Tea With Rae: Small Pleasures!

Living with AIDS, keeping the breakneck schedule that I do and working out of my home, I try to carve time out of the house just for me. At the top of the list are browsing bookstores and shopping for beads for my bracelet designs. These are the small pleasures that help to keep me sane in my crazy life.

But one day while looking around Water Tower shopping mall on Chicago's Mag Mile, I stumbled upon Teavana Tea Shop. Now at first it was a rocky road, the salesperson that day was a bit of an ass. But I gave them another try months later and it's been heaven ever since. When I explained to the new manager what had happened, she explained that he was the first to go when she took over the store. I was glad to see that she was on top of her game.

Customer Service is everything and they have it down pat at Teavana. So Saturday after putting in 9 hours of work on my latest bracelet designs I took a walk over to Teavana.

I had no intention on making a purchase, I just wanted to have a smell of their teas. Boy does it bring me pleasure when they open that tin of tea and then fan the aroma your way. The tea lover that I am, it's as if all of my senses had gone straight to heaven.

I'm getting ready to begin a series on Oolong teas and I wanted to smell all of them. I gotta admit, the staff was real patient with me as I asked to smell over and over again. I get so much joy from it, I really do!

Well like I said, I had no intention of buying any tea, I still have tea from Teavana that I have to review. I'm so honored that they are one of my Tea With Rae partners.

But when I smelled Toasted Nut Brulee, OMG! I just had to have it. I came straight home and put the tea kettle on. The taste was everything that the smell promised it to be. I'm in love! I promise, since Saturday, I have had no less than ten cups of this tea.

How do I describe this tea. It's creamy, nutty, with fruity undertones. You can even see the pieces of hazelnuts, almonds and candied fruit in the tea. I think the Rooibos tea added to the Oolong ensures that the the nutty taste is not woody. It's a perfect blend of tea! I'm going to even put it in my top five teas that I have ever had. Now that's a big one for me! Stay tuned for my series on Oolong teas, coming real soon!

Oh yeah, I also love looking at there wonderful tea pots. I think I'm addicted to them also. For Real! If any of you were wondering about the teapot I used for the RLT Men's Collection, yep, I got it from Teavana. It's the perfect little teapot for one or two. I can't wait to use it. And yes, that's another one of my small pleasures, making a cup of tea and enjoying it in a fancy teapot and cup set!

The best thing about their teapots is the price! They are affordable for good quality high end, teapots. And yes I already have my eyes on my second little teapot. It's the cutest little thing! Don't you agree? Those Cherry Blossoms are just too cute! And don't be surprised if you see this teapot featured with my bracelet collection also. By the way, the pictures of these teapots make them larger than what they truly are, little miniature teapots for two.

So there you have it. This past Saturday, at Teavana I discovered a new tea that I can't stop drinking and a teapot that I just have to have. These are the things that help to keep me sane in the chaotic world of AIDS and pushing forward with my work and ministry in spite of my health. This is just one of my small pleasures!

Monday Reflection: That's The Way Life Is!

Each Monday I try my best to give you something to help you think, to grow, to do better, to encourage, but at 2:00 in the afternoon I still have nothing. I'm empty and find myself in need of encouragement.

It's like time after time it seems like life will not get better, then from nowhere things start to change for the good, to all of a sudden take a turn all the way into left field.

And unexpected blows hit hard. For Real. Like someone coming from behind and hitting you upside the head with a two-by-four. Yep, that's the way life is and I try my darndest to keep it moving as best as I can. I never stop, I never surrender, I never crumble, and I take all of my hits standing.

But I've been hit with a few unexpected things, nothing that can't be handled, but certainly time consuming and financially consuming. But then that's the way life is, huh? Keep on living Grandmama would say. Just keep on living.

But then, when I also get hit with AIDS at the same time as other stuff, it takes time to wrap my head and heart around it emotionally. I finished IV last Tuesday and I was one happy camper. But by Friday I suspected that I was at the beginning of another herpes infection. Huh? My doctor and I thought that was impossible. So for the last week, I've been waiting it out, praying and keeping my fingers and toes crossed. But yesterday, it was very clear I had a problem.

I've had a lot of ongoing issues that we think may be connected to my herpes that have gone on for about five months now. Primarily some odd swelling and irritation of my vulva even when I'm not in the middle of a herpes infection. So now it's time to figure it all out. Next week it's two doctor's appointments, cultures and bioscopy.

In the meantime I'm so sore and in pain yet again. I have a lot of work do to this week. I have to get my new bracelet designs for RLT Collection on the website and will also be on the road speaking. And as usual, I will keep it moving. But then that's the way life is.

Keep me in your prayers as I go through this next round of tests to determine what's going on, and also for my endurance as I manage all that must be done. I just can't let AIDS take everything I've got and that's just the way my life is living with AIDS.

Tea With Rae: Tea Fit For The White House

Jacqueline Kennedy was known for her grace and style, and during her husband's presidency, the White House was in full bloom. They entertained with style and grace, but the President never forgot his roots.

He was a Bostonian through and through. So it was no real surprise to learn that the tea chosen for this White House came from the Boston Tea Company, one of the oldest tea houses in the United States, established in 1773. The word is, after the Boston Tea Party dumped tea into the Boston Harbor declaring their independence from Great Britain, the owners of the Boston Tea Company salvaged all the chests of tea they could. Now that's dedication. For Real.

The Boston Tea Company has tea for everyone. Honestly, I was even a bit overwhelmed. They have two premium tea brands, Boston Tea and Bentley's Tea, and they have 37 loose teas right along side of their fair trade teas. There was so much to indulge myself I didn't know where to begin.

But just like a Diva, I decided to start with President and First Lady Kennedy's' choices of teas. There were two teas that were popular in the White House and honestly, I put them to the test. The black tea connoisseur that I am began with a bit of skepticism.

First on board was the Mint-in-Tea. Lately, if you recall, I have been drinking a lot of mint tea for my ongoing tummy problem. And mint tea also hits it out of the ball park for congestion and scratchy throat. I almost always have a cup while I'm doing a radio interview to keep my voice clear.

But the mint tea that I typically drink is herbal, which is basically dried mint leaves. Sometimes, however, I want a little caffeine in my mint tea to the point that I have even tried blending it myself. But it was an #epicfail. I gotta tell you, this Mint-in-Tea is perfect! They took their signature Orange Pekoe tea and blended it with Kentucky mint to render an excellent cup of black tea with mint. WOW!! I feel like I have hit the jackpot with this black/mint tea blend. I can stop mixing in my kitchen. Especially since mixing tea is certainly an art that I do not know.

Next, I put Boston Tea Party's Tropic Oranges and Exotic Spices to the test. Now over the years I have had some awful blends of the traditional "Orange Pekoe" teas to the point where I always pass on them while I'm out and I certainly don't buy them. Even when this tea arrived I was a bit of a snob, I told my girlfriend Audrey that "I don't expect much." Yep, I'm coming clean. Just because a company sends me tea don't always mean that I will like it. But boy, didn't Boston Tea Company prove me wrong.

This is a perfect blend of black tea, oranges and spices. Now the spices gives it a chai undertone but the oranges add just enough sweetness to give it balance. This is great, especially for me, because I'm not a big lover of spices in my tea. I have been sipping on this tea at least every other day since it arrived.

Overall, I think the Kennedy's made some wonderful choices when it came to tea. I can now say that I also enjoy the same teas that were a favorite in the White House. I LOVED both of these teas and they are now a staple in my tea cabinet!

Both come in tea bags yet I have found them to be extremely fresh. I have also been drinking their English and Irish Breakfast every morning for the last month. I alternate, choosing the Irish Breakfast when I want a real morning pick me up. I love their black teas and you know I feature their black Ginger, Peach & Apricot tea in my How To Brew The Perfect Cup of Tea video.

Overall, I like the Boston Tea Company and what they have to offer!! Another winner that I am happy to include in my Tea With Rae project! Check them out, you will not be disappointed!

RAFFLE!! Enter to win the Boston Tea Company's Mint-in-Tea and Tropic Oranges and Exotic Spices.


To Enter The Raffle:
1. Follow the Boston Tea Company on Twitter.
2. Like them on Facebook.
3. Make a comment on this blog about this post.
4. View and make a comment on my video- How To Brew The Perfect Cup of Tea.

And you all know you must like my Facebook fan page and have to be following me on Twitter to enter in any of my raffles. Good luck... I'm naming the winner in two weeks.