We stepped into the inner sanctum of Temple Coffee & Tea where a quiet ritual was about to take place: a Tea Processing and Tasting class. Several tall tables with cups of labeled tea leaves, water, cup placement mats and note paper stood at the ready. The din from the outer café faded as the ten initiates waited to hear the word from our tea guide Leslie Fraser. “It’s time. Let’s start.” As Leslie asked us about our favorite teas, our wide disparity in knowledge became immediately evident. One man in the class talked about his specialty Sencha green tea air-shipped from Japan directly to him in vacuum-sealed bags. Others were hard-pressed to identify what type of tea they liked best (whi

The owner of TreyBCakes – rhymes with "baby cakes" – made good on a dream inspired by his grandfather when he opened the gourmet bakery and eatery Monday. Trey Luzzi, 34, just started his first business at 19th and L streets with plenty of help from his relatives. Recipes, family stories and a love of food have been handed down for generations on both sides of his family. George Lunsford, the grandfather who showed him how much fun cooking and entertaining could be, died five years ago. But the rest of Luzzi's family has done everything they can to help launch TreyBCakes at 1801 L St. in Midtown. "It's a family affair," said Luzzi Wednesday as his sister, Tami Adge, ate lunch at a table

On a sunny Saturday afternoon, the Crocker Art Museum held a Tour, Taste and Talk on “The Art of Tea.” Four-year docent Paul Lee was an informative guide on the museum’s teaware collections and the history of tea culture worldwide. Beginning in the Asian ceramics collection, Lee educated the visitors on the history of tea in China. “In China, tea was a drink enjoyed by scholars or drank when discussing philosophy,” he said. The tea culture took on a more religious connection when it was introduced into Korean and Japanese cultures. In Japan, it was associated with Buddhism and the wealthy-class. “Monks would drink tea in meditation to keep them awake,” Lee said. Once tea was introduce

Ignore the dust. Ignore the tractors. In a few more weeks, the alley won't be a complete disaster and soon the whole thing is going to be paved and beautiful. In the meantime, give some love to your favorite local coffee-shop in the warehouse. Old Soul at 1716 L Street is open from 6am to 9pm every day (except Sunday, until 4pm) but the crowd dwindles to a slow trickle after about 3:00, which is unfortunate. Sure, we stop serving lunch after two o'clock, but we still have pastries and quiche and some wicked banana breads. There's free wi-fi and air-conditioning. The coffee, served at all hours, is delectable. Try a french press of your favorite bean. Try a cappuccino. Did I mention the

Hina's Tea announced Monday that it will close soon. Owner Hina Soni, who has been in a legal dispute with her landlord, Gary Orr, since mid-2007, learned last week that Orr was entitled to repossess the property until litigation is complete. Soni and Orr declined to comment, saying to contact their lawyers. There are more than 100 court documents attached to the case, number 07AS02841 on the Sacramento County Superior Court's website, some reaching 330 pages. According to the most recent court order, there are several key disputes unresolved. "There is a triable issue of fact as to the amount of back rent, if any, owed," according to the document. "There also is a triable issue of fact

It's a sad day for Sacramento tea lovers. Hina's Tea is closing shop, losing its employees, online retail store and loyal fan base. The store received a minute order from the Sacramento Superior Court March 25, saying they were no longer legal tenants of the property and that they should return possession to the owner. "Defendant (Gary Orr) is entitled to possession of the premises while the parties litigate the issue of damages," said the document. "Orr is entitled to the right to possession of the premises as (the tenants) have failed to pay rent or quit in response to a valid three-day notice to pay or quit." Hina's Tea informed their customers of store's closure through its website

Sean Kohmescher discovered the coffee culture as a beach barista in San Diego. The 23-year-old wanted a job on the beach, and he liked coffee. He became a barista at an outdoor café on Pacific Beach, and then what started out as just a fun job turned into a passion. "I kind of fell in love with the culture," he said. Kohmescher dreamed of opening his own coffeehouse someday. It wasn't until he began developing his palate while working in San Francisco's fine-dining scene that he really became passionate about coffee and tea. After moving to Sacramento, he opened Temple, a coffee and tea house, in 2005 in a storefront at 1014 10th St., once home to Levinson's Books. Now this 35-year-ol

Hello, my name is Nicholas Jeff. Try not to make too much fun of my name, but I would agree that it’s pretty messed up. And so is my life. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t have anything horribly wrong with me, but I just get into these dumb situations that just drive me crazy. Take today. I woke up with the taste of long island iced-tea on my breath and the sound of beeping from my alarm clock. In the process of turning off the alarm clock, I slipped on a hot wheel and broke my laptop. Cursing the toy, I told myself my daily lie, "It's going to be a good day," repeatedly. Then I flew to the shower, made a quick sandwich and arrived 33 minutes late for work. “Nick!” my boss Donald yelled, “You