It’s Autumn!

And it’s time to re-stock the tea cupboard…

Our new fall fave is Pumpkin Spice Cream, a warm, comforting blend reminiscent of pumpkin pie with whipped cream on top. Yum!

Another favorite is Orange Spice, which we have in 3 versions: Regular Black, Decaf Black, & Caffeine-Free Rooibos.

Next, we’ve hand blended two new apple flavors which will only be available while supplies last this season: Spiced Apple & Caramel Apple Spice

Taste all 4 for only $1.00 on Saturday, Sept. 25th!

Expand Your Tea Horizons!

Check out the Fall Schedule of Events:

Tea Tasting Classes

Saturday Afternoons, 2:00-3:00 PM

Cost: $10/class, $25/series of 3 ~~ Complete the series and become a Certified Tea Snob!!

Series 1: October 2, 2010 (Black Teas)

October 9, 2010 (Green Teas)

& October 16, 2010 (Oolong & White Teas)

Series 2: November 6, 2010 (Black Teas)

November 13, 2010 (Green Teas)

& November 20, 2010 (Oolong & White Teas)

Class 3: Tea & Chocolate Pairing

December 4, 2010

One class only, $20

If you cannot make all three dates in one series, you may attend the corresponding tea date in the other series. Please call early as these classes fill up fast!

Reservations required ~~ Call 419-885-1515

☺ She’s Back!! ☺

Our resident reader and most intuitive lady, Retha is back!!

She’ll be here on three special evenings this season, so don’t miss these delightfully fun events we’ve got planned with Retha~~~

Tuesday Evenings, 7:00 PM

Cost: $20/class, includes Tea & Dessert

Tea Leaf Reading

October 5, 2010

Orange Spice Decaf Tea & Apple Cinnamon Scones

Attitudes of Gratitude & Mini Palm Reading

November 2, 2010

Indian Spiced Chai Decaf Tea & Pumpkin Cream Squares

Angel Card Reading

December 7, 2010

WinterBerry Cream & Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Scones

Reservations & payment in advance required

for all classes & events.

419-885-1515

Wishing you Good Tea and Good Health,

Elaine, TheTeaLady

We have FINALLY! been given our final inspection by the health department, and after much ado about nothing, and mastering all the hoop-jumping required, we have our Official Food Service License in place at our new location. 

So, we are ready to serve our home-made, made-from-scratch Scones with luscious Devonshire Clotted Cream and Strawberry Jam.  Our most popular scone is Cranberry, but we also make other flavors such as Apricot, Cherry, Chocolate Chip, Cinnamon Chip, Apple Cinnamon, Blueberry, and Cream.

Don’t forget that we now have a collection of nearly 150 varieties of tea, and are possibly the ONLY tea shop in the country that serves fresh every tea in the shop, whether hot or iced. 

We have the most serene atmosphere in the entire area, so when you are in need of a lite bite, come for Afternoon Cream Tea at Elaine’s.  We guarantee you will be totally relaxed and renewed by the time you walk out the door! 

Don’t forget that we have Wi-Fi too when you need a quiet place to cruise the net or read your e-mail, come on in to our quiet tea spot and have a spot of tea.

Mmmm…  Lavender Lemonade

One of our unique summer coolers is our Lavender Lemonade, which was featured in an article in Midwest Living Magazine!  It’s really easy to make, and we’ll give you the recipe with purchase of a bag of lavender bud.  We carry only the best culinary grade, organic Tibetan Wild Lavender which can be used for any recipe calling for that wonderful herb. 

419-885-1515

Contact Us with any questions you may have about tea—types or flavors—home tea parties–how to prepare tea—health benefits—or to sign up for an event. Watch our next newsletter for upcoming autumn events!

Wishing you Good Tea and Good Health,   Elaine, TheTeaLady

To those who’ve not yet been in to check out the new shop, it’s time to stock up on some yummy fruit flavored teas for this perfect Iced Tea weather we’re having.  We have over 60 flavored varieties that make delicious iced teas.  Here are just a few on the list:

Arctic Raspberry

Wild Blackberry

Blackberries & Cream (Elaine’s favorite!)

Peach Apricot

Lemon Supreme

Iced Vanilla Chai (yum!)

Strawberry Shortcake

Wild Strawberry

Pomegranate White

Ginger Orange Peach Green

Orange Blossom Oolong

Moroccan Breeze Mint Green

If you’re not fond of the flavored varieties, we have many traditional teas that can be iced.  Our favorite new unflavored iced tea is a Ceylon Vithanakanda Estate Tea, Grade OP1, which is the highest grade of tea out of Sri Lanka—a find we discovered on our trip to Sri Lanka in January.  It has a wonderful long, twisted leaf with a smooth, delicate, flowery character—positively refreshing!

So, come on by and give us a peek!  And, if you don’t live close enough to stop in soon, don’t forget that you can peruse our tea collection on our new web site at  www.wildorchidteas.com

Ordering is a snap!

And, if you really can’t wait until you come in to see the new shop, we’ve posted some photos on our blog, found at the wildorchidteas web site link above.

News on Tea & Health 

Tea is always in the news with constant reports of how it supports the body and can lead to better health.  There are almost 1000 studies conducted a year on tea, so it’s no wonder.  Here are a few of the recent reports:

Hip Fractures & Osteoporosis   An Australian study suggests that drinking tea may help strengthen hips in older female patients. Patients who drank about three cups of tea per day showed a higher bone density compared to non-drinkers. Antioxidant flavanoids are believed to contribute towards bone mineral density by a stimulatory effect on new cells that build bone. Hip fractures and osteoporosis remain a major cause of disability for older women.

Increased Fat Burning Metabolism  A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that green tea can not only prevent heart diseases, but also help burn fat.  The authors of the study found that green tea extracts increased the rate at which the body metabolizes fat, enhancing the amount of generated energy by up to 17 percent.

Slow Onset of Dementia  Research from the University of Singapore shows that drinking two to three cups of tea a day can halve the risk of early signs of dementia.  Ina a study of lifestyle habits of 2,500 people aged 55 and over, it was found that sipping through a couple of cups of black tea per day can cut the risk of cognitive decline by 55%, and up to 63% for heavy tea drinkers.  According to scientists, no protective effects on the brain were noted for caffeine, which indicates that the polyphenols found in tea were responsible for the increased brain function.  It is believed that polyphenols prevent oxidation of brain cells and block build-up of plaques in the brain.

EGCG Cancer Fighting Mechanism Discovered  In a breakthrough study, American researchers have figured out how polyphenols contained in green tea and red wine inhibit cancer growth.  The experiment, carried out on mice genetically altered to develop a human prostate cancer tumor, shows that green tea compounds EGCG and polyphenol E disrupt a specific cell-signaling pathway that is often responsible for cancer growth.  The finding is important because it may lead to the development of drugs that could stop or slow cancer progression, or improve current treatments.  Scientists working on the study are convinced that tea, and wine in moderation, may be ranked among the most potent ‘health foods’.

Hours:

10am-5pm  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday  10am-4pm  Friday, Saturday

Closed  Sunday, Monday

New Address:  5442 Monroe Street,  Toledo, OH 43623  419-885-1515

Wishing you Good Tea and Good Health,   Elaine, TheTeaLady

-Benjamin Franklin

Well, times certainly have changed in the last year, and more change is in the air for Elaine’s Tea Shoppe.  We are not finished!

Many small businesses have been forced to close due to the recent economy, and some are downsizing to stay alive. We choose to be among the latter, and so, we have chosen to move the shop to a great new location where our overhead better matches these tough times. It is a tiny bit smaller and we will be permanently discontinuing our lunch service, but we will continue to serve tea and scones in a more contemporary setting.

Our décor will be much the same, with fewer tables, but with the addition of a tea bar.  Elaine’s focus has always been about the tea itself and a tea bar will provide a great space for doing more tea tastings.  Our new tea wall will actually be longer meaning we will be bringing you even more great tea selections.

”Change starts when someone sees the next step.”

~William Drayton

So, here’s our time schedule over the next few months.  We will be open at the old location through Saturday, March 20, 2010.  Our lunch service is now discontinued, but you can always get a cup of tea, and scones if we have them.

We will then be moving out by the end of the month, and madly preparing the new location for business.  We hope for this to not take more than two months, and sooner, if at all possible.  Our projected re-open date is by no later than Tuesday, June 1, 2010.

The new location is at 5442 Monroe Street, almost right across from Mancy’s Italian, between Laskey and Whiteford Rds.  We’ll be easy to find and feel this is such a great central location.  We will also have reserved parking spaces in front of the shop just for our customers.

“The key to success is often the ability to adapt.”  -Unknown

It is very important to us that we continue to serve you the best we can during this transition.

We don’t want you to do without your tea!!  So, if you’re part of our tea tin refill program, and run out of tea, please call us and we will meet you

by appointment at the new location to provide your refills in the interim. Or if you just need a tea fix or a new flavor or a special tea gift for a friend, please don’t hesitate to call.  We’ll do our best to arrange a time to meet with you throughout April and May.

New Hours:
We’ll be changing our hours slightly to better serve you as well.

New hours are:

10am-5pm
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

10am-4pm
Friday, Saturday

Closed
Sunday, Monday

New Address:

5442 Monroe Street
Toledo, OH 43623

419-885-1515

We’ll let you know as soon as we have a Grand Opening date!

Until then…keep in touch.

Wishing you Good Tea and Good Health, Elaine, TheTeaLady

All Each evening is $20/person and includes a scrumptious dessert paired with a coordinating tea (decaf always available). Our chef Jennifer will delight your taste buds with her culinary creations! Reservations required in advance.

Feng Shui

July 14, 2009 * 7:00 PM

Everyone has heard of Feng Shui, but do you know how to apply it in your daily life? We’ll learn simple tips on how to rearrange things in your home and in other areas of your life to bring about the proper flow of energy or Chi as the Chinese call it. Taught by our delightful, warm hearted, knowledgeable and always entertaining friend, Retha Martin. Don’t miss it!

Drumming Vibrations

August 11, 2009 * 7:00 PM

Retha will introduce us to the connection between the beating of your heart and the beating drum. We’ll do some drumming ourselves and experience the intense healing sound therapy of drumming vibrations to help bring your body back into balance. Join us for this uplifting experience!

Tea Leaf Readings

September 15, 2009 * 7:00 PM

Our resident reader and extraordinary intuitive, Retha, will give you a revealing peek into what’s going on in your life, and has a gift for honing in on what you really need to hear. Sometimes touching, always positive, light and delightfully entertaining!

Spiritual Development

October 13, 2009, 7:00 PM

This is a totally new workshop where you will learn how to enhance and develop your psychic and intuitive sides. We all know we have intuition. Come and find out how to take it to the next level and get better at directing your own life, as well as others with whom you choose to share your insights. What better time of year than around Halloween to expand your extra senses? Don’t miss this personal growth opportunity—it promises to be an enlightening evening!

Tea Tasting Series

Saturday afternoons, this Autumn, no dates set yet.

This is the best way for you to get introduced to the vast world of tea. Elaine will give you an overview of the saucy history of tea and help you to gain a clear understanding of all the different types of tea. Plus, you will taste some of the finest teas in the world and walk away with the ability to make great tea choices for your lifelong enjoyment of tea.

Tea Leaf Readings

November 10, 2009 * 7:00 PM

This is the LAST Tea Leaf Reading for the year—don’t miss it and be sure to sign up early to make sure you get a seat!

Angel Card Readings

December 8, 2009 * 7:00 PM

This is our last event of the year! Ring in the holidays with a fun and festive Angel Card Reading and enjoy a peek into what the New Year may hold for you. Retha has a special connection to the angels, and will help you to bring these light beings more closely into your life. Lots of fun and a great way to get into the holiday spirit. Sign up early as we usually run out of seats on this one!

New Class and Event Policy

Reminder: Whenever possible, please pay in advance to reserve your seat at any of our events. Our speaker comes from the Sandusky area, and in fairness to her time and the distance she travels to be with us, please make sure you arecommitted to attending. If you can’t make it, please pass youy ticket on to a lucky friend to use in your place.

Summer Time is Tea Time!

With the heat of the summer upon us, there’s no better way to cool off, quench thirst and get healthy than with a refreshing cup of iced tea. We have the best selection of gourmet iced teas you will find—with over 60 flavors at last count! And our Lavender Lemonade just can’t be beat to cool the summer’s heat!

Arctic Raspberry

Wild Blackberry

Mango Mist

Strawberries & Cream

Blueberry Green

Iced Vanilla Chai

Tuscany Pear

Peach Apricot

Earl Green

French Vanilla

Moroccan Breeze Mint

Lemon Supreme

Chocolate Mint

Mandarin Orange

Cherry Rose Festival

…to name a few!

Healthy Eating in the Most Relaxing Atmosphere in town!

What better way to spend some quality time with your children, grandchildren or nieces than to treat them to Tea Time at Elaine’s?

We are happy to work with each party to accommodate any special menu needs you may have, and we work with each group to create just the right menu for you. We even have hats, gloves, boas and beads for little (and big!) girls who want to really dress for the occasion.

While we don’t require reservations for lunch, it’s always a good idea, as we never know how many walk-in customers we will have. We have a limited number of tables, and if you call ahead, we’ll be sure to set one for you! If you have a group of 4 or more, we do request that you always make a reservation in advance.

Don’t forget, Chef Jenn shops local Farmer’s Markets regularly to bring you the freshest foods, organic when possible. And she’s come up with even more gluten free desserts for you to enjoy.

Lunch Hours: 11:00am-3:00pm Tuesday-Saturday

Good Tea and Good Health, Elaine, TheTeaLady

And from past newsletters:

The Tea Times

New events schedule—finally!!

Tea Tasting Classes

February 28, 2009, 1:00 PM, Black Teas

March 7, 2009, 1:00 PM, Green Teas

March 14, 2009, Rare White & Oolong Teas

Want to become a tea snob? Learn more about the vast world of tea? Or just taste more teas before you buy? Come to our tea tasting classes and try some of the most premium teas from some of the most prestigious tea estates around the world.

If you complete the whole series, you will become an Official Tea Snob, complete with certificate to prove it! Better yet, you will have gained a more educated tea palate, and will now be able to open up to the huge variety available to enjoy in the tea world. We have over 130 teas in our shop alone, and there are thousands of varieties of tea throughout the world.

Each class is now only $8/person and the whole series is only $20!

Call 419-885-1515 soon to sign up.

Tea Leaf Readings

March 10, 2009, 7:00 PM, 1st Tea Leaf Reading of the Year

May 12, 2009, 7:00 PM, Tea Leaf Reading

September 15, 2009, 7:00 PM, Tea Leaf Reading

November 10, 2009, 7:00 PM, LAST Tea Leaf reading of the Year

These are our only scheduled tea leaf readings for the year, so be sure to sign up early. Our resident reader, Retha, will give you a revealing peek into what’s going on in your life, and has a gift for honing in on what you really need to hear. Sometimes touching, always delightfully entertaining!

Don’t miss one of these fun evenings!

Each evening we will also serve a scrumptious dessert paired with a coordinating tea (decaf always available). Our culinarian Jennifer will delight your taste buds with her creations.

Each evening is $20/person which includes the reading and tea & dessert.

Call 419-885-1515 to sign up for a tea leaf reading.

Discover your Chinese Archetype

April 4, 2009, 1:00 PM, Chinese Archetypes

Elaine will be presenting a new class on discovering your Chinese Archetypes. Those include Wind, Water, Fire, Earth and Wood. Which one is your predominant type? How does that affect your personality? Learn the dominant traits of each type and become more effective at dealing with other people. Learn how your Archetype Profile affects your attitudes, behaviors, and overall health.

Cost is $20/person and will include a variety tea snack plate and tea of your choice.

Call us at 419-885-1515 to sign up for this fun, informative event.

Spring Cleaning for the Soul

April 14, 2009, 7:00 PM, Spring Cleaning for the Soul

Clean out those cobwebs left over from a long hard winter, or whatever might be hanging around from the past year. We clean our houses regularly, but we don’t always remember that our psyches need a little attention, too. Learn some valuable techniques for clearing out your spiritual side, and start this spring refreshed, revitalized and ready to face the world! Taught by our delightful, warm hearted, knowledgeable and always entertaining friend, Retha Martin. Don’t miss it!

Cost: $20 per person and includes tea & delectable goodies.

Call 419-885-1515 to sign up early—we expect this event to sell out.

New Class and Event Policy

Due to some confusion in the past with collecting payment and last minute cancellations for our shop classes and events, it is now our policy to collect payment in advance for each event. You will need to purchase a TICKET for each event, and there will be no refunds, just as when you buy a ticket for a theater event, for example. If you are unable to make an event, you will be allowed to attend another one instead, provided there is room. People signing up for an event will have priority over make-up attendees. You may also pass your ticket on to a friend if you are unable to attend. In the event that we need to cancel an event due to bad weather or illness of the presenter, we will schedule a make-up date, and you may attend either the make up or any other event of your choice. You will, in that case, have priority over any other attendees. We regret any inconvenience, but last minute cancellations are just not fair to our presenters who have reserved their time for your entertainment.

Treat Yourself to Lunch!

Healthy Eating in the Most Relaxing Atmosphere in town!

Our new lunch menu is off to a roaring start! Our imaginative chef, Jennifer is always coming up with new recipes creating great variety in what we have for lunch offerings. We are very conscious of making sure that everything we serve is also healthy. We use organic whenever possible. Jen searches out low-cal, healthy variations. OK, so some of our delectable desserts are just plain loaded with all the goodies, but once in awhile it’s ok to treat yourself to something dripping in calories. But even there, we’ve got some healthier offerings like Jen’s Fruit, Yogurt & Granola Parfait, and our newest dessert, made from scratch Gluten Free, Low Sugar Carrot Cake. You’ve just got to taste this!

While we don’t require reservations for lunch, it’s always a good idea, even if you call that same morning. We have a limited number of tables, and if you call ahead, we’ll be sure to set one for you! And, if you have a group of 4 or more, we do request that you make a reservation in advance.

Book your next special lunch with us soon!

Just call 419-885-1515 during our regular hours:

Monday 10am-4pm

Tuesday 10am-4pm

Wednesday 10am-6pm

Thursday 10am-6pm

Friday 10am-4pm

Saturday 10am-4pm

Good Tea and Good Health, Elaine, TheTeaLady

PAST NEWSLETTERS

New Saturday Tea Tastings

June 21, 2008, 3:00 PM

July 5, 2008, 3:00 PM

July 19, 2008, 3:00 PM

For us, it’s all about the tea! Come taste the most exclusive & expensive teas in the world!

Explore the rich history of tea, learn about the different types, the many great health benefits of tea, and much more. Each time we’ll ‘cup’ (the term for tasting tea) at least 8 different teas. We want you to have the opportunity to “try before you buy”, and this is a great way to expand your tea repertoire.

New lower price—just $8.00 for each session.

But, if you buy and bring Elaine’s “Tea Taster’s Journal”—you can come to as many tasting sessions as you like—for *FREE*!!

PLUS, after tasting a total of 32 teas, you will automatically become an Official Tea Snob and be awarded the certificate to prove it!

*****Private Tea Tastings also available by reservation.*****

Call 419-885-1515 to reserve your spot!

Tea & Story Time

with Emma Lea Books

Thursdays: July 17, July 24, July 31, 2008, 2:00 PM

Looking for a fun summertime activity? Join us for this new story-time series from the Emma Lea books:

Emma Lea’s First Tea Party,

Emma Lea’s Magic Teapot,

and Emma Lea’s First Tea Ceremony.

This delightful series will be read by an expert in story-time for children, and we’ll enjoy tea and desserts as she reads. Sign up soon—seating is limited.

$12/person, includes tea, desserts, and storytime.

June 18, 2008, 7PM, Feminine Moon Energy Workshop

This event is full!

July 16, 2008, 7PM, Tea Leaf Reading

August 13, 2008, 7PM, Your Sacred Space

Using Feng Shui to make your home your sanctuary

September 17, 2008, 7PM, Tea Leaf Reading

October 15, 2008, 7PM, Intuition Workshop

November 12, 2008, 7PM, Tea Leaf Reading

Final Tea Leaf Reading of the year.

December 10, 2008, 7 PM, Angel Card Reading

New Flavors are Here!

Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

Peppermint Patty (yes, it tastes just like one!—caffeine-free, too)

Chocolate Mint……….Crème Brulee’

Chocolate Cherry Cordial (caffeine-free)

Caramel Rooibos (caffeine-free)

……….and Lover’s Rose!

HEALTH NEWS

Well, you might want to add green tea to your weight loss plan. Besides a healthy diet with exercise, green tea has been shown to support weight loss in many ways. Green tea contains high concentrations of catechins which work with other chemicals in the body to intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis. That’s the process where heat is created in the body by burning fuels such as fat. Drinking green tea regularly will increase your metabolism and help burn fat safely and naturally.

Green tea also causes carbohydrates to be released slowly, preventing sharp increases in blood-insulin levels. This promotes the burning of fat. Weight is gained as excess sugars and fats are stored in the body as fat cells. Green tea catechins can help prevent obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose in fat cells. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) has been found to be especially effective. There is now good evidence that green tea catechins are related to reductions in body fat, and according to an experiment at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, subjects also experienced a significant increase in daily energy expenditure.

Tea Time Coins are Here

Elaine’s Tea Shoppe is the first tea shop in the country to introduce Tea Time Coins. These great little ceramic coins are the ultimate in contemporary gift giving. They come in 3 different denominations–$5, $10, & $25, and can be given and used just like gift certificates. The $5 gift coin makes a great addition to one of our new sampler packs. What a great gift for a tea loving friend or someone you’d like to introduce to the wide world of tea.

Tea Time Coins also come in two other varieties. One is for a free cup (French Press Pot) of tea, which is what you will receive with a filled Tea Drinker’s Club Card. After turning in your filled club card, you carry the coin, and redeem it for your free cup whenever you want. The other coin is for the Wild Orchid Tea Club. It only costs $1 to join (basically to cover the cost of the coin should it break). You’ll carry this coin until you get 7 stamps on the back after purchasing 7 tins of Wild Orchid Tea. Then, you can redeem the coin for a free refill of any one of your tins (even our most premium teas!). What a fun way to save!

Rewards for Recycling

Recycle your Wild Orchid Tea Tins. That is, bring them in for refills, and we will give you $2.50 off the original price!

The overall mission of Elaine’s Tea Shoppe is to promote health and well being for each of us, our environment, and our planet. So besides carrying only the most natural body care and aromatherapy product lines, and constantly searching out more organic tea sources, serving fresh and healthy foods (OK, OK, some of our delectables are downright sinful!), we actively promote re-use and recycling.

Tins are the best way to store your tea, and our double lidded tin is the ultimate in tea storage. Tins last a long time, and so, why pay for a new one every time you need more tea like you have to with Republic of Tea and other companies who package in tins? Now, we realize that life is hectic these days. So, should you run by the shop and not have your tin with you, we will still have all our teas packaged in the refill bags. Either way you save, and you help save the planet too!

Did you know?

High Tea is not really the same elegant affair as Afternoon Tea. High tea refers to the heavy evening meal that was eaten at around 6PMby the working class at a high dinner table. Low Tea or Afternoon Tea was the traditional elegant afternoon affair where little sandwiches and pastries were served at 4PM in sitting rooms with stuffed chairs and low side tables.

Check out our entire events schedule anytime at www.thetealady.com Questions? Call us at 419-885-1515 to sign up for an event, schedule a luncheon or afternoon tea, or a private tea tasting.