Girl's night out!

Leaf Tea Merchants held a Ceylon Tea Tasting night complete with Sri Lankan Food!

so Lil' K, Missy, YT and i, thought we'd check it out.. it was one of the best night out i've had in awhile.. food was yummy and teas were brewed to perfection and we learned so much!

it was presented by part owner/tea merchant Hilary White who owns Elmstock teas.. he did look a bit like a merchant (complete with gold buttons and cuff links) but i have to give him two thumbs up for enthusiasm.. you just can't fake passion, he was showing us what the tea looked and smells like before it was brewed, compared the colours of the tea, telling us tea history, his family's tea history, Sri Lanka food history, what's the best way to brew and store tea, asking us to ask him questions.. it was just SOOOO great to see people who are sooo in love, so knowledgeable in ONE thing and doing it so well!!

in 2 hours i've learned from mr. white - ceylon is a region in sri lanka; it used grow coffee until it was burnt down; Sir Thomas Lipton was a real person; he bought the land cheap cheap and turned it into tea plantation n made a mint; all teas are leaves from the same plant; it's the way the tea is processed that gives different flavours e.g. green, earl grey, white, etc; teas are graded like wine e.g. single estate, tasting notes, and a lot more!

my company was awesome too! conversation just flowed.. we talked abt the civil war in sri lanka and fiji, fair trade, wto, tea habits from various countries, is Portuguese chicken well portuguese or african, why there's no Nando's in Portugal, marvel why the dalai lama makes u wanna hug him, swapped travel stories, wondered what's the difference between lady and earl grey, giggled abt random people who acts like u r homeys and think they know u just coz u are both from the same country, while chomping down asparagus finger sandwiches, sri lanka/dutch love cake, divine curry meatballs, and drinking copious amounts of tea (6 types from the same region)..

no mention.. not even a squeak of boys, babies, gossips, anything girly or superficial!!! *woah*

was just wonderful wonderful wonderful.. i love all these intelligent, educated, well traveled, insightful woman in my life! my heart like my tea cup was filled to the brim.. and just feels so gloriously content :)