An August Month YOCHA STUDIO |
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No more august than any other month really, but the headline muse is apparently still on holidays. And to be fair, a degree of sub-editor fatigue is understandable if not excusable, this is after all our 24th newsletter! For the arithmetically challenged, that means it’s been a full two years since we embarked on our little tea adventure in Uppsala. To be Frank, regrets we’ve had a few (Red Tea Swiss Roll - Switzerland & Tea? what were we thinking?) but then again, tea few tea mention. We are more than happy with the progress of our journey so far and particularly happy that we have had the opportunity to introduce Asian tea culture and design to so many hundreds of Swedish residents and visitors - and even convert more than a few into fully fledged tea nerds. Sorry about that. |
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These past two years have also given us time to reflect on the cycle of life that plays out in Uppsala from one end of the year to the other. In this beautiful Swedish town not only each season but each individual month has its own particular charm (and its own bad habits of course, however we’ll overlook those for now). For August - and especially the last week of August – that individual trait is a sense of anticipation, the lull before the storm, the silence before the curtain rises. Soon normal city life, ever so briefly interrupted by summer, will return to its normal rhythm. ‘Slacker businesses’ that have closed for the summer vacation (not us of course!) will reopen their shutters; bicycle parks will start to fill up as university students and educators return for the new term; schoolyards and buses will be filled with excited children, and slightly less excited teachers; the geese and other avian wimps not able for a Scandinavian winter are already preparing to abandon us for the south. Of course, here at Yocha we feel this social interregnum too. The summer visitors and domestic tourists are fewer and fewer and there’s a curious, short lull before our regular ‘Uppsalabor’ (so much more concise than Uppsala residents) return for meetings with friends, lunchbreaks from work, or actually working and studying (for hours and hours but we don’t mind honestly!) in their favourite Yocha seat, sipping their favourite Yocha tea from their favourite Yocha cup. Yes, there are things to be said for normal life. |
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Uppsala countryside in August |
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The month of August saw not one but two international “A Sip of Origin” workshops taking place at Yocha studio. Part of an initiative organised by the Sanjing Dong County Tea Association, these events gave participants a rare opportunity to sample several teas from the Guangxi region of southern China. The ‘international’ element is that similar workshops were also held at the JIAN Tea and Art Culture Space in Berlin and the CHAxART Intercultural Hub in Amsterdam. Here at Yocha Studio both events, on the 6th and 20th, were sell outs and our lucky participants learnt a lot about the very special teas grown in Guangxi, which is just as well because that was the whole point. We hope to bring you more such collaborative events with international partners in the future as the interest in Asian tea culture gradually spreads across Europe from the East like an army of invading Mongol warriors (well, not exactly like that of course, your average tea lover tends to be a little more civilized and a lot less violent than a member of Genghis Khan’s hordes). Anyway, here are some nice pictures of the workshops to banish that inappropriate simile from your mind. |
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"A Sip of Origin" workshop |
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While many of our workshops focus on tea-related themes, we also like to highlight other aspects of Chinese culture from time to time. So, coming up soon, look out for our very first Chinese Dumpling workshop! Dumplings are to Chinese cuisine pretty much what köttbullar/meatballs are to Sweden (except we didn’t steal dumplings from the Turks). This is comfort food just like your grandma used to make; to be eaten for their wonderful taste and the memories they spark, but also to provide solace when the craziness of the world today becomes just too much – so that would be virtually every day recently. A select group of comfort seekers (i.e. the first ones to sign up) will get the chance to discover the millennia-long history of dumplings in China, learn about the different varieties that exist and, best of all, will roll, shape and cook their very own dumplings with authentic Chinese dumpling dough and fillings! We’ll even allow you to eat the finished product - can’t say fairer than that… For more information on times keep an eye on our social media channels (link below). |
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And finally, still speaking of culture related activities, for those living in Uppsala or planning on visiting in mid-September - don't forget Yocha Studio will once again be a proud and enthusiastic part of Sweden’s biggest culture night, Kulturnatten Uppsala! This year, it’s being held on Saturday, 9th September with cultural events of every kind taking place all over the city. For our part, here at Yocha Studio we will be extending our opening hours and welcoming guests from 10.00–21.00. During the day we will be holding an open-house Kung Fu Tea ceremony from 11.00-15.00. There’ll also be live music on that most iconic of ancient Chinese instruments, the Gu Zheng, with special guest and former Yocha stalwart, Jiajia, flying in especially for the occasion. In addition, we’ll have special deals on our famous Dango and baozi. All welcome! |
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And remember if you aren’t able to physically make it to Yocha Studio in Uppsala, either for the Kulturnatten celebrations, dumpling workshops or on any other day, you can still check out our website www.yochastudio.com or social media channels for the latest news on all our Asian design products available for purchase online – all with delivery to your door. Till next month, best wishes from The august Yocha Team. |
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