A one hour drive away from the normalcy and quietness of Stanmore, I headed to the heart of Oxford. The ‘City of Dreaming Spires’. Past the iconic Radcliffe Camera and a winding narrow street I walked into the bustle of people, buses, and the sheer beauty of the architecture all around me. Walking down the street, a little cafe in pale blue caught my eye. The Grand Cafe. The cafe was set up on the site of the first coffee house in England which was established in the year 1650. A little history Samuel Pepys, a famous 17th- century diarist and politician said that the first English coffee house ..read more

Arigato Japan Arigato Japan Food Tours was Anne Kyles’s dream project. She envisioned travelers reveling in the unique cultural experiences of Japan. Anne is originally from the Philippines with a background in tourism. Having lived in Japan for over 20 years, she singlehandedly founded and led the first 300 of the Arigato tours from January 2016.   Since then Arigato Japan has served over 26,000 guests showcasing various areas of cultural significance in Japan.  Before 2020, the company offered tours ranging from cherry blossom experiences and walkthroughs of the nightlight and mark ..read more

Ayurveda Pura Ayurveda Pura is a wellness brand watered and nourished by Dr. Deepa Apte and her team. The brand has its roots in London, the United Kingdom as the Ayurveda Pura Health Spa & Beauty Center. From its humble beginnings with a range of dosha teas brewed and concocted in Dr. Deepa’s kitchen. Today Ayurveda Pura is home to over 100 organic products with a vision to enlightening its client base on the goodness of Ayurveda. Dr. Deepa is an award-winning professional coach. What I find special is how she seeks to educate people through her training programs, short Ayurveda courses ..read more

Adagio Teas – Black dragon pearls Tea description Black Dragon Pearl tea is a rare, hand-rolled variety of black tea with a smooth, rich and chocolatey taste. Hailing from the Yunnan province of China, this black tea version of the popular Dragon Pearl tea is comprised of only the highest quality leaves and buds expertly rolled into a large pearl-like shape. Black Dragon Pearls are naturally sweet and smooth, with a touch of earthiness. Subtle cocoa notes whisper gently as each pearl unfurls, delivering a superior tea experience not to be missed. We suggest using 2-3 Black Dragon Pearls per c ..read more

Adagio Teas – Gyokuro Tea description Gyokuro, a shade-grown steamed green tea, is among the finest of Japanese teas. While the young leaves of the spring season develop, the Gyokuro plants are shaded from the sun for several weeks. This slows the growth allowing, tea leaves more time to develop depth and flavor. The sun-deprived leaves are higher in chlorophyll, which explains their vivid green color. They’re also higher in amino acids, most notably L-theanine, which accounts for the perfectly smooth, rich and soft flavor. Adagios fine Gyokuro green tea produces a deeply sweet aroma of fresh ..read more

Hello, 2020! If you are new to the blog. Welcome! x Winter is here and so are the long nights and the short days. It is a whole different experience for me. Back home in Dubai, the earliest sunsets were by 6 PM. Whereas in London the sun goes down as early as 3:30 PM. The days can be gorgeous and the sun does come out. I love the December – January time of the year when all the lights are out and festivity is still in the air. January is the hot tea month of the year and I thought it would be perfect to kick off with this recipe. This slow-cooked cranberry spiced tea i ..read more

A good quality teapot is a staple in any tea lovers’ home and is used very frequently and sometimes even passed down to other family members. A good teapot is handy and has a certain aesthetic to it. In this season of holiday cheer and gifting, a delicate glass teapot in a lovely green gift box made its way to me with many thanks to Everything Zen. Everything Zen –  Glass teapot The perfect teapot for two Teapot description Material: Glass – 100% heat-resistant (borosilicate) microwavable glass. Capacity: 27 fl oz / 800ml – 2 mug sizes of tea Also included: Stainless steel oversized ..read more

Adagio Teas – Honeybush Pumpkin Chai Tea description Masala chai spices in a South African honeybush herb base, with a hint of pumpkin. This blend of honeybush, cinnamon bark, cardamom, ginger root, cocoa nibs & safflower is sure to delight. Beautiful clear and bright cup, with a crisp and tangy-sweet flavor. The heat of the spices is balanced beautifully with the natural smooth, mellow quality of the honeybush. Naturally, caffeine-free for an anytime treat. We suggest two heaping teaspoons per 6 oz cup. Sugar, cream or soy if desired. Ingredients: honeybush tea, cinnamon bark, cardamom, g ..read more

Bruu Tea – Cheeky Digestive Tea description It tastes like a biscuit with ice cream and Italian truffle pralines but without the calories. Ingredients: Pineapple cubes, Apple pieces, Apple cubes, Sweet blackberry leaves, Pistachios (Nuts), White chocolate chips (sugar, Cocoa butter, milk powder, dextrose, emulsifying agent soy leathin), flavoring marshmallows (Glucose-Fructose Syrup, Sugar, water, gelatine, corn starch, natural vanilla flavoring) Where to purchase: https://www.bruutea.co.uk/products/cheeky-digestive Suggested brewing tips Brewing time: 5-10 minutes Water temperature:  ..read more

My arrival in the UK has been met with a number of pleasant surprises and packages. A beautiful little Purple clay Yixing teapot along with a wooden container of Oolong tea was what I received so kindly from Umi Tea Sets. Umi Tea Sets – Oolong tea Teapot description Material: Purple Clay Dimension: Length 12 cm ; Height 7.4 cm Origin: Yixing, Jiangsu, China Tea description Name: Phoenix Dancong Tea Origin: Guang Dong Province Where to purchase: https://www.umiteasets.com/phoenix-dancong-tea.html Tasting notes I made sure that the Yixing teapot was rinsed well before use. Usually, I use ..read more