Tea Lover's Wishlist

I just got a wonderful electric tea kettle from a Yankee Swap at work and now I want ALL THE TEA! I currently have enough tea to last me ten years, but you know what's great about tea? It never goes bad! So the more the merrier, right? So here are some delicious teas and cute tea items that are on my ever-growing Etsy wishlist. 

WISHLIST:
♥ Eve of Joy's Be The Change Hand-Stamped Spoon
♥ Pen and Favor's Mini Teapot Tea Strainer
♥ PRRINT's Vintage Teacups Poster
♥ Murdeko's Leaf Tea Strainer
♥ BeaTeaStudio's Lavender Earl Grey Tea
♥ Airaco's Tea Infuser Glass Tumbler
♥ Sullivan Tea Shop's Chai Tea Kit

♥ New Moon Tea Co.'s Goodnight Sleep Tight Tea
♥ Riddle's Tea Shoppe's Magical Tea Set
♥ Luna Tea Co.'s Moonlight Test Tube Tea
♥ First Edition Tea Co.'s Mumbai Chai Tea

Are you a tea drinker or a coffee drinker?

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Inspired By: Novel Tea Tins

Tea and books; they're a perfect pair are they not?! I know it's true, you know it's true, and Novel Tea Tins does too. (Hey, that rhymes.) Novel Tea Tins is an awesome company that makes literary-inspired tea that comes in book-shaped tins with art designed by independent artists. Pretty cool, right? 

They currently have a Kickstarter campaign going on to make three new teas and it's ending in a few days! Back the campaign to help them create new teas called Pride and Peppermint (that's the one I'm getting!), Matcha Do About Nothing, and Oliver Lemon Twist. Their current teas for sale are Don QuixoTea (a chai tea), The Picture of Earl Grey, and War and Peach.

Let's get inspired by their bookish tea and tins, shall we?

Pride and Peppermint

{Click for item info}

Pride and Peppermint is based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. It's one of the Kickstarter teas and it has organic peppermint and chamomile, and the design is based on Regency tea sets. How pretty is this book tin?!

For a party vibe, go for a blue and white dress, a teacup watch, and nude heels. Or instead wear something more casual: a blue chambray top, white jeans, a teacup necklace and teacup earrings, and mint-colored flats.

Don QuixoTea

Don QuixoTea is based on Miguel Cervantes' Don Quixote of La Mancha. It's a blend of traditional chai spices: red cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and ginger root. It's the very first tea Novel Tea Tins created.

Go for a cute, casual outfit of a red off-the-shoulder top, distressed denim, blue earrings, and black booties. Or instead wear a beige blazer, a leaf-print top, burgundy jeans, and beige booties. 

The Picture of Earl Grey

The Picture of Earl Grey is based on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Grey. This delicious sounding tea is a blend of organic jasmine green tea and rose-blended Calabrian Bergamot. And you have to take a peek at the tea because it's really pretty!

Nothing better than adding a little British schoolboy flair to your outfits: put on a navy blazer, a striped sweater, black jeans, and black oxford flats. Or instead throw on a blue chambray dress, a blue bracelet, beige oxfords, and a "You're so foxy" phone case. 

War and Peach

War and Peach is based on L.N. Tolstoy's War and Peace and it's a summery tea of white tea, peach, and chamomile. I love peach tea, so I definitely want to get my hands on this soon!

Navy and orange are a perfect summer match, so put on a brocade blue dress, orange bracelet, and orange wedges. Or instead for a more casual look wear a navy romper, an orange necklace, a gold bracelet, and orange flats.

Which is your favorite punny tea?

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Review: Plum Deluxe Tea

I'm 100% convinced that there is nothing better than the smell of steeping tea. Okay, the only thing better is freshly steeped tea while reading a great book in the coziest spot at home. And it would be ever better if your home was a library, amirite? 

Plum Deluxe was kind enough to send me two wonderful teas! The first is Reading Nook Black Tea (which makes this bookworm super happy!), and it's a blend of black tea, rosebuds, lavender, and chamomile. This tea has a sweet, vibrant smell and a robust flavor. It even tastes great without sugar, which for me is saying a lot since I like adding sugar to all of my tea. 

The second is Self Care Herbal Tea, which is all organic and has honeybush tea, elderberries, apricots, apple pieces, and marigold. This tea smells amazing, both loose and while it's steeping; fruity, natural, sweet, and flavorful. 

Not only are most teas only $7 an ounce, but Andy Hayes, the founder behind Plum Deluxe, has a Tea of the Month Club and for $10 a month you get a limited edition artisan tea, a surprise sample of tea, and discounts on tea and supplies. 

"My mom taught me that no matter your circumstances, you can choose to create moments that matter, every day."

Andy created Plum Deluxe for his mother, who was diagnosed with breast cancer, but never let that stop her from enjoying life by going to the spa, going to dinner parties, traveling more, and celebrating every day. Which is why the tagline for Plum Deluxe is Making Moments That Matter. So make every day special with delicious, delicious tea!

For Sincerely, Sara readers: Joining the Plum Deluxe tea club? Put "Sincerely Sara Bookshelf" in the "How did you hear about us" field when you signup before May 31st, and you'll get 1 oz of reading nook tea free in your first packet.

Plum Deluxe | Facebook | Instagram

**I received these teas for review. All opinions are my own.**

Are you a tea drinker?

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Review: Teabox

**I received a box of Teabox for free. All opinions are my own.** 

Remember when I reviewed Tea Box Express? Well, I wanted to test out another tea subscription and just as I was thinking about it Teabox reached out to me. So, how are these two different and what is Teabox all about?

Tea Box Express is a cute subscription box that has both tea and goodies (like cookies, snacks, and small home accessories), whereas Teabox is a personalized tea subscription service that sends tea to you based on your preferences. It's a tea program that's for people who really, really love tea.  

If you are a classic tea lover who doesn't want all the bells and whistles, this is the box for you. Just tea all the time! My box came with three teas (Teabox Special Spring Darjeeling White, Runglee Rungliot Classic Spring Darjeeling Black, and Selim Hill Classic Spring Darjeeling Green) and a Teabox Ideal Teaspoon. All of the teas I received were light, flavorful, and delicious. 

Like a tea you get? You can buy all of them on their website! 

Teabox | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

What's your favorite tea?

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Review: Tea Box Express + Giveaway

**I received a Tea Box Express box for free. All opinions are my own.**

A subscription where tea is sent to your doorstep? It's a dream come true! Tea Box Express is a monthly subscription box at $25 that includes tea and accessories, and yes, it's just as awesome as it sounds. I absolutely love tea, so I was excited to receive this box in the mail. I associate loose leaf tea with hot drinks in a pretty mug in the dead of winter, so I was curious what I would get for summer and I was not disappointed. Who says you can't drink tea in the dog days of summer? 

My two favorite items from this box were the Cold Infusions Keep Fit Green Tea and the Steep & Go Tea Infuser, which means I could drink my tea iced and on the go. The Cold Infusions tea is so fragrant and delicious. It's organic, sugar-free, and flavoring-free. It has a subtle taste, but I really enjoy drinking it on a hot day. The Steep & Go is really convenient and now I really want the Steep & Go bottle. 

The Paleo Sweet Tooth Honey Almond Butter is so good! It's nutty, sweet but not too sweet, smooth in texture, and comes in a cool squeeze pouch. If left to sit too long the nuts and the oils separate a bit, but a quick shake fixes that. I can guarantee that it tastes great with crackers. 

To be honest, Adagio Tea's Match Fruit Mix confused me at first. The bag mentions green tea, but then the bag says it's a fruit mix, so I wasn't sure if it was a tea or if I was supposed to eat it out of the bag. I discovered that it is a delicious snack of dried apple, strawberry, mango, coconut, apricot, blueberry, and pineapple sprinkled with matcha. Yum!

Use the code TRYTEABOX20 for 20%off your first month!

Tea Box Express | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest 

One person will win one month of Tea Box Express. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Would you get a tea subscription?

Have you tried Tea Box Express?

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Review: Natural Balance Foods

**I received Nakd bars to review. All opinions are my own.**

In my newfound quest to be healthy, I've been trying to snack on healthy bars instead of chips and chocolate-covered pretzels. Naked Balance Foods contacted me at just the right time and asked if I would try out their Nakd bars and of course I said yes. 

What are Nakd bars? They're made of raw fruit and nuts, they're gluten-free, wheat-free, and dairy-free, 100% vegan, there's no added sugar or syrups, and they're made in Britain. Instead of being baked, they're "smooshed" together, which means they're good for you. 

I had two separate taste tests (there were a lot of bars in that box!) with my mom and brothers, so that we could all try the Nakd bars and so that I could get honest feedback from them about which bars were amazing, which were meh, and which were horrible.

These are the Nakd bars that we tried and our honest opinions:

• Strawberry Crunch -- Fruity, sweet, absolutely delicious
• Cocoa Crunch --  Love it, wish it was more crunchy, yum
• Rhubarb and Custard -- Horrible, don't like it, gross
• Cocoa Mint -- Very good, too minty, delicious
• Pecan Pie -- Tastes just like pecan, sweet and tasty, good
• Cocoa Delight -- delicious, sweet, smooth
• Cocoa Orange -- yum, more orange than chocolatey, really good
• Apple Crunch -- Subtle but good, doesn't taste like apple, alright
• Ginger Bread -- Tastes like apple, subtle but good
• Cashew Cookie -- Nutty, good, not much flavor
• Caffe Mocha -- Super yummy, subtle coffee flavor, smooth
• Berry Delight -- Very tasty, very berry, sweet
• Banana Crunch -- Delicious, sweet but not too sweet, very good

Our favorites: Cocoa Crunch, Strawberry Crunch, Cocoa Mint, Cocoa Orange, Berry Delight, Banana Crunch, and Caffe Mocha. (If you can't tell, we all have a sweet tooth.)

My family and I liked most of the Nakd bars, especially the chocolatey ones, and will definitely buy our favorites in the future. Right now you can only buy them through Natural Balance Foods or Amazon, but I hope one day they'll be in Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.

Nakd | Facebook | Twitter

Have you tried Nakd bars?
Would you eat them?

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Inspired By: Summer Foods

Once summer arrives unofficially at the end of May, all I want to do is eat light food and ice cold drinks. I'll save the soup, hot chocolate, and heavier foods for colder months thankyouverymuch. To keep cool in these sizzling months stick to fruits of all kinds, cold drinks (hello mango smoothie!), ice cream and fro-yo, and of course water. 

Colorful Fruits

{Click here for item info}

Seeing fruit stands all over the place once summer arrives makes me want to switch to a diet consisting entirely of strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, and watermelon. Suffice it to say I'm still eating other foods, but we can definitely dress like our favorite fruits. Wear an strawberry (or watermelon) red dress, watermelon earrings, and colorblock sandals. Or dress like a fruit salad by donning a red cardigan, yellow tank top, blue jeans, and orange sandals. 

Lemonade

Lemonade stands are the epitome of summer and childhood. It brings a smile to my face when I see a kid handing out cold cups of freshly made lemonade for 50 cents. Dress like a sophisticated version (lavender lemonade from the picture above) by wearing a yellow sleeveless top, lavender shorts, yellow sunglasses, and brown sandals. Or instead wear a yellow dress with a green blazer, green stud earrings, and cut out heeled sandals.  

I Scream for Ice Cream

I don't know about you, but I love eating ice cream during any season, but there's something amazing about devouring it on a warm day and having it melt over your fingers. Dress like chocolate ice cream, one of my favorite flavors, by wearing a light white sweater, brown high-low hem skirt, brown necklace, and brown bow flats. Or take a cue from Napoleon ice cream: a black and white top, white lace shorts, black sandals, and pink jewelry. 

H2-Oh 

When the temperature rises, it's so much easier (and so much more necessary) to drink lots of water. I find it refreshing to sip on ice cold water, and then take a welcome plunge or canon ball into the deep end of a pool. If you want to be inspired by this thirst-quenching liquid, why not wear a watercolor print dress, silver belt, blue wedges, and lucite cross-body bag. Or look to the delicious cucumber water for inspiration: all-white outfit with a white hat, heeled sandals, mint necklace, and mint watch. 

What's your favorite thing to eat during the summer?

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(via 1, 2, 3 & 4)

Life Lately

My last spring break ended last week, so now it's back to hitting the books, editing, reading, and writing what will hopefully be my last research paper ever. What are you doing this weekend?

 

 Hanging out with Jackie & Avra! // Neighbor's cat named Ninja!

 

 Deliciousness: fro-yo & homemade cake!

 

 In black and white // Running errands with my bros

 

 Starbucks is always a good idea // An outfit in pieces

 

Passover with my family // Me {from this post}

 

A sunny day // French macarons! {dark chocolate & passionfruit!}

So nice to get a thank you card from Rachel! // InstaThis wood print of my mom and I

I love The Night Circus so much! // Ugh. Writing poetry is hard.

 

Have a great weekend!
 

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Review: UNREAL Candy Unjunked

*I'm a Bzz Agent and receive free products in order to spread the word and give my honest opinion. If this is something you would like to do, join here.*

 

 

I first heard about the bzz campaign for UNREAL Candy Unjunked on Bzz Agent's Facebook and was hoping that I would get the email invite to join. Luckily, it came the very next day and I clicked "yes" so fast I think I did it in record time.

 

Anyway, I was so eager to be a part of this campaign because UNREAL candy contains no artificial ingrediants, no corn syrup, no hydrogenated oils, no preservatives, no GMOs and all the coloring is completely natural. Instead of chemical dyes (like red #40), all the coloring comes from plants, like beets, cabbage, turmeric root, and achiote tree seed. {Learn more here.}

Plus, who doesn't want to eat candy that's mildly good for you?

UREAL candy has less calories and sugar than other candy bars, and has more fiber and protein than other candy brands. {Check out the differences here.}

But let's get to the important part -- what they taste like. I can promise you that the two nougat bars are absolutely delicious! To me, they taste like a mixture of a candy bar and a health bar. They're chocolately and gooey from the caramel, but a little bit more tough like a health bar. And you can bet I'll be trying the candy coated chocolates and the peanut butter cups as soon as possible.

In addition, the price is good ($1.19) and they're available at Staples, CVS, Michaels, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and they're coming to more stores soon.

So what do you think? Are you going to be taking a bite out of UNREAL's new unjunked candy?

♥♥♥

Product Reviews:

If you belong to a company or small business that would like me to review a product and give an honest opinion on this blog then feel free to email me. I've been reviewing products on BzzAgent since 2009.

 

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