Sunday, October 25, 2020
Join tea lovers from across New York and surrounding areas as we come together to enjoy tea in Nature.
Connect to each other and to the season for a peaceful day outdoors.
A weaving of activities ranging from tea tastings to meditative sits to family friendly sessions will be taking place across the city and country.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Bring your own cup/bowl + blanket. Spares available.
11am - Water Observations + Charcoal Alchemy
12pm - 8 Treasure Tea* with moJoosh + Tea Resonance
1pm - Lunch*
2pm - Pottery for Tea + Tea 101: Taste and Learn with Chinatown Soup
3pm - Closing Tea Ceremony (by donation)
*Family Friendly (email steepingfilms@gmail.com for discount code for children)
Astoria Park, Queens
Bring your own cup/bowl + blanket. Spares available.
11am-12pm - Tea Tasting Circle
1-2pm - Snack Pairing
Bronx Park, The Bronx
12-2pm - Pandemic Reflections in Tea
Chinatown Soup, Manhattan
Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Chicago
Chicago with Marco: Emotional Agili-Tea Through the Leaf (Saturday, 10/24)
Las Vegas with Rie: You Can Do It If You Chai! (Sunday, 10/25)
Los Angeles with Jessica: CommuniTea | A Global Passport in a Locked Down World (Sunday, 10/25)
Visit activist-teahouse.com for how to RSVP.
Rain Date: November 1st
We will follow all CDC health guidelines. Guidelines will be sent to registrants.
Prospect Park, Brooklyn
Water Reflections
Observing that which flows.
11am-12pm
Water makes up 99% of tea. The easiest way to improve your tea is to improve your water. All of the water used for the activities in Prospect Park has been gathered by hand from an artesian spring in the forest. Come sit for a quiet session to compare real spring water with bottled water to experience the differences. Depending on participant interest this sit may combine with the charcoal demonstration below.
Charcoal Alchemy
11am-12pm
While water is the mother of tea, fire is the father. The heat source affects the quality of our tea. Join Gordon as he prepares the charcoal for the day's tea sessions. This casual demonstration will be an open Q&A format.
Photo from the Global Tea Hut magazine. Learn more from archived issues HERE.
Tea Resonance
12-1pm
Limited to 8 participants. To register for this activity, select the "Tea Resonance" option when registering for a Day Pass.
Come, have a seat and make yourself comfortable. Breathe in deep and leave your cares behind. Wood, fire, earth, water, metal. You are the instrument, I shall be your guide. Let’s venture to unlock your body’s latent ability to receive tea in an elevated manner.
From start to finish, Tea Resonance is an hour long experience. You are encouraged to be in a receptive and reflective frame of mind. Ages 14+.
This session will be guided by Cheryl Iliadi @paradoxitea.
8 Treasure Tea with moJoosh
Family friendly (Email steepingfilms@gmail.com for discount code for children.)
12-1pm
Life with tea is not always just about the leaf and the flavor. Bring your own gaiwan or bowl and join us for a session to share this drink ideal for the autumn weather. 8 Treasure Tea is regarded as a wellness drink popular in the west part of China. We will share the history of 8 Treasure Tea and its related cultures. You might be surprised to find out there are so many stories behind it. Options of choosing your own mix of treasures or/and having the standard mix. Caffeine free option available.
Summer Tea host @mojoosh will be serving this session.
Lunch
Chill and chat.
1-2pm
The picnic lunch will be a bring-your-own or pre-order from Tanabel. Details to order will be emailed to registrants.
Tanabel is a food and events company that employs refugee women with exceptional talent in the kitchen. They host gatherings that celebrate the rich and sophisticated cuisine of the Middle East and offer guests the opportunity to get to know the food and people of countries in conflict. These authentic, generous and delicious meals allow their cooks to share a taste of home with their new communities and provide them with meaningful and empowering employment.
Pottery for Tea
2-3pm
If Tea contains the five elements, Fire, Water, Earth, Wood, Metal, then pottery is the Earth element. In what ways does pottery reflect Earth? How does this element relate to the others? How does the Earth element ground our Tea practice? Selecting teaware can be confusing with too many options, too many styles, leaving the chajin potentially feeling anything but grounded. We will discuss some material factors of clay, glazes, surfaces and forms, and try to gain a more sure view of how pottery is the grounding element.
Potter Leigh Fanady will be facilitating this activity. Check out her work HERE.
Tea 101: Taste + Learn with Chinatown Soup
2-3pm
The most popular plant medicine originated in the mountains and jungles of China over 2,000 years ago, when Buddhist monks spread knowledge of cultivating tea.
By 2004, an underground tea room opened in downtown New York as part of one man’s quest for select Chinese teas. This journey introduced him to the plants, farmers, and teachers of an ancient tradition.
Inspired to connect with fellow seekers, he partnered with Chinatown Soup, a creative community on the border of New York’s Lower East Side, to curate an accessible tea program featuring his most cherished discoveries.
Today, it is our joy to continue learning about the art of tea together. Please join us for a guided tasting that calls upon historical insight and personal intuition as we are taught by the leaves themselves.
Chinatown Soup in Manhattan will also be hosting outdoor tea. See more info below.
Closing Tea Ceremony
By Donation
3-4pm
Join NY Tea Family for the Autumn Tea 2020 closing tea ceremony.
We will share several bowls of tea in quiet before parting ways. The ceremony is by donation. Tea will be served by Lauren Stern of KINNABARI with members of NY Tea Family.
Astoria Park, Queens
The Astoria Park activities will be guided by tea educator Anna Ye, New York Tea Society founder Roy Lamberty, Orchid Tea House owner Kingston Lam, and NYTS members Teddy Smith and Harry Lee.
Find them at @annaye.tea, @chefroyl , @orchidteahouse, and @harrylee.world on Instagram.
Tea Tasting
Circle
11am-12pm
It's been quite a while since our last in-person tea gathering. We're excited to get together again! Lay out a towel or mat, pick a spot around the tea circle, and enjoy thoughtfully selected teas, fitting of the Autumn season. Markers for each spot will be marked 6 feet apart. Please bring your own chair, mat or blanket to create your personal safe space. We'll be safely apart, but still together!
Autumn Tea
Snack Pairing
12-1pm
Do you have a favorite snack which you usually enjoy with your tea on a Autumn afternoon? Don’t keep it a secret. Bring your favorite snack with you to the tea gathering and share with the group, while enjoying specially prepared tea pairings prepared by organizers of Autumn Tea. Please wrap your snacks in individual portion sizes so that they can be easily passed out without group contact. It is important that you prepare your snacks on a sanitized surface, while masked and wearing gloves. Let’s all do our part to make this a safe tea gathering.
Bronx Park, The Bronx
Pandemic Reflections in Tea
By Donation
12-2pm
Bronx Artist Michele Brody will host a Tea sharing event in Bronx Park by Riess Baseball field off Bronx Park E, at Riess Place from 12:00 - 2:00.
The public is welcome to come by and share their time and thoughts with the artist under the protection of her tent of many stories, while drinking a warm cup of tea.
See more of Michele Brody's work HERE.
Chinatown, Manhattan
Community Tea at Chinatown Soup
Tea Time at Soup Garden
Chinatown Soup is a creative community advancing art, justice, historic preservation, and civic engagement in downtown New York.
For more details and to RSVP visit HERE.
Chicago
Emotional Agili-Tea Through the Leaf
Saturday, October 24th
Together, we’ll explore methods we can use through tea to show up to our difficult emotions, thoughts, and stories; as we deepen our awareness and invite discourse.
For details contact Marco on Instagram: @steapd_tea
Las Vegas
You Can Do It If You Chai!
Sunday, October 25th
Virtual
CommuniTea|A Global Passport in a Locked Down World
Sunday, October 25th
Tea is rooted in rich history. Together, we’ll explore unique tea traditions around the world and discuss how this brewed beverage is intricately intertwined with culture. In a world increasingly divided by differences, we can use tea to celebrate diversity and shape our perspectives to become better global citizens. At Los Angeles State Historic Park, outskirts of Chinatown
For details contact Jess on Instagram: @hernandezjess
NYC: Mindful Breathing & Meditation Practices for Family
Sunday, October 25th @11am EST
In the age of COVID, social unrest and social media overload - it is important to take the time to practice self-care. Together, we will explore a few family centered mindful & meditative breathing activities to help release anxiety & frustration.
For details contact Jin on Instagram: @jinandtea