Finding tranquility in the city that never sleeps can be no easy feat. When you do find yourself in one of those tranquil places however, it’s as if time seems to slow down and the city is quiet and still.
One of those times came at the Gramercy Terrace atop the Gramercy Park Hotel on June 4. Miyako Watanabe performed a traditional tea ceremony in an intimate and personal setting.
Watanabe and her family recently opened their tea store, Ippodo Tea, and she has the privilege of being the sixth generation in her family, going back to 1717, to carry on the tradition of tea from Kyoto.
Since most New Yorkers aren’t able to visit Kyoto, she thought why not bring Japan to them. She does everything from choosing the daily flowers, designing all the packaging to the calligraphy. She is also a master of the tea ceremony who trains others in the art of the Way of Tea.
Seeing her gracefulness and passion as she wore her traditional kimono creating the perfect bowl of matcha tea, one could easily see how tea really is a way of life. Upon taking that first sip, one realizes that in our busy city we forget the simple things that keep us balanced so we can be ready to face the challenges of the day.
