Tyra Sutak Photo by Steve Z
Published on: July 25th, 2011
As an avid coffee addict, I found myself a little out of place this weekend at the 12th Annual Rocky Mountain Tea Festivalhosted by the Dushanbe Teahouse in beautiful Downtown Boulder.
Now, I know what you’re thinking—“There’s a Tea Festival in Boulder?”—and the answer is yes. Yes, there is. And this weekend couldn’t have provided more beautiful weather for sitting on the outside patio of one of the most beautiful buildings in Boulder, listening to the sounds of the nearby Farmer’s Market, a stray harmonica and the consistent rings of bicycle bells floating over a nearby bridge. Inside, the Teahouse was busier than ever, but outside on the southwest deck, white tents dotted the space between the beautifully hand-crafted exterior tiles of the building (built in Tajikistan in the late 1980’s and gifted to Boulder by its sister city, Dushanbe) and a steady stream that appeared to have lost its way from the mighty Boulder Creek. Curious people dressed in Keen sandals and hemp fabric strolled from tent to tent, sampling tea from local vendors. Tea workshops, readings and demonstrations were held on Saturday and Sunday, and eager tea-enthusiasts learned how to cook with tea, read their fortune in tea and blend tea. A Children’s Teddy Bear Tea Party was also held on Sunday, giving quarter-pint tea aficionados the chance to dress up in their best party attire, bring their favorite plus-one teddy bear and enjoy a little afternoon sippin’.
The most tea-tastic part of my festival experience came at the hands of Boulder’s own Herbalist Extraordinaire, Brigitte Mars—a local author, instructor and fierce protector of the dandelions. Brigitte served us a special tea blend that she had created specifically for the Dushanbe Teahouse, and in an hour, walked us through the benefits and physical traits of the herbs that were used in the tea along with some of her other favorite garden staples. Throughout tea time, I picked up a common theme about the herbs on hand and discovered that my findings might be beneficial to people currently out on the dating scene. Here is what I learned:
1.) Fennel helps women find dates by giving them fresh breath and by stabilizing their blood sugar, which keeps them skinny.
2.) Day Lilies are good for those dating on a budget because not only are they a pretty flower to give your date, but you can save money by adding this edible flower into the salad course at dinner. (They only live for a day, so you should get your money’s worth).
3.) Mint tea makes you kissable.
4.) Rose petals open the heart centers and evoke feelings of empathy and love.
5.) Lavender should not be used as an aphrodisiac because chances are, it will remind your date of her grandma’s linen closet.
6.) Hawthorne soothes an emotional heart break.
7.) Stinging nettle can be used as a weapon to inflict pain on the jerk that caused No. 6.
8.) Lemon balm maketh the sad heart merry.
9.) And raspberry leaf makes labor easier. (From what I’ve heard, nothing makes labor easier, but maybe this is worth a shot).
Sadly, the Tea Festival is over, but be sure to check out other upcoming Boulder festivals that are currently flying under the radar, such as—The 13th Annual Aerial Dance Festival, the Boulder Asian Festival, the Boulder International Fringe Festival andthe 64th Annual Chautauqua Barbershoppers Harmony Festival.
Photo courtesy of Steve Z at SteveZPhotography.com