Nonsense and Keemun.

"If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?" -Alice, a great tea drinker.

Yesterday took place through the looking glass I think. Everything that I thought would be in the day turned out to be opposite and yet I still managed to be unaffected, happy even. I woke up with 15 minutes to get out the door to go to work and I got dressed like a breeze. Normally with a time constraint or any pressure at all, my clothes turn into hideous rags that I've never liked or even seen before. But, I was dressed and ready to go in that 15 mintues of Tuesday's Wonderland. It was raining so I figured long sleeves would be aprapo, but it was hot and muggy so I was sweating instantly. I was sluggish in my restaurant set up thinking it would be a slow Tuesday shift considering heaven and its wet sheets, but it was really really busy. I thought I would have time after work to come home and change before I went to dinner at Megan's in the East Village, but I forgot I agreed to do a double yesterday. And, I thought the D train stopped on 14th street, but I ended up in Herald Square 20 blocks away and was an hour late to Megan's.

But somewhere in there was my cup of tea. And it was great.

I made myself a tea bag of loose "Grand Keemun" before I left for work, ironically bought from Alice's Tea Cup, my old stomping ground of tea drinking, selling and endless enjoyment thereof. Keemun is my very favorite tea. Truly. Maybe it's my magic elixir. A special pick me up that puts spring in the step of any day no matter how foiled. I drank it in a pint glass (Wonderland tea cup) at the bar of the Brooklyn Fish Camp before the place was packed and I was serving spicy sardine sandwiches like a whirling dervish.

Chinese black tea always has a bit of smokiness to it. I don't think they drink much black tea in China, Green tea is more their style. But their land sure makes a hella of a fermented camelia sensis and it went down smooth yesterday in the world of my very own.