Third Places

Name: Plum Blossom Oolong Reserve Brand: Teas Etc Podcast: Listen to my podcast interview with Beth Johnston of Teas Etc. Type: Oolong Form: Loose leaf Cost: 1 ounce tin, $16.95, quantity discounts available. Review: I drink a lot of tea. Most of it is either good or indifferent. Some of it is bad, and there is a very small percentage that [...] […]

Name: Glass Brew Mug (click on link at right to view on Teas Etc’s site) Brand: Teas Etc Type: Teaware Cost: $14.95 Podcast: Listen to my podcast interview with Teas Etc founder and co-owner, Beth Johnston. Review: I do love well-designed teaware, and anything that makes drinking loose leaf tea more enjoyable gets a big gold star from me. Teas [...] […]

Greetings, Just a few bits of news for my tea-loving readers: The Philadelphia Inquirer ran a story today entitled “The Tea-He’s: Men Savoring Brew by the Cup”. My good tea-friend, Tony Gebley passed this on to me, and I thought it a great read. Speaking of Tony, he just opened his own online shop, The Chicago Tea Garden. [...] […]

Name: Be Cool Brand: Kusmi Tea Type: Tisane Form: Loose leaf (teabags are available) Cost:$18.40 for a 3.5 ounce tin (quantity discounts are available) Review: This is the latest in Kusmi Tea’s line of “Wellness Teas” and while “Detox” remains my favorite in this range,  “Be Cool” is nonetheless a tasty tisane. Be Co […]

Name: ZeroWater Pitcher Brand: ZeroWater Type: Water Filter Podcast: Listen to my interview with ZeroWater’s VP of Sales, Robert Roney, on Friday, February 26th, at 2pm central time. The show will be archived at this same link (and on iTunes) so you can listen in at any time. Review: As folks know, I am a stickler for using good [...] […]

I am pleased to report that my friend and fellow Chicago tea blogger, Tony Gebley, has opened his own online tea store: The Chicago Tea Garden, (along with partner Erin Murphy) specializing in teas sourced by tea-world legend, David Lee Hoffman. W... […]

Name: Ma-Chai "Insight" Brand: ineeka Type: Black tea, flavored Form: Unique paper tea bags, loose leaf available Cost: $9.99 for 14 bags, $2.99 for a 2-bag sample Review: It is February and here in Chicago, it is col... […]

Name: Sugar Daddy Brand: Shui Tea Type: Black tea, flavored Form: Loose leaf Review: This is a curious item from Chicago-based Shui Tea (check out my podcast interview with Shui Tea's president and founder,Jim Schreiber). Black... […]

Name: Earl Grey No. 69 Brand: TeaGschwendner Type: Black tea, flavored Form: Loose leaf Review: Bergamot lovers unite! This Earl Grey from Chicago-based TeaGschwendner has a strong dose of the stuff. Earl Grey No. 69 actually took ... […]

Name: Witch's Brew Brand: Tea Lula Type: Black tea, flavored Form: Loose leaf Review: TeaLula describes this tea thusly: ". . .concocted from leaf of tea, smoke of pine, and bark of cinnamon. . .thorn of clove, grains of pepper, po... […]

Name: Organic Monk’s Blend Brand: English Tea Store Type: Black tea, flavored Form: Loose leaf Review: Now I know what monks get up to in their spare time. They add grenadine to black tea to make everyone’s life a little sweeter. OK, well, maybe I am being corny, but this is a really nice tea. Grenadine is a fruit syrup [...] […]

This tea is grown in the Assam region of India, the largest tea-growing area in the world. Assam tea is much favored by those who enjoy a strong, brisk tea, as well as by those who just have to enjoy their cuppa with milk and sugar. Flavor Profile: Good Assam is a strong tea, with flavors [...] […]

By Lainie Petersen What is Mint?: Mint is a flowering plant that grows in many areas of the world, its leaves are often prized for their sweet and cooling scent and flavor.  Mint leaves are often infused in boiling water to produce a flavorful drink known as a tisane, or are added to tea leaves to [...] […]

By Lainie Peterson What is Chamomile?: The flowers of the daisy-like chamomile plant are commonly used in a variety of preparations, including skin-care products, oral supplements, and, of course, as a beverage. While infusions of chamomile are often called “chamomile tea“, chamomile is not a true tea, and so is more properly known as a tisane. W […]

By Lainie Petersen Want to try something special? How about a flowering tea? A flowering tea is made of tea buds and various flowers, hand sewn together and folded into a bulb. When infused in hot water, the bulb unfolds, creating a marvelous bouquet. Children love flowering teas (also called “blooming teas” and “performance teas”) an […]

Most of us know that a lack of sleep is bad for us: We just don't think or perform as well when we are tired as we do when we have had a good 7-9 hours of sleep. In fact, some researchers claim that the... […]

No matter how responsible we are in the management of our day-to-day lives, bad things happen: Illness (our own, or a family member's) Death Financial Crisis Substance Abuse Issues (again, our own or a... […]

1. All tea is made from the same plant. Black, oolong (sometimes called wu long), green and white tea are all the same plant, Camellia sinensis. The differences in these various teas are due to the amount of... […]

If you work for a medium-to-large sized company, there is a good chance that you are not reaping all of the benefits provided to you by your employer. Many companies offer a number of benefits and perks that... […]

Our nose is the gateway of humanity's most primal sense: Our ability to smell. Infants recognize their mothers by their scent, we can "sniff out" danger in the form of spoiled food, gas leaks, or smoke,... […]

Looking for a new place to live? Craigslist is a great place to search! But instead of just looking through the housing ads, write one yourself and post it in the "Housing Wanted" section. Here's why: 1. You... […]

In recent years, coconut oil has enjoyed growing popularity in the alternative health and bodybuilding communities. The variety of coconut oil that is generally recommended is the minimally processed "virgin"... […]

The person requesting ideas for cheap and healthy breakfasts for college students didn't mention what kind of cooking appliances and/or equipment they have access to. In this article I am going to assume that... […]

If you have a large amount of weight to lose, or have recently experienced a significant weight gain, there may be an underlying medical cause. You can avoid a lot of frustration by asking your doctor to rule... […]

Most bloggers aren't professional journalists: They are just regular folks who have an interest in something and take the time to write about it. They aren't drawing a salary, and nobody is financing or supporting their work. So it is up to us, the readers of blogs to support and encourage our favorite blog writers. […]