When I was very young, I remember having tea with my grandmother. Nothing fancy or extravagant. I favored milk and sugar in the tea and I thought it was very grand.

I would go on to have tea parties with my imaginary friends in particular Transistor Bear, who by the way was my constant companion for many years. My mother would gift me with my very own tea set, which I still have to this day. Juice and water would be the beverages of choice, accompanied by animal crackers and vanilla wafers.

As an adult, my sister would introduce me to my first tea room. I was amazed at the presentation and as a gift, we would select a tea cup to take with us. It would be these moments that would foster a lifelong enjoyment with all things tea.