Tea Slave

This is me right about now. Stuck in bed with a pernicious cold (oh, when will it end?). At least I have a boyfriend to bring me ample cups of tea. 


{Image via Rishi Tea tumblr}

Going the distance

All this trouble for a cup of tea?

Must be one helluva cuppa.

{Photos from here, via A Cup of Jo}

Cuppa tea

Today I've been listening to BBC Radio 4's piece on specialty tea, which I found fascinating, especially since I've recently developed an appreciation (well, a bit of an obsession, really) with loose-leaf teas. Personally, I find the flavor of loose-leaf tea to be greatly superior (read: bolder, more flavorful, with a discernible freshness) to that of tea found in bags. But don't take my word for it! Click here for a listen.


{Photos taken from a tea tasting ceremony in San Francisco, courtesy of T}

Scenes from the holidays

There's nothing quite like reflecting on a recent vacation to make you yearn for yet another. Here are some highlights from my Christmas spent in San Francisco and New Year's in Santa Barbara.

Staying at the historic Fairmont in San Francisco was precisely the old school Christmastime-in-the-city experience I was hoping for. Check out that gingerbread house.

Tea tasting in Chinatown was a new and rather awesome experience for this tea-drinker. I highly recommend.

Wine tasting in peaceful and blissfully warm Santa Ynez.

Toasting to a healthy, happy, and prosperous 2010. Salud!

My latest obsession

Lately I cannot get enough of Rishi Tea. It all started with the earl grey. I saw it sitting prettily on the shelf at Whole Foods and decided to give it a whirl; it was the best earl grey I've ever tasted. I've since branched out and tried a few more varieties and haven't been disappointed (I especially like the silver needle and white peony white teas and the jade cloud green tea). Their award-winning loose-leaf teas and herbal tea blends are delicious, flavorful, and really refreshing. Additionally, Rishi Tea is committed to organic, fair trade practices and promoting education opportunities and community development in the places where their tea derives. They currently have ongoing one-day sales on their website, perfect for the tea-lover on your holiday gift list. www.rishi-tea.com.

Weekend Snapshots

The boyfriend and I spent most of the chilly weekend cozying up with copious cups of earl grey tea from Taylors of Harrogate.
When we bothered to leave the apartment, we had breakfast at Cafe Vida in leafy Pacific Palisades. The food at Cafe Vida is always organic, healthy, and incredibly delicious.

And the first weekend in December wouldn't be complete without a little sugar cookie baking and tree trimming to inaugurate the holiday season.