Have you started to step in a door to a new experience and because
it frightened you a little or scared you a lot, you turned and walked away?
Sunday that happened to me.
As I started to step into a new teahouse in town there
was a sense of having been there before.
It rather took my breathe away!
I was remembering another time some years ago when I was in Paris.
I was walking alone with my trusty map and came to the Shakespeare and Co.
bookstore. I had heard they had a tearoom, so when I asked they told me to go up
the stairs and I would find it.
I climbed the stairs to the top.
There were two doors and only one was unlocked, so I opened it.
It was rather dark, but I could see people sitting around on the floor drinking tea
and reading poetry. They invited me it, but I declined.
I have always regretted not entering and drinking tea with them.
So I entered the door at Enthea Teahouse Sunday afternoon.
They were having their grand opening and it was packed.
What I immediately noticed was I was the only white hair lady there.
There were dreadlocks and gorgeous young adults everywhere.
Soon I was face to face with the owner and one of the guys that was helping him out.
My mouth opened and I even said something intelligent,
at least I think I did.
I glanced a chair nearby and sat.
Soon someone I knew joined me and we sipped tea together.
The conversations around me intrigued me from babies to smoking salvia.
Ha! I felt like I had stepped back in time,
to a time when I lived in San Francisco and walked with the flower children
in the Haight or that time finding the tearoom at the book store in Paris.
The tea of the day was ripe puerh, all good.
The little teapot enchanted me.
Sitting there sipping tea delighted me.
Will I go back?
Yes, but on a day that I can quietly sit and sip.
Enthea Teahouse
3533 S.E. Milwaukie Ave.
Portland, Oregon
owner: Steve Odell
