Are you on Snapchat? I got started using the app after Alice asked me that same question and haven't looked back since. Where Instagram has turned into capturing that perfect picture, Snapchat is more about sharing whatever is going on at the moment. It's fun since it's so easy and quick.

Once you download the app, you can start taking a photo or shoot a short video and share it with your Snapchat followers by saving it to "My Story." It stays up for 24 hours, then poof, it disappears.

A tricky thing about Snapchat is finding people who are on Snapchat. Unless you know their account name, there isn't a way to find them. If you're looking for new people, here are some of my favorites. 

By the way, what am I snapping? Mostly behind-the-scenes of things I'm doing that doesn't show up on the blog or my Instagram. Everything from opening up gift bags from brands to events I get to attend as a blogger. And of course, food.

To add someone, just take a pic of their Snapcode like so... 

alice_gao
Lifestyle blogger and Instagrammer who got me interested in trying Snapchat in the first place. Her snaps are amusing and it's fun to get a sneak peek into her everyday life.

laurenvfitz
An American travel blogger who lives in Australia. I always look forward to her snaps of her musings and mishaps overseas.

littleepicurean
I follow Maryanne on Instagram and in Snapchat, I get to see even more of her baked creations. (Read: CAKES)

sparkncube
I wrote on another post: "Shini can do no wrong in my eyes and will make any favorites list of mine."
So of course, she makes this list. I like getting a glimpse into how each post and photo shoot comes together. Who knew she hardcoded her layouts?!

brightbazaar
I'm a big fan of Will of Bright Bazaar so naturally, he was one of the first Snapchatters I started following. He snaps mostly photos so, Will, more videos please!

garypeppergirl
You know, just capturing the daily ins and out of her life as a fashion blogger, jetsetting around the world.

simplyrecipes
If you're a food blogger, you should or already are, following Elise's snaps. 

expatedna
Edna is a travel blogger who never seems to be in one place for too long. (She's currently in Paris.) She snaps A LOT, so she's a good person to follow if you want to see new snaps frequently.

Ok, so these are my faves -- who are yours? Share them in the comments!

Té Company opened their adorable tea room a couple of weeks ago and I've been a regular, eating and drinking my way through the menu. When I found out Elena, the owner, offered bespoke tea tastings, of course I had to say "Yes, please!"

You can either choose a tasting of three oolong teas for $32 per person or five at $40 per person. I wanted to explore five light oolongs so Elena selected the ones that she thought would best showcase the variety. Another great option to try is tasting a selection of oolongs from light to dark. 

Elena set up a table for us and expertly prepared each tea. We did two steepings of each tea, which was enough to get me tea drunk. 

With each tea she selected, Elena gave me a little history and background, which I found to be fascinating. (Try the #2028 tea and ask her about how it got its name.) This tea tasting is a great time to ask Elena any questions you had about oolong tea.

The three tea tasting lasts about 30-40 minutes and the five tea tasting lasts a little over an hour. 

This would be a great gift for someone who loves tea and something the two of you can experience together. I'm planning on taking a friend there for her birthday, but really, it's a gift for me.

Here is Elena pouring an oolong tea into a tiny pitcher which then gets poured into individual tasting cups.

You get small sweet bites included with your tasting, but I usually want something to eat after drinking a lot of tea. Thankfully, Té Company has a small food menu, which changes on a regular basis but everything is DELICIOUS. I got the 'family meal' which was this tower of vegetables and a slice of sweet bean cake for $12.50 which was amazingly good. 

The best way to contact Elena for a tea tasting is by email (Info@te-nyc.com), but she takes walk-ins too if she's available.

INFO: Té Company | 163 West 10th Street | New York, NY 10014 | 929.335.3168 | Info@te-nyc.com

Want me to tell you what you're doing this weekend? You're going to visit Té Company's beautiful new tea spot in the West Village in NYC. 

Opened yesterday, it's a tiny oolong tea oasis where you can find delectable (I'm overusing the word delicious so, synonym) sweets that change on almost a daily basis. You MUST get sweets since they're SO GOOD. 

I've been a big fan of Té Company since I had an oolong tea tasting with them almost two years ago with Elena, the owner. Recently we collaborated on a tasting at the Lie SangBong shop.

In this four-table tea shop and cafe at #163west10th, you can sit and enjoy your brewed tea, get a bottle of 12-hour cold brewed tea to go, or pick up a box or canister of their oolongs.

Queenie and I went earlier this week for a sneak peek and sat down to share a pot of Graceful Hill oolong tea. We split a pineapple linzer cookie and a date stuffed with walnuts. Again, SO GOOD.

And you're welcome. Now you know what you're doing today.

INFO: Té Company | 163 West 10th Street | New York, NY 10014 | 929.335.3168

Oh, Instagram, how much I hated you at first (yet another social media app?!?!) but confess I am now totally obsessed. No day goes by without me constantly checking to see what I may have missed.

Here are my favorite accounts to follow:

A photo posted by Kathy YL Chan (@kathyylchan) on Sep 30, 2015 at 4:26am PDT

kathyylchan
Constantly traveling and enjoying the most delicious treats, Kathy's feed is filled with beautiful images of food, tea, and luxury travel. 

A photo posted by Maryanne Cabrera (@littleepicurean) on Sep 30, 2015 at 6:11pm PDT

littleepicurean
Maryanne makes stunning cakes and baked goods. I just need her to mail me a slice of every cake she bakes.

A photo posted by teaspoonsandpetals (@teaspoonsandpetals) on Oct 1, 2015 at 9:05pm PDT

teaspoonsandpetals
Alexis of Teaspoons and Petals is a tea blogger and tea consultant who shares pics of her tasty looking tea-based recipes.

A photo posted by Alice Gao (@alice_gao) on Aug 15, 2015 at 2:30pm PDT

alice_gao
NYC-based photographer and blogger (Lingered Upon) magically captures gorgeous food, interiors, and travel shots.

A photo posted by Will Taylor (@brightbazaar) on Oct 18, 2015 at 6:45am PDT

brightbazaar
Get your bright color fix with Will Taylor of Bright Bazaar. One of the first blogs I started reading, can't wait to see NYC through Will's eyes with his new move from London!

A photo posted by Jenna Park (@whimsyandspice) on Oct 13, 2015 at 7:55am PDT

whimsyandspice
I found Jenna's blog through my cousin and have been a big fan of hers since then. Her account is her life in NYC -- what she eats and where she goes. Love her weekend day trips with her family outside the city.

A photo posted by Charissa Fay (@charissa_fay) on Oct 11, 2015 at 6:48am PDT

charissa_fay
Judging from her feed lately, it looks like Charissa is photographing a book about Paris with a blogger. All her photos are so calming to look at and makes you wish you were there.

A photo posted by Marco (@neumarc) on Sep 29, 2015 at 11:37am PDT

neumarc
I LOVE Venice (let's call it a favorite city) so I was very happy when I found Marco's Instagram account which transports me to Venice on a daily basis.

A photo posted by Shini Park (@parkncube) on Oct 6, 2015 at 3:31am PDT

parkncube
Shini can do no wrong in my eyes and will make any favorites list of mine. Have you seen her blog? Go check out her gorgeous layouts. 

A photo posted by Krissy (@cottagefarm) on Oct 18, 2015 at 6:04am PDT

cottagefarm
I recently started following Krissy's account and if you're a fan of the color grey, like I am, you'll be a fan of hers. Lots of moody shots of food and interiors.

A photo posted by Foodiejp (@foodpicjp) on Sep 9, 2015 at 6:38am PDT

foodpicjp
Dreamy food photos shot overhead. Will make you hungry.

A photo posted by @anddicted on Oct 17, 2015 at 3:40am PDT

anddicted
Andrea captures the beauty of Milan, Italy with food and travel thrown in.

A photo posted by Faye (@farfelueparis) on Oct 18, 2015 at 6:09am PDT

farfelueparis
Faye is a photographer based in Paris her feed is filled with soft, dreamy snapshots of Paris and her travels.

A photo posted by Susan J (@misshappybelly) on Aug 21, 2015 at 8:28pm PDT

misshappybelly
Straight up Asian food, mostly Korean, all beautifully laid out.

A photo posted by Jee Choe (@ohhowcivilized) on Oct 1, 2015 at 10:09am PDT

me! (ohhowcivilized)
Afternoon tea + Tea/Matcha + Food + Travel

What are your favorite accounts to follow? Let me know in the comments!

For me, fall means all things chai. Chai lattes, chai tea, chai uhhh, well, those two things. Enter Jennifer Wallace (you should follow her on Instagram!) with Pumpkin Chai Scones to make it three.

The recipe is pretty easy...to watch being made. Jen made everything while I sat around eating scones and demanding hot water to make tea to have with my scones.

If you're not sure what to do with the leftover spices, you can use them to make chai from scratch.

The hardest part of this recipe is waiting an hour for the scones to firm up in the freezer. How good does that block of uncooked scone mixture look? VERY. 

Since I like my scones on the smaller side, we cut them into 12 pieces. If you want them to be mini, you can cut each triangle in half but be sure to keep checking the oven since your baking time will be shorter.

We enjoyed these Pumpkin Chai Scones with chai, of course! (I really want to write chai tea, but since chai means tea, it's like saying tea tea, which makes no sense.) 

With a side of clotted cream and fig preserves, these scones make for a perfect afternoon treat.

PUMPKIN CHAI SCONES
Adapted recipe from Budget Bytes by Jennifer Wallace for Oh, How Civilized

Makes 12 small scones

SCONE INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold butter
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

GLAZE INGREDIENTS
2 cups confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)
1/4 cup milk
3 tablespoon browned butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

DIRECTIONS
Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger in a large bowl. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers blend the butter into the flour until the butter is the size of small peas and is evenly distributed. 

In another bowl whisk the egg, pumpkin puree, and milk together. Pour the pumpkin egg mixture over the flour and butter. Using a fork slowly combine the flour and the liquid until it just comes together. Note: you will still have loose flour in the bowl, that's normal. 

Turn the contents of your bowl onto a work surface and start to gently pat into a rectangle shape approximately 1/2 inch thick. 

Using a sharp knife, cut your rectangle into 6 squares and then each square into two triangles. Place the cut scones onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (all 12 should fit onto a half sheet pan) and into the freezer until firm but not frozen (about an hour). 

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the scones for 20-25 min or until the edges and bottoms are golden brown. 

Once the scones have cooled a bit, it's time for the glaze:
On the stove top brown the butter in a small saucepan. Allow to cool.

In a large bowl sift the powdered sugar to remove any clumps or hard pieces. Add the spices, milk and brown butter and whisk until the glaze is smooth. If the glaze is too thick add more milk a tablespoon at a time until it becomes to desired thickness. Use a sandwich bag with a cut corner to pipe the glaze onto the scones.

» » »
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Ready to start making your own matcha at home? To make a perfect bowl of matcha, let's start with the essentials:

Matcha Chawan
Slightly flat bottomed bowl with a wide opening. Mine is a flat bottomed bowl from Mud Australia.

Chasen
A matcha whisk made from one piece of bamboo. The highest quality ones (they last longer) are made in Japan and cost $20+ while the ones made in China cost around $10. The most popular chasen is the 80-tip (the number of tips on the bamboo) but you can also find the 100-tip and 120-tip.

Chashaku
A bamboo scoop/ladle used instead of a spoon to measure out matcha into your bowl.

Strainer
Most matcha kits don't include a stainer, but this is vital in making a clump-free bowl of matcha. (This set is a good starter but you do need to get a bowl separately.)

Ceremonial Grade Matcha
There are different grades of matcha (powered green tea leaves) and for those wanting to drink it straight with just hot water, you want the ceremonial grade matcha, which is not bitter and tastes mildly sweet. The color should be a vibrant green. (Kathy YL Chan's matcha shown in these photos is really smooth and balanced.) 

When using matcha in recipes or drinks with milk, go with cooking or culinary grade instead. The subtle flavors in the ceremonial grade will get lost when added to anything other than water.

Ok, now onto making matcha! 

STEP 1
I like to warm the bowl and soften the whisk tips first. Pour hot water into the bowl about halfway and move the whisk around to soak the tips. Pour out the water and dry the bowl.

STEP 2
Place the strainer over the matcha bowl and using the tea ladle, put in one and a half heaping scoops of matcha into the strainer. Sift matcha into the bowl.

STEP 3
The recommended water temperature for matcha is 175°F. I like to bring my water to a boil, then transfer it to my kettle, which allows the water to cool a bit. Using boiling water makes the matcha bitter so you want to make sure it's not too hot. Pour about a half cup, or 3–4 ounces of hot water into the bowl.

STEP 4
Time to whisk! The entire movement should come from the wrist. Briskly move the whisk in a zig-zag or a "W" shape. Do not overwhisk! You want to make around 10 W's. Be careful not to apply too much pressure to the whisk so that it's scraping the bottom of the bowl since that will ruin the tips. If all things are aligned perfectly (the sifting, the water temperature, the amount of water, the whisking, and so on) you should have a lovely froth on the surface of the matcha.

Enjoy your matcha straight from the bowl it was prepared in. With ceremonial grade matcha, there shouldn't be a need to add any sugar, honey, or milk. It should be delicious and full of umami on its own.

When cleaning up, I rinse the whisk, no dish detergent, then store it upright. Don't put it back damp in the plastic container it came in since that can cause mold. Wipe the tea scoop with a paper towel -- don't get the scoop wet since that can change the shape of the ladle. Store the matcha in a tightly sealed container. You can leave it out at room temperature or store in the fridge and use within 6–8 weeks.

(The matcha froth in the photo above could be much better, dammit. Still need to keep practicing!)

Working on getting a better matcha froth.

A photo posted by Jee Choe (@ohhowcivilized) on Oct 3, 2015 at 8:19am PDT

Follow me on Instagram where you can see how my matcha froth comes along.

Thanks to my friend Nana who runs the Lie SangBong shop in Meatpacking District, I've been lucky to go see their shows at New York Fashion Week. (See previous Lie SangBong posts.) A week ago, I went to see their Spring/Summer 2016 collection followed by an afterparty at their shop in Meatpacking.

Gorgeous pieces with clean white lines opened the show. (Collection will be available in the shop in March of next year.) Watch the entire show above.

A couple of hours later, it's time for the afterparty at the shop! Take a closer look at the tiles where you can make out a kaleidoscope of models and designs from previous shows.

All in the family! On the right is the designer (Lie SangBong) with his daughter Nana, the director of the New York store, and his son Chung Chung who designs the LIE collection.

Guests of the afterparty were treated to specially created cocktails by sponsors Chalait and Beefeater Dry Gin. Michelle at Chalait, quite possibly the most Instagrammed cafe with their gorgeous matcha drinks, created Matcha Mint Fizz and Watermelon G&T. So refreshing and tasty on a hot summer evening.

(Like the previous tea events at Lie SangBong, I helped to organize this pairing of Chalait and Beefeater Dry Gin with Lie SangBong.) 

And that wraps up the Spring/Summer 2016 collection at NYFW! You can see the Fall/Winter collection shown this past February in the shop now. Oh, that camel coat!

I've been working on a little side project with the fashion brand Lie SangBong's NY shop. For the last couple of months, we've been holding tea events where shoppers can get introduced to new tea companies.

We kicked it off in June with a tea tasting by Silver Needle Tea Co. and small sweet bites by Tiny Pinecone. In August, we held another event with an iced oolong tea tasting by Té Company, from when these pictures were taken.

Teas, both hot and cold, were served in wine glasses which visitors to the shop sipped away on while browsing. It was oh, so, ahem, civilized. Ha.

(See Instagram pics from past events: here, here, here, here, here, and here.) 

It's been fun collaborating with everyone and sipping tea in such a lovely space! If you're ever in Meatpacking District in NYC, make sure to stop in at the shop at 30 Gansevoort Street and don't miss the gallery space in the back.

The pieces in the shot above and below are from the LIE collection, which is the younger line from the brand with a lower price point. (I've been wearing their black and white striped slip-on sneakers all summer.)

This past Sunday was the Lie SangBong NYFW show which I got to attend. I'll post about that on an upcoming post...

Summer isn't over yet! Enjoy the last few days of warm weather with this iced tea set from Palais des Thés. One lucky winner will win this iced tea glass pitcher (stainless steel filter not shown) and Palais' Gardens box, which has four selections of extra large tea bags that can go straight into the pitcher. Total value of this giveaway is $98.

I've been cold steeping the tea bags with sliced fresh fruit. Sliced plums, lots of ice, and Jardin Fruite tea makes for a very refreshing drink. 

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//Giveaway prize courtesy of Palais des Thés.//

]]>Jee | Oh, How CivilizedWed, 02 Sep 2015 11:00:00 +0000http://www.ohhowcivilized.com/blog/afternoon-tea-review-the-lambs-club5301117ee4b085ddb654ade3:53ab9491e4b0ae3086e3fd34:55e67f82e4b02a211f8180a2It's been almost two years since my last visit and review of The Lambs Club so it's long due for an update. Georgia and Sara joined me on this afternoon tea excursion.

SETTING: ★★★★☆
We sat in one of the circular banquette seats on the second floor and it was comfortable and roomy. Tables are spaced far apart so it feels intimate. 

SERVICE: ★★★☆☆
Service was a little uneven, but friendly. For example, plates and cups were taken off the table without asking if we were done when there were still bites and sips left. 

TEA & TEA SELECTION: ★★☆☆☆
The last time I went they steeped the tea in the kitchen and brought it to the table, perfectly brewed without the tea leaves (or tea bag) in the teapot. This time, a red lacquer tea box was brought out filled with Palais des Thés teas in GASP!!! TEA BAGS. No, just no. Especially when you're charging $6 for it. Can you hear my eye roll from where you're sitting? Loose leaf would be much appreciated instead. 

Funny enough, I got Long Jing, a green tea, the last time I went. Since they gave us the teabags, we did ask for refills of hot water.

SAVORIES: ★★★★☆
There are about 10 items on the menu with a mix of savories, scones, and sweets. You pick and choose and one selection is $6 while you can get three for $16. I was hungry so I got six. AGAIN, I made the mistake of getting too many sweets. I should have gotten more savories, which were quite good.

SCONES: ★★★★★
The scones here are a must! They're served warm and they're delicious. You get two scones per order and they're served with clotted cream and jam.

SWEETS: ★★★★☆
In my last review, I recommend getting just two sweets. I should really read my own reviews. They were all tasty though and the portion sizes were good.

OVERALL: ★★★★☆
If you're looking for some small bites without having to commit to a full afternoon tea in midtown, this is a good choice.

LOCATION: The Lambs Club New York | 132 West 44th Street | New York, NY 10036 | 212.997.5262
AFTERNOON TEA HOURS: 2:30PM - 5:00PM, Monday - Friday
COST: $6 - $16 (food) and $6 - $12 (tea) | Menu

]]>Jee | Oh, How CivilizedSun, 23 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000http://www.ohhowcivilized.com/blog/giveaway-takeya-deluxe-iced-tea-system5301117ee4b085ddb654ade3:53ab9491e4b0ae3086e3fd34:55d9572be4b0b412ba7d4f0f

Do you drink more iced tea than water? I do. If you're like me, you're going to want to enter this giveaway with Takeya. One lucky winner will get this 2 Quart Deluxe Iced Tea Beverage System (valued at $79.99) which has everything you need to make a perfect pitcher of iced tea.

In the box:
- Iced Tea Pitcher/Maker holds 2 quarts of iced tea
- Thermo Jacket keeps iced tea cold for hours
- Citrus Juicer
- Fruit Infuser and Infuser Stand
- Iced Tea Variety Pack with six pre-measured packets
- Recipe Book

How genius is that citrus juicer? It's designed to screw onto the pitcher so you can juice right into the iced tea. Brilliant.

The recipe book is filled with fantastic beverage recipes so you won't run out of iced tea ideas to quench your thirst. The book also gives step-by-step instructions on how to flash chill your iced tea so it's ready in minutes.

a Rafflecopter giveaway Sign up for Oh, How Civilized Emails!

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This giveaway is only open to US residents. Good luck!

NOTE: Winner will be contacted by email and comments/follows will be verified. If winner does not respond within three days of being contacted, another winner be chosen. Good luck!

//Giveaway prize courtesy of Takeya.//

]]>Jee | Oh, How CivilizedSun, 16 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000http://www.ohhowcivilized.com/blog/traditional-korean-aluminum-kettle5301117ee4b085ddb654ade3:53ab9491e4b0ae3086e3fd34:55d0306de4b072aecf2568ea

Last year in November, I went to Seoul where all I did was eat, then eat some more. (Oh, how I much I love you, Korean street food!) On that trip, I spotted these traditional aluminum kettles everywhere. I saw them in my relative's homes and in restaurants where they contained either cold or hot water.

Traditionally, they're for serving Makgeolli, a cold Korean rice-based alcohol. Because they're made from aluminum, they're super light and easy to pour with one hand.

 

So, of course I went nuts once I spotted these kettles in a tiny, one liter size. They're perfect for holding enough water for four cups of water or tea. I use mine for hot water for when I make matcha and for iced tea when a friend comes over. They're so cute.

Plus, the lovely light gold sheen makes it always Instagram ready (here and here). Ha. 

After a couple of months of sourcing and working out the logistics, they're available for purchase! They're made and imported from South Korea. Each one is unique in that elements of the kettle are handcrafted. (Note the marks left from smoothing down of the spout by hand.) 

Shop the kettle now!

P.S. That shot of me pouring took multiple takes! It's not easy to pour and hold the camera steady at the same time. 

]]>Jee | Oh, How CivilizedWed, 12 Aug 2015 11:00:00 +0000http://www.ohhowcivilized.com/blog/made-to-order-ice-cream-rolls-at-10below5301117ee4b085ddb654ade3:53ab9491e4b0ae3086e3fd34:55caf3b2e4b06a52025904bf

My Instagram has been slowly filling up with shots of these ice cream rolls from 10Below so I made my way over to Chinatown with my friend Queenie yesterday. Thankfully, because I went on a Tuesday at 3PM, there wasn't much of a wait with only just a couple of people on line ahead of us. I hear the wait can be about an hour on the weekends.

Cream is mixed with fruit and other flavors on a cold plate, which turns into ice cream in a couple of minutes. The ice cream is then rolled and placed into a cup where you can add any toppings of your choice. (I got the Monkey Business which is hazelnut, banana, and chocolate syrup. I topped that with more chocolate syrup and a toasted marshmallow.) The ice cream is very creamy and dense.

If you want to see this in action, check out my Snapchat (ohhowcivilized) before it's gone at 3PM.

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