Tanjung Bungah- lemon Lipton Iced Tea

While in Penang I decided to get henna done on my hand, it was $10 RM, which is about $2.50.  It was fun to have this done.

The designs are applied to the skin with a thick paste made from the ground leaves of the henna plant (Lawsonia inermis) and have been used by desert cultures throughout the Middle East, Africa, India and Egypt for thousands of years.

http://hennaartconnection.com/history-of-henna

I loved Malaysia- the people, the food, the beauty.  The one thing I could not get past was the heat.  Man, it was hot!! The temps were in the 90's with 90% humidity. Even the life long residents said it was too hot.  The only thing that helped was AC and a cold glass of tea!!

This is the great apartment building I stayed in with my friends parents.  The view was killer, lol!!  It was great to stay here for four days after my mission trip.

The view...

The apartment building I was staying in had soda machine.  The drinks were $1RM, which was like .25!!!

There were all kinds of unique drinks in the vending machine. Cold coffee, Cold Soy Bean Milk, Water, Soda, Tea, and more.

The vending machine...

chrysanthemum tea

Soy bean milk

I settled on Lipton Lemon Tea.  In the states I am not a fan of Lipton can tea- it is way to sweet.  But, I also remembered that when I was in Europe I loved the Lipton Peach tea, because it was made differently than in the states, and was not nearly as sweet.  And that is the same way with the Lipton Lemon tea.  This tea was good, not too sweet, I wish the US would take a clue from other countries and stop with all the sugar! 

https://iprice.my/lipton/

BOH 3 in 1 Tea and 2 in 1 Tea

After my mission trip I stayed an extra couple of days with a college friend.  The first day with them we had some meetings, during break I was introduced to BOH 3 in 1.

When I told my friends I was a tea blogger, they asked if I had tried 3 in 1.  When I said no, they said I had to try it.  I have to say it was different, but also very good.  It is instant tea, creamer, and sugar.

I knew I needed to head to the store and find some for myself.  

https://www.bohtea.com/product-category/instant-tea-mix/

3 in 1

Checking out the tea at the local store.   I was so excited to find it without sugar.  I definitely do not need any extra sugar in my life.  I came home with 2 in 1.

$9.50 RM is around $2.50 US- this tea is a really good price.

Back in the states I am enjoying 2 in 1 BOH tea.  I am enjoying this tea in my Cameron Highlands Starbucks mug.

This tea is creamy and reminds me Asia, it's like a memory in a cup for me. It reminds me of all the milk tea I have tried in Thailand and Malaysia.

My Budget Cafe, Milk Tea- Penang Malaysia

We were at the night market and my cousin was taking along time to make a decision on what she was buying, lol.  I looked across the street and saw a cafe, Budget Cafe. I was super excited at the thought of some, what I call- Thai Tea (Tea with condensed milk).

I ran across the street and found my thai tea!!!  I realize here they call it milk tea.

Teh Tarik - Tea with condensed milk, sweet

Teh O Panas - same tea without ice

The Panas (=hot) is optional, sometimes you will get the drinks with ice anyway so you add "panas" just to make sure.

If you want a cold drink you just add "ais" to it:

Teh Ais - Ice Tea with condensed milk

Important: every drink in Malaysia is by default very (very) sweet. I would recommend to order everything with the magic words "kurang manis" (=less sweet)

I got the tea to go and I got it in this bag!!!  Oh yeah, a plastic bag.  She poured the tea in the bag, then took some string and tied it to one end.  There was a loop that I could carry the bag on my wrist.  

When walking around you see people all over drinking from these plastic, to go, bags.

This was so much fun. I felt like a national while walking around with my bag.  I enjoyed my bag so much that I washed it out and brought it home.  It is the little things in life.

A beautiful sunset that night!!  I imagine every night has a beautiful sunset, but this is one I walked to the beach to see.

Dunkin Donuts free birthday treat- Frozen Vanilla Chai

For my 47th birthday I had the day off, and I went out and about finding free things ....

My sister has a blog, http://myfabulousdeals.blogspot.com/, and she shares all the fun things you can get for free on your special day!  A free Dunkin Donuts drink is one of them.  

This is from my sisters blog-

Birthday Freebies 2018

• Baja West Coast Kitchen - $5 from the app

• Old Carolina - $5 from the app

• Coldstone Creamery - B1G1 free ice cream

• Arby's - free shake with any purchase

• Macaroni Grill - free dessert (all you have to do it ask)

• Melting Pot - Chocolate Covered Strawberries

• Dairy Queen - B1G1 Blizzard

• Baskin Robbins - free cone

• Starbucks - any menu item free on your card if you have a gift card registered

• Dunkin Donuts - free drink your registered card

• Red Lobster - $5 off of 2 entrees

• Applebee's - free dessert at restaurant. They also have a kids club to sign up in the restaurant.

• Panera - if you have a gift card registered, they'll add a freebie to it

• DSW - $5 certificate

• Disney Rewards - 50 points

• Kellogg's Reward - 500 points

• Speedy Rewards - 200 points

• Menchies - $5 credit on my Smile card

• Auntie Anne's (from the app) - Free Pretzel

• Carrabba's - freebie

• Qdoba - freebie

• Red Robin - free burger  & ice cream sundae - I had a $10 lettuce burger & salad

• Denny's - free Grand Slam on your birthday.  You have to show driver's license

• Michael's - 20% off

• Best Buy - 10% off

• Joann's - 20% off

We also have the kids registered for:

• Bob Evans - free kids meal with meal for adult. These certificates don't expire.

• Red Robin - free burger

• Cold Stone - free ice cream

• Toys R Us - it's either $3 or $5 off . They have each gotten coupons for a free Thomas train around 3 years old

• Burger King - free kids meal

• Rockne's - free kids meal

If any of these places interest you, just go their website & register for their "clubs". Obviously we don't use all of these. Many of them are only good for 2 weeks. It's just fun to have the option.

https://news.dunkindonuts.com/news/happy-birthdday-to-you:-dunkin-donuts-unwraps-new-birthday-perk-a-free-beverage-on-your-special-day

I got the frozen vanilla chai drink. I have to say it was WAY WAY to sweet.  I did not enjoy it.  I had 2-3 sips of it that day.  I put it in the freezer and thought I would try it the next day...I tried it the following day and I just could not drink it. I felt it was such a waste, but there was no way to drink this pile of sugar.

Tunglok Teahouse, Singapore Airport, HK Milk Tea

I was flying home from Penang Malaysia.  I decided to fly home thru Singapore, since I never had flown through that airport...and I thought I could try more tea that way too.

It is a beautiful airport!  It might be my favorite airport ever.  It was clean, huge, and beautiful. 

http://www.tunglokteahouse.com/

I stopped in for a quick drink of HK Style Milk tea.  It was very good and refreshing.

Here is an interesting fact about Hong Kong Style Milk Tea- Hong Kong milk tea is also known as “pantyhose tea” or “silk stocking tea” because it is often brewed in a large tea sock that resembles pantyhose.  Who knew!!!

Beautiful artwork on the wall.

In my efforts to try as many teas as I could while on layover, I only drank tea and then headed to another fun tea to try.

I loved the fun jug the tea was in, it added to the experience.

This tea reminds me a lot of the tea I had in Thailand.  It is black tea, water, and condensed milk.  It is sweet and smooth.

If you have the chance, try it!!!!  It is not like any tea you will find in the states.

Muggswigz Tropical Tisane with Pukka Three Mint and Ohio tea Company Lavender with Plantation Mint

I love making iced tea and playing with flavors.  These flavors did not disappoint.  I love mint and lavender together.  They pair wonderfully.

As I say, you need to play with your tea.

 Plantation Mint and Ohio Tea Lavender made a great iced tea.

http://www.ohioteaco.com/

https://www.bigelowtea.com/Teas/Flavors/Mint

From the Website: 

"Extra Info:

Lavender is one of the world's most ancient, and commonly used herbs. The first recorded use of the sweet smelling herb appeared in ancient Phoenician inscriptions dating back to 1000 BC. The ancient Romans were also very fond of the herb and used it as a fragrant bath scent in their public bathhouses. In fact, it is believed that the genus name Lavendula stems from the Latin word lavare meaning "to wash." Modern botanical science indicates that there are at least 28 known species of Lavender - some of these are wild and some are commercially cultivated - the plant grows everywhere from parts of Africa to China. The version that we offer here is a wonderfully fresh smelling organic variety that comes from Eastern Tibet - no chemicals or pesticides were used in its cultivation.

Ingredients:

Organic Lavender,

Origin:

France"  

https://muggswigz.com/

https://www.pukkaherbs.com/teas-supplements/pukka-organic-teas/three-mint/

I mixed Tropical Tisane and Pukka Three Mint and it was great too.

Take your teas and mix and match them.  Every time you make tea you can have something different.  Keep playing!!!

Charleston Plantation Tea- Plantation Peach

My boss and his wife went to Charleston and visited the tea plantation. I have to admit I was admit a bit jealous.  He was kind enough to bring me this peach tea.

https://www.charlestonteaplantation.com/

Did you know that Charleston South Carolina is the only state in the US that has the conditions to grow tea?  It is true!!

This tea looks beautiful, smells beautiful and tastes wonderful.

This is a black tea so you want your water to boil.  You steep the tea 4-5 minutes for maximum flavor and intensity. 

This weekend 1/19-20/2019 was called Snowmagden. They were saying we could have 5-18" of snow.  

I was able to make this tea three times before I tossed the leaves.  Because this is a black tea it pairs nicely with milk.  I do no always add milk to flavored black teas, but I had almond milk and it paired great with the peach tea.

I stayed home this weekend. I made lots of tea and played in the snow.  I love winter and the snow.

I made a snow friend.  We enjoyed tea together , lol!!

So true!  God loves you and wants a relationship with you.