Hello Not So Lazy Sunday

I’m starting my Sunday morning a little later than I would have liked. I had plans people! But staying up late last night contributed to my sleeping in, so I’ve no one to blame but myself – hate when that happens.

Yesterday we had a water main break almost right outside our buildings front door. This left us without water for a few hours and left me very unhappy due to no shower. Thankfully it was restored a few hours later. Right about the time I was ready to truck my shower caddy up to a friends apartment. It seems the main also destroyed some of the street too. Trust me if the water was still out today I’d be down there talking to them right now. That would certainly be a sight to see (uncombed hair, ratty t-shirt and shorts – not pretty at all). So the department of public works is back trying to fix all the damage because it has half the street closed.

Now I’m forced to listen to them clanging away outside my window. Mostly because I’m too lazy to be bothered to turn on any music. The Mr. is still asleep and I wouldn’t want to wake him. Then again if the noise outside isn’t waking him maybe the music wouldn’t either…we’ll just leave it at me being lazy.

So first thing was first I had to make a cup of tea. I’ve been really bad about having tea multiple times in the day. But some of that is due to an amazing travel mug that keeps my tea hot all day. I REALLY need to work on this. I have quite the collection to get through. Not to mention all the samples folks have been good enough to give me over the last month or so! This morning I’m enjoying a cup of Black Dragon Pearl, another from Teavana. I figured they needed a redemption after that tea fail I had last night.

From Teavana.com:

“Fashionably rare spring-harvested black tea pearls are as coveted as the legendary gems they were inspired by. Just as their bejeweled counterparts take years to become perfection, each tea pearl consists of thirty leaves and buds hand picked and immediately rolled before the leaves can dry. The famed pearls carry sweet undertones of chocolaty romance, creating a smooth, sweet-bodied exquisiteness in each cup.

Black Dragon Pearls waiting for the water...

I enjoy this tea for many reasons. The first is the multiple infusions I get out of just 1tsp of pearls. These five will get me at least three cups of tea! This tends to make me very happy considering the cost of 2oz of this tea (more on that later). I also really enjoy that each infusion is a little different from the last. The dry rolled leaves have a very chocolaty aroma to them. Sadly this is where the chocolate stops. I’ve never had the chocolate flavor come out and play when I drink this tea. This is a bit of a let down to say the very least.

I do taste the malty flavor I have come to know and love in the black teas that I drink. It is quickly becoming one of my favorite things about black teas. If that makes any sense to you at all.

The pearls infusing....I love how they uncurl.

This has to be one of my favorite teas to start my morning off. Sadly it is not a tea I can enjoy in the afternoon (even if Teavana says it is) if I want to sleep that night. But it does brew up to a lovely amber color.

Black Dragon Pearl is not one of Teavan’s cheaper teas. Tipping the price scale at $15 for 2oz! BUT it certainly isn’t their Monkey Picked Oolong which comes in at $25 for 2oz! Don;t get me wrong that Oolong is very good, but I’d like to stay married thank you very much. Right….back to the Dragon Pearl….it is worth the price because of the number of infusions you can get out of just 1 tsp.

Ready for the first sip.

Where to buy: Teavana in stores and online

Cost $15 for 2oz

Rating 3.8/5.0 – I’d REALLY like the chocolate flavor to come through with this tea and it never has.

Once I finish my cuppa I have a somewhat full day ahead of me. The Mr. and I are still on the hunt for “the” house. We’ve found one we really like, but the commute is a killer. So we want to take another look at some open houses today just for be certain this house is in fact “the” one. Then it’s on to our usual Sunday errands at the market. We might follow this up with dinner at his parents. Free dinner is great but it tends to turn into more time than we really mean to spend there. BUT I do need my rolling travel bag for World Tea East and currently it’s at the in-laws. Guess we know what my dinner plans will be.

I’d also like to get in some tea blending today as I’ve been really slacking in that department. My other goal for a while now has been to start painting again. I have all the supplies, but never seem to have the time to do it. That (hopefully) ends this weekend. I have off tomorrow too so if the painting and blending don’t happen today I will do it tomorrow! I’ll leave you with these last two images just because I can.

My tea corner in our very small kitchen.

This very post hand written first with the iPad there because it had nothing better to do.

Enjoy your Sunday/Monday depending on where you are in the world when you read this.