These handmade artisan Chinese cloth shoes, bù xié, are a 3,000 year old tradition. They're typically made of 100% natural fibres such as cotton, wool, hemp, silk, and linen.  They are sturdy, lightweight, and comfortable. Intended for outdoor use, they also make great home slippers. 

The Moon Festival, also known a the Mid-Autumn Festival, is celebrated by Chinese and other Asian cultures. It is celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Lunar calendar, which falls on October 1st this year, but can fall anywhere between mid-September and early October. On this night there is a full moon. Each year, for the Moon Festival, my family buys moon cakes to eat, but that's the extent of my knowledge and experience with the celebration so I thought I'd do some digging to learn what this day is really all about.

While it has become common to refer to afternoon tea as “high tea,” especially in the US, the two are not synonymous and they actually refer to two very different meals. Afternoon tea started off as a light snack between lunch and dinner before it turned into a fashionable social event, which you can read about here. While Americans mistook the phrase "high tea" to mean something more high society, the only thing "high" about high tea are the tables. So what is the difference between afternoon tea and high tea?

Nowadays, many people commonly associate pole dancing with strip clubs, but I wonder how many people know the true history of pole dancing. After I saw how perturbed some people were over Shakira and J.Lo's Super Bowl Halftime Show, I thought it worthwhile to share a few historical and cultural insights about this form of dance and sport.

My favorite time of day is tea time, which is really all the time for me. Tea makes everything better and it brings people together. When you think about any culture where tea is prevalent, it's a symbol of hospitality. Guests are welcomed with tea, and everyone sits around enjoying the company and little treats to go with the tea and banter. You can't be angry when you're drinking tea. Like the monks who used to meditate with tea (and still do), tea brings us peace. Plus, you don't want to accidentally spill all that hot liquid peace on yourself or anyone else for that matter. Can you imagine being angry over tea and chucking your tea cup at someone? No, save your anger for your cocktails. But where does the afternoon tea tradition come from?