Cecelia Lau is the Founder, Director and all-round tea drinking genius behind the (now global) London Tea Club.
Here she shares with us why everyone should receive tea through the post, her love for rainy days in London, daily life in California and what’s next for the London Tea Club.
HI CECELIA, TELL US HOW LONDON TEA CLUB CAME ABOUT?
I grew up drinking tea with my family and started London Tea Club during my expat years in the UK. When I arrived in London in 2012, I couldn’t find a place to purchase white or oolong tea – all I could find was black tea bags!
The subscription tea business was getting popular around that time too, and I thought it was the perfect way to introduce people to new teas each month.
British tea culture has definitely grown on me though, and I often find myself making a cuppa in the afternoon – while longing for the rainy, overcast weather of London!
WHAT DOES A TYPICAL DAY LOOK LIKE FOR YOU?
I’m up at 6:30 AM for morning tea and meditation. Then, it’s a flurry of activity: breakfast, dog walk, pack lunches, nursery drop off. I’m usually at my desk around 9:30 and spend the morning catching up on emails and social media. I’ll do a quick yoga class at noon, and then spend the afternoon organizing wholesale orders and the next month’s tea club delivery. There’s another flurry of activity in the evening, and then I try to wind down by 10 PM.
WHY DID YOU TAKE LTC TO CALIFORNIA?
It was such a huge effort to move London Tea Club from one country to another, but my family is from Northern California and I couldn’t imagine raising my daughter away from her grandparents. Being away for over 4 years was amazing – I get to fall in love with California all over again!
DO AMERICANS LOVE TEA AS MUCH AS THE ENGLISH?
No! Tea is an integral part of English social culture, like it is in Asia and India. Americans like tea, but it’s not a comforting daily ritual like it is for the English unfortunately.
WHAT’S YOUR GO-TO TEA?
Fresh goji berry and chrysanthemums first thing in the morning, followed by a mid-morning almond milk chai, then green/white/oolong tea for the rest of the day.
FAVOURITE TIME OF DAY FOR TEA?
Early morning or late evening, because I’m usually the least distracted.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR LONDON TEA CLUB?
The same thing it’s always been: to help people discover the world’s finest, cleanest teas with simplicity, ease and integrity.
GO TO: londonteaclub.com
** Receive your first month free at www.londonteaclub.com and see for yourself why the LTC have been named one of the top subscription services by Forbes, The Telegraph, the Guardian and more. **
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Inspiration/Image Credits: londonteaclub.com