Pursuing A Dream in Ma Lian Dao, Beijing's Tea District
When the first Imperial Tea Court was established back in 1993, I had three goals:
As you know, I have recently talked a lot about finding or acquiring a tea farm. Although we contract with farmers to grow our tea now, it isn't the same as growing it yourself! I don't know if I will be a good tea farmer, but I sure would like to take a crack at it. Therefore, I have expended a lot of energy looking for available land both here in China and in the US. My secret dream is to have both, but I will settle for one if I have to.
It is also no secret that I've been wanting to live in China part-time. Through the generous aid of Grace's cousin, Zhang Hong, and her husband Yang Wu, we were able to acquire a very nice home in an exclusive neighborhood in Beijing. I have spent the last few days running amuck in Beijing, looking for possible space to start the Beijing branch of Imperial Tea Court. Beijing's maddening traffic and bad air is a constant turn off, but business potential abounds here. You think there is a recession going on back home? Well, no one told the folks here in Beijing. Going to a shopping mall is like running through 100-foot-deep human waves wherever you go. US retailers would kill for the sea of humanity and shoppers that seems to overflow every shopping center; it's like Christmas shopping rush times ten. Opportunities are everywhere!
Tomorrow I plan to spend my entire day at the Beijing tea wholesale district called Ma Lian Dao. A friend has some commercial space there and may consider partnering with me. I am excited! I also get to spend a lot of time with my friend Yang Wu, who is courageously battling terminal cancer. Mr. Yang has been through every western cancer treatment and is now undergoing a western and eastern combination regimen that requires a daily visit to the hospital for IV treatments. He has lost a lot of weight but smiles and jokes as if there is not a care in the world. We went out to dinner yesterday to our favorite grilled lamb and hand-pulled noodle shop. He put down his food with gusto. We drank some fantastic 20-year-old puerh (at my urging, Yang has begun to drink aged puerh) and very old Shao Xing wine. It was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. His courage makes everything else seem so easy.
I look forward to reporting my findings tomorrow at Ma Lian Dao!
- Bring the best tea possible to America
- Build the teahouse of my dreams
- Live next to a tea farm and maybe build my dream teahouse there
As you know, I have recently talked a lot about finding or acquiring a tea farm. Although we contract with farmers to grow our tea now, it isn't the same as growing it yourself! I don't know if I will be a good tea farmer, but I sure would like to take a crack at it. Therefore, I have expended a lot of energy looking for available land both here in China and in the US. My secret dream is to have both, but I will settle for one if I have to.
It is also no secret that I've been wanting to live in China part-time. Through the generous aid of Grace's cousin, Zhang Hong, and her husband Yang Wu, we were able to acquire a very nice home in an exclusive neighborhood in Beijing. I have spent the last few days running amuck in Beijing, looking for possible space to start the Beijing branch of Imperial Tea Court. Beijing's maddening traffic and bad air is a constant turn off, but business potential abounds here. You think there is a recession going on back home? Well, no one told the folks here in Beijing. Going to a shopping mall is like running through 100-foot-deep human waves wherever you go. US retailers would kill for the sea of humanity and shoppers that seems to overflow every shopping center; it's like Christmas shopping rush times ten. Opportunities are everywhere!
Tomorrow I plan to spend my entire day at the Beijing tea wholesale district called Ma Lian Dao. A friend has some commercial space there and may consider partnering with me. I am excited! I also get to spend a lot of time with my friend Yang Wu, who is courageously battling terminal cancer. Mr. Yang has been through every western cancer treatment and is now undergoing a western and eastern combination regimen that requires a daily visit to the hospital for IV treatments. He has lost a lot of weight but smiles and jokes as if there is not a care in the world. We went out to dinner yesterday to our favorite grilled lamb and hand-pulled noodle shop. He put down his food with gusto. We drank some fantastic 20-year-old puerh (at my urging, Yang has begun to drink aged puerh) and very old Shao Xing wine. It was one of the best meals I've had in a long time. His courage makes everything else seem so easy.
I look forward to reporting my findings tomorrow at Ma Lian Dao!
