Category: Blog

Blog

Why Tea Bags Stay in My Cupboard

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date October 22, 2025
2 Comments on Why Tea Bags Stay in My Cupboard

Why tea bags stay in my cupboard and you might want to stock some, too.

Once I started using loose leaf tea, I fell in love with it.

I rarely used tea bags for many years thereafter, even though some tea bags have very high quality tea (despite what some tea lovers will tell you). I never looked down my nose at tea bags. I did, however, appreciate the beauty of the whole tea leaves that I more often found in loose leaf. I also loved being able to admire the leaves and the aroma more clearly without the barrier of a sachet between the tea and me. And, the ritual of preparing loose leaf tea is typically a joy for me.

white tag with the word "tea" on the tea tag of a tea bag

Tags accessibility, loose leaf, tea bag, tea sachet

Blog Events

2026 Tea Festivals

This post shares 2026 tea festival dates and locations in North America and Europe. You can see lists organized by date or country! And, I’ve added a category for virtual tea festivals.

Last year, I had over 40 tea festivals on my 2025 Tea Festivals list. So, this post will certainly grow as more festivals announce their 2026 dates. [Last updated 11/11/25.]

yellow teapot next to a festival banner with yellow flags

Tags tea festivals

Blog

Lovely Experience at Jin Yun Fu Tea Shop in NYC

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date October 9, 2025
No Comments on Lovely Experience at Jin Yun Fu Tea Shop in NYC

I had a lovely experience at Jin Yun Fu Tea Shop in Manhattan. I attended their Mid-Autumn Festival Tea Gathering in early October 2025 with three members of my family.

The Space

Jin Yun Fu relocated about a year ago. They are now on W 29th Street in Manhattan (New York City).

Traci (a.k.a. Tea Infusiast) wearing a black shirt with white stripes and jeans and sunglasses in front of the sign for "Jin Yun Fu Tea Shop"

The teashop is below street level, but natural light still streams in through the big windows in the front of the shop.

Inside, there are long, wooden tea tables and gorgeous teaware. It’s a very calming and harmonious space. It’s much more spacious than their previous location, too.

Tags tea in NYC, tea rooms, tea tasting

Blog Events

2025 Storytellers for ChariTEA Fundraiser

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date September 30, 2025
2 Comments on 2025 Storytellers for ChariTEA Fundraiser

Meet the 2025 storytellers for Tea Infusiast’s annual chariTEA fundraiser!

On November 16, 2025, I will be hosting the fourth annual Story of a Teacup online fundraiser for a nonprofit organization. I’m excited to introduce you to this year’s storytellers!

Photos of all five 2025 storytellers for the Story of a Teacup chariTEA fundraiser--Kim, Shawn, Eve, Traci, and Marco.

Before I do–a quick word about this event. It’s an online tea party with storytelling! It’s an empathy-building event for tea lovers that raises money for a charitable cause. ALL ticket sales go to a designated charity.

Blog Events

Story of a Teacup 2025

Join me at the fourth annual Story of a Teacup 2025 chariTEA fundraiser! Connect with other tea lovers over tea and stories while supporting a great cause. This is a live, online event!

World Central Kitchen (WCK) is the beneficiary of Story of a Teacup 2025. All proceeds go directly to this amazing nonprofit. WCK uses the power of food to nourish communities and strengthen economies around the world. They are first to the frontlines, providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises.

Story of a Teacup image--white Coalport two handled teacup and saucer with gold and sapphire colors

Blog Tasting Notes

Review of Rose Label Gold from Nepal Tea Collective

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date September 20, 2025
No Comments on Review of Rose Label Gold from Nepal Tea Collective

I’m sharing my review of Rose Label Gold from Nepal Tea Collective. I’ve been lucky enough to have had two delightful tea sessions, on different days, with this tea.

This black tea is from a special cultivar (BB157). It was grown in Nepal. Despite not being scented or having any flavors added, this tea has heady notes of rose and other lovely floral, spice, and citrus notes. It’s the alchemy of cultivar, terroir, weather, and processing!

Rose Label Gold 2025 white and gold teacup with a saucer. Red rose petals and green ivy are nearby

Tags black tea, Nepal tea, tasting notes

Blog

Review of Qahwah House on Long Island

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date September 12, 2025
No Comments on Review of Qahwah House on Long Island

I’m sharing my review of Qahwah House on Long Island.

Photo of Traci Levy, aka Tea Infusiast--a white woman with silver hair, wearing sunglasses and a red shirt with blue plaid. Her hands rest on a curved, glass teacup full of Adeni Chai at Qahwah House

It’s a Yemeni coffeehouse with over twenty locations in the USA. I have visited their Westbury, New York location several times.

Qahwah is the word for coffee in Arabic. I know, I know. You might be wondering why I am I reviewing a coffeehouse on a tea blog! It’s because they have several Yemeni tea offerings–and a surprisingly wide selection of other teas–that keep me coming back! There are other reasons as well.

Tags chai, tea on Long Island, tea rooms, teahouses

Blog

Tea on Long Island

Looking for tea on Long Island? Me, too! Here, I share reviews and/or videos about a number of places on Long Island (New York) where I’ve particularly enjoyed the tea that they serve.