When the weather isn't so amazing, I either love working at home or if I'm super distracted, I grab some magazines or a book and venture out. It's great to go to Starbucks; however, I don't drink that much coffee anymore and so I search for such places as Subtle Tea. This is a cute place on Madison Ave. They are known for being able to assist you in choosing the perfect tea based on the time of day or what may be ailing you at the time. If you forgot reading material, the communal table will hook you up and what a great way to spend the day, see a new side of town or (gasp) get a little work done thanks to the free Wifi and great nibbles that are available!

Subtle Tea

121 Madison Ave

NY, NY

Today we are taking a bit of a breather since the week has been so busy! So instead of mentioning great places to get a drink or a way to make a new one, we want you to relax a bit and have something a little fragrant that you can enjoy in whichever way you decide to spend today! With notes of White Tea and Pink Peppercorn, there are definitely sweet smells to be had with the Hard Candy Fragrance and because of this, it was a natural choice in terms of our weeklong giveaway where 4 lucky winners will get to try this out for their very own!

Congratulations Dorian, Kam, Jennae and Michelle! I will definitely contact you individually but loved hearing about your favorite scents. It's amazing how many we go through and which ones we love no matter what. With that being said, I hope this is one that you will make a fave in your cabinets!

Can you believe that June is almost over? Fourth of July is days away and so you have to think about what you're doing, what party you will plan and more. Well here is a drink that you could make for your guests during your party - American Patriotic Tea! I love that this recipe on Cocktail Times is one that you can modify with a variety of flavors! If you love this recipe, you'll have to visit the site to find a lot more that would work with a number of dinners, events and more that you'll host! For me, I would add raspberry liquer in this as well as I think that that would be a refreshing flavor. I think even adding in a molasses taste would be nice as well. So definitely try it like this and then let your creativity kick in!

AMERICAN PATRIOTIC TEA RECIPE

Ingredients:

- 4 cups water

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 8 black tea bags

- 1 lemon, cut into 8 wedges

- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves

- 2 cups American Honey liqueur

In a large saucepan, boil 4 cups water. Add 1/2 cup sugar; stir to dissolve. Remove from heat; add 8 teabags of black tea. Steep 10 minutes; discard teabags. Add 4 cups cold water; transfer to pitcher and chill. Mash or muddle lemon wedges and add to pitcher. Add 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves. Using a wooden spoon, crush mint until fragrant. Stir in 2 cups of American Honey liqueur. Serve over ice.

My favorite spot of tea would have to be anything with Green Tea or Chai tea in it. I have been thinking of starting a tea collection. Although I have a variety of tea bags and large mugs to drink out of, I like the idea of having the perfect tea cups and matching saucers for those times when I want to ring in the tea hour on a rainy or a sunny afternoon. There are so many places to go to get something like this that you can really make your collection your own. Shown here is a super cute set of owl cups. The Taika Cups and Saucers by Iittala are available on Vivre.com. If you love this portion of the set, you will enjoy plates and bowls as well which will be perfect for your future dinner parties. Take some time to build up your home with cute items that will make your corner of the world very special and specific to you!

I love cats and when it comes to big cats, I love them too. This post ties in a lot of different items together! First off, the Coffee and Tea Festival is only days away and will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion! I love that this is going to be a great event that will have the best in coffee, tea and cocoa. Not only can you enjoy warm or chilled beverages, you can also get great products for your drinks. Today's Sippin' Saturday includes this beautiful teapot from Cardew Design, Inc. I love the vibrant orange colors (obviously I am tying this into our THINK CITRUS theme for this month as well) and think that this is really cute and I love the lid with the tiger cub on the top. Definitely visit the site to see a lot more of the interesting canisters, mugs, coasters and tea pots! Of course if you're in NYC, you definitely need to attend the show!

From now until April 12th, The Kitten Lounge will be presenting a sampling of exhibitors that will be attending The 3rd Annual Coffee & Tea Festival NYC at the Metropolitan Pavilion from April 12th - 13th. Many of you know that I am a huge fan of Tea and for those that are Coffee lovers or enjoy the treats that come along with this, this is definitely going to be a fun event. What a great way to see the various tea shops that are throughout this area. One of the exhibitors will be Tavalon Tea Bar (which is a personal favorite).

Tavalon Tea Bar has these amazing Bloom Teas that you place the pods into a container and not only can you enjoy the aromatic smell but you can also see them expand and "bloom" in front of your very eyes. This blend is the Vesuvius Sunrise which includes green tea, hibiscus and lavendar. Available at Tavalon within their super cute shop on 14th street or on their website, this is a great way to enjoy tea in a different way. Take some time to visit them virtually, at their shop and of course - make sure that you go to the festival as well. If you would like to go, you can check out the website to reserve your tickets OR you can also win one of 2 tickets right here on Kitten Lounge which will allow you and a friend to attend to see exhibitors, sample beverages, attend classes, shop and to enjoy the Java/Tea Lounge which will have music and entertainment! To win one of these passes this week, add a comment onto this post letting us know your favorite tea spot or blend. One person will be randomly chosen next Saturday.

Tavalon Tea Bar
22 E 14th St
NY, NY 10003

3rd Annual Tea & Coffee Festival NYC
Metropolitan Pavilion
125 West 18th St
NY, NY 10011
April 12 - 13th
11:00AM - 6:00PM (Sat)
11:00AM - 5:00PM (Sun)

The other day I had Arizona Green Tea with Pomegranate Acai tea bags. I am such a fan of the cold beverage but I never thought that I would love it in this version. I love the rich taste and the fact that it has green tea in it as well. I would say that you should definitely give this a try and I enjoy drinking it this morning. Nothing is better than sipping on this while building websites, blogging and more.

I have a new favorite brand of teas. It started while I was at Wholefoods a week ago spending about 20 mins browsing the tea section. I love Republic of Teas and a few other brands but nothing had jumped out at me until I saw this logo of Zhena's Gypsy Tea and I must say that I looked at the label and the antique like tins and thought that it would be interesting to try. Although there were a variety of teas, I settled on a sampler which contained Lemon Jasmine, Pomegranate Rose (my initial reason for purchasing it), Ambrosia White Plum (which became my favorite) and Sense of Peace. I have been sampling these teas and I love that it's Organic, Free Trade and for those that are concerned, it's Kosher as well. After visiting the site and learning about the tea, the care put into it, etc - I signed up on the mailing list. I believe that my next purchase will be Brazilian Berry or possibly Italian Chamomile. I also like the sound of the White Ginger Iced Tea as well.

With so many interesting blends, you'll find yourself drawn to something within the categories of Herbal, White, Green and Dark blends. Take some time to check out the site and look at the Aromatherapy Wheel where you can see what tea works best on what you are attempting to heal. In addition, you can find out where this is available in your area and for those that may not have it or are too excited to go - you can order online. This makes a great gift and is something that we should all drink to maintain our health!

I love it! One of my favorite blogs about baked goods is Loves Cool. This is such a great blog about a baking diva who has the BEST Green Teas cookies that I ever had. These cookies were at Tavalon Tea Bar and I happened to find out that she made them. Finally her much anticipated Amai Tea & Bake House has been opened for a little over a month. With office parties, holiday hangouts and more on the horizon, make sure that you drop by here to pick up a few things to add a little something extra to this event! This is perfect for the weekend or as a way to meet up with a friend before you go out to dinner.

Amai Tea & Bake House
171 3rd Avenue
(between 16th and 17th streets)
New York, NY 10003

I love a nice beverage that warms you up (hello it's 30 dePomegranate Togrees out this morning) and has a great flavor. Today on was Cocktail Times and found a great drink that is absolutely perfect for this season. How cute does this drink look in this glass? I also love that you can enjoy a variety of teas witihn this beverage; therefore, there is a bit of choice that this drinks allows. Nothing is better than making sure you have a warm drink with a little spice in to enjoy after ice skating, walking around the city, etc. I love finding different alcoholic beverages that can be enjoyed at various times beyond the bars/lounges, Take some time to visit Cocktail Times to find more drinks that are just perfect for you.

Pomegranate Toddy:

- 3 oz brandy
- 1 1/2 oz Pama pomegranate liqueur
(or substitute with 2 oz pomegranate juice and 1/4 oz simple syrup)
- 3 oz Darjeeling tea with cloven
Garnish: cinnamon stick and orange peel

Brew tea first. In an Irish coffee mug, pour brandy and pomegranate liqueur. Pour hot tea and stir. Garnish with cinnamon stick and orange pee

I love tea! I am a huge fan! From visiting some of my tea spots (Alice's Tea Cup or Teany) to going to great places to purchasing my own blends, Tavalon - tea is a great way to enjoy the day or to begin it. When I'm not in the office and am at home, I love brewing tea. This teapot from Macy's is my favorite and is one on my list for future gifting. I love that it reminds me of a teahouse of some sort. I love the bamboo handle and it can be used on the stove as well. I love that this pot has such a stylish look and looks well no matter what decor you're attempting within your home. With a variety of teapots to consider, this is a great site to start from! Macy's has tea pots or kettles from a variety of designers (also check out Martha Stewarts Collection as well since she has her line carried here as well). If you love the bamboo look, I'm sure you will find a variety of colors withinh this category! Also, don't skimp on the cups! Keep them fun and stylish.