By Golly, Ollie!

  • Five July Favorites

    Five July Favorites

    I feel like the month of July flew by faster than any other month so far. But, that’s sort of how it happens, right? As the end of the year approaches, days and weeks and months just sort of slip by faster and faster and before I know it, I’m sitting down in front of the computer and typing obligatory year-end blog posts. It doesn’t help that I’m struggling with being present and living with intention. Everything just sort of feels like auto-pilot right now, and I don’t know how to turn it off. So, as usual, I am taking a moment at the end of the month to reflect on all of the great things that happened because sometimes I just need a little reminder. Here are my five July favorites:

    Oliver’s New Toys

    “New toys” also happened to be one of my May favorites because let’s be real– they are just as much for me as they are for my toddler. I can only play with pipe cleaners so many times before I need to hide them in the back of the closet so Oliver can’t find them. Our new batch of toys include jigsaw puzzles, counting bears, color-sorting activities, and a 500-count sticker book. And, you know– “500 stickers” sounds like a lot, but in the hands of a toddler, it’s really not. Despite all of the new toys, coloring remains Oliver’s passion.

    Speech Therapy

    During Oliver’s 18-month wellness visit, we were referred to a speech therapist because Oliver only had three words, and he was very reluctant to use any of them except “no”. At first, it was one of those moments when I felt like I was failing my son, but following a particularly vulnerable Instagram post a few weeks ago, I learned that speech delays are actually really common. I was astounded by the amount of tea friends who reached out to me and let me know their kiddos went through speech therapy too, and it made me feel less alone.

    As for the actual speech therapy, Oliver kind of loves it because he gets to play with someone who isn’t me for 45 minutes. Don’t get me wrong, he felt frustrated at first because he’s never had to use his voice to get something before, but after 6 or 7 appointments, he’s experimenting with a bunch of new sounds, and he has even added three new words to his vocabulary– “nana” (banana), “yeah”, and “cee-cees” (Reese’s…peanut butter cups). His voice is so gosh darn adorable!

    ALL OF THE TEA

    It’s my birthday month, and I may have gone a little overboard in purchasing tea. Highlights include the Idris Hot Chocolate Chai from Calabash Tea, Sleigh Ride from DAVIDsTEA, the Chocolate Spice and my new latte kit from Just Be Tea Co., and of course, the Birthday Tea from Adagio Teas. Seriously though, the Idris Hot Chocolate Chai and the Chocolate Spice are deserving of their own post or their own TeaTube video, so watch out for those as the weather starts to cool and Chai season settles in.

    The Crime Junkie Podcast

    My dad introduced me to the Crime Junkie podcast during my recent visit to Ohio. He mentioned that two of the episodes were about a serial killer that prowled the streets during the 1980s…about an hour from where he used to live. After listening to those two episodes, I was hooked, so I have been binge-listening the podcast. Unfortunately, the only time I get to myself these days is after everyone has gone to bed, which means I’m listening to true crime podcasts until one in the morning. The episode about the Monster of Miramichi was especially horrifying, and every creak and cat-paw shuffle sent electric jolts of panic shooting through my body.

    Making Time to Write Again

    I noticed the dust settled on my blog again, but that’s my usual M.O. I contemplated abandoning BGO! because I wanted to invest my limited me-time on my TeaTube channel, but…I just can’t seem to let go of this space. It’s been my writing outlet for far too long; even just thinking about abandoning this blog for good made my world feel out of balance. So instead, I’ve turned myself into a night owl again just so I could write! (and/or create, in general) The only downside in every creak and cat-paw shuffle sends electric jolts of panic shooting through my body even when I am not listening to the Crime Junkie podcast.

    Honorable Mentions

    My birthday • Dropping Oliver off with family, so Jon and I could go on an almost-proper date (we ordered takeout and then ate in the middle of an abandoned parking lot because I’m not about to mess with the Rona) • Sharing tea with family • Sipping Hou Kui for the first time • Tea lattes • Park days • Sipping Laoshan Green Tea for the first time • The handwritten note from Just Be Tea Co. thanking me for being part of their community and wishing me a happy birthday • The unexpected (free) 1 oz. bag of Chocolate Spice from Just Be Tea Co. because it was my birthday • The best chicken soup I’ve ever eaten • Finally finishing Beowulf

  • Oh My Darjeeling

    Oh My Darjeeling

    I am unkempt hair and peanut butter jeans. Crayon scribbles on the walls and desk and couch. Teetering piles of work and dishes that still need to be put away. Oversteeped breakfast blends tamed with honey and milk are much better suited for me. But, once in a while, I make time to indulge in a cup of Darjeeling tea– a tea that feels so elegant I pull down the fine china from the cupboards and sip from dainty teacups instead of tea-stained novelty mugs.

    I’ve sipped quite a few Darjeeling teas this year. Its fruit and floral aromas remind me of sunny Spring days, and I think we could all use a few more sunny days in our lives rights now. But, among my favorites is the 2020 Rohini First Flush from Masters Teas (free for review purposes). The leaves of the Rohini First Flush are a beautiful array of colors– dark brown, green, fuzzy silver tips, and sepia– and when gently tossed around in a warm cup, they smell rich, honey sweet and a bit like tart grapes. After the leaves have steeped, they are undoubtedly floral and almost like strawberry jam.

    The first infusion is mellow. It steeps to a pale amber and offers subtle golden raisin and floral aromas, but infusion two is when this tea sings. The color of the tea deepens, and the flavor is punchier. Bold floral notes burst through on this infusion, and as the tea cools, it transforms into sparkling white grapes. The third infusion is once again mellow. Floral notes are still prominent, but it trades refreshing grapes for golden raisins once more. When I sip this tea, I am reminded of sparkling white wine and an unexpected weekend of decadence when Jon and I were upgraded to a luxurious suite at the Great Diamond Island Inn during our trip to Maine. It is a much needed vacation while still being locked away from the world amid a pandemic.

    What do you like to reach for when you need a little escape?

  • Alone Time and Yan Shan Mu Dan

    Alone Time and Yan Shan Mu Dan

    Alone time is fleeting these days. I have been trying to find the time to write about a tea I tasted last Sunday morning, and I finally found it on a Thursday night after everyone else went to bed. I penned this post by cellphone light– the candlelight of 2020. Oliver snored beside me, raindrops pattered on windows, thunder rumbled across the sky, and lightning flashes brightened a dark room. It was a different atmosphere compared to last Sunday morning.

    Last Sunday, I finally decided to explore a 2015 Yan Shan Mu Dan from Old Ways Tea Co.. It was an aged white tea that came in my Countdown to Summer Box from Tea Thoughts. That morning, I allowed myself some quiet, guilt-free time alone on the back porch while an episode of Sesame Street distracted Oliver. It was barely 7:00 in the morning. The sun rose over dew-covered lawns, and fog hung heavy in the humid air. Or, maybe it was leftover smoke from the fireworks from the night before. The only sounds were birds chirping in the trees surrounding my home, the hum of a neighbor’s air conditioning unit, and the quiet clinks of porcelain as I gently shook tea leaves in a warm gaiwan. The cup of warmed leaves offered a sweet and smoky fragrance, and the lid smelled like overripe fruit. The tea leaves looked like Autumn leaves covering the forest floor– muddy brown, pale yellow, sage, and sometimes when the sun hit the underbelly of the leaf just right, red Georgia clay.

    As I began brewing the first infusion, I wondered why I was even engaging in any sort of pomp and circumstance with this tea. It is rare for me to drink white tea and taste anything other than peppery hot water, so I was surprised when I tasted faint barbecue smoke and something that is sweet, sour, and vegetal all at once– like chewing the ends of tall prairie grass. Infusion number two excited me even more as I noticed a fruit I could not quite name along with sweet and spicy cinnamon. Infusion three was melon rind, but the mouthfeel was thick and luscious like silk scarves. Infusion four was like a mild but smoky Lapsang Souchong. Infusion five is when everything married together into one perfect honeyed-plum and smoky-cinnamon sip, and it hit me like, “Oh! this is why people like white tea”.

    My tasting notes ended there because infusion six triggers a memory of my first apartment with Jon. In that memory, it is Autumn. It is always Autumn at that apartment even though Jon and I lived there for two years. It reminds me of Saturday mornings when Jon would be at work, and I would spend the morning picking out too many books at the library. I knew I would never read them all, but having a stack of new books close by always brought me comfort. Afterward, I would go to the grocery store and pick up soup and a deli sandwich for lunch. Then, I would go home, prepare a cup of tea, light a candle that smelled like caramel apples, and document my library loot because back then, this little space was a book blog called Books & Tea. Jon would meander in a short while later, crack open a Bell’s Two Hearted IPA, and sink into the couch to watch football, while I would cuddle down under blankets to read a cozy mystery novel.

    It was an unexpected memory. I still cannot figure out what fragrance or taste triggered it, but it was welcome nonetheless. And, the Yan Shan Mu Dan from Old Ways Tea gave me yet another positive experience with a white tea. It makes me feel optimistic about future white teas that my come into my collection.

    Have you been able to indulge in some rejuvenating alone time lately? Tell me about it in the comments!

  • I Failed Adagio’s communiTEA

    I Failed Adagio’s communiTEA

    While re-organizing my tea cabinet last week, I discovered a bag of communiTEA teas from Adagio Teas. It was dated the week of March 8th through March 14th, and each single-serving packet within was still sealed shut. I remembered I kept putting it aside with the intent to film YouTube videos or take Instagram glamour shots because if a tea is not showcased across social media, was it even consumed? The goal of the CommuniTEA is to bring people together over the same cup of tea on the same day, and I did not show up. I just never made the time for it.

    I’ve written and talked about how drinking tea is a lesson in being present and in mindfulness. Yet, I never address how it always seems to be at odds against my blogging and vlogging hobby and how both tend to take me out of the moment. I can’t begin to account for the times I’ve spilled tea all over the table because I was more focused on photographing the silhouette of tea pouring from a gaiwan. Or the times I struggled to get through advent calendars or countdown boxes timely because filming and editing videos is really time-consuming.

    And despite my awareness of this problem, instead of taking a few moments just to myself to enjoy a cup of tea…I spent the past two days binge-drinking communiTEA teas, taking pictures, and typing up this blog post. #NOREGRETS

    March 8 – Currant Tea

    I am a sucker for Adagio Teas’s creative blends, like the new Honeybush Blueberry Pancake. Have you seen my video, where I rave about it? But, I am equally in love with their simple, fruit-flavored black tea blends. The Orange Black Tea from Adagio Teas is a favorite of mine, and now the Currant Tea from March 8 was love at first sip, too. Adagio Teas’s Currant Tea is a blend of black tea, natural currant flavor, and raspberry flavor. I can’t recall the flavor of currants, but this blend offers a brisk and slightly malty-sweet black tea base that is complimented by red berry flavor. I’ve never been particularly inspired to make my own tea blends before, but I couldn’t help but wonder how the Currant Tea would taste blended with cream and zesty lemon flavors. I might be exploring Adagio’s Signature Blends soon…

    March 9 – Formosa Oolong

    When I first started sipping the Formosa Oolong, I was fairly indifferent about it. By the end of the cup though, it had me longing for brisk October mornings. This week’s heat-wave also makes me wish October was already here, but I digress. This tea tastes slightly toasty and definitely like crunchy Autumn leaves. The Adagio Teas website mentions there are some fruity notes in this tea, but I didn’t notice them. It’s possible I may have been able to draw them out using a different steeping method.

    March 10 – Serenitea

    The Serenitea blend is a fandom tea blended by Amy Zen. It is inspired by the science fiction series Firefly, and it is a blend of Spearmint, Gunpowder Green Tea, Black Tea, and Hazelnut flavoring. It’s an interesting twist on a Moroccan Mint because of the subtle hazelnuttiness. Also, and I feel like I lose a lot of nerd credit for admitting this, I have never watched Firefly beyond the pilot episode, so I have no idea if this blend captures the essence of the series. (Also, I may have forgotten to take a picture of the tea after I steeped it…)

    March 11 – Speedy Recovery

    I tend to stay away from blends that are for wellness or health purposes because I can’t not imagine the tea tasting medicinal. Even teas like Speedy Recovery, which is a blend of Green Tea, Peppermint Leaves, Ginger, Licorice, Cardamom, Fennel, Marigold Flowers, Black Peppercorn & Cloves starts to sound unappealing even though I appreciate all the ingredients except licorice. The flavor of green tea takes a backseat allowing the peppermint, ginger, and fennel shine in this blend. While it has challenged my perception of wellness teas, I still won’t reach for this one during the winter months. I take advantage of my stuffed up nose to power through all the teas I’m avoiding drinking!

    March 12 – Apricot Green

    Apricot Green from Adagio Teas is a blend of Green Tea, Apple Pieces, Natural Apricot Flavor, Apricots & Marigold Flowers, and I suppose of all the days during my communiTEA week, this was the tea I looked forward to the least. I’m not in love with flavored green teas, and I am not in love with Adagio’s peach or apricot flavoring. Yet, I found myself pleasantly surprised by the Apricot Green. I opted to sweeten this tea with sugar and serve it over ice, which helped to tone down the vegetal and steamed vegetable quality of the green tea used in this blend and allowed for the juicy apricot flavor to pop. This turned in to the kind of tea I could drink buckets of on a hot, summer day.

    March 13 – White Strawberry

    I may have also grumbled when I saw the packet of flavored white tea in my communiTEA week because white teas and I don’t get along. But you know what? I kind of fell in love with the blend from March 13. Within the packet was White Strawberry, which is a blend of White Tea, Rooibos Tea, Apple Pieces, Blueberries, Hibiscus, Natural Strawberry Flavor, Strawberries, Rose Petals, Blue Cornflowers & Natural Vanilla Flavor. This tea was juicy strawberries, sweet vanilla pound cake, and the most luscious, silky, and thick mouthfeel. It was basically strawberry shortcake in a cup. Would I get this again? Yea…yea, I think I would!

    March 14 – Sweet Science

    Sweet Science is another fandom tea, and this one is blended by Lisa & Kat Miller. This tea is inspired by Princess Bubblegum from Adventure Time, and it is a blend of Rooibos Tea, Black Tea, Apple Pieces, Rose Hips, Hibiscus, Marigold Flowers, Natural Peach Flavor, Coconut, Natural Creme Flavor, Natural Pineapple Flavor, Natural Coconut Flavor, Pineapple Pieces & Apricots. While I enjoyed this blend, sipping from such a small sample almost ensures that I do not get the full range of flavor this blend was trying to accomplish. I taste tropical fruit-flavored rooibos, but I’m missing the creamy notes from the coconut and creme flavors.

    If you’re interested in learning more about the kinds of teas Adagio’s newest subscription service offers, be sure to check out my first post on the communiTEA. A YouTube playlist of my reviews on some of the teas I’ve tried so far, is also posted there. Also be sure to check out the Adagio Teas CommuniTEA page to find out what other tea drinkers think!

  • Since I Never Formally Introduced My Gaiwan…

    Since I Never Formally Introduced My Gaiwan…

    There are a couple of moments during my tea journey that forever changed the way I experienced tea. The first was circa 2009 when I randomly asked for a tea kettle and tea for Christmas. I was a heavy coffee-drinker during this time in my life (because college), so I must have wanted one just for aesthetics. But, when I received a shiny, red stovetop tea kettle and some Celestial Seasonings fruit tisanes for Christmas, I immediately became obsessed.

    The second was when I discovered Adagio Teas, which would have been circa 2012. They made better tea more accessible and less intimidating when I was ready to step out of the grocery store aisles. And clearly, my love and sentimental attachment to the brand has never waned.

    The third was when I discovered the Tea Leaf Project on YouTube as well as the tea community on Instagram, circa 2018. They inspired me to become more active in the tea community, and they challenged me to step out of my comfort zone to drink things I had never heard of.

    The fourth, and most recent moment, was when I started brewing with my gaiwan. This blue-and-white, rice-patterned, 120mL beaut comes from CraftedLeaf Teas, a vendor I’m only slightly obsessed with right now because they also introduced me to unsmoked Lapsang Souchong.

    It makes me a little braver

    I know this may sound silly, but there are teas that I find downright intimidating— largely puerhs, anything (intentionally) aged, or anything compressed into coins or cakes or tiny tea mountains. In my mind, these are the teas for people who know what they’re talking about when they talk about tea (ie. not me). I challenge myself to drink these teas anyway even though sometimes I feel like an imposter. And, because of my gaiwan (and the encouragement of others in the tea community), I think I’ve explored more tea in the past four months than I have in the past decade!

    It makes me slow down.

    When I brew tea Western-style, I plop an infuser and tea leaves in my cup, and most of the time I’m lucky I don’t get too distracted by working or baby-wrangling that I end up with an over-steeped cup. It’s how I prepare my tea when I’m attempting to be productive or just trying to infuse my bloodstream with caffeine because #momfuel.

    When I brew tea with my gaiwan though, I slow down. Like, way, way down. I weigh, observe, and smell the dry tea leaves. I slide them into the warm gaiwan and give them a shake to release more fragrances that I would have missed otherwise. And then I start steeping, taking breaks between each infusion to smell both the lid and the wet leaves, to note the color of the liquor, and of course to taste the tea. These sessions easily last an hour, sometimes longer if Oliver is preoccupied enough by puzzles and books. Okay…fine…and Sesame Street; let’s be real and transparent here. Practicing with my gaiwan becomes almost meditative– a lesson in being present and in mindfulness, where I drink tea with all of my senses.

    It lets me taste tea in ways I’ve never tasted it before

    Shou puerhs, which previously tasted funky and like how the animal pens at the county farm smelled, suddenly tasted like petrichor and baked bread and the vanilla-smell of old books. Bi Luo Chun, which (dare I say it) I was largely indifferent towards, revealed layers of honeysuckle florals, a delicate nuttiness, and buttery edamame. Mi Lan Dancong, which had always been an interesting blend of malt and floral, suddenly tasted like a spoonful of honey in early infusions. And, don’t even get me started on the Jin Jun Mei I tried for the first time a few weeks ago– honey, malt, cocoa, honeydew melon, and grapes all packed in one tea. How?!

    My love for this vessel was immediate. And although I am still a novice at practicing gongfu cha (or drinking tea, in general), I am now one of those people who always encourages others who are showing interest in using a gaiwan for the first time. (Do iiiiiiit!)

    What are some of the tea experiences in your life that greatly impacted your relationship with tea?

About the Blogger

My name is Jackie, and I am a millennial / mother / Michigander / blogger / wannabe runner / accountant / local library enthusiast / gamer, kinda. This is a personal blog, which means I’m not entirely certain what you’ll find here, but it will definitely not show up on the first page of Google search results.