Tag Archives: tea

Currently Obsessed With: March 2021

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I can’t believe we’re in April already!  I also can’t believe we’ve been dealing with COVID for a year now.  Where has the time gone?  It’s been the longest but fastest year.

Here’s what March 2021 looked like.  I have to say, it was a pretty good month.  Busy, but good!

Inspired by:

  • Discussion posts.  It’s random, but I’ve learned a lot from some of the discussion posts in my classes.  Particularly my communications class, because we were encouraged to do interactive posters, slide shows and portfolios.  I particularly liked Canva, and I’ve been playing around with it for random Instagram posts and blog graphics.

Watching:

  • The Unlisted.  This show was creepy but in a good way.  The government is trying to control all of the kids, some of whom are hiding, trying to stop different governments from controlling all of them.
  • Invisible City.  This was different!  A murder investigation turns into a discovery that there’s this whole mythical world that we don’t notice.  It
  • Ginny & Georgia.  If you like Gilmore Girls, this is the show for you!  It has an interesting mother-daughter relationship, and I’d like to see what’s in store for both of them.  I don’t know if there’s going to be a 2nd season, but I hope so!
  • Zero Chill.  There’s a lot of drama, but I really liked this one!  I actually felt for Kayla, because her brother’s hockey career was way more important to the family, and it seemed like her ice-skating wasn’t as important.
  • iZombie.  I haven’t watched the final season, and decided to re-watch the show from the beginning as a refresher.  It’s a fun show and it’s pretty entertaining.

Reading: 

  • Audio books.  I’ve been re-listening to some audio books.  It’s nice, because I don’t have the energy to engage with something new, but I still want someone talking at me.  It’s nice that I can have them on in the background and come into the story at random times.

Thinking About:

  • Quotes/Quote Notebook.  Months and months ago, I started writing down quotes that I really liked in some of the books I was reading.  I haven’t done it ages, mostly because I haven’t been reading a lot, but also because I haven’t really come across anything that I really wanted to write down.  But I have pulled out this notebook for the first time in a while, and it’s nice to do it again!
  • Organizing my desk at work.  I moved to a different office at work a couple months ago, and then switched to the other desk when that opened up.  I really need to get it organized because of the papers and forms I have.  I know where stuff is, but I’d like it to be a little more organized.

Dream Life:

  • Making tea.  That’s all I remember from this particular dream.
  • Going to Disneyland.  I’m really glad I went to Disneyland before it closed last year.  Maybe I’ll make it back up there one day!

Listening To:

  • In Defense Of Plants.  I’ve heard the host on This Podcast Will Kill You a few times, but never listened to his podcast until recently.  I’m glad I did.  I’m not a gardener, but plants are cool, and I get to learn about them through this podcast!
  • Periodic Talks.  This is a new podcast, and I’m glad I listen!  The hosts talk about different topics in the science world, like space and virtual reality.
  • Conspirituality.  It’s when right-wing conspiracy theories collide with the wellness world.  The episodes are pretty long, usually about an hour and a half to two hours, so I tend to listen to a segment or two at a time.  It’s different from what I usually listen to, but another one I’m glad I’m listening to.

Researching:

  • Gelada Monkeys.  Admittedly, this is for a report I have to do for biological anthropology.  But it was fun to research them, and I even made a trip to the zoo to see them.

Eating + Drinking:

  • Tea.  I love having a Sips By box, because of all of the teas I get to try!
  • Coffee.  Would you expect anything else from a blog called Reading Books With Coffee?  I’ve been drinking a lot of coffee that I got from Bones Coffee Company.  I don’t normally go for flavored coffee, but that’s a good portion of their selection.  It is really good coffee, and I’m glad I gave them a try!
  • Red beans and rice.  It’s always a good choice, and I haven’t had it in a while.
  • Oatmeal.  I’ve been trying to be better about eating breakfast, and oatmeal was something I ate quite a bit last month.

Grateful For:

  • Getting through the time change.  It was really hard this year, and I was exhausted for a week, no matter when I went to bed.
  • Podcasts!  I was in my office by myself for a couple of weeks and podcasts kept me company.

Good things:

  • I finished my communications class!  It was an 8 week class, so it was short and fast-paced but also a lot of work.  I did really well, though, and ended up with an A!
  • I went to the zoo!  Mostly to look at the gelada monkeys, since I wanted to see them in person.  And I have a membership, so I thought I’d use it, especially because the zoo has been closed for a while.  I was sore for two days, because of the hills, but I was glad I went.  I felt pretty safe, since everyone was wearing masks, social distanced, and got screened before coming in.  And I’m vaccinated, so that helped a lot.
  • I did yoga!  Not as much as I did in January and February, but it averaged out to a couple of times a week, so I’m at least sticking with my goal of doing yoga once a week.
  • I received the Botanica Tarot!  This was a Tarot deck I kick-started sometime last year, and it finally came.  It’s really pretty, and all of the other things that came with it are really pretty as well.  I would have been happy with just the deck, but it’s nice they were able to add in some nice extras!

That wraps up my monthly recap for March.

Stay safe,

Currently Obsessed With: April 2020

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Hi everyone!

So, I can’t believe it’s May already!  Time is so weird, and I can’t believe I’m recapping April already.  2020 has been the longest year ever, and even though April didn’t feel as long as March, April still felt pretty long.  April was full of familiar things, and I’ve found that I’ve wanted to revisit things I haven’t listened to or read in a while.

I barely took any pictures last month, and with being at work or at home, there hasn’t been a lot of picture-taking.  But I did get a picture of some of the tea I plan on drinking.  I got it from the Literary Tea Company, and everything I have tried has been really good, so I know they will be too!

Let’s get to the highlights from April!

Inspired By:

  • The Smoothie Project.  I’ve been drinking a lot of smoothies lately, and it’s been a really easy way for me to get some extra fruit and vegetables in.  I’ve only made the Bright Green smoothie so far, and it’s really good!  Everything looks really good, and I’m pretty excited to try some new smoothies.
  • YallStayHome.  I was really sad when YallWest got cancelled, because I was really looking forward to it.  I had a great time last year, but I watched a few of the panels that they did virtually, and it was really cool/inspiring to hear a lot of authors talk about writing and life.

Watching:

  • How To Get Away With Murder.  This was more of a rewatch of the first 5 seasons, but I was in the mood for a lot of drama…and murder.
  • October Faction.  I started watching this at the end of April so I’m not that far into it.  But I really like the couple of episodes I’ve seen, so I’m sure I’ll have more to talk about once I’ve seen more.

Reading:

  • Shatter Me.  After finishing Imagine Me, I decided I needed to read the whole series again.  It’s nice to read something familiar but also awesome.
  • Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.  I’ve been meaning to read this for ages, and I’m taking my time with this one.  But I love the tips I’ve seen so far, and it seems like it is a great resource.
  • Jubilee.  I love the history in it!  I’ve only made the chicken and dumplings (which were amazing) but it’s equal parts cookbook and cooking history, which is cool and different.

Thinking About:

  • Joining a CSA.  Most of my grocery shopping lately has been for produce but it would be cool to support a local farm.  I’ve actually thought about it off and on for quite a while, but I’ve been thinking about it a lot more lately.

Listening To:

  • The Black Tapes.  I don’t know why but I just really wanted to listen to this podcast again.  I really like story and how it went in a completely different direction than I thought it would.
  • Welcome To Night Vale.  After listening to The Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, I immediately starting listening to Night Vale from the beginning.  I forgot how many of the really early episodes are really cool (and quote worthy).

Dreamlife:

  • The San Diego Zoo!  I’ve dreaming about going to the Zoo a lot lately, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m following a few aquariums and zoos on Twitter, or if I just really need to get out of the house.  Once things settle, and the Zoo opens up, I’m definitely going!

Researching:

  • Label Makers.  I have some things I need to label, and I just want it to look pretty and organized.
  • Body Pillows.  I’ve been sleeping good but in really weird positions, and I just need something to help out with that.
  • Weighted blankets.  I’ve had a hard time falling asleep, and I’ve heard weighted blankets can help with that.  I feel overwhelmed by the options, and I don’t know if I should go with both a body pillow and a weight blanket, or one of them.  Does anyone have a recommendation of one they really like?

Eating And Drinking:

  • Smoothies.  I’ve talked about being on a smoothie kick already, and though I love this Basic Blueberry Smoothie, it’s also time to try something different.
  • Chili.  Mostly because I’m using up stuff from my pantry that I wanted to get rid of, but chili is always good.
  • Chocolate.  I’ve been on a chocolate kick this month.  Normally, I’m not big on sweets, which is weird, because I love to bake.  But if I want chocolate, I’m going to eat it!
  • Breakfast.  I’m not usually hungry in the morning, but lately, I’ve been pretty hungry by the time I get to work.  I started keeping stuff in the freezer that I can heat up.
  • Tea!  I have quite a bit of tea, and I’m excited about some of the tea I shared above.

Grateful For:

  • Having a job.  I still feel lucky that I have a job to go to, and I’m glad I can keep a routine going.
  • Virtual YALLWEST.  Even though the in-person YALLWEST was cancelled, I’m glad a virtual one was put together.
  • Just being okay.  Oddly enough, I’ve been a lot happier than I have been in a while, and I’m glad I’m doing okay.

Good Things:

  • Getting the stimulus check.  It actually came at the perfect time, because I had to get a new car.  The reason for the new car was not great- there were a few days where it was raining pretty bad, and I hydroplaned, spun around, and proceeded to total my car.  It was terrifying, because I was driving, and the next thing I knew, I was spinning around.  I’m okay, though, and as long as I’m okay, that’s all that matters.
  • I had some time off which was great- I had a four-day weekend followed by a three-day weekend.  I had originally requested the time off for the LA Times Festival Of Books (postponed) and YALLWEST, which was cancelled, but done virtually.  It worked out really well, though, because I ended up using some of the time off to go car shopping and do other car-related stuff.
  • I’ve been cooking up a storm, and I can’t remember the last time I cooked so much!  Months, for sure.  I’ve cooked, of course, but I’ve cooked stuff to keep in the freezer.  And I’m enjoying being in the kitchen again.  For a while, I wasn’t super into cooking, and it’s nice to be interested in it again.  A lot of it has gone into the freezer to use later, but it’s nice knowing that I can pull something out of the freezer if I don’t want to make anything.

And that wraps up April!

Stay safe out there,

Currently Obsessed With: March 2020

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March has been such a crazy month!  I feel like I’ve lost all sense of time, which is weird because I’m mostly sticking to my usual routine.  I’m eternally grateful I still have a job- healthcare is pretty essential right now- but there have been a lot of changes, and I’m sure there will continue to be a lot of changes in the weeks to come.

You definitely can’t go wrong with animal pictures, and when I saw this duck on a walk I took, I knew I had to get a picture.

Surprisingly, I haven’t been as anxious as I thought I would be.  I’ve been journaling, crocheting, and doing yoga, which has helped keep me calm and relaxed.  Reading has helped, and so has being on medication for depression and anxiety.  It’s helped a lot, and I’m just grateful that I haven’t been too anxious.  I am, of course, because things are so different now than they were a few weeks ago.  But it really hasn’t been as bad I thought it would be.

Reading quotes from some of the books I’ve read has also helped.  I don’t know why, but it makes me feel better.  These are a few of my favorites, plus they’re some of the shorter ones I’ve written down, and I just wanted to have them as quotes that are really helping me out right now.

Inspired By:

  • House of Rage And Sorrow.  There’s one line in particular I loved that gave me a spark of a story that I have yet to figure out.  If I can muster up the motivation, I’ll have plenty of time to work on it.
  • Our Plague Year: This is a new podcast from one of the creators of the Welcome To Night Vale podcast, and even though there’s only a couple of episodes, I feel inspired to journal about how I’m feeling during the Covid pandemic.

Watching:

  • Designated Survivor.  I’m bummed there’s only 3 seasons of this show, because I really like it.  At least I can re-watch it!
  • Yoga With Adriene.  I’ve been doing yoga a lot more lately.  I love that she has videos for pretty much anything you need.  I’ve been doing a lot of her lower back pain videos lately, and it really helps!

Reading:

So many things!  A House Of Rage And Sorrow stands out.  Also, the Faceless Old Woman Who Secretly Lives In Your Home, which was awesome!  And Renegades by Marissa Meyer.  I still need to finish the last book, but I’m in a mood to re-read the whole series, so once I finish Renegades and Archenemies, I plan on reading Supernova.

Thinking About:

  • Baking Bread.  I have a couple of books, now I just need to hope I can find some yeast at the store.  Failing that, something without yeast.
  • Learning to sew.  I have a sewing machine that used to belong to my grandma.  I have no idea if it works, but I’ve thinking about sewing for a couple of years now.
  • Grief and rage.  This has been on my mind ever since I finished House Of Rage And Sorrow.

Listening To:

  • Blood Ties.  This podcast was interesting to listen to!  It’s this 6 episode podcast about two siblings who learn family secrets after their parents die in a plane crash.  You can find it here, if you’re interested.
  • Audio books.  Granted, I only listened to one in March but I have been in an audio book mood.
  • I Said No Gifts!  This is a new podcast but there are some really interesting conversations revolving around gifts.  It’s pretty funny as well, and it’s fun to listen to.

Dream Life:

As usual, I can only remember bits and pieces.  I know I had a dream about the San Diego Zoo, I’ve dreamed about about being in a bookstore (several times), and I know my grandma has shown up in a dream or two.  I can’t remember any other dreams, or anything more specific about what I do remember, but at least I remembered something!

Researching:

Tea Kettles.  I’ve been drinking a lot of tea, and an actual tea kettle might be nice to have.

Eating And Drinking:

  • Tea.  I’ve talked about all the tea I’m drinking, so it’s worth a mention here.
  • Trader Joe’s Bacon Ranch Cheddar Dip.  This dip did not last long the couple of times I got, because it is that good!  If you can find it, it’s worth picking up!
  • Sun Chips.  I haven’t been eating Sun Chips with the Bacon Ranch Cheddar dip, but for some reason, I’ve really wanted Sun Chips.

Grateful For:

  • Having a job!  These are crazy times we’re living in, and I’m glad I have a job.  I know other people aren’t as lucky but I’m grateful to have a job.
  • I’m also grateful that I had a pretty stocked pantry when the shelves were pretty empty.  And the couple of times I did need to get some things I didn’t have, I was able to get it pretty easily.

Good Things:

Honestly, I wasn’t really keeping track of good things, but I did get new glasses!  I really can see a lot better now.

Work was really stressful for a while (and it still is, but in a very different way) but I am no longer doing two different jobs, which is a big relief.

I’ve done some spring cleaning, and I have a couple of drawers I need to tackle before I feel like I’m done.  It’s nice knowing things are more organized.

I’ve been doing some yoga, and taking some walks around my neighborhood.  Of course, I’m keeping my distance from everyone else taking a walk.  I’ve seen a lot more people taking walks, so I’m obviously not the only one needing some fresh air.

I even saw some ducks on one of my walks!  I definitely don’t get outside enough, but I’m definitely trying to only leave the house if I absolutely need to.

That’s all for today, and make sure you take care of yourself!

It’s Tea Time: March 2020

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I didn’t think I’d be writing this post so soon, but I’ve been drinking copious amounts of tea (and coffee, of course) the last couple of weeks.  So much has changed, and tea has been really soothing, especially right before I go to bed.  I just really need something to distract from everything going on right now.

Today, I have three boxes of tea I want to talk about, so let’s get started!

I’m going to start off by talking about my March 2020 Sips by Box. 

I’m actually impressed that I remembered to take a picture of it, which you can see below.

 

I also love that they include a sheet about each tea, complete with how to brew each one.  It makes it feel more personalized, like it’s just for me.  In a way, it is, but it’s a really nice touch.

Here’s what I thought of the teas:

Harney And Sons Paris: I liked this one.  It’s branded as a flavored black tea, but what the flavor is, I’m not completely sure.  As a plain black tea, it was great, but as a flavored black tea, it was not that great.  Personally, no flavor came through the whole cup.  Maybe I need to make another cup to see if any flavor does come through.  It could be just a fluke.

Love Some Tea’s Dark Coconut: I really liked it!  I was slightly disappointed I could smell the coconut but not taste it.  It still tasted really good, don’t get me wrong.  I just wish it tasted a little more like coconut.

Soul Mate Yerba Co’s Apple Organic Yerba Mate Blend: I liked this one but not as much as the mocha blend I tried in one of their Valentine’s day boxes.  I haven’t talked about those boxes, so I was excited to see their apple blend.  There are supposed to be hints of cinnamon and apple, but I couldn’t taste them.  The tea is good, and the best way to describe it is bright.  I like how this tea tastes, but I wish the apple cinnamon flavor came through.

Smith Teamaker’s Red Nectar: I really liked this tea.  It was a little sweet but not too sweet, and it was really pleasant.  It tasted a little bit like honey to me, but I can’t figure out why.

Overall Thoughts: I really liked this box.  In comparison to my first box, I liked all of the teas, and would consider purchasing all 4 teas on my own.  Since my first tea time post, I have rated all of the teas from all 3 themed boxes and my first subscription box…I don’t know if that had something to do with it, or I just got lucky, but hopefully, I’ll continue to get boxes like this one.

Speaking of themed boxes, I’m going to share what I thought of the two Valentine’s Day boxes I got.

First is the Galentine’s Tea Party Box.

Teeccino’s Chocolate Raspberry: This tea was okay.  It smelled really good, and I could taste the chocolate raspberry.  It just didn’t taste as good as it smelled.

Soul Mate Yerba Co’s Mocha Organic Yerba Mate Blend: I really liked it!  The taste reminded me of black tea, so if you like black tea, I think you’ll like this one.  This tea is why I was so excited to try their Apple blend.

Tealightful’s Chocolate Chai: I liked this tea.  There were hints of chocolate, but I couldn’t anything remotely like Chai.  I’m still not sure what I think about Chai, but as a regular tea, this was pretty good.

Loose Leaf Women Cupidtea’s Somebody Loves Me Tea: This tea was another okay tea.  It didn’t taste as good as it smelled- which seems to be a common theme for me- and I thought it would taste a lot fruitier than it actually did.

Overall Thoughts: This box was a mixed bag.  I didn’t hate anything, but I didn’t love anything either.

The other Valentine’s Day box is the Love Potions Tea Box.

Organic India Tulsi Ashuagandha: I’m not sure how I feel about this tea.  It was pleasant and comforting, but I’m not sure if I liked it.  At the very least, it was okay, but…I just don’t know what to think.

Mi Cacao’s Cacao Tea: I did not like this tea at all.  Honest to god, it tasted like water with dissolved cocoa powder in it.  This is the only cup of tea that I dumped out after a few sips.  It’s definitely not for me.

Aesthete’s Love Potion: Yet another okay tea.  I did finish the tea I had but I don’t think I’d buy it on my own.

Tea Drops Chocolate Earl Grey: I really liked this tea!  I was not sure about this tea at first, because the tea comes in a cube that dissolves in hot water.  You do end up with a lot of sediment at the bottom, but it was completely drinkable, and it eliminates the need for a tea bag/infuser.  The chocolate came through and it was a pretty balanced tea.

Overall Thoughts: I wasn’t in love with this box, but the Chocolate Early was worth it!

Here’s the thing, though.

I don’t know that I would buy one of their seasonal/themed boxes.  They have mostly been misses for me, though I’ve really liked one tea in the boxes I’ve tried.  For the most part, though, the teas have been okay (for me) or teas that I haven’t liked.  I’m curious to see what other seasonal boxes they have, though I’m definitely a lot more cautious when it comes to purchasing them.

It’s not to say that they’re bad, because they’re not.  I actually love the idea of boxes around a certain theme or time of year.  I, personally, haven’t like a lot of the teas included in said boxes, so I think it’s a preference thing.  And I have learned a little bit more about what I like or don’t like tea wise.

I’ll definitely be drinking a lot more tea in the days to come.  I have quite a bit of tea, so I’ll definitely be talking about what I’m drinking.

Stay safe out there,

It’s Tea Time!

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Hello sunshines!

I’ve been on a tea kick lately, and wanted to share some of the tea I’ve been drinking.  I’m a pretty new subscriber to Sips By, and I’ve been drinking more tea because of it.  I usually drink tea in phases- sometimes I go periods of time not drinking it, and sometimes, all I want to drink is tea.  I really want to drink it more regularly, so I’m glad I get to try a lot of different teas I wouldn’t have heard about (or tried) otherwise.

Each box comes with 4 different kinds of tea- each box makes around 15 cups.  It’s actually a great amount because you get a really good sense of each tea.  I also love that they include tea bags if you get loose leaf tea in your box.  Plus, each box comes with 4 different teas that make around 15 cups of tea.

The subscription is a lot more personalized than some of the themed boxes you can buy.  The quiz is a great idea, because the tea is more personalized to what you like or want to try.  You’re able to rate the teas individually, and the box as a whole, so the idea is that as you rate teas and boxes, your box is more personalized to your preferences.  That’s what I’m getting from it.

They also have themed boxes- they had a few for Valentine’s Day, and there was a New Year’s box.  Today, I’m going to be talking about the New Year’s Resolution box and my first personalized box from them.  I do have a couple of their Valentine’s Day themed boxes, so I’ll be talking about those at some point.

And this post is not at all sponsored or anything.  I just really wanted to talk about it!

The first box I’m talking about today is the Resolutions Tea Box.

Overall, I wasn’t a big fan of this box.  This was my first introduction to them, and initially, I wasn’t sure about getting the subscription box.  It was a great way to dip my toes into the tea subscription box world, and since I ended up getting the subscription box, the Resolutions box obviously didn’t deter me from getting it.

  • Traditional Medicinals Nighty Night Valerian was the first tea I tried.  I liked it, and it has a pretty pleasant taste.  It does taste a little bit medicinal and earthy but I didn’t find it off-putting.  If you like the Yogi brand of teas, you’d probably like this one.
  • Next up was the Tipson Tea Tumeric And Passionfruit Matcha.  I didn’t like this one at all.  I was expecting a lot more flavor from it, and I felt like there wasn’t any.
  • This box also had Snarky Tea Detox, which I didn’t like.  I just didn’t like the flavor, which was both very herb-y and minimal at the same time.
  • The last one that was included was Miracle Tree’s Chai Moringa Energy Infusion.  It was okay.  I liked the spices but I felt like that was all I could taste.  I’m only used to coffee shop chai lattes, so that might be affecting my impression of plain chai.  In comparison to the Chico Chai tea I’ll talk about later, I’d definitely go with Chai Moringa tea.

The first personalized box I got from them was in February.

I have pretty mixed feelings about this box.  I really liked two of the teas, but didn’t like the other two.  Overall, I liked this box more than the Resolutions Box, and I think it’s because the subscription boxes are more personalized than the themed boxes.

  • The Cinnamon Orange Tea from Savoy Tea Co was really good!  It’s like red hots but in tea form, and it smelled just as good as it tasted!  I’m finding that I hate it when a tea smells really good but then it tastes like nothing.
  • I also really liked Queen Of Tarts by DavidsTea.  It’s tart but fruity and really good!
  • I wasn’t a fan of Tea Kitten’s Minty Mojito Mate.  It smelled like lime when I opened the bag but I couldn’t taste the lime once the tea was brewed.  I could barely taste the mint in it, so I was a little disappointed.  I also didn’t like that the tea was not in a resealable bag, so I end up keeping it in a ziploc bag while I finished it.
  • I also wasn’t a fan of the Chico Chai Original Chai.  I didn’t like the taste of it, but I also might be way too used to chai lattes from Starbucks, and not at all used to regular chai.  It’s hard to tell if it’s this particular tea or just chai on its own.  I did prefer the Chai Moringa tea over this one, because I felt like the flavor was stronger.  I don’t know if the milk diluted the flavor at all, but I wasn’t a fan.  Like the Minty Mojito Mate, it didn’t come in a resealable bag, so this was another tea I had to keep in a ziploc bag.

The packaging for the Minty Mojito and the Chico Chai was a little strange to me.  Pretty much every loose tea I’ve purchased have come in resealable bags or some sort of container, but there’s nothing I can really do about the packaging.  I don’t know if it’s because it’s a sample, or if that’s how it’s typically packaged, but I wasn’t a fan of it.

Overall, here’s what I think.

The small amount you get is great.  You get an overall sense of each tea, but if I don’t like a particular tea, it’s something I could easily finish or give to someone I know will like it.  It’s also enough tea if I’m on the fence or if I really like something and want drink more of it.  I like how personalized it is, and also how each box comes with tea bags for loose leaf tea and instructions on how to make one.

I’m pretty excited about this subscription, and I’m looking forward to see what teas I get every month.

Happy drinking,