Posts Tagged ‘tea’

Prospurly March 2016 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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It was a battle getting the key to work on the mailbox compartment for packages at our place. For some reason the postperson always puts my packages in box #2, which takes about 5 minutes to get open each time. I was then very happy to find this box, which had some heft to it.

Prospurly is just under $45 per box (with code for 10% off your subscription – use my referral links from this post) and comes with artisan foods, bath & body items, home products, and other sustainably crafted items. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program that earns you free boxes.

prospurly march 2016 box open with products showing prospurly march 2016 info card with intro message on inside of box prospurly march 2016 info card with product details

Tops Malibu Flying Magic Butterfly – How adorable! You wind this up and place it inside a book or card so when someone opens it, a little butterfly shoots out. Make sure you point the butterfly towards the top of the card or book so it doesn’t hit the person. I found it shot out more than flew out, but was really fun to play with.

Essential Living Foods coconut chips – Oh my, what a massive bag of coconut chips! I definitely have to take this to work since I’m still working on the one I got from Yogi Surprise. I can barely remember to eat yogurt for breakfast, much less add these chips to them, so this is going to be slow going. With my colleagues’ help, they can make quick work of these. This was the surprise treat in the box, which seems to be a new thing they’re doing.

Vicara Good Morning essential oil – I’ve never had essential oil with ginger, so this is a unique one for me. It vaguely reminds me of some dishes we cook with ginger, in a good way. It’s not overwhelming as you might think and there’s a warmth to the scent that I wasn’t expecting. I like it!

Menagerie Charcoal face wash – This is fabulous! Tea and charcoal? Just the kind of ingredients I enjoy most. I love how this smells and the very slippery texture it has. It’s fun to use and I definitely need some more charcoal in my life.

Nuun All Day healthy hydration – These are perfect for me to bring to work. Who doesn’t like watching bubbles? Plus I could use a boost in vitamins and hopefully energy too. I haven’t been sleeping well lately so it’s hard to have energy late in the afternoon.

Enchanted Storybook Japanese Cherry Blossom bath bombs – I got a whiff of these as soon as I opened the box for pictures. They have a nice sweetness to them and a gentle fragrance that I enjoy. It’s going to be fun to use these in the bath! They also happen to be my favorite color. 🙂

Enchanted Storybook Japanese Cherry Blossom body butter – I’m not really sure what a body butter vs a lotion should be, but I’m used to body butters being thicker in consistency. Since this is not as thick, I’ll use it more like a lotion. It almost has a perfumey quality to it and I really enjoy smelling my hands after applying it. It absorbs really well and instantly softened my skin.

Crystal’s Candles beeswax votives – You know, I was just reading about how beeswax candles burn clean so this is perfect timing. They’ve got a slow burn and should last awhile. I look forward to using these and I wonder how much of a scent they will give off. We’ll see!

Happy birthday to Prospurly! I wish I’d known about them from the start because I really would have enjoyed it all along. Oh well, I’m happy to have a subscription now! What do you think of this month’s box?

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Teavana dragon tea set

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses,Tags: , , , , ,
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It’s been an arduous two months of trying to fix a situation with Teavana and finally, finally – I have my cast iron tea set! I’ve wanted it for years (I estimate 7 or 8) and with patient evaluation and a lovely gift card from friends, I now own the set I’ve had my eye on. For now I’m just going to enjoy the fact that I have the product at hand, but I’m still dealing with them to resolve the situation to my satisfaction. That will be quite a story for another time.

Let’s enjoy the products, shall we? 🙂 These cast iron items are meant to last a lifetime, so it’s certainly an investment. As you use them, the black is supposed to wear off a bit to reveal some more gold. I’m certainly happy with the quality of the items and the elegant feel of using them. I got the Imperial Dragon teapot because dragons are immensely important to Asian cultures and this is the one that I was attracted to time and time again. Best part? The ways the spout is designed is perfect. It doesn’t spill!

teavana gift bag with gift box, teapot, and tea

My Teavana imperial dragon cast iron teapot and free tea sample.

teavana gift box with ribbon and message

The box the teapot came in, with a message as you open it: Opening the Doors to Health, Wisdom & Happiness

teavana tea cups, warmer, and rock sugar

I ordered the accessories separate from the pot so I could take advantage of a deal. To reach the minimum spend, I ended up getting an extra cup. The rock sugar was the free product for the purchase.

teavana imperial dragon cast iron teapot 44 oz

If you ever go to a Teavana store, you’ll see them using one of these to brew Monkey Picked Oolong tea samples. Now I have my own!

teavana imperial dragon cast iron teapot lid and strainer

Inside, everything is coated in enamel that is supposed to slowly absorb the flavor of the tea and enrich it with each brew. There’s also a stainless steel strainer that reaches pretty much to the bottom of the pot for steeping.

teavana gold cast iron tea cups 4 oz

I got these gold ones to go with the black and gold theme. The cups are also enameled like the pot.

teavana imperial dragon cast iron tea cups 3 oz

These are the matching cups that go with the pot. All these cast iron products are made in Japan.

teavana medium cast iron warmer

I got a medium warmer to keep the pot hot. It’s almost the same size as the base of the teapot so maybe I should have gotten the large.

teavana medium cast iron warmer inside with area for tea light candle

You put a tea light inside and the heat of the flame helps keep your tea heated for hours! It maintains a temp that’s more than warm but not too hot to drink.

teavana peach tranquility tea sample in bag

I got a free ounce of Peach Tranquility when I got the teapot.

teavana monkey picked oolong tea sample in bag

My favorite, the Monkey Picked Oolong. The manager at Teavana gave me this sample for free because she felt so bad that should couldn’t help me. This was about a month into my ordeal.

teavana perfectea belgian brown rock sugar

Here’s a peek at the rock sugar that I got free with the cups & warmer order. It’s supposed to help enhance the flavor of tea without affecting it.

teavana imperial dragon cast iron tea set with teapot, cups, and hidden warmer

And there’s my tea set! As you can see the dragon cups and the gold ones are different sizes – the gold ones are wider and lower with 4 oz capacity while the dragon ones are taller and narrower with 3 oz capacity.

I’ve been using the set for about two weeks now and I’ve really enjoyed it. The flavor of the tea is great and doesn’t ever seem to get bitter as it often does in other scenarios. Something about the cast iron perhaps? I use the flame only when I plan on drinking quite a bit of tea in one sitting. For the most part, I add hot water to the pot and bring a cup to wherever I’m sitting. It makes the experience special every time and I’m so glad I got this. I shouldn’t ever have to replace it!

Escape Monthly April: Japan Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Who could say no to Japan? I totally had to see what kawaii things might come in this box. I totally thought there’d be those funky little erasers shaped like sushi or other food. Alas, maybe next time. While waiting for this, I got an email that Escape Monthly had changed their billing and I needed to re-subscribe. To entice me, they offered 30% off for life… I decided to go with it, though I seriously debated letting that be a rather natural cutoff with this box. But I like it enough to keep it at the lower price point.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly april japan box products showing escape monthly april japan box info card escape monthly april japan box info card opened with fact sheet showingescape monthly april japan box info card opened with details of products included (click to enlarge and read full messaging)

It’s great to see a mix of items so I have things for the home, personal care, kitchen, and of course my tummy. Some things reminded me of home and others were new to me.

Here’s what came in the box:

Moon Handbooks guide to Living Abroad in Japan – While I’ve been through the airport two or three times, I’ve never truly visited Japan. I even stayed at an airport hotel when I was a young teen, being escorted by airport personnel since I was traveling solo. I just never went further than that and other than a van driving on the other side of the road, some smoking Japanese airport workers watching strange game shows, and a hotel I no longer recall, I haven’t gotten to experience Japan. I do look forward to it though, and I’m sure Panda and I will make our way there in our coming trips so I’ll see what this booklet has to offer then.

The Tao of Tea Japanese Sencha tea – I love the packaging of this tea. This brand is new to me, though I think I’ve seen it before. The tea is well-preserved in a tin that doesn’t let in light and has an inner lid for extra sealing power. The scent is a nice, rich green tea. Just the type of thing I can bring to work and sip on all day long.

The Japanese Konjac Sponge bamboo charcoal – I still don’t quite understand konjac sponges, but this is already my third. The first I got in the UK at a Boots, the second I got from Julep (and am currently using), and funny enough, I received my fourth in my latest Petit Vour box today! So I am now quite well-stocked on these and really hope that they help my acne-prone skin. It definitely feels like a good oil absorber and it’s so gentle on skin. I love that it’s eco-friendly too.

Glico Pocky Matcha biscuit sticks – I love Pocky and matcha green tea! So of course it makes sense that I love matcha Pocky too. I wish they would have gone for something a little harder to find, since Japanese candies and treats are quite plentiful. While this flavor isn’t super easy to find, many Asian markets do carry it. I guess it’s a mostly safe bet for those completely new to them though, whereas some things might be unusual enough that people wouldn’t want to try it.

Syokuzen chopsticks – I could always use a pair of chopsticks. I’m thinking of taking this pair to work, since I feel bad with all the disposable ones that I end up using when I carry out for lunch. These are nice simple chopsticks with a minimal design and thin points that help with picking up small pieces of food.

sandalwood fan – I’ve had many of these in my childhood and I never knew the scent was sandalwood. It totally makes me think of China and my grandma. Such a soothing smell to enjoy. The intricate carvings on the side allow some air to flow through and it offers a really cool design. I’ve had ones like this and some with painted images too. Maybe I’ll lay around and fan myself this summer!

Japanese wind chime – This is a hefty little bell that I believe is made of cast iron. It makes a nice tinkling sound that I think I will try to train the cats to respond to for feeding time. Or maybe I’ll hang it on our porch somewhere and let it do its thing.

Culturally, there’s enough overlap that it feels much like a Chinese box to me and I’m comfortable with that. Plenty of good memories! Which items in the Japan Escape Monthly box would you want? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): YOURESCAPE or JAPAN for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next month is themed Rocky Mountain and I’m excited for nature-y stuff. I haven’t been, so that should be fun!

escape monthly april japan box info card back with chance to win a trip details

Looks like they started customizing the back image to match the destination instead of using a generic beach image.

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Escape Monthly October: London Box review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Alright, London time! I can hardly believe it’s been a year since we went there, so I’m certainly happy to get products from there. I hope to learn some good spots to hit up next time we go there. In the mean time, products from across the pond are a welcome sight and I look forward to try them all.

Escape Monthly is just under $40 per box (with code for 20% off your subscription – see end of post) and comes with a variety of food, home, skincare items themed around a city/region. Each box comes with a guide for that area. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral commission program.

escape monthly october london box products showingescape monthly october london box info card escape monthly october london box info card opened with details of products included(click to enlarge and read full messaging)

Everything here was new to me, so that was great for introducing me to different items. I like that some of them went full out with the British look while others are just products you might go for any day as you shop around.

Here’s what came in the box:

Rick Steves’ Pocket London – I’m sure Panda and I can make good use of this guide next time we venture to London. I’ve never looked at a guide for London, so it should be fun to read about some hidden gems and go find those. I wonder if they chose this brand because Moon Handbooks doesn’t offer a general guide to London (instead they appear to have the guide to living abroad there).

Walkers’ Nonsuch English Creamy Toffees – I love candy like this and the flavor of this was yummy. Nice and chewy without being so soft it gets stuck all over your teeth. It’s basically like eating a caramel candy and I’m a huge fan of those. I wonder if this is related to Walkers the brand that’s the British version of Lays.

Hill Biscuits Custard Creams – I’m saving these for a rainy day, when I want a sweet snack to go with my tea. It just seems like it’d be a good companion for that sort of thing. I did bring them with my on my travels in case I want to eat them on the plane. They’d make a nice snack in flight when I get hungry.

Orico Rush Hour Vibrant Dry Body Oil – Good thing they put these in plastic baggies, because one of them leaked in transit. Luckily, it was all contained in the pouch and was just enough to permeate the label, but not create much of a mess. This is excellent timing as the weather gets cold and my skin dries more quickly. I’ve switched my lotioning to body butters and oils, so this fits right in to my routine.

Soapsmith soap samples – I always enjoy a little bit of soap and I look forward to using these. For some reason it feels really satisfying to finish a bar of soap, so these will certainly offer me that satisfaction faster. The scents are pretty strong and I like how refreshing it is to get a whiff of them. I expect they’ll foam well, which is always entertaining.

English Tea Gifts London English Breakfast tea caddy – What a cute container! I’ll have to think of how to reuse it when I drink up the tea. I generally prefer green teas rather than the darker teas the Brits like. I never really learned to add milk and sugar to my tea, so these are rather bitter. I might just try to lightly brew them (or this would make an excellent gift for someone).

London Taxi diecast – Panda got all excited when he saw this. It’s right up his alley along with toys, trinkets, and random collectibles. I think we should get him a bookshelf to showcase his little collections and we can add this mini taxi! I remember my first impression of a taxi just like this when I arrived in Scotland. I marveled at how much space we had in there, luggage and all.

Corkers Pork Sausage and English Mustard crisps  – These made a good snack, though I’d definitely opt for another flavor. The meat flavor thing seems popular in the UK, but it’s a bit strong and salty for me. Or maybe it’s overwhelming with intense umami sensation. I did like the texture of these a lot so the whole sunflower oil thing works for me. I also happen to love Hula Hoops, which are snacks they cook with sunflower oil too. It gives a crisper, crunchier finish.

I’m a fan of all the food items provided as well as the body products. The miniature diecast is cool for display, but I don’t know what to do with it. I would have been interested in something like that that also can serve a purpose. Perhaps as a little container or pencil sharpener or something. What’s your favorite from this London Escape Monthly box? If you want to sign up, try one of these codes (not sure which ones are still active): RICOESCAPE, CARIBBEAN, or LONDON for 20% off the lifetime of your subscription or GIFTESCAPE for 25% off.

Next up is Hawaii (again). Funny since I’ll actually be in Hawaii right before this box is shipped. It’s been just over a year since they previously did a Hawaii box and this is the first repeat theme, so I expect a new set of items to show me even more of what the islands have to offer. Either way, I do believe I’ll enjoy the products. There’s all sorts of goodness in the middle of the Pacific!

escape monthly october london box info card back with preview of next month's box theme of hawaii

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

Hong Kong haul

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, photo blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Check out the awesome things I acquired in Hong Kong last month – some were gifts, some were free, and some I purchased. I’m very pleased with what I got! You’ll probably want to see some of these in more close-up, so feel free to click on the images to enlarge. 🙂

pandora bracelet and christian dior coin purse with pandora bag

Fancy gifts from the relatives!

3d holiday cards, tissue box cover, scarf, hong kong dollars, and red envelopes

More stuff from the relatives, including a tissue box cover, scarf, and red envelopes.

pizza express bag, ovolo hotels go bag, and drawstring bag with slippers inside

Free stuff from the hotel and Pizza Express. Two totes and a drawstring bag with slippers.

collage of black wristlet pouch with three compartments and clear purple pouch for toiletries

The very first items I bought were these pouches. I love the three compartments on the black one and the translucence of the purple one.

collage of chopstick set in box with two pairs of chopsticks and chopstick holders

At Ngong Ping, I got to choose chopsticks and chopstick holders. Panda and I both chose our own chopstick holders so they don’t exactly match! 😛

collage of glass teapot and mini cups set with pack of six blossoming teas

I’ve fancied a glass tea set for awhile and I’ve always wanted to get blossoming teas, so this package was too much to pass up.

collage of hong kong mtr map microfiber cloth

At first I saw generic ones and bought one, but then we found this one with the MTR map, so I immediately exchanged for it.

uniqlo purple down jacket and gray fuzzy hooded jacket

I have officially discovered Uniqlo and looove their jackets. These two are my favs for fall.

navy blue boxers with cat faces

When I saw these while shopping for gifts, I just had to get them for Panda. Smokey will love them!

empty box of flaky almond pastry treats from macau

We got these for our coworkers from Macau, but I forgot to take a picture before they were all devoured.

collage of five 3d cards that pop open to ferris wheels, eiffel tower, ship with sails, and dragon designs

Last but not least are these awesome 3D cards that I got my friends who helped catsit Smokey (and of course I snagged some for myself too).

Tea time

laelene Posted in general blog,Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
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blue and white tea pot, tea cups with tea in them, and slice of strawberry cake on round wooden trayPanda’s mom gave us this adorable tea set when we were visiting and I finally unpacked it today for us to use. After rinsing it all out, we got some of the loose leaf tea I’d bought from the Tea & Spice Exchange and brewed a pot. There’s something about brewing tea in a pot and then pouring it into tiny little cups that is such a fun experience for me. There’s a certain ceremony about it and it exudes gracefulness as you pour. The delicate little cups make me feel all fancy. I’ve been coveting those cast iron pots at Teavana for years and I’m still trying to justify the cost to myself. In the mean time, this set makes a perfect starter set for us to use at home. Paired with a slice of Chinese-style cake, this spread made the perfect way to wind down at night. I’ll be having mini tea parties nightly!

Grocery shopping

laelene Posted in lifestyle glimpses, stories,Tags: , , , , , , ,
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dozens of inko's tea bottles in small whole foods two-tiered shopping cartThis morning I had a massage scheduled at Massage Envy and when I was done, I decided to swing by Whole Foods to see if any of my drinks were on sale. There are a couple of brands of bottled drinks that I like to get there, but only when they’re on sale so I can combine that with the store’s case discount (buy one case, get 10% off). I was happy to find my favorite bottled tea brand, Inko’s, on sale. I immediately grabbed a dozen each of my go-to flavors: blueberry and white peach. Then, as I was checking the price, wondering what the original price was, I noticed the tags said clearance price. Now per my understanding, when something goes on clearance it’s not coming back. Sooo I tracked down someone who worked there to check and was heartbroken to learn that they are discontinuing this brand from their store.

variety of bottled teas on shelf at store, with large gap where inko's tea flavors are

I emptied quite a bit of the shelf.

Apparently they’d been trying to reorder it but couldn’t seem to get them from the company? Well, whatever the case, I was told that what was on the shelves was all they had and there’d be no more. Upon hearing this, I immediately went to get another dozen drinks, clearing them out of the rest of the blueberry and white peach and also getting some honeydew and original to try. The shelf was about half empty by the time I was done. As I pushed my cart out, the bottles jingled and jangled against each other and I was glad that I checked today.

two pints of ben & jerry's ice cream and two pints of giant brand ice creamThen after dinner tonight, I had a craving for ice cream. Panda mentioned a deal Giant is having where you can get a free pint of Giant’s own brand of ice cream when you buy a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. It’s their way of having you compare their brand to the brand name (and hopefully adopt their ice cream as your new fav). When we got there, we found that Ben & Jerry’s was on sale, so we decided to both choose our own flavors. We ended up getting 4 pints of ice cream for just $7.18 with tax! Now that’s a pretty sweet deal.

Homegrown Collective January 2014 review

laelene Posted in reviews, subscriptions,Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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This weekend, I got the first Homegrown Collective GREENBOX of the year! When I first saw the theme of DIY Detoxify, I thought juice cleanse and I was skeptical, but as it turns out, I love this box too (big surprise there, haha – I’ve loved all their boxes!). Also, I’d like to mention how insanely good they are at packing these things… I never know how everything fits back in once I unpack them. Lucky for me, I don’t have to do that part. 😛

The Homegrown Collective GREENBOX is $39 per box + $9 shipping (or as discounted as $429 for an entire year, with options in between) and comes with fun and easy projects to live a more sustainable lifestyle. Boxes are sent monthly with no option to skip. They offer a referral program you can apply to join.

the homegrown collective january 2014 box with small shipping label

Hehe, I was totally amused by the mini label – is that a new thing?

inside of homegrown collective box with the info sheets on the inner lid and white homegrown collective sticker on brown paper wrapping

They have a pretty new logo that they started using.

contents of the homegrown collective january 2014 box with diy detoxify inside and out theme

Project #1, dandelion leaf herbal tea: I always thought you could do something with those dandelions in the yard and lookie here! What a fantastic way to enjoy what is commonly viewed as an annoying weed. I’m totally trying this at work as soon as we have the hot water machine again. I wonder how it tastes. I can’t imagine it’d be sweet, so maybe a bit tart or bitter? For whatever reason, that’s what I’d expect dandelion to taste like, but I’ll find out soon enough.

the homegrown collective january 2014 project dandelion leaf herbal tea info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for dandelion leaf herbal tea

Project #2, dead sea salts & lavender fizzing bath soaks: Ooo yes, FIZZING! Seriously, who wouldn’t like a little bubbling in their bath soak? It makes things so much more interesting and entertaining. I absolutely must go to the Dead Sea at some point to float in it myself, but until then, I’m glad I have some salts from there to enjoy the detoxing effects. This is like a science experiment and beauty treatment all in one. And being a nerdy gal, I love both those things!! It was fun to watch the pouch floating around as it sizzled, then sink when the fizz was gone.

the homegrown collective january 2014 project dead sea salts and lavender fizzing bath soaks info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for dead sea salts and lavender fizzing bath soaks

Project #3, bentonite clay & rosewater mask: Ok, I have an unhealthy obsession with masks. I don’t use them nearly as much as I’d like, but I’ll almost always get them anyway. I don’t know why I love them so much, but I can’t help it and I’m thrilled with mixing my own! I’ve never heard of bentonite clay, but I think most types of clay are pretty awesome (like when I discovered kaolin clay). This one sounds fascinating with its electrical charges and whatnot. I really liked spraying on the rose water to keep the mask on for longer without the tightening getting too crazy. Feels (and smells) lovely!

the homegrown collective january 2014 project bentonite clay and rosewater mask info card the homegrown collective january 2014 products for bentonite clay and rosewater mask

Then came the final info card talking about all the great detoxing going on with this box:

the homegrown collective january 2014 detoxify inside and out info card

marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

Here are the marketing materials that came with the box.

back of marketing info cards from the homegrown collective january 2014 box

And the backsides with all the info.

What are you waiting for? Subscribe to the Homegrown Collective so you can stop being all jealous of my awesome stuff. 😉

[This post contains affiliate links. Signing up through them helps support my subscription and I’d be ever so grateful. 🙂 All opinions are my own and I received no compensation for this review. I just purchased this box and wanted to share what I got!]

George of Aegina

laelene Posted in stories,Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
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guy and girl sitting at outdoor table having tea in greece

A most gracious host.

Meet George. I found myself taking a ride with him on his moped all around Aegina when I was visiting Greece back in 2007. My friend and I had explored Athens the day before and we decided to split paths for the day since I wanted to check out this little island and he wanted to see some museums. After arriving, I took a cute little carriage ride before finding my way to the beach. It was not the most welcoming for bare feet (all rocks and urchins and barnacles) but I insisted on at least getting my feet wet in the Aegean Sea.

pile of about two dozen little seashells with white and pinkish orange stripesThat’s where I met George. He was at the beach, picking sea shells. He liked to collect these cute little pinkish orange ones of a similar size. When he found he could speak to me in English, he was excited to practice. So we chatted, he sharing how I could use these shells to make a nice necklace or bracelet and I learning more about the region. He gave me all the shells we found so I could make something to wear. I still have them, but never quite got around to putting something together.

shadows of two people riding on moped

Our shadows from atop the moped!

He was such a sweet man that when he asked if I wanted to see more of the island, I decided to take him up on his offer. He had a little moped that he drove around and we went off, on the one large looping road that takes you all around the island. We first went clockwise along the coast, checking out cool sights like tables and chairs right at the ocean’s edge, beautiful homes and resorts, and an amazing coastline the entire way. After awhile, we turned around and headed back towards the main area of town where the port was. I can’t remember if we kept going along the other side of the island first or if we stopped for tea, but I think the tea came last. He showed me the teeny movie theater where he worked, a nice little shopping area with many vendors, and some old historical sites. As it was nearing time to part, he asked me to have some tea with him at a cafe right across from port. I enjoyed a nice pot of Greek tea with some random plants in there. When I left, he gave me a slip of paper with his address so I could write to him.

After the excitement and insanity of 5 weeks of traveling throughout most of Europe after that, the piece of paper got put to the wayside and eventually misplaced. I think I might still have it buried somewhere in all my stuff, but I haven’t found it. I always regretted not writing to him while I still had his address and I wonder if he thinks of me (and wonders why I never wrote). I hope he’s still doing well, putting on movies for his fellow islanders and enjoying moped rides around town. I’ll think fondly of him from time to time and send well wishes his way. He lives in a beautiful, peaceful little part of the world that holds a special place in my heart. Thanks to him, I got to enjoy it in a way I never would have otherwise.

365great Day 266: cha for tea

laelene Posted in 365great,Tags: , , , , ,
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365great challenge day 266: cha for teaMy all-time favorite boba place is cha for tea, both because they make their boba just to my taste and because they make tea flavors that I prefer. They also happen to be a great place to hang out and grab a snack (the crispy chicken is bomb!) or sip on your drink while playing games with your friends (Connect Four, anyone?). Ever since my friend took me there many years ago, I’ve dropped by whenever I’m in the San Gabriel Valley area. Over the years, the tea flavors I loved best slowly got phased out sadly, but I can still find plenty of drinks to delight me. Plus, I can never go wrong with their boba. It’s not too soft, not too hard and a delicious kind of sweet that’s not overwhelming. They’re a pretty popular spot with a lovely atmosphere and great drinks.

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