Tetsubin

The first time I had tea served in a tetsubin was at Mandarin Oriental, DC April 2010.  I fell in love with the tetsubin almost immediately (I didn't even know what's it formal name is until today).  Tea stays warm without a tea light for hours and I just loved everything about the tetsubin.

the hopnail tetsubin used @ MO

So yesterday I was doing my groceries at Tentsuke, I saw a tetsubin for $39.99... I thought to myself, that's pretty reasonable... and yet I didn't take it home with me right away... I was like... maybe I should look at Teavana and Mitsuwa... just to make sure this is the style I want (and I am not overpaying...)

my shogun warrior armor tetsubin

Today, I went to Teavana and Mitsuwa to check the tetsubins out... the same tetsubin was selling at $69.95 at Teavana (Mitsuwa didn't have the style but the other style is more expensive as well)... The word "SOLD" popped into my head (the poor girl at Teavana was still trying to talk me into buying one of theirs) and so I drove back to Tentsuke and picked up the tetsubin and I also got myself a trivet ($4.95 vs $17.95 at Teavana and $8 at Mitsuwa).  Unfortunately, I forgot to open the box to make sure I got the matching trivet... oh well, I will see if they will let me exchange it... otherwise, I am probably just going to buy another one (it's so cheap!)  and if they were out of the style, I guess it's ok... it's underneath the pot majority of the time anyway...

 

my un-matching bamboo trivet...

As I was enjoying my afternoon tea with the delicious raspberry cheesecake my friend got me (and yes, I finished both slices... feeling guilty right now), I scented my house with the lemongrass oil I bought from Thailand and listened to the crooning voice of Dean Martin and Michael Bublé... C'est la vie...

I also looked up the style of my tetsubin and learned that what I got was called the "Shogun Warrior's Armor" which means "strength and courage" (the one MO used is called the "hobnail" or "strength"... hehe...)  Click here for the whole list of symbols and meanings :)

Definitely very happy with my purchase today (I have been on a spending spree... special thanks to Uncle Sam, Hong Kong gov't and Macau gov't... but I need to hurl back my inner shopaholic now before she goes completely out-of-control...)