Leaf It Out: It Really Is Time for Tea

Tea gets a bad rep these days as everyone is so bothered about that strong smelling coffee stuff and tea is suffering. If one more coffee drinker tells me about magic beans, you'd think I lived in a panto. We've forgotten how good tea is and how much we love it, let's bring tea back into fashion London.
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Tea and sequins - a perfect combo!

Tea gets a bad rep these days as everyone is so bothered about that strong smelling coffee stuff and tea is suffering. If one more coffee drinker tells me about magic beans, you'd think I lived in a panto. We've forgotten how good tea is and how much we love it, let's bring tea back into fashion London.

Tea is synonymous with being British - it comes from China and India and so do most British things so why has it lost its cool? Why is tea not down with the kids? The Downton Abbey lot are chugging down the stuff and they are so trendy even the Americans like them now. Tea is also totally vintage, like 1650's vintage and people love 'old skool' stuff, East Londoners don't even wash vintage clothes before they wear them - that's why they started drinking coffee, to cover up the second hand aroma.

I have so many fond memories of tea: spilling it on my mums white rug, burning my tongue on it at the football and leaving tea bags to cool by the sink so I could use them to make antique paper. Remember antique paper? That should come back into fashion too. Tea is forever, it's solid, it doesn't have to pay the 5p bag charge because it comes with its own. No one else would get away with that. Tea is a commitment, there is no instant tea, no shots of tea just leaves in hot water with a splash of milk: it's method in the London madness. Feeling stressed because you've watched the fourth tube go past without being able to cram on? Have a calming camomile to soothe the rage and then throw the warm remnants into the next tube carriage - that will clear some space.

Tea can also be healthy and healthy is so hot right now, as is tea. Forget a vegetable smoothie, grab a cup and a green tea bag for your health, if nothing else its much cheaper and us Londoners do love cheap eats - most cafés will give you hot water for free if you bring the tea bag. Wagamamas restaurants will actually give you free green tea. Bargain.

Tea is so hip even celebrities drink it as well as do those who've had their hips replaced. Yes The Queen loves tea but it is not just for people over 60 and Royalists. The Queen of edgy Lady Gaga is into tea, she loves slurping on a brew whilst she's pinning some meat together for a party or partaking in some papier-mâché for a new hat. Other famous tea drinkers include: Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig, yep James Bond times three and 007 is the king of cool (and casual sex). If Mr Bond can chase some villians, crash a car and throw some moody glares all fuelled by tea it should be more than sufficient for busy Londoners.

It's time for tea to take centre stage again: it's tea's time to shine. Move over complicated coffee making machine, I've got a teapot and I'm not afraid to use it.