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What Does It Mean to Waste Tea?

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date November 1, 2023
4 Comments on What Does It Mean to Waste Tea?

This post shares my experience radically reducing my tea consumption and an unexpected question that arose: what does it mean to waste tea?

Radically Reducing My Tea Consumption

I spent a good chunk of September weaning myself off tea to see if it would help some health issues I’m having.

I went from having two tea sessions per day and consuming 7-8g of tea a day, to zero. In October, I went a few weeks without any tea, then added one light tea session per week.

It probably goes without saying for someone that runs a tea-related blog, Instagram, and events: this radical reduction in tea has been a big change. I am grateful for some lovely herbal teas, but I still deeply miss drinking tea more regularly.

Teacup with a few drops of tea in it, poised as if ready to pour.

Some challenges I anticipated: missing the flavor, removing one of my daily mindfulness practices, and the initial caffeine withdrawal. But, the many tealess days have also brought some unexpected questions. I’ll focus on one here: what does it mean to “waste” tea?

Blog Events

November’s Virtual Tea Table

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date October 22, 2023
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Join one, two, or all three sessions of November’s Virtual Tea Table. This series creates a welcoming weekday space to rest in community with other tea lovers.

What Is The Virtual Tea Table?

Hello Tea Friend! If steeping tea together, resting in communiTEA, and exploring other ways you might live a more restful life sound good to you, then I warmly invite you to gather around the Virtual Tea Table in November.

Read on for details and how to sign up for one, two, or all three sessions of November’s Virtual Tea Table gatherings.

Events

Story of a Teacup: November 2023

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date October 17, 2023
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Do you love tea, teaware, and stories? Supporting caregivers? If you answered “yes,” join us for Story of a Teacup!

On November 5th, we will join online, settle in, and steep tea together. Then, we’ll listen to four members of the tea community tell us the backstory about a special piece of teaware from their collection. We have a great lineup, including: Sooz from Being Tea, Connie from Tea In Spoons, Julia from @MKJulia. I’m also excited to share a story. [This event has passed. We raised just over $300 for a non-profit, as explained below.]

Read on for details and how to reserve your ticket!

Blog

The Flowering of Chilean Tea Culture

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date October 15, 2023
4 Comments on The Flowering of Chilean Tea Culture

This post overviews the flowering of Chilean tea culture. Specifically, it shares how tea displaced mate, and how Chile became the country with the highest per capita tea consumption in Latin America and the only one that drinks more tea than coffee.

Events

October’s Virtual Tea Table

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date October 8, 2023
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Join other tea lovers for a restful session around October’s Virtual Tea Table.

This series provides a welcoming weekday space to rest in community with other tea lovers online.

We integrate a meaningful break (30 minutes) into our workweek to slow down and recharge.

Blog

Afternoon Tea at The Parlour in Park Slope

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date September 21, 2023
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This post shares my experience enjoying afternoon tea at The Parlour in Park Slope. This New York City tearoom is one of two run by Brooklyn High Low. (BKHL also has a location in Prospect Heights.)

The Parlour’s Address: 69 7th Avenue, (under the stoop) Brooklyn NY 11217

Tags tea in NYC, tea rooms, teahouses

Blog

Review of Té Company Tearoom in Manhattan

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date August 29, 2023
2 Comments on Review of Té Company Tearoom in Manhattan

Té Company has tearooms in the West Village and East Village areas of Manhattan in New York City. It specializes in Taiwanese tea and their own handmade and delicious tea snacks. You can also buy tea and snacks on their website. (Té is pronounced “tay.”)

I can’t believe I haven’t written a review of Té Company before! I have visited Té’s West Village location (the original location) more than any other teahouse in Manhattan. The calm and cozy space, thoughtfully curated tea choices, excellent service, and delicious snacks keep me coming back.

(Photo: Traci at Té Company, West Village location in Manhattan, NYC, with her friend’s plushie bison AKA a “luff”. Photo taken by Taniya Gupta.)

Tags tea in NYC, tea rooms, teahouses

Blog Events

Tea and Rest Practices

This post explains the relationship between my tea and rest practices, the journey they took me on, and how to register for the events they inspired me to create. My August and September 2023 events center on rest!

Traci Levy, a white woman with salt-and-pepper hair, wearing sunglasses and a black sweater, sitting outside and holding a blue and white teacup. Her face is serene and there are trees in the background. — *Me–savoring a restful moment with tea.*

Blog

Supporting My Tea Work

Summer updates and information about a new way to support my tea work

Hello Tea Friend! Thanks for stopping by the blog. I have been focusing on several projects. This summer, I’ve held two tea meet-ups: weather and summer meant they were tiny, but lovely. I am about 60% through the online, 12-module meditation course I have been taking. (I mentioned it in my post, “Enticements to Speed Through a Mindfulness Course.”) Also, I’ve been at work planning August-through-December tea events. These projects have left me less time for posting on the blog lately. Thankfully, that is about to change!

Besides posting more on the blog, I am so excited to share my plans soon! You’ll usually find out first–and get exclusive discounts–if you subscribe to my monthly newsletter, Tea Infusiast News. Now for that new “support” part…

Blog

Tea that Evokes a Non-Tea Memory

Post author By Traci Levy
Post date July 5, 2023
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Have you ever sipped a tea that evokes a non-tea memory? It’s not uncommon for a specific tea to evoke a memory of a previous time or occasion when I have enjoyed it. Lipton, for example, will always remind me of growing up and having tea with my family. Black currant tea immediately takes me back to my bridal shower and that exciting time in my life. But, that’s not the kind of memory I’m exploring here.