About My Tea Places
Have you ever felt a special connection to a particular place and the people you met there?
If you are like us, there are many places that you hold close to your heart each for their own reasons. We often enjoy savoring those experiences and memories over a quality cup of tea.
We believe tea is inherently a nostalgic drink as all its details represent the place, people, and process it went through before ending up in your cup. When you pour the water over the leaves, suddenly that place comes back to life in a moment that you can see, smell and taste. This is why our mission is to connect you to the places that are infused into your tea by telling you their stories.
We love our teas and drink them often, maybe even, too often! They are specialty teas of the finest quality and have been carefully selected for you to expand your tea experience. We hope you enjoy them as much as we do!
Cheers!
Luz Boys
Founder of My Tea Places LLC
Tea Sommelier
About the Founder
I am Luz Boys, the founder of My Tea Places. I live in California with my husband Garrett and our Chief Feline Officer, Geneva. We are passionate about traveling, exploring, and enjoying great teas.
Our mission at My Tea Places is to offer premium teas from different tea-producing places around the world, highlighting the unique story of each tea and place.
*Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is the place where tea comes from important?
At My Tea Places, the place is essential to understanding the story of a particular tea. Certain cultures and places have dedicated years to perfecting the cultivation of tea, from the cultivar to the terroir, to the process it goes through before it becomes the tea in our cup. All these details contribute to the tea experience.
What was the inspiration to start My Tea Places?
The inspiration to start My Tea Places was a culmination of many moments, experiences, and passions. Some of the most meaningful moments and conversations in my life have happened around a cup of tea. When I reflect on these moments, I’m warmed by the memories of the people that I shared them with. Because of this, tea holds a special place close to my heart. This led me to start collecting and learning more about tea, growing my passion for it!
Some of my other interests have been in learning about people, places, languages, and cultures across the globe. It is one of the reasons why I completed my master’s degree in International Relations. I speak several languages and have traveled to Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Ultimately, My Tea Places represents the overflow of my combined passions.
I always thought I’d start a Tea Company at some point later in my life, but in 2018 I felt compelled to start realizing that dream, following a Mandarin course I was taking at the time. This led me to the Pacific Northwest Tea Festival in Seattle, then completing the Tea Specialist certification from the World Tea Academy, and participating in a tea business incubator program at the World Tea Expo in 2019. And with much perseverance, I was able to launch My Tea Places in August of 2020. I’ve met so many great people along the way. The tea community is amazing!
When did you start drinking tea?
My love for tea first started during my childhood in Guanajuato, Mexico, while drinking herbal tisanes such as lemon leaves, chamomile, and cinnamon with my family. In college, my passion for tea blossomed. I often stayed up late writing research papers accompanied by a fresh cup of tea. Around the same time, I also found an interest in Chinese culture, which only fueled my curiosity for tea and its surrounding culture.
What does your daily experience with tea look like?
My tea ritual varies from day to day depending on how much time I can devote to it. First, I like to choose a tea set for preparing the tea. I have quite the collection and some are only reserved for certain types of teas, like oolongs. If I have enough time, then I will usually select a gongfu-style tea set. If my time is more limited, then I prefer an easy gaiwan with a sharing teapot. I like to maximize the enjoyment of tea, so I do like having multiple infusions and sharing some with my husband. My cat likes to tag along as well. If the day is nice, I’ll usually sit outside to take it all in. My tea routine keeps me balanced, so I try to prioritize it every day.
What is your curation process like when selecting teas for the shop?
When I first started My Tea Places, I told my husband, “If I don’t sell the tea, then I’ll drink it all myself”. We laugh about this regularly, because it is true, I would drink them all, but it also speaks to my ultimate qualifier of what teas make it into our store or not. The tea has to consistently win me over before I’m convinced to offer it.
When evaluating a tea, I have a detailed cupping process where I examine everything from the quality of the tea leaves to the aroma and flavor. I take notes because I will do this process many times and refer back to other tastings.
I also do extensive research on the place the tea is sourced from and make sure I’m building a friendship with a reputable supplier that is invested in both sustainable cultivation practices and the well-being of the tea community in the region. I look to my supplier to provide me with detailed information related to the cultivar, crop, and process as well as some of the relevant cultural history or practices. This helps me be able to tell the story of the tea to my clients, particularly during our fun and informative Virtual Tea Experiences.