Teavana: A love story as told by Instagram

Are you a tea or a coffee person?

My mom — and everyone in my family, really — used to tell me I was the pickiest eater in the world. As I get older, I've noticed my picky tendencies toward food are slowly transforming into more adventurous ones. I love trying new things, and try not to order the same dish twice when I return to a restaurant.


Now I realize tea isn't a particularly adventurous drink, but I've never liked iced tea unless it was flavored and mixed with lots of sugar, and hot tea seemed even worse. So when my friends got me to try samples of the hot tea at Teavana, I was amazed at how much I loved them. I never thought I'd like tea!

Long story short, I became a regular sample-sipper at the local Teavana, and even asked for tea and a tea maker for Christmas. My mom surprised me with this beautiful collection, complete with the perfect tea steeper, two insulated mugs and a canister of the Oprah Chai blend. It is so good! Even without any sugar, it has such a rich, bold flavor — perfect for winter nights after a long day of work.

I've only ever used tea bags, so the concept of loose tea leaves was a new world for me. I thought I would for sure mess it up, but with the perfect tea maker, it really is so simple — even for a newbie like me. Just boil water, add the designated amount of leaves and water, let it steep for a few minutes and pour it into the cup. That's it!

In the store, they typically add rock sugar to sweeten the teas, but I haven't taken the time to pick it up yet because the chai is so good by itself. The great thing about rock sugar is that it apparently sweetens the tea without changing the flavor at all, like regular granulated sugar tends to do.

This tea has become my new favorite evening drink, especially when I'm reading or blogging. It's very soothing and good for helping me unwind from the day. It doesn't leave me excited or restless like coffee sometimes can. Sometimes I even think I'm turning into a tea convert...sometimes ;)

So, I'd love to hear: Are you a big tea drinker, or do you hate the stuff? Have you tried any from Teavana? What are your favorite flavors? Leave your comments in the section below!

Related: 9 movies for a rainy day and a reading list.