Boston Tea Party!

Do you want a Boba or a Freddo? I heard all kinds of different words for tea drinks in Boston that were new to me.

Though there aren't too many places mentioned in the online tea directories, Boston does have a good amount of places to go for a decent cup of tea, hot or iced, pure or sweetened. Perhaps being in the university area lent itself to the need for many types of refreshments. This applies to the nose, too, as we turned a corner and were graced with the all-too-fabulous Lush scent at one point.

Tealuxe was my choice for a tea stop - I'd heard of this place years back, when they opened a branch in Midtown Manhattan. Why didn't it last? Maybe the timing was off, though it wasn't that long ago. We could sure use a place like that in Astoria (though it's nice to have Panera Bread anyway.) Though there wasn't quite as much seating as I'd like to see (okay, we found a cozy little table in the back), it was the perfect tea answer to Starbucks. You could get your tea in a takeaway mug, or even get a pot for your table. I couldn't decide what to choose, so the barristo (is that what they're called?) suggested a caramel creme brulee flavored black tea. It was really sweet, not the kind of thing I normally order, but certainly good and refreshing. However, I preferred Bonnie's Aloha blend. That one almost threw me off my chair. Also, I had a piece of banana bread that was the perfect accompaniment to my tea. Tealuxe also sells loose teas and all types of paraphernalia. I'd stop there again if I were in the neighborhood.

The location was also ideal because it was right near the Curious George bookstore. Besides all kinds of Curious George thingys ranging from washcloths to tea sets to car scent fresheners, there were all kinds of items that kids and nostalgic adults would love. If we'd had more time, I would have been there even longer. It reminded me of the Peter Rabbit store in Covent Garden.

(As a side point, doesn't the Tealuxe sign resemble the Lush logo? Yeah, great minds think alike.)