Monday TeaDay 8/25/08 TeaMeets!

[laran7]

OK, so... I love this idea. I'm envisioning an event planned a year or so in advance, with lots of networking amongst all the main tea hotspots on the web including chat sites, blogs, and as many vendor sites as possible... plus all the obvious contacts available through our folks here who attended the Tea Expo, etc. First you need a strong committee of organizers. So we choose a decent central location, find a decent convention hotel, establish a convention rate and get a block of rooms over a 3-day weekend or so, establish a website, and get as many in the established "tea network" as possible to put a link to the convention. Invite as many vendors as possible, have a vendor room where products can be tasted, tested, purchased, or ordered. Have some well-prepared speakers to create an agenda of formal educational sessions including things like:

-the health benefits of tea
-coping with caffeine sensitivity
-gongfu for beginners
-Tea Ceremony
-smart tea shopping tips (how to judge the quality of leaf)
-Cold-brew versus hot brew
-Tea-ware ABC's (when to use a yixing, etc.)
-How to start a Tea Blog
-How to market your local tearoom
-All about Fair Trade
-Organic-Certified... worth the extra?
-Photographing Tea
-PuErh for beginners
-Green for beginners


Sarah

I love your ideas Sarah - I've gone to teacher meetings along those lines involving education ( for young children) - I think it could work and be fascinating . I would make an effort to attend something like that. That thoughtful list is very inclusive of different people's concerns and interests.

right now I'm a one trick pony - Matcha gen mai cha for the work morning.
Laura

[Victoria]

Salsero, such a beautiful cup! I love your images – they are one of the main reasons I click on this topic. Thanks for posting!
P.S.
To me the blue shape looks like stylized sky.
Going to brew Keemun Concerto in a few minutes.

If you are coming to look, then why not post and tell us what is in your up when you do??? We know you are actively working in the Custom Blends,
So we'd love to know what's in your cup!

[daughteroftheKing]

Salsero - Beautiful! That's my kind of teacup, lovely handpainted Japanese porcelain.

A regional TeaMeet sounds like a great idea. What better tool for building friendships than tea?

Tea in my cup: 1st thing was more Blossoms of Spring green infusion, and now I've moved on to White Darjeeling with Rosebuds.

HAPPY MONDAY!

[olivierco]

Away from home for two days, I drank only tea from teabags: Karigane Sencha from Tsuen, the best teabags I have found so far.
Now it is time from some leaf tea, Kanro gyokuro (Ippodo) in a few minutes.

[Geekgirl]

Why oh why, SAL, did you post THAT cup? I've been trying to resist it for sooooo long. Ack! It's a beautiful image too, the colors are outstanding!

What was the question? Oh yeah... Yay tea meetups! I love meeting with the people I've come to know online, and have been doing it for about 8 years. Since the Portland area is a little bit of a vacation destination, I think I've met more than my share of online friends. It's great fun!

Last week, I had the pleasure of meeting ABx for the oolong box pass, although due to certain circumstances that meetup was waaaaay too short. I'd love to hold a little Portland area meetup, either at one of the local teahouses, or perhaps another locations where several of us could just hang out and drink tea for a hour or two (or longer. Heh.)

[Victoria]

The idea of a Tea conference/convention has been discussed and is definitely on the horizon.

I think Chip's poll was asking on a more personal level - about YOU meeting up with local fellow tea chatters, which several on the board have now done, and how likely you are do do that?

As for me - Most definitely, I want to make it happen. I have definite plans to meet with at least two teachatters and I can see that happening in the new year!

And Geek, I'll probably make it up your way too!

[augie]

Uh... well... interesting topic.
I say that because Mary R, Smells _Familiar, Augie, and I met yesterday in Indianapolis.

Somebody clued Chip in. . .

Next meeting we'll go to Tea's Me downtown. They have wi-fi so we can bring Mary R in remotely. If anyone else is within a reasonable driving distance to Indianapolis, please PM one of us so we can put you on the Indy Tea Chat Gathering e-mail loop. We have one (1) tea shop here. The place we met at had green hot water (& a LOT of other cool stuff).

Good times... is all that I need to say!

Hey, they did invite us back anytime. I think we were very well-behaved.

[Geekgirl]

And Geek, I'll probably make it up your way too!

YAY!!! Oh and BTW, to any visiting Teachatters: I have a membership to the Japanese Gardens that lets me take a guest in for free... so if you want to go there, I'd love to have you join me.

[Victoria]

*off to check for airfare now*

[xine]

Having some of the Taurus blend that i made in a big pitcher and stuck in the kitchen fridge here....Hopefully it will cool down by lunchtime.

As for tea-meets, I've only had the pleasure to meet up with Mary and Chip, because we flew them out to Vegas to come hang out with us for WTE. It was a lot of fun, and I would be very interested to meet up with others, it's always nice to put a face to the chat. Chatting about tea, the board, and other interests would be interesting.

[Pentox]

Yeah, meeting up for a teameet would be kinda neat, so if anyone wants to visit the central coast of california, come on down!

Tea Geschwedner Genmai this morning.

[Wosret]

Any excuse for tea with fellow tea-lovers, I say.

The Coffee & Tea Expos are kind of intimidating for someone like me, who's an aspiring connaiseur at best, but far from a professional in the industry.

[omegapd]

Really looking forward to meeting up with some "local folks" in the coming year. It won't take much to get in touch with Salsero or Henley from where I'm at...

Some Pu for lunch today.

EW

[Geekgirl]

In yet another departure from oolong sampling, I'm having a bit of roasted mate. Yes, I do take a pinch of sugar, brown, please.

Seems I burnt out on oolong really fast, having had 5 different oolongs in 2 days. Usually I do an oolong session once a day or every other. I will probably hold a few samples over, and send the box on its merry way later this week. (If you're next on the list, I need your addy!)

[cajunwowi]

I'm sipping on oolong #40. I've tried the oolong #40 several times before without luck. Today I tried lessening the steep times and really have enjoyed it. I thought I was missing something after seeing all of the great praises.

As for the poll...I would love to find someone in New Orleans that has a similar interest in a good cup of tea. But this forum will have to do for now. I was at a "good bye" party yesterday and someone gave a box of bagged Stash as a present. I guess that I will continue to drink alone.

This forum is such a great resource for a newbie like myself. It does lack the personal connection that a TeaMeet would offer but a great resource never-the-less. I really need to stop being a peeping tom and join in on the discussions. I promise to work on it