Tea Obsession
Nov. 22nd, 2011 08:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tanarillI live in a grad-student apartment complex, which in theory means that everyone understands that you don't play the loud thumpy music at two am and in practice means listening to the girl in the next room have sex. But there are perks.
One is that they will often attempt to put similar people together, although at least some of it was by luck. So I room with Liz, who drinks tea, and Lulu, who is from China and drinks tea, and now Poornima has joined us from India; she drinks tea. The first thing any one of us does when coming home at night is to fill up the kettle and put it on to heat, and then there is hot water for all.
Tonight, I was still chilled, so I put some tea on. Poornima also made some, and the Liz came out because she heard a teapot whistle. Then we had a conversation that went:
Liz: I wish there were good tea shops in Santa Barbara. Here it's either K-mart or the really snooty places.
Poornima: I know. I mean, tea bags are great but it works out to, like, $30 a pound for tea that isn't even that good.
Liz: But at least they are convenient.
Poornima: Yeah. Making real tea is such a hassle.
Me: You just need a tea ball.
Poornima: . . . a what?
Liz and I then explained what a tea ball is (a little mesh ball with a hinge and a chain, so you can make a reusable tea "bag" out of good loose-leaf tea). Then we demonstrated the size of the mesh with a strainer. Then Poornima wanted to know where she could get one. I do not know, but if I spot one at the store I shall buy it for her. They are useful devices.
Also, I discovered I lie Bengal Spice tea. Who knew?
One is that they will often attempt to put similar people together, although at least some of it was by luck. So I room with Liz, who drinks tea, and Lulu, who is from China and drinks tea, and now Poornima has joined us from India; she drinks tea. The first thing any one of us does when coming home at night is to fill up the kettle and put it on to heat, and then there is hot water for all.
Tonight, I was still chilled, so I put some tea on. Poornima also made some, and the Liz came out because she heard a teapot whistle. Then we had a conversation that went:
Liz: I wish there were good tea shops in Santa Barbara. Here it's either K-mart or the really snooty places.
Poornima: I know. I mean, tea bags are great but it works out to, like, $30 a pound for tea that isn't even that good.
Liz: But at least they are convenient.
Poornima: Yeah. Making real tea is such a hassle.
Me: You just need a tea ball.
Poornima: . . . a what?
Liz and I then explained what a tea ball is (a little mesh ball with a hinge and a chain, so you can make a reusable tea "bag" out of good loose-leaf tea). Then we demonstrated the size of the mesh with a strainer. Then Poornima wanted to know where she could get one. I do not know, but if I spot one at the store I shall buy it for her. They are useful devices.
Also, I discovered I lie Bengal Spice tea. Who knew?
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2011-11-23 02:14 pm (UTC)http://www.uptontea.com/shopcart/item.asp?from=catalog.asp&itemID=AS40&begin=0&parent=Accessories%3ETeaware%3EInfusion+Aids&category=Strainers&sortMethod=0&categoryID=81
no subject
Date: 2011-11-27 03:03 am (UTC)...Say, I just ran some numbers and, unless my math has atrophied horribly, your roommate is right! Tea bags ARE expensive considering the amount of tea they have inside. D:
Are they taking into account the time and effort (plus water, and the terrain, and the employees, and the packaging and the shipping, etc. etc.) it takes to grow enough plants to sell enough dried and ground parts to make it worthwhile? I mean, I guess the numbers go up once you take all that into consideration, but still. :O
Tea Obsession
Date: 2011-12-07 05:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-12-13 07:34 pm (UTC)It turns out there's relatively free internet, with some restrictions, at the public library here. They don't allow for instant messaging, though, so if you want to keep in touch, it'd have to be by LJ. They close at about 5 or 8 PM EST most days of the week.