Tea, Tea, Everywhere and Oh So Much To Drink!

I returned from the World Tea Expo late Sunday (yes, I started writing this over a month ago and now, July 8th, am picking it back up. Better late than never???) night after 3 days of professional classes, tea tastings and networking. If I knew nothing about tea before (thinking you know everything about tea is like thinking you know everything about men. Or women for that matter!), I quickly learned that tea invites some of the loveliest people into its world. There were over 300 exhibitor and attendees looking for the latest and greatest new trends in the tea business. Many attendees were small tea lounges from across the country who were there for the training offered throughout the weekend. One class in particular, the 2008 Annual State of the Industry Report lead by Brian Keating was an excellent retrospective of the last 13 years of tea ("Skeptics disagreed that Organic Tea would see the bright future that it is now basking in") and a look into the “ultra hot” trends that those in the business will find useful in projecting the impact of teas immense growth over the next 5 years (Tea is given the Ultimate Trust Factor by doctors and Oprah alike!). As I walked the aisles of the trade show, there were some exceptional examples of emerging trends in tea and accessories that will see themselves in homes across America very soon. One in particular (a favorite if I may say so myself) was The Original Teastick and the newly released GEMS Teastick by design innovators, Gamila. I now travel with mine in my purse for my loose leaf on the go and love that it measures a perfect teaspoon AND infuses a perfect cup… I also attended the screening of an excellent film, The Meaning of Tea, a journey that transports you to Taiwan, India, Japan, Morocca, England, France, Ireland and the US to experience other cultures and how tea is incorporated into their daily lives. It was a truly a beautiful look at people and cultures in other countries and how tea is the source of good for so many. I’m looking forward to inviting each of you to our booth next year to celebrate one year providing exceptional loose leaf teas! Las Vegas will revel in its infusion of tea lovers yet again. Roulette anyone? Tea you soon, Naja