Operation: TEA closing...

That's right, tea lovers.  At the end of this month, after one-and-a-half years, Operation: TEA will be closing up.  In fact, the Tearoom is already closed.  The reasons are not entirely sad, though.  Although running a tea business was one of my dreams, it wasn't the only one.  This fall, I will be attending the University of Cincinnati for a Masters of Architecture degree.  In about four years, I will be an architect.

As I still have a stock of tea left, I will be running a sale from now until I leave.  Everything in the Tea Shop is 25% off. 

I want to thank everyone who has supported my mission to bring quality tea to Vietnam.  Although this may be the end of Operation: TEA, I have no doubt that something better will grow out of this for everyone. 

Samovar Style

For this piece I tapped into my Soviet roots and made a Samovar inspired tea set.  For those unfamiliar with the Russian style of drinking tea, a Samovar is a large vessel that keeps water hot and is paired with a teapot where the leaves are left to steep for a long time.  The over-steeped tea is called the zavarka.  You add a bit of tea from the zavarka to your cup and the rest is filled with water from the kettle to taste.  Usually it looks something like this:

And mine looks like this:

One-Handed Gaiwan

My next ceramic piece was inspired while having some tea and reading a book.  I chose a porcelain gaiwan for my drinking vessel, however gaiwans are meant to be used with two hands and I wanted one free hand for reading.  I tried to use the gaiwan with just one hand, but it was less than ideal as it wasn't really made to be used that way.  So I decided to go to the studio and make one that was.

Tripot

My newest finished piece is a 'tripot'.  Inspired from a design by product designer Matthew Pauk, it is a three-legged pot that allows for space underneath to place a tea candle for keeping the tea hot. 

A New Hobby

Last October I decided to take a pottery class at Japanese run Overland Club.  They offer open-ended lessons where the student decides what they want to work on, and the sensei helps only as much or as little as needed.  After completing my first teapot, I was in love: