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For my "maiden post" I thought I would tell you a bit about how I got here. I got my love for tea and all things tea from my mom. She, of course, gave me my first tea set... It was a child's set made of China, with beautiful yellow roses and gold trim. Tea parties were among the few girlie things I did as a child. I have two older brothers and was a bit (understatement) of a tom boy. I still have some of the pieces from my childhood sets, but most were broken... I retain the pieces like fragments of those memories. 

Tea represents a spiritual connection with my mom. She passed away in 1993 and I still miss her terribly. In the photo above she was in her early 30s and very stylish. It was the 1960s after all! The Asian tea set was a gift from her (or to her from me, I can't really remember) when I was a teenager. We exchanged tea pots and sets as gifts for all occasions. Our favorite tea was Oolong. It was a real treat because, back then, the only place you could get it in Florida was in Asian restaurants. When I drink Oolong tea now, it tastes of my past and carries me back to sharing tea with my mom. 

My daughter was not into girlie things either and since she came into my life at 6 years old, many of her childhood interests were already established. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, tea and tea wares were far from her mind. Two years ago, she blessd me with a granddaughter and when she is old enough, I will give her a real China tea set. Maybe we will have a favorite tea and when she drinks it as a grown woman, it will bring to her memories of enjoying tea with me...

Imagine a piece of art painted with tea.  That's what Dara Gold from Toronto, Canada did and her imagination goes beyond that creating amazing pieces of art. 

While sipping a cup of tea and staring at her sketchbook thinking how to make her new method of a mark, it dawned upon Dara to try it using a left over tea bag.  For the next week, whenever Dara drank tea, she would use the tea bag to make a stain on her drawings.  Once the stain dried, she saw things in them which inspired her to draw.  She even stains canvases to start the painting process. Dara generally works with orange pekoe and sometimes utilitizes cranberry or wild berry tea for added blues and pinks.  She's learned that red teas dry off blue even though their original stains are vibrant pink and purple hues.

She starts off with a large piece of paper or canvas and stains it without a particular image in mind.  After studying it for some time to figure out what the image speaks to her, she inks it with a pen.  On canvas, she adds paint and paper and then inks it with a brush or India ink.  All the inking on paper and canvas is free-handed.  

Dara Gold's combination of memorable characters and scenarios embedded in splats of tea is innovative and unique.  Her complete work can be found at www.daragold.ca.

Join the Tea Community! 

From now until July 31, 2010, 11:59pm EST, ALL new registrants at www.CaliforniaTeaHouse.com will receive a gift certificate with a minimum of $5 and a maximum of $50. Registering simply includes signing up with a valid name, address and email and opting to receiving the newsletter. The register link is located in the upper right corner of the webpage. 

You must REGISTER, not just sign up for the newsletter.  Gift certificates are limited to one per household. Winners will receive the gift certificate awards on a randomly selected basis.  The top award winners will be posted on this blog posting below at the end of the month. 

For everyone who is already a member, be on the lookout in upcoming newsletters for new specials and promotions!  Enjoy!

Gift Certificate Winners:

$50 Gift Certificate: rvdru, bobaco, galapogos

$10 Gift Certificates: charley, lauren, lisalaw, laurarebol, marco.downs, lizzyhovey, judi, bar2663, bomar97, jennrippy, drsean, consorte_bella, viva4, DinaJ, Jakaleah, tuckeram, melf6894, caliblonde, bishopsweeps, alibop, majorcat, duranza, scorpgal2010, lilpinky1234, dianabd3, mlaureli, kznomore, dnewwmann 

Congratulations and welcome to California Tea House!

Just in time for Father's Day!

Say, "Thank you Dad!" with a tea flight made just for Dad.  Skip the tie and scotch.  This year give Dad a healthy, delicious gift of gourmet loose leaf tea.  The Father's Day Tea Flight includes:

- Gunpowder green tea which helps prevent cancer, lowers cholesterol levels and promotes weight loss.

- Golden Monkey Paw black tea, one of Will's favorite black teas with a smooth malty taste.  Black tea reduces stress and the signs of aging.

- Lapsang Souchong black tea, a unique, naturally smokey flavored tea, that reduced stress and fights cancer.  This tea is delicious hot and can also be used as a rub on steak and chicken for a delicious, natural grilling flavor enhancer.

- Big Red Robe Oolong tea, the finest Oolong tea available anywhere.  This delcious tea is sure to hook your dad on loose leaf tea while promoting weight loss and healthy skin.

Get all of this with $12 OFF available only during this special promotion. Visit the 'Tea Gifts' page and scroll down to the Father's Day Flight!

 Happy Father's Day!

The story of the teapots creation is nothing more than a convoluted mystery. Author Chou Kao-ch’I said that potters from outside of Shanghai became famous for teapots in the early sixteenth century. These were described as boccarro from the small, individual, yet large mouthed Portuguese pots. Other scholars dispute the theory, saying instead that the Chinese never did use actual teapots. Instead they brewed the tea directly in the cup as it is still done in some Chinese restaurants today. Some believe that the design inspiration came from Islamic coffee pots, while others claim it was the imported Chinese wine vessels misinterpreted to be used for the tea it came packed with. Nevertheless, as functional teapots gained popularity in the 18^th century throughout Europe, creative minds caught on. Mass-production began with the East India Company, was changed by the breakthrough of porcelain, and altered again with the use of silver. Like other art forms it went through periods of Renaissance, Gothic, Chinese, Moorish, Arts and Crafts, Japanese, and Art Nouveau styles. Today the evolution of teapot design continues to evolve with new artists like Erin Wells (http://www.erinwellsdesign.com/) and Mary Markeenan (http://www.marymarkeenan.com/). No matter what your teapot preference, one can only hope that it’s what’s inside that matters most—good, quality, comforting or invigorating, home-brewed tea.

Pictured teapot from Wanda's Designs (http://wandadesigns.blogspot.com/2007/02/brand-new-teapots.html)