Blog

Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena, CA, will begin hosting seasonal matcha ceremonies in their Niko-an teahouse. The first two events in this series will be held on Father's Day, Sunday, June 21, 2026 at 11:00 AM and 12:30 PM.

Each session will nigh on an hour and include a guided introduction to matcha ceremony and etiquette, or otemae. Guests will enjoy bowl of matcha paired with light, traditional Japanese sweets called wagashi.

The demonstrations will be marshaled by Yuki Wakino, a ceremonialist who has been practicing the art of cha no yu since she was twelve years old. Her education includes seven years of Mushanokojisenke.

Registration is required in advance and costs $40 (which includes the $12 regular admission). Each session is limited to only 10 seats, so register as soon as possible! To learn more and register, please visit the garden's website.

The Shoseian House in Glendale, CA, is also hosting a matcha whisking workshop on the same day from 10:00 AM to noon. Advance registration is also required and costs $25. This workshop will be hosted by the Friends of Shoseian Tea Group. To learn more and register, please visit the teahouse's website.

The seventh annual Pasadena Festival of Tea took place at Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden in Pasadena, CA. This is the garden's most popular event of the year, hosted on Sunday, April 12, 2026 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. All guests received a special gongfu tea cup with the price of admission. The programming was just in time for the seasonal blooms of camelias, jasmine, azaleas, and other fragrant flowers.

Local tea purveyors — including Nathan and Wendy from Callisto Tea House and Bana Tea Company — offered signature products for guests to sample and purchase. The full line up also included Chafolio, Glenburn Fine Tea, The Good Liver, JT&T, Steep LA, Tea Tea Tea, and a number of local ceramicists.

The garden's gift shop, Takara-ten, offered its usual array of antique and vintage items including paper umbrellas and kimonos for men and women. Garden Donors receive ten percent off all purchases at the shop.

Regular admission sold out at $20 for adults; children 12 years old and younger visited for free. Tickets for the traditional Japanese tea ceremonies with Mikko Nakatomi in the garden's famous Niko-an teahouse were met with high demand and quickly sold out several weeks before the event.

To learn more, please visit the garden's website and VisitPasadena.com.

As a scientist by training, Matthew Anderson is always on the look out for his next treasure trove of knowledge. Often this means perusing online for primary accounts of tea culture, tradition, and economics, such as those from the 19th-century British expeditionist, Robert Fortune. He has written several books describing his travels to China and the Himalayas, and each includes impressive illustrations and engravings from several artists whom he knew personally. All of his books are in the public domain now, including said illustrations. Looking for examples of Fortune's published illustrations suitable for printing as postcards were to no avail; they are often marked with library stamps, marginalia, or other incidental blemishes.

Knowing the fact that Los Angeles Public Library will provide faithful reproductions of pages from books, it was worth looking for a copy of at least one of Fortune's books in my local library system. An online search of the catalogue showed the book was in their special collections — understandable for a third edition, printed in 1853.

The main target was the frontispiece for volume II, "Tea Plantations. View in the Black-Tea District." Alas, after scheduling an appointment, being escorted to the Rare Books Reading Room, and examining the books with light supervision from a librarian, the intended target was torn right down the middle.

Luckily, other illustrations were identified and are perhaps more suitable for reproduction. Your thoughts are appreciated — let me know if you think blemishes, aging, and signs of (dis)repair would add charm to a postcard. Should reproductions of the illustration via a postcard showcase the L.A.-made wear and tear of the book, or attempt to provide a duplication of how it appeared to readers in 1853? Send an email to Matthew Anderson with your thoughts.

Come to Callisto Tea House in Pasadena, CA, for a Lunar New Year celebration this weekend! The tasting will be on February 21 and 22 during their regular business hours. Nathan, Wendy, and the rest of the team will be brewing and serving free samples of teas from Callisto's private collection and from their sister company, Bana Tea Company, which was made famous with puer tea cakes procured by tea pioneer Linda Louie. This is your chance to enjoy rare and vintage tea for free!

This is not like the regular tea tastings offered on Callisto's menu. The team will be brewing and serving samples of tea from behind the counter, offering notes about each one, and receiving  feedback from customers. Seating may be reserved for customers ordering their afternoon tea service or other menu items.

If you like any of the teas, they will be selling select Bana and Callisto teas in-shop for home brewing. Skip the shipping and delivery!

To learn more about Callisto's recent integration of Bana Tea Company, read the press release on their website: www.CallistoTeaHouse.com/pages/news.

Jarrett New — a graduate from Loyola Marymount University and seasoned aficionado of Chinese tea culture — and his team of talented industry peers are creating a new film, Gong Fu Tea. The film aims to capture the spirit of family and tradition. "This film will be an homage to the ancient Chinese "gongfu cha" practice ... as we follow a daughter trying to reach her emotionally-distant father," writes New on the project's Indiegogo page.

The campaign has already gained considerable momentum. In 2025, the script has won three awards at local film festivals in New's hometown of Austin, TX. At the time of publishing, the Indiegogo campaign has secured $15,427 from 41 backers, 61 percent of the project's total goal of $25,000. You can support the film's production financially and learn more about Jarrett, his team, and the passion behind the film on Indiegogo.

Based on the amount of their financial support, supporters are able have their names listed in the credits; access exclusive, behind-the-scenes photos and videos; and receive postcards to share the film's official poster art. We are excited to highlight New's passion for Chinese-style tea as he celebrates cultural traditions and cultivates independent filmmaking.

What happens when Jewish tradition meets Chinese tea culture? Please join Jesse Appell and his friend Eitan for a celebration of Tu BiShvat, a Jewish minor holiday that celebrates the agricultural new year in Israel. The group will explore connections between ecological responsibility, Jewish spiritual tradition, and Chinese tea culture.

During the event, participants will enjoy the four categories of fruits that are traditionally enjoyed during this holiday, paired with four teas from China. Jesse and Eitan will facilitate conversations about the ecosystems that sustain us, the traditions that shape us, and the communities that bring us together. Jesse will share how his guanxi, or connections in China, ensure the survival of ancient traditions and protect their ecological resources.

The event will take place at Beth Shir Shalom in Santa Monica, CA.

Email Matthew@AndersonTeaWorks.com to receive the RSVP form!

A frequently asked question is, "How do you work with clients to develop a selection of teas for a private event?" Each menu is tailored to the host's preferences and will feature at least six selections of our loose-leaf teas. See below for our most-popular options. Additional options for tea are available upon request.

Menus are also specialized for the brewing methods featured at each event.

• English-style porcelain teapots

• Chinese-style clay teapots and porcelain gaiwans

• Japanese-style bowl and whisk (matcha and hojicha only)

• Tea bags

Los Angeles moves fast. Between traffic, screens, and schedules, genuine moments of mindful pause can be difficult to find. The traditional Chinese method of preparing and appreciating tea — or gong fu cha — offers a shared, intentional space to experience a timeless, cross-cultural art.

~~~

Matthew Anderson has been studying gong fu cha since 2021. In 2025, he began to share tea with colleagues at Gilead Sciences, Inc. After graduating, he expanded his portfolio to include outdoor tea services with a local hiking group. After completing this formal tea education with the International Tea Academy and becoming a Certified Tea Sommelier in December 2026, he founded Anderson Tea Works.