tea for me.

I'm all about tea these days. Since I got my new teapot and strainer this Christmas, I've been loving the variety and fresh flavor of loose teas. Steeped properly, they are so much better than the bagged alternative.

I've been scoping out the best places to find tea in Vancouver, and I've found some beautiful shops all over the city. The two I've been frequenting are Shaktea on Main Street and David's Tea on 4th Avenue. David's Tea is a trendy little tea shop, started in Montreal by a guy who wanted to a.) be able to find a decent cup of tea and b.) make tea drinking a modern experience. The minimal decor and bright branding definitely make it so, and there are a treasure trove of flavors (the cream of earl grey is heavenly.)

Shaktea is a more exotic tea lounge; the shop is dark and cozy with a comparable selection of teas to take home or enjoy there. Service for two is a full pot of perfectly steeped tea, kept warm on a candlelit stand. I recently brought home a bag of their coconut cream chai, which is a delicious twist on the Indian standard.

The vanilla rooibos pictured is from Shaktea and was the perfect accompaniment to a recent evening of crochet hooks, new patterns and cowl design. I may be turning into an old lady, but it is technically still winter.

xo