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

 

May

22

Perspective

May 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment

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What a blog update looks like from my angle as I enjoy a third infusion of Shincha.

I hope you all are having a wonderful Saturday. It’s beautiful here, and everyone seems to be feeling springtime. The clouds have burned off, there is a nice breeze, and the neighborhood is alive with people out and about.

Our Shincha arrived and it is hard to stop drinking it. It’s a bit of spring in every cup, and…I am about to get mushy, so I’ll stop here. I just love Japanese tea!

Our Jin Fo Reserve Gold Buddha will be back in stock next week, along with some early harvest Dragonwell.

Have a great weekend, and thanks very much for checking in.

- James

May

20

Of Note:

May 20, 2010 | Leave a Comment

Sencha Shan Izumi is 10% off this week, and we have a small batch of Shincha arriving today if all goes according to plan. We are very happy about getting this tea, and it’s one that Japanese tea lovers will want to check out for sure. We should be posting pictures and tasting notes soon. In the meantime, we are enjoying the eight new teas that arrived last week. Nothing like being a tea merchant in springtime!

Thanks so much for checking in.

- James

May

12

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We are very happy to host a new event this Saturday, May 15th at 7:30 pm. One of our great friends and customers, Blair Whitaker will showcase his knowledge of Sencha-Do, the “relaxed” tea ceremony of Japan. His presentation will emphasize a practice of Sencha-Do that people will be able to take home and perform themselves. He will touch on the important aesthetic principles along with an abridged history of tea in Japan. The main Japanese tea varietials will also be discussed with some related information on harvesting and crafting methods. Come learn more about tea, art, poetry, ceramics, and other elements that have evolved from, and with, the way of sencha. You will be surprised how this “relaxed” ceremony has had a long and entangled history with the more familiar and formal practice of chanoyu.

When: Saturday, May 15th 7:30 to 9 pm
Where: Halcyon Tea, 3009 Beech Street, 92102
Cost: $7 includes tea tasting and small snacks

Space is limited to 12 participants, so please call 619.450.4224 to reserve your spot! We can’t wait for this one!

Thanks for checking in.

- James

May

11

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Several new teas are due to arrive in the next day or so. Four new Pu’erhs, an incredible Ti Kuan Yin, amazing Chinese black tea…these are some gems you’ll want to keep an eye out for. Feel free to stop in for a taste and we’ll be glad to show you these new selections that we are just too excited about.

The new first-flush Darjeeling is going quickly! If you’re a fan, be sure to stop in and have a look at this current favorite. We are eagerly awaiting the second-flush teas, and may also order another first-flush selection, so stay tuned.

As always, thanks so much for checking in! We really appreciate it.

- James

May

9

Wishing all of you moms a wonderful, relaxing day. Thanks for all you do!

We will close at 2 pm today in order to celebrate the day ourselves. Feel free to stop in anytime before then.

Thanks for checking in.

- James

May

7

Just a quick reminder. Stop in for a taste of our new Darjeeling! We also have a very small sample of Alishan 2010 that we’ll check out, so come and give us your feedback and let us know if we should order a batch.

Hope to see you here!

- James

May

6

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It’s true! They also love quality teas and teaware. We just received a new shipment of BeeHouse and Forlife teapots and cups in assorted colors. You can also get gift cards in any amounts if you prefer to let her choose what she likes. New batch of Eclipse chocolate bars in stock as well! These are always a hit.

We will be open limited hours on Mothers Day from 11 am to 2 pm just in case you need to pick up any last-minute gifts.

Stay tuned for a bunch of new teas arriving next week! We also have a great event coming up on May 15th, so we’ll tell you more about that too.

As always, thanks for checking in.

- James

May

5

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Our newest first-flush Darjeeling just arrived yesterday, and it is everything we hoped for and more. Hailing from the respected Thurbo Estate, this offering has classic first-flush brightness, lovely soft floral notes, and a crisp finish with mellow muscatel flavor. This tea actually had me giddy as I walked down the block for an oatmeal apricot cookie (a wonderful accompaniment) at Grant’s. I cupped it when it first arrived and was instantly happy with the tea. The smell of the wet leaf was lively with mild fruit notes. The liquor was bright and clear with a sweet floral aroma. Later I made a pot (15 oz.) with 3 tsp. infused at 200° F for 3 minutes… absolutely delicious. I’ve had a fondness for the Thurbo Estate teas for several years now, so I am very happy to have one in the shop! Come by and check it out.

Lot’s of new things in the works, new teas on the way, so stay tuned.

Thanks for checking in.

- James