Tea + fiddle-shopping = Delicious!

It’s past 1:00 in the morning, and I’m still not in bed. I have to work all weekend, and I need to be sleeping, but I’ve been thinking about a few things I wanted to blog about. If I don’t do it now, they’ll vanish into the depths of my mental blackhole to-do list… which means… they’ll never get posted. :-d

First, Rishi Tea.

I love herbal teas. I don’t drink caffeinated beverages anymore, but I still love a hot mug of tea in my hands. Nothing clears my mind better and helps me focus and relax when I’m facing a difficult problem, or just needing some peace.

I’m always on the hunt for good tea. I like my tea very strong, with a good flavor, and nice body to it. It can be hard to find good herbal teas that are strong enough for my taste.

I found Rishi Tea at Whole Foods, and ordered a few teas off their website that weren’t in the store. No matter what tea I’ve gotten from them, I like it. Every tea brews well, is strong and flavorful, but doesn’t leave a bad after-taste like some teas. They’re very creative in their flavor and potanical selections, too. My favorite is their tangerine ginger tea. It’s amazing!

Plus, they’re organic and fair trade certified. They have a great selection of green and black teas, too, if you drink that. They sell saches, so you can make your own teabags or brew from loose leaves, and their teas are good for more than one brewing. Enjoy!

Next: Fiddle stuff

I’ve really gotten lax with my Artist’s Way work this week, since I’ve been working on a new contract. Excuses, excuses! I did have a good Artist’s date, though last weekend.

If you haven’t read the book, an artist’s date is time you take away from work and the world to just go spend time with your inner artist, give her food for thought, and do something fun.

Last weekend, I attended a great electric violin workshop. Quite a few lutiers were there, including Yamaha, Mark Wood, and Jordan. They had a couple zetas out for display, too, but they were four-string. (I play extended, five string.)

I’m torn between a really cool-looking Viper by mark Wood, and a beautiful, one-of-a-kind custom electro-acoustic John Jordan fiddle. Jordan fiddles are works of art in their own right, but a Viper… If you’ve never seen a Viper, do a google search on Mark Woods violins,and check them out. They’re really cool!

But since I’m in the studio more than I’m on a stage, and the Jordan fiddles are one-of-a-kind masterpieces with a unique sound I love, I’m going for a Jordan. I’ll have to wait a few months while he finishes building my violin. But I’m already composing in my head for that fiddle!

I also got to test-drive the new Coda Joule bows. Light, but with a good feel to them, I like them. It’s easy to over-rosin them and get a hard, gritty sound, but if you go easy on them and keep your touch light on the electric fiddle, the Joule feels like it’s a great bow. I like wooden bows, but who knows what I’ll wind up using on the Jordan when I get it.

I haven’t blogged at all this week, and I’m sure there are other things I should get in here… but my eyes are shutting, and Kody’s barking in his sleep. I’m off to join him. Sometimes, that dog is smarter than I am… okay, most of the time, I must confess.

Good night!