Archive for October, 2006
October 30, 2006 at 10:48 pm · Filed under Tea
As I came home from Chinatown, today, I began contemplating “gourmet” tea and what it truly entails. What got me started down this road were the long aisles of boxed teas available in the Chinese stores. There were literally hundreds of them, and they were just labeled “green tea” or something basic like jasmine, woo long, or black tea. The majority of them were in tea bags, but I was able to find a good many loose leaf teas in tins.
Adagio says that “gourmet” teas are made exclusively from the plant’s most tender young leaves. Tea pickers, usually working by hand, select the plant’s two youngest leaves and a yet-to-open bud. These tender new leaves produce a tea that is more gentle and flavorful than the older varieties. The more common older leaves typically end up on your supermarket shelf.
Today, I picked up 3 different teas, and I thought about the 3 teas I got from ‘My Place for Tea.’ There, I basically paid $15 for 150gms of tea. At the Chinese place, I paid half the price and got double the amount of tea. It got me wondering if I was being screwed on these “gourmet” teas. Does the tender younger leaves actually make a greater difference in the taste of the flavor or is it nice way to make an extra buck? If they sit on the shelf for awhile, does that change the taste to an older leaf?
The one good thing that the “gourmet” shops have going for them is a noticeable variety. They carefully distinguish the green teas by name and flavor and taste. With the Chinese store I really wasn’t sure what kind I was going to get. They all said “green tea” though there are many different kinds. (Unless there is one Chinese variety that specifically falls under “green tea”) I haven’t found any store as remotely good as the tea shop in Portland. It had a wall of jars and different varieties. The owners were also knowledgeable on our questions.
Well, it’s getting late and I dont know where I’m going with this. Basically, I picked up 3 teas: 1 gunpowder, 1 “green tea”, and 1 “woo loong”. Though, that is very vague description. I suppose the Chinese store might have its own place in my home just like the Lipton bags or the yuppie Gourmet shops. Good loose tea at more affordable and larger quantity.
October 26, 2006 at 8:02 pm · Filed under Lifestyle
October 24, 2006 at 10:20 am · Filed under Music
Over the last week, I’ve ordered some new music and DVDs.
The first CD is “Live at the Jazz Bakery” by Sara Gazarek. Last year, I was listening to NPR and was about to head downtown. Her song “All or Nothing at All” came on and I had to stop what I was doing. I zoned out and waited for NPR to tell me her name. After that, I went to her website and listened to a couple of her other songs. I think I ordered her CD a day later.
So “Live at the Jazz Bakery” is a recorded live performance with her singing some new and oldie songs. I ordered this as soon as I saw it. The website said it was only available online with limited pressings and autograph, which I got thank-you-very-much.
Then, last week, I ordered “DVD by Sexy”, “Sabbia”, and Ten East.
“DVD by Sexy” is a rock-umentary of The Eagles of Death Metal. It’s directed by Liam Lynch (the “Whatever” guy, who is also directing the new Tenacious D movie.) I’m not exactly sure what’s on the DVD, but I’m sure it will be sexy. QOTSA had something similar to this in their deluxe edition of Lullabies to Paralyze.
Sabbia” is the result of a 2 year collaboration between filmmaker Kate McCabe and musician Brant Bjork. While being neither a visual album or traditional documentary, the experimental and trippy film takes you on a California journey from “high” desert to low desert showing a beautiful and mystical landscape through many perfectly lovely and some stoney weirdo moments. Hope to see you there!
In the last 2 years, Brant Bjork has become one of my favorite artists. He recorded some music just for this DVD, and I’m excited to hear and watch it.
Ten East is a musical side project with collaborating artists, which should be similar to “Sabbia”. Brant makes an appearance along some members of Yawning Man, which is another desert band.
Hurry up mail man!
October 20, 2006 at 9:27 am · Filed under News Events
October 18, 2006 at 9:09 am · Filed under Lifestyle
This is a rough sketch of my Halloween costume featuring the Flying Spaghetti Monster. I usually walk around the apartment with a blanket over my shoulders, so I figure that will be a good starting point. I’ll try to find a fuzzy blanket, which I can cut up to make the pasta noodles. The eyes will be styrofoam with a wire or spring holding them up. The meatballs will also be brown styrofoam balls. Then, I need to walk around preaching the gospel of the FSM and the eight “I’d Really Rather You Didn’ts.”
UPDATE 1:
I visited the thrift store and picked up everything I should need for less than $8.00. I bought 2 extremely large beige cloths. I’m gonna drape one of them over me and cut the ends into noodles. The second sheet, I’ll cut into lengthwise strips and wrap those around me for longer noodles. I got 2 candy bags. They were circular enough so that I can stuff them and use them as the meatballs. I just have to paint them. The googely eyes are pretty self explanatory. I just need to fix them on my shoulders, and I’ll carry around the book that I bought for $0.85.
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