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Le Palais des Thés in Tel Aviv, na

4/5

Anna rated this place

4/5

and said

Sample teas to smell: Yes.

Sample teas to taste: Yes, one kind.

Staff: The guy who served me was very helpful, chatty-but-not-overbearing and managed the perfect balance of being completely adorable to both me and my husband while really knowing his stuff.

Store: Beautiful space, the location is a little off, at least it was for me, but I was told they’re opening a second store in Tel Aviv soonish.

Bonus: You don’t have to buy more than 50 grams of any tea! As long as your purchases add up to 100+ grams, you’re good to go. I LOVE this. Also very generous with samples.

Lupicia in Honolulu, HI

4/5

Anna rated this place

4/5

and said

The first Lupicia I visited. I was in Honolulu for the holidays and I think I went back to Ala Moana five times just to browse (i.e. buy everything I could get my hands on).

Sample teas to smell: Yes.

Sample teas to taste: No, but the store had just opened/switched locations, and they didn’t seem to be quite set up yet.

Staff: Adorable. Very helpful. Accommodating. (I decided I liked the gift canisters I got for my friends so much I came back to buy canisters for all the teas I got for myself as well. They gave me labels for everything; I didn’t even have to ask.)

Store: Small, gets crowded easily, not the greatest Ala Moana location (lowest level).

Bonus: Canisters are so nice. Cute labels. Massive sales on bagged teas nearing their expiration date (Still drinking them and they’re great – perfect to bring on trips when your super fancy fave tea is wasted anyway.)

Le Palais des Thés in Tel Aviv, -

4/5

Anna rated this place

4/5

and said

Sample teas to smell: Yes.

Sample teas to taste: Yes, one kind.

Staff: The guy who served me was very helpful, chatty-but-not-overbearing and managed the perfect balance of being completely adorable to both me and my husband while really knowing his stuff.

Store: Beautiful space, the location is a little off, at least it was for me, but I was told they’re opening a second store in Tel Aviv soonish.

Bonus: You don’t have to buy more than 50 grams of any tea! As long as your purchases add up to 100+ grams, you’re good to go. I LOVE this. Also very generous with samples.

Profile

Bio

I’m going to try all the teas.

Then I will choose a lucky few perfect specimens, and we will live happily together in my tea cupboard.

Forever.

* *

2015

This will be a year of in-betweenness and logistics. Where to put the teas. How to arrange the teas. Which teas to replenish – which ones to say goodbye to.

Still doing Project Green.
Still doing Project Jasmine.
Still doing Project Peach.

Dr. Tea is the name, I’m ahead of my game
still, steeping my leafs, still f*ck with the temps
still not loving Assam (uh-huh)
still rock my Bosch kettle with its high-pitched shriek
still got love for the greens, repping Lupicia
still the cup steams, still doing my thang
since I left, ain’t too much changed, still

(With apologies to Mr. Young.)

2014

This year, all bets are off. I am going to drink both peppermint and chamomile and possibly suffer a little. But it’s okay – it’s for science.

I’m doing Project Jasmine, Project Peach and Project Unflavoured Green.

In terms of flavoured teas, Lupicia and Mariage Frères have become my massive favourites, and I have learned that Dammann Frères/Fauchon/Hédiard and Butiki aren’t really for me.

The O Dor, Adagio and Comptoir des thés et des épices are all on this year’s I’d like to get to know you better list.

2013

Getting back into tea drinking last fall, I was all about rooibos. This past spring has been all green tea, all the time, with some white additions over the summer. Currently attempting a slow, autumnal graduation to black teas. Oolongs are always appropriate.

The constant for me, flavour wise, is the strong presence of fruity and floral notes. Vanilla is lush, as long as it’s not artificial. Peach, berries, mango. Cornflower, rose, lavender.

No peppermint.

No chamomile.

No cinnamon.

Ever.

* *

My ratings don’t reflect the ‘What does this tea do for me?’ standard, but rather my own ‘What would I do for this tea?’ scale.

100-90
My absolute favourites. Teas I would travel for – or, in any case, pay exuberant postage for, because they simply have to be in my cupboard. Generally multi-faceted teas with complex scents and flavours. Teas with personality. Tricky teas.

89-80
Teas I wouldn’t hesitate to buy again if and when I came across them. Tea purchases I would surreptitiously weave into a travel itinerary (Oh! A Lupicia store! Here?! My word!).

79-70
Teas I enjoyed, but don’t necessarily need to make any kind of effort to buy again.

69-0
Varying degrees of disinterest and contempt.