Tea Gardens Take Center Stage in the City of Angels

Cool pockets of calm and quiet make themselves heard over the bustling streets of Los Angeles. From the cinderblock towers of downtown to the iconic beach community of Venice and the refined elegance and Pasadena, tea gardens have become a place of refuge and inspiration for many Los Angelenos.

Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium

In West Hollywood, tucked away in a beautiful cottage on Melrose Avenue also known as the Avenue of design, considering the number of high end furniture and art galleries that outlines of his sidewalks, is Mark Ukra newest venture, Tea Garden and Herbal Emporium, before the Elixir. Ukra, whose nickname is Dr. Tea is that it was eight years old who thought he looked like a doctor, is a leading authority on tea and his book, The Ultimate Tea Diet, published by Harper Collins in December 2007.

From the moment you enter the front door of Tea Garden, you are presented with an aesthetic design as comforting as a favorite blanket from childhood and refreshing as a cool slice of watermelon on a hot summer day. Ukra who wears bright orange lab coat that is as much a fashion statement as a brand for the company, it seems that everyone is personally greeted with a welcome sound. With over 110 teas to choose from, all neatly displayed on long shelves and placed in stainless steel pots and orange, it was difficult to decide which one to try because it sounds interesting. In the end, I chose the easy way out and let Dr. Tea choice for me. And I was not disappointed. After six different teas, hot and others cold, I was converted to its thoughtfully prepared drinks.

Ukra and his wife, Julie, to travel the world to find ingredients that make their tonics and elixirs, so the ordinary. Any offers considered for this common component, as well as flavor, color and quality. I had ice capaTEAno go, you read that right. There are also Teana Coladas and Banana DaiqurTEAs, but I'm saving those for re posjet.CapaTEAno include Oolong tea, where oolong is roasted under the same conditions as coffee beans, Hojicha la creme (dried Tahitian vanilla and vanilla flower), and some agave a touch of dark chocolate and hazelnut Torani. It really tasted like ice blended coffee drink, but without side effects. Next I tried Chinese Pu-Erh tea, which is manually harvested from wild trees of ancient čaj.Black Label Pu-Erh at first smelled like a wet bamboo beautiful and tasted like mushrooms after rain. The second and third cups are subtler and more delicious than the first. I also tried tea combinations such as sweet oolong, green tea, pineapple and Queen Elizabeth in Black Label, made ​​tea for the Queen herself. With each cup, Dr. Tea explains that he wanted to create a haven where people can come to relax, catch up with friends, read a book or meditate. His motto is: "If I say I can, I will. If I say I can not." It was his goal that all experience the Tea Garden is a positive and healthy one.

In addition to the premium teas trademark, Tea Garden also offers a Chinese herb bar and a well thought out gifts and accessories to choose from. There are also lectures on tai-chi, yoga and meditation. Outdoors and only meters from the shop is airy veranda, large garden with a bamboo meandering paths and comfortable seating areas that take advantage of the large and centrally placed water značajku.Tea Garden's online offer is as extensive as in home food menu, which is serviced by M Café de Chaya, the recording is very popular Chaya family of restaurants.

JIN Patisserie

As Mark Ukra, Christy Choo is passionate about her little slice of paradise, Jin Patisserie, which opened in 2003. Her tea garden and a gourmet pastry shop, for which she is executive chef, is in the Abbot Kinney district of Venice, the area along Abbot Kinney Blvd., Which has become a hotspot for the world and the trends and tastemakers alike.

Choo, who is co-owner of the pastry shop with his wife Kim Oh, has an impressive culinary background. After studying in San Francisco Culinary Academy, learning the art of baking a cake from one of Singapore noted pastry chef Kenny Kong, she was appointed the official chocolatier for the Singapore national team during the prestigious Food & Hotel Asia 2002 competition where she won first place in the competitive petite four divisions. In 2004, Jin Patisserie was named "Best of" winner of Los Angeles Magazine, and it is easy to see why.
Choo, who is co-owner of the pastry shop with his wife Kim Oh, has an impressive culinary background. After studying in San Francisco Culinary Academy, learning the art of baking a cake from one of Singapore noted pastry chef Kenny Kong, she was appointed the official chocolatier for the Singapore national team during the prestigious Food & Hotel Asia 2002 competition where she won first place in the competitive petite four divisions. In 2004, Jin Patisserie was named "Best of" winner of Los Angeles Magazine, and it is easy to see why....

Small pastry shop located in front of the bungalow that was once carefully shows off Ms. Choo's creations, which are truly works of art. All Choo's chocolates are handmade and nothing short machine made. Choo says, "I only use the best chocolate from around the world, they are infusing teas, spices and herbs interesting."

Keeping with their high aesthetic, Choo's Jin Patisserie packaging that is designed to go on-line orders are equally maštoviti.Izbornik has a number of cookies with innovative combinations, such as lavender almond, peanut butter and sesame seeds, and of course tea, teas, as well as and cakes and chocolates, so beautiful that you might not want to eat them ... too fast. Choo is a loose leaf teas, such as Ikebana and Sam Bodhi are the perfect compliment of food to serve, allowing the subtle flavor to climb on top and really give your taste buds to treat. Taking a stroll down Abbot Kinney Blvd. never been so fulfilling.

Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium is located at 8612 Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood.Drugi Tea Garden & Herbal Emporium is located at 9001 Beverly Blvd., Also in West Hollywood. www.teagarden.com

Jin Patisserie is located at 1202 Abbot Kinney Blvd. in Venice. www.jinpatisserie.com

Fun Fact:
According to Tea Association of America, in 2006 Americans consumed over 50 billion servings of tea, or more than 2.25 billion gallons. About 83 percent of all tea consumed is black tea, 16 percent is green tea, and a small remaining amount was Oolong tea. On any given day, about half the American population drinks tea. About 85 percent of tea consumed in America is iced.