Chocolate Rose Romance - It's Almost Gone!

Greetings!

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I have only 2 (yes, that's TWO) refill packages (approximately 4 ounces each) of Chocolate Rose Romance left. After it's gone, I won't be blending it any more... so if you want some of this amazing tea - you should get it while the getting is good!
This tea is rich, decadent and delicious - it is just perfect to soothe that inner beast that's just craving some yummy chocolate!

Stop by my Artfire Tea Shop to see what else is available!

~Anne

Dave's Killer Bread

Never did I ever imagine that I'd get this wildly excited about store-bought, sliced BREAD. I mean, sure, I'll do the happy dance for a slice of fresh, still-warm-from-the-oven, homemade bread any day, but, a loaf of bread that I bought in a grocery store? Until I tried this bread, I never thought it would happen.

What makes this bread so different that it would inspire me to sit down and compose a blog post? Well, first and foremost, it has changed my whole idea of what bread really is. Most store-bought bread that I've eaten until now has been bland and lacking in texture and substance. Even the fancier, seeds-and-whole-grains-baked-right-into-it breads are not much to write about.

But what Dave Dahl (the creative genius behind Dave's Killer Bread) has done is brought together only the finest quality, organic ingredients in their purest state, and created breads that are full of flavor. You can feel the whole grains as you bite into them.

This isn't your mother's fluffy white bread!


In fact, it isn't fluffy at all. It is dense in whole grains and seeds. The texture is incredible. The flavor is unbelievable. You feel like you've eaten a meal rather than just a slice of bread when you eat it.

This is easily the best not-homemade bread I've ever eaten. (Sorry, Dave, but you just can't compete with my gramma's oven-fresh goodness) This is the kind of bread that you buy and HIDE so that the kids don't grab it by mistake and make themselves a peanut-butter and jelly. I mean, yeah, if you think your kids will appreciate what goes into this bread, then by all means, but, I know that my kids would think this bread is just too weird.

And maybe it is. Maybe that's why I like it so much.

My favorite way to eat (read: devour) this bread is lightly toasted, with my yummy spiced apple butter.

I think that this bread is available only in the Portland area right now... but, if you shop at Costco, check out their bread aisle and see if it's there... also, if you have a Winco nearby, check them out - that's where I get mine!

But I must warn you - you'll never want to go back to ordinary bread again. Yep... it's that good.

~Anne

It's Been A Great Ride!

Greetings!

Well, it has been a great ride - but, all good things come to an end, and I really feel it is time for me to close shop with LiberTEAS.

Please know that this decision did not come lightly. It is something that I've been thinking about for quite some time now... many months, in fact. I have thought long and hard, weighed the pros and cons, and I just realize that it would be best for me to let it go.

There are many reasons behind it. But the main reason is that I feel it's what is best for me and my family.

Over the course of the coming weeks, I will be blending what teas I have left, and posting my remaining stock in my Artfire store. I will not be reopening my 1000Markets shop (which I closed right around the holidays after my supply of tins depleted), and I will be closing my Etsy store some time in the coming week.

So for those of you who want tea - please shop at my Artfire Tea Shop, because, this time... once my current stock is gone, it's really gone, I won't be restocking.

I will still be around in the tea community though. I post regularly to the Tea Review Blog and will continue to review teas for them. I love tea, and that passion has not diminished. I just feel that the passion can still be experienced as a tea reviewer, and not as a tea purveyor. It is simpler that way for me.

And, every now and then, if I happen to get a wild idea for a tea flavor, I might pull together the ingredients and give it a try... if I like the blend, I'll sell it as a limited edition flavor. And... every now and then, if YOU happen to get a wild idea for a tea flavor, don't hesitate to contact me... I'll see what I can do about creating the blend for you.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me over the years... I truly appreciate each and every one of you. I hope you can understand my need to do this for myself.

Sincerely,
Anne aka LiberTEAS

Cupcake Jones

Greetings everyone!

Yesterday (Tuesday, February 9) my husband and I went for a drive into Portland. Not a big deal in itself, because Portland is only about five minutes away. But, what was a big deal - at least for this cupcake enthusiast - was where my husband took me. We went to Cupcake Jones!

Located in the Pearl District of Portland, Cupcake Jones is a cute (albeit tiny) little shop. They feature six cupcake flavors every day, three daily flavors (that is, cupcakes that they sell every day), and three special flavors. Each of the six flavors comes in two different sizes: "jumbo" and "mini." The jumbo cupcakes appear to be standard size cupcakes to me, but they are jumbo on taste - and what really differentiates the two sizes, other than the size, is the fact that the jumbo cupcakes are filled with a luscious creamy filling.

The Velvet Painting

Now, for the hard part. Deciding! Which flavor do I choose? I decided to go with a dozen of the mini cupcakes, 2 of each flavor, for $16.50. This way, I could try one of each of the flavors without feeling too guilty.

The cupcake is moist and flavorful, and the frosting is creamy, and well... YUM. It's FROSTING! (And for those who love frosting, they also offer "frosting shots" which is a little cup of just the frosting.)

Here's the rundown on the three daily flavors:

The Pearl - a vanilla explosion! White cake topped with vanilla bean buttercream. One of the best buttercreams I've ever tasted from a bakery. Each cupcake is topped with a sprinkling of clear, sparkling sugar sprinkles and a tiny white chocolate pearl.

Downtown Cupcake Brown - The chocolate cupcake is rich and sinful, just the way a chocolate cupcake should be. The jumbo cupcakes are filled with a chocolate ganache which looked incredible... and it took a great deal of strength to resist! The frosting is very smooth, chocolate-y and topped with a sprinkling of shaved dark chocolate.

Velvet Painting - Classic red velvet cake topped with an INCREDIBLE cream cheese frosting and a candied rose petal. The rose petal added such a delightful touch of elegance to this cupcake, and this (along with the Pearl) would be my two choices to serve at a tea party. So petite and pretty!

On Tuesdays, the three specially featured flavors are: coconut lemon (my favorite of the batch), caramel latte, and black forest. Here's my thoughts on these three delights:

Black Forest - deliciously moist devils food cake with a little shot of cherry sauce which adds extra moisture to the cake (and that little shot is even added to the mini cupcakes, so be sure to grab an extra napkin if you choose this flavor). Instead of frosting, they are topped with whipped cream, grated dark chocolate and a cherry. A truly outstanding interpretation of the classic black forest cake.

Caramel Latte - I actually "cheated" and got a large caramel latte cupcake (in addition to my minis), which is why I'm posting this review of Cupcake Jones today instead of yesterday... I indulged in my jumbo caramel latte cupcake yesterday instead of the mini cupcakes, and saved them for today. I just had to try the caramel pastry cream filling. And it was worth it! Incredible! The cupcake is a coffee flavored cake (I know, I know... coffee?!?!?!?), but it is quite yummy even though I suspect it would be even better if perhaps it were a chai tea flavored cupcake! (haha!) The frosting is a caramel buttercream frosting (delicious - may I say right now, this is the best. frosting. ever.), and topped with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce and chopped coffee beans. Even though I am not a coffee fanatic (duh!) ... I must say that the chopped coffee bean topping added a very delightful texture to the cupcake, and I actually quite enjoyed it.

Coconut Lemon - My favorite cupcake of the six from Tuesday's lineup. Lemon cake (the jumbo cupcakes are filled with lemon curd coconut pastry cream - which sounds unbelievably good!) and topped with a swirl of lemon buttercream, toasted coconut shreds and a "lemon chip" which looked a lot to me like a little tiny sliver of candied lemon. What makes this particular cupcake my favorite? The lemon! It has a bright, light taste, and in my opinion, would bring a ray of sunshine into even the grayest of Pacific Northwest days. The coconut adds the right amount of interest and sweetness to the cupcake. It's just perfect!

I've tried a couple of specialty cupcake bakeries in the Portland area now, and I must say that Cupcake Jones is (by far!) the best. The cupcakes are flavorful, moist, and the frosting is delicious - and doesn't taste overwhelmingly sweet the way some bakery frosting can - it tastes like homemade buttercream! YUM!

One Delicious Blog!

Hey everyone! Check it out! I've received a blog award! Woot! I realize that for some of you, that's no big deal, but it's my first blog award, so I'm thrilled! Thank you to Shake Your Bon Bons for the recognition!

Pumpkin Muffin Mix from Stonewall Kitchens

OK, so I don't talk about a lot of mixes on this blog, mostly because I do prefer the taste of "from scratch" -- but hey, I do live in the real world, and sometimes (ok, most of the time!) I don't have the time or the inclination to start baking something from scratch. Enter convenience mixes.

However, rarely is a mix so good that I feel like writing about it on my blog. This mix is the exception.

The muffins are moist and delicious, and rich with pumpkin flavor. The customary spices are also detectable (most notably, I can taste some cinnamon and some ginger). Yes, these are very, very good. But not exceptional.

That is, until you get to the crumb topping!
What really rocks these muffins is the maple crumb topping.

Sure, you could bake these muffins without the crumb topping ... I guess. But why? To save a few calories and sugar grams. Yeah, you might save some of those, but, you'd be losing a lot of flavor on these muffins.

The maple flavor of the crumb topping is not monumentally strong - it is a pleasant maple presence that compliments the pumpkin flavor perfectly.

My one complaint... the mix only makes 6 muffins.

These go great with that morning cup of tea and is total bliss when served with my Breakfast in Bed tea! And right now, at their website, Stonewall Kitchen has the mix on sale! Yum!

Yay! Back in Stock!

Greetings Everyone!

Well, it's a little late for guaranteed by Christmas delivery (I can do my best though!) but, my best sellers are BACK IN STOCK!

Please note that the links I've provided for the following are direct links to the items in my Artfire Tea Shop. These items are also available in my Etsy shop and 1000Market Shop, if you prefer to shop at either of these venues.

Chocolate Rose Romance: This has been a big seller, especially now that the chilly weather has set in. The rich, chocolate flavor of this chocolate melds perfectly with my selected black tea leaf. Yes, there are other chocolate teas out there, but you won't find one that rivals my creamy, decadent flavor.

mmmm... Chocolate Rose Romance, my favorite!

LiberTEAS Breakfast Blend: Yes, there's a story behind this one... I created this blend several years ago after having carried a delightful English Breakfast blend in my shop, and realizing that it just felt weird to be selling an English Breakfast tea in a shop that I call LiberTEAS! So, I went about creating my own, exclusive blend. This tea is rich and brisk, with just a touch of creamy vanilla. A perfect tea to serve at breakfast ... or anytime!

Breakfast in Bed: I fear that some people might confuse this tea (or the name of this tea) with my Breakfast blend. Rest assured, they are two totally different teas. My Breakfast Tea is a robust blend of rose scented teas, flavored gently with vanilla and tossed with cinnamon chips for just a delicately sweet touch of cinnamon. This is the tea you'll want to linger over!

Earl Grey Creme - smooth and creamy!

Earl Grey Creme: Another best seller. I love my Earl Grey Creme because it offers a lovely Ceylon base, scented with bergamot, and lightly flavored with vanilla cream. It's a fresh, delightful twist on a classic favorite tea.

Well, that's about all for now. I hope everyone has a very happy and safe holiday season!!!

~Anne

News from LiberTEAS

Greetings Everyone!

Some of you may have been browsing through one of my shops, and have noticed that a few teas are missing from the "shelves" -- currently, I'm out of stock of LiberTEAS Breakfast Blend, Earl Grey Creme, Breakfast in Bed and Chocolate Rose Romance.

For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting these teas to return... I wanted to let you up to date with the latest information:

Breakfast in Bed: This will ready for shipment this weekend! I will be adding it to the stores tomorrow afternoon, but any orders for the tea won't be shipped until Monday (12/14/09) afternoon.

Earl Grey Creme, Chocolate Rose Romance & Breakfast Blend: These three will all be ready to ship by next Friday (12/18/09). If you want one (or more) of these teas and would like to pre-order yours, you may contact me and I will set up a special listing for you, and your tea will be shipped on Friday afternoon. For US shipments, if they are shipped via Priority Mail, this will still allow just enough time for Christmas delivery.

Also out of stock: My sampler tins! These won't be restocked until February. I apologize to everyone for the inconvenience.

Thanks for catching up with me, and your support over the years... I have truly appreciated it.

~Anne

A New Etsy Shop!

Greetings!

OK, so you're probably reading the title of this post and thinking... doesn't she already have an Etsy shop? Why, yes I do. When I first signed up with Etsy (way back in 2005) I signed up with the name of my 'zine, because I had originally intended it to be the place to purchase my 'zine (when ever I might get around to actually publishing one haha!) and only put my teas there temporarily until my website was up and running.

However, I hadn't intended for the EccentricPastiche Etsy store to be my tea shop. And then, once people started buying teas there, I kept them there, because I didn't wish to create confusion. I know that I'm always confused when I encounter a shop that has moved... and I didn't wish to cause confusion for someone else.


So, now, I've finally set up shop for my tea on Etsy... appropriately named LiberTEAS!

I don't have all my teas listed there yet... it's a slow process. Please be patient with me.

If you go shopping at my Etsy TEA shop (and you SHOULD!) and you don't find what you're for -- please feel free to either convo me and if I have it in stock, I'll list it just as soon as I can... OR if you'd like, you can shop at either of my other two tea shops: My Artfire Tea Shop ~ OR ~ My 1000Markets Tea Shop.

Thank you for your patience with this ... and a most sincere thank you to everyone who has supported me over the years... I truly appreciate it!

~Anne

PS: Don't forget about my FREE SHIPPING offer in my Artfire Tea Shop! Get free shipping on all orders $25 or more! Just use the coupon code: THANKS (Valid for US and Canadian Customers only)

International customers can save too! On orders $25 or more, just use the coupon code: INTERNATIONAL and receive $5 off your order.

Thanksgiving ... and all that SHOPPING!

Greetings everyone!

This will just be a quickie blog post, just wanted to update everyone on the **Sales** I have going on in my Artfire Tea Shop.

As I posted previously, throughout the month of November, you can use the code NOVEMBER to receive 20% off your total order of $20 or more (not including shipping). And, of course, that sale is still active (since it is still November!)

But, for the upcoming BLACK FRIDAY (one of my favorite shopping days -- certainly don't like the crowds, but I love the sales!) and CYBER MONDAY ... I am also offering FREE SHIPPING on all orders of $25 or more for all US and Canadian customers. Just use coupon code THANKS.

For my international customers, I want to give you a reason to shop with me too... so I am offering $5.00 off your order of $25 or more. Just use the coupon code INTERNATIONAL. Of course, anyone can use this code with a qualifying order.

OK... so now for some fine print...

Discounts are limited to stock on hand, sorry no rain checks. Coupon codes are limited to one per customer, and one per order. (However, if you'd like to take advantage of all three coupons, I'd be happy to accept three separate, qualifying orders.) Coupon codes are valid through December 1, 2009. Discounts/Coupons valid for my Artfire Tea Shop only.

So, that's that! Time to shop!

~Anne

PS: Also... as it is that time of year, I'd like to offer a big THANKS to each and every one of you for your support over the past five years. I truly appreciate it!

Mind Body Spirit Marketplace

Greetings!

As most of you know, I have a shop on 1000Markets. I really like this venue: it is attractive and holds the sellers to high standards to maintain the highest quality product and appearance. When you shop with 1000Markets, you feel like you're shopping in a top quality boutique, rather than a flea market or garage sale.

Not to say anything bad about flea markets or garage sales -- I love them!

But I also love 1000Markets.

In the coming weeks, I plan on highlighting the marketplaces of which I am a member on 1000Markets. This week, I am featuring

MIND SPIRIT BODY MARKETPLACE

Please visit the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace on 1000Markets -- and support handmade at its finest!

1000 Markets

Mind Body Spirit

Visit the Market

November's Sale!

Baby, it's cold outside, and it's a perfect time to curl up with a hot cup of tea! And what could be better than tea? Maybe 20% off on your tea purchase! Check out this sale!

Now throughout the month of November (Hey! That's this month!) you can receive 20% off your entire order ($20.00 or more, not including shipping charges) from my Artfire Tea Shop! Just use the coupon code: NOVEMBER at checkout and your discount will be applied.

mmm... Chocolate Rose Romance Tea!

Fine Print: Coupon valid from November 6 - November 30. Limited to stock on hand only (no rainchecks), and can not be combined with any other discount. This coupon is valid for my Artfire Tea Shop only.

That's it... Just place your order of $20 or more, use the coupon code - November - and get 20% off your order!

~Anne

FREE SHIPPING offer!

Greetings!

To celebrate Autumn, and all that goes with it, including my Masterpiece Chai! -- I'm having a free shipping offer now through the end of October!

mmmm.... Masterpiece Chai!

Just place your order of $25 or more worth of product from my Artfire Shop, and use coupon code: Autumn and get FREE SHIPPING on your order! This is good through the end of October, limited to stock on hand only, no rainchecks, and for orders in my Artfire Shop only.

~Anne

It's Baaa-aaack! Masterpiece Chai!

And nobody is happier about this than I am -- I've really missed this tea!

There is just something truly rewarding about a hot cup of spiced chai latte on these chilly autumn afternoons here in the Pacific Northwest. It's so beautiful up here this time of year as the leaves change color, and the skies take on their misty gray hue ... and nothing goes better with it than my Masterpiece Chai!


Hey, this ain't no ordinary, namby-pamby, whimpy chai -- this chai goes for the gusto and will knock your socks off! It was designed to brew in water (rather than milk, although, if you wish to be traditional, you can go ahead and brew it in milk. I prefer things simple, and that means brewing it in water for me!) and to take on the addition of milk or cream (I use half and half)... too often, with chai teas adding milk or cream to create a latte beverage and the tea loses some of it's vibrance... NOT so with my Masterpiece Chai! The addition of milk, cream, half & half, or even your favorite soy/rice/almond/hemp milk-like beverage will enhance the overall flavor of this tea.

Don't get me wrong, it will also taste quite good on it's own, without the milk or cream... but, I love chai as a latte, so that is why I created this chai! It's absolutely perfect! A MASTERPIECE!

You can read a review about my Masterpiece Chai Tea Here. Here is another review on the same blog -- same blog, different reviewer!

Now available in my Artfire Studio and my Etsy Shop. I will also be adding it to my 1000Markets Market very soon... so watch for it there too!

Super Fast & Easy Won Ton Soup

Greetings!

I just made a quick and easy -- and absolutely delicious! -- Won Ton Soup that I'd like to tell you about!

I LOVE Asian cuisine, and I have a special fondness for the soups. In particular, I love Won Ton Soup (and of course, Hot and Sour! Yum!) I don't usually have very good luck with processed soups when it comes to Won Ton Soup, except for the absolutely yummy CP Shrimp Won Ton Soup that you can find in some grocery stores in the frozen section. And when I can't find CP's soup, I must either go without, visit a Chinese restaurant, or make my own.

So, when I want Won Ton Soup... here is how I make it:

Ingredients

• 1 quart of chicken broth (I actually used some turkey stock that I had in the freezer. Whenever I bake a turkey, I generally boil the bones for soup, and keep it frozen. However, you could also use the cube quart containers of broth in the supermarket for this recipe, I have used both chicken broth and vegetable broth in this recipe with excellent results)
• 1 medium sized carrot, sliced thin
  
• 1 stalk of celery, sliced thin
  
• A small amount of chopped onion (I usually chop up an onion, store it in the fridge in an airtight container. I keep it on hand for condiments or for times when I only need a small amount of onion, like this)
• 3 cloves of garlic (you can adjust this amount to your own taste, I like garlic!)
• 1 tbs. chopped Ginger (I used dried, chopped ginger, but you could also slice up some fresh)
• Trader Joes Frozen Mini Won Tons (I have also found mini won tons at Zupans and they work just as well. I like the mini ones because they take only 2 minutes in hot broth to cook, and they are just the perfect size for soup)

Heat broth to a simmer, and add the carrot, celery, onion, garlic and ginger. Allow to simmer for about 10 minutes, or until celery and carrot have a nice texture to them. I usually like the celery and carrot to have just a small amount of texture, and not to be limp... this makes it taste more like fresh, homemade soup... which... this is. Only easier!

Turn the heat up to Medium High and add 12 - 15 mini won tons. Allow them to cook in the hot liquid for 2 minutes. Won tons should appear somewhat "translucsent" -- this is how you know they are heated through.

Serve. I usually top it with a few drops of seasame oil or chili oil.

YUM!

This all takes just about 20 minutes from start to finish... and it's well worth the effort if you love won ton soup as much as I do.

~Anne

Congratulations to Ruthie!

Greetings:

Well, I reached 100 fans (well, I'm at 102 at the time of this post) and I held the drawing. Ruthie from Rose Works Jewelry is the lucky winner of the Chatsford Teapot and Tin of Tea!


And... while we're on the subject of Ruthie at Rose Works Jewelry... check this out! Isn't it gorgeous!

Love it!

~Anne

Become A Fan and Win a Prize!

Greetings!

For those of you who are on Facebook, you've no doubt discovered the fan pages that are all over the Facebook network. I recently created a fan page for LiberTEAS... and I'd like you to become my fan!

So, I'd like to make you an offer that I hope you can't refuse! If you become a fan of LiberTEAS on Facebook, you might win a beautiful Chatsford Teapot!

The above photo is of the actual teapot you could win simply by becoming a fan of LiberTEAS on facebook. But that's not all! You'll also win a full-sized tin of tea (your choice of flavor) to accompany the teapot.



This is a large, 6-cup teapot, in beautiful, dark moss green. The teapot comes complete with a nylon tea infuser basket.



Total value of this prize is $48.95 (including shipping of the package).

This contest will run from now until I've reached my 100th fan. At that time, I'll close off the contest to further entries.

If you are already a fan, you need to do nothing more... you've already received a free entry to this contest. However, if you'd like additional entries (for a better chance of winning!) you can:

• Subscribe to my newsletter. You can subscribe by filling out the form on this blog (to the right)
• Become a follower of my blog.
• Twitter about this contest and include a link to this blog entry.
• Plurk about this contest and include a link to this blog entry.
• Blog about this contest and include a link to this blog entry.
• Place an order (this will earn you 2 entries!)

Any of these things will earn you a free additional entry to the contest (except placing an order, which won't be free, but will earn you 2 additional entries instead of just 1). However, to get the additional entry, you need to add a comment to this blog post and tell me what you did to earn the entry, so that I can properly administer the entry.

Be sure to include a link to your blog if you're blogging about the contest, and if you are twittering or plurking about the contest, please become one of my followers on either application (I am LiberTEAS on both Plurk and Twitter) so that I can check out your posts.

This contest is only running until I reach 100 fans (and at the time of this post, I have 76 fans, so hopefully that won't take long!) ... so please hurry and submit your entries! Please note for international fans: I can only ship to countries where the customs allows gifts of teas to be received via mail.

Thanks for reading along... and entering my contest!

~Anne

One Tin Left!

Greetings!

OK, here's the deal: I have only 1 tin left of my Momoko Melon tea! This is/was a limited edition flavored Formosa Oolong tea.



My Momoko Melon Oolong tea was one of my very best sellers, but I had to discontinue the flavor because the flavoring that I used to flavor this tea was discontinued by my vendor, so I had no other option! I am still looking for a viable substitute for this flavoring, but, I haven't yet found one. So, until I do find one (if I'm lucky enough to find one!) I have to discontinue this flavor... AND THIS TIN REPRESENTS THE VERY LAST I HAVE AVAILABLE!

So... if you want it, you better hurry to my Artfire Tea Shop and grab it before someone else does!

That is all for now!

~Anne

FALL IS COMING!

Hello Everyone!

I am kicking off my Fall is Coming sale in my Artfire store this weekend! For the time being, I am offering this sale only in my Artfire store, however, if you would prefer to purchase from my Etsy Store or my 1000Markets store, please simply contact me through the store of your choice and I'll post a special listing for you.

Here's the scoop:

Chocolate Rose Romance

All teas sold in tins (full-sized only) is 25% off the regular price! The prices are already marked down in my Artfire store, so all you need to do is place your order to take advantage of this sale.

This sale is limited to stock on hand only, and only on tea sold in tins (I'm running low on my refill bags!), and sale prices are good through August 31, 2009... so time is ticking and products are flying off the shelves... so better place your order NOW! Just visit my Artfire store, and take advantage of my excitement for my favorite time of year -- AUTUMN!

Potpourri Tea

Please keep in mind that I do relist products after their sold, so if you visit my store and don't see what you're looking for, don't dispair! I probably DO have the tea in stock, I just haven't had a chance to relist yet! So, just contact me through my Artfire store if you don't see what you're looking for, and if I have it in stock, I'll relist it for you!

It's Time for Tea!!!

Tohono Chul Park

Greetings!

This past weekend, I took a road trip with my oldest daughter to visit Tucson, Arizona. The main purpose for this trip was so that she could visit with her boyfriend, who is in the Army and stationed in Arizona.

I was worried that this would mean that I was going to be spending my entire weekend cooped up in the hotel room while they were off shopping and swimming, but, fortunately, I came across a Tucson based magazine that was called "Art Scene" and featured the local museums, galleries and other art happenings throughout the Tucson area.

It was in that magazine that I found an advertisement for Tohono Chul Park. The ad said "Where Nature, Art, & Culture Connect!" and reading further, I saw that they featured natural Arizona settings, gardens, art museums, and even a Tea House! Somehow, I felt as though this place was built just for me!

The garden was immense and beautiful. Scrolling pathways lead you through every area within the park, and as I walked through, I saw hummingbirds flitting from blossom to blossom. Roadrunners ran amid the cactus plants, and I could hear the gentle coos of mourning doves. Lizards would scurry across the paths as I strolled along through the winding paths. It was truly a rewarding experience with nature.

As beautiful as these gardens were, I must say that museums located on opposite sides of the gardens offered a welcome respite from the heat of the blazing Tucson sun. They were indoors -- and air conditioned!

One of these museums was rather small, as it was connected to classrooms and was assembled as an artifact museum, offering educational information about the native wildlife and history of Arizona. Surrounding this museum, called the "Desert Discovery Education Center" was the Desert Living Courtyard, and featured several stunning designed gardens.

The second museum, the "exhibit house" is attached to a gift shop where you can purchase many art pieces created by local artists, including some rather stunning examples of polymer clay works! When I first looked upon these pieces, I didn't think that they were polymer clay, they were so intricately detailed, I thought surely they must be hand painted wood carvings!

The exhibit house was showing two different exhibits when I visited, one featured the artwork of local Jr. High School and High School students, while the other was called "Re-Visions" and featured altered art, or more appropriately, re-purposed art.

I was really quite impressed with the Re-Visions exhibit especially, because this is the kind of art that not only I create, but truly inspires and excites me.

Remington Rand
An Artpiece created using Rust as a Medium
by artist Don Baker
photo from the Tohono Chul Park website

The artists featured in this exhibit created exceptional works of art using items that most people would consider junk or trash. It was truly inspiring to see ordinary objects turned into extraordinary artwork, it was amazing to experience the visions (or Re-Visions) of these artists. I felt that I walked away from this exhibit a different person, and a changed artist. Even though I do consider myself an altered artist, for the past few months, I've found myself in somewhat of a lull, and have not been able to create. The inspiration found at Tohono Chul Park has revitalized my muse, and I feel truly INSPIRED!

Now, I must admit that one of the things that I was really looking forward to at Tohono Chul Park was afternoon tea in their tea house! And, I certainly was not disappointed by my visit.

I chose their grapefruit green tea, and it was really delicious. The grapefruit was delightfully pungent, and perfectly complimented by the natural sweet flavors in the green tea. In fact, I loved this flavor so much that I may just have to create my own grapefruit green tea for my tea shop collection!

The delicious array of sandwiches, scones, and sweets that they offered for afternoon tea were quite satisfying as well. My favorite was the salmon sandwich -- a nicely spiced cream cheese spread onto bread, topped with a thin slice of smoked salmon. It was an unusual tea sandwich, but one that I really enjoyed.

Of course, my stay at Tohono Chul Park would not have been complete without some shopping in their quaint gift shops. I found some delightful tea choices (although, I sadly did not find the green tea that they offered in the tea house), as well as some other interesting gifts for my daughters (and myself!)

If you are visiting Tucson, please do yourself a favor and stop in at the Tohono Chul Park. You won't be disappointed!

~Anne