Log:Gongfu Cha Ceremony

Gongfu Cha Ceremony
Tea Ceremony
Participants Tai, Iris, Basil, Ian, Nathania, Jonah, Esther	8 April, 2017 In which Tai talks tea, and people humor her.
Location
The best place to have a tea ceremony would be somewhere fancy, elegant, full of plush pillows and dark wood. That is, however, not the case for this event. Tai has selected a nondescript random location and set things up. There are pillows for people to sit on, as well as chairs for those unable to get up off the floor. A low table is set up, and a tray is placed on the table. Numerous different pots, cups, ladles and other items are carefully placed around the table as well, and Tai is standing near the door to greet those entering, and directing them to a seat. Nathania enters, and greets Tai. "Hello, miss." She smiles as she speaks in a slow, measured tone. "How... are you today?" Then, once directed to a seat, she'll sit and pull out knitting until it's time for the ceremony. Jonah's arrival comes with a brie fnod to the host, and then a quick scan of the room. His gaze settles on one of the chairs, grimmacing as he tests it out with a quick shake of the back. That's a big nope, and then he moves to the floor. He opts not to sit one of the pillows, and continues looking about the place while taking it all in. Esther ducks a little as she enters the room. Even if she clears the entrance easily, she moves like a person who is very self aware of her size, looming with a slightly hunched posture. "Good day," she says to Tai in a low, raspy alto, then plods over to a free seat, which happens to be next to Nathania, and also pulling out knitting. "Hello..good day." Tai keeps up the litany of greetings as people enter, bowing low to them as she does so. She is the very picture of politeness, not even batting an eye lash when some of the more fantastical of atendees arrive. It's rude to stare, after all. "Please make yourselves comfortable, we will begin shortly." Even without being Lost there was a sense of import about the man whose even footsteps carried him into the room. Some might say a 'muchness' or a presence that was in the small details of Basil's gestures, or posture that made him memorable to people as either taller than 5'4, and far more imposing than his patient, casual nature might directly imply. Lost might do a doubletake thinking the goddamned gentry have left the Hedge entirely. At a closer look... no... no it wasn't but well! It was warm which meant neat jeans, linen shirt of saffron with a tailored vest to go with it, and 380% leather dress shoes comfortably broken in. One would not peg that Harley outside to be his but it would seem this was the beast that bore him here. The dark skinned man smiled warmly to Tai and said in a native Mandrin, "Ni hao ma, Tai?" Huh. City boy at that. His eyes, dark but warm glanced those joining with some curiosity. Nathania looks up at her fellow knitter, and gives a little start. "Esther!" she says happily. "How are you?" Her button eyes are pleased, excited. She even sets her knitting down. "It's like... Aleswich lite. I love it." She smiles happily at the ogre woman. Tea party! It's a party, so Iris is there. Or maybe she just wants to see what sort of tea is being offered up. The Dawn's presence is likely sensed before it is seen an that largely by way of the amplification of other mantles as she nears and passes into the room. The Airtouched is wearing a dark blue dress, its kerchief hem falling just past her knees. There's a swath of that opalescent skin revealed before one can see her hiking boots. Well broken in, those, and likely beyond. Dirty and probably in need of replacement in the coming months. She wears a heavy, embroidered jacket over; something between sweater and hoodie. Every piece of the outfit sort of contradicts itself and only serves to heighten Basil's 'put together'ness. The Dawn chimes a "Hello!" at Tai before moving to claim a cushion by Jonah. Or two, if he doesn't want his. All the more plush-ness for her! Esther looks up from her knitting with a start as she is called by a familiar voice. "Nathania? Nathania!" She puts her knitting down and leans over to give the dolly a hug, if allowed. "Goodness gracious, it's been a while, hasn't it? You look well." She smiles, a hand lifting up to hide her teeth even with all the joy. "I'm better now, especially since I've seen you. We'll have to catch up." There is just a flicker of surprise at the Mandarin, but Tai manages to control it with a smile and a bow to Basil, "Ni hao. Wo hen hao." She replies, then gestures towards the pillows, "Please, sit." She doesn't rush anyone, though. There is a glance towards those that have been seated, and she lingers, just in case another comes in, just a moment longer. But after a second she begins to make her way around the room, behind the table she has set up in front, bowing to everyone, "Hello everyone, I am Chen Tai, I wish to welcome you all, and thank you for coming." "We will," the dolly agrees, hugging her friend back warmly. "Soon." She hands over a card with her number on it. "Call me!" She smiles with her button teeth. Then Iris arrives, and the blonde's mantle flares, from a cold Winter night to a deeper cold with a flurry of snowflakes surrounding her. "Ah, a Dawn," she says, smiling to Iris too. And Jonah, and Basil, and Tai again, before falling silent and putting her knitting away as the ceremony starts. The Dawn's company excites the naturally brilliant mantle of the Old One. The Sun's light recoils and twists as it shifts from an amorphous aura to an eldritch abomination of light. For his part, Jonah's dressed as simply as ever: blue t-shirt, jeans, and shoes that'll need to be replaced sometime this season. After Tai's greeting he offers a nod from his position. As for Iris, she gets the pillow in front of him, and hands it off. No need to destroy anything yet. While he does so his gaze flicks to Basil, and gives the Ancient a bout of overlong, undue scrutiny. Basil noticed. The hint of a smile noticed these things and there was, for all of his 'put togetherness' something that seemed comforted by actually finding that person one can converse with freely. However, as protocols of etiquette would mandate the Chatelaine left it there as not to isolate the room either. This... was a curious and wonderful find. There was a respectful bow to their hostess and he found a place on the floor. Gasp! Apparently for all the finery he didn't have hangups about floors, nor questioned the housekeeping. Inventory of social assets were taken. Small ragdoll and the tall woman, and ... interesting familiarity as well. The other four got a nod from the man with the long braids and longer lines. As everyone settles, Tai smiles, then carefully settles herself down on the floor as well, hands folded in front of her, "I know that watching someone make tea, and listening to dry lectures on the history of tea is...probably not most people's idea of fun. So I will do my very best to not make this so dry and boring." The words are chosen carefully, although somewhat awkwardly delivered. "If you have questions, please feel free to ask." Esther crosses her hands politely in her lap and focuses on the speaker, even as the entrance of the Dawn caused her own Autumn mantle to flare up like the scariest of fairy tales, the scent of gingerbread and the scratching of dry brittle branches roiling around her. The best place to have a tea ceremony would be somewhere fancy, elegant, full of plush pillows and dark wood. That is, however, not the case for this event. Tai has selected a nondescript random location and set things up. There are pillows for people to sit on, as well as chairs for those unable to get up off the floor. A low table is set up, and a tray is placed on the table. Numerous different pots, cups, ladles and other items are carefully placed around the table as well, and Tai is standing near the door to greet those entering, and directing them to a seat. There is less scrutiny from Iris towards other people. Mostly because her attention is on the tea service. "I've never seen tea done... however," she admits, cheerfully. "I've had lot of tea, but usually just, you know. Drop a bag in some boiling water or fill a pot." If she is bothered by the eldritch nature of Jonah's mantle, bolstered by her own, she doesn't show it. But then, a Dawn likely needs to become used to such things. They wouldn't be so... Dawn-like if they hid from them. She fusses with the edges of her skirt and is just sort of... overall fidgety. Ian slips in a little bit late and finds his seat, folding himself comfortably onto the pillow at the low table and bringing with him that scent of fresh spring rain, a little warmth, and those creeping tendrils that come and go around him. He's quiet, attempting not to interrupt the proceedings as he gets settled wherever there was an opening. He gives a small apologetic smile to Tai with a dip of his head. Basil sat perfectly in the present. There was something about the precision of a tea ceremony that seemed to make of for the myriad faults of the world. His mantle though, as it edged near Iris seemed to shift from having morning glories sprout occasionally to having fines stretch out on the floor in winding and unwinding circular patterns. For all he was for being in the present that arched his eyebrow. He looked up to Iris and tilted his head with a bit of a nod. Around him a faint map of stars ticked around like seconds and minutes as the gentrified creature achieved synchronicity with the present again. Tai smiles at Iris, nodding, "Tea is a very, very old tradition in China, but contrary to popular belief, not always has it been loose leaf tea. I know that there is a sort of...uptick in people being interested in loose tea these days." She's polite not to slap the lable hipster on them, but the implication might be clear. "Although this particular ceremony, scholars believe originated rather recently, in the 18th century. Many of the pots and cups used, though, date as far back as the 12th century." Nathania watches Tai with a soft smile on her stitched lips. She seems fascinated, her button eyes intense on the woman presenting. It seems as if she's nearly enchanted. Jonah's attention shifts back to Iris as talk of tea begins in full, and then to the hostess his gaze goes. His curiosity grows with each factoid presented, and for a moment he looks to the cups and pots present upon the table. Esther reaches into her jacket pocket and pulls out a small well worn spiral notebook and one of those tiny pencils found in libraries and golf courses. She flips to a clean page and begins to scribble notes, her tongue sticking out a little in concentration. "I had heard that sometimes tea came in these.. blocks, that were solid, in the past. Was that the sort of form originally used or was there a different one," Ian inquires from where he sits, folding his hands in his lap. He tips his head just a little to one side, regarding their hostess with a small curious smile. "The herbs I have for teas at my shop are rather popular, but people like to mix them and not many of the pre-made brands have a lot of variety. But-" Iris frowns for a moment; the expression she often bears when she's trying, //trying// to remember something. "...I know they're not the same as //tea//, but I forget what they're usually called." She gives a sort of helpless shrug, shifting a but on her cushion and holding, before her, the one stolen from Jonah. "One must think beyond simply adding water to tea leaves." Tai begins, a hand moving to hover over a simple carafe of water that is sitting on a hot plate, "The water type is important, not distilled, but not to mineral filled, certainly not chemical flavored or dirty tasting. Clean, fresh spring water is the best." She points towards the bottle of spring water lurking near by, "Then the temperature of the water should depend on what type of tea one is making, although it should be noted that green tea is not used for this particular ceremony." She pauses when she notes that Esther is taking notes, blinking a moment before she leans over, offering, "95 degrees for oolong, 100 degrees or boiling for pu-erh." She then leans back, glancing at Ian at his question, "Compressed teas, yes. It was the most common of tea types, up until the Ming Dynasty. Pu-erh is still found in blocks, and it is a fermented tea." A smile is offered to Iris at her difficulty, "I'm not sure, but I can come look if it helps? There are more types of tea than you could shake a stick at." Perhaps surprisingly, Nathania quietly offers, "Tisane?" to Iris and Tai. Esther looks up from her note taking, clearly into this. "Are those degrees in Celsius?" Tai blinks momentarily, then nods, "Maybe?" She offers, chewing on her bottom lip before she comes up with a word, "Liang cha...Herbal teas." Might be a language disconnect for her. Then she shakes her head at Esther, blinking, "Pardon? Oh! Yes. Celsius...sorry." Basil watched and seemed disinclined to interrupt until finally he asked with clear diction, but an implacable accent, "My grandmother told me the cup should change on teh season for heat retention once poured, but when you heat thewater is there a preference between cast iron, ceramic, tin? Are there variances we ought to note and a favoured pairing with kettle to tea type. Say ceramic for a chammomile vs. a Lapsang Souchong?" "Tisane sounds about right," Iris offers to Nathania, her features relaxing a measure. Likely glad to no longer be trying to pluck it from her faulty memory. She does listen, however, to what Tai says. Basil's feedback, on the other hand, just earns a look of utter confusion from the Elemental. Esther pauses in her writing when Basil takes the conversation to the next level, flipping to a clean page in her notebook and looking a touch confused as well. This is now Science. "I believe that it depends on a variety of things." Tai replies slowly, weighing the answer, "As nice as the tea ceremony is, which is this." She spreads her hands out to indicate the trays and pots, "Most of us do not have time every day to do this, it is a very involved process." She folds her hands in her lap, tilting her head, "I prefer ceramic, or clay, simply because they seem to have the best heat retention, but tin is fine if that is all you have. I would suggest a glass over a tin, however. Never plastic, never store the tea in plastic, either." Ian falls silent as he listens to the conversation move on to the heat and type of water and the vessels used, his attention moving to those who ask questions, and then the answers that are granted. He smiles at Esther's note-taking, watching as she keeps note of the information given, before he eventually looks back to Tai attentively. Basil pressed his fingertips together, resting elbows on knees. An eyebrow arched in interest seeming to commit the equation to memory rather than paper. There was a nod that swung the curtain of braids that fell from his head. He watched on in interest taking in the science of it with the cultural lesson. He had questions, but in the same breath was absolutely patient to let her continue and choose those moments in appropriate measure. So much science, really. The water type, the water temperature, what it is brewed in, and she hasn't even gotten to the actual process of this particular type of ceremony. "It should be noted that this is just that...a ceremony." Tai begins, reaching large box to set out, which inside are more boxes filled with tea's in parchment paper. "If you would all like to pass those around." She indicates the boxes before she settles back, "I shall begin, when you are all ready." Well, now, hands on! That's something Iris can get into. The rainbow leans forward to pick up one of the boxes to open it and check it out. Mostly to sniff at it, out of curiousity. She does this for one, then another, and compares the two. They're both offered to Jonah, in case he would like to look at them as well. Esther gets up and walks over to the boxes, selecting one for herself and one for Nathania. After handing a box to the dolly, she opens her own, taking a look inside and a quick sniff. Ian waits until it is his turn to choose an item from the box, looking over and breathing in the scents of the different sorts of tea. Finally, he selects one and then continues to pass the box around to those who haven't yet had the opportunity to make a choice. He takes some time to lift the parchment wrapped tea and to breathe it in looking satisfied with his choice. Basil took the box from Ian and looked at the choices and then studied Tai trying to scrutinize if they were being tested. Who knew tea could be tricky. His long fingers hovered over the box and then finally his 'screw it' moment came and just grabbed one to pass to Nathania to pass on. Ther. Hard part solved. There doesn't appear to be any testing, she's just sharing the teas. Although she has one on the table that she seems to be using for the brewing itself. A quick count is made, and she makes certain that there are enough cups for everyone before she begins. There is a lot of water being poured, carefully, and the purpose of the tray becomes known as the water gets poured onto it. Steeping, then she pours away the first cup before finally, after what might seem like a long time for most people to wait on tea, she gets a cup poured for everyone, and she gestures towards the cups for people to serve themselves. Jonah takes the boxes, and weighs them first. Likely a habit, but he does sniff at them with a bit of undue caution. He hands one back to Iris, and then looks back to Tai. While the ceremony commences he talks a bit on Harvestmen business with Iris, occasionally stealing a glance back to those cups until their ready to be taken. He looks to each cup as their filled, and eventually takes two: one for the Dawn and another for himself. "I always wondered what that stuff was in your place." A light shrug follows. Esther is spellbound as she watches the ceremony, paying very close attention despite the long stretch of time. When the tea is finally made, she gets two cups, one for herself and one for Nathania. She carefully sniffs her cup, taking in the fragrance of the tea before she takes a tiny sip. Clean up takes her a little while, and Tai goes through that while people enjoy their tea. Then she smiles, glancing from face to face, "Are there any other questions?" Once the tea has been prepared, Ian dips his head to Tai and he takes up his cup, having observed the ceremony closely throughout the entire process. "I've never actually watched a ceremony performed in person. Thank you for both the experience and for the things learned this afternoon. I appreciate being allowed to take part in it." He sips his tea then, enjoying it, cup nestled in long green-tipped fingers. "You could have asked," Iris responds to Jonah, smiling up at the Ogre; amusement evident in tone and expression. She murmurs thanks, however, when he hands a cup her way once everyone's are poured and ready. She lifts it for a sip, but seems to be more enjoying the warmth emanating from the cup itself than from the liquid within. With Tai's question, she shakes her head. "Thank you, yes." Basil fixed his tea and while he seemed, every fiber of him, festidious in purpose he was casually enjoying this. He drank his tea after blowing on it and noted to Ian, "I think we chose wisely enough." Tea savored and finally he asked Tai curiously, "Who did you learn from? School? Work? Family tradition?" "You are most welcome, I am always happy to share." Tai replies to Ian, bowing to him before she glances at Basil for his question, "My grandmother taught me, but I also studied at school." Tai replies, offering a quick, hesitant smile, "I was studying Chinese History for a while, and we went over some of this in classes. A lot, though, was just absorbed from family talking about how things were once upon a time in China, before they immigrated." Iris, Nathania, Esther and Jonah are all given a bow of their own, "Thank you all for coming." Jonah allows his tea to cool for a few moments, and then takes his first sip. The cup remains at his lips for a spell, gaze looking up to Tai over the fingers cradling the cup. When he pulls it away he nods to Tai's thanks, and shoots an askance glance Iris' way. "Can you make things like this, but with that clover stuff in the temple?" Iris seems to be enjoying her tea, drinking it in small sips. She does listen to Tai and the learning of the tea and its ceremony. Jonah's question, however, brings her focus to the ogre. She blinks a few times, considering. "Probably," she decides finally. "It won't taste the same, though. Tea seems to... pick up a lot of the added flavors. I once had this tea with wild strawberries... I miss that tea." Wistful.