Canada Day Long Weekend

Happy Canada Day to my fellow Canadians!

Image taken at a local market and bakery.

Gotta love it when Canada Day falls on a Monday so that we have a long weekend! We couldn't have asked for better weather: blue skies and hot temperatures.

Last Saturday, I tried out the iced Exotic Berries Oolong Tea from Citizen Tea. It was a refreshing drink!

Davids Tea was giving out free teas in celebration of Canada Day. I tried the Coco Colada herbal tea. The pina colada taste was pretty subtle.

Highlight of the long weekend: I met my aunt's adorable 4-month old puppy, Miley. How cute are these outfits?!? I'm glad that she liked the salamander toy that we gave her.

Enjoy the first week of July!

Falling off the tea wagon

One of my goals this year was to use up the teas I already own. I made it halfway through the year before I purchased any new teas.

I found these Whittard of Chelsea teas at Marshall's AFTER we had our Mad Hatter tea party at the office. (Cue Alanis Morissette: Isn't it ironic?)

The Garden Party Oolong contains pieces of my favourite tropical fruits: papaya, strawberry, and pineapple.

I'm a marketer's dream: I bought the Piccadilly Blend black tea because I liked the caddy's cute design.

Last week, my 10-cup teapot made its debut at a pop-up tea at the office. One of my colleagues came up with the perfect name: 

Black Beauty.

Bubble teas with a twist

A new bubble tea shop, OneZo Tapioca, opened up in town a few months ago and I've been obsessed with trying their different drinks.

This is the Jasmine Macchiato topped with cheese foam*.

*Not made of actual cheese; it was just frothed cream.

My favourite: the Brown Sugar Dirty Oolong Latte

My least favourite: the Totaro Rice Milk Tea 

(purple = taro)

From the Yukiguni Izakay Japanese cuisine and bar: 

Messy Tea with Tapioca

Have you tried bubble tea?

A 10-cup teapot

At long last, I have found an item that's been on my wish list for YEARS: a teapot that can serve 10 cups of tea!

My heart almost stopped when I spotted this giant teapot at a church sale. It was in terrific condition!

Exhibit A of my lousy bargaining skills.

Me: How much is that teapot?

Church lady: Five dollars...what do you want to pay for it?

Me: [hands over a $5 bill].

Left: The 10-cup teapot by London Pottery (Designed in England, but made in China).

Right: The 6-cup Brown Betty teapot by Price & Kensington (Made in England?).

The tea cozies sold at stores are usually for small or medium teapots. So I was thrilled when I found handmade 10-15 cup tea cozies at a local artisan boutique.

I love how the pattern features the different types of teas. It matches my coasters.

This tea cozy is sooooooo pretty!

 A closer view of the yellow teawares and purple flowers

I can't wait to use my 10-cup teapot and tea cozy at our next office tea social!

A Mad Hatter Tea Party at Work

Last week, we had a special tea social at the office.

My inspiration for the Mad Hatter theme came from these super cute Alice in Wonderland napkins, paper plates...

...and "teacups and saucers"!

(Note on function: the cups filled with hot tea were hard to hold so these cups are more suited for iced tea.)

The "Drink Me" teapot served Fireside Cider green tea by the Mad Hatter Tea Co.

We also enjoyed hot and iced versions of Davids Tea's Flamingo Fresca--a fruity white tea with strawberry, passion fruit, and little flamingo sprinkles. 

The delicious foods brought in by my co-workers.

My co-workers' creativity was impressive: The March Hare Fare (aka veggies); the Mad Hatter and Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum's bowtie pasta salad.

One of my co-workers baked this amazing teacup cake (chocolate peanut butter. YUM!). Unfortunately, the handle broke off during transit. But teacups break all the time, right?

"It's always tea time." - Mad Hatter

Tea gifts from Japan

A friend visited Japan a while ago and thoughtfully gave me some really cool Japanese teas!

Genmaicha, Sencha and Hojicha teas from the Tokyo Disney Resort.

The matcha treats didn't last long!

I'm intrigued by these herbal teas: Corn tea...

...and adzuki beans tea.

I'll have to find some Japanese sweets to enjoy with these interesting teas.

A pop-up tea with macarons

Happy Victoria Day to my Canadian friends!

I love this charming British-themed melamine tray which I found at a local store a few weeks ago.

At our most recent pop-up tea at work, I served the ginger papaya and peach chai tea.

One of my colleague generously shared this box of Ladurée macarons that her sister brought back from France! Last year, Ladurée opened up a store in Toronto. I hope to visit its Tea Salon one day.

We also enjoyed lemon cranberry loaf and banana bread. Gotta love leftovers from a meeting!

Our next tea social will be held the last week of May. I can't wait!