Nice Tea Meet You

I usually splurge on the tea I drink, not what I drink it out of. I've seen so many beautiful vessels lately, though, that I can't resist imaging them warm in my hands, a light curl of steam rising from the top.

I rarely reach for a solid, hefty type of cup, but what other form could this Nordic painted mug and infuser set (Gorsuch, $58), handmade in Hungary, take?

There's something about the lid that I like, too. And I'd imagine such a thick container would help keep your tea hot for far longer than the boring glass mug I use almost every day.

Just so I don't seem completely out of touch, I acknowledge that this is over $50 for one mug. But it's from a ski outfitter that has panda-trimmed parkas for a mere $4,000, so comparatively it seems like a bargain. Or maybe it's just me.

More reasonable, and far more unexpected, are the lovingly crafted mugs from the imaginative potter LovesGasStation.

Despite my diehard east-side mentality, this charming west love mug (Etsy, $25) makes me want to jump into my nonexistent '66 Mustang and head to the desert with nothing more than this cup full of green tea at my side.

But wait, there's a pale-pink-lined gumball cup (Etsy, $20) too, that I can imagine feels so reassuring in hand. Maybe for my second brew?

So it's just a tea towel (Toast, £5.50). But it's striped, linen, and British. And I could use it to dry all those new mugs.

Plus, it would look so perfect aside the classic lines of this betty teapot (Toast, £25)- which, in turn, wouldn't be complete without this cable-knit tea cozy (Toast, £35) in a soothing heathered blue.


I've never thought tea cozies were anything other than fussy and unnecessary, like fuzzy toilet seat covers. But this combination, for some reason, seems to make sense right now. The fact that the heat has yet to turn on in my apartment might have something to do with it.

The seconds teapot (Clio Home, $95), however, is too striking to cover at all. Large prints of acrobatic birds- a blue jay, cardinal or oriole- grace the delicate porcelain, ready to serve up your favorite brew.

Paired with some simple, white handleless cups, it would make for an elegant and unexpected setting.

Hmm, maybe for an upcoming birthday tea? Oh, that's so thoughtful of you to remember.