Follow the Silk Road

Tea is truly one of life’s greatest pleasures (simply type that three-lettered word into the search box on this site and see all the pleasures it has to offer).  That said, spa and aromatherapy also has its hedonist holding in your Hedonista’s heart (again, type in this three-lettered word and see what reveals itself).  What [...]

Teaophilic Treatise (Part IV of IV): Sorrento’s Afternoon Delight

So we’ve thus far enjoyed a majority of the “teaophilic treatise” series, dear hedonists – part I, part II, and part III, to be exact.
Not that Victoria isn’t a wonderful city (for it is, without question), but what about the enjoyment of this traditional British repast right here in Seattle? Fear not, my hedonistic teaophiles [...]

Teaophilic Treatise (Part III of IV): Grand Pacific Tea

The Hotel Grand Pacific – only a few minutes walk from the Empress – has its very own tea that’s very much worth a review post (not to mention a visit).
Recall, dear hedonists, part I of this 4-part “teaophilic treatise” in which  your Hedonista distinguished between the afternoon and high teas of Great Britain.

Ah, for [...]

Teaophilic Treatise (Part II of IV): The Empress Impresses

So now that you now possess an impressive background regarding the history of tea traditions in Great Britain, dear hedonists, it’s time to review first-hand some must-know places when it’s tea that you crave.

The (Fairmont) Empress: this Grande Dame first opened its doors in 1908.

The first to review is perhaps the most well-known: the afternoon [...]

Teaophilic Treatise (Part I of IV): Past Repasts

Ah … Camellia sinensis … a.k.a., cha, chai, and tea. Aside from water, it’s the most frequently drunk beverage in the world (sorry, Coca-Cola … *smirk*). Tea is more than a mere drink, however; it’s a multi-layered cultural phenomenon that has successfully saturated the globe. That, when combined with humanity’s penchant for tradition, gives us [...]

Wag More, Bark Less at Zen Dog

What exactly is a Zen dog, you ask?
Go ask Larry Murphy of Zen Dog Studio and Tea House Gallery if dogs truly have a Buddha-like nature, or a tendency toward the enlightened divine.
His art studio and tea house gallery – located right in his home – is not your typical tea house: it’s a charming [...]

Float Away With Floating Leaves Tea

With the Northwest Tea Festival not far behind us, it’s worth highlighting fellow teaophiles in the greater Seattle area.
A local fav is Floating Leaves Tea – a Ballard tea house that in August 2008 downsized and moved down the block to 1704 NW Market Street. Now it’s primarily a Seattle-based importer and retailer of fine [...]