I had the pleasure of having tea with friends at the Chauncey Conference Center in Princeton, New Jersey. There is nothing better than enjoying teatime with good friends and a gorgeous view.
The Chauncey Conference Center
Teatime
Tea Selection
Pear Caramel
Scones
Sandwiches
Sweets
A Gorgeous View
Good Friends
Teatime + Good Friends + A Gorgeous View = Tea Happiness
Happy Spring, Darlene
It has been raining for the last 2 days..........
............and my peony tree has taken a real beating...........
.......so I decided to rescue one of the amazing 7" wide peony blossoms.......
........and take a "Peony Tea Break".
I thought it would be fitting to used my beautiful peony gaiwan and drink an amazing "Old Tie Quan Yin" I received from a friend in Taiwan over 2 years ago.
This oolong has a rich roasted and slightly smoky aroma. The tightly curled dry leaves are black with a shiny finish. Reminds me of gunpowder tea.
The rich black color of the wavy long wet leaf is unbelievable!
I haven't been a huge fan of roasted oolongs until now. This is truly a magnificent tea! The rich roasted flavor also has soft plum undertones which linger on the palate. The liquor is a beautiful amber color with a plum tinge. I have lost count on how many steepings this oolong has shared and it continues to keep giving.
Well, there is more rain in the forecast for tomorrow, but it's just fine with me. Maybe I will rescue a few more peonies and take another peony tea break.
Happy Spring, Darlene
Let me start by saying there is no place like New York. I was born and raised in Manhattan, so once a New Yorker, always a New Yorker. It really is a melting pot of different cultures, magnificent art, top of the line fashion, delicious food and fantastic tea spots.
I had to make a trip into the city this week for a doctors appointment. It was a gorgeous day in the Big Apple, so after my appointment, I decided to run a few errands. To my surprise, running errands turned into an unexpected tea journey. A journey which needed to be documented, even if I only had my cell phone camera to do so.
While writing this post, I prepared myself a warm cup of Milk Oolong from The Tea Lover's Archives. May I suggest you stop right now, make yourself a cup of tea and join me as I share my special tea journey with you.
As I strolled along the East side, I was stopped dead in my tracks by the lovely window display at the Macaron Cafe.
I'm very picky when it comes to my macarons. I blame this on a certain French company which will remain nameless. In my book, no other macarons could hold a candle to their quality until now. Yes, the Macaron Cafe is now a major contender in my macaron arena.
They have a large assortment of flavors which include several tea and flower selections like Earl Grey, Matcha Green Tea, Matcha Chestnut, Jasmin and Honey Lavender, just to name a few. The Earl Grey and Honey Lavender are simply amazing. The Matcha Green Tea was the real deal. Rich and brilliant green matcha filling which hits your palette with a blast.
The macarons are decadent, soft and creamy. The packaging is clever as it shows off the beauty of these special treats. They also offer French inspired foods and Mariage Feres tea. Macaron Cafe had me at hello.
After leaving the Macaron Cafe with my precious goodies in hand, I must have been in a macaroon fog because I walked right pass the block where I planned to make my next stop. Instead of turning back, I decided to walk around the corner and back up to my destination. Midway through the block, I saw an awning with the name Radiance.
One of my very first blog post was about the Radiance Tea House & Books. This is one of my favorite tea houses in New York, so I was elated to discover they just opened another location. This new East side location is a upscale restaurant with more focus on food, but it still has the charm and essence of the tea house.
Simplicity at its best..................
Perfect seating for a small group of tea friends.............
The manager Vince remembered me from my last visit at the tea house. I had taken a group of out of town tea buddies on a NY tea tour and he was so gracious to us during our visit. I congratulated him on the new place and told him I would spread the word to all my tea friends.
Vince also mentioned they have an award winning Chinese culinary chef who recently won a New York award for best chef. I reviewed the menu and I already know I must try the Crispy Shrimp Cake, Steamed Barbecued Pork Bun and Spinach Bisque with Minced Chicken.
I love how they have included small touches of tea releated books and teaware.
There are beautiful light fixtures hanging throughout the restaurant. They help create a atmosphere of peace and tranquility. As I left Radiance, I was already planning when I would return to partake of some wonderful food and tea.
As I continued to walk in the radiance of the sunny day, I didn't expect to run into my next tea adventure at Leo Kaplan LTD.
I couldn't take my eyes off of these stunning teapots in the window.
I couldn't resist ringing the bell to find out a little more about these 2 pieces. To my surprise, I entered a teapot haven. There were teapots to the left and right of me. I almost couldn't contain myself as I talked with the kind gentleman who welcomed me into the gallery. I had so many questions about these rare gems, but he didn't know much about teapot collections. He did however know most of the pieces were from England and were produced around 1700 - 1800's.
I instantly recogonized the Wedgwood pieces which were absolutely stunning.
I so enjoyed my time at Leo Kaplan LTD. I thanked the gentlemen for allowing me to take photos. He told me to stop by anytime and I plan to take him up on his offer. I found the collection very interesting. There is also some information on the website about some of the pieces. When I do visit again, I will make sure to bring my camera, tea notebook and a traveling tumbler full of tea. Experiences like this definitely require a nice cup of tea.
What an amazing day I had! It became very clear to me that my day had been orchestrated without any effort on my part. A trip into the city to see my doctor turned into an unexpected tea journey. Perfect medicine for what ails you! This is just one reasons why I love New York. It has so many treasures to unfold. I hope you enjoyed the journey.
Blessings, Darlene
Have you ever had one of those days when you just needed to stop everything and collect your thoughts? Well, today was one of those days for me. I decided to pull out some special teaware...............................
and prepare a pot of "Solace".
"Solace" is a caffeine-free herbal blend with.........................
aniseeds, chamomile blossoms and sage blossoms.
This unusal blend has a licorice aroma and taste which is further enhanced by the sweetness of the chamomile blossoms. The sage blossoms add a hint of savory essence. Soft, sweet and invigorating.
I love selecting tea and teaware with a special purpose in mind. In this case, "Solace" served in the delicate Limoges teapot and teacup (thrift store finds), provided moments of great solitutude. It's times like this that remind me just how much I love the art of tea.
We all need a little "Solace" in our life!
You can purchase a 2 oz. bag of Solace online at The Tea Lover's Archives.
Blessings, Darlene
Last weekend, The Tea Lover's Archives made its first appearance at the 2013 Coffee & Tea Festival hosted at the 69th Armory in New York City. It was a sold-out crowd (over 6,000 attendees) and busy like you would not believe. I thought I would share some of the pre-show preparations with you today.
In the beginning there was an empty space................
It took more than a banner to make the booth come alive...............
In preparation for the show, I packed everything except the kitchen sink. It wasn't easy trying to fit so much into a 10' x 8' booth, but in the end, it turned out beautifully.
Welcome to Booth #33
We created a warm environment where people could shop for "all things tea".
The Tea Lover's Archives vintage style packaging was very well received.
Several of the new teas and tisanes (Apple Harvest, Peach Fest, Oasis and Puerh Breeze) sold out at the show.
My special Heart Blend Gift Box (dried rose petals, lavender and pressed black Yunnan tea hearts) was a hit, eventhough several of the hearts I had on display mysteriously disappeared. Why would anyone want to steal my heart? Lol
Tea books, tea themed cards and tea recipe gift boxes ...........................
Antique teapots and teacups galore...........................
I don't know what I would've done without my dynamic team who never left my side for one minute. Their endless support left me speechless!
Gina (Chantal's sister) to my left, myself in the center and my best friend Chantal to my right.
All of the gorgeous flower arangements you see in the booth were made by Chantal who is the owner of Beautifully Done Unlimited.
Not only was The Tea Lover's Archives well received by show attendees, but it also won the Coffee & Tea Festival 2013 Rock Star Award for the best booth at the show. What an awesome way to officially launch my new online tea shop.
Gift set donated to the Cup 0f Education.
I would personally like to thank the entire staff at Starfish Junction, the show organizer and promoter of the Coffee & Tea Festival. Thank you for making my first show experience a great one. In addition, my heart is filled with gratitude towards my loving family and friends who have shown me endless support throughout this entire tea venture. I'm also humbled by the warm reception I received from every tea lover who visited my booth at the show. Thank you!
Blessings, Darlene
The Tea Lover's Archives will be making a special vendor appearance at the Coffee & Tea Festival 2013 in NYC this month. I have personally enjoyed this event as a attendee for the last 7 years, so it's a dream come true to actually be an exhibitor this time around.
You can read more about this fun filled event at www.CoffeeAndTeaFestival.com. If you're interested in attending, you can purchased tickets online. Be sure to use the promo code TEALOVERS13 for a special discount. I hope to see you there.
Blessings, Darlene
Hello Tea Friends,
It brings me great joy to let you know the "The Tea Lover's Archives" website is almost completed. I will say developing this new business venture has been an amazing experience and has taken me way out of my comfort zone. Lots of blood, sweat and tears have been poured into this project, but I'm a firm believer in "no pain, no gain". The rewards are on the way! I can't believe in just a few days, I will get the opportunity to share my new online tea store with you.
In the meantime,
I would like to give you
a sneak peek
inside
"The Tea Lover's Archives"
Green Sand
Black Pearls
Morning Sunshine
Tea Leaf Cup & Saucer
Take Flight Tea Maker
Silk Pouch Sampler
Stay tuned for more sneak peeks..................
Blessings, Darlene
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. It's amazing how 2013 is already shaping up to be a busy year for me, especially since I will be launching my new online tea store "The Tea Lover's Archives" very soon. Before I get lost in the mayhem and excitement of the year ahead, I wanted to show you the tea treasures I purchased during the holidays. This past year I had the challenge of sticking to a $100 budget.
Here are my shopping results:
Teapot Lamp - Made in India
Purchased at The Goodwill for $21
Slender spout.......
Curvy handle..........
Intricate cut-out details ............
Wedgwood Teapot - Made in England
Purchased at The Goodwill for $41
Exquisite workmanship...........
Lovely wreath detail around the body of the spout................
The back view is just as beautiful as the front view...................
Stunning leaf detail................
Stamp of authencity..............
Keep Calm and Carry On Afternoon Tea Set
Purchased at TJ Maxx for $7.99
Smart pattern and color layout.............
Clever packaging......................
Set of Limoges Tea Cups - Made in France
Purchased on Ebay for $25
Mr. & Mrs. ?..................
Elegant gold filgree detail and top overlayed handles...................
Limoges....................
Edite Par Gout De Ville..................
Grand Total - $94.99 with $5.01 to spare.
How do you think I did with my budget challenge? The teapot lamp works perfectly and will look great on my office desk. The Wedgwood teapot was such a steal that I can't stop smiling every time I look at it. During the busy weeks ahead, I will definitely get good use out of the "Stay Calm and Carry On" Afternoon Tea Set. The Limoges cups hold a story I would like to learn more about.
Please drop me a comment about any special tea treasures you collected or received this past holiday. Share the joy of all things tea!
Blessings, Darlene
Hello Tea Friends,
I know it has been a while since I shared a new post. With the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, right before Thanksgiving and the heart wrenching Newton Elementary School tragedy, right before Christmas, emotions have been heavy. It has been a time of serious reflection and clarity on what's important in life. Through it all, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas filled with the blessings of joy and peace.
During this holiday season, I had the opportunity to participate in an annual Christmas cookie exchange hosted by a family friend. I welcomed the distraction and enjoyed gathering with family and friends for this spectacular event. Today, I will share a small recap of this joyous cookie swap.
It has become a tradition for me to bake a "tea theme" cookie for this event. Last year I made Green Tea Shortbread Leaves. A recipe I found on Martha Stewart's website.
These cookies are great for any occasion.
This year I decided to bake Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies. I found this recipe on a blog called "My Baking Addiction".
These cookies are soft and chewy with a mellow chai flavor.
Now for the real cookie spread!
You may want to grab a glass of milk. LOL
Chewy Peanut Butter Blossoms
Date Squares
Saucepan Fruit Bars
Banana Crescents
Chocolate Corn Flake Stacks
Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies
Honey Squares
Shortbread Sandwich Cookies
Crunchy Frostbite Cookies
Chai Spiced Sugar Cookies
Lemon Ricotta Cookies
Frosted Brownies
Chocolate Reindeer Cookies
As always, our friend Linda hosted a spectacular event! Everyone enjoyed the festive music, food, holiday craft project, games and surprise visit from Santa. Taking home a basket filled with delicious cookies, along with recipes, was the icing on the cake.
Thank you Linda for sharing a wonderful dose of Merry Christmas cheer!
Blessings, Darlene
Thank you all for your prayers and well wishes! Hurricane Sandy stormed through New Jersey and left devastation everywhere.
We had several huge trees fall down in our backyard.
Thank God the trees fell away from our house.
The 100 mph winds which travelled in with Hurricane Sandy were treacherous!
We lost power for one week, but through it all, I was able to stay calm and drink tea (boiled water using the hot plate on our gas grill).
I pray those of you who experienced Hurricane Sandy are safe! There are so many people who have suffered devastating lost. As we see horrific images of the aftermath, our hearts ache. How are you planning to help? I decided to set up a tea station at the soup kitchen my church organized for hurricane relief.
Instead of using airpots, I decided to use 2 large teapots. This may seem a little unorthodox for a soup kitchen, but I wanted to add an extra sense of "home" to the atmosphere. I felt it was important to steep each pot fresh for those who had been cold and without power for days. This gave me the opportunity to talk to people and take their minds off the storm for a few minutes. It was such a blessing to serve a warm cup of comfort to those in need!
Blessings, Darlene
