Tea time

So how many times have I been at the Prudential Center downtown and walked by Teavana with absolutely no intention of buying tea only to find myself lured inside by the delectable smell of about a zillion fruity and flowery scents wafting together, sampling from every possible pot and pitcher in the joint, and waiting in line to buy loose teas as gifts for people (knowing full well that they'll end up serving it to me) or a cup of some delectable blend concocted just for me by one of their doting, apron-sporting attendants...and random chopsticks ???


I'm particularly a fan of their Lavender Dreams White Tea for de-stressification breaks, which is funny given my normal preference for much stronger green and black teas.

And teas are such sensual feasts, aren't they? Stacked up like pine needles in the woods with their variously colored blossoms and berries all jingle-jangled together like the 80's exploded and was magically turned into a bush by the deliciousness-fairy but then lit on fire again. And the smells! And all the creative combinations...Not to mention the purported holistic benefits.

For this reason I am a fan of tea as social activity. I have been known to frequent from time to time Waltham's ever-more-kitschy room, The Tea Leaf, which offers both tea service and tea shopping, plus related gifts and accessories.

Meanwhile, you can buy the essential implements you need, including a special tea delivered monthly, whisk, and special tea bowl, for a traditional Japanese tea ceremony at the Kaji Aso Studio in Boston, which also offers both tea ceremonies by reservation and in-depth classes for those really interested in learning the art of Japanese tea service.

And while everything on Etsy, now that my addiction has literally taken me to the ends of the crafty-kitschy Earth and back again, has started looking suspiciously similar to me, I am surprised to find an abundance of tea sellers online. Here are some tea listings worth checking out:

Matcha Mate by ruatea, , also a seller of multi-tea tin gift packs;

Kyoto Cherry Green Tea by TeaForAllReasons,
;

and what I find to be rather contemporary, creative and giftable items: purposedesign's chai tea kits.




But really, what tea post would be complete without an entire section dedicated to BOBA?!?!?!?!


Now being from California, where boba was all the rage, I'm a bit of a boba snob, and I hate to say it but the boba, or as you people call it "bubble tea" (retahded if you ask me), here PALES by comparison. So sad. I find that around here, simpler is better. The best bubble tea I have managed to find in Boston is a low key tea, the straightforward milk tea available at Japonaise Bakery (I go to the Brookline location, just on Beacon). DO NOT order the green tea bubble tea. It's powdery and grainy, but the milk tea is just about right - though the boba texture is hit or miss sometimes (frankly, though, their curry donuts are like manna from heaven, so suck it up).

Or you can try to make it yourself with the dried tapioca balls available at Super 88. (not suggested).


And now I really mean it...what tea post from a blog titled "Shopperella in Boston" would be complete without some hokey Boston Tea Party reference? What, did you think there was no pun intended this whole time? Right.

The Boston Tea Company, est. 1773 began, according to its own website, when its founders salvaged undumped crates of tea from the Boston Tea Party ... and essentially started the American Revolution.

Guys, there's a reason Boston has a Starbucks on every corner. I mean, would YOU want to drink anything that went anywhere NEAR the stinking poluted water in Boston Harbor? I don't think so.

That said, Boston Tea Company has some beautifully packaged gift items available in their online store, and while their site doesn't have the world's best navigation (look, I made a nautical funny!) if you search around enough they offer extensive information regarding the origins of and differences between different kinds of tea (I suggest just clicking on the sitemap link at the bottom.)

And of course, Boston Tea Party Tea.