Portland, Oregon: Headwaters & Gracie's tea rooms; restaurant review

Top Two Traditional Tea Times in Portland, Oregon

The lavish Russian afternoon tea service in the (CLOSED) Tea Court Lounge of the Headwaters restaurant of the downtown Heathman Hotel is presented only on Saturdays, at noon and 2:30 p.m.  Reservations are required.  A separate table is dedicated to preparing the tea using a magnificent samovar.  All teas come from local Smith Teamaker, including custom blends.  Two I enjoyed were Chocolate peppermint Pu’erh for a dose of caffeine, followed by Peppermint Leaves for a refreshing caffeine-free sip.  Recipes for some items on the menu have been handed down from chef Vitaly Paley’s own grandmother.  I ate absolutely everything on my tiered tray.  My favorites were Traditional Blini (with salmon caviar and sour cream), Butterbrodi (open-faced rye sandwiches), and Tort Po Kievski (hazelnut meringue, coffee buttercream, and chocolate ganache).  

Beefeater doorman at The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon

samouvar tea table for Russian afternoon tea service in Tea Court Lounge
of the Headwaters restaurant at The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon

tiered tea tray for Russian afternoon tea service in Tea Court Lounge
of the Headwaters restaurant at The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon

savory selections at Russian afternoon tea service in Tea Court Lounge
of the Headwaters restaurant at The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon

savory selections at Russian afternoon tea service in Tea Court Lounge
of the Headwaters restaurant at The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon

sweet selections at Russian afternoon tea service in Tea Court Lounge
of the Headwaters restaurant at The Heathman Hotel in Portland, Oregon

Gracie’s restaurant is the posh site for a traditional English afternoon tea at the Hotel deLuxe.  Smith Teamaker brews are served here as well, including two custom blended for this venue--a strong malty Provenance Black and fruit Green deLuxe.  A three-tiered tea tray includes a variety of sandwiches (the smoked salmon and tarragon cream cheese on rye is particularly tasty), warm scones with housemade Marionberry jam and clotted cream, and an assortment of cakes.  Most items are made in house.  Tea-based cocktails are also available.

tiered tea tray for afternoon tea at Gracie's restaurant in Hotel deLuxe
in Portland, Oregon

afternoon tea selections at Gracie's restaurant in Hotel deLuxe in Portland, Oregon

tiny tea cocktail at Gracie's restaurant in Hotel deLuxe in Portland, Oregon

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images ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 
updated September 8, 2023

Portland, Oregon: Smith Teamaker; things to do

Smith Teamaker  

110 SE Washington St., Central Eastside Industrial District, (503) 719-8752; also at 1626 NW Thurman St., Pearl.  M-Sat 10am-6pm.  Flight tasting $10. 

This vibrant tea company was begun by the late Steven Smith, a legendary tea maker who also founded both Stash Tea and Tazo Tea in Portland.  Smith is known for using quality ingredients to create delicious blends, which run the gamut from simple and clean to robust and complex.  “We try to be cheeky and clever,” says Tony Tellin, Head Tea Maker, who is still wondering what he will be when he grows up. 

The perfect introduction is an actual visit to the Smith Teamaker factory where these small-batch teas are made to do a sampling.  You can view production through a large glass window and will learn where the teas come from and how they are grown and harvested, plus taste a flight of teas.  It is interesting to learn that the silky tea bags are made from corn by-product and are sealed with sound waves.  Another option is to stop in and enjoy service in the small cafe or to select some teas to purchase for at-home brewing.  Tea lattes are also available, as is iced tea, nitro chai on tap, and more.  Look soon for ready-to-drink Masala Chai Tea in a milk carton at your local Whole Foods.

exterior of Smith Teamaker in Portland, Oregon

cafe at Smith Teamaker in Portland, Oregon

factory at Smith Teamaker in Portland, Oregon

teabag at Smith Teamaker in Portland, Oregon

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images and videos ©2018 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Chengdu, China: Sichuan Opera at Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse; things to do

Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse  

23 Qintai Rd., in Chengdu Culture Park, Qingyang District.  130 RMB including tea. 

A favorite venue to see Sichuan Opera, this old theater presents a nightly 1½-hour show that includes as well as traditional Sichuan folk performances featuring stick puppets, fire spitting, and face changing.  The audience at Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse sits as viewers would have long ago, in comfortable oversize bamboo lounge chairs, and are served tea and nibbles.  Massage and ear wax cleaning is available before and during the performance, and before the show starts the audience has access to the dressing rooms to watch the performers getting ready.  Several more attractions are adjaent:  Qingyang Taoist Temple, Wuhou Memorial Temple, and Dufu Cottage.

night exterior of Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse in Chengdu, China

interior of Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse in Chengdu, China

Sichuan Opera performers get ready at Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse
in Chengdu, China

Sichuan Opera performer poses at Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse
in Chengdu, China

Sichuan Opera performer poses at Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse
in Chengdu, China

 

Sichuan Opera performance at Shu Feng Ya Yun Teahouse in Chengdu, China

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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Taichung, Taiwan: Learn to make bubble tea at the Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House; things to do + restaurant review

Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House  

Cold pearl milk tea—also known in the U.S. as bubble or boba tea--originated in the early 1980s.  To be precise, Mr. Liu Han-Chieh invented bubble tea here in his Taiwan tea house--the Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House.  He came up with the idea of serving tea cold during a visit to Japan where he saw coffee served cold.  In Taiwan, bubble tea is a foamy, cold black Chinese tea mixed with ice and sometimes milk.  It does not include tapioca balls.  Another guy in this shop invented pearl tea, which mixes tea with fresh tapioca balls and sometimes include milk.  Tapioca balls can be added to any cold drink in this tea house for a small additional charge.

ad for DIY Boba Tea at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House in Taichung, Taiwan

entry at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House in Taichung, Taiwan

I found myself here for the do-it-yourself workshop that teaches you how to make both types of cold tea.  My lesson began with making bubble black tea—the original cold Chinese tea.  Using a precise recipe, we started with 70 cubic centimeters of strong-brewed black tea from Sri Lanka.  To the shaker, we added ice over the top, so it was like a mountain, then poured 20 cubic centimeters of liquid cane sugar over the ice, added the tea, and closed the shaker.  We then shook it forcefully, out and away from our bodies, for 33 shakes.  The collision of liquid with ice creates bubbles--thus the name.  We poured our liquid in a drinking cup and compared the foam with the other participants, then drank. 

The second part of the lesson taught us how to prepare pearl milk tea, the shop’s best seller and my personal favorite.  I adore pearl tea.  First we compared the powdery, fresh grey pearls that this shop uses (they last only a few days in the refrigerator) with the hard, dried-out, toasted-looking pearls that many other shops use (they can last unrefrigerated for 2 or 3 years!).  (It was interesting to learn that tapioca grows underground on the root of a tree.  About the size of a yam, it is often called a tree potato.)  For this concoction, an even stronger black tea is used so that the pearls don’t overpower the taste of the tea.  The recipe is the same, except that 1 spoon of dried milk is added into the shaker with the tea and whisked until dissolved.  After shaking the shakers like they are maracas, we pour the liquid over 2 teaspoons of tapioca balls and stir.  Yum.

set-up for DIY boba tea at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House in Taichung, Taiwan

instructor Dora Cheng for DIY boba tea at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House
in Taichung, Taiwan

fresh tapioca pearls for DIY boba tea at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House
in Taichung, Taiwan

finished pearl tea at DIY workshop at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House
in Taichung, Taiwan

After, we had the option of staying on for lunch, which we did.  I ordered the #279 vegetarian handmade thin noodles, which were delicious and just the right amount of food.  The most popular lunch item on the menu is #198, Kung-Fu noodles with minced pork and mushrooms.  I accompanied my noodles with the #819 chocolate milk tea with pearls.  The medium portion was huge and chocolatey, with chocolate shavings floating on top, and could easily have passed for a dessert.  I shared it with others and still wasn’t able to finish it.  The most popular tea here is the #6 pearl milk tea.   

#279 vegetarian handmade thin noodles at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House
in Taichung, Taiwan

#819 chocolate milk tea with pearls at Chun Shui Tang Cultural Tea House
in Taichung, Taiwan

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images ©2017 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Lake Louise, Canada: The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise; restaurant review

Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise  

111 Lake Louise Dr., Lake Louise, (866) 540-4413.  Sleigh rides mid-December through early April. 

Situated within Banff National Park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the exquisitely positioned grand hotel on scenic Lake Louise--The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise--provides guests with pleasures galore.  Perhaps my favorite is Afternoon Tea in the Lakeview Lounge, with pastries, finger sandwiches, and a view of the lake and Victoria Glacier.  In winter, guests are picked up at the hotel for a draft horse-drawn sleigh ride along a lakeside trail featuring spectacular mountain scenery.  The one-hour excursions are available in both day and evening.  Note that you do not need to be an overnight guest to enjoy these special facilities. 

The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Banff National Park, Canada

Afternoon Tea at The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
in Banff National Park, Canada

trail around the lake in front of The Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
in Banff National Park, Canada

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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

updated Sept. 8, 2023

My Five Favorite Fun Things to Do in Iceland

My Five Favorite Fun Things to Do in Iceland

It’s been almost a year since I visited Iceland, and I still so enjoy reminiscing about the exciting things I did there.  When people ask me about the best of it, I answer that these five things are my favorites--the don’t-misses.  I could easily turn this into a Top Ten list by adding in a drive around the island with stays along the way.  And then there is doing a cave tour, seeing the Northern Lights, and eating some pristinely fresh Iceland fish.  As much time as you have, there is that much more to do that is worth doing. 

1.  Soak in the Blue Lagoon 

This was the number one thing I most wanted to experience in Iceland.  I love hot springs, and this one, described as large and hot and manmade, did intrigue me.  In advance I was concerned about privacy in the changing rooms, which turned out to be a breeze to maneuver and to secure a private spot in a restroom for a quick change.  I also was able to go in the shower in my bathing suit, though I had heard you couldn’t.  I certainly didn’t want to be there in my birthday suit among the many giggling 20 year olds!  The lagoon itself was heaven.  I loved sipping a cocktail while I steamed, and I know that the free goo from the silica pots made me look several years younger, at least while it was on my face.

Blue Lagoon in Iceland

2.  Ride an Icelandic horse

Although I didn’t exactly ride my horse, I did mount it and pet it and get my picture taken with it, and I enjoyed watching the rest of the people in my group experience the unique tolt gait trot the horse is famous for.  On the farm visit that was included with this horsey experience, we also were introduced to a charming “sunshine tea” in the farmer’s own home.  It consists of crepes served with blueberry preserves and whipped cream, plus and round donut-hole-like “love balls.”  This tea celebrates the return of the sun after the sunless few months that occur here every winter. 

two Icelandic horses

3.  Take the Iceland Golden Circle tour 

I took a basic group bus tour from Reykjavik that stopped at the major sites along this route:  Þingvellir national park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where we walked through the separation caused by the slow drifting apart of the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates that meet here; Gullfoss waterfall, where we were almost blown away by the strength of the roaring falls’ mist; and the Geysir geothermal area, where we walked among bubbling mud pools and watched the predictable eruptions of Strokkur geyser, and where I think my camera met pending doom from the resulting steam (be careful here and cover your camera!).  Lunch was included.  I liked that this expedition was guided because I didn’t have to do any planning—just go.  Some tours add on extras, such as riding an Icelandic horse or soaking in the natural geothermal baths at a wellness center, or visiting one of the farms to meet locals, pet animals, and sample some Icelandic delicacies.  Do a little research and then settle on the tour that adds in what you personally don’t want to miss.

walking between tectonic plates in Þingvellir national park
on Iceland Golden Circle tour

4.  Stroll Reykjavik and select a souvenir  

Reykjavik--pronounced “Ray-kah-vik”--is Iceland’s biggest city but it is small enough to stroll through in a day.  Downtown, you’ll walk along winding cobblestone streets see colorful architecture and street art graffiti.  Try to fit in a visit to the Hafnarhus art museum located in a refurbished 1930s fish warehouse and the architecturally interesting Hallgrimskirkja Church, which  can be seen from almost everywhere in town.  In between, you’ll come across some of the unusual shops where you are bound to find the perfect locally made souvenir.  The Handknitting Association of Iceland is the place to find a well-priced knit sweater or a red knitted Santa (which I still regret not buying).  Visit the Kraum Centre for Icelandic Craft inside the city’s oldest wood house to select from an intriguing collection of Icelandic pottery, jewelry, household utensils, and clothes, plus whimsy in the form of a fuzzy sheep-fleece topped stool (I also regret not buying this!).

Reykjavik scenic in Iceland

5.  Eat an Icelandic hot dog 

Bæjarins Bestu Pylsur is located downtown by the bus station and is probably the most famous spot to eat the famous Icelandic “pylsur,” or hot dog.  Usually made with free-range, grass-fed, organic, hormone-free Icelandic lamb, locals like them with “everything”--ketchup, sweet brown mustard, remoulade sauce (a mix of mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs), raw onions, and crispy fried onions.  When I walked by here, I wasn’t hungry, so I finally ate my dog at the last minute at the airport and it wasn’t bad.

Bæjarins Bestu Pylsur hot dog stand in Reykjavik, Iceland

Note:  Guide to Iceland asked me to share my Iceland experience in this blog post.  All opinions and comments are my own.

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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Shanghai, China: Old City/Bazaar Shanghai; things to do + restaurant reviews

Old City/Bazaar Shanghai  

South of The Bund, by Shanghai Old Street/Shanghai Lao Jie. 

The city’s original core, the warren of narrow pedestrian-only lanes in the Old City/Bazaar Shanghai is lined with large reconstructed Ming and Qing dynasty buildings featuring ornate rooftops.  Many now hold food and souvenir stalls.  Farther from the core are tenements with laundry hanging over railings to dry, backstreet businesses, and a few temples.  At the western end of the street at Henan Lu, you can catch a taxi back to your hotel.

perimeter of Old City in Shanghai, China

pedestrian street in Old City in Shanghai, China

militaristas taking photo in Old City in Shanghai, China

shop in Old City in Shanghai, China

children enjoying peep show in Old City in Shanghai, China

Sights

Yu Yuan/Yuyuan Garden  

132. Anren St., in the heart of Old City.  Daily 8:30am-4:30pm. 

Dating back 400 years to the Ming Dynasty, the famous Yu Yuan/Yuyuan Garden was built in 1559 by Pan Yunduan as a private garden for his parents.  It is said to be the most beautiful classical garden in China--more beautiful even than those in Suzhou.  "Yu" translates as "peace and health," and this garden is indeed a place of peace and comfort in the heart of busy Shanghai.  It is a large walled complex of tranquil gardens and traditional Chinese houses, with rock gardens, ponds, bridges, and pavilions, and, of course, it attracts plenty of tourists.  Fat golden Chinese carp and Japanese koi fish swim in a pond.  Try your luck at the wishing waterfall, where, after you find the four stone dragons hidden among the stones, the tradition is to throw a coin out onto them.  If your coin stays on the stone, your wish is granted; if it falls in the water, you’re out of luck. 

Just outside the garden to the north, The Bridge of Nine Turnings/Jiu Qu Qiao Bridge/Zigzag Bridge leads over a pond to the Huxinting Teahouse/Huxinting Chashe/Yeshi Tea House, a classic mid-lake pavilion that is the perfect place to stop for tea.  Service is inexpensive, but costs about twice as much upstairs as it does downstairs because of the view and more serene atmosphere. 

Yuyuan Garden in Old City in Shanghai, China

dragon detail in Yuyuan Garden in Old City in Shanghai, China

golden coi in Yuyuan Garden in Old City in Shanghai, China

Shops

Tea Garden  

158 0091 3143.  

This shop is loaded with tea in tins.  I especially like these tins because the tops twist off and can be reused.  The tea is displayed so you can touch and smell samples, and clerks are helpful.  I also liked that teas are packaged in small containers that allow you to sample several kinds.  I selected Lapsangsouchong black tea and Big Red Robe oolong tea for my souvenirs.

Tea Garden shop in Old City in Shanghai, China

tea display in Tea Garden shop in Old City in Shanghai, China

Restaurants

Xinxiang steamed bun restaurant  

This is the town’s most famous place for Shanghai’s famous xiaolongbao steamed dumplings with crab meat.  I hear there is always a long line of people waiting to buy dumplings from the first-floor stall at Xinxiang restaurant (they then eat them on the street just like we would a hot dog).  If you want to sit down, go upstairs where you will pay a cashier twice as much for the privilege and you will also have to hover to secure your own seats.  When you are finally seated, a server delivers the goods and picks up your chit and check.  We waited on the second floor for about 20 minutes before some kind, already-seated Chinese people offered us two empty chairs at their table (like in Germany at a beer garden, it is customary to share tables here).  We then engaged in pleasant conversation via sign language.  For more menu choices, table service, and a view, head to the third floor where everything costs three times as much.  By the way, I didn’t detect the taste of crab meat in the buns. 

Shanghai dumplings at Xinxiang restaurant in Old City in Shanghai, China

diners texting at Xinxiang restaurant in Old City in Shanghai, China

the bill at Xinxiang restaurant in Old City in Shanghai, China

Shanghai dumplings with straws from street vendor in Old City
in Shanghai, China

Yu Garden Tea House  

133 YuYuan Old Street, in first block outside Yu Garden exit gate, 021-63264514. 

I knew we had to stop here for refreshment when I saw from the street below the second-floor table for two set out in the open on a tiny sheltered balcony.  I longed to sit there for a while and observe the activity below, which I was currently amid.  Once seated, I realized it was pretty much only hot tea that was on the menu, and since it was also a hot day I preferred to drink cold beer.  The solo beer choice on the menu was the equivalent of US$8, which is outrageous in these parts.  Times two that was US$16.  We got up to abandon ship, but were convinced to stay by an offer of two beers for US$8.  Still a ridiculous price, we decided to take it and did not regret this atmospheric break.  I learned that people generally come here for extensive tea tastings.  Instead of what we did, I would advise you to plan to drink beer elsewhere and come here for some tea tasting and tea purchasing because it is fairly-priced for that.  When you depart, ask for directions to the nearby Zigzag Bridge.

Yu Garden Tea House in Old City in Shanghai, China

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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers