my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the
tea gallery on allen street today-

our experience was less than satisfactory- i had heard so many good
things about this teashop-but we were very disapponted-

instead of being graciously invited into the tea shop we were treated
rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this was not offered to
us-we
were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we did not want anything
for free
this was not what we were expectng-Michael Plant and friends always
have good things to say about the the tea gallery-

we left and wlll not return-

joanne r. aka jpr54_

> my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the tea
> gallery on allen street today-

> our experience was less than satisfactory- i had heard so many good things
> about this teashop-but we were very disapponted-

> instead of being graciously invited into the tea shop we were treated
> rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this was not offered to us-we
> were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we did not want anything for
> free this was not what we were expectng-Michael Plant and friends always
> have good things to say about the the tea gallery-

> we left and wlll not return-

> joanne r.




Joanne,
Hup ho, I see my name!
Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. You know, The Tea Gallery is a tea and teaware shop, not a sit-down-and-drink-tea shop for the most part. Did you make it clear to the person you spoke with that you wanted to come in and drink tea because you had heard about the shop? Perhaps that would have been more productive. Can you be more specific about the rudeness you mention? The situation you describe doesn't sound rude on the face of it. Again, sorry you walked away unhappy. I should add that I have no financial interest in the shop, I'm a custumer. (Joanne's post can be read elsewhere.)
Michael

On Jul 20, 5:28 pm, Michael Plant > wrote:
> > my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the tea
> > gallery on allen street today-
> > our experience was less than satisfactory- i had heard so many good things
> > about this teashop-but we were very disapponted-
> > instead of being graciously invited into the tea shop we were treated
> > rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this was not offered to us-we
> > were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we did not want anything for
> > free this was not what we were expectng-Michael Plant and friends always
> > have good things to say about the the tea gallery-
> > we left and wlll not return-
> > joanne r.
>
> Joanne,
> Hup ho, I see my name!
> Sorry to hear about your unpleasant experience. You know, The Tea Gallery is a tea and teaware shop, not a sit-down-and-drink-tea shop for the most part. Did you make it clear to the person you spoke with that you wanted to come in and drink tea because you had heard about the shop? Perhaps that would have been more productive. Can you be more specific about the rudeness you mention? The situation you describe doesn't sound rude on the face of it. Again, sorry you walked away unhappy. I should add that I have no financial interest in the shop, I'm a custumer. (Joanne's post can be read elsewhere.)
> Michael

I need an explanation of what exactly is a tea and teaware shop? what
type of experiences did u have have? Beside calling ahead of time-what
should I expect-
everytime u go to the store do u purchase tea-and then leave or do u
sit and chat with owner over several cups of tea?

I apologize-i t was not my intent to imply that u were an owner-just
a customer- and someone whose opinions i value-

> I need an explanation of what exactly is a tea and teaware shop? what
> type of experiences did u have have?

You should have an enjoyable, pleasant experience, after all, you're
the customer, right?
In China, lots of stores sell tea only. Some sell only tieguanyin.
Some sell only puer. Some sell tea and tea ware. Some stores sell tea
ware only. Some do wholesale and retail. Any of these stores will
invite you in to drink some tea - may not be good tea, but ok. And the
sales people just sit and chat and chat, all the while brewing tea.

> everytime u go to the store do u purchase tea-and then leave or do u
> sit and chat with owner over several cups of tea?

I find it odd that in tea stores in Canada - they don't want to talk
to you. Their sales people! But they never talk. They just say: "This
tea is good. This tea is good."
If a store actually wants you to sample, (because each person's
preferences are different - and you have to cater to those), then
there should be no problem sampling this and that tea, and, during the
course of sampling, the sales staff should try to explain various
things, and sell you tea.

Oh, but the really 1 good shopping experience I had was in a Chinese
shopping mall - and the owner was very helpful - explaining everthing
to me - all in Cantonese, which I can speak anyway, so no problem
there. And after I bought some tea, she threw in some free stuff,
which I asked for, but was willing to buy. So that was kind of nice.

I think the business model for tea stores in North America is very
different from that in China. Some stores sell tea and tea ware, and
then they have seating space where you can order a cup of tea, like at
The Tea Emporium in Toronto. Then there are some that do tea tastings
(for the novices that don't know much about tea), and then there are
those that actually run tea courses. That's very different from the
business model in China.

Once or twice a year I visit Seattle for several days, and when I do,
I make it a point to visit three tea vendors: Seattle Best, Typhoon
Thai Restaurant, and The Floating Leaf. They have remarkably
different approaches.

At Seattle Best, if I sit down to drink tea, I will listen to a
powerful and protracted sales presentation, the goal of which is to
have me pay a premium price for Taiwanese high mountain oolong.
Usually, I do not make a purchase. Instead, I leave a sizable tip in
the tip jar. If I do make a purchase, I walk out with a few ounces of
incredibly expensive oolong (and sometimes, buyer’s remorse). At
Typhoon, I order tea from a three-page tea menu before ordering a
delicious lunch of Thai food. The tea comes in a big, metal pot, and
the wait staff refills the teapot with hot water as necessary. The
tea is fun, the restaurant cool and relaxing, the food great.
Typhoon’s tea is not by any means inexpensive. At Floating Leaves, I
ask the proprietor at the front counter about the dozen or so
excellent teas on the list and choose one to drink in-house. I take a
seat at a table, and the friendly proprietor brings a gaiwan, cups,
kettle, and water heater. I prepare the tea myself, and I pay the
hefty bill as I leave. If I want, I can purchase dry tea leaves to
carry out.

I’ve been to New York City twice, and I met both times with the owners
of The Tea Gallery. They knew several weeks in advance I was going to
visit. They could not have been more kind, solicitous, and patient.

Different businesses have different models. Sometimes teashops open
late. Joanne—what time did you visit? Right after they opened their
doors and as they were setting up for the day? You say they were
rude. Did they call you names? Even in my own small town, sometimes
I cannot get a haircut unless I call in advance. ~grasshopper

>>> my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the tea
>>> gallery on allen street today- our experience was less than
>>> satisfactory- i had heard so many good things about this teashop-but we
>>> were very disapponted- instead of being graciously invited into the tea
>>> shop we were treated rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this
>>> was not offered to us-we were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we
>>> did not want anything for free this was not what we were
>>> expectng-Michael Plant and friends always have good things to say about
>>> the the tea gallery- we left and wlll not return- joanne r.

>> Joanne, Hup ho, I see my name! Sorry to hear about your unpleasant
>> experience. You know, The Tea Gallery is a tea and teaware shop, not a
>> sit-down-and-drink-tea shop for the most part. Did you make it clear to
>> the person you spoke with that you wanted to come in and drink tea
>> because you had heard about the shop? Perhaps that would have been more
>> productive. Can you be more specific about the rudeness you mention?
>> The situation you describe doesn't sound rude on the face of it. Again,
>> sorry you walked away unhappy. I should add that I have no financial
>> interest in the shop, I'm a custumer. Michael

> I need an explanation of what exactly is a tea and teaware shop? what
> type of experiences did u have have? Beside calling ahead of time-what
> should I expect- everytime u go to the store do u purchase tea-and then
> leave or do u sit and chat with owner over several cups of tea?

> I apologize-i t was not my intent to imply that u were an owner-just a
> customer- and someone whose opinions i value-

Yes, I realize you know that I don't own the shop; that was a standard disclaimer for people whose minds that thought might have crossed. You are right on one count at least: The Tea Gallery does not fit easily into any of the usual business models. It is also possible that the owner was having a difficult day since the behavior you describe is not usual with him. As had been mentioned by others, they do not serve cups of tea or glasses of iced tea; instead they prepare tea in a traditional Chinese way, which requires patience and time. It is for that reason I suspect that Michael offered you a tea session (at the usual fee) rather than a cup of tea. I agree that these things might have been made clearer for you and your guests.
Michael

On Jul 22, 4:44 pm, Michael Plant > wrote:
> >>> my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the tea
> >>> gallery on allen street today- our experience was less than
> >>> satisfactory- i had heard so many good things about this teashop-but we
> >>> were very disapponted- instead of being graciously invited into the tea
> >>> shop we were treated rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this
> >>> was not offered to us-we were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we
> >>> did not want anything for free this was not what we were
> >>> expectng-Michael Plant and friends always have good things to say about
> >>> the the tea gallery- we left and wlll not return- joanne r.
> >> Joanne, Hup ho, I see my name! Sorry to hear about your unpleasant
> >> experience. You know, The Tea Gallery is a tea and teaware shop, not a
> >> sit-down-and-drink-tea shop for the most part. Did you make it clear to
> >> the person you spoke with that you wanted to come in and drink tea
> >> because you had heard about the shop? Perhaps that would have been more
> >> productive. Can you be more specific about the rudeness you mention?
> >> The situation you describe doesn't sound rude on the face of it. Again,
> >> sorry you walked away unhappy. I should add that I have no financial
> >> interest in the shop, I'm a custumer. Michael
> > I need an explanation of what exactly is a tea and teaware shop? what
> > type of experiences did u have have? Beside calling ahead of time-what
> > should I expect- everytime u go to the store do u purchase tea-and then
> > leave or do u sit and chat with owner over several cups of tea?
> > I apologize-i t was not my intent to imply that u were an owner-just a
> > customer- and someone whose opinions i value-
>
> Yes, I realize you know that I don't own the shop; that was a standard disclaimer for people whose minds that thought might have crossed. You are right on one count at least: The Tea Gallery does not fit easily into any of the usual business models. It is also possible that the owner was having a difficult day since the behavior you describe is not usual with him. As had been mentioned by others, they do not serve cups of tea or glasses of iced tea; instead they prepare tea in a traditional Chinese way, which requires patience and time. It is for that reason I suspect that Michael offered you a tea session (at the usual fee) rather than a cup of tea. I agree that these things might have been made clearer for you and your guests.
> Michael

I am disappointed with Michael's explanation-
I was asking him for his experience when he goes to the tea gallery?

On 07/27/2008 12:32:09 wrote:

>>>> my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the

>>>>> tea gallery on allen street today- our experience was less than
>>>>> satisfactory- i had heard so many good things about this teashop-but
>>>>> we were very disapponted- instead of being graciously invited into the
>>>>> tea shop we were treated rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of
>>>>> tea-this was not offered to us-we were asked f we wanted tea tastng at
>>>>> $24 --we did not want anything for free this was not what we were
>>>>> expectng-Michael Plant and friends always have good things to say
>>>>> about the the tea gallery- we left and wlll not return- joanne r.

>>>> Joanne, Hup ho, I see my name! Sorry to hear about your unpleasant
>>>> experience. You know, The Tea Gallery is a tea and teaware shop, not a
>>>> sit-down-and-drink-tea shop for the most part. Did you make it clear
>>>> to the person you spoke with that you wanted to come in and drink tea
>>>> because you had heard about the shop? Perhaps that would have been
>>>> more productive. Can you be more specific about the rudeness you
>>>> mention? The situation you describe doesn't sound rude on the face of
>>>> it. Again, sorry you walked away unhappy. I should add that I have no
>>>> financial interest in the shop, I'm a custumer. Michael

>>> I need an explanation of what exactly is a tea and teaware shop? what
>>> type of experiences did u have have? Beside calling ahead of time-what
>>> should I expect- everytime u go to the store do u purchase tea-and then
>>> leave or do u sit and chat with owner over several cups of tea? I
>>> apologize-i t was not my intent to imply that u were an owner-just a
>>> customer- and someone whose opinions i value-

>> Yes, I realize you know that I don't own the shop; that was a standard
>> disclaimer for people whose minds that thought might have crossed. You
>> are right on one count at least: The Tea Gallery does not fit easily into
>> any of the usual business models. It is also possible that the owner was
>> having a difficult day since the behavior you describe is not usual with
>> him. As had been mentioned by others, they do not serve cups of tea or
>> glasses of iced tea; instead they prepare tea in a traditional Chinese
>> way, which requires patience and time. It is for that reason I suspect
>> that Michael offered you a tea session (at the usual fee) rather than a
>> cup of tea. I agree that these things might have been made clearer for
>> you and your guests. Michael

> I am disappointed with Michael's explanation- I was asking him for his
> experience when he goes to the tea gallery?

I am sorry my thoughts "disappoint" you; others had answered your question admirably well, and I felt, and feel, no need to reiterate. Visiting The Tea Gallery is always a delightful experience for me, even at those times when the owners do not have time to sit down and prepare tea. The shop is so full of wonderous teaware and tea, I enjoy just browsing on occasion. (Did you notice the five foot shelf of tea and teaware books? They are out in full view.) In other words, I go with the flow. You can treat tea shops as you like. No more on this topic from me.
Michael

> our experience was less than satisfactory- i had heard so many good
> things about this teashop-but we were very disapponted-
>
> instead of being graciously invited into the tea shop we were treated
> rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this was not offered to
> us-we were asked if we wanted tea tastng at $24

That's interesting. Their website does say it's best to call ahead
though:
http://www.theteagallery.com/Articles.asp?ID=131
Never been to the Tea Gallery or NYC - because, ummm, I'm in Fuzhou.

Let me tell you how it is here. Today I happend to pass by Ten Fu Tea,
so I went in to take a look. The sales assistants were very courteous.
One came up to me right away, and offered me a small paper cup of tea
(biluochun). Finished drinking it. Then she came up again for more
tea, this time (tieguanyin). Third round, she came up again, and she
gave me jasmine tea to try. And this was while I was browsing around
the store. And at the same time, there was another sales assistant
always at my side, asking me what teas I liked, and showing me around
the shop. This second assistant kept asking me to take a seat, and try
some tea. Finally, I decided to try green tea (Longjing). We sat down
together - and she brewed it just for me - and we all drank it (sales
assistants included). Wow, what a spectacular tea. She gave me 3
different Longjings to try - one at 50 yuan per pound, the second at
100 yuan per pound, and just for the heck of it, another at 200 yuan
per pound. I probably spent half an hour just sampling tea. She was
very patient.

Of course, after explaining how to brew the tea, demonstrating how to
brew it, and answering all my questions, she got the sale. And I was
very satisfied. That was an awesome experience. Not only that, she
gave me some tea snacks and moon cake to sample too, in case I might
be interested in purchasing those too. But I liked the tea best. And
all of that was free to try.

Teas are highly variable. If you can't sample it in-store before you
purchase, then how will you know if you like it or not? In China,
anywhere you go, you can sample the tea before you purchase. That's
common business practice. And these teas I tried today were all pre-
packaged at the tea factory - no fussing with loose leaves. But in-
store they kept sample packages open on the shelves for customers to
try.

Tea ware was very expensive. Much more expensive that at other places.
But I was very satisfied with the tea.

That's what a tea experience should be - not turn people off.

I think regulars are treated differently than customers. I see some
of that at my local tea shoppe. My biggest disappointment based on
recommendations in this group Imperial Tea Court Ferry Building San
Francisco. Burn me once shame on you, burn me twice shame on me.

Jim

PS What makes a tea shoppe sucessful are other factors than making
everyone feel special. Hell ITC was incapable of selling tea.

wrote:
> my son, his fiancee, and myself were looking forward to visiting the
> tea gallery on allen street today-
>
> our experience was less than satisfactory- i had heard so many good
> things about this teashop-but we were very disapponted-
>
> instead of being graciously invited into the tea shop we were treated
> rather rudely-we wanted to have a cup of tea-this was not offered to
> us-we
> were asked f we wanted tea tastng at $24 --we did not want anything
> for free
> this was not what we were expectng-Michael Plant and friends always
> have good things to say about the the tea gallery-
>
> we left and wlll not return-
>
> joanne r. aka jpr54_

Space Cowboy > writes:

> I think regulars are treated differently than customers.

I think you have a point there (though of course regulars *are*
customers.) I didn't respond to the original post because I'm a
regular at the Tea Gallery. I could say that my first experience
there, when they didn't know me from Adam, was totally delightful, but
that was years ago.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

On Jul 20, 8:54*am, wrote:

I have been to several tea venues in New York, and they are all less
than satisfactory~
Franchia was a total letdown, I went there 3 times and they couldn't
brew a green tea right; T Salon & T Emporium, I would be surprise if
they are still around! The tearoom upstairs was like a Harry Potter
set, and the white tea in the jars might well be older than my
granny. Teany was the doom of tea drinkers.
As for Tea Gallery, I didn't have a good experience with the place in
the beginning, but that was because I went there twice (once in the
torrential rain), and found the place closed on weekdays! Then I found
out that I have to all ahead to inform them, which I subsequently did,
and the time I spent there was wonderful.
The Tea Gallery does not profess itself a place that sells ready made
tea for you to drink, it does not expressively sell you tea, and there
are no serving staff around to show you to the table. If you like
looking for a tea place like The Tea Box @ Takashimaya, Wild Lily Tea
Room, where it is a commercially established with full set of staff in
waiting and tables where you can sit down and drink tea undisturbed,
you have probably gotten a wrong impression. There are only about 2
tables in The Tea Gallery, where guests sit around and Michael or
Winnie brews tea painstakingly for the guests to sip and sample. You
probably have misconceived ideas that The Tea Gallery is a regular
teahouse. It isn't.
It's like walking into Urasenke Chanoyu Center and ask for a cup of
tea because you are thirsty.
Kevo

On 2008-07-23, Kevo > wrote:

> Franchia was a total letdown, I went there 3 times and they couldn't
> brew a green tea right;

I haven't had a lot of other Korean wild green teas, but I think
Franchia (and Hangawi) do a pretty good job of brewing green tea - they
use very cool water, especially for the first and second picked stuff.
The taste is light, and more subtle than most of the Chinese green teas
I've had.

Usually, when I've been there, they have you brew the tea yourself, so
I'm surprised you said they can't brew the tea right - I've mostly seen
them give you a ceramic infuser tea cup or a small pot, along with a
thermal carafe of water, at the temperature they think is right for that
tea, and let you brew everything after the first brew yourself.

w

On Jul 25, 1:31*am, Will Yardley >
wrote:
> On 2008-07-23, Kevo > wrote:
>
> > Franchia was a total letdown, I went there 3 times and they couldn't
> > brew a green tea right;
>
> I haven't had a lot of other Korean wild green teas, but I think
> Franchia (and Hangawi) do a pretty good job of brewing green tea - they
> use very cool water, especially for the first and second picked stuff.
> The taste is light, and more subtle than most of the Chinese green teas
> I've had.
>
> Usually, when I've been there, they have you brew the tea yourself, so
> I'm surprised you said they can't brew the tea right - I've mostly seen
> them give you a ceramic infuser tea cup or a small pot, along with a
> thermal carafe of water, at the temperature they think is right for that
> tea, and let you brew everything after the first brew yourself.
>
> w

Haha~ probably this is a case similar to what Joanne went through! I
probably had a poorer experience because I was there with a different
expectation for the tea they have to offer...next time I visit NYC, I
should go there with more local friends and observe their reactions to
the experience of the place. The first time I was there I was with
some friends and I ordered a vegetarian platter which was oily, that
probably didn't cut well with green tea. The other 2 times I was
there I ordered just the same tea, the utensils provided were nice
(Korean pottery), but the tea was not well stored, it had a whiff of
oxidation starting. The water provided was hot to the touch, and I
had to let the water cool off for a while. It must have amused the
staff to see this guy constantly dipping his finger into the pot...

I'll give it a 4th try since you have a good experience there!

Kevo

I bet there is some health code that says it has to be some minimum
temperature probably somewhere in 190F+ range.

Jim

Kevo wrote:
> On Jul 25, 1:31?am, Will Yardley >
> wrote:
> > On 2008-07-23, Kevo > wrote:
> >
> > > Franchia was a total letdown, I went there 3 times and they couldn't
> > > brew a green tea right;
....its not the way you do it...if it was you wouldnt be in business...
> The water provided was hot to the touch, and I
> had to let the water cool off for a while. It must have amused the
> staff to see this guy constantly dipping his finger into the pot...
>
> I'll give it a 4th try since you have a good experience there!
>
> Kevo

>>> Franchia was a total letdown, I went there 3 times and they couldn't
>>> brew a green tea right;

>> I haven't had a lot of other Korean wild green teas, but I think Franchia
>> (and Hangawi) do a pretty good job of brewing green tea - they use very
>> cool water, especially for the first and second picked stuff. The taste
>> is light, and more subtle than most of the Chinese green teas I've had.

>> Usually, when I've been there, they have you brew the tea yourself, so
>> I'm surprised you said they can't brew the tea right - I've mostly seen
>> them give you a ceramic infuser tea cup or a small pot, along with a
>> thermal carafe of water, at the temperature they think is right for that
>> tea, and let you brew everything after the first brew yourself.

>> w

> Haha~ probably this is a case similar to what Joanne went through! I
> probably had a poorer experience because I was there with a different
> expectation for the tea they have to offer...next time I visit NYC, I
> should go there with more local friends and observe their reactions to the
> experience of the place. The first time I was there I was with some
> friends and I ordered a vegetarian platter which was oily, that probably
> didn't cut well with green tea. The other 2 times I was there I ordered
> just the same tea, the utensils provided were nice (Korean pottery), but
> the tea was not well stored, it had a whiff of oxidation starting. The
> water provided was hot to the touch, and I had to let the water cool off
> for a while. It must have amused the staff to see this guy constantly
> dipping his finger into the pot...

> I'll give it a 4th try since you have a good experience there!

> Kevo

The first time I went there, I got a pot of their best Korean green. They prepared it in a small porcelain kyusu, and supplied small matching cups. We brewed after that, and they offered us more water as we needed it. the water was appropriately cooled down. The second and third time I visited, they put the leaves into one of those shallow metal strainers that sit in a big pot full of off the boil hot water. When I tried to get them to replicate the earlier presentation, they didn't know what I was talking about. So, time apparently intervened. I'd be happy to hear that they switched back to their earlier more caring approach to their empty-your-wallet green Korean tea.
Michael