Yayaya.

Exceptional moment.

I treasure these.

Summer so far.

1. The park on the day I got back home to beautiful Colorado.
2. Hiking on a trip that will not be forgotten any time soon.
3. Food of champions (especially while camping).
4. Sage tea and baclava at a restaurant called The Heart of Jerusalem in Colorado Springs.
5. Yerba maté at my all-time favorite Wisdom Tea House.
6. Denver Botanical Gardens. What a breath of fresh air.
7. Red Rocks Amphitheater for a movie.
8. Coloradoan to the core.
9. Lounging in the park on a Friday afternoon.
10. Smoothies and reading at Whole Foods for lunch.
11. Mountains, mountains, mountains. Can't get enough.

Tea, books, coffee, cats.

(by Mayya Subrosa)

(by more_vnutri)

(by Luke Beard on thrilld.com)

(all from Tea, Coffee, and Books)

Tea, Coffee, and Books is one of the most escapist tumblrs I have ever seen... and I love it. Soft, nice quality photos of our worldwide symbol of relaxation and comfort. Along with some cats, because what's better than having a cat cuddle on your lap while you're escaping into an author's mind? Which leads me to the next tumblr of the week: dreamcats. Entirely dedicated to cats in soft-focus, hence the dreamy effect of film.

Photos of the week.

A twist for Christmas music.

Far more eclectic than most holiday music, Sufjan Stevens' album is perfect for when the jingle bells and blaring horns begin to induce headaches and threaten your sanity. You know I'm not the only one this happens to once December 24 hits. So before "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" by Brenda Lee is overplayed, tune in to some chill time with Sufjan and a cup of peppermint tea and let the stress fade away.



On another note... it's not quite Christmas music, but I'll be listening to this uplifting album all Christmas season to keep the joy of the season in perspective. Just add in some jingle bells and it very well could be.

A few of my favorite Starbucks enjoyments.

... Chai latte. Although Starbucks makes them far too weak and tasteless, I had to include it on the list simply because it is my all-time favorite everywhere else.


... Toffee mocha. Desert in a cup. Good for reading old english books.


... Iced caramel macchiato. Perfect for warm Southern California days.


... Pumpkin spice latte. It's that time of the year for pumpkin goodness. Sadly, its only around about a month of the year.


...Peppermint mocha. Ah, Christmas in a cup.

You will notice I only have one tea item and that is only a fill in for something better. Clearly, Starbucks is not for tea, and believe me, I know tea.

The only reason I made this post is because Starbucks has sweet pictures of their beverages on their website. Ha.

Refreshing.

The weekend was a whirlwind. Lately, I blink and realize that a month has gone by. It needs to stop doing that or I will graduate before I know it. I'm loving this time of life too much to let it go by so quickly. My darling friend came for a long overdue visit and it was just what the doctor ordered (literally. I have a cold). Along with the beach, pumpkin pie, and tea we saw the movie Never Let Me Go. Intensely beautiful.

The October beach is an interesting thing. The clouds drove most people away except for the die hard surfers who wore full body wet suits even though the water is at its warmest of the year. There were some who with wishful thoughts still wore their bikinis and did the whole beach thing, but let's be honest, what good is that for? It was refreshing and thought-clarifying and just "aaaaaah". A breathe of fresh sea air does a world of good.

Lounge.

My friend and I found this tea lounge in downtown Fullerton that was simple and peaceful. Looking forward to returning soon for an afternoon of one of my favorite things.

Photos of the week.

Pancake Saturdays.

Last weekend, my friends and I continued the tradition of hijacking a kitchen and enjoying some lovely homemade pancakes and tea before settling into our homework for the day. It is truly the best way to wake up on a Saturday morning.



Some friends found this mug and immediately thought of me. I like being associated with anything Gilmore Girls.

Bhakti Chai.

This is wonderful stuff.

Boulder created, Colorado native Bhakti Chai is for devotion through social action. This is my kind of chai.