.. tea. Yes, tea. The Bay Area, where I live, is home to so many lovely cafes and tea lounges/bars. 

I’m sitting at one called Julie’s in Alameda right now. And when I look at the number of teas offered here, I wonder if they have as many in the countries where tea is actually produced. Genmaicha, Darjeeling, Orange Bliss, Pu-erh, she has so much from all over the world. And Julie is not alone. Checked out Samovar lately? If not, you must visit. And not just for the great range of teas and their presentation. The Noe/Castro location is staffed by amazingly beautiful people and the one in Yerba Buena gardens is in a peaceful, beautiful setting.

That said, these days, even the most basic bagel place carries a range of teas that until a while ago would have been considered exotic.  

Julie’s
1223 Park St
Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 865-2385 
juliestea.com

Samovar Tea Lounge
730 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 227-9400
samovarlife.com