No Blarney, tea trip changes to Ireland

Afternoon tea awaits us at our Dublin hotel

Exciting week here at BTS.  Like my recent efforts on the home front, we revamped our blog to make it less cluttered, more contemporary and, yes, less pink.   We hope it’s more calming (like a good cup of tea) and more readable.  We started our blog in 2007 and it’s layout seemed as vintage as my not-so-smart phone.  Technology moves so quickly today, it’s not unusual to get nostalgic about life only five years ago. (Remember the “old days” when we didn't have Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest?)

So now we're looking forward and  our new look goes along with our new adventure. This week we leave for Ireland! A country of tea lovers – how can one go wrong?

Originally, we had booked a trip to China as I noted here a few times before. Our plans took a detour, however, when my brother (who we were going to stay with) was told by his company he would be ending his assignment earlier than anticipated. That lead to cancelled air fare money, (minus - ugh! - the  penalty fee) and time already taken off from all our collective 9:00 - 5:00's.
With little time to  plan, we made up a wish list with our remaining vacation dollars. Ireland was proposed, accepted and Expedia'd.  'Tis a wonderful thing!

Soon we'll be in Dublin, heading out on trips to view castles, cathedrals and crystal. Oh, and drinking lots of tea, to be sure.  Looking forward to sharing those stories with you along the way. We'll try to keep it brief, but we do plan to kiss the Blarney stone, so no promises!

Change can be a challenge. Sometimes it's necessary to keep up with the times and sometimes it's forced on you by factors beyond your control. I found an Irish saying on the Irish Central webpage that I think sums it up perfectly:

                                  Life is like a cup of tea, it's all in how you make it!               

Celebrate National Coffee Day with Coffee Convert and cupcakes

Coffee Convert tea, hearty enough to drink from a mug

Today is National Coffee Day, but tea lovers don't need to feel excluded if they have Light of Day's Coffee Convert on hand. A hearty, but smooth black tea, it can go head-to-head with any cup of Joe, even on coffee's very own special day.

A newly created holiday, National Coffee Day is a celebration of the dark, bitter brew and an opportunity for places like Tim Horton's and Dunkin' Doughnuts to promote the hot beverage with free drinks - not that there's anything wrong with that.

I've confessed here before, I do like coffee. I like it a lot. But, over the years, I've transitioned to more daily intake of tea than coffee for a variety of reasons. There are so many types of tea, I appreciate that there's something to reach for, no matter what the mood or occasion. I like to start heavy and end light. And, last weekend, I actually started heavy and ended up at Light of Day.

Stocking up on LOD teas with good friends, Rik & Carol D.

A week ago yesterday, my husband, Chris and I, headed to Traverse City with our good friends for an early color tour and a gourmet trek through the northwest resort town on the bay. Our first stop was Light of Day Organic Farm and Tea Shop. Here we stocked up on all our favorites, including, of course, Coffee Convert.

A new tradition? A cupcakes and Coffee Convert holiday!

At the time, I didn't realize how timely my purchase would be. Here it is, National Coffee Day and I can toast it with Coffee Convert. Oh, yes, and cupcakes, too. On her way home from work this afternoon, my daughter, Rachel, stopped off at the cupcake bakery and brought us home a special treat for dessert. It's almost as if she knew it was a holiday!

Happy National Coffee Day to coffee and tea lovers alike!

See The Detroit Tea Examiner's review of Coffee Convert.

We have a winner!! Tea in the City book giveaway!

Our contest ended yesterday and we have a winner! Susan M. from Massachusetts will receive our free giveaway:  "Tea in the City:  New York"  authored by Elizabeth Knight with photographs by Bruce Richardson.

The tea that scored the most points for favorite tea was "Earl Grey". Good choice, although we had a range of teas - and they were all good choices!

We will be giving away some more free merchandise this fall, so keep stopping by to see what's new. We'll be selecting tea products from Barb's Tea Shop on-line store.

Come visit our "tea shop" and see what we're selling! Currently we have tea and tea cozies, but we'll be adding more for the holidays.

We invite you all to "like" us on Facebook at Barb's TEA Shop, too!

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations, Susan!!

Tea Book Giveaway! Win "Tea in the City: New York": It's easy and fun!

Barb’s TEA Shop is giving away one "Tea in the City: New York" book (authored by  Elizabeth Knight and photographs by Bruce Richardson) to one of our lucky followers. All you need to do is send us your name and tell us what your favorite tea is.

We’ll conduct a random drawing in one week and announce the winner September 7th!!

You can email us at barb@barbsteashop.com

In 2007, I had the great opportunity to have a one-one-one tea tour of New York City with Elizabeth Knight. The former tea sommelier for the St. Regis Hotel and author of several tea books, Elizabeth Knight also hosts a number of tea tours. They are offered in scheduled times for groups, but she also will work with individual requests. Since I was going at a specific time with my brother and sister-in-law to see my niece’s high school choir group sing at Carnegie Hall (another highlight!), I contacted Elizabeth to see if she would be available so I could take advantage of the time I would be in the Big Apple.

Lucky for me, Elizabeth could work with my schedule and, once I arrived, she met me at my hotel lobby and we started our walking tea tour of the city in “smart casual attire” and “comfortable shoes”. It was a wonderful trip from the exclusive fine china retailer on Park Avenue to an unpretentious, wood-floored tea room in Greenwich Village.

This month, I caught up with Elizabeth and interviewed her for The Detroit Tea Examiner. Although, Elizabeth has put her tours on hold due to a move closer to the City, she will be at the World Tea Expo East this fall. I’m hoping once she posts her new schedule, my daughter and I can sign up and take another exciting tea tour of New York.

Good luck everyone!!

Tea sets for little girls: an investment for the future?

Spoiler alert! If you invited me to a pink baby shower this month and you want to be surprised by what’s in store for your little girl, look away now.

For everyone else, I have to share my latest tea shopping indulgence – tea sets for little girls! Since my “baby” is almost 23, it’s been awhile since I have been fully immersed in tea accessories for the younger set. However, after receiving two pink baby shower invitations for this month, I was given the excuse – I mean the opportunity - to check out what’s new in tea fashions for children.

Tea Set times two for baby showers in August

Now, I know some may think baby showers are a little early to start bringing on the tea sets, but I can go you one better. Before I was married – in fact, I don’t even think I was seriously dating anyone at the time – my Mom and I were browsing through stores at our favorite mall. We happened upon a boutique toy store’s window display which featured a creamed-colored china teapot trimmed in pink, complete with matching creamer and sugar bowl. It was so adorable, we stood there just staring at it for several minutes. My Mom, never one to second-guess or hesitate, said, “I’m buying that for you for when you have a daughter. It’s too pretty to pass up.”

Elegant, yet adorable, tea set purchased for the future

Of course, my Mom never doubted it wasn’t the right thing to buy, even when it sat in my bedroom closet for a few years, unopened, but never forgotten.

Interestingly enough, my Mom was not a heavy tea drinker or frivolous at all. She was generous to a fault, but far more practical than I could ever aspire to be. So, that  tea set purchase surprised me,  but as you come to learn the older you get, more often than not, your Mom knows things you best not question.

That tea set sat in Rachel’s room when she was a baby, put away when she could potentially break it, and brought back out when she was in elementary school for real use. Along the way from preschool to junior high, we had tea sets for Barbie’s, Muffy VandeBears and, the ultimate in tea sophistication, Samantha, American Girl’s Victorian doll.

And after all that, one day, you’re making pink “tea” to serve in a multi-colored plastic tea set and the next day, your little girl is standing next to you, (taller, she’ll have you know), and expertly preparing tea for a twenty-five person tea tasting. Your little girl is now your tea business partner. (I swear, there was no ulterior motive in all this.)

So, really, is it ever too young to start with the tea sets?

Which brings me back to my shopping excuse . . .I mean excursion. I found a fun tea set from Fisher-Price for this month's baby showers. It talks and sings songs and repeats “please and thank you” to reinforce proper etiquette. I think I could play with this one for a long time, so imagine the good times a baby could have with it.

Adorable tea cart: is there room in Rachel's closet?

But, while I was toddler tea set shopping on-line, I found a real treasure at Pottery Barn Kids. They not only have tea sets and kettles for little ones, but - (oh my) – a tea cart, too. A sassy, white, wood tea cart for $129.00. It’s adorable. I love it! I’m suppressing the urge, but, well. . . I’m just thinking. . . is there room for a tiny tea cart in  Rachel’s closet?

Fifth Annual Jane Austen Festival: boxing, bonnets, blushing and Bingley tea!

Fifth Annual Jane Austen Festival at Historic Locust Grove in Louisville

Where can one experience a boxing match, a 19th Century “Magic Mike” show and a refined afternoon tea with a just-purchased bonnet? Although it sounds like a mash-up of the Las Vegas strip and Colonial Williamsburg, we found all of this last weekend –much to our merriment –at the Fifth Annual Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

My daughter, Rachel, and I started attending this event in 2009 and then back again in 2010. Last year, we couldn’t make it as Rachel was in London on a study-abroad. I joined her for a week, but, unfortunately, the time conflicted with the JA Festival for 2011. (However, while in England, we did make a trip to Winchester and Chawton, both homes to Jane Austen, so we were, at least, faithful to our July date with our favorite author! - See Jane Austen House in Chawton blog entry for more).

Selecting ribbon for a new bonnet purchased at Marquette Trading Company

This year, we were amazed at how big the festival has grown and the increase in Austen-attire as well as the number of gentlemen in attendance. Feeling somewhat in the minority, I rushed to purchase a straw bonnet from the Marquette Trading company, a fashion retailer on-site at Locust Grove.

Bare-knuckle boxing demonstration

We took in a bare-knuckle boxing match with two fine lads who explained the contrast of the sport from the 1800’s to today. Back in the day, fights were longer, rougher, and, not surprisingly, careers were shorter.

Undressing Mr. Darcy with Brian Cushing

And, much to our happiness, the boxing match was not the end of our macho men show for the day. The long-anticipated “Dressing Mr. Darcy” was next although it could be more appropriately titled “Undressing Mr. Darcy”.  Reenactor Brian Cushing pealed off layers of clothing while describing each article. Starting with the top hat and moving quickly to the jacket, waistcoat and ascot, we experienced 50 shades of Earl Grey as Mr. Darcy slid one suspender and then the other over his broad shoulders. Oh, my where did we leave our smelling salts?

Experiencing 50 shades of Earl Grey as Dressing Mr. Darcy heats up

Then, as we circled the shopping district of Meryton once again, Rachel cast her eye on a novel telescope necklace. Truly, a charming little piece that would have served us much better had we bought it before the Mr. Darcy fashion show.

Rachel's telescope necklace was, unfortunately purchased after  Dressing Mr. Darcy

For balanced reporting, I must assert, the JA festival had more than handsome gentlemen to offer (not that there’s anything wrong with that)! We enjoyed afternoon tea in the “tea room” and we were seated with a wonderful group of ladies from the Louisville area. A shout out to Connie and Barbara who shared their travel stories over herbal infusions and chocolate cake.

Afternoon tea featuring Bingley's Teas

Back in the village, there were also many old-time craft demonstrations including the making of Turkish paper and hand-crafted lace. We learned with the latter, a shawl of lace in Jane’s time could have equaled the cost of two horses.

Finally, we had the great pleasure of being introduced to Bingley teas, the creation of Julia Matson whose booth was literally manned by husband and sons. There is a great variety of tea offered from herbals to black and all developed and named for Jane Austen characters. Our current favorite is the Earl Grey. For more on Bingley teas see The Detroit Tea Examiner article, Bingley's Teas:  novel tea at Jane Austen Festival.

Once again, we departed the historic Locust Grove with a bag full of goodies, a little more Jane Austen knowledge, a few new friends and memories long enough to keep us going until next July. Cheers to JASNA Louisville Regional Coordinator, Bonny Wise, who is the ultimate host and we look forward to seeing more good company in 2013!

Hot tea on the 4th of July: family fun and most appropriate Boston Tea

This Independence Day in Michigan, you had no choice but to have hot tea, even iced. With temperatures hovering near the 100 degrees mark, nothing stayed cool for long, including the 20-plus crowd of friends and family that gather each year at my brother Glenn's for a day of food, fun and fireworks.

A lot of twenty-somethings stay cool in the pool

My brother has been hosting this event for two decades and we've watched the younger set graduate from the wading pool to the large, inflatable watering hole that probably wasn't meant to hold almost half a dozen twenty-somethings (although no one will argue it's refreshing, even at that number). Aside from a dip in the water, we play croquet, basketball, and - my favorite - lawn chair badminton. A low energy game where you can bring your beverage of choice, sit in a chair, swing a racket and believe you are participating in an Olympic-worthy event. Although, easy in execution and exertion, this year's biggest challenge seemed to be how we rotate seatings after the serve. There should be an app for that.

"Who's serve?" and "Where do I sit?" are the two most asked question of lawn chair badminton

Another treat this year was a surprise visit from my other brother, Ed, who came in from China for the week. (He's been there on business - and, yes, Barb's TEA Shop is going there this fall, complete with tea plantation visits!). Although a bit jet-lagged, he was roused a few times from the comforts of the air conditioned living room to serve as croquet judge - a title bestowed on him several years ago and still intact. Is the ball technically poison if it is still half-way through the hoop? The croquet judge weighs in and there is no appeal - or, better, yet, no app for that.

Hot job grilling dogs, brats and burgers

A day like that deserves a special tea - but what would tea would be most app-ropriate for an event such as this? Before we packed up our veggie tray and homemade chocolate chip cookies and headed to my brother's, I got on-line and ordered the limited edition Boston Tea Party tea gift set from Elmwood Inn. (For more information, see The Detroit Tea Examiner, "Celebrate July 4th with limited edition Boston Tea Party tea"). The deadline for ordering was midnight on the 4th - or until supplies last. I checked the webpage today and didn't see it listed any longer. I'm looking forward to a new tea tasting and will be sure to let you know when my-  Boston Tea Party ship-ment comes in!

Another successful Fourth of July party at my bros with my peeps, and despite the soaring temps, I can't think of a better way to spend the holiday. Here's hoping, though, for next year, the 2012 record temps will be history and historical teas will stay cool for the afternoon!