I'm from Paris (France) and I buy teas from Betjeman And Barton.
No doubt it's one of the most prestigious tea merchant (the first shop
settled in Paris in 1919).
My favorite teas are their Formose (delightful), the Easter Tea, and "Les
Classiques".




"ws" > a écrit dans le message de
m...
> Just a little curious. Do most of you purchase from online stores?
> Which ones? Or do most of you purchase from stores near where you
> live?

i buy from les freres mariage, le palais des thes,fugoa, and floriage
joanne
"etienne" > wrote in message
...
> I'm from Paris (France) and I buy teas from Betjeman And Barton.
> No doubt it's one of the most prestigious tea merchant (the first shop
> settled in Paris in 1919).
> My favorite teas are their Formose (delightful), the Easter Tea, and "Les
> Classiques".
>
>
>
>
> "ws" > a écrit dans le message de
> m...
> > Just a little curious. Do most of you purchase from online stores?
> > Which ones? Or do most of you purchase from stores near where you
> > live?
>
>


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Usually in Chinatown, Vancouver. I also buy 3-for-$20 Hong Kong DVD's, for
that matter. Chinatown here is not where the best Chinese teas in town are
to be had, though. It's more for everyday tea. There are shops in
Richmond, and other areas of Chinese concentration which carry much higher
grade stuff. I once bought some sow-mei that was $17CAD for 100 grams at a
place just outside an Asian supermarket, and it was heavenly. It's not
really a steep price, but more than you can pay in Chinatown, at least any
place I've seen.

Peter


"ws" > wrote in message
m...
> Just a little curious. Do most of you purchase from online stores?
> Which ones? Or do most of you purchase from stores near where you
> live?

Hmm, smells like a really old thread but I'll bite,

Given a choice I would greatly prefer to walk into a teashop, try a
few cups of something that intrigues me, and then buy the ones that
make the grade. I was able to do this when I lived in Los Angles
without any problem at all.

Unfortunately I am now about 427 miles from the nearest Chinatown and
while there are a few good tea stores within a 1-2 hour drive they all
have a very limited selection of puerh. Not wanting to let a little
thing like lack of local availability stop me I ventured out onto the
Internet and standard Snail Mail Order sources.

There is a much higher risk with Internet/Mail order vendors in that
you cannot see, touch, smell, or taste samples of the teas before you
buy them. The risk is particularly high with the finer grades as the
cost tends to be higher. This has been very frustrating to me because
my favorite tea is puerh and there is a lot of trial and error in
finding mail order/Internet vendors for this variety.

Now, there are those amongst us who shiver and curse at the mere
mention of a URL but I found that, much like neighborhood tea shops in
the bigger cities, you can find a few choice vendors who will cater to
your particular tastes and even procure specialties for you. The
process is certainly slower and you lack that feeling of instant
gratification that you get when you walk out of a brick and mortar
store with a prize selection of your favorites. But alas I find it
better to compromise than to do without. To be sure I have wasted a
lot of money as I traveled down this road but I have found some very
knowledgeable and reputable people along the way and I have gotten
pretty good at recognizing a scam before spending any money

For those who are interested in Internet sources for Puerh just go to
my website. (http://www.pu-erh.net) You will find links to every US
site that I know of, and a few international ones too, that carries 6
or more varieties of puerh. A lot of good Vendors that only had 1 or 2
puerh offerings didn't make the list. If any of you know of a site
that I missed please email me. And of course my standard disclaimer,
while I do have my favorites, I am not affiliated with any of them!

Mike Petro

On Sat, 6 Mar 2004 10:59:04 -0800, "Peter" > cast
caution to the wind and posted:

>Usually in Chinatown, Vancouver. I also buy 3-for-$20 Hong Kong DVD's, for
>that matter. Chinatown here is not where the best Chinese teas in town are
>to be had, though. It's more for everyday tea. There are shops in
>Richmond, and other areas of Chinese concentration which carry much higher
>grade stuff. I once bought some sow-mei that was $17CAD for 100 grams at a
>place just outside an Asian supermarket, and it was heavenly. It's not
>really a steep price, but more than you can pay in Chinatown, at least any
>place I've seen.
>
>Peter
>
>
>"ws" > wrote in message
om...
>> Just a little curious. Do most of you purchase from online stores?
>> Which ones? Or do most of you purchase from stores near where you
>> live?
>

You're the second person since I've been here to say the largest
ethnic population outside of China is a lousy place to buy Chinese
teas. In my metro areas we have several megagroceries of Chinese
merchants serving Vietnamese with streets and blocks of other stores
and services in rundown shopettes. Sometimes the good places are hard
to find because of the intimidation factor. I wouldn't expect to pay
more $1/100g US for any sow-mei. One of my biggest disappointments
ever was finding sow-mei(leaf) which I understood was White Tea but
what I really wanted was Silver Needles(bud). Any Chinatown I've been
in is a high rent district and the trick is to shop with the locals
and not tourists.

Jim

"Peter" > wrote in message >...
> Usually in Chinatown, Vancouver. I also buy 3-for-$20 Hong Kong DVD's, for
> that matter. Chinatown here is not where the best Chinese teas in town are
> to be had, though. It's more for everyday tea. There are shops in
> Richmond, and other areas of Chinese concentration which carry much higher
> grade stuff. I once bought some sow-mei that was $17CAD for 100 grams at a
> place just outside an Asian supermarket, and it was heavenly. It's not
> really a steep price, but more than you can pay in Chinatown, at least any
> place I've seen.
>
> Peter

Danger! Will Robertson, Danger! Any redirection from this newsgroup
too off premise websites which are nothing more than infomercials of
someone's opinion of teas conveniently available at commercial
websites is a classic con using the confidence ruse where someone has
to buy something to verify any alledged claims. For those who claim
to live in the boonies devoid of Chinatowns just go down to your
nearest interstate and find the first non Motel 6 and buy your teas
from the Indians running the place.

Jim

Mike Petro > wrote in message >. ..
> For those who are interested in Internet sources for Puerh just go to
> my website. You will find links to every US
> site that I know of, and a few international ones too, that carries 6
> or more varieties of puerh. A lot of good Vendors that only had 1 or 2
> puerh offerings didn't make the list. If any of you know of a site
> that I missed please email me. And of course my standard disclaimer,
> while I do have my favorites, I am not affiliated with any of them!

Bro, I work with Chinese cats, and I chill with Chinese cats, and these
dudes are into some tea. Vancouver has several areas of Chinese
concentration, and the one known as Chinatown is merely the oldest. Like
the chinatowns of San Francisco and NY, they are run-down districts near the
waterfront. The merchants do not target the wealthy. The more upmarket
shops seek to distance themselves from old Chinatown, adjacent as it is to
the area of highest drug use in Canada, if not North America. There are
some very fine tea shops in Marpole, Richmond, and the Metrotown area, and
that is simply where the best stuff is to be had, and they are also where
the more wealthy Asians live. No one with any money lives in or near
Chinatown here. They may go there for festivals, events, and society
meetings, but it is not the place to live when you can afford an upscale
home.

However, just like in NY, Chinatown here seems to be growing. In NY,
Chinatown has swallowed Little Italy, which is now a tiny enclave
sequestered in a labrynth of Chinese establishments. In Vancouver, Chinese
merchants have taken over the bottom level of what was supposed to be a
Gap-Banana Republic-Foot Locker style mall on the edge of Chinatown. But
still, you don't find the best tea there. It's elsewhere.

Peter




"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> You're the second person since I've been here to say the largest
> ethnic population outside of China is a lousy place to buy Chinese
> teas. In my metro areas we have several megagroceries of Chinese
> merchants serving Vietnamese with streets and blocks of other stores
> and services in rundown shopettes. Sometimes the good places are hard
> to find because of the intimidation factor. I wouldn't expect to pay
> more $1/100g US for any sow-mei. One of my biggest disappointments
> ever was finding sow-mei(leaf) which I understood was White Tea but
> what I really wanted was Silver Needles(bud). Any Chinatown I've been
> in is a high rent district and the trick is to shop with the locals
> and not tourists.
>
> Jim
>
> "Peter" > wrote in message
>...
> > Usually in Chinatown, Vancouver. I also buy 3-for-$20 Hong Kong DVD's,
for
> > that matter. Chinatown here is not where the best Chinese teas in town
are
> > to be had, though. It's more for everyday tea. There are shops in
> > Richmond, and other areas of Chinese concentration which carry much
higher
> > grade stuff. I once bought some sow-mei that was $17CAD for 100 grams
at a
> > place just outside an Asian supermarket, and it was heavenly. It's not
> > really a steep price, but more than you can pay in Chinatown, at least
any
> > place I've seen.
> >
> > Peter

Previous assertions made by others about VCBC said you can't even buy
Chinese commercial packaged tea in Chinatown. I can walk down aisles
in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
more teas to choose from. I'm not talking about the urban areas with
loose teas in jars. So if you can address the general availability of
Chinese commercial teas in VCBC. In the Bay area you have to go to
Oakland to find the selection and not SF.

Jim

"Peter" > wrote in message >...
> In Vancouver, Chinese
> merchants have taken over the bottom level of what was supposed to be a
> Gap-Banana Republic-Foot Locker style mall on the edge of Chinatown. But
> still, you don't find the best tea there. It's elsewhere.
>
> Peter
>
> "Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
> om...
> > You're the second person since I've been here to say the largest
> > ethnic population outside of China is a lousy place to buy Chinese
> > teas.

>I can walk down aisles
>in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
>more teas to choose from.

<snip>

>In the Bay area you have to go to
>Oakland to find the selection and not SF.

Please elaborate. One day last year I combed Oakland's Chinatown area for good
tea selection. The places I found had the standard packaged stuff I see in
Chinese groceries and department stores in NYC, where I live.

Are you saying that some of that stuff is really excellent? If so, I'd love to
learn which brands and how to ID them from their packaging. Clue us in! I've
had generally poor luck with the Chinese grocery stuff.

Joe

The aisles I mention are my own metro area. I gave the example of
finding commercial Chinese teas in Oakland versus SF because a poster
in this thread and several others over the years who say you can't
even find Chinese brand teas in VCBC. So is it simply they're not
looking in the right place? Even at that Oakland doesn't have a great
selection. So my favorites in Chinatown any generic Fujian
oolong(Black Dragon), Wuji(oolong birthplace), Silver Needles(rarely),
Foojoy. Plug in Foojoy tea into the Google search engine and you'll
get other commonly available Chinese commercial teas with rosetta
stone labeling of Chinese characters. The website for Mark T. Wendell
should sort to the top which carries top of the line Foojoy in the
tins which I can find locally. Over the years everytime there is a
Chinese commercial tea thread someone asks where is the good stuff
only to discover they like Indian and Ceylon teas well duh. If you
like lichee then any off the shelve brand will do the same for
gunpowder. If you don't like Jasmine try Lotus. Learn some lettering
and look in the loose herbal section for kilo bags. I stay away from
any HongKong export.

Jim

(Joseph Kubera) wrote in message >...
> >I can walk down aisles
> >in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> >more teas to choose from.
>
> <snip>
>
> >In the Bay area you have to go to
> >Oakland to find the selection and not SF.
>
> Please elaborate. One day last year I combed Oakland's Chinatown area for good
> tea selection. The places I found had the standard packaged stuff I see in
> Chinese groceries and department stores in NYC, where I live.
>
> Are you saying that some of that stuff is really excellent? If so, I'd love to
> learn which brands and how to ID them from their packaging. Clue us in! I've
> had generally poor luck with the Chinese grocery stuff.
>
> Joe

Well, in Vancouver's Chinatown, there are many shops with both commercially
package tea, and loose leaf in jars. There are also two chain stores which
seem to be associated somehow. They both have green awnings and green
signs. One is Ten Ren, and the other is Ten Lee. They both have a lot of
packaged, and a lot of loose. There is a Ten Ren in NYC Chinatown as well.
I was in it last September. But even their stuff is only so good. Most of
the other shops with tea in Chinatown are Chinese herbalists, selling all
manner of herbs, dried whole snakes, mushrooms, scallops, etc. They have
mostly packaged tea but also maybe a few jars of lesser quality loose.

Heck, I'll meet someone there if you want and show you the shops. It's only
a few blocks worth.

My next tea mission will be to a shop in a largely Asian mall called
Metrotown, where they have some choice sow-mei. Better than the best I've
found in Chinatown.

Peter


"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Previous assertions made by others about VCBC said you can't even buy
> Chinese commercial packaged tea in Chinatown. I can walk down aisles
> in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> more teas to choose from. I'm not talking about the urban areas with
> loose teas in jars. So if you can address the general availability of
> Chinese commercial teas in VCBC. In the Bay area you have to go to
> Oakland to find the selection and not SF.
>
> Jim
>
> "Peter" > wrote in message
>...
> > In Vancouver, Chinese
> > merchants have taken over the bottom level of what was supposed to be a
> > Gap-Banana Republic-Foot Locker style mall on the edge of Chinatown.
But
> > still, you don't find the best tea there. It's elsewhere.
> >
> > Peter
> >
> > "Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > You're the second person since I've been here to say the largest
> > > ethnic population outside of China is a lousy place to buy Chinese
> > > teas.

Tenren is a gimme in the larger Chinatowns. Usually they have
selection with sky high prices. You can buy their commercial brand in
groceries cheaply. I always thought there is something missing in the
Tenren consumer equation when judging selection, quality, and price.
I've concluded there are two prices one in English for the tourists
and one in Chinese for the locals. I remember my first visit to
TenRen in SF in 73 and came away with sticker shock. If I could shop
in Tenren and come away with the best Formosa(company headquarters)
oolong and not worry about the price tag one could do worse. So
you're painting a picture of Chinatown which more or less reflects
what one should expect. That certainly hasn't been the case in the
past. I don't have any problems with off the shelf
oolongs,gunpowder,keemuns. For the beginner I'd recommend Indian,
Ceylon, African teas over Chinese. If you come across a commercial
brand of sow-mei you like please let me know here. I've tried many
brands over the years and can't get excited about any. However it is
probably simply since I know there is bud I don't worry about leaf.

Jim

"Peter" > wrote in message >...
> Well, in Vancouver's Chinatown, there are many shops with both commercially
> package tea, and loose leaf in jars. There are also two chain stores which
> seem to be associated somehow. They both have green awnings and green
> signs. One is Ten Ren, and the other is Ten Lee. They both have a lot of
> packaged, and a lot of loose. There is a Ten Ren in NYC Chinatown as well.
> I was in it last September. But even their stuff is only so good. Most of
> the other shops with tea in Chinatown are Chinese herbalists, selling all
> manner of herbs, dried whole snakes, mushrooms, scallops, etc. They have
> mostly packaged tea but also maybe a few jars of lesser quality loose.
>
> Heck, I'll meet someone there if you want and show you the shops. It's only
> a few blocks worth.
>
> My next tea mission will be to a shop in a largely Asian mall called
> Metrotown, where they have some choice sow-mei. Better than the best I've
> found in Chinatown.
>
> Peter
>
>
> "Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
> om...
> > Previous assertions made by others about VCBC said you can't even buy
> > Chinese commercial packaged tea in Chinatown. I can walk down aisles
> > in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> > more teas to choose from.

I'll keep my eye open for good sow mei packaged. I'll scan the box and
email it to whoever's interested.

Peter


"Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
om...
> Tenren is a gimme in the larger Chinatowns. Usually they have
> selection with sky high prices. You can buy their commercial brand in
> groceries cheaply. I always thought there is something missing in the
> Tenren consumer equation when judging selection, quality, and price.
> I've concluded there are two prices one in English for the tourists
> and one in Chinese for the locals. I remember my first visit to
> TenRen in SF in 73 and came away with sticker shock. If I could shop
> in Tenren and come away with the best Formosa(company headquarters)
> oolong and not worry about the price tag one could do worse. So
> you're painting a picture of Chinatown which more or less reflects
> what one should expect. That certainly hasn't been the case in the
> past. I don't have any problems with off the shelf
> oolongs,gunpowder,keemuns. For the beginner I'd recommend Indian,
> Ceylon, African teas over Chinese. If you come across a commercial
> brand of sow-mei you like please let me know here. I've tried many
> brands over the years and can't get excited about any. However it is
> probably simply since I know there is bud I don't worry about leaf.
>
> Jim
>
> "Peter" > wrote in message
>...
> > Well, in Vancouver's Chinatown, there are many shops with both
commercially
> > package tea, and loose leaf in jars. There are also two chain stores
which
> > seem to be associated somehow. They both have green awnings and green
> > signs. One is Ten Ren, and the other is Ten Lee. They both have a lot
of
> > packaged, and a lot of loose. There is a Ten Ren in NYC Chinatown as
well.
> > I was in it last September. But even their stuff is only so good. Most
of
> > the other shops with tea in Chinatown are Chinese herbalists, selling
all
> > manner of herbs, dried whole snakes, mushrooms, scallops, etc. They
have
> > mostly packaged tea but also maybe a few jars of lesser quality loose.
> >
> > Heck, I'll meet someone there if you want and show you the shops. It's
only
> > a few blocks worth.
> >
> > My next tea mission will be to a shop in a largely Asian mall called
> > Metrotown, where they have some choice sow-mei. Better than the best
I've
> > found in Chinatown.
> >
> > Peter
> >
> >
> > "Space Cowboy" > wrote in message
> > om...
> > > Previous assertions made by others about VCBC said you can't even buy
> > > Chinese commercial packaged tea in Chinatown. I can walk down aisles
> > > in many stores with dozens and dozens of different brands with even
> > > more teas to choose from.