I'm going to have bubble tea with a friend today. I have loved tapioca since childhood, and I consider bubble tea to be the ultimate treat. I love these tea bars where one can chat and slow down and savor the smell and flavor of the tea. I occasionally have coffee, but tea is my thing, ever since living in a British colony. They definitely indoctrinated me. I still love high tea, and there are places nearby where I can go for a special treat. I firmly believe that Devonshire cream on a scone is the ultimate perfection. So maybe bubble tea is a step down, but having brainwashed my friend into loving it as well, we pretty much always meet at the tea bar.
There used to be another place within walking distance where I met up with friends, but the state of the economy sunk it. Let's face it, these are luxurious habits, and unnecessary in a downturn. But it was such a beautiful little oasis of calm and quiet, an Asian place, with nooks and corners to settle into and the most exotic teas from all over the world. It was completely unlike any coffee place. But it's gone.
The place we will meet today is more like a Starbucks or Peets, with the scraped up wood floors from chairs and bussing bins and cakes and cookies in a bright glass cabinet. People are noisier and there are the laptop people not enjoying their tea at all, their tables strewn with books and their eyes bleary. But we will attempt to shut all that hustle and bustle out, and sit down to a meaningful conversation and shared pleasure.
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