Tea Time is On

Yes, Free Tea Tasting this Saturday from 12-2pm at Cam's!
Due to some stuff (paperwork needs to come in and a fire inspection, but I passed everything!) we will not be open for business until Tuesday most likely.
So that means we won't be open Saturday night either.
BUT we WILL be having a FREE Tasting at 12pm!
Hope to see you there!!!

Hope to see you this Saturday!

Yes, it's time to announce the Grand Opening.
January 2nd, 2010
12-2pm complimentary tea sampling and goodies
Open until 10pm
Hope to see you there!

Keepin it movin'...

Things are coming together nicely, and I hope to announce an official opening date soon! Keep checking back and hope to see you in Union soon...

Hoi Polloi

http://hoipolloicafe.com/
Cool-named, eco-friendly cafe to check out if you're ever in Pittsburgh. Cam's can't officially vouch for it since we have never been to Pittsburgh, but it's nice getting the word out for sustainable, cool cafes out there.
It has a similar menu and vibe to what Cam's will be. Hopefully soon!
By the way, we are two-thirds done with the very time consuming process of opening and can't wait to be open for the New Year! Check back often for more updates as to the exact date of our opening!

Happy Holidays!

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and stayed away from the mayhem of "black friday".
I've attached some animal holiday pictures, well, just because I can. (!)

Superfoods!

It can be argued what superfoods actually are, but this list covers a lot of them and explains why. I've pulled it together from bits and pieces of other articles. I hope to include some of them in dishes at the shop.
(*The image mentions some not included in this list like kiwi, one of my favorites)

#1: Chocolate (Dark and Raw)
Your mouth will water and your heart will melt from the antioxidant flavonoids, which fight heart disease and cancer. A small serving daily can improve your cholesterol ratio and prevent cancer - particularly colon cancer.
Raw chocolate is one of the most powerful sources of magnesium on the planet. Not only does magnesium help with alertness and activity, it also helps with the blues. Raw chocolate also contains tryptophan--an essential amino acid--which helps naturally produce serotonin in your body. This is great news for those who need an emotional boost.

#2: Berries (blueberries, cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries)
The antioxidants are just falling off the vine here, and each morsel contains off-the-charts amounts of potassium, vitamin C, and fiber. No other food contains such an ample supply of phytochemicals, substances that plants create to protect against bacteria, viruses and other environmental threats.

#3: Maca
Maca is a Peruvian root powder that is used to increase strength and vitality. It contains lots of healthy minerals such as iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and iodine. 

The Peruvians and many others claim Maca can help fight depression, help with anemia and improve overall memory and vitality. And it's also reportedly a libido stimulant.

#4: Raw Honey
Unprocessed, raw honey which contains enzymes, phytonutrients, resins and propolis--bee glue. This unique combination of properties makes it versatile not only as a food, but as an anti-bacterial agent.

#5: Spirulina
Spirulina which is an algae that has high vegetable protein content and contains lots of B-12 vitamins and Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA). 

GLA and Vitamin B-12 are connected to mood, memory and general energy vitality. Many people believe that low B-12 levels for long periods of time is actually the cause of "old age" symptoms--fatigue, memory loss, confusion, etc. 

You can sprinkle it on your salads, add it to a smoothie, sauces or soups.

#6: Sea Vegetables (Seaweed)
Sea vegetables are grown in an environment replete with minerals that our body needs for optimal health.
This makes sea vegetables are one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. In fact, compared to "land" vegetables -- seaweed is one of the best vegetable sources of calcium, which helps muscle and bone development, strength and growth.



#7: Seeds ...
Seeds including pumpkin, hemp, flax, walnut and sunflower seeds top our seed list. The raw pumpkin seed is a great source of magnesium and tryptophan -- as well as protein, fat and other essential minerals. Other great seeds are walnut, hemp seed, flax seed and raw sunflower seeds. These all contain good fats and protein for optimal health.

#8: Tea ...
Tea is a superfood for its antioxidants and cholesterol lowering benefits. Both black and green tea are rich in antixoxidants, but green tea has ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that may have special health benefits. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn’t.

#9: Garlic
This bulb bursts with phytochemicals that fight cancer, inflammation, and infection. Numerous clinical trials have shown garlic to be good for your heart by lowering cholesterol and lowering blood pressure.
A natural infection-fighter, crushed fresh garlic kills dangerous bacteria, fungal organisms, and even the amoebas that cause dysentery.

#10: Leafy Greens (like spinach, kale, bok choy, Swiss chard, arugula, romaine lettuce)
These jolly green giants of nutrition offer a lot: cancer-fighting phytochemicals, fiber, vitamin C, folic acid (the B vitamin that helps lower risk for heart disease, memory loss and birth defects), vitamin K (which helps build strong bones), and the minerals calcium, iron and potassium.

#11: Olive Oil.
Healthy monounsaturated fat abounds, as do antioxidant polyphenols. Olive oil also significantly reduces heart attacks. reduces high blood pressure, protects against cancer, and may slow the development of breast tumors.

#12: Wild Salmon
High in the omega-3 oils, wild salmon and its offshore relatives fight inflammation, regulate depression and other mood disorders, and reduce arthritis pain.
Other studies show that frequent consumption of wild salmon may even protect against Alzheimer's. Note that Sockeye salmon has the most vitamin B12 of all the salmon species, important for healthy nerves and blood cells.

Red Velvet Goodness

I know I shouldn't get all hung up on random objects in the shop, but I am pleased to announce Cam's new sofa.
There's already a nice baby blue Victorian sofa, but this one has a special place in my heart.
It's Red.
It's Velvet.
It's Ornate.
It's Deliciously Beautiful.

Check it out!
And hopefully your tucus can have the pleasure of sitting on it someday in the very near future when we open...

In the Garden of...

If this amazing song can take 17 mins, I can take a little longer opening up this shop...yeah...

Iron Butterfly - In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
by SamFisher037

Sickness and Bumps in the Road

Yes, it's true, your wondrous proprietor has hurt her wrist and gotten sick recently. While both were mild, these potholes in the road just added to the speed bumps. These speed bumps are logistical processes that I MUST go through to open up dear Cam's shop. I am still trying to resolve them after 3 weeks of sorting and sorting. But have hope, dear tea drinkers!
More excitingly and importantly, your dear proprietor is looking forward to having a PAJAMA PARTY at Cam's, perhaps the Saturday after Thanksgiving. We will be open (hopefullyyyy) so you can come in your most fabulous bedtime wear and drink some tea and have some delicious goodies while watching some flicks. I don't want to make it too girly - John Hughes night, anyone (may he RIP) - or maybe something else in the vein of marathon watching. Campy horror films? Stylistic cult films? These are a few of my favorite things.
Comment and let me know what films you'd like to watch with about 30 of your closest neighborhood strangers while cuddled up in Cam's Tea House.

p.s. I recommend Gypsy 83, a film I just saw. I don't know how it ever escaped me before, but it's pretty great. A bit overemotional, but oh so fun! I can't screen it unless I check IDs at the door (it's R with "adult situations") and that's no fun. Ideas?

Cam's Curio Store Now Open Online

After many hours of toiling with the ever so cranky HTML, Cam's Curio Store is now open online!
Click here to take a look.
Just in time for the holidaze!
Camellia has opened up her precious tea collector's vault for you and your loved ones to enjoy the most unique teapots and curios around.
Pay securely and hassle free with Paypal. Shipping fees are kept to a minimum and items are packaged and handled with care.
Check it out...

New store on its way, physically and virtually

While I wait for all of the red tape to be sorted through to open the Cam's location in Union, NJ, I am now setting up an online store! Cam's Cyber Tea Store will be up and running soon.
Recently, my S.O. and I took shots of some of Cam's unique teapot collection to be used for the online store. It was a nice autumn day in the park and we chose a little gazebo to set up a little outdoor photo studio.
Here's a couple shots of the gazebo. Keep an eye out for the store, likely to be up very soon!
You know your loved ones will love our very special teapots and collectibles as holiday gifts :)...

The (Half Point) Unveiling of Cam's Mural!

This mural is about half done but will hopefully be finished soon. Leave some comments and suggestions and maybe it'll make it into the mural!

More Halloween Piccys

Fun Halloween

The Halloween Preview Soiree at Cam's was fun. Friends of the owner and their friends got to see a cleaned up Cam's. Since the toilet is being replaced with a high powered badboy, we were toiletless but everyone roughed it and had a great time. There was a bit of dancing to break in the stage and some charades that are a lot more fun (and embarrassing) when you act out a clue on a stage! Here are some photos.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween!
Invite Only party tonight from 6pm onwards. :)

Cam's Preview Halloween Soiree

By invite only - yes, YOU, readers of this blog! - come to this Halloween party. It will be a preview of Cam's Tea Parlour before it officially opens its doors.
Complimentary treats and spooky music.
6pm -9pm
October 31st
Please come in costume!!!

For directions, please go to the directions link on the front page of camsteaparlour.com.
Cam's is accessible by car, bus, or train (or plane, for the jetset crowd).

I look forward to a spooktacular time!

whew!

Wow, so things have been rolling along, for sure. I had to watch the plumber do some demolition today and the results are slightly painful. But I do know that things have to look insanely distraught and crumbled before they can look amazing in the end. That's generally the way it works. My S.O. and I have started calling the shop "The Money Pit" - and if you've seen the 80s movie by the same name you know what we mean. It's not that bad at all, but sometimes, being in the middle of it, it feels that way. But in a Tom-Hanks-when-he-was-still-funny way. So that's good.
More updates to come!
I'm hoping for a Halloween opening, but if not, come to Cam's exclusive Preview Halloween Soiree! Complimentary treats so come in costume! 7pm 10/31.
(And no, that's not an actual picture of the tea shop!)

aplumb with activity

I wish I could hire this guy. :) But yeah, the unexciting news is that I need a plumber to complete my team in getting the work I need done for the shop!
The not-so-great sounding news is that another cafe around the corner just announced that it's relocating. I don't think it's been a year that they've been open. But, on the other hand, that spot is notorious for changing hands very quickly. Also, it's right next door to Van Gogh's Ear, an artsy cafe that's been around for 10+ years.
My space is across the street and down the road a ways. I hope I'm not competition, but rather that I add to the neighborhood and to the nightlife. A "Little Italy" effect, if you will.
I will hopefully have a plumber by tomorrow - I have to at this point! Wish me luck and send good thoughts!

This weekend flew by...

I went to the Union Italian Feast but I could only make it on Saturday. I and my S.O. handed out flyers and candy and ate some delicious pizza. Those big slices are just so fun to eat, but I digress. The people seemed receptive to the tea shop.
A lot of bumps in the road to the grand opening in the past few days, but things are movin' and a-shakin'. Amidst all of the permits and licenses, I am gathering together great musical acts - folk, jazz, acoustic, indie, and electropop.
If you or anyone you know wants to perform, email teatime@camsteaparlour.com.
I will be looking for more performance type acts in the near future.
Over'n'out. Hopefully good news to come!
By the way, does thisman's shirt really say Hugs Encouraged? Hmm.

More pre-Fest pics as promised

I went to meet the plumber and lo and behold...

...the Italian Feast has descended! It's funny to see a big ferris wheel in the street when you completely forgot there'd be a festival.
So my heat is fixed (don't ask me why my plumber was the one who met me) and things are good. I have a new sign in the window - thank you, city of Union! good niiitttee - and I put little signs in the window today to jazz it up a bit.
These images are the flyers I will be handing out this weekend complete with little (packaged, beware, stranger!) candies for your enjoyment.
I'll most likely take more pics to come! Happy Friday!

Getting everything together...

First comes the logistics of being in a space and running a business...then I can gather together bands, performers, and artists to really get a vibe going at Cam's/ Can't wait for that. And can't wait even before that to start working on the decor!
Loads of curiosities and art and comfy chairs, I assure you.
Just gotta chug along and get to it. Wooha!

Yay for new blog!

I have dedicated this blog solely to Camellia's Tea Parlour! After all, she deserves only the best.
I am happy and proud to carry on her legacy and am so excited to take on this venture.
It is rough, not gonna lie, but I know it will be well worth it.
I'm very excited right at this moment because I am going to pick up this counter tomorrow! It's from a lovely store in Brooklyn that's closing...and IT HAS MONKEYS ON IT!
Wooohoooo!
It's some kind of cosmic sign that everything is gonna be rockin', I think.
Check it out: