bringing style to the art of tea appreciation
Grandpa Joe Up-cycles a Tea Chest My Grandfather worked as a furniture salesman in the early part of the last century. As well as selling contract furniture, he enjoyed attending auctions and finding furniture that he could adapt or repurpose. Ever resourceful and talented, he managed to outfit his home with items that he rebuilt or repaired. He made several lovely pieces from salvaged wood. There were spinet desks made from rescued cherry wood, a cedar-lined chest made for […]
Traquair House, located in the borderlands of Scotland, announces itself as the oldest inhabited house in Scotland. Surrounded by lush lawns, ancient yew groves and a good-sized maze, it holds its history and age well. It has been visited by 27 of Scotland’s monarchs including Alexander I, Mary Queen of Scots, James VI (James I of England) and Bonnie Prince Charlie (Charles Edward Stuart). It was originally built as a hunting lodge for Scottish royalty in the 12th Century. […]
An Interview with Chris West The tea community in the western world is still relatively small. So small that most of us follow and interact with the same people on social media sites like facebook, Google+ and Twitter. This is where I initially met Chris West of Min River Tea. He has lived in China for 9 years and became a tea drinker gradually. Living in Fuzhou, capital of Fujian province he is surrounded by neighbours and friends who invariably […]
We all have friends and relations who love tea in a special way. We won’t call them tea snobs, but let’s just say that they are very particular about the teaware they use and the way they prepare and sip their tea. Does the following profile match the person whose gift you are puzzling over? not interested in expanding their teacup collection don’t do “Victorian” serious about the quality of their teawares and their tea hard-wired for style and […]
Part I: The Garden “I do not know anything half so refreshing on a hot summer’s day as a cup of tea; I mean pure and genuine as the Chinese drink it, without sugar and milk, It is far better and much more refreshing than either wine or beer.” Ch VII, pg 116, A journey to the Tea Countries of China, Robt. Fortune, 1858 London was hot in August – not as oppressively hot as my August trip to […]
When planning my visit to Hangzhou I wanted to be sure to include some ‘Silk Sightseeing’. I knew that Hangzhou, in Zhejiang province, was central to China’s development of the silk trade. Through a series of water canals and rivers, its precious cargo was ultimately transported to the Ancient Silk Road, starting in Xi’an and ending in Persia, the gateway to Europe. Hangzhou’s Silk Market is popularly known as Silk City, an outdoor pedestrian shopping area located at Xinhua and […]
Another Curio I’m not fond of curios and figurines – what I consider to be the “tchotchkes” of decorative accessories. However, as I continue to sort the chattels of departed family members, I’ve been forced to take a closer look at a relic that made its way into my Mother’s possession after a cherished life with my long-departed Aunt Dorothy. Royal Doulton’s Afternoon Tea, HN1747, was designed by P. Railston (not sure if this artist was man or woman) and […]
I’ve just returned from Europe and on every street, signs beckoned me to tea as I walked past on my way to meet up with relatives or friends or visit a sight. The weather was beautiful (only 2 days of rain in 3 weeks) and there was so much to see. I purposefully avoided a busman’s holiday and walked on by. Most European and UK bistros, tea rooms, salons de thé still serve teabag tea and scones (UK) or cakes, […]
In my quest to learn more about the deep affection Koreans have for rustic ceramic teaware I asked my friend and artisan tea producer Cho, Yun Seok of Jukro Tea if he knew of a ceramic artist that we could visit in the Hadong area. His aunt, who owned a tea room in Hwagae Village, knew of someone high up on Jiri Mountain. Yes, he could arrange this and we would visit him tomorrow. We picked up Cho’s aunt in […]