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The Teacup Teacup Turns 5! Wow! 5 Years...time truly flying when its fun! I opened the Tea Room with the idea of providing a special place to relax, enjoy quality time with family and friends and to recharge your spirit with wonderful conversations, warming teas and delicious treats. It has been our pleasure and privilege to meet so many friendly folks who have “Entered as customers and left as friends”. To you, the friends of The Talking Teacup thank you for your continued support, kind words and shared moments. We always look forward to seeing you! I must also thank my wonderful staff over these past 5 years. My current team consists of 8 fabulous women who help make this such a fun, enjoyable place to work while ensuring each customer feels welcome and that your visit is completely enjoyable. Looking back over these past 5 years there have been so many special memories. Of course the birthday, bridal and baby showers, especially the surprise ones, are always special. Likewise, the warmth I can feel when good friends and mothers, daughters and grandmothers, honor us by choosing The Talking Teacup as a place to connect or re-connect with each other. We’ve also been witness to some extraordinarily touching moments, like the time one of our dear customers declared “I’m so delighted that I can have my 93rd birthday party at my favorite place...I know this will be my last birthday and I wanted to celebrate it here with my family.” Or the time when 6 women, dressed mostly in black, ordered tea and toast for 7 in memory of a dear departed friend (see Jan 2007 Chatter on our web site). We’ve also had some tough times. The huge Walnut tree crashing through our porch roof one night was a sad sight, however loosing that stately old tree has enabled us to open an outside patio where in the warmer weather you can now enjoy Tea al fresco! This past April I lost my mom to breast cancer, however with the support of staff and customers, we sponsored a team (Team Teacup) in the Breast Cancer 3-day walk! The training, fundraising and participation in this event was fantastic and after our 3 day, 60 mile walk our team was able to raise over $16,000 for breast cancer research. We plan on making this an annual event.On a business front, the proudest moment, besides opening day, was being selected by Philadelphia Magazine for a Best of Philly award in the Restaurant – Lunch category! It was simply stunning to think that our little, local tea room had received such recognition! Other proud honors include being rated in the top 5% of US tea rooms by TeaMap, selected by Victorian Country Magazine as one of America’s Top 5 Most Inviting Tea Rooms and appearing on CN8 live TV to discuss all things tea. Each of these can be found on our web site under In The News. But mostly the past 5 years have been a whirlwind of smiles, kind compliments, oven burns, dreams fulfilled, the occasional panic attack and the realization that I am truly blessed with the best customers, friends and staff! Over the years we have added many new and delicious teas to choose from. Starting out with 25 teas, we now offer over 85 specially selected loose teas. Our tea specialist, Ann Boggs, has focused on expanding our tasty tea list to include a wide selection of high quality tea varieties. In addition to new teas we’ve added Take Out, Catering Services and Special Events to our menu of offerings. Our evening tea pairing classes are a special treat as we conduct Tea and Chocolate pairings, Tea and Food pairings and Tea, Wine and Food pairings. Yummy and informative! Our Tea Trips have proven to be an enjoyable way to visit different areas and sample a local tea room. We schedule day trips as well as week long excursions, typically overseas. In the current times of change and uncertainly, we are committed to providing a consistent, enjoyable and special experience in all areas of The Talking Teacup, from the Tea Room, and Gift Shoppe to our Take Out offerings, Special Events and Tea Trips. For 5 years I have been blessed with wonderful customers and I look forward to 5 more years of your friendship and support! We look forward to seeing you soon at The Talking Teacup and we appreciate your continued support. Until then, pour yourself a cup of Tea, sit back, relax and enjoy this issue of Chatter! Thank You! |
"Precious Teacup" She was a precious teacup and he just a plain coffee mug But each time he thought of that teacup, it sure gave his hard heart a tug. Though she sat way up above him, high on a special shelf He overflowed with the dream she would love him, if he introduced himself.
While coffee and coco often filled him, And wine and beer always thrilled him, Sometimes soda and juice even chilled him, And a rum and coke once almost killed him The thought of just one thing fulfilled him For she was a precious teacup and he just a plain coffee mug.
So one morning upon the table, beside her just by chance He awakened the opportunity to start his mismatched romance But just as he began to make his move she gave a chilly shrug For she was a precious teacup and he just a plain coffee mug.
At the sight of this slight, the sweet sugar bowl, did all she could to console. While the milk and the cream, could only curdle and scream And the honey found it so sticky and funny. For she was a precious teacup and he just a plain coffee mug.
While the tea kettle often would sing to him, And silver teaspoons swirl and swing in him, Sometimes loose tea leaves even cling to him And a teabag once had a flirtatious fling with him Tea time with them means nothing to him For she was a precious teacup and he just a plain coffee mug
Dejected, deglazed and decaffeinated, empty inside the sink He noticed a shapely shadow, a silhouette and a welcoming wink. But just as he began to doubt his eyes she offered a hello and a hug Hand in handle at last with his precious teacup and she with her plain coffee mug.
Eric Heck |
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Chamomile Moments Stories to warm the heart Clay to Cup A young couple, shopping one day in a cute little gift shoppe, took notice of the most beautiful tea cup they had ever seen sitting upon a special shelf. Immediately they wanted to buy it. As they stood there admiring the precious tea cup they were surprised to hear it speak. “You know what?” delicately declared the precious tea cup. “I didn’t always look this way. There was a time when everyone would just walk over me or pass me by without as much as a glance. I felt like a lump of common clay. But one day someone came along and noticed me. He looked past my superficial imperfections and saw the potential within. He supported me, padded me on the back and began to help form and mold me. After some time however I complained, “What are you trying to do to me? Stop pushing me so hard! I’m uncomfortable with all this prodding, patting and stretching! Leave me alone!” But he just said, “Not yet.” “Time went by and there were days when I couldn’t tell if I was coming or going”, said the precious tea cup. “It was like I was on a spinning wheel going round and round. I was getting dizzy and could hardly tell which way was up. I yelled out, stop this crazy ride, I want to get off, but he just said “Not yet” I certainly didn’t like the fast confusing pace of my life but over time I spun into a more confident shape. One difficult day I was all alone and so sure everyone was through with me. All by myself, I felt like I was baking in an oven. I could hardly handle the heat, I felt like I was having a melt down! But he was there to check on me. In desperation I screamed out, “Get me out of here! Take me away from this; I can’t stand the heat, I gotta get out of this kitchen” but he just said, “Not yet.” “Finally, I found my way out of that mess” said the precious tea cup. “I thought, thank goodness that’s finally over, I couldn’t take another day like that. Then suddenly, like a slap to my face, I found myself covered in a sticky situation and painted into a corner. It was a terrible time to be me! I could hardly catch my breadth; I thought I was surly going to crack. I pleaded, “Leave me alone!” But again, he just said, “Not yet.” “Then I found myself in more hot water, this time seemed worst then the first. I just knew I would never make it out intact. But again, I had help and I pleaded saying listen, I am serious as a saucer. I can’t take the heat anymore, please get me out of this jam.” But once again he just said, “Not yet.” With help I finally cooled off. Sitting here on this special shelf I thought back on the difficult times, when I was pulled and stretched beyond my level of comfort, spun around losing my way, heated up, cooled down, painted, glazed and fired. It was a long journey and I wondered if it was worth the trouble, sacrifice and setbacks. My moment of introspection was like placing a mirror in my handle, opening my eyes to the revelation of how lucky I am, how much I have changed and how far I have come. I was no longer a lump of common clay but rather a precious tea cup. Molded in difficult times, saved by support and made possible with so much help, I have been blessed in reaching my potential” said The Talking Teacup. “And look, standing with me are many tea cups, each one so beautiful, each one so precious, each one my friend!”
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