Lake Norris Ladies trip

My friends and I did a ladies Bible retreat in Tennessee. 

Before we left we stopped at Starbucks for Passion Iced Tea. 

We stayed at this beautiful house!  From the front it doesn't look like much, but when you look at the back of the house you see how huge it really is.

There were 28 of us ladies staying in this house.

We had so much fun being together and digging into God's Word.

I brought my teas and I made all sorts of tea drinks for the ladies all weekend.

I let them know- no matter what was going on, if they wanted tea I would make it for them.

I even did a hike!!  I am amazed how much energy I have now that I have lost the over 60 pounds.  The one after noon it was warm, so we explored a bit outside.

I was going to make bubble tea, but the kit I got had bubbles that had "melted"  UGH!!  I guess making bubble tea was not happening.  What a disappointment for all of us.

But, I made matcha lattes, London Fogs, and all sorts of other teas to make up for the lack of bubble tea.

Latte, Latte, and more lattes....

They also did a hot coco bar, so there were some fun toppings that ladies were adding to their lattes.  One of my favorites was the crushed candy canes.

One of the way home in Kentucky we stopped at a Starbucks. I was so excited to get my Kentucky "Been Here" Kentucky Mug.

These are some of the ladies I love being with.  We studied Psalm 23 - it was a great study.  Being with other woman and opening up and encouraging them is a blessed time.

Plum Ginger Hibiscus Tea and a Chai Tea, Panera

It is Valentines Day and my nephews have a Bible quiz at a local church.  I was thrilled to be able to watch them answer questions and show what they had learned.  There is nothing better than to have God's word in your heart.

https://www.panerabread.com/en-us/menu/categories/beverages.html

After the quiz I headed to Panera.  I love the fresh food at Panera.  I purchased the  You Pick Two- 1/2 sandwich 1/2 salad deal. It was delicious. I then also purchased the plum ginger hibiscus tea.  It is so refreshing and sugar free!!

To find a good sugar free tea at a restaurant is rare.  I love that Panera has this tea...I do wish it was not so expensive though.  I ordered it because I had a gift card and then I drank like 3 cups of it.

I also love the chai.  It is my favorite of the "fast food" chai's...even better than the lady in green chai.  It is smooth and rich and has a hit if spicy.

This tea is delicious and I love them both.  The only reason they do not get 5 tea cups is the price.

Dragonfly Tea Room, Birthday Cake black tea

 My girl friends from work took me out for my birthday.  I am now officially 50th!!  I welcome it- age is just  a number!!  

We went to the Dragonfly Tea Room in Canal Fulton.

https://www.dragonflyontheriver.com/tea-room/

I figured I needed to order the Birthday Cake black Tea...

A tasty blend of vanilla, cream and a touch of caramel, garnished with colorful sprinkles.

This is my favorite tea room in Ohio.  I love the food and the prices.  They do a great job!!

Everyone is friendly and helpful- the only thing that they get wrong is the service of the tea.  And it seems

that everyone gets this wrong, which is shocking since they are a tea room.  

The put the tea in the teapot - not in a tea ball or tea bag that you can pull out after it steeps.  My tea over steeps every time!!!  In the past I have asked for my tea to be in a ball or bag and they have complied, but this time she said they did not have one.  I almost went to the gift shop and bought one.

My first cup of tea was great, but after that it was no good.  Shocking for a tea room.

The food is always excellent!  And their prices are great too.

The amount of food is really nice too.  Well worth the money.

I'm telling you, this is the best tea room around...and I have checked out a lot of them.

Afternoon Tea Room Sample

Enjoy an assortment of three mini sandwiches filled with chicken salad, Tuna Salad and Southern style Pimento Cheese Salad. Served with tea bread and a choice of one of our four side salads or cup of soup

The Birthday Cake black tea was really good.  I would give it 4 tea cups out of 5 tea cups.  The flavor

notes were really nice.  There was a creamy caramel flavor that I enjoyed.  I did not really pick up on the 

vanilla notes, but that is okay...which is fine.

It was a nice cup of tea.

They also gave me some free tea for my birthday.

Boba Bowl, Lavender Milk Tea with coconut jellies

While in Wooster I decided to take another stab at the bubble tea.  I like the experience and the options, but I do think it is pricey.  But, since I had a birthday gift card I figured it was the perfect time to go.

I love that they now have crepes too. If I had not already had lunch I would have stayed and tried these too.

The also have fun candies and other products that they sell.

There are four steps in the process...

1. pick the size of your drink

2.  pick the base of your tea

3. pick a fruit tea, or a milk tea or coffee

4. pick your topping

I went with the Lavender Milk tea- boy, are there so many options to pick from.  I also went with the coconut jellies.  The jellies are okay- but I am not a huge fan of them.  I think for me it is a texture thing.  I was a fan of the lavender milk tea- the flavors were really good.

The tea is very good and they have a huge variety of teas to pick from.  I love the concept and the experience, but I do think it is a bit pricey.  I am glad that Wooster has a fun place like this.  

I give this tea four tea cups, the only reason it is not five is the price.  The staff was friendly and helpful.  The shop is also very clean. The tea is good and the options are almost endless. 

                 
 

UCC Milk Tea

 In my travels I have become a big fan of Milk Tea.  I prefer it with out a lot of sugar added, but that is

sometimes hard to find.  I picked this UCC Milk Tea up at World Market.  World Market has a great

selection of teas.  This tea was great, but WAY WAY to much sugar.  I drank it, but it is not something

I would buy again just because of the sugar that is added. 

From the website, "Product Description

Creamy Assam tea is ready to drink in this convenient can. Enjoy hot or cold for a tasty, 

milky and sweet, lightly caffeinated tea in the morning or any time of day. 

Assam tea is a mild black tea grown in Assam, India. It has a higher caffeine 

content than other black teas, making this milk tea a great option to replace coffee. 

Each 337-milliliter can is a single serving of mild-flavored, sweet milk tea, a favorite in 

Japan and around the world. UCC is a leading brand of Japanese coffee products. 

Their wide range of consumer-friendly coffee includes ready-to-drink cans, ground 

beans for home use, and single-serving coffee cups for instant brewing. 

Recognized for their commitment to quality and technological innovations in the 

coffee space, UCC products are enjoyed around the world.

• Ingredient: Water, whole milk, sugar, black tea (Assam 100%), whole milk powder, 
• skim milk powder, maltodextrin, sucrose fatty acid esters, artificial flavor, 
• carrageenan, cellulose gel Contains: Milk
• Product Weight: 11.4 fl oz (337 ml)
• Product of Japan"    
• https://yummybazaar.com/products/ucc-assam-milk-tea-11-4-fl-oz-337-ml

This rating is completely based on the sugar content, not the taste.

GTS, Golden Pineapple Kombucha

https://gtslivingfoods.com/products/gts-kombucha-golden-pineapple

I am huge fan of this kombucha.  Pineapple is not a flavor I have ever attempted to make at home before.  But after having it I am tempted.  It did have sage in it, which I enjoyed.  I have put rosemary, basil, ginger, and mint in my homemade kombucha, but never sage.  I liked it.

This was really good and refreshing.

5 tea cups!  It's healthy, the flavors blended together great.  I love the sweet and savory notes.  This was a winner.

Tea, Chinese Character necklace

https://www.etsy.com/shop/MastercraftsmanStore?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=587472822

For my birthday I was given some money- I bought this necklace on Etsy.

It was 16" Flat Cable Chain, Sterling silver for $26.76

They do all kinds of custom work- you should check them out if you are looking for something special.

I thought they did a great job on this necklace, it is the Chinese symbol for tea.

(The scar is from neck surgery- I like to say I was fell off a roof while I was inspecting a claim for the insurance company. But, the truth is I had a herniated disc.  I moved 10 ton of stone in my landscaping, by myself, and I over did it.)

Wildwonder Ginger Lemon, Turmeric Peach, and Peach Ginger

https://drinkwildwonder.com/

The tea in this one is Honeybush.  I am not always a fan of this tea flavor, but I would have never known that this tea was in here before I read it on the label.

These were on sale at World Market the other day, so I purchased some to try.  I have to say I was pleased.  The flavors were spot on and has real ingredients.

The only draw back was the sugar, but I know that some of that is natural in the fruits.

This one has black tea in it.

The Lemon Ginger and Peach Ginger were my favorites.  I like the zing and kick they had.

There are so many great and healthy things for you in these drinks, check out the website.  From the website,

"LIVE VEGAN PROBIOTICS
Tiny microorganisms that aid the digestive system by balancing your gut bacteria. Microbiome experts helped us develop a unique strain of probiotics that can withstand the harsh environment of the stomach acid and actually reach your gut, with antioxidant and digestive benefits to boot!
PREBIOTIC PLANT FIBER
Prebiotics are food for all of the microbes in your gut. Prebiotic fiber aids digestion and makes probiotics more effective. Every wildwonder contains prebiotic fiber from Chicory Root and Jerusalem Artichoke, totalling 20% of your daily recommended fiber. Keep those gut microbes happy and full!
HERBS & BOTANICALS
Superfoods inspired by ancient nutrition, such as ginger, turmeric, and rose, work effectively with prebiotics and probiotics to boost your immunity and gut health. From aiding digestion, to reducing inflammation, and preventing disease, these magical herbs give you superpowers.
LUSCIOUS FRUITS
Fresh squeezed fruit juices and purees in every can — think California-grown lemons, pink guavas, and juicy mangoes. Sourced from sustainable and organic farms, these fruits are extra rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Keep it juicy, friends!"

I did not care for this one as much.  I am not sure if it was the Rooibos in the drink or what.  But, I did not enjoy the flavors as much.

Overall if you see this drink I would recommend it...if it is on sale.  For me, I would not spend over $3 on a cold drink like this...but that is just me.

 

NUBA Hibiscus

https://drinknuba.com/

This was another fun tea I picked up at World Market.  I love all their fun and unique products.  This one was not on sale, but I splurged anyway.

From the website, "Our tisane is as simple as its ingredients. Only organic whole flowers are brewed to create this ruby red tangy, moderately sweet and full and flavour.

We don't use any concentrates, extracts or preservatives."

This took me right back to Africa!  I felt like I was in Guinea West Africa drinking Bissap.  The flavors of Hibiscus were great.  I just wish there was not so much sugar.  As always sugar is the killer in these drinks.

I do love hibiscus!!!  It is fun that these flowers came from Egypt along the Nile.

Even with the sugar, you can see I finished it all, lol.  I bought a sweetened and an unsweetened one.  I prefer the unsweetened one, even though it is more tart.  The unsweetened tea only has 1% sugar.

 

Flavors were great, it was the sugar that got me in the sweetened one.  But, the one that was unsweetened was really good, tart, but good.