Monday, July 4, 2016

T Stands For Spice Merchant, part 3

I apologize if this is redundant, but I have no telephone OR internet (both are served by AT&T).  Using my neighbor Sally's phone, I called AT&T on Saturday, but due to the three day holiday, they can't send anyone out until Tuesday between 2 pm and 4 pm.  So, those of you signing up for T will have to get by without me until they figure out what is wrong with my phone and internet.  I fear it's due to all the rain, but I can't be sure.  Be aware I'll be by one way or another before the end of Tuesday to celebrate T with you.  Until then, this is a scheduled post.


It's time for our final visit to The Spice Merchant.

We're now heading to the tea section as promised.

Although I actually took this photo to show the tiered plates that would be useful for serving traditional sandwiches and scones for high tea, this seems to be the ONLY photo I got of some of the jars of loose leaf tea they sell.

I'll let you look wander around as I did, taking in all the tea cozies, tea pots, cups, saucers, creamers, and accouterments needed for a successful tea experience.




The teas are hidden behind this row of shelving.  You might be able to see some of the jars in the background.

I was fascinated by these cups and was going to buy one,

then read the label on the bottom which warned they were for decoration ONLY, and not to be used for drinking.  Sort of put a damper on my desire to own one.




I got a bit carried away with the flowery teapots that were lined up along one long wall.

But it was really time to purchase the ONE tea I came to buy.

OK, I got a bit carried away, didn't I?  It gets away from you when you go to a place like this and see something new you want to try.

Although I came to buy the Hibiscus tea, I found these cute little tea spoons

I couldn't resist getting.  Talk about decoration, only!  They may look good in a sugar bowl, though.


Bleubeard would have been upset if I hadn't bought some blueberry.



I had three different people waiting on me.  I got so many teas, they had every scale going at the same time.

I actually came for this tea so I could use it for dyeing.  I can't wait to get started dyeing old cotton bed sheets with this tea.  I may even have a cup or three of it, too.

Since the spices are not shown on The Spice Merchant's web site (which I failed to link before), I thought I would share them here.  Both spices and spice blends are shown.

Now you can see what a difficult time I had deciding on the teas I wanted.

Don't fall off your chairs, but here was the final total:

12 each one ounce containers of various teas, most of which were $1.25 each ($11.25), but three were $2.50 each ($7.50).
1/4 lb Hibiscus tea was $5.00
2 decorative spoons at $2.29 each
This came to $26.04 before tax, which is a whopping 7.5% for a grand total of $27.99.
Looks like I got out of the store cheaper than Sally after all.

Now that I've taken up so much of your time this week, it's your turn to share your T inspired link.  You may show a glass of water, mug of coffee, cup of tea, glass of buttermilk, bottle of wine, you get the picture.  But don't feel you have to limit it to a physical drink.  You could share the drink while you are out and about, in a postcard, movie, book you are reading, garden plant, or a sketch, scrapbook page, painting, or collage made in your journal or altered book.  Your spread could be traditional, hybrid, or completely digital.  Of course, you can also visit a tea shop, too!  The choice is yours.



16 thoughtful remarks:

Valerie-Jael said...

I'm sorry that you are still 'disconnected' and hope it will soon be repaired.I would sooooo love to look at that great spice shop and look at all those lovely things. Thanks for sharing your visit there, happy T day, hugs, Valerie

Lisca said...

Oh dear what a palaver! I hope they sort out your internet connection soon.
I really enjoyed another visit to the spice shop. Yes, this would be my favorite department too. I drooled over all those lovely teapots, and that huge tea cup that was for decoration only is a flower pot. One is supposed to put a plant in it. I had one when I lived in the UK, but some things just didn't get packed to go to Spain and this was one of them.
Your spoons are gorgeous! And your collection of teas to try is awesome. Tell us what you think when you start trying them. I read through the list of teas with pleasure. I drink a lot of herbal tea and green tea. A lot of my friends are Argentinian and they drink maté from a little pot through a straw like device.
Thanks for sharing all that lovliness.
Greetings from sunny Spain,
Lisca

jinxxxygirl said...

Elizabeth this was wonderful! I think i would have walked out of there like you with so many to try. :) I'm mostly a coffee drinker but i do like tea, usually only Lipton black tea... and the occassional green tea or chai... I usually only drink tea in the winter time... I like a big mug while watching TV when its cold..brrr... Thank you so much for the tour! Happy Tday Hugs! deb

~*~Patty S said...

Gosh I feel for you having connection problems E!
Hope you get that all sorted out soon.
Your scheduled Part Three is fabulous.
Wonderful photos of everything tea and more.
The Lavender tea cozies and those tea pots oh my!
Sweet little spoons I can see why you had to have them.
And you certainly got a great variety of teas for a nice price.
I am imagining some lovely pink colored dye from your Hibiscus tea.
Happy T Day and Happy July oxo

johanna said...

how wonderful to have a second visit to this wonderful shop - it would be very tempting and i would have to hold my portemonnaie.
crossing my fingers to get your Internet Problems fixed soon. we feel only being half without it meanwhile, don´t we.
hope you have a great week!

froebelsternchen said...

Hope that you get your inet problems fixed very soon dear E. just annoying, I feel with you♥!
What an amazing shop. I so enjoyed to see the tea section ! Gorgeous!
Happy T-Day Elizabeth!
oxo Susi

pearshapedcrafting said...

As you know I am not a tea drinker but I did love seeing the china teasets, the cute little birdie jugs, the range of teas that there are and those lovely spoons! Hope you can get things sorted later! Hugs, Chrisx

My name is Erika. said...

This is my favorite view I can't believe that cup was not for drinking. I think it would have made a great one for long sips on cold or rainy days. Being a tea drinker I would have loved some of those teas so this is my favorite post of the 3. Hope your internet/phone is back on time today. Also Hope you had a good July 4 and the rain is gone. Happy t day. Hugs wrija

My name is Erika. said...

Typing on my phone this morning and obviously I missed a few letters. Hugs erika. Not wrija. 😀

Darla said...

So many choices. No wonder you came home with a big variety. It didn't seem very expensive to me. I was thinking $40-50 range. We like making tea with the loose leaf hibiscus. I'll bet your dyed paper or fabric is going to be beautiful too.

Divers and Sundry said...

I hope they fix you up soon! I'd have trouble choosing from among these teapots! And from among all the teas! That would be such a treasure of a shop to have local access to.

Meggymay said...

I have so enjoyed my visit with you to the shop. Those tea varieties look so tempting. I think by prices here , if such a variety were available in a shop here, would have cost quite a bit more money.
The cups and tea pots looked lovely and your spoon choice would have been a definite buy for me as well.
Happy Tuesday.
Yvonne xx

Carol said...

I hope they get your internet and phone fixed TODAY if they haven't already! Love all of those tea cozies and the teas... ok so pretty much everything there. The Hibiscus tea sounds wonderful ♥

Rita said...

Gosh! I just love that shop!! I'm not much of a tea drinker, but I do love white teas so I'd be diving into that China White Tea--using the little teaspoon to scoop it out of the bag. Nice!

I hope your internet and phone get fixed today. I was just without internet myself over part of the weekend should probably call today. I'm not sure what they can do if it is working again. *sigh* Hope you're online again soon.

Cazzy said...

Hi Elizabeth,
I hope you get back online soon and get the phone sorted. That is a fascinating tea shop, I love it! There is one in London I used to wander round when I was working near enough to go there in my lunch break but it was a very small shop so everything was more packed in!
You really should try the hibiscus tea, it is quite nice.
Happy T day.
Cazzy x

Let's Art Journal said...

Wow, that shop is so amazing! I bet you could spend a week in there and still not see everything :-) I particularly like the lavender tea cosy and the teapots and little bird jugs, they are beautiful! Thanks for sharing and Happy T day! J :-)