🌾 September Recap

We served 407 cups of free tea in September!

Our September Recap includes:

☔ A Flood of Chai

📦 Introducing The Tea Box (and autumn!)

🌎 Free Tea in Boston

But first, some upcoming events in October:

🫖 Tea Talk (link)
This month's Tea Talk – a small group, guided conversation over tea – is on the topic of fear (in honor of spooky season). RSVP required!
🗓️ October 9 // 7-9pm // Bushwick

⛩️ Popup: Free Palestine
In solidarity with the people of Palestine. 100% of donations will go toward the Palestine Social Fund. In collaboration with Fiber Arts for Palestine.
🗓️ October 7 // 3-7pm // Herbert von King Park

All upcoming events can be found on the Calendar.

☔ Free chai at Flood Sensor Aunty, a community play

I spent the last two weekends of September serving free chai at four (4!) performances of Flood Sensor Aunty, a community play about... climate change? Floods? Someone who works at a failing chai shop and wants to become a movie star? Yes, yes, and yes!!!

Back in May, I shared a cup of tea with Sabina, the writer and director of the play. Sabina explained that Flood Sensor Aunty would be both playful and insightful – addressing topics like flood preparedness, inept politicians, and community resilience. And of course, chai!

Thus the question: could I bring and serve 50 cups of chai at all the performances around Queens and Long Island? ABSOLUTELY!

In July, I was invited to a couple of devising (read: brainstorming) sessions for Flood Sensor Aunty. In a studio in Long Island City, the performers and writers came together to improvise, co-create, and flesh out the characters and script for the play.

With practically zero theatre experience, the devising sessions would've been intimidating if the performers weren't some of the warmest and funniest people I've ever worked with. I felt honored to share the room with such a talented, compassionate, vulnerable group of artists.

Fast forward to September 21st – after another couple months of rehearsals (for performers only) – the grand premiere of Flood Sensor Aunty!

What a crazy day.

The morning of the performance, I biked from Bushwick to Jersey City, crossing two rivers (one via bike, one via ferry) to pick up the homemade masala chai (you didn't think I was gonna make the chai, did you?) from my amazing friend Divisha.

With 50 servings of chai loaded onto my bike rack, I returned to Bushwick, grabbed the rest of my equipment, and immediately set off to Richmond Hill where the performance took place. When I arrived at 1pm, I had already biked 25 miles that day.

As I pulled into Lt. Frank McConnell Park, a grin expanded across my face. The park was bustling with local residents, tenant organizers, emergency disaster kits, and the amazing group of performers who I hadn't seen since July.

15 minutes before showtime, chai service officially began. I poured cup after cup of Divisha's homemade chai, working through the long queue of eager audience members. Any skepticism (who's this white guy serving chai?) was immediately put to rest upon the first taste of the smooth, sweet chai. The Tea Stand was fully liquidated in no time.

As attendees took their seats with a cup of chai and Parle G in hand, the play began. The performance featured harmonious songs about rain and neighborly love, a councilman who loves cash and hates worms, and a chai shop caught in the crosshairs of oppressive bureaucracy. As expected, it was hilarious, powerful, and all about community. Everyone loved it!!!

The last two performances of Flood Sensor Aunty took place at chai shops, which complicated my role. The Tea Stand became a competitor, a threat!

In the backyard of the Qahwah House in Astoria, I set up my secret chai operation in a barricaded corner and covertly served audience members during the play. Free chai, pass it down, I whispered to confused attendees.

Blank stares and furrowed brows shifted to smiles as the gingery, minty aroma filled the air (yes, Adin puts fresh mint in his chai!). Soon, most of the crowd was sipping as they watched. The whole ordeal was hilarious and... subversive? Just like the play itself!

As of writing this, the last performance of Flood Sensor Aunty was yesterday. It's a strange feeling. A project which so many people (over a dozen!) spent so much time (several months!) on is now... over.

As we said our goodbyes, it was clear that this feeling was nothing new for the rest of the crew, who regularly perform in plays with limited runs. It's an exercise in letting go, in recognizing that there's a beauty in transience (or rather, recognizing that everything is transient!). I'm still working on all that, but writing recaps like this definitely helps :)

One more special thank you to Divisha and Adin for collectively preparing 200 servings of homemade chai for the performances, and to Sabina and the whole cast for writing, directing, and organizing such an amazing experience.

FREE CHAI FOR ALL!

📦 Welcoming Autumn with The Tea Box

Did you see it? On September 22nd, the sun hovered exactly above the Earth's equator, thus marking the official first day of fall.

We love celebrating the equinoxes (and solstices). These are times of significant, yet subtle, change. Yellow is making its presence known (via the leaves and frenzied bees), the air is crisp and light, and we're losing daylight faster than any other time of year.

In a fast-moving, concrete place like New York City, these changes are easy to miss. A little reminder can go a long way...

Introducing The Tea Box – a way to celebrate the change of seasons, sample some delicious teas, and support The Tea Stand!

📦 The Tea Box at a glance:

• contains 6 bags of loose leaf tea (of 3 unique teas selected to align with autumn)
• shipped to your door 4 times per year (on the solstices and equinoxes)
• fully recyclable + compostable

Putting together The Tea Boxes took weeks of preparation – selecting teas which feel like early autumn, ordering equipment, and cutting HUNDREDS of pieces of paper. The most painful (and rewarding) part of the process were the tea tags – cut and stapled by hand and color-coded to match the type of tea (photo below).

A couple weeks ago, we shipped out the very first batch of Tea Boxes to Steepers (supporters via our 🧧Membership program), and they arrived right around the autumn equinox. We're thrilled with how The Tea Boxes came out, and from the Steepers we've heard from, they are too.

Sign up now to receive the first-ever Tea Box featuring an apricot oolong tea, a hojicha (roasted green tea), and an herbal blend with nettle and lemon balm. We only have 3 boxes left!!!

And to the Steepers who already received their box – reply to this email and let me know which tea was your favorite!

🌎 From Brooklyn to Brookline

In August, the first ever Popup with a "guest host" took place. Behind the table, in my place, was our friend Serena. However, I was still directly involved – I biked over all the equipment, set it up, packed it up, etc.

In September, we took things a step farther. Our friend Michelle hosted a Popup in Brookline (just outside Boston) with a completely original set up. The equipment was not mine, I was not there – I was in Brooklyn hosting an event at the same time!

This Popup came after a couple months of phone calls and planning – equipment to obtain, principles to follow, permits to inquire about. A week before the Popup, I shipped Michelle some stickers, punch cards, and copies of bōcha to have on display.

On September 15th, The Tea Stand appeared in a forested area of Amory Playground in Brookline, Massachussetts. A new host, a new place.

The Popup was a success! Michelle served 30 cups of free tea – an oolong and an omija – to strangers and friends on a lovely Sunday afternoon.

In Michelle's own words:

The Tea Stand embodies the essence of the experience I’ve always wanted to create in a future teahouse: a space for people to form meaningful connections over tea. That vision often got lost amid the demands of building a sustainable business and the formalities of tea tasting. When I discovered The Tea Stand back in July, I knew this was the clearest reflection of what I had always dreamed of creating. 

It was such a delight to serve cold brews of two teas that are very dear to me (omija and tieguanyin) and to offer mooncakes in celebration of  the Moon Festival. I am so grateful to Miles who has been incredibly helpful every step of the way. And I would not have overcome my inertia to make this Popup happen without the support of my friends. 

Michelle and I are still discussing what the future looks like for the Boston version of The Tea Stand, so stay tuned! And reach out if you're interested in setting up The Tea Stand in your local park :)

Thank you for reading!

Thanks to all those who donated tea in September: M, Devika, Susan, Stella, Shawn, Tendol, Hugh, Kaleidoscope, Adin, Divisha, and Cassandra.

Keep Steeping,
Miles 🍵