We’ve finally sent our first eteaket newsletter.

Check it out http://tiny.cc/es2uc to claim your free Afternoon Tea, 10% off web orders until 11 June 2010, enter our Extreme Tea competiiton, details of forthcoming events and tea and health news.

It’s not perfect but at least it’s a start – technology doesn’t exactly come easily to me!

Back by popular demand – your chance how to learn to read your tea leaves.

Ever gaze at the bottom of a cup to see the patterns that form from the left over tea-leaves? The different leaves that fall and the dust that gathers around has intrigued Psychic’s from Russel Grant to Mystic Meg for many years. It is said that the collection of these leaves can accurately predict the future, using the shapes and patterns that are formed not only in the base of the cup, but the saucer also.

eteaket has teamed up with experienced tea leaf reader Lauren to offer you the chance to learn to read your own tea leaves. Lauren has visited eteaket before with impressive results and with over 8 years of experience under her belt you’ll be in good hands.

The next event is on Tuesday 18 May, 6.30 to 9.30pm. It costs £19.99 per person and includes tea and scones.

Please email hello@eteaket.co.uk to register your interest. Thanks!

Join us in eteaket for our first ever Japanese Tea Ceremony conducted by the renowned Mio Shapely. It’s on Wednesday 28 April from 7.30-9pm and costs £29.99 per person (including Matcha and Japanese sweets). Please email hello@eteaket.co.uk or call 0131 226 2982 to book.

Rules of Etiquette for Guests at a Japanese Tea Ceremony (reproduced from: http://www.holymtn.com/tea/teaetiquette.htm)

• Be prompt in arriving so your host can begin on time.

• Remove your shoes when entering a Japanese home — the host will provide slippers to wear.

• Drink the entire portion of tea (it will not be large) and eat everything served.

• Turn the tea bowl slightly to avoid drinking tea from the front side.

• Each implement used in a tea gathering (including scroll, flowers, and food) has been thoughtfully selected by your host and has special meaning. They should be treated as objects of appreciation. Admire them and compliment your host with sincerity. This is the most important responsibility of a guest.
  

Feel free to wear a Kimono if you have one!

We’ve just finished our first Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Many thanks to all our guests for putting up with the mental Mad Hatter and in inquisitive White Rabbit. Hope everyone enjoyed their Afternoon Tea. Thanks to the amazing Karina from Kakao by K for letting us be in on the launch of her new jewellery collection Design by K. The collection is based on Alice in Wonderland and tea with a touch of Kakao. The pieces really are gorgeous – they’ll be available to purchase in eteaket for a limited time only so pop in and have a look.

If you missed out on the Mad Hatter madness this week, we’re holding another Tea Party on Wed 17 Mar in eteaket 6-7.30pm. It’s only £9.85 per person and includes Afternoon Tea. To book please contact hello@eteaket.co.uk or pop into eteaket Tea Boutique on Frederick St or Kakao by K on Thistle St.

We went cupcake crazy at eteaket last night. Thanks to everyone who joined in our cupcake decorating class with Liggy – our expert in all things icing related. The idea was that you made some lovely cupcakes to give to your Mum on Mother’s Day. Stupidly I ate four in a row and still have nothing for Sunday.

We will be running more cupcake decorating classes in the future. If you want to register your interest please just pop us in email to hello@eteaket.co.uk saying something like “cupcake class info please” and we’ll make sure you receive details of the next event.

P.s. If you’re still stuck for a Mother’s Day gift, remember we do gift vouchers (instore and online) – why not treat the most important person in your life to Afternoon Tea (only £9.85)?

With the new Alice in Wonderland film lanuching today we at eteaket have decided to launch a new date for our Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. This one will be even more exciting, with some actors coming along to offer up some surprises.

Join us in eteaket on Wednesday 17 March 7.30. to 8pm where we’ll also be showcasing Kakao by K‘s new jewellery collection Design by k. The collection is based on Alice in Wonderland and tea with a touch of Kakao. The Tea Boutique will have a distinct Alice in Wonderland feel to it in order to celebrate the release of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland.

There is limited space so if you wish to join us at the Mad Hatters Tea Party please email hello@eteaket.co.uk or call us on 0131 226 2982. It costs £25 per person and includes Afternoon Tea, champers and Mad Hatter excitement. You can also book your space in Kakao by K.

eteaket began sourcing vintage china for our Tea Boutique & Cafe in Edinburgh in 2008 and we have been obsessively growing our collection ever since.
All our items are now available to hire for weddings, parties, christenings, product launches or corporate events.

Our collection ranges from vintage china tea cups and saucers, to milk jugs and sugar bowls, plates to cake stands.  Please click these links china-hire-1 and china-hire-2 or contact us at hello@eteaket.co.uk for further information.

Our pieces are also available to buy so you can have a touch of eteaket at home. One-off pieces will be appearing online soon at www.eteaket.co.uk.

eteaket have teamed up with Yakety Yak Language Cafe so you can come and practice your French or Spanish while enjoying a pot of your favourite tea. You’ll be supported by a fluent tutor.

French: Mon and Wed 9am-10am and 10am-11am

Spanish: Tue 9am-10am and 10am-11am

An hour conversation session costs £6 or you can pay for 5 sessions together and get a 6th session free. For more information phone Yakety Yak on 07826 555134 or come along and join us.

I was lucky enough to join a group at eteaket on Tuesday evening for an introduction to Tasseomancy (otherwise known as tea leaf reading).

To get the most of out of the experience, I went in with an open mind. As our teacher Lauren explained, it is best to be non-judgemental in order to develop the intuition of expressing messages from the leaves.

Lauren began by telling us a little about her background and the development of her wonderful intuitive skills. I felt very nervous at first but the loving energy and down to earth nature of our teacher couldn’t have helped more to break the ice.

We learned a little about the history of tasseomancy and its development from Eastern philosophy. Lauren then explained the techniques for tea leaf reading using specific areas to map past, present and future and how to interpret symbols. I thought it would be very hard but unexpected images just popped into my mind. It’s a great way to get outside your comfort zone, meet new people and develop your own innate ability to be in touch with your intuition.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next class. I especially liked the explanation of the Chinese way of looking at tea leaf divination as all the four elements are present: FIRE – heat from the tea; EARTH – the leaves and vessel; AIR – steam and vapour; and WATER – the tea being drunk. Apparently a tiny piece of the soul escapes into the tea, which allows us to read the leaves. I’m convinced. (Mhaire Sinclair)

If you’d like details of the next tea leaf reading class, please just send an email to hello@eteaket.co.uk