TEA TIME TALES

Tea & Chocolate

2009-10-13T18:12:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we held another favorite shop event: Tea and Chocolate Pairing. What could be better than that?!
We tasted 6 different teas along side 6 scrumptious chocolates. I had paired tea and chocolates which I thought would coordinate best, and from previous experience expected to find how each chocolate enhanced each tea. We were delightfully surprised to find the tea enhanced the chocolate as much as the reverse!
One of the pairings, an intense orange infused dark was mated with our orange blossom oolong. The oolong is not exactly a flavored tea, but has subtle hints of orange from orange peel. When we sipped and nipped these side by side--WOW! The orange in the tea was so beautifully enhanced that we were all amazed. And then, upon tasting the chocolate again, the orange flavors positively resonated with each other. What an eye opener!
I'd experienced a similar reaction at the previous tasting where an intense dark was paired with a Keemun. I tasted the Keemun--yes, the familiar hint of ripe red grape with backrgound hints of cocao. But after the chocolate, with my next sip of Keemun, it was as if a whole bunch of grapes burst in my mouth! Simply put: scrumptious.
If you have never realized what wonderful mates tea and chocolate can be, you simply must try this enlightening experience for yourself. General rule of thumb: pair lighter chocolates with lighter teas, such as white chocolate with white tea, light milk chocolates with light greens, and darker chocolates with heavier black teas. You are sure to be pleasantly surprised.
I have to admit, we were all sporting a bit of caffeine buzz after all that chocolate and tea, supporting the idea that it was an eye opening experience in more ways than one!

Kimono Event with Japanese Sencha, and Fruit Sushi

2009-10-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Kimono Event with Kimono Expert Kerry Porter

October 3rd was a special day at the shop with our much anticipated kimono event guided by Kimono expert Kerry Porter. She has studied Kimono and Japanese culture for many years, and shared with us lots of interesting details on both. She showed off the many beautiful kimonos in her collection, most of which are made of high quality silks. As gorgeous as the kimonos themselves, were the exquisite obis or the thick sash that ties elaborately at the waist of every kimono. Guests also enjoyed 3 different Japanese teas: traditional Japanese Sencha, Genmaicha, aka Popcorn Tea because of the toasted rice blended in with sencha, which when it pops open looks like baby popcorns, and Kyoto Cherry Rose Sencha, and Fruit Sushi, aka Fruishi.

Photos below: Some of our guests enjoying the fruishi and other dessert goodies served with their tea. Next, Elaine with stunning Japanese fan. Third photo, this was an opportunity for other ladies to show off their Kimonos. Fourth photo, Karen modelling a lovely patterned green silk kimono with coordinating orange obi. Last but not least, Jennifer, our chef basking in kimono glory!

American Tea Master

2009-09-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

After months of study and tasting many wonderful teas too numerous to count, in the midst of running the shop and on-line tea biz, juggling day-to-day family matters and a serious health crisis, I am proud to announce that I am now one of only five certified Tea Masters in the country!
It was challenging, but my love of all things tea carried me through. And the kindness and support from the Tea Master trainer, Chas Kroll, who on more than one occasion helped me to get through the all too many courses on my plate. "Breathe", he would say, "Just remember to breathe!" I'm not sure he knows how valuable his advice was--it was truly invaluable to me.
What made it so possible was that the course was made available in an on-line version. I would so look forward to our Tuesday evening sessions, although many had to be cancelled or rearranged for one reason or another. That flexibility is what got me through. Not to mention the savings in not having to travel half way across the country. It was my first experience with Skype and video conferencing, which I have to say was quite fun, once the Skype bugs got worked out.
During the course we cupped many exquisite teas. That, too, was such a relaxing comfort at the end of many trying days. I remember tasting two very pricy teas, and finding myself quite surprised at liking the less expensive of the two! This was not really surprising as it was still hundreds of dollars per pound, and bound to be exceptional. But, that was just one more experience that enforced my firm belief that 'beauty (art, taste, etc.) is in the eye of the beholder. Price doesn't necessarily dictate quality. If it's not your cup of tea...who's to say you have to like it? Not that I didn't like the most expensive tea I've ever tasted. It's just that I personally preferred the other one.
And what this experience confirmed for me, as if it needed done, was that I am absolutely passionate about tea. As I say in the introduction to my Tea Journal, I've been 'bitten and smitten' by the tea bug! That most balanced of substances, the oldest and most revered potable on the planet next to water itself, is my calling. My Calling...with a capital C.

The Cheers of Tea

2009-09-15T19:49:00.000-07:00

I walked into the shop today and almost every table was filled with old familiar faces. I was struck by the moment, and couldn't help saying, "Well! I see the gang's all here!", which brought a chuckle from the crowd. Carolyn was there, as she is every day or quite nearly so. And as a testament to her addiction to having lunch with us, she'd broken her finger the night before, and had yet to go to the emergency room to have it looked at! When we said she should get there right away, she looked at us like we were crazy and said, "Well, I have to have lunch first, don't I?!" And there was Suzanne who comes about twice a week to escape the dull assisted living lunch menu and swap stories about what's happened lately. Then there's Barb, who lost her husband recently. She comes in for relaxation, the camaraderie, and of course, the food! And last but not least were our favorite mother/daughter duo enjoying one of their frequent summer lunches together since mom's a snow bird and heads south for the winter.

It really does feel like Cheers sometimes. We know many customers by name and they each have their own distinct personalities. They come in and share what's going on in their lives. On occasion, one of our young college student regulars won't have much money on her, and we let her run a tab. Another will bring in the new dress to show us that she's just bought for the class reunion. Where else can you go and be regularly surrounded by supportive friends? We really are like the Cheers of Tea! And we love it!

A New Tea Snob is Born

2009-09-12T16:41:00.000-07:00

We held the first class of our Fall Tea Tasting Series today. I always look forward to teaching the series which we hold in the spring and fall, as it's an opportunity for me to get folks really turned on to tea.

This class was all about black teas. We tasted 8 teas in all. Gingia Estate Assam, Mim Estate Darjeeling, Estate Courtlodge Ceylon, Keemun Panda Gr. 1, Organic Royal Golden Yunnan, Temi Estate Sikkim, Woodlands Estate Nilgiri, and Smoky Lapsang Souchong. Even though participants may have tasted other examples of some of these teas in the past, it is always an eye opening experience to taste these straight basic black teas side-by-side. The subtle character of each stands out and by the end of class, palates are hightened and more educated.

24 teas in all compose the course, and when completed, the participant becomes a certified 'Tea Snob'--our tongue-in-cheek way of saying that they now know lots about tea. One of the participants had already completed the other two classes in the series last spring, Green Teas and Whites & Oolongs. So, today, she became our latest Tea Snob with certificate to prove it! It was a fun and relaxing way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Kindness Abounds

2009-09-10T21:04:00.000-07:00

Yet another act of kindness was bestowed upon us today!
Jennifer, our chef, was making a batch of yummy chocolaty something for one of our favorite customers, Betty, who we knew would be celebrating her birthday with us today.

All of a sudden, she realized that she was out of condensed milk which the recipe called for. Being quite the self-talker when she's in her kitchen she exclaimed out loud something to the effect, "Oh no, I don't have any evaporated milk! What am I going to do?"

Well, a nice, pierced and tattooed young man happened to be in the shop searching for a new tea to drink and he overheard her. He asked what the problem was, and Jenn explained about the birthday surprise she wanted to make for Betty. He promptly offered to go get some for her. Jenn said that that was too much, he insisted explainig that he had plenty of time and absolutely didn't mind.

So, he went to the grocery store a mile down the road, brought back the milk, and wouldn't take a penny for it! I had a doctor's appointment this morning, or I would have been there to run to the store for Jenn. It seems these things always happen when there's only one of us in the shop--Murphy's Law of small business, I guess. But thanks to the generosity of that kind-hearted young man, everything has turned out OK.

Random Acts Part 2

2009-09-09T22:26:00.000-07:00

Today we witnessed another of those Random Acts of Kindness. It was just an ordinary day otherwise. Moderately busy, where everyone came in for lunch at the same time. Murphy's Law of tea rooms, I guess. Challenging, but we just love it when the tea room is full of lovely lunchtime chatter. And today it was.

Of course, among the lunchers was our most loyal customer, Carolyn the Elder. And across the room was another woman eating by herself. We often get women who are by themselves. They are comfortable at our place. It's quiet, and no one stares or cares that they are by themselves. While we do get some male clientele, it's mostly women, and that makes for a comfortable lunch spot for the single diner. I often see customers at different tables chatting with each other--something you rarely, if ever, see at other restaurants.

At any rate, the other single lady pulled me aside as I served her apricot scones. She explained that she wanted to buy lunch for Carolyn the Elder, even though she could tell that Carolyn didn't need anyone to buy lunch for her. It was just something she was moved to do. And we were not to tell Carolyn until after she had paid and left the shop.

So, this got me to thinking. What random act of kindness can I do for someone else. Who might really need a bit of cheering up? And I thought of this guy in my Monday morning yoga class at the Victory Center. Not only has he survived cancer, but he was recently in a serious bicycle accident that left him with many months of recovery. I can't even imagine experiencing two such intense traumas back-to-back. At first we sent cards from the class, and the instructor who knew him the best went to see him several times. But now, in those long and lingering months of physical therapy, pain, and frustration (how long would it be before he might be able to return to our yoga class he loved so much?), he probably really needed a boost.

I decided a cheery basket of goodies would be just the ticket. So, next Monday I will take a big basket, started off with a few tea goodies, into the yoga class. I will invite others to add some goodies of their own until it is filled to the brink. Then, our instructor can take it to him just to let him know we are still thinking of him and are encouraging him through this most difficult journey.

That's what life is really all about. One of my favorite quotes, which we set at each place in the tea room as 'food for thought', is from Jewel, the singer/songwriter. "Only kindness matters." I must remember to do these things more often. We get so busy with the day-to-day in these crazy times where everyone is experiencing some sort of overload, and forget these random acts of kindness or think that we do not have time for them. I believe they enrich our own souls as much as they bring joy to the receiver of our acts. So, take a moment and think: who can I bring some joy to today?

Pamper Thyself

2009-09-08T21:49:00.000-07:00

I'm a firm believer that every now and then, we must pamper ourselves. When I first started working--way back when--and I started to get my first regular paychecks ever, I would go out on every pay day and find some little treat for myself. Something that I perhaps didn't exactly need but something that I could now afford to buy. Something that just made me feel good.

One of our regular customers, Carolyn the younger (as opposed to Carolyn the elder, our most regular patron who comes in for lunch every day), has been going through one of those rough patches that life often hands us, and decided that she needed just exactly one of those frivolous pampers. She'd been eyeing this beautiful bone china tea set for some time. Teapot, sugar and creamer, 2 cups and saucers, 2 gold demi spoons with rose design, and a silver tray upon which to display the lovely set. I admit it was my all time favorite set and had a notion that if it didn't sell, I'd be able to take it home for myself some day, but I was glad when she decided that it would go home with her.

She couldn't afford to pay for it all at once, so for the last few months she'd been making installments that I have kept for her in an envelope at my desk. And I put a SOLD sign on it so that no one else could walk off with her treasure. I would not be able to get this tea set again. The sad thing about bone china is, that it may soon be a thing of the past. Many of the factories in England are closing because of the economy and the reduced popularity of such pretties. Fine china used to be a must for every bride to begin to collect for the china cabinet. Now, there are many who know of nothing but clunky, practical stoneware dishes. But, I digress.

Today Carolyn made the last installment. I carefully packed her treasured pieces to make sure they made it home safely. She lingered over lunch, and I could sense a joy that would perhaps overcome the troubles of her recent past. She described to me the decor of her home and the room where her new china would be lovingly displayed on an old sawn oak buffet and how the contrast would make her treasured tea set stand out all the more.

She was happy. Happier than we've seen her in quite a while. And that made us happy. Food for thought: Every once in awhile, Pamper Thyself!

This isn't your Grandmother's Tea Room!

2009-07-17T10:06:00.000-07:00

Well, here it is--July already! It has been a beautiful summer with moderate temperatures and lots of sunshine--a much needed commodity in this neck of the woods. And the graces above have smiled on us in several ways.

First, with all the economic upheaval, our business is doing better than ever! Our customers just love our Chef Jennifer's culinary creations. Besides a healthy, mostly organic, some gluten free, and low-fat menu, each plate she creates is also a delight for the eyes. She has infused the place with lots of fun and frivolity, and so we've come up with our new advertising slogan: This isn't your Grandmother's Tea Room! My take on the tea biz has always been tea first, good food, great customer relations, and lots of fun stuff to shop for. I've never wanted anything stuffy or formal, so we thought that the new slogan and graphic fit us quite well.

We also think that with the economic downturn, more people are staying close to home, travelling less, looking for local pleasures and treasures to explore. We seem to fit right into that category and we are so thankful for the increased business. We're so grateful to be able to share our healthy teas and food and our new relaxing picket-fenced garden spot right outside our front door. Photos to follow as soon as I get them downloaded from the camera.

Hope you're having as good a summer as we are, and don't forget to ice down all your favorite teas for some thirst-quenching summertime treats.

Happy New Year!

2008-12-31T17:31:00.000-08:00

It's always so difficult to believe that another year has flown by. We just got through the Christmas rush, and here, only a week later, it's already the new year (well, soon!). But today was a great way to end 2008. We had a delightful day in the shop. Kind-of quiet for the first few hours, then, several groups of ladies came in for tea, and the place was suddenly alive with chatter and laughter. One of the ladies was a former restaurateur of one of Toledo's most well known restaurants. She and her whole group had a wonderful time and were most complimentary about their experience at the shop. When someone knows the food business so well, compliments always mean a little bit more. I know they totally understand how challenging it can be at times.

The other group had never been in before, and were fairly newbies to tea. They loved our tea so much, they each took some home, and I know they'll be back. I just love it when I can turn someone new on to tea. I was able to share some of the finer nuances of tea and preparation with them. They asked many questions, and with our huge selection of teas, they each found several to start off their new years with. And I got to talk about my favorite subject for about a half hour--always a treat for me!

One lady, somewhere along the long line of the day's conversations, mentioned that she'd heard a report from one of Toledo's noted astrologers who predicts an economic upswing and a very positive 2009 for area businesses. Well, I have a few things to say about that:
Whew!
Hooray!
Wow!
Yippie!
Thank the Lord!
Happy New Year!
I lift my cup!

Change of Seasons

2008-10-21T11:46:00.000-07:00

Autumn is fully in the air! I love this time of year when things begin to slow down from summer's load of activities. Oh, there are plenty of things to do, such as attending the Apple Butter Festival, visiting local orchards, and just going for car rides to be once again awestruck by the beautiful colors of nature we see in this part of the country. The other night, my hubby and I had the last ice cream cone of the year. He gets out his lawn tractor and attaches the leaf collector contraption on the back, and becomes leaf farmer until first snow. We're losing interest in things cold and refreshing, and gaining interest in things warm, comforting and cozy. I'm anziously awaiting snuggling up to the first fire in the fireplace.
I'm in the mood for the spicy and heavier teas at this time of year. Chai and Warm Winter Blend with it's fruity, spicy goodness. And, this change of season also brings changes for the shop. While we suspended most of our food service for the dreadfully slow summer, things always pick up for us in the fall. And this year, we are able to bring back our luncheon food service. We hope to have everything up and running by November 1st, so watch for more details in future blogs.

Gratuity with Heart

2008-08-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

I'd been in full throes of the summer doldrums on the day that Julia came in to the shop for tea with her daughter. It gets downright lonely in July and August, when customer flow slows to a crawl while everyone is getting in that last summer vacation and going through all the preparations for "back to school". This summer's been the worst I've seen in seven years, and I was fretting about even being able to pay the rent . So, I was delighted when they came in, and especially so when Julia invited me to have a cup of tea with them since I wasn't particularly busy.
We had a lovely chat about this and that, how slow business is all over and how many business in the area have closed. She shared how this economic downturn has impacted her family, and we got to know each other just a little bit better on that otherwise dull afternoon. I always feel so privileged when someone shares a part of their life with me.
They left the shop, and when I went over to clear off the table, I found one dollar of her gratuity folded into a heart! That just made my day! It was like she was saying, "Take heart, it'll get better." What a lovely gesture--one which I will not forget for a very long time.

2008-07-16T12:28:00.000-07:00

Tea Cure for the Summer Doldrums...
It's been dreadfully slow now that we're into the heat of summer and everything seems at a lazy, hazy pace... including business. So, I take this time to play around with new tea blends and flavor combinations.
The newest one was actually suggested by one of my regulars, Diane, who's become a friend. She's particularly fond of Rooibos, or South African Red Bush tea. This new blend is called Orange Cream Rooibos and is highly reminiscent of those orange and cream ice cream bars or the creamy orange frozen drink at Olga's Kitchens.
It's delicious hot, but especially refreshing iced. I think all the fruity flavored teas make great iced teas. And I find them much more refreshing than any sugary sweet drink which only seems to make me thirstier.
So, if you're stuck in the summer doldrums if for no other reason than gas prices are too high to go anywhere, have some fun by playing around with tea flavors to create your own favorite summer soother.

Tagged

2008-06-26T21:16:00.000-07:00

Like this teabag, I've been tagged--by Marilyn, aka Marmalady, to answer a few questions on my blog. I'm to tag 4 others, but honestly, don't know 4 other bloggers other than the ones who have already been tagged. Too new to the blog-o-sphere, I guess. So, I'll just answer here.

10 years ago: I was working for Read For Literacy as the Employment Skills Coordinator. It was an interim job, after having gone through a nasty corporate downsizing (I'd been in laboratory science for the previous 20 years). I'd decided I never wanted to work for a large corporation again, and hadn't yet stumbled upon the idea to open my own business.

5 things on my listo for today: As it is very late, I'll answer for tomorrow. I am taking one of those rare, and I mean rare, days off from the shop. I first shall sleep in until my body tells me that it just can't take it anymore, then relax in a lavender bath. I will then breakfast on tea with toast and jam (Marmalady's, of course!) on our newly remodeled enclosed breezeway or the deck if it's not too humid. I'll read from a new mystery novel for awhile and then meet with a friend for lunch. More reading and at mid-afternoon, I'll meet another friend to do some serious antiquing. My kind-a day!

Snacks I enjoy: Anything chocolate, wholegrain crackers with white cheese and hot pepper jelly, honey roasted peanuts, and apples peeled and sliced.

Things I would do if I were a millionaire: Set up a charity for the homeless in our city, give a large sum as a surprise to each of my siblings, visit the small town in Hungary where my grandmother was born, pay off all my debts and run my tea shop just for fun, and visit the major tea lands.

Places I have lived: Toledo, Ohio and numerous places in the surrounding area. I love it here except that the mid-west is kinda slow about picking up on current trends that the coasts always get first. I love being near the great lakes and Michigan is a vacation land! There are lots of places to vacation near here, and with gas prices as they are, we're sticking close to home.

Mediocre Minds

2008-06-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

I have a poster over my desk that has a huge photo of Einstein. The caption reads: "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds...." I keep this in front of me to help me deal with some of the small minded folk who happen into the shop from time to time.
Today has been one of those all-too-slow days where I wonder if I will be able to pay the rent this month, not to mention all the other expenses of a brick and mortar business. This afternoon, a woman came in inquiring about matcha, the green tea used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. "We have it!", I declared, "A very nice quality matcha, too." I showed her the small gold tin.
Now, I pride myself in the well rounded-ness and high quality of our tea collection. Not all teas are created equal. Not all vendors carry good tea. I taste hundreds of teas from various vendors. I'm one of those picky people I'm sure would be classified as OCD (obcessive compulsive disorder) by any competent psychologist. "OCD and proud of it!", I'll jokingly say to my friends.
The woman looked at the tin and said, "Don't you have any in the black tin?" I explained that this is our own brand of tea, and about my concern for quality. She said that she really wanted the one in the black tin and she was going to see if she could find that first, and if she couldn't find it, she'd be back to get this one.
I thought, If she waits too long, I might not be here. Which is only my own fear rearing its ugly head, but I'm sure I'm the only shop within hundreds of miles that carries this quality (if any) matcha. And if people don't support their local businesses, they will disappear. And this world will be a much more boring place, in this tealady's oppinion.
Stepping off my soap box now.

Random Acts of Kindness

2008-06-10T10:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I had a customer who came in for a quiet afternoon break. She sat down and had a relaxing glass of lavender lemonade and scones. While she was here, another regular customer, a young college student named Angela came in for one of her own quiet afternoon tea brakes. The two sat at tables across the tea room from each other, each quietly enjoying their goodies and respite from the hectic outside world.

The first customer had finished and came to the register to pay with a sort of pleading look on her face. After she'd paid her bill, she handed me a piece of paper upon which she had written, "Random Acts of Kindness--I have $20. Please use that to pay for your other customer's bill." I smiled and rang up the 2nd bill, and she indicated for me to keep the change. She smiled and thanked me for providing such a wonderfully relaxing place and said she'd be back again another day.

After she'd left, I took the paper over to Angela and handed it to her. She read it and smiled broadly. She looked up at me and asked who the other lady was. I said I didn't know her name, I think this was the first time she'd been to the tea room. Angela expressed disappointment that she didn't have a chance to thank the woman for her kindness. I explained that the whole idea behind random acts of kindness was that one just did them for the pure sake of being kind to another--that thanks were neither expected nor needed.

Many times the world seems hectic, harried, and even cruel. But sometimes it is kind and gentle as on this particular summer afternoon. When I have long forgotten the regular stresses of daily life, I will still remember this gentle day and the sweet surprises it revealed.

The Honorable Aaron Fisher

2008-04-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

I recently stumbled upon a new tea magazine--The Leaf--which is the first on-line magazine on tea (and perhaps anything else). It is free, environmentally friendly, and reader interactive. Wow! It doesn't get any better than that!

The Honorable Aaron Fisher is the editor-in-chief of this beautiful magazine. He lives in Taiwan now, after travelling the globe for 10 years, and has made it his life's work to "live" tea. That is abundantly apparent in his writing, and it was unmistakably clear to me when I met him.

He and his father wandered into the shop one sunny day last summer when he was visiting his parents. He happens to have grown up in Sylvania where we are located. He was thrilled to find real tea as a focus served in a real tea shop in his home town, not just the afterthought it usually is in most restaurants and coffee shops. I was pleased to have him join me for tea that afternoon.

Actually, it was I who joined him and his father, at least in the beginning. As any true tea man, he travels with his paraphernalia, and readily went to his car to bring in his well used Gong Fu tea so that he could share some of the fine pu-ehr and oolong teas he had in his stash. The reverence with which he prepared his tea (the essence of the true Gong Fu tea method) was a joy to behold. We sipped and talked, talked and sipped. So many wonderful cups of tea! I have no idea how much time passed. It was like a meditation, where one is fully present in the moment, and oblivious to all else. It reminded me of the flow one reaches when doing Tai Chi, where you are somehow not bound by, nor concerned with time and all of the stress and "stuff" of daily life just falls away.

We'd had quite a lot of tea, but I proceeded to pull out some of my better teas to share with them. I was so grateful for this moment of perfection, and I wanted to give something back, although I could tell he was one of those souls who gives in the true spirit of passion for this amazing leaf, neither expecting nor needing anything in return. But, I needed to give back. So we drank and talked some more. It was a truly memorable afternoon. I was honored to meet and take tea with this truly honorable man.

If you would like to learn more about the reverence of tea, the history of tea, the wonder of this ancient elixir, please visit his new magazine, The Leaf. You can find it at the following link.
http://www.the-leaf.org/index.htm

A TEArful Farewell

2008-01-01T19:30:00.000-08:00

Today we held a memorial for my dear teacher, mentor, friend, Joe Ann Cousino (Jody). By we, I mean the 6 of us who took sculpture class from her for many, many years. I think it's been about 17 years for me, and one of her students has been with her for almost 30 years. A few other students came and went over the years, but the 6 of us have shared a comfortable camaraderie for the longest.

Jody had been grevely ill and in much pain for some months, and we all took any time we could spare to visit, bring her flowers, massage her, read to her, and comfort her in any way we could. Oddly enough, it was she who comforted us in our greiving her impending parting, and our impending loss. She would tell one of her many travel stories invariably filled with some tidbit that would have everyone laughing. The thing that was so wonderful about that horrible time of waiting was the love that just poured out from every quantum dot of space and being.

After she passed, just before this past Christmas, her son had decided to put off her memorial until this coming June. This would afford him time to put together a slide show of all her work, and more appropriately gather the many people who would no doubt want to share in the celebration of this great lady's life. I look forward to that celebration, but that left me and the other 5 students in an odd sort of limbo. We just had to somehow mark her passing sooner than June.

So, we decided to meet on New Year's Day under one of her most loved sculptures, the "Woman with the Birds". She stands comfortably, comfortingly on a high platform surrounded by the greenery of Toledo Botanical Gardens (aka, Crosby Gardens). She's stout and wears a big brimmed hat and it's the serenity that she emits that attracts the birds (sculpted or real) and anyone who passes by. We couldn't think of a more fitting place to hold our ceremony.

I had prepared a poem by Kahlil Gibran, which so beautifully talks of death and dancing. I thought it so appropriate as Jody loved to dance, and I can remember on many occasions during class where the music which was always playing in the background would move her to dance around the studio while we sculpted. Since it was a very cold and snowy day, I had also taken an insulated pot of my Wild Blackberry Hot Chocolattea, a comforting blend of Wild Blackberry Tea and hot chocolate. We read and cried, told stories and cried: funny stories of things that happened in the studio; stories of how she touched our lives; stories of her body of work; and we each told the story of how it was that we came to be in the sculpture class and how grateful we were to have been chosen.

We lit a candle and toasted our cups of tea to this wonderful lady under her comforting sculpture with snowflakes gently falling all around us. It was so cold we all shivered and sipped, trying to keep warm, losing feeling in our fingers and feet by the time we were ready to leave, but I would not have missed this celebration of life for all the tea in China.

Good Afternoon, Mr. Spielberg

2007-12-13T21:40:00.000-08:00

Another of our lunch-time regulars is Stephen Spielberg. OK, not THE Stephen Spielberg, but that really is his name. He started coming in about a year ago, and chats with Carolyn or Suzanne (since he's gotten to know them) if they happen to be there at the same time. He's a lovely older gentleman, and it's been nice to have a bit of the Y chromosome in the shop now and then for lunch. While we have lots of regular male tea drinkers who come in to resupply their stashes, we get lots more ladies than men in for the lunch bunch.

He informed us last week that he would be moving out of town to a retirement community in a city where some friends of his live. We will sure miss being able to say, "Good afternoon, Mr. Spielberg." and watching all the heads turn to see if it's the real Stephen Spielberg! Life moves on, and we wish him well in his new surroundings.

All I Want for Christmas...

2007-12-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

Being the owner of a tea shop has its advantages. For example, all day long I get to drink the best teas from all around the world. And, of course, the tea pantry in my home is as full and varied as it gets. But at home, it's important to have favorite place or two to enjoy all that wonderful tea. One of mine was in front of the fire in our cozy living room on a nippy winter's night. That's all I really want for Christmas this year. That sounds easy enough, but with a major remodeling project that has taken the better part of the last 6 months, and is still not complete, it may or may not happen.

The project began with the intention to enlarge our 2nd bedroom/study/office into a master bedroom, add a master bath, and enlarge and finish the basement area into a 3rd bedroom/family room. Several other rooms were affected as well with a new closet being built into our old bedroom so that its closet could be opened to the hallway, making it into a first floor laundry room. And our breezeway was completely overhauled with new windows and doors. That left only the kitchen and living room in tact.

That is, until, because of one delay after another, the builder left the back part of our house (behind the living room wall) open without a roof for 7 weeks! ...only covered by tarps through torrential rains! Consequently, we ended up with mold--the nasty, toxic kind--growing in that living room wall. Our house is small to begin with, but now we are down to the kitchen, which is so full of drywall dust that it's practically unlivable, and we can barely get around the bedroom, which stores more than its usual share of stuff including our two cats, their food and litter box. It will all be worth it in the end, but we never imagined we'd have the living room torn up on top of all the rest. And we never imagined that it would take until Christmas!

So, Dear Santa, please do your magic and make it so that I can at least move my counch back into the living room by Christmas Eve. All I really want is that Christmas cup of tea with my hubby in front of a nice cozy fire.

Biker Rik, Part 2

2007-11-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

Rik's warm and friendly ways did win over most of the ladies in class, except one--Suzie. She was a regular at the shop at that time, and whenever she came in, we'd sit and have a nice cuppa. If the subject of Rik came up, she would get visibly nervous and fearful. I questioned why she felt that way, since I was convinced of his gentle nature.

Her description went something like this: "He has the eyes of the devil--they're black!" and "He wears a ring with skulls on it!" I just had to laugh every time she ran through her litany of fear. I tried to convince her of his true character, but she was convinced that he was the devil himself. I told her that she just needed to meet him some day and she'd see his true and gentle nature--and, if she looked, she'd see that his eyes are really a beautiful blue!

Well, as luck would have it, and the stars were properly aligned one day, we were sitting there whiling away a late afternoon over tea and who do you suppose waltzed casually into the shop? Biker Rik, of course! I thought Suzie would die! She immediately took on a look of horror and I grabbed her arm to reassure her. I said, "Now, I'm inviting Rik to join us, and I want you to look closely at his eyes."

It took all the strength she could muster, but she forced herself to sit and join in conversation. After about 5 minutes I could see her begin to relax. We were joined by various others as the afternoon wound down. Her husband and daughter came after running their shopping errands. My hubby came in after work for a late afternoon sip. My friend Margaret, who is like a surrogate mother or aunt to me, and another friend, Helga, whom I've known for many years also straggled in. And after about an hour and a half and the magic of many cups of tea, this cacophany of souls had solved most of the world's problems and were laughing like a circle of old friends who'd been together for eons!

As I've said many times before, "Behold the power of tea!"

Biker Rik, Part 1

2007-10-27T12:50:00.000-07:00

One of our regular's we've not seen in awhile is Biker Rik. I will never forget the first time he walked into my shop. He pulled up to the front of the store on his beautiful candy apple red Indian bike, decked out in leathers, skull ring, and looking very much like a typical biker. Not so much like your typical tea drinker. But, I was soon to find out what a serious tea drinker he was.

He's a merchant seaman on the Great Lakes--First Mate, to be precise. He was stationed out of Cleveland at that time, and on one of his leaves where he visited friends in the Toledo area. I'm not sure how he happened upon our shop, but he came in, ordered a pot of tea and made himself at home. We started to chat, and the next thing you know, we were deep in conversation to solve as many of the world's problems as we could. I couldn't remember when I'd had a more enjoyable afternoon. He then wandered around our tea shelves and did some serious tea shopping.

Since he was on board ship for long stints of time, he bought enough of each of his favorite teas to get him through. Manly teas, like Lapsang Souchong and Scottish Breakfast, along with a cast iron Tetsubin teapot. He had his well-worn wooden tea chest with him, and he carefully packed his tea wares to make sure they would all fit for travel aboard ship. And the other appreciators of tea on the ship all knew the path to his quarters--that's where the good tea was to be had. So, it gave him occasion to pull out his heavy cast iron pot and perform his sea-going version of tea ritual.

As he was about to leave, I mentioned that I was starting my first tea tasting series that evening. He not only came to the class that night, but as it fit into his time on shore leave, he signed up for the entire 4 week series. I think some of the ladies in class just couldn't make him fit into their conventional image of a tea drinker. But, his warm and outgoing personality won out, and they all came to enjoy his company and participation in class.

So, he became a regular and stopped in whenever he was in the area for pot after pot of tea and long, spirited conversations on every subject under the sun. The ship line he'd been sailing on has since been sold, and may not even be in operation by now. Rik had moved to Florida the last I heard. I miss those long, leisurely and most entertaining afternoons. The seaman's version of 'afternoon tea'!

Tea and Sympathy

2007-10-11T14:18:00.000-07:00

One of our regulars came in this week after a long absence. She had come in at least once a month for several years, and I'd just been thinking about her and wondering why the absence.

I was delighted to see Barbara when she walked in the door. She looked fabulous, as usual, always dressed to perfection. Something underneath the surface was different, though. As we caught up on events of the past 6 or 8 months, I'd shared how my husband and I had lost our entire animal family--a beautiful Siberian Husky, Kira, and two lovely cats, Chelsea and Eykis. She was totally sympathetic and recounted her sad losses of these past few months.

One day, coming home after running some errands, she found her elderly husband dead after apparently falling down a flight of steps. And, as if that wasn't shocking enough, a short time later, her only son was diagnosed with cancer and died soon after. My heart broke for her! I couldn't imagine how difficult that must have been to bear. I asked her how she was even still standing, and she said that she'd decided she just needed to move on with life. With one foot in front of the other day by day, she managed to move into a new house to distance herself from the horrible memory, and is putting her life back together. Still undoubtedly in shock, but moving forward, and living life. Eleanor Roosevelt said, "A woman is like a teabag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water." I am totally in awe of Barbara's strength.

We shared a few more sips of tea, now both perhaps better understanding the pairing of 'Tea and Sympathy'.
Elaine

Autumn Nip!

2007-10-10T10:58:00.000-07:00

That autumn nip is finally in the air, and, in a business that's as unpredictable as the weather or stock market, I was right. The tea drinkers have started coming out--as witnessed by the increase in lunch traffic today.
Another of our regulars, Suzanne, is here today, and as she's gotten to know Carolyn fairly well, it's like 'old home week'. They start chatting, and usually get other customers into the conversation. It's delightful to see these ladies (and the occasional gent) enjoying our peaceful atmosphere.
Mission accomplished!
Gotta get the newsletter out today as our next event is coming up soon. In case you're in the vacinity, you can check out these fun events, such as tea leaf and angel card readings at www.thetealady.com and this month, we'll be learning how to tap into our own intuition and even read our own palms! We've almost got a full house for this event--I just love it when things pick up in the fall!

"Regulars"

2007-10-04T12:46:00.000-07:00

Who can believe it's October already? It's unseasonably warm, and will possibly break records with temps near 90 degreesF! So, business has been very slow, like the end of every summer, until that autumn nip is consistently in the air. Then we see the tea drinkers come out!

But, no matter how slow business is we can always count on our 'regulars', and one in particular, Carolyn, who is here EVERY DAY! She's such a steady customer, and up in years a bit, that we worry if she doesn't show up. We're just sure something dreadful has happened, since she also usually informs us when she has a schedule so full she won't be in for lunch. She's an amazing character. She loves to talk, and sometimes, I admit that I worry about all the talking and not much work getting done. But, it's usually worth listening to her ramblings as she's very interesting and well informed on a whole host of topics. I think she reads every word in the local paper, and basically, that's how I get my news.

We are getting a larger repertoire of 'regulars' all the time, and it's one of the things I like most about running the shop. It's great to know so many people by first name--it gives a "Cheers" kind of comfort to both us and the customers.
Cheers to Tea!
Elaine