Victorian Rose Shoppe: A northern Michigan specialty store filled with wonderful treasures!

Victorian Rose Shoppe sign accompanied by "Open" flag, told us it was time to visit.

Everything's coming up roses in northern Michigan and we discovered a wonderful gift shop that's worth singing about!

Victorian Rose Shoppe is located just outside Rose City's downtown on M-33 (aka Mio Road) and it's literally housed in a can't-miss-it-yellow colonial home that welcomes visitors with its distinctive store signage and - if you are lucky like we were - an accompanying "OPEN" flag that lets guests know, its open for business.

Inviting side porch and entry to Victorian Rose Shoppe.

We've been passing that charming abode/shop for over ten years on our way up to our northern Michigan cottage, but since we're usually coming up late on the weekend and leaving after hours, we never had the opportunity to stop in. That is, until last week, when we took time to "smell the roses" and explore this interesting gift shop.

Lots of treasures to be found at the Victorian Rose Shoppe in Rose City, BTS' Barb G. with store owner, Lin K.

Victorian Rose Shoppe is the home to Lin K. and her retail business. Entering the door on the side porch, guests are immediately taken in by the variety of unique merchandise that includes jewelry, china, mirrors and glassware. The display rooms are lighted with chandeliers and strands of mini lights which adds to the enchanted ambiance. Throw in a vintage fireplace with a framed mirror, a wrought iron bistro set and a room filled with fairy cottages and one feels they are truly transported to another place and time.

Rooms are lighted by chandeliers and strands of mini lights, which adds to the enchanted ambiance

Lin has resided in this home for over forty years and has been crafting and selling her art for over two decades.  Ready for a change from transporting her creations to various craft shows, she added on a room to to the back of her home,  converted another space for retail and set up shop "in house" eight years ago.

Vintage fireplace with mirror that captures afternoon shoppers with proper mask protocol.

Aside from Lin's own creations (she makes all the fairy garden homes), she also sells merchandise from other local artisans. And, when you're done touring the inside, there's more waiting out in back.





The Victorian Rose Shoppe's footprint continues outdoors where guests will find a beautiful garden with paths that take one along the gazebo and koi pond (what a charming place to enjoy a cup of tea!).

Owner Lin K. creates all the fairy garden homes for sale in her store. 

On our visit, we purchased a set of embellished wine flutes that work as decorative candle holders (to be part of an upcoming wedding tablescape).  We can't wait to come back to explore more.

The store's footprint continues outdoors where a garden path takes guest to the gazebo and the koi pond.

We heartily recommend taking time to stop at the Victorian Rose Shoppe.

A tea (event) grows in Brooklyn: On-line tea tasting with Brooklyn Tea

Tea tasting on-line event hosted by Brooklyn Tea featured four black teas from various regions.

Last month, a few members of the Gulley family took part in a fun and flavorful tea tasting hosted by Brooklyn Tea and without any of us leaving home - whether that saved us a long drive or a short walk.

Brooklyn Tea is a compact, contemporary tea room in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood (aka "Bed-Stuy") of the New York borough. It's also home to my son, Matt, who joined me in the virtual tea tasting the last weekend of July.

The tea tasting was co-sponsored by The Coffee and Tea Festival and to participate in the virtual event, you needed to buy your tickets ten days in advance to assure your package of tea samples arrived on time. And, how exciting it was when the package was delivered!

The box from Brooklyn Tea came with four different  teas in sleek black pouches wrapped in tissue paper featuring a map of Brooklyn. Instructions on the box, in bold block letters, succinctly let you know what to do:  steep it, pour it and sip it. 

On-line with  Matt and other participants for tea tasting event

That's exactly what we did, along with several other on-line attendees, under the direction of Brooklyn tea owners, Ali Wright and Jamila McGill.  The couple are both business and life partners and their knowledge and passion for tea came through loud and clear in the slightly-more-than-an-hour tea tasting event. 

Brooklyn Tea owners Ali Wright and Jamilla McGill guide participants through four black tea tastings.

Wright is a certified tea sommelier who grew up in Jamaica and remembers tea being a part of his life as early as age three. McGill is from the south where sweet tea was her main tea connection. When the two began dating they would go "tea shop hopping" in their travels which lead to a tea business that expanded from catering pop-up events to finding a brick-and-mortar tea shop in Bed-Stuy, which they bought last year.

The virtual classroom!

The July tea tasting featured four black teas:  Assam, Nilgiri, Kambaa Kenyan Black, and Lapsang Souchon. Spoiler alert:  they were all fabulous! 

Wright and McGill would describe each tea, - it's origin, optimal brewing time - while participants would open their tea packets and steep, pour and sip, just as our box advised.

While I was familiar with the Assam's full bodied, earthy flavor (featured in many English Breakfast blends),  and Lapsong Souchon's smoky taste, Brooklyn Teas versions were really amazing. 

Kambaa Kenyan is a "knock your socks off" tea

The Kambaa Kenyan Black tea was from, no surprise, Kenya, and it was strong and hearty. Wright fittingly described it as a "knock your socks off tea" - it has a high percentage of caffeine and takes the addition of milk exceedingly well.

Nilgiri is my new favorite tea - floral and light, great for afternoon tea

But, my absolute new favorite is Nilgiri, a tea grown in the mountains of eastern India.  It has floral notes, almost perfume-y as a few participants observed, but a bit lighter in taste and body than the others. I think it would make a wonderful afternoon tea selection!

Brooklyn Tea in Bed-Stuy area of Brooklyn, short walk for son, Matt

Matt and I really enjoyed this tea tasting experience and I'm planning on visiting  Brooklyn Tea in my son's neighborhood when things get back to "normal".  The tea store is currently opened and Matt took a visit there shortly after the tea tasting and supplied me with some pictures (and maybe some tea?). 

Inside the compact and contemporary tea room

You're encourage to "stop and smell the tea"

In the meantime, Brooklyn Tea has another tea tasting scheduled for August 23rd. This will be on green teas and although the deadline to order the tea has passed, you may still be able to participate. Click this evenbright link to the Coffee and Tea Festival sponsored event for more information.

Thanks to Brooklyn Tea for this great event and thanks to Matt for the location photos!

Brewing tea in the microwave controversy comes to a full boil: Science now proves the tea snob in your life has a point!

Science back tea snobs claims - tea brewed in the kettle tastes better than the microwave

There are two broad categories of tea drinkers:  those who brew their tea in the microwave and those  who hear about it and try to hold in an audible gasp.  Now, science comes to the aid of the latter  - the taste of tea does suffer if prepared in the microwave!

Last week, Mashable posted an article (The science that proves making your tea in the microwave is truly an appalling act) that cites a recent study from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China which uncovered the microwave does not uniformly heat the water in the cup. The water may be very hot at the top of cup, but only warm at the bottom. Is that such a big deal? Well, actually - yes, it is!

Traditional tea brewing with the use of a kettle on the stove allows for all the water to reach a consistent temperature (the convection process).  There's a "sweet spot" for steeping tea - for  time and water temperature to work together -  to allow the tea leaves to unfurl and draw out their peak flavor.  That minute and a half the cup of water heats up in the microwave doesn't get one to that perfect balance.

So, tea enthusiasts, wave that tea snob flag on this one:  brewing tea in a kettle is superior to that of the microwave. However, we are empathetic to the pragmatists and those who need to take a few short cuts in their days. We're well acquainted with those who "cheat" and, perhaps, while incognito, find joys in the convenience of the single-serve keurig to brew up a speedy earl grey.

Keep that one under wraps and I'll take a break from waving my flag. . .  for as long as it takes to microwave a cup of tea.  :) :)

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