Jul

22

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We are so happy for our good friend David Skelley, owner of San Diego’s Boomerang for Modern. Located in North Little Italy’s design district, Boomerang has been San Diego’s premier shop for mid-century furnishings and accessories for 25 years! Impeccably curated, the shop features three floors of iconic modern works from designers like Eames, Saarinen, Bertoia, Nelson…the list goes on. We have spent a lot of time at Boomerang over the past 10 years. We have purchased many timeless items that are not only beautifully designed, they are also built to last from quality materials. These are pieces our daughter will have someday!

If you love mid-century design, Boomerang is a must-see. We are fortunate to have David and his shop in our fine city. Yet another example of an independent business dedicated to top-notch quality and excellent service. Three cheers for Boomerang on an incredible 25 years! That is inspiring.

If you’re interested in the history of this beloved shop, David has actually created a 25th Anniversary book about the history of Boomerang. How cool is that? It will be available July 26th. Now for that 60s Daybed Sofa I’ve been checking out…

We hope you all are doing well, and thanks so much for checking in!

- James

Jun

10

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I just wanted to share these snaps from a wonderful little book that was given to us by a new customer of ours. I was honored to receive it and have loved sharing this little token with other customers. The book is traditionally bound and opens into an accordion fold with wooden front and back covers. Just a humble little treasure with beautiful illustrations depicting the step-by-step process of crafting Chinese tea. If you’re at the shop, be sure to have a look!

More new teas on the way. We are waiting for 2010 sencha along with an additional first-flush Darjeeling. We are re-stocking the Competition Tikuanyin as it has nearly sold out. There is just a small amount left!

Don’t forget to join us for 5:00 Friday tomorrow. This continues to be a lot of fun, and it’s something we always look forward to.

As always, thanks so much for checking in.

- James

May

29

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Name: Bob Lajes

What do you do? I take pictures.

Why Tea?
The feeling, the taste, the objects, the ritual…

How did you get into it?
I’ve enjoyed tea for a while, but it was my wife Kim’s enthusiasm that really got me interested. When we met, she had several Yixing teapots. It became a habit…and a shared passion.

How did you discover Halcyon Tea?
Mike at Type G introduced me.

Which teas have you been into lately?
Kim and I really enjoy oolongs together, and lately I’ve been enjoying a bit of Big Red Robe

Do you have a favorite tea scenario?
Tea is perfect any time. Ideally though, getting lost with my wife and our little travel Yixing anywhere in Taiwan.

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Thanks, Bob. And just to give you all a heads up, Bob has created a very cool project he’s calling Tea Habit. He wants to document the tea-drinking rituals of others via photography. In his words: I’d like potential participants to know that it will be informal, casual, and documentary style. It will take place in their own environments, whether it be work, home, a backyard, a park, etc. It will be more a documentary of the details, the actions, the accouterments more than a portrait of a person, although I do believe that whether or not a person’s face is included, I am still creating a portrait of a person. I understand people may be intimidated by the notion of a stranger coming into their private places and taking pictures of them, so my goal is to make a participant comfortable by not including formal/traditional portraits of them if they do not wish.

I’m in! We are very excited to see this project develop. Interested in participating? Bob has left a sign-up list at our shop, or you can contact him via his website.

Beautiful day here in San Diego. A Dragonwell type of day for me. We hope you all are well and we appreciate you checking in. Thanks for reading!

- James

 

Apr

22

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(Taken from the Grain Edit blog) Mark is best known for his photographs of Jacqueline and John F. Kennedy and his work in capturing couture fashion from the middle of the century.  During the 1950s and early 1960s Mark shot the European fashion collections for LIFE magazine. It’s interesting to note that he was one of the first photographers to shoot fashion on the runways and backstage at shows.

I’m a sucker for imagery from this era. I love everything about it. Check out the Mark Shaw Photographic Archive site. On the site you can read more about Mark Shaw and view more examples of his wonderful work. And, if you happen to be an Audrey Hepburn fan, you’re in luck as you’ll find some great images.

Some great events in the works, new teas on their way, and another 5:00 Friday tomorrow. Come and join us for an evening of great conversation while the tea keeps flowing.

Thanks so much for checking in! We hope you all are well.

- James

Mar

11

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I love the work of Shigeru Ban.

The teahouse is designed for indoor use and made entirely from recycled cardboard rectangular tubes. It features a main room and the customary waiting area as Ban wanted to keep the design of the house in line with traditional tea ceremony practice. Yeah, I would love to have this in my house. Well, it wouldn’t fit, but no matter. Perhaps it’s a good time for a little Fukamushi Sencha daydream time…

5:00 Friday tomorrow! Had a great time last week, and looking forward to another one.

Exciting things in the works, so stay tuned. I hope you’re all doing well and enjoying life. Thanks so much for checking in.

- James

Dec

9

The Criterion Covers

December 9, 2009 | 2 Comments

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Great post today at Grain Edit, one of my favorite design-related blogs. Today’s post features a selection of packaging designs for the Criterion Collection. It’s definitely worth checking out. Nothing like cold weather, a hot cup of tea, and a great film. Enjoy!

Thanks very much for checking in!

- James

Nov

24

Koto Music

November 24, 2009 | 4 Comments

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image: Keiko Yurimoto, early 1950s from Ohmi Gallery

Sometimes I just need to hear some Japanese classical music. Maybe I’m having sencha, the sunlight and time of day is just right. I put on Koto music and am instantly transported to a temple or tearoom half a world away. At the end of the music and tea I am always refreshed and ready for the next part of my day. Here is a nice piece accompanied by an in-depth description taken from the liner notes. I hope you enjoy it.

Thanks for checking in!

- James

Nov

18

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photo: Drift Surfing

Two of my favorite things together in one entertaining article. We mentioned the Tea Appreciation Society in a previous post, but that was before I knew about the surfing connection. It is always so nice to hear of others bridging varied passions into a collective life approach. Tea, surfing, music, design—they flow into each other seamlessly. Check out the article, which begins below. Drift Surfing is a great UK surf publication that I receive regularly online. I highly recommend subscribing. Enjoy!

Shayne House lives next to a field, not far from the rolling surf of north Cornwall. He is co-founder of the Tea Appreciation Society, formed in 2007 by a small group of creative friends. When he’s not surfing or playing a variety of musical instruments, he’s peddling tea and philosophy. More…

- James

Aug

26

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Our dear friend, Beatrice Hohenegger has made it happen! She was the driving force behind this new exhibition at the Fowler Museum, UCLA. I just can’t get up there soon enough. It opened on August 16th and runs through November 29th, so if you’re in the area, do make a point to check it out. We plan to make our way up in the next few weeks, but have also considered doing a small group trip for customers who may be interested. If so, we’ll announce it here and via email so those who are interested can sign up as space will be limited. See below for more event information.

Steeped in History: The Art of Tea
Hot or iced, bagged or loose, black or green—whatever form it takes, enjoying a cup of tea is an act performed at least three billion times a day. Tea has played many profound roles on the world scene—as an ancient health remedy, an element of cultural practice, a source of spiritual insight, and even a catalyst for international conflicts—so naturally the ubiquitous beverage has been a prevalent theme in the visual arts. Steeped in History brings together magnificent art from three continents and many centuries, including rare Chinese ceramics and paintings, 18th- and 19th-century Japanese ceramics and prints, extraordinary English and Colonial American paintings, historic photographs and documents, tea-serving paraphernalia and furniture from many countries, and much more—to tell the fascinating story of tea.

And, if you want even more in-depth information, check this out.

Stunning weather here in South Park today. We hope all is well with all of you. Thanks for checking in!

- James

Mar

17

Wood

March 17, 2009 | Leave a Comment

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I don’t know much about UK designer Bethan Laura Wood, but I must say I love much of her work I’ve seen. Check out her site to view some of her 3D design projects. Two of my favorites are Stain and Time for Tea. It’s always nice to see people thinking differently about design in the everyday. Ms. Wood does this while blurring the lines of art, design and function.

In shop news, our Tea 101 class filled up quickly! If you missed this round, please give us a call at the shop and let us know if you’re interested in a second session. If we get an overflow of enough people, we will run the session again within the next two weeks. Thanks so much to everyone who signed up; we really appreciate your interest (and yours too, dear reader).

Lots more good stuff going on. Stay tuned!

Thanks for checking in.

- James

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