INTERVIEW WITH SAIKI WELLNESS

How did you find your passion for tea ceremonies?

I was always interested in inner transformation, awakening. How to bring more peace into our lives and have a deep meaningful intimate experience of life, of being. I feel that this is what everyone ultimately craves for underneath all those other desires that we have. When I started my journey in Tea I initially started with doing tea tours and tea tastings in London - which was more informational and recreational. But I always felt something was missing here. Something more deep that Tea can provide. That's when I met Global Tea Hut community and tea school, that linked Tea to meditation, to Zen, to spiritual growth, and that's when I started seeing Tea Ceremonies from a different perspective. I started seeing Tea and the Way, than just merely a drink that we have for entertainment.

What are the benefits of tea ceremonies?

Firstly, Tea as a plant itself has benefits - it has caffeine and the component unique to only Tea - amino acid called L-Theanine. It's known for inducing alpha waves in our brain and for releasing dopamine, causing relaxation without drowsiness. So we have the best of both worlds - energy and focus from caffeine, while being relaxed and less stressed.

Secondly, Tea Ceremony has an ability to bring peace into our lives by taking us from our heads, from our thoughts to the heart, to the body. And how does it do it? By engaging all our senses at the same time and really savouring each moment. Can we taste, smell, see, hear, feel - all at the same time? When we do, then, as spiritual teacher Adyashanti said - another sense is created - a sense of the Heart. Awakening of the Heart. When we are able to do do that, then we are able to have a direct experience of Life, direct experience of being - rather than through filters of the mind such as concepts, ideas, beliefs. And through that there is less separation from life and others, and there is a deep and intimate experience of life itself. Ultimately, that's what we all really crave for - this feeling of intimacy with life. And in that intimate and deep experience there is peace and love.

In what way is tea and energy healing aligned?

Tea heals on so many levels - Mind, Body and Spirit. It connects us to to the Being part of the Human Being too - which is so important. Energy Healing is great for also removing conditioning that stops us from living more fulfilled and happy lives.

What is vortex healing?

Vortex Healing is a path of healing and awakening using Divine as its source. Healing our human side from all the conditioning that we accumulated from childhood and past lives, and awakening to our true nature - consciousness, Spirit, God, Love - everybody calls it different names. These are two separate processes even though some believe its the same. You can be a very fucked up person but enlightened, or a saint on a human level yet not awakened. And although one can influence another in a big way, they are not necessarily one and the same.

In Vortex Healing we believe that everything one and everything in this life is a beautiful expression of Divinity. Everything. Yet, because we have lost the awareness of that, we see life and creation through separation - seeing ourselves as separate beings, separate from others and life and God. This creates all kind of issues and false identities, which imprint every single facet of our bodies and emotions. This conditioning is extremely deep and it distorts our experience of being a human. It creates emotional issues, blockages in our human energy system, leading to physical issues too, creating struggle and suffering. And the negative experiences we have as a result deepen that suffering even more.  Vortex Healing works on this human level releasing the conditioning on all levels returning a person to the state of health and happiness. But it also realises that true healing requires wholeness, waking up to who we truly are, waking out of the separateness. So another side of Vortex Healing is this awakening process.

What has been your biggest learning from when you were working in the city to where you are now with t-lovers?

I have to say that when I started doing tea business I realised how many blocks I have - I was afraid of public speaking, I was not feeling good enough, not worthy of success, a phony, I cared too much about what people think of me, and was extremely scared of criticism. It was and still is a huge journey for me to feel worthy, professional, to feel confident. Partly it was due to acquiring knowledge and experience. After all, I started tea business from zero. But a huge part was working on my inner issues, like self-doubt, lack of self-love and confidence, not thinking I am good enough. This journey continues, sometimes its hard, Vortex Healing is an incredible help in this process. And I find seeing the process of me stepping into my power incredibly fascinating and mesmerising.

Which workshop or event would you recommend for someone who is new to tea ceremonies?

I would recommend coming to a one hour tea ceremony on Monday either at Re:Mind studio in Belgravia at 8pm, or Lifespace in Notting Hill at 1pm. I also hold New and Full Moon Tea Ceremonies for women twice a month, and these are incredibly beautiful and deep and intense, so women could come to those too.

What is your favorite ritual?

My favourite ritual is obviously a Tea Ceremony!

Do you have any other wellness practices that you include in your personal routine?

Every morning I do Oil Pulling for twenty minutes - swirling coconuts oil in my mouth and then spitting it out. It does remove the toxins and since I have been doing it I was only sick once or twice - and both coincided with emotional healings and huge realisations and insights and shifts. My mum used to be sick several times a year before, and now, since she has been doing it, she rarely gets sick - a huge shift for someone who was always got colds before.

I don't have wellness practices as such apart from daily meditation - once or twice a day, and plenty of me time, slow time, time and space to just do nothing. Sometimes maybe too much of that! But I find it helps so much. Tea taught be to be sensitive to my needs and listening to those is my main wellness practice.

THIS WAS PUBLISHED HERE: https://www.saikiwellness.com/the-saiki-zine-1/2019/4/10/lera-t-lovers

AND YOU CAN FOLLOW SAIKI WELLNESS FOR MORE INTERVIEWS AND NEWS ON HER INSTAGRAM https://www.instagram.com/saiki.wellness/

WELL BEING & OTHER STORIES - ZINE ON TRANSFORMATION

Danielle Copperman from http://daniellecopperman.com together with Kate White created a Zine on Wellbeing & Other Stories, where they took an interview with a few women on their Daily Rituals for Wellbeing and Transformation. This is only available in hard copy, however photos of the pages with my interview are included below.

ROSE TEA TASTING at ROSE FESTIVAL

Last Saturday I was invited to hold Rose Tea Tasting for Malvern Luxury Buildings in collaboration with Squires Garden Centre in Surrey. The tasting was part of a larger Rose Festival event that was all about the queen of the garden herself - ROSE.

It was the hottest day of this year and the garden with all the roses there looked and felt amazingly beautiful. The smell was divine, and the garden buildings where the tea tasting took place were perfect for the occasion.

I chose three teas - simple rose buds from Pakistan, White Darjeeling Tea infused with Rose Petals and Rose and Cardamom Tea (with green rooibos, apples and a touch of Mint). They were all a huge success, and also all had a cooling effect on the body. Rose and white tea are cooling by nature, green rooibos, mint and apples too. The only ingredient that was a little bit warming was Cardamom - but it was a well received exceptions as most people attending the tasting loved its taste.

Even though in my work I focus mainly on Chadao Tea Ceremonies and Meditation - I really enjoyed holding this particular event. Spending morning in the sun surrounded by roses, but mostly by the people - curious minds who joined the tasting. Most of them didn’t know the event is happening, and stumbled across it while strolling through the rows of roses looking for the one they want to buy home. Joining the tasting spontaneously and discovering the whole new world of loose leaf teas and actually loving every single minute of it.

I am always amazed by how everyone responds to Tea and the beauty it brings into our life, sometimes unexpectedly. How a simple cup of tea with or without rose can change the course of our day and induces more brightness in our eyes, energy in our bodies and peace in our minds.

Malvern Gardens also wrote an amazing BLOG POST on how to make your own rose tea and how to cook with rose too!

GAZELLI WELLBEING COLLABORATION FOR NEW MOON TEA CEREMONY

We have collaborated with Gazelli Wellbeing in South Kensington to hold New Moon Tea Ceremony and Sharing Circle with the theme of ROSE for the New Moon in Cancer.

To give you a feel for what the Tea Ceremony is about and to introduce me to their customers, they asked me a few questions, which resulted in a beautiful interview - the one that gives a glimpse into my life and journey into Tea.

We’re delighted to be welcoming Lera from T-Lovers to Gazelli House on 2 July for a New Moon Tea Ceremony and Circle – a ceremony that invites you to slow down and connect with yourself, others and nature at the start of the new lunar cycle, a time that’s associated with setting new intentions and visions.

Lera struggled for find purpose in her City job in investment banking, which despite offering security left her feeling unhappy and unfulfilled. She knew she needed to discover her passion and tried embroidery, fashion, jewellery-making, kickboxing, bodywork, astrology, trapeze and corporeal mime. But it was after meeting a ‘magic woman’ that Lera found her true calling. We were intrigued to find out more…

Tell us more about the moment you were told that tea was your calling?

 After searching for thirty-three years for my perfect vocation, I found a blog about this woman, and decided she was my last chance. I really surrendered. I thought, whatever she tells me, I will do it. If she tells me that the financial industry is what I’m going to be best at, I’ll go back to the office. But thankfully she didn’t. She told me many things, among which was tea – and as soon as she said tea, I had a strong resonant feeling in my heart, which I knew I needed to delve deeper into. And that’s what I’ve been doing ever since.

What does living a slow life mean to you?

Living slow to me means really taking my time to enjoy and savour what I’m doing. Taking time to appreciate things, to feel them – not on autopilot, but mindfully, with awareness. It also means being in tune with our needs at any point in time – feeling when we need to sleep, when we need to take a pause and when we need to work. It means making space in our days to fulfil our needs, and making them our priority. 

Tell us more about the tea ceremony you are going to be hosting at Gazelli House.

It will be a New Moon Tea Ceremony and Circle. The new moon marks the beginning of the new lunar cycle and with that comes new intentions and new visions. For the Tea Ceremony, we’ll sit in silence together – so we can be still and really listen to our own inner wisdom. This is the only wisdom that is true for us, but we can only hear it when we take our attention within and really listen. We’ll then share whatever comes from the heart. The tea will be a blend of tea and rose – rose is an incredible heart medicine. Everything in the Tea Ceremony is designed for us to connect with our senses, our body, to go within and trust our own inner teachings. 

TO READ FULL INTERVIEW PLEASE GO TO https://www.gazelli.com/blog/2019/6/4/meet-the-experts-lera-of-t-lovers

T-Lovers at ShangCha- Private Networking and Premium Tea Tasting Event

Last week I was invited by a a Chinese Business Group to talk at a private Chinese networking event about Tea ad Spirituality, and also to do a Tea Meditation for those who are interested. The event went really great, better than I expected. I was so nervous about the speech I was supposed to do, preparing it of course the last minute. Then trying to remember the structure and points. Being very nervous and going there by bike with my son Sasha in the back seat. But as I said, it went really well, I caught myself that I am enjoying the speech so much (it can be seen from my facial expression on the photos)! I loved talking about Global Tea Hut community, about Wu De (you can see him on one of the projector pictures!), about Living tea, about Tea and Zen, about the trip to Yunnan - and showing the photos from that trip. I could see from people's faces and attentive eyes that they were touched by GTH's mission and message, and that most of them wanted to participate in a tea ceremony.

And I was quite high for a few days after it, and even managed to do a Sunrise Tea Ceremony the next morning at 4am. We are holding another Silent Sunrise Tea Ceremony this coming Sunday at 4.30am at the same place as before in Stave Hill in Russian Docks in London. You can join us in person or online. All information is HERE.

Tea Meditation at London Bridge and blessed cranes from Japan

Our Tea Meditation tomorrow will be very special and amazing. It takes place in a beautiful yoga studio called Globe House Yoga just 5 minutes away from London Bridge station, which is a very convenient location.

Also tomorrow we will have with us Holly Helt, my friend from Japan, an owner of a Japanese tea house and tea shop in Japan, a very spiritual woman. The shop is called ChikiTea and if you ever have been on my tours you would have heard about her and her wonderful teas from me. The teas that open our hearts, connect us to the universe and create the flow of inspiration in such a powerful way that you just feel like saying "I LOVE YOU" to friends and strangers alike!

And she brought with her a few origami cranes that she made with her own hands, and then they were all blessed in the Shrine of Prosperity in Japan by a monk, so these cranes bring Good Luck and Fortune, and each participant tomorrow will get one of those as a present! :))) There are still a few places if you would like to join us!

By the way, our Tea Meditation take place weekly:

• every Tuesday evening at 8pm at my place
• every Thursday lunchtime from 1-2.30pm at Globe House Yoga in London Bridge

I hope to see you very soon!

This is my usual morning companion - Kabusecha green tea. When I drink it, my morning are filled with love, gratitude, inspiration and thirst for Life. And this morning I am also reading a book. An amazing book called "From Onions to Pearls". Which acts in exactly the same way as a Kabusecha tea, only in the shape of a book! In other words it fills you with LOVE, Gratitude, Inspiration and Enthusiasm for LIFE.

It is written by a guy, who, at the age of 54, was put into prison for ecstasy production. And that's where he got awakened. All his life he was a spiritual seeker, following all spiritual practices, and trying out numerous things. He was also leading a luxurious lifestyle with private jets and several houses. And then at 54 he got into a high security prison with 32 inmates in one room, an open toilet, no air conditioning and everyone going completely crazy. He stayed there for 2 years, not knowing if he will ever get out. And that's where his sense of identity crumbled with the awakening taking place.

His teachings are the ones of Advaita Vedanta, of non duality. Every time I read his book it feels like I am at the Satsang, and each time something deep shifts in me. The way I see the world, life, other people and situations. Karma, God, Consciousness, Free Will - I suspected before that all of them are not what they seem, and this book confirmed it!

"Consciousness is All there is. You are not the doer. You don't have to win awakening by your own efforts. JUST BE and know WHO you really are. Then kick back and enjoy the parade as it passes by!"

Meditation retreat at Lake Baikal

Recently, I went to Siberia's Lake Baikal for a meditation retreat, and it was such a journey! Insights, realisations and coming back to the body, body, body.... I realised there that the more we are in the body, the more aware we are, the more alive we are, the more we can see the beauty around us. There is no life except from life in our body. When we are in the body, we feel the beauty with our whole being, every cell of our existence. Being present IS to be in the body! So even though I already was more or less embodied  quite a lot of the time, this journey made me realise the importance even more. But here I wanted to share my magical journey with YOU with photos, commentaries and insights...

On the way to lake Baikal my plane arrived at 4am and my baggage was lost, as I found out. Baggage with warm clothes, boots and all other necessities for living for 1 week in a tent on the shore of this magical lake... I got worried, anxious, angry. But then I put my ear plugs in, inflated my neck cushion and lied down on the metal chairs in the airport. I started feeling my anxiety and my worry in my body, living through it's intensity and discomfort. I was lying there until this intensity dissolved and I started feeling waves of energy and subtle vibrations all over my body.

Suddenly the anxiety and worry was gone. And I felt like laughing. I realised how comical this situation is. And how grateful I am for at least takings socks out from the suitcase in moscow, so I was wearing warm socks and havayanas, ear plugs from noise and a neck cushion, and I felt warm, cosy and comfortable!!!! By luggage arrived with the next plane 7 hours later! How great is that? ))

The top photo is Lake Baikal on Island Ol'chon at 5am each morning. I liveed in a tent and woke up at 4.30, to have my glass of hot water, do some yoga and mediate. And it's amazing to meditate in the open air with this view. We live in a naked part of Baikal, it's called Steppe in Russian and there is lots of space, wind and peacefulness. I was not very happy at first as I am a tree person and I love forests, this naked land was a little bit shocking to me. But then I got used to it and came to see it's tremendous beauty and strength. No wonder it is an island of shamans and warriors, they gain their power from this land and the lake. So I fell in LOVE with it.

This little HEART SHAPED lake on the island Ol'chon is called Nuru Nur and they say it's even older than Baikal. Legends say that Chingiz Khan used to dip in it to get blessed before his voyages, and I simply hope that through swimming in it my heart opened a bit more. There is a possibility as the teacher monk from Thailand was concentrating on the heart a lot. Fingers crossed.

Here I am in that Heart Shaped lake. The water was not that cold actually, even warmer than in Baikal itself. The was a lot of algae at the bottom, which lovingly coated my feet. The legend also says, that whoever swims in this little lake will meet their second half moon after. :) When I came out I had the strongest and most powerful meditation on its bank. Something definitely shifted in my perception, and the whole body was vibrating with joy.

Our retreat was not as strict as usual vipassana retreats are. Majority of participants woke up just before breakfast and morning meditation (which is understandable as it was freezing before sunrise!). But there were a few who woke up almost every morning at 4 or 5 am and did some exercises, meditation and swam in the cold waters of Baikal. Lesha was one of them. I called him my morning routine partner even though we went about our own things in silence. But it was always nice to get up, go to the kitchen to have some hot water and find him meditating like this on most mornings. It made me smile and warmed my heart.

Vipassana meditation retreat is usually associated with silence and slow, mindful movements and actions. But at our retreat in Lake Baikal this summer we didn't really follow these guidelines. Moreover, on the last day we did an amazing dancing session. It was mindful, by the way Right on the shore of Baikal on it sacred land. Katia created a magical playlist, which, together with the energy of the land and lake, created a perfect energy.

Personally, I don't go dancing often. And for me to dance it has to be the right music, the right people, the right vibe. But there I just could not stop. My body was doing all the movements, I was just watching it, sometimes even shocked by its crazy moves, sometimes surprised by their mellowness. Goosebumps invaded my body and were rushing from top to bottom and back. It almost felt like the earth, and music, and people all supported me in this dance. And I gave my all 100% to it.

There are dances like this in London, conscious dance sessions without alcohol, drugs and in the evenings. And I feel something got awakened in me on that day, on that shore. My body showed me how important it is for it to dance.

And of course, meditation retreat without green tea is not a retreat!!! I didn't take all my teapots and tea utensils with me to the meditation retreat in lake Baikal in Siberia, where I was spending 10 days with the amazing company of people and amazing nature. But every morning after morning meditation I sat down and took a lot of cups with hot water, poured it from one cup to another, brewed the tea with me counting the seconds instead of the timer and sending love to the tea and to the person who I was preparing it for. The tea tasteed amazingly well with the local water and the energy of it is intensified in this magical place. Which we needed to stay awake and meditate every single moment of the day. I loveed this place here. Every day I felt I was recharged more and more with the energy of this land and water. Back to the body. Back to my true self.

Tea Events this week in London 13-19 April

This week is abundant with tea events!!!!!!!!!!! Lots of new people, companies and tea lovers are doing tea related events, and you know what? It makes me really happy! I take it as a sign that tea culture is finally picking up and becoming popular. That proper tea is seen as a great way to spend time and tea is becoming a drink that people tend to choose as an alternative to coffee. My heart is expanding with joy! So here is a list of tea events this week for you! I am sure these is a tea event to suit any taste and any availability!

1. Saturday, 18 April, at 10am – Postcard Teas School - 3rd Saturday – Shades of Green – Green teas from Japan, Korea, and China, £20, ADAVNCED BOOKING is ESSENTIAL!

Every Saturday between 10-11am, they will host a relaxed one-hour tasting of teas from areas he has visited complete with illustrated tasting notes.

2. Saturday, 18 April, at 4pm - Chinese Tea Ceremony in Hyde Park, £15, in RUSSIAN

Tasting four great teas and learning lots about them in the beautiful surroundings of Kensington Gardens in Hyde Park. The following teas will be tasted: Shou Mei white tea, GABA oolong tea, GABA red tea and Ginseng oolong tea. Your guide into the world of tea here is the Daoist master with decades of practice and experience!!!!

3. Sunday, 19 April, 11-5pm - A POP UP ORIGAMI POETRY CAFE with Tea, on Regents Canal not far from King's Cross, £10.

This event brings together a passion for tea, poetry and beautiful origami all together as a beautiful package. It includes a personalised poem on an origami model by their professional poet together with a home baked cake and lovely afternoon tea will spoil your senses. Enjoy the landscape of hundreds of flying origami  birds, floating boats and swans, and lovely flowers. Friendly and relaxed atmosphere with bird songs in the background. Add aroma to your origami with a scented paper...

£10 per person includes a poem on an origami model, a cake and a tea. Just pop in to Kings Cross, Granary Square, along Regent's Canal  N1C 4AA

4. Sunday, 19 April, 3-5pm - Chinese Tea Tasting Workshop in Waterloo, £20, in English

I have never been to one of these before, and it seems to be organised by the Chinese descendants from Hong Kong, who are passionate about maintaining and promoting chinese culture in the West. Looks lovely!

LOVE you all!!!!!!

Tea Events this week in London 30 March - 5 April

There are quite a few good ones this week, so don’t miss your chance and join them if you can! 1. Tuesday, 31 March at 18.30 in Greenwich – Tea and Cheese Tasting with Whittington’s Tea Emporium. £20

I went there in November and even now, at the memory of all those delicious combinations of amazing cheeses and teas, I almost faint from taste bud pleasure… Only 3 places left, so if you would like to join them this month, do not hesitate any longer! I also reviewed this event previously in one of my posts, please check it out!

2. Tuesday, 31 March, at 19.30 in Central London, just off Regent street – Tea Masterclass with Lalani!

It costs £25, but you take home with you the whole jar of Lalani’s Assam Tea, which they sell for £10. Amazing Value!

3. Wednesday, 1 April, at 20.00 in Covent Garden – Tea Ceremony and Gong Bath. £18

My favourite tea fairy Kat Bambul is conducting yet another magical journey into tea and gongs. Not to be missed!

That’s what she writes about the tea ceremony herself: “Gong Fu Tea Ceremony is a beautiful and meditative ritual of preparing and drinking tea, taking it’s roots from Dao and Zen Buddhist traditions where tea is considered as a spiritual drink. We drink loose leaf tea from the old, naturally growing trees in the wild, rich in substances affecting our consciousness and the body. High quality tea induces a deep meditative state, philosophical and creative mindset, a feeling of contentment, freedom and openness to the mystical. During the ceremony we appreciate the beauty of here & now, indulge all our senses and contemplate on tea, it’s setting, ourselves and our connection with nature. We connect with the spirit of the tea, and let ourselves flow in a timeless zone between heaven and earth.”

4. Saturday, 4 April, at 10am – Postcard Teas School - Introduction to Tea – Teas from India, Sri Lanka, Japan, and China, £20, ADAVNCED BOOKING is ESSENTIAL!

Every Saturday between 10-11am, they will host a relaxed one-hour tasting of teas from areas he has visited complete with illustrated tasting notes.

Enjoy!!!!!

PS. Photo is taken from Lalani's web-site

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #17: Dita Von TeeseЗнаменитости по Вторникам #17: Дита Вон Тиз

Tea Lovers will not be surprised at all that beautiful and glowing Dita Von Teese drinks green tea daily! From my own experience, since I started drinking lots of green tea, my skin simply shines and my body weight normalised itself! She also launched perfume Rouge and you will be surprised to hear that it contains accords of smoked Lapsang Souchong TEA!

So what is Dita's beauty secrets and what time of the day she drinks tea? And which tea?

She usually blocks out around 30 minutes in the morning to get ready for Pilates, so she can make her smoothie, have some TEA, which is “70 percent GREEN TEA and 30 percent fruit” and a swipe of red lipstick.

She prefers being vegan during the day and eating protein in the evenings to keep her feeling full longer. “I find that, if I only eat a vegetable-based diet in the day, I have a lot more energy,” explains Von Teese. “I don’t eat dairy or carbs or bread at all. At the end of the day, as usual, I have some animal protein: usually fish or eggs, although about twice a month I might have some red meat.”

“I try to eat organic if I can–especially in America, where you have no idea what they’ve put in your food,” adds Von Teese, who spends about half of her time in France. “I don’t eat desserts, but I always carry a small bar of dark chocolate with me in case I crave something sweet. If I crave salt, I’ll have something like eggs with truffle salt or smoked sea salt.”

BY THE WAY, did you know that Dita collects vintage egg cups and tea sets? Apparently, she loves fine china - beautiful tea sets: "I’m the only person in LA who drinks tea rather than coffee. When I’m in Paris I buy my tea in a shop called Marriage Freres. My favourites are beautiful tea black violet tea and rose sented green tea"

From Various Sources on the internet

And if you enjoyed this post, may be you would like to get e-mail updates (it’s free).Чайные любители совсем не удивятся, когда узнают, что сияющая красавица Дита Вон Тиз пьет зеленый чай каждый день! Из моего собственного опыта, с тех пор как я начала пить очень много зеленого чая, моя кожа сверкает, а мой вес нормализовался.

В 2012 году она выпустила собственную линию духов под названием Rouge, и вам наверняка понравится тот факт, что в этих духах присутствует нотка копченного чая Лапсанг Сушонг!

Так какие секреты красоты у Диты? И какой чай и в какое время она его пьет?

Обычно она выделяет где-то 30 минут с утра, чтобы сделать Пилатес, выпить зеленый смузи, и конечно же, выпить ЧАЙ, который состоит примерно из 70% ЗЕЛЕНОГО ЧАЯ и 30% фруктов", и накрасить красным губы.

Оне предпочитает веганскую диету в течение дня и съедать протеины вечером, чтобы насыщение оставалось как можно дольше. "Я чувствую, что если я ем одни овощи во время дня, у меня намного больше энергии," - объясняет Вот Тиз. "Я полностью исключила из своего рациона молочку, хлеб и другие углеводы. А в конце дня, обычно, я ем животные протеины: чаще всего рыбу или яйца, хотя иногда, дважды в месяц, я съедаю красное мясо."

"Я также стараюсь есть органик - особенно в Америке, где ты понятия не имеешь, что они кладут в еду," добавляет она, так как проводит половину времени во Франции. "А совсем не ем десертов, но всегда ношу в своем кармане маленькую плитку черного шоколада, если вдруг мне захочется чего-нибудь сладенького."

Кстати, вы знали, что Дита Вон Тиз коллекционирует винтажные чайные наборы и форму для яиц? Оказывается, она обожает фарфор - и шикарные чайные наборы особенно: "Я наверное единственный человек в ЛА, кто пьет не кофе, а чай. Когда я нахожусь в Париже я всегда покупаю чай в магазине Marriage Freres, и моими любимыми являются Черный ЧАЙ с ФИАЛКАМИ и ЗЕЛЕНЫЙ ЧАЙ с РОЗАМИ".

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Tea and Cheese? Yes, please!Чай и сыр? Довольно неожиданно, но ДА!

It seems like a strange combination, yet tea and cheese are definitely a well kept secret, as I discovered last night at Tea and Cheese Tasting event in Greenwich. One of the main discoveries was that warm tea melts cheese in your mouth, which leads to a whole new world of sensations, textures, aromas and flavours. My taste buds were shocked (in a good way, of course), and I just couldn't believe how well tea and cheese go together! My journey to this magical event of new discoveries started with me being very late. Not intentionally, as I was there exactly at 7pm - time, when I thought the tasting was supposed to start. Imagine my shock when I saw people in the shop already in the process of carefully combining teas and cheese, and attentively listening to Kyle and Robbyn explaining about the pairings. Apparently, the event was starting at 6.30, not 7, and it was my mistake, as I kind of assumed the 7pm start without even checking info on the website. So when you decide to join in (and I am sure after this post you will), make sure you remember that it starts at 6.30!

Because of my shock and no time to properly settle into the atmosphere, I didn't hear the first fascinating facts about tea and cheese. And there were plenty! As the evening unfolded I learned so much about cheese, and even lots of new facts about tea (which I already know quite a lot about). Did you know that cheese is an accident? Most cheeses were invented through chance - monks leaving cheese for too long, or mixing it with different solutions, or ash and getting something completely new because of that. Or a cheese guy forgetting about the cheese and running after a beautiful woman he saw on the street, and on his return discovering that this new cheese is very special and delicious..

We started with the first combination of Yunnan Rose red tea and Brie De Beaux. Amazing, simply amazing. This cheese, combined with warm tea, opened up, almost like a rose in the tea itself - or may be the flavour of rose really helped it? Could be! But in any case, I was glued to the floor, and couldn't even make the photos during the process. Delicious!

The next one was Yellow Gold Oolong with two different cheeses: Morbier and Tallegio. Again, what an interesting find: creamy silky floral tea and two creamy cheeses... By the way Morbier is a cheese that is made with ash - initially the morning curd was covered in ash to preserve it until the evening batch was made to mix two together. These days it's only there to preserve the tradition. The idea is nice though - cheese with ash. And it tastes amazing, especially with the tea carefully chosen by Kyle.

Number 3 was First Flush Darjeeling (aged), but not just first flush but aged for two years by Kyle as an experiment! It's amazing how the flavour and aroma of tea can change when it's left in peace and given time to collect all the goodness. And express it too! It lost all of its firstflushiness, and became richer on all levels. While it acquired a certain depth, it didn't taste like the second flush, and this made it an extraordinary tea to taste. It was paired with Isle of Mull Cheddar, which I personally found amazingly tasty. It had some alcohol in it too! By the way, I learned that while other cheeses have some protection over the name (e.g., cheese can only be called Stilton if it is produced in certain areas of UK ), name Cheddar is not protected at all - so we can just go and make it in our kitchen as we want it. Again, combination of tea and cheese was beautiful.

And this is how cheddar is made - into these very heavy big shapes, which is very labour intensive! And next to it Stilton...

Who said that tea cannot be drunk from wine glasses? It can, and Jasmine Pearls are the best for that, so we can enjoy jasmine aroma in its full intensity. And it was interesting to see how this delicate tea was matched with strong flavoured Gorgonzola Dolce. It was a match made in heaven! Yes!

We ended this tasting event by having two teas and one cheese. Just to see how different the taste of cheese becomes with different teas.  Firstly, Pouchong Green, and then Mi Lan Dan Cong, both paired with blue and delicious cheese Bleu d'Auverge.

All in all, the event was a firework festival for my taste buds. Such a pleasure to pair teas and cheeses and see how different the taste of cheese becomes when mixed with warm tea. It's really difficult to tell, which one was my favourite, they all were, but my heart was stolen by Jasmine Pearls and Gorgonzola - just because it was so daring, so outside of the  "norms" or the "rules" of pairing. Rebellious, I might as well call it. And I love rebels and free spirits. So this combination seemed to be exactly like this. Free flow and rebellious. I left the space in positive state, with the feeling of being warmed up from inside.

Kyle runs Tea and Cheese Tasting events regularly, so please, check here for FUTURE EVENTS. They do sell out fast, so please reserve your your place by getting a ticket.

And if you enjoyed this post, may be you would like to get e-mail updates (it’s free).Наверное, чайно-сырное сочетание звучит, как странная комбинация. Однако, как я открыла для себя на вчерашнем мероприятии, это невероятное и удивительное сочетание, которое пока еще держится в секрете и неизвестно многим. Думаю, после того, как вы посетите чайно-сырную дегустацию в Гринвиче, вы поймете, о чем я говорю! Одним из самых больших открытий для меня было то, что теплый чай растапливает сыр в полости рта,  унося вас в абсолютно другое измерение ощущений, текстур, ароматов и вкусов. Все вкусовые антенны внутри меня получили шок (правда, хороший шок), и я просто не могла поверить, насколько чай и сыр совместимы! Почему я об этом раньше не знала?? Удивительно!

Мое путешествие на это волшебное мероприятие началось с того, что я банально сильно опоздала на него. Ненамеренно, так как я там была ровно в 7 вечера, время, в которое я думала, все начинается. И представьте тот шок, который я испытала, когда я подошла к магазинчику в "правильное" время и увидела, что все уже находятся в процессе поедания сыров и запивания их чаями. Оказалось, что все началось в 6.30, а не в 7, и это была моя ошибка, так как я просто предположила начало в 7, даже не посмотрев на описание мероприятия. Еще один урок для меня, причем касающийся не только мероприятий, а жизни в целом - никогда не нужно предполагать. Мы не знаем, что на самом деле думает или делает другой человек, что творится у него в голове, лучше спросить, или принять тот факт, что мы не знаем. Ну вообщем, если вы решите сходить на это дегустационное мероприятие, знайте, что в Гринвиче оно начинается в 6.30!

Из-за шока и невозможности после долгой дороги расслабиться и влиться в атмосферу, я не услышала первые увлекательные факты, касающиеся чая и сыра. А их было очень много! По мере того, как нам приносили новые комбинации, я узнала огромное количество информации о сыре, и даже кое-что новое о чае (хотя я и так знаю много о них). Знаете ли вы, что сыр это случайность? Большинство (если не все) виды сыров были изобретены в результате случая - монахи забывали про сыр, оставляли его лежать дольше, чем обычно, или случайно заливали его пивом, вином или засыпали пеплом, и потом с удивлением обнаруживали, что новый вариант просто великолепен! Или какой-нибудь сыродел во время работы над сыром вдруг видел красивую женщину на дороге, влюблялся в нее и, забыв о сыре, бежал за ней. А потом, возвращаясь обратно к сыру, замечал позитивные изменения во вкусе и текстуре этого сырного гибрида (конечно, историю с женщиной рассказывают только французы, что неудивительно).

Вечер начался с комбинации Yunnan Rose red tea и Brie De Beaux. Удивительное, просто удивительное сочетание. Этот сыр в комбинации с теплым чаем раскрылся, как роза в самом чае. А может, это роза помогла ему раскрыться? Вполне возможно. В любом случае, у меня было ощущение, что меня приклеили к полу от вкусовых ощущений, и я даже не могла фотографировать. Вкуснотища!

Следующим номером были Yellow Gold Oolong с двумя сырами: Morbier и Tallegio. Эта комбинация - настоящая находка. Шелковый обволакивающий чай и два кремовых глубоких сыра. Кстати, Морбьер это сыр, сделанный с пеплом. Изначально, утреннюю заготовку покрывали пеплом до тех пор пока не была готова вечерняя, чтобы их смешать. Но в наши дни пепел используют лишь, как дань традиции. Но идея прекрасна, как мне кажется: сыр с пеплом. И на вкус он прекрасен тоже, особенно с чаем, выбранным Кайлом.

Под номером 3 был First Flush Darjeeling (aged), но не просто Дарджилинг, а состаренный Кайлом втечение двух лет ввиде эксперемента! Удивительно, как вкус и аромат чая меняется, когда ему дают спокойно полежать в укромном месте, не тормошат его, а дают окрепнуть, набрать силу и самовыразиться! Этот чай потерял всю свою терпкость первого весеннего урожая, и стал богаче на всех уровнях. Он приобрел глубину, и несмотря на то, что по цвету и аромату настоя приблизился к чаю с летнего урожая, он все равно оставался на уровень выше.  Этот чай подали в сочетании с Isle of Mull Cheddar, который мне очень понравился. В нем даже чувствовался алкогольный оттенок! Кстати, я узнала, что если у других видов сыров имя в какой-то мере защищено (например, Стилтоном может называться только сыр, изготовленный в определенных областях Англии), то имя Чеддер не имеет этой защиты, и даже мы с вами можем начать его делать, как нам вздумается, на своей кухне. Если захотим, конечно. Опять же, сочетания сыра и чая было прекрасным.

Так выглядит сыр Чеддер - в таких огромных головах. Чтобы его сделать, нужно очень много сил! А рядом с ним стоит Стилтон, поменьше...

Кто сказал, что чай нельзя пить из винных бокалов? Можно! Особенно, когда этот чай Jasmine Pearls, и с такими бокалами можно погрузиться в его божественный аромат. Было интересно испытать, как этот нежнейший чай соединили с крепкой Горгонзолой. Это был союз, закрепленный на небесах! Да!

Закончили мы вечер комбинацией двух чаев и одного сыра для того, чтобы увидеть как меняется вкус сыра с разными чаями. Сначала, светлый улун Pouchong Green, затем темный улун Mi Lan Dan Cong, оба в сочетании с нежнейшим и вкуснейшим сыром с плесенью Blue d'Auverge.

В целом это мероприятие ощущалось мною, как фестиваль с фейерверками для моих вкусовых рецепторов. Это было такое невероятное вкусовое удовольствие соединять чаи и сыры, и чувствовать как теплый чай меняет вкус сыра. Причем не только в рту, а вообще ощущение вкуса на уровне всего тела в целом. Сложно сказать, какая комбинация мне понравилась больше всего, они все были такими вкусными! Наверное, сочетание Жемчужин Дракона и Горгонзолы украло и растопило мое сердце - думаю, потому, что оно было вне "нормы" или "правил" (если такие существуют вообще) сочетания продуктов. Эдакий фрик, свободный дух, бунтарь на фоне всех остальных. А я просто обожаю все необычное, вне нормы. Вообщем, оно понравилось не только по вкусу, но и на другом, более глубоком уровне. Покинула я это место на позитивной волне, как будто меня согрели изнутри, и даже серость и дождь на улице был не страшны.

Кайл проводит Чайно-сырные дегустации довольно регулярно, если вас заинтересовало это мероприятие и вы хотите его посетить, проверьте его БУДУЩИЕ МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ ЗДЕСЬ. Билеты улетают очень быстро, поэтому, если у вас возник желание поучаствовать, лучше приобрести билеты заранее!

А я в эту субботу, 29 Ноября, провожу Чайную Прогулку по Южному берегу Темзы.

Что мы узнаем на этой прогулке? Что такое Дарджилинг, какой он на вкус, чем отличается весенний урожай от летнего, и как каждый такой урожай называется. Где пил чай Диккенс, где стояло первое коммерческое чайное кафе и как оно превратилось в чайную из пекарни. В какой чайной работала Маргарет Тетчер и кем, и многое многое другое! Ну а завершим прогулку традиционно осознанной чайной церемонией в укромном кафе с великолепными десертами. Все детали ЗДЕСЬ.

Если вам понравился этот пост, может быть вам захочется подписаться на новостную рассылку (это совершенно бесплатно!).

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #16: Matthew Barney and BjörkЗнаменитосТЕА по Вторникам #16: Мэттью Барни и Бьорк

I got into Matthew Barney and his work through my friends at AKHE Theatre. I love strange, unusual things. And Matthew Barney matched my taste completely. I watched his Cremaster, completely mesmerised, and then, when Drawing Restraint came out, I watched it in the cinema.It was many years ago, and I think it's time to see it again! Especially for its crazy tea ceremony on a Japanese ship. "Matthew Barney and Bjork are the two main characters of the movie, the two Occidental guests invited by the Japanese host to attend the tea ceremony, crucial moment of the movie. The story develops in the space of a day. The arrival of the guests by ship, their preparation and dressing in order to be allowed to assist to the ceremony, their meeting, love between them that transforms into mutual mutilation. The movie begins with a beautiful image of a woman packing small packets: full of poetry, with a soundtrack that emphasizes her movements, her slowness and discipline, the story goes on with the procession, composed of some dancers, that follows the tank lorry that will lead to the whaler, where the two characters will meet and the tea ceremony will take place."

From HEREЯ узнала о Мэттью Барни и его работах от своих друзей в театре АХЕ. Мне всегда нравилось все странное, необычное, завораживающее. Отсюда, наверное, и любовь к АХЕ, и к Дереву, и к искусству японского танца Буто. И Мэтью Барни полностью этому моему вкусу соответствовал. Во всяком случае на тот момент моей жизни. Узнав о нем, я пересмотрела все серии Кремастера, а когда Drawing Restraint вышел на больших экранах, я конечно же отправилась в кинотеатр. Но это было много лет назад, и мне кажется, пора пересмотреть его снова, особенно ради сумасшедшей чайной церемонии на японском судне.

"Мэттью Барни и Бьорк два главных героя в фильме, два западных гостя, приглашенных японским хозяином на ЧАЙНУЮ ЦЕРЕМОНИЮ, которая является ключевым моментом в фильме. История разворачивается в течение одного дня. Прибытие гостей на корабль, как они готовятся, собираются и одеваются, чтобы быть допущенными помогать на чайной церемонии.

Их встреча, любовь между ними, которая приводит к нанесению повреждений друг другу. Фильм начинается с кадра, в котором красивая женщина пакует маленькие свертки: полный поэзии, с саундтреком, который подчеркивает ее движения, ее медлительность и дисциплину> История продолжается процессией, состоящей из нескольких танцоров,которая следует за грузовиком к судну, где два героя встретятся и где будет происходить ЧАЙНАЯ ЦЕРЕМОНИЯ."

ОТСЮДА

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #15: Audrey HepburnЗнаменитосТЕА по Вторникам #15: Audrey Hepburn

Audrey once said: 'When you have nobody you can make a cup of tea for, when nobody needs you, that's when I think life is over.'

For the film "Wait Until Dark" she had to learn to do basic things over again as if she was blind. She studied with the famous physician, who specialised in working with blind. She worked with the blind college student too. She wore a blinder mask, especially designed for patients who were losing their sight. She learned to walk with the cane. She had to learn the simplest of tasks all over again, such as drinking TEA without rattling the cup or spilling.

Hepburn gained tremendous appreciation for what the blind must overcome in their daily lives. It was painstaking but rewarding, and proved fascinating to her.

From Biography of Audrey Hepburn

Одри как то сказала: "Когда тебе некому сделать чашку чая, когда никто никтошечки в тебе не нуждается, тогда, мне кажется, и заканчивается жизнь"

Кстати, для фильма "Дождись Темноты", Одри заново училась самым простым жизненным вещам, как если бы она была слепая. Она училась у известного доктора, который работал со слепыми. А также работала со слепой студенткой колледжа. Она носила затемняющую маску, которую давали людям, теряющим зрение. Она ходила со специальной тростью для слепых. Она заново училась самым простым обыденным вещам, таким как выпить чашку ЧАЯ, не расплескав ее и не бренча чашкой о блюдце.

Одри осознала, насколько много препятствий и трудностей встречают в своей ежедневной жизни слепые люди. Это был трудный, но увлекательный и необыкновенный процесс познания себя.

Из Биографии Одри Хепберн

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #13: Bruce Lee #13:

Мmmm…. not sure if I like the fact that he was drinking Lipton tea, and especially one made from a tea bag!……  While Bruce Lee never drank coffee, because he didn't like the taste of it, he remained very fond of tea throughout his life. Linda recalls that he particularly liked tea with honey in it. Whenever he was working, particularly while filming movies in Hong Kong, Linda would make him a large thermos of honey tea to sip in between the scenes.

"I would prepare it for him by taking one tea bag of Lipton tea, and making it kind of strong. Then I would stir in about a table spoon of honey. Bruce liked the taste of that and we would have it all the time."

Another type of tea that Lee enjoyed was called Li-Cha in Chinese, which translated, literally means "milk tea". It is a beverage that was often shared by Linda and Bruce in the mornings, particularly after they have moved to Hong Kong in 1971…

Lee didn't restrict himself to just honey tea or Li-Cha, however. Linda recalls, that "there are hundreds of kinds of Chinese tea, and Bruce like most of them." When Lee was working on the set of a film, friends and workers would often provide him with various teas, chrysanthemum being a particular favourite. Apart from the pleasant taste Lee knew that many health benefits are attributed to various teas, which made them not only good tasting, but good for him as well.

From the book "Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body"

Ммммм, не уверена, что мне нравится тот факт, что Брюс Ли пил чай Липтон, и более того, чай из пакетика! :)))

Из книги "Bruce Lee: The Art of Expressing the Human Body"

Несмотря на то, что Брюс Ли никогда не пил кофе, в основном потому что ему не нравился его вкус, он всю жизнь очень любил чай. Его жена Линда вспоминает, что он особенно любил чай с медом. Когда он работал над фильмами в Гонг Конге, Линда заваривала ему чай с медом в огромном термосе, и он его пил в перерывах между съемками сцен.

"Я заваривала ему чай таким образом - бросала пакетик Липтона в кипяток, чтобы чай был очень крепким, и затем клала в него одну столовую ложку меда. Брюсу очень нравился вкус такого чая и он его пил без остановки."

Другой чай, который Брюс тоже любил, назывался  Li-Cha на китайском, что в переводе на русский буквально означает "молочный чай". Этот напиток Линда и Ли часто пили вместе по утрам, особенно после того, как они переехали в Гонг Конг в 1971 году…

Но Ли не ограничивал себя только лишь чаем с медом или Li-Cha. Линда вспоминает, что существует тысячи и тысячи разных китайских чаев, и Брюс любил большинство из них. Когда он работал над фильмами, друзья и коллеги часто приносили ему разные чаи, и чай из Хризантемы был его любимым. Кроме прекрасного вкуса Китайских чаев, Ли также знал и об их целебных свойствах, что делало чай в его глазах не только вкусным, но и полезным

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #12: Che GuevaraЗнаменитосТЕА по вторникам #12: Че Гевара

In mid-November, Ernesto and a visibly swelling Hilda took off for Chiapas and the Yucatán peninsulato see the Mayan ruins. The high point of their five-day stay in Veracruz was finding an Argentine ship in port. Ernesto managed to cadge a few kilos of yerba.

“One can imagine Ernesto’s joy,” Hilda wrote.“

Mate of course was an inveterate habit with him; he was never without his equipment, the bombilla,boquilla, and a two-liter thermos for hot water. Studying, conversing, he always drank mate; it was the first thing he did when he got up and the last thing he did before going to sleep.”

From the book "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life"

Когда в середине ноября 1955г. Эрнесто Гевара с женой Ильдой поехали в медовый месяц на полуостров Юкатан, к руинам цивилизации майя, одним из главных событий пятидневного пребывания в Веракрусе стало то, что в порту они увидели аргентинское судно и Геваре удалось выпросить у моряков несколько килограммов мате.

«Можете представить радость Эрнесто, — писала Ильда. — Ведь его привычка к мате была поистине неистребима; он и шагу не мог ступить, не имея при себе бомбильи, бокильи и двухлитрового термоса с горячей водой».

Ее муж был не менее категоричен: «Бомбилья, бокилья, горячая вода и хорошая книга — больше мне не нужно ничего... Неопрятный дом, посредственное питание и подсоленный чай мате — вот и все, чего я хочу от жизни». Бомбилья и бокилья — это принадлежности для заваривания мате, которые он всегда брал в загородные поездки с собой: тыквенная чашечка яйцевидной формы и трубочка для питья.

Из книги "Че Гевара: Вкус Революции"

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #11: Andy WharholЗнаменитосТЕА по вторникам #11: Andy Wharhol

The only question I have with regard to this - why did they come up with the idea to drink Scotch whiskey at a Russian TEA ROOM?? :))) ANDY WARHOL FILMS DRINK.

When Warhol ran into Emile de Antonio one afternoon on the street, they went to the Russian Tea Room for a drink. Andy suggested they make a movie together and "De" held up his drink, saying, "Okay Andy, I’ll do something for you that I’m sure nobody’s ever offered to do for you and you can film it: I’ll drink an entire quart of Scotch whiskey in twenty minutes ...” They went to the Factory to film it and "De" eventually passed out in a drunken stupor. Warhol called the seventy minute film DRINK to use as a trilogy with EAT and SLEEP. When Andy showed it at the Factory, De threatened to sue him if he ever showed it publicly

From HERE

Единственный вопрос, который у меня возник: почему в Русской ЧАЙНОЙ им пришла идея распить Шотландский Виски, а не чай??? :)))) И ПИТЬ, ЕСТЬ, СПАТЬ это прямо как ЕСТЬ, МОЛИТЬСЯ, ЛЮБИТЬ..

Анди Уорхол снимает ПИТЬ

Однажды прекрасным солнечным днем Анди Уорхол столкнулся с Емиле де Антонио на улице, и они зашли в Русскую Чайную выпить. Анди предложил сделать вместе фильм и "Де" поднял свой напиток и сказал: "ОК, Анди, я для тебя кое-что сделаю, чего никто никогда тебе до этого не предлагал. И ты сможешь заснять это: я выпью всю бутылку этого шотландского виски за 20 минут…" Они пошли в Фабрику снять этот эпизод и "Де" в какой-то момент впал в пьяный ступор и отрубился. Уорхол назавал этот 70-минутный фильм ПИТЬ и использовал его в своей трилогии вместе с ЕСТЬ и СПАТЬ. Когда Анди показал этот фильм в Фабрике, Де погрозил ему подать на него в суд если он когда-нибудь покажет это публике.

 Отсюда

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #10: Milla JovovichЗнаменитосТЕА по вторникам #10: Милла Йовович

Milla Jovovich admitted once to having stolen the whole tea set from Lanesborough Hotel on Park Lane, London. Jovovich, who is married to director Paul W S Anderson, said: "My gay husband and I - not Paul, but I have a gay husband on top of my husband - managed to steal a whole Lanesborough Hotel tea set.

"We got four cups and saucers, a sugar pot, a pot for cream and the only thing we didn't get was the teapot.

"This was all on different trips. But because we stole it, it's all broken."

From HEREМилла Йовович однажды призналась, что воровала посуду из чайного сета в Lanesborough Hotel на Парк Лейн в Лондоне.

Йовович замужем за режиссером Полом Андерсеном, но она сказала, что у нее есть и как бы второй муж (гей), с которым она и провернула эту операцию по краже чайной утвари из знаменитого отеля.

"Нам удалось украсть весь чайный сет из отеля. Мы стащили четыре чашки и блюдца, сахарницу, молочник, наполненный сливками, и единственное, что мы не утащили, это чайник. Это все мы украли за несколько визитов, но наверное потому что это было урадено, в последствии все разбилось…"

Интересно, наверное отель только рад был этому? Плохая реклама, тоже реклама? Или он сам заплатил Милле, чтобы она рассказала эту историю? Ведь многие подумают, что даже если сама Милла не могла удержаться от кражи чайной посуды в этом отеле, то наверное чайные церемонии там просто прекрасны.

Отсюда

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #9: Kate MossЗнаменитосТЕА по вторникам #9: Кейт Мосс

In 2002, Kate Moss was signed up as the new face of British tea, having admitted that she drank up to 15 cups of tea a day in an online interview at the British Tea Council the previous December. The Tea Council believed that Kate could help to convince younger women that tea wasn't just for older cardi-wearers. "One of the ways of reaching them is to appeal to them in terms of their icons and things they are interested in - like fashion and beauty," Melanie Adams of the Tea Council told reporters. "For a long time, tea has had a very staid image. It's more likely to be associated with your grandmother. What we would want to do is - I hate saying it - make tea cool, make it appeal to a young audience."

From HERE

В 2002 году Кейт Мосс была выбрана новым лицом Британского чая,  после того, как она призналась в одном из интервью с Британским Чайным Советом, что выпивает почти 15 чашек чая в день. Чайный Совет решил, что Кейт сможет помочь убедить молодых женщин, что чай подходит не только стареньким носителям вязаных свитеров. " Один из способов, как мы можем до них достучаться, это показать им, что их иконы и идолы тоже любят чай, например, в области моды и красоты, " - Мелани Адамс из Чайного Совета рассказала репортерам. "Очень долгое время у чая был степенный, положительный имидж. Он больше ассоциируется с вашей бабушкой. Что мы хотим сделать - и я не люблю об этом говорить - это сделать чай прикольным, крутым, и сделать его привлекательным для более молодой публики".

Отсюда

Мммммм…. почему-то в России и в Латвии это удалось намного лучше. Там уж точно чай - это классно, уютно и замечательно, и больше не про бабушек. Англии до этого еще расти и расти…

CelebriTEA Tuesdays #8: Bob DylanЗнаменитосТЕА по Вторникам #8: Боб Дилан

There is a story about Bob Dylan, how once by mistake he knocked on a wrong house in Crouch End in London, and was invited for a cup of tea inside, being completely sure that it was the right house. One person decided to check this story and went to Crouch End to find the house and talk to people who live there, but there was no such house with this number on that street. Nevertheless the story is cute, I thought, so here it is:

About 20 years ago Bob Dylan was mates with Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, who owned and ran a recording studio in Crouch End called The Crypt. It has since been sold to David Gray, who in his rather dull way has been trying to have it converted into flats.

Be that as it may, Dylan apparently tried to get to the studio from an airport once by taxi. But instead of being taken to 145 Crouch Hill, which is the location of this rather wonderful building containing the studio, he was dropped off at 145 Crouch End Hill, which makes a fork in the road with Crouch Hill about 50 yards away. Dylan - I was told by my pillar-ish friend - rang on the door, which was answered by the lady of the house, whereupon he asked whether Dave was in. As it happened, the lady's husband was called Dave but had popped out to the shops, so she invited Dylan in and gave him a CUP OF TEA. When her husband returned she greeted him at the door with the words "Bob Dylan's here to see you."

from here: http://theglamourcave.blogspot.com/2013/04/bob-dylan-in-crouch-end.html

Существует история про Боба Дилана, как он побывал в лондонском районе под названием Crouch End, и как случайно попил чай в незнаком доме, пребывая в полной уверенности, что это тот дом, который ему был нужен. Одна девушка, которая заинтересовалась этой историей, поехала специально в этот район, чтобы поговорить с людьми, жившими в том доме, куда по ошибке попал Боб Дилан, но оказалось, что такого дома под таким номером на той улице даже нет. Но история тем не менее красивая и интересная, поэтому все равно о ней здесь напишу. :)

Примерно 20 лет назад Боб Дилан дружил с Дейвом Стюартом из Юритмикс, у которого была студия записи в Crouch End и которая называлась The Crypt (так как располагалась в бывшем помещении церкви). История гласит, что однажды Дилан попытался приехать в студию на такси из аэропорта. Но вместо того, чтобы привезти его в 145 Crouch Hill (адрес той самой прекрасной студии звукозаписи), его привезли на 145 Crouch End Hill, немного другую улицу неподалеку. Дилан позвонил в дверь, ему открыла хозяйка дома и Дилан спросил, есть ли Дейв. По стечению обстоятельств оказалось, что имя мужа хозяйки тоже было Дейв. Просто муж в это время пошел в магазин за сигаретами, и его не было дома. Поэтому женщина пригласила Дилана в дом и предложила ему чашку ЧАЯ. А когда вернулся муж, она ему сказала: "Представляешь, дорогой, к тебе пришел Боб Дилан".

Отсюда: http://theglamourcave.blogspot.com/2013/04/bob-dylan-in-crouch-end.html