A Moment for Something New

I'm so in awe when someone I know takes a big risk and starts something new. It doesn't matter if it's the start of a home-based business, a new job, a new hobby or founding a new company. There is a level of daring and determination that is very rare.



This new year is full of new ventures that I'm excited to cheer on. First and foremost is the launch of my husband's shoe brands, Cords Footwear and Gigi Sandals. After working for action sports companies and leading their footwear teams for over a decade, now he's leading his own. It's something I've always known he could do, and he's doing it!


I'm also rooting for Teforia, whose tea infuser could very well change the way tea lovers brew their tea. While coffee drinkers have had a wide variety of brewing options (percolators, the delightful French press, the homely drip machine, espresso machines and now the Keurig and its iterations), when it comes to brewing tea, our options are rather limited: tea kettle, metal or glass infusers, or maybe a gaiwan, if you're a Gong Fu fighter.


Truth be told, I'm more than rooting for Teforia. I've been waiting on pins and needles for over a year to receive a Teforia tea infuser of my very own. I've been so geeky about it, I've had a place waiting for it in my home office.



That table. Right there. In between my great grandmother's chairs.

Finally, in the first week of December, Christmas came early. My infuser arrived! Unboxing and unwrapping each of the components was way more fun than it should have been, but I think it was the matter of anticipation. The set up was unexpectedly simple and straight-forward. I kept expecting there would be a hiccup of some kind, but there was no obstacle. I could get straight to the tea.




Along with the infuser came a sampler box of Teforia teas. Each one hand selected, each one programmed into the infuser app's "Tea Pantry" for the perfect infusion. That's one of the most magical parts of the process. Brewing one of the Teforia teas in the infuser guarantees that you will experience that tea exactly as it was intended - the perfect temperature, the perfect length of steeping, the perfect first sip.


For someone like me, who is a consummate over-steeper, this has been an amazing learning experience of what "good" tastes like. Now, my preferences being what they are, I'm looking forward to the next update of the app that will allow me to adjust the tea "recipes" to perhaps brew a little longer, a little shorter, etc.


One of my first infusions was Velvet Rubies, an incredibly smooth black tea that, on my first sip, had the lightest hint of stone fruit with a touch of caramel at the end. I was happy to find that each packet of Teforia tea allows for 2 infusions, and of course I immediately brewed round 2 when round 1 was done.


Building a new business, introducing something new to the marketplace is a huge challenge and a very personal commitment. I'm excited to watch these ventures and others that I see popping up around me. 


Who or what are you cheering for this year?

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