Diddy Enjoying His Tea in a Whole New Way

Nothing is better than a good cup of tea, no matter what you are doing or where you are and at the recent Cannes Film Festival Diddy proved that when he was captured by photographers enjoying a cup in a 
rather unique way. The good people of POPSUGAR provide us with a brief summary and an image of Diddy and his tea holder. Could “Personal Tea Holders” be the beginning of a whole new trend?

Glynis Legrand says she’s been “surprised to find out that there are so many closet tea drinkers.” Having recently opened the Urban Tea Loft – a tea shop, salon and restaurant – in Chandler Arizona, Legrand has joined the growing number of retail teashops arising in the American Southwest. Her story and those of other tea retailers in the area, recently came to light in an AZCentral.com news article.

Why the trend toward tea? One reason might be the health benefits. “With blended, flavored coffee drinks pushing 300 and 400 calories, switching to tea sometimes or all the time can be a way to watch the waistline,” article author Geri Koeppel notes.

Legrand seems to agree, “I think people are really looking for an alternative.”

With few calories, and an impressive list of health benefits, tea does provide a distinct choice. But consumers also enjoy variety in the styles of tea venues springing up. While Legrand and her husband’s business is “gender-neutral,” other area establishments might be described as having the feminine touch. Like Tealicious in Ahwatukee, Arizona, which features old-fashioned tea parties, or Tea Dreams in Gilbert, described as the “ultimate girls’ day out retreat.” Not your cup of tea? Try your luck at Tea Infusion Bar and Cafe which has the easygoing atmosphere of a “casual hangout.”

To learn more about these establishments, or to plan your own tea getaway, read the full news story here.

Gentle women have been sipping tea in Europe and the United States for centuries. By the late 1880s, however, we were blessed with a world-class artist who captured this relaxing pastime in her work. You’ve probably seen prints and posters derived from her original paintings and pastel renderings; they remain quite popular to this day. But you may not know the artist behind the colorful images.

Mary Stevenson Cassatt was born in Philadelphia and studied art abroad where she focused on the Old Masters. Cassatt drew acclaim as the only American selected to exhibit with the French Impressionists. She is also recognized for her depictions of the social and private lives of women. One typical subject was that of well-bred ladies enjoying tea.

By 1908, deteriorating eyesight virtually ended Cassatt’s career, but – luckily for us – she had already given the world a unique body of work. Today you can view much of Cassatt’s art online, including her tea-themed paintings. Afternoon Tea Party can be seen at the New York Public Library Website and The Cup of Tea is only a click away at the Metropolitan Museum of Art site, where you can also find pages filled with additional information on Cassatt.

Five O’clock Tea by Mary Cassatt

“Thanks, but that’s not my cup of tea.” You’ve probably heard this phrase before. In fact, you may use it in daily conversation. But where did the expression originate? We recently went in search of the history behind this and other tea expressions.

The phrase “not your cup of tea” means that something is “not to your liking.” According to the Translation Dictionary the expression got its start in the late 1800s when Brits, when referring to the popular drink, began saying that something they liked was their “cup of tea.” But time changes things. Later, probably sometime in the 1920s, the expression took a twist to indicate the opposite.

What about “tempest in a teapot?” Michael Quinion of Worldwide Words, is more familiar with the British version of this colloquialism, “storm in a teacup.” “Either way,” he says “it’s a delightful phrase for a fuss about nothing very much, or a dispute of only minor or local importance.” The American variation seems to be older, at least a century and a half old with the earliest example found in a long-defunct journal called The United States Democratic Review of January 1838 about the Supreme Court.

“Not for all the tea in China” is another well worn expression. The idiom is used to stress that the deed in question would not be performed for any price. Writers at the Human Flower Project say it was first used in Australia in the 1890s and “recalls that tea was initially a rich person’s drink in Europe. When the East India Tea Company first brought tea to Holland, it cost $100 per pound.”