Teavana or Tijuana?

Lately, I have been seeing a lot of suggestions and opinions floating around for celebrating the 10th wedding anniversary. Some of them are very appealing, and some makes me wonder how they did it? In my perspective, it would have taken a village to plan and do some things - such as, taking a trip to Hawaii. Fascinating, but the baggage puts a huge wrench.

Anyway, being a person who simply stayed at home and enjoyed the home made "payasam" - made by my mom for my 10th wedding anniversary, here - I don't have much to say.

This year, I thought I should do something different that I have not done in the last 10 years. To start with, I thought of a very simple idea, say, buying a gift - if not for Shree - at least for myself.

I came up on a master plan. The gift should have the cover of being a thoughtful one that was bought for my wife, but in turn should be appealing more to me. If she says that she didn't like it, I should happily take it over and enjoy it. Honestly, had my anniversary been a month later, I too would have definitely gone for a Lexus instead. Better ideas were available by then.

Just a simple plan.

Having formulated such a plan, my first instinct was to randomly go to the nearest mall - Valley Fair, for me - just wander around and see anything that fits the budget - my budget - that could be bought as a gift.

The week after our anniversary, one fine Saturday afternoon when I was alone at home - thanks to the birthday parties - I went to the mall. Macy's? no. Nordstrom's? Definitely, no, no. It's got to be something unique, something charming.

That is where I hit a store called "Teavana", a tea store. The decor was intriguing, and the ambience was stunning. I simply fell for the women in crazy dyed hairdos who were pitching the sales.

The tea kettles were marked closer to 150$. I could very well see some potter making that for 2$ in some part of Asia. I felt very comfortable with the tea set we got as a gift for our wedding many years back. No, not the kettles this time. May be for our 20th anniversary.

I sampled some tea flavors and was simply taken by it. When asked about the price by pound, I dropped some pounds myself. It was 20$ for half-pounds for any tea, and most of the samples had two or three flavors blended together. That would mean, 40$ - 50$ a bag! This was too much for a guy who buys a box full of "dip-dip" tea bags for dime a dozen from Costco.

I had to make a decision. The oppurtunity of just being alone in a mall might not happen to me again. I should act quick. The price tag was higher, but what to say, I was simply smitten.

To come to a decision, in my heart I could hear me saying, "Help me! Ram! Help me! Ram!" Had people around me heard that time, they might have thought that I was praying "Ram" the lord, but I only knew that I was implicitly asking for opinion from my dear friend Ram the "brand" man, from Fremont! (He is so classy, that if his lovely wife must resort to using "branding iron", if at all, to "condition" him, he would prefer that should also be a "branded" one!)

I decided to go with 4 flavors - two in each bag - for a total of 70$. Instead of just going for a normal paper bag, I once again fell for a "eco senstive" special "Teavana tea container" that would also keep the tea fresh. Add 10$ more. Man, how could I say no to that sales girl's sparky greenish-blue eyes, looking right at me, and saying what I should get for my wife of 11 years.

While she was saying about the "anti-oxidants" justifying the price, coincidentally my lungs were needing more and more oxygen, and was gasping for more air to accept it. Scientifically, we hit it right on!

I bought 2 pounds worth of tea - 4 flavors - packaged in two special containers, all for a total price tag of 75$.

Came home, and wanted to surprise Shree who was still with the kids at a birthday party. She has never had somebody making tea that romantically. I wanted to be that guy... better be.

I looked for a vessel to boil the water, and that is when another reality hit me. Man, the kitchen needed to be cleaned, and the vessels were needed to be washed. First of all, I had to clean the tea pot that still had the left over tea dust from the day before. Talk about a romantic setting!

Still, I managed to do that in the next half hour and set the water to boil. I went with "Rubois Chai" flavor as it said in its label, "Brings the beauty of togetherness." If it worked as labelled, I worried about the logistics of how should I get the kids out to play? I didn't see any ingredient of type "Sildenafil Citrate" in the tea and so the timing window was a factor too.

I followed the instructions - to prepare tea - and wow! the flavor and aroma was simply fantastic! As expected, Shree did not like it! "Jack pot," I told myself. I had the whole pot of tea for myself.

The very next day, it just happened that my friend Ram (Fremont guy), came over and I gave him a small demo. I could see, the Teavana people thanking me for getting them a loyal customer. He liked it.

I have fallen head over heals to this flavor that now a days, during my late night peaceful time watching "Sex and the City" reruns, I have replaced the gulab jamoons with this wonderful flavor of tea. After all, they are good anti-oxidants you know.

A month later, I reminisce now: was planning a cruise to Tijuana, Mexico been better than getting bags of romantic tea from Teavana. I realized, no. Look at the price difference, and the longevity of the happiness. Instead of a short trip on the seas over the weekend, running behind the kids, I am enjoying reruns with a cup of tea every night, by myself. Hopefully, Shree will start liking the tea too, and the teas will last for a whole year.

To me, a simple bag from Teavana seemed to be a better choice than a vacation in Tijuana? What is yours?