 | Pamper Yourself with Tea and Conversation |
September 16, 2009
Time is precious, friends are precious, and time with friends is priceless—as well as indulgent.
As a working mom with two small kids, I’m always up for catching a break whenever I can. So when my German girlfriend introduced me to the art of conversation over tea, it was quite eye-opening and ahh-inspiring.
Now I’m not talking stuffy, high tea and everything Ms. Manners. I’m talking chill, relaxed, one-to-one relating over water, leaves, fire. And it’s a different kind of relating than that over martinis or a cup of Joe. While I’m a huge fan of both, Lemon Drops and Cosmopolitans have, well, a cosmopolitan pretense that comes with them, and java naturally amps up instead of winds down.
Tea is just effortless, soul-bearing. It has an almost truth-serum quality to it. And it stops time in a way that other beverages can’t hold a tea light to. Perhaps it’s the preparation? The ritual? The simplicity?
Whatever the reason, it works. And purchasing a gorgeous, cast iron tea set that oozes permission to stop was one of the best things I’ve ever done to indulge myself. Sure, I could have spent the money on a hot stone massage, a hot pair of Chip & Peppers, or a hot new do, but the enduring promise outweighed the other steamy, temporary lusts.
So if you’re ready to partake in the red, green, black, white or rooibos ritual, you need a set to brew your bliss. Many tea sets exist, and any could really work, but a truly artful, inspired, ancient tea set brings respect to the time spent and invites experience and memories. Ceramic sets are beautiful, but breakable—and this is about no worries. Glass sets have their eye-candy appeal, but feel too modern, and who wants to deal with spots. Cast iron is just perfect. It warms the hands as you sip, it’s kid-proof and it’s ridiculously easy to maintain. In fact, cast iron encourages cold water and a simple rinse over soap and cleanser, as the tea’s antioxidants cling to the kettle and actually make your set healthier over time.
The price for a full tea set can be upward of $500. But you can buy a little at a time. Start with the kettle, add the cups, the coasters, the warmer, a serving tray, the accessories. And you can keep your eye on one set to build, or go for complementary color, pattern, style. Teavana has an excellent array of both choices and locations across the US.
And here’s the deal. And I use the word deal literally, as once you invest, the payoff is practically eternal. Cast iron sets last and can be passed down to your kids (as can the ritual your kids will come to observe and appreciate). And once you have your treasured set, you’re set—for life.
So drink in some time well spent during these times when we could all use a little more pampering, a little more time together and a lot more permission to stop when the world says go.
Oh, and if you’re one of those who says they don’t like tea? You just think you don’t. You’ll love it. There are 500 different kinds of teas these days. It’s the new black for good reason.
You can check out the variety of organic, loose-leaf teas I offer on ShopPLM.com. Coconut Creme? Chocolate Monkey? Blueberry Pomegranate, so many to try. Inhale, exhale, repeat, shop.
