unseasonably hot summer at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis led one Mr. Richard Blechynden to mix a batch of iced tea, get (erroneously) named the "inventor of iced tea," and spread the consumption of iced tea across the US. (The numerous free samples he distributed outside NYC's Bloomingdale's later in the summer didn't hurt, either.) Still, it took a wave of new tearooms, often opened by immigrants from Asia and Europe, in the US in the late 20th century to help the custom of hot tea reach anything near its former glory. Tea & Sympathy is one of those tearooms.
You can read the rest of my new tearoom review on TeaMuse. Enjoy!
Tea & Sympathy is a small and perpetually crowded tearoom in the West Village's so-called "Little Britain" district. It has been serving up classic British fare such as bangers and mash, Welsh rarebit, treacle pudding and, of course, an abundance of (mostly flavored black) teas to British expatriates and Anglophiles alike for nearly two decades. At first taste, Tea & Sympathy is enough to make you wish the States hadn't caused that whole "Boston Tea Party" fuss and simply let the British carry on with their whole "world domination" bit unchallenged. However, by the end of the meal, you'll be glad to walk outside and know you are on American soil (or sidewalk, as the case may be).
You see, when the denizens of Boston decided to throw tea overboard ships as a symbol of rebellion against the British, they set off a chain reaction spanning down the East coast and resulting in the voluntary end of tea drinking for many a proud soon-to-be American. Tea was still consumed in some areas, notably in the form of iced green tea punches in the South, but lost its former status and was no longer culturally ingrained in the same way. An unseasonably hot summer at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis led one Mr. Richard Blechynden to mix a batch of iced tea, get (erroneously) named the "inventor of iced tea," and spread the consumption of iced tea across the US. (The numerous free samples he distributed outside NYC's Bloomingdale's later in the summer didn't hurt, either.) Still, it took a wave of new tearooms, often opened by immigrants from Asia and Europe, in the US in the late 20th century to help the custom of hot tea reach anything near its former glory. Tea & Sympathy is one of those tearooms.
You can read the rest of my new tearoom review on TeaMuse. Enjoy!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Fridays
I've decided to take Fridays off from blogging. As much as I love blogging about tea, I'm too busy with other tea work to keep up. I'll still post Mondays through Thursdays, so there will be plenty of tea goodness to go around. I'll also keep you updated on some of the other tea writing I'm doing for other sites and publications. Thanks for reading!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Coffee & Tea Festival: Lectures
Here are some notes on a few of the lectures and demos I caught at the Coffee & Tea Festival this year. I won't be giving away TOO much, as I'd hate to see my many hours of work distrubited on someone else's website without my consent. However, this should give you a "taste" of the tea events at the Festival.
Coffee & Tea Infused Cocktails--Kara Newman (food and drink writer and lecturer) and Beniot Cornett (of Sanctuary T, NYC)
Obviously, both of these lecturers know their stuff when it comes to making tea cocktails. They discussed the trends of "extreme cocktails" (those with Red Bull and other energy drinks), sweet/savory blends, super-fresh ingredients, and pairing cocktails with desserts. They listed some major considerations in creating your own tea cocktails: whether it should be hot or cold, what its caffeine and tannin levels will be, and how to balance the flavors. They went on to please the crowd by mixing (and distributing) several tea and coffee cocktails. Unfortunately, there were only enough samples for those who REALLY wanted them (which a lot of people did!), so I didn't get to try them. However, my bartending experience, previous experiments with tea cocktails, and reading of The Art of the Bar by Absinthe's fantastic bar chef Johnathan Raglin told me that they were solid recipes. A few more hints they gave and I stand by: vodka and gin infuse well with tea, and homemade flavored symple syrups are one of your best allies at the bar.
Afternoon Tea for Fun and Profit--Ellen Easton (Afternoon Tea Consultant)
Ellen Easton's approach to tea is VERY different from mine, however, I have the utmost respect for her expertise in the tradition of afternoon tea. She delivered a fascinating lecture on afternoon tea from its rules of ettiquite to balancing a tea menu to tea's relationship to the suffragette movement and, finally, the "fun and profit" aspect of afternoon tea. She dispelled myths (The most controversial: "A raised pinkie is a sign of arrogance." Not true!) and even dipped into the oft-overlooked realm of the politics of tea. I'll be reviewing her book some time in the next few months. Look out for it.
Tea Blending: An Elusive Art--Nini Ordoubadi (Tay Tea, NYC)
Nini is a professional tea blender and I can tell that she is one of the rare few who loves her job. (We can sense our own!) She discussed the art of tea blending as an almost spiritual endeavor. "Think of it as a meditation," she advised. The basic steps (examining the dry elements, adding hot water, watching the elements infuse, "drinking the tea with your nose," decanting into a clear container, tasting the isolated flavors, blending, tasting, and evaluating) are simple enough, but it is an understanding of the essence of the tea that is complex. She maintains that it is something that everyone can do, provided they do three things: be completely honest in your evaluation of each blend, be patient, and keep a notebook. I have the feeling that at least a few members of her audience will be following her advice in the near future.
Tomorrow, I'll continue this train of thought with a post about two more lectures, Green Tea 101 and The Future of Tea. Right now I'm off to brew some tea and write some tea descriptions!
Coffee & Tea Infused Cocktails--Kara Newman (food and drink writer and lecturer) and Beniot Cornett (of Sanctuary T, NYC)
Obviously, both of these lecturers know their stuff when it comes to making tea cocktails. They discussed the trends of "extreme cocktails" (those with Red Bull and other energy drinks), sweet/savory blends, super-fresh ingredients, and pairing cocktails with desserts. They listed some major considerations in creating your own tea cocktails: whether it should be hot or cold, what its caffeine and tannin levels will be, and how to balance the flavors. They went on to please the crowd by mixing (and distributing) several tea and coffee cocktails. Unfortunately, there were only enough samples for those who REALLY wanted them (which a lot of people did!), so I didn't get to try them. However, my bartending experience, previous experiments with tea cocktails, and reading of The Art of the Bar by Absinthe's fantastic bar chef Johnathan Raglin told me that they were solid recipes. A few more hints they gave and I stand by: vodka and gin infuse well with tea, and homemade flavored symple syrups are one of your best allies at the bar.
Afternoon Tea for Fun and Profit--Ellen Easton (Afternoon Tea Consultant)
Ellen Easton's approach to tea is VERY different from mine, however, I have the utmost respect for her expertise in the tradition of afternoon tea. She delivered a fascinating lecture on afternoon tea from its rules of ettiquite to balancing a tea menu to tea's relationship to the suffragette movement and, finally, the "fun and profit" aspect of afternoon tea. She dispelled myths (The most controversial: "A raised pinkie is a sign of arrogance." Not true!) and even dipped into the oft-overlooked realm of the politics of tea. I'll be reviewing her book some time in the next few months. Look out for it.
Tea Blending: An Elusive Art--Nini Ordoubadi (Tay Tea, NYC)
Nini is a professional tea blender and I can tell that she is one of the rare few who loves her job. (We can sense our own!) She discussed the art of tea blending as an almost spiritual endeavor. "Think of it as a meditation," she advised. The basic steps (examining the dry elements, adding hot water, watching the elements infuse, "drinking the tea with your nose," decanting into a clear container, tasting the isolated flavors, blending, tasting, and evaluating) are simple enough, but it is an understanding of the essence of the tea that is complex. She maintains that it is something that everyone can do, provided they do three things: be completely honest in your evaluation of each blend, be patient, and keep a notebook. I have the feeling that at least a few members of her audience will be following her advice in the near future.
Tomorrow, I'll continue this train of thought with a post about two more lectures, Green Tea 101 and The Future of Tea. Right now I'm off to brew some tea and write some tea descriptions!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Two NYT Tea Articles
Here are two articles from last year that I've been meaning to link for some time. They are both from The New York Times and they cover very different aspects of tea. The first is similar to my recent Tea Muse article on tea in Austin. Its focus is Portland and it is written by the talented Ceil Miller Bouchet. The second is about the owners of a specialty foods store who, like me, love to teach tea and who, unlike me, recently published the wonderful book “The Story of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide."
Excerpt from Beyond Tea and Crumpets in Portland:
"... that's why I came to Portland: to connect with this moist metropolis through my favorite brew. Building on the success of established Portland tea businesses like Tazo Tea, Stash and Oregon Chai, the city is host to one of the most distinctive tea scenes in the country. Locally owned tea spots have sprouted throughout the city, supported by an epicurean population that travels miles for the perfect cup. From mushroom tea to tea paired with sake, these citizens of the Pacific Rim are thinking way beyond tea and crumpets. And no tea bags allowed."
Excerpt from Lessons From the Professors of Tea:
"In Shanghai they visited a bustling regional wholesale tea market that was featuring first-of-the-season teas from the eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui. (Cramped in the back of a van full of Chinese passengers, no officials saw them as they rode through the checkpoint into a Chinese-only wholesale section of the city.)
On a boat ride on the Lake of a Thousand Islands, in Zhejiang Province, a woman named Wei Cui Lan, one of China’s leading tea authorities and one of the last women to graduate from tea school before the Cultural Revolution, showed them the methods required to brew at least 30 different varieties of green and oolong tea."
PS--I still have two free tickets left for the Coffee and Tea Festival. Email me with your name and a comment or suggestion for Vee Tea to win them.
Excerpt from Beyond Tea and Crumpets in Portland:
"... that's why I came to Portland: to connect with this moist metropolis through my favorite brew. Building on the success of established Portland tea businesses like Tazo Tea, Stash and Oregon Chai, the city is host to one of the most distinctive tea scenes in the country. Locally owned tea spots have sprouted throughout the city, supported by an epicurean population that travels miles for the perfect cup. From mushroom tea to tea paired with sake, these citizens of the Pacific Rim are thinking way beyond tea and crumpets. And no tea bags allowed."
Excerpt from Lessons From the Professors of Tea:
"In Shanghai they visited a bustling regional wholesale tea market that was featuring first-of-the-season teas from the eastern provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Anhui. (Cramped in the back of a van full of Chinese passengers, no officials saw them as they rode through the checkpoint into a Chinese-only wholesale section of the city.)
On a boat ride on the Lake of a Thousand Islands, in Zhejiang Province, a woman named Wei Cui Lan, one of China’s leading tea authorities and one of the last women to graduate from tea school before the Cultural Revolution, showed them the methods required to brew at least 30 different varieties of green and oolong tea."
PS--I still have two free tickets left for the Coffee and Tea Festival. Email me with your name and a comment or suggestion for Vee Tea to win them.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
New Links
You may have noticed that I've added some new links to my Blogger page. Here's a quick intro to each one.
Gongfu Girl is a tea blog that does reviews and more. Very informative and well-written.
Makaibari Estate is a rarity--a blog by a tea producer. It is by Rajah Banerjee, the owner of the last family-owned tea estate in Darjeeling (and the first biodynamic tea estate in the world).
Steph's Cup of Tea is a blog by a tea-lover that covers many aspects of tea and tea culture in the US. Charming and very well-written.
T Ching is a new tea publication that focuses on health, tea trends, and more. It has a wide range of contributors, so there's a little something for everyone.
Tea Drone is a tea review blog by my cousin and a few of his friends.* They're off to a great start, and I look forward to reading more from them.
Tea Guy Speaks is a varied tea blog with a lot of interesting information. Posts have become less frequent since Tea Guy was tapped to write for the Twinings blog, which is also on my list and a good source of info despite the obvious corporate involvement.
Tea on Tap is, according to its heading, "Reviews and notes on tea and teaware from an everyday tea lover." I think that sums it up pretty well!
The Leaf is a new free online tea publication. Though it only has one issue out at present, it's off to a fantastic start and has the tea world talking.
Vee Tea is a site about tea or something. I don't really know anything about it. I've never read it, actually. :)
wikiCHA is a cool new project by tea enthusiasts, business owners, and bloggers. It's just getting started, but I think it has a lot of potential. Those of you who are more knowledgable about tea may consider contributing to it.
*Tea runs in my family. The newest proof is my cousin's tea blog, but my aunt has been called "The Tea Lady" in her neighborhood for years and my mother owns and runs Urbana Citispa & Teabar. It was my father who first introduced me to hot tea, which I loved immediately.
Gongfu Girl is a tea blog that does reviews and more. Very informative and well-written.
Makaibari Estate is a rarity--a blog by a tea producer. It is by Rajah Banerjee, the owner of the last family-owned tea estate in Darjeeling (and the first biodynamic tea estate in the world).
Steph's Cup of Tea is a blog by a tea-lover that covers many aspects of tea and tea culture in the US. Charming and very well-written.
T Ching is a new tea publication that focuses on health, tea trends, and more. It has a wide range of contributors, so there's a little something for everyone.
Tea Drone is a tea review blog by my cousin and a few of his friends.* They're off to a great start, and I look forward to reading more from them.
Tea Guy Speaks is a varied tea blog with a lot of interesting information. Posts have become less frequent since Tea Guy was tapped to write for the Twinings blog, which is also on my list and a good source of info despite the obvious corporate involvement.
Tea on Tap is, according to its heading, "Reviews and notes on tea and teaware from an everyday tea lover." I think that sums it up pretty well!
The Leaf is a new free online tea publication. Though it only has one issue out at present, it's off to a fantastic start and has the tea world talking.
Vee Tea is a site about tea or something. I don't really know anything about it. I've never read it, actually. :)
wikiCHA is a cool new project by tea enthusiasts, business owners, and bloggers. It's just getting started, but I think it has a lot of potential. Those of you who are more knowledgable about tea may consider contributing to it.
*Tea runs in my family. The newest proof is my cousin's tea blog, but my aunt has been called "The Tea Lady" in her neighborhood for years and my mother owns and runs Urbana Citispa & Teabar. It was my father who first introduced me to hot tea, which I loved immediately.
Friday, February 22, 2008
The Leaf Magazine
A new tea magazine has arrived on the scene. It focuses on Cha Do, the Chinese way of tea, and it has some fascinating articles (including one on ancient tea expert Lu Yu by the renowned James Norwood Pratt). Check it out and have a great weekend!
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Tea Tasting
Lately, I've been writing a lot of copy for tea retail sites. At the moment, most of the writing is descriptions of the teas the sites carry. For this reason, I have been undertaking tea tasting in a more serious way than I have before, and I have found that I LOVE tea tasting.
Aside from the fact that tea tasting means that I get to consider drinking tea and thinking about how it tastes "work," I love tea tasting because of the huge array of tastes out there. There are so many teas to try, and so much to taste in each tea!
Happening upon unexpected flavors is always a special treat. (Grapefruit rind and dried apricot in an Oolong. Orange blossom and cream in a white tea.) So is the unveiling of a winning aftertaste. (The build in complexity and intensity. The crescendo of a multitude of flavors. The receding of flavors that ends in a lull, an absence of the richness that was there only a moment before, a punctuation of how good it was.)
The complexity of some teas is particularly alluring to my senses right now. The elements that make up complex Oolongs are pretty easy for me to pin down (Jasmine. Yuzu. Nutmeg.), but pu-erhs are trickier. The dampness and darkness of the taste is harder for me to associate with the familiar. Perhaps I should spend a weekend or two camping to build up my sense memory of earth after the rain, fermenting wood, mushrooms, and the like! In the meantime, I'll just enjoy my tea tasting wherever I am.*
*Raleigh, NC at the moment
Aside from the fact that tea tasting means that I get to consider drinking tea and thinking about how it tastes "work," I love tea tasting because of the huge array of tastes out there. There are so many teas to try, and so much to taste in each tea!
Happening upon unexpected flavors is always a special treat. (Grapefruit rind and dried apricot in an Oolong. Orange blossom and cream in a white tea.) So is the unveiling of a winning aftertaste. (The build in complexity and intensity. The crescendo of a multitude of flavors. The receding of flavors that ends in a lull, an absence of the richness that was there only a moment before, a punctuation of how good it was.)
The complexity of some teas is particularly alluring to my senses right now. The elements that make up complex Oolongs are pretty easy for me to pin down (Jasmine. Yuzu. Nutmeg.), but pu-erhs are trickier. The dampness and darkness of the taste is harder for me to associate with the familiar. Perhaps I should spend a weekend or two camping to build up my sense memory of earth after the rain, fermenting wood, mushrooms, and the like! In the meantime, I'll just enjoy my tea tasting wherever I am.*
*Raleigh, NC at the moment
Friday, June 15, 2007
SF: Day Four
Today was great. I hope I'm not getting too spoiled out here in SF or it will be tough for me to get back into the groove in NYC!
First thing today, I got caught up on my blog a bit. I've been writing them down, and then typing them up. (If you're viewing them on Vee Tea and the order seems weird, that's why. You can read them in the correct order, with the correct dates on the Vee Tea Blogger Page. Sorry for the inconvenience.) So today, I got a little more caught up to where I should be.
After writing/typing for a bit I left the apartment to meet my friend Tajee at the oldest Chinese tearoom in the U.S. It's called Imperial Tea Court and it's out on Powell St. in SF (though they have two more locations in town, this one is the original). We had the pleasure of experiencing a formal gaiwan presentation and a formal gong-fu cha ceremony. We tasted their Imperial Silver Needle white tea for the gaiwan presentation and their Monkey-Picked Oolong (which they fire in-house) for the gong-fu ceremony. The accompanying tea lecture/talk and the atmosphere (ornate surfaces and pots, caged songbirds, calm music) made it all the better. Afterward, I bought a sample pack of pu-erh for myself and a few other teas as gifts for friends. If you ever get the chance to go to Imperial Tea Court for a formal presentation, do it! You won't regret it. I say that no matter how much you know about tea, there's always more to learn. Tajee learned a lot, and even I learned a thing or two.
After the tea presentation, we met my friend Justin for (yup) more tea. We took the BART out to Berkeley (BTW, is it just me or is Berkeley a weird town?) and walked over to Teance. Let me just say that it was well worth the trip. I'm not even sure if I mean from SF or from NYC, but, yeah, it was totally worth it. I am in love with this place. It is incredibly tranquil and beautiful. There is an overall impact in the design (tall waterfall by the entrance, swooping curved teabar, elegant displays) that doesn't let you down when it comes to the details (inlaid fossils and stones in the teabar, for example). The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled in making tea. Tajee had the White Peony Longevity Brow (delicate, floral, mild), Justin had the Golden Buds Keemun (rich, mellow, earthy), and I had the Luu Shan Clouds and Mist (highly vegetal, with strong notes of asparagus). The teas were almost alarmingly fresh and the focus on customer education is (I think) enough to leave me grinning for days. I also got to meet the owner, Winnie, who sources the teas herself and (not surprisingly) is a very cool person. On the recommendation of the people next to me at the teabar (a charming couple, high on tea and affection), I picked up a bag of Teance's unusual "Eight Treasures Tea." I'll let you know how it is when I try it. Next time I'm in SF, I will definitely be returning to Teance.
After all that tea, it was time for some food. I wanted Tajee to try Absinthe, so I ended up going a second night in a row (not that I minded!). Justin and Tajee's friend/"trial boyfriend" (I think they should just date already! They're adorable together!) were there, too. We all got loads of food and had a blast. This time I decided to give in to the Might Leaf and had a Ginger Twist (although what the twist was comprised of was unspecified). It was OK. (The twist turned out to be lemongrass and mint.) The conversation was the real winner this evening. We talked about all kinds of interesting things, from music to politics to the internet and media to travel . . . so much fun.
I'm turning in early tonight. Tomorrow is my last full day in town, so I want to make it count!
First thing today, I got caught up on my blog a bit. I've been writing them down, and then typing them up. (If you're viewing them on Vee Tea and the order seems weird, that's why. You can read them in the correct order, with the correct dates on the Vee Tea Blogger Page. Sorry for the inconvenience.) So today, I got a little more caught up to where I should be.
After writing/typing for a bit I left the apartment to meet my friend Tajee at the oldest Chinese tearoom in the U.S. It's called Imperial Tea Court and it's out on Powell St. in SF (though they have two more locations in town, this one is the original). We had the pleasure of experiencing a formal gaiwan presentation and a formal gong-fu cha ceremony. We tasted their Imperial Silver Needle white tea for the gaiwan presentation and their Monkey-Picked Oolong (which they fire in-house) for the gong-fu ceremony. The accompanying tea lecture/talk and the atmosphere (ornate surfaces and pots, caged songbirds, calm music) made it all the better. Afterward, I bought a sample pack of pu-erh for myself and a few other teas as gifts for friends. If you ever get the chance to go to Imperial Tea Court for a formal presentation, do it! You won't regret it. I say that no matter how much you know about tea, there's always more to learn. Tajee learned a lot, and even I learned a thing or two.
After the tea presentation, we met my friend Justin for (yup) more tea. We took the BART out to Berkeley (BTW, is it just me or is Berkeley a weird town?) and walked over to Teance. Let me just say that it was well worth the trip. I'm not even sure if I mean from SF or from NYC, but, yeah, it was totally worth it. I am in love with this place. It is incredibly tranquil and beautiful. There is an overall impact in the design (tall waterfall by the entrance, swooping curved teabar, elegant displays) that doesn't let you down when it comes to the details (inlaid fossils and stones in the teabar, for example). The staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and skilled in making tea. Tajee had the White Peony Longevity Brow (delicate, floral, mild), Justin had the Golden Buds Keemun (rich, mellow, earthy), and I had the Luu Shan Clouds and Mist (highly vegetal, with strong notes of asparagus). The teas were almost alarmingly fresh and the focus on customer education is (I think) enough to leave me grinning for days. I also got to meet the owner, Winnie, who sources the teas herself and (not surprisingly) is a very cool person. On the recommendation of the people next to me at the teabar (a charming couple, high on tea and affection), I picked up a bag of Teance's unusual "Eight Treasures Tea." I'll let you know how it is when I try it. Next time I'm in SF, I will definitely be returning to Teance.
After all that tea, it was time for some food. I wanted Tajee to try Absinthe, so I ended up going a second night in a row (not that I minded!). Justin and Tajee's friend/"trial boyfriend" (I think they should just date already! They're adorable together!) were there, too. We all got loads of food and had a blast. This time I decided to give in to the Might Leaf and had a Ginger Twist (although what the twist was comprised of was unspecified). It was OK. (The twist turned out to be lemongrass and mint.) The conversation was the real winner this evening. We talked about all kinds of interesting things, from music to politics to the internet and media to travel . . . so much fun.
I'm turning in early tonight. Tomorrow is my last full day in town, so I want to make it count!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
SF: Day Two
Today was, as my friends and I say, effing amazing.
My day began by not beginning--that is to say, I slept in. Sleeping in is something I very rarely get to do, so it was a real treat for me. I've been traveling quite a bit, but this was my first taste of a vacation. I got to wake up slowly (and how I savored being able to do that) and read the rest of "Dry" (which I recommend--it's smart, funny, and unabashed). Then, I took a nice, long, hot shower. (I used a shampoo by Aveda with, among other things, green tea extract. It smelled great.)
Once I was ready to face the day, I worked on my site for four or five hours. I use the word "worked," but I love working on Vee Tea so much that I should say "played." Actually, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional researcher. With my site, I get to devote a large amount of time to research and (another joy) writing. How can I possibly consider it to be work? It's just more vacation to me.
Late in the afternoon, I headed into town. I met up with Tajee at the Apple store for her presentation. It focused on video blogging (something she is well-known for and I am just starting on). I got to meet a number of other "vloggers" and learn a lot about this emerging form of expression. Very cool!
Afterward, there was a party. Like the event, there was a great turnout. They seemed to all be having a great time. Justin and I don't really drink, so we headed out to a restaurant (The Globe) to meet up with my old friends Kevin and Austin, who both work for Google. The food and atmosphere at The Globe were decent (I expect a lot from SF restaurants!), but the company and conversation were what it was all about. We laughed about all kinds of things, talked about NYC, SF, Google, the Tea Expo, food, life, travel, zoos, aesthetic, and all kinds of other things.
Soon enough, I headed "home," very pleased with my day. I adore SF. If/when I move away from NYC, I think that this is where I'll end up. I love the hills and the trees, the weather, the food, the tea, the geek factor, the architecture, the museums, the big city culture, the small town feel, and the overall vibe of the place. (I even love the fact that I feel comfortable using words like "vibe" here.)
Tomorrow is devoted to tea. SF has a LOT to offer in this arena, so it should be very exciting. I'll tell you all about it!
My day began by not beginning--that is to say, I slept in. Sleeping in is something I very rarely get to do, so it was a real treat for me. I've been traveling quite a bit, but this was my first taste of a vacation. I got to wake up slowly (and how I savored being able to do that) and read the rest of "Dry" (which I recommend--it's smart, funny, and unabashed). Then, I took a nice, long, hot shower. (I used a shampoo by Aveda with, among other things, green tea extract. It smelled great.)
Once I was ready to face the day, I worked on my site for four or five hours. I use the word "worked," but I love working on Vee Tea so much that I should say "played." Actually, when I was a kid, I wanted to be a professional researcher. With my site, I get to devote a large amount of time to research and (another joy) writing. How can I possibly consider it to be work? It's just more vacation to me.
Late in the afternoon, I headed into town. I met up with Tajee at the Apple store for her presentation. It focused on video blogging (something she is well-known for and I am just starting on). I got to meet a number of other "vloggers" and learn a lot about this emerging form of expression. Very cool!
Afterward, there was a party. Like the event, there was a great turnout. They seemed to all be having a great time. Justin and I don't really drink, so we headed out to a restaurant (The Globe) to meet up with my old friends Kevin and Austin, who both work for Google. The food and atmosphere at The Globe were decent (I expect a lot from SF restaurants!), but the company and conversation were what it was all about. We laughed about all kinds of things, talked about NYC, SF, Google, the Tea Expo, food, life, travel, zoos, aesthetic, and all kinds of other things.
Soon enough, I headed "home," very pleased with my day. I adore SF. If/when I move away from NYC, I think that this is where I'll end up. I love the hills and the trees, the weather, the food, the tea, the geek factor, the architecture, the museums, the big city culture, the small town feel, and the overall vibe of the place. (I even love the fact that I feel comfortable using words like "vibe" here.)
Tomorrow is devoted to tea. SF has a LOT to offer in this arena, so it should be very exciting. I'll tell you all about it!
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
New Tea Articles
Finished two articles I started on yesterday-- Honey and Tea and Buying Tea By Weight. Read up!
Friday, April 20, 2007
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