Jonathan believes that if done mindfully, all things can lead one to a greater appreciation of this life. He feels tea's production process, its historic culture, and the community it attracts, all display and evoke a mindful life. For Jonathan, it seems the subtlety of tea's drinking experience ultimately steeps the sipper in awareness itself. Jonathan's favorites include the Herbal Tea Sampler: mellowness all around. For something more exotic, he goes for the Wang!

Tea is an open secret, an offering where nothing is hidden and all is shared - if only we pause long enough to take refuge in the warmth that is tea's home...
(For more information on Jonathan and Learning To Listen , please visit)

"My favorite thing to drink lately is the Kukicha Hatsukura. I like lighter flavored teas and this one is very subtle and delicate. I also love the Green Peony Rossette. My favorite thing about this tea is that it is so beautiful to watch. Each dried tea rosette comes very compact, until you add it to hot water, and then, it opens up like a flower. I like to just watch it open, and bob around in my pot."

"Every Sunday morning I go to a 6-hour yoga class, and it is really intense. After class I need some relaxing time, and I usually turn to Chrysanthemum . I like its soothing, subtle sweetness and evergreen coolness. So cooling, full bodied, and smooth, I love this one after my long yoga class."

"The taste of the Monkey Picked Iron Goddess of Mercy is smoky, slightly sweet, floral, and buttery-- it's really complex. My second favorite is the Moorish Mint. It's refreshing and smooth, but buttery and uplifting too..."

"...My life philosophy is about education. I like to learn--anything, from anyone! Being at Samovar I see, meet, and experience so many diferent people--of different cultures, ages, backgrounds, etc. Being around those kinds of influences helps me to evolve, motivating me to see the world and take action to develop myself. Working in the kitchen at Samovar gets very, very busy--but, with a pot of Monkey Picked by my side, a hectic environment never turns to stress!"

When he takes time away from singing live performances, which range from acoustic to hip-hop, and flying around the globe, Karter is into really chilling- out with tea.

"Ancient Moonlight --all the way! Every day, all day. The caffeine really makes me alert, and the flavor just keeps releasing from the leaves. Plus, I love the story behind Ancient Tea. My other favorite is the herbal infusion of Chrysanthemum . It's a little sweet, and really full bodied, and perfect when I want to really mellow out. When I have friends over, I love to make Matcha and do the whole ceremony thing. It tastes grassy and leaves a beautiful foam mustache on your upper lip."

"My other every day, favorite tea it the Monkey Picked Iron Goddess of Mercy . So many infusions, with so few leaves. This tea packs a punch--caffeine as well as the classic Tieguanyin woodsy-floral profile. I actually even believe the lore about this tea: It has a rather energizing effect on the libido. My other favorite oolong is the Silver Spring . I always serve this tea for special occasions, like when I have a dinner party. Many infusions, and an intense creamy profile that is unlike any other. "

"I love to camp. And, whenever I go my old faithful tea is the Mother's Mint. Refreshing and re hydrating, it is the best thing to have to start the day. No caffeine, and loads of taste. You can't go wrong with that herbal.

"Ryokucha. This is the best breakfast tea. It is full bodied, has a little caffeine from the green tea, but has an amazing grassiness from the matcha that we blend in. The roasted brown rice kernels make it a little sweet. I love this tea paired with fried eggs and corn tortillas."

"Before, and after I work out I love to make our Organic Rooibos, either hot or I fill up my water bottle and have it chilled. It's loaded with vitamin C, has no caffeine because it's an herbal infusion, and has a malty, rounded, smooth flavor. Before bed, I love the delicate taste of Jasmine Silver Needle. The leaves are beautiful, the floral aroma of the brew alone is enough to put me to sleep."

When she isn't creating cartoons or going to yoga, or studying the i-ching , or working, Joanna finds herself hiking the San Francisco Bay Area . What are her favorite teas?

"Orange Ginger is really good. It's citrus-y and slightly sweet. It has a lot of vitamin C in it and is very warming. My favorite pu-erh is the Maiden's Ecstasy. I actually love going to dim sum with friends, and sneaking in my own tea--and I always bring the Maiden's Ecstasy when I go! It handles the rich foods of dim sum. All those savory dumplings are even more delicious when I pair this tea with the meal. It's smooth, not musty like a lot of the aged teas out there. Kind of malty, kind of earthy, and a little bit coffee-like even."

Irene is a true foodie. And, we should be proud...Samovar ranks so high on her list of best places to eat in the Bay. She also loves wine....studying the regions, growing conditions, food pairing and learning all she can about small scale artisan products. Of course she's crazy about our tea because of the small scale farms and artisan estates we source from.

"Personally, I really like the teas that come out of Jingmai Mountain. This is such a unique place. And to be able to get these teas direct from these village people who have been crafting the teas the same way for many generations... And to think they are getting the tealeaves from wild tea trees, and that some of them are over 1000 years old! The story behind some of our teas are as intriguing as the tastes! Jingmai Beencha, Maiden's Ecstacy, Gold Toucha and Green Toucha, Sun Dried Beencha, and the Ancient Tree Green--actually I can't decide which is my favorite. They are all so different. I am partial to these Ancient tree teas, and I really love making delicious meals, and pairing the different teas to different courses of food."

"Whenever I go camping, I drink  Spring Twig Sencha. It totally wakes up all of my senses to Mother Nature. It's a bit sweet, and a bit bitter, a bit nutty, and even a slight hint of bittersweet chocolate. It is a full bodied green that puts me into a gentle state of relaxed awareness. And I love it--watching the sun come up, a cup of Spring Twig steaming..."

"When I want something cozy for those foggy, cold San Francisco nights, I usually turn to the Chillout Blend, or Orange Ginger. They are both herbal, so they are very soothing, and hydrating. The Orange Ginger has a serious spicy-citrus kick, and the Chillout is just what it says. Mellowing.."

While surfing the Pacific, practicing a bit of yoga on Sundays...interspersed with some computer programming here and there--Paul is constantly fueled by chai.

"I guess I am a chai guy. I love it here at the lounge, cooked up thick and creamy and sweet and spicy. Full flavor, and a good caffeine boost when I am working a lot, or working a little. I also love cooking it up at home, and adding some of my personal favorites: extra Assam tea, soymilk, honey, and fresh herbs."

"When I am in the mood for something more traditional, I often go for the  Monkey Picked Iron Goddess of Mercy . Strong, but very complex, and good for many, many infusions."

Perhaps considered the rebel of Samovar, Rick is one of the most extroverted members of our diverse staff. Rick enjoys electronic music, yoga, running, capoeira, and anything else intense! This is reflected in his top choices of our teas.

"Although I do enjoy a variety of herbals - such as Chill Out Blend , Rooibos , and Yerba Mate ; I really consider myself a true Pu-erh drinker. The cleansing, healthful properties are an intruiging characteristic, and the energy boost is unparalled. My absolute favorites are Wang or Jingmai Mountain Beencha for special times, but for day-to-day use I drink Maiden's Ecstasy. I really notice the virile effects of this tea."

Photography, surfing, a bit of tai chi, and some conversational Danish. And of course tea. Jesse always has a lot going on, but somehow manages to fit it all in no matter what. And, always with a cup of his favorite...

"Shizuoka Sencha is a definite. I like to start my day, and continue my day with this tea. I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine so I like this tea because it has just enough to help keep me focused. This tea has a very mellow grassiness, and a beautiful, sweet creaminess--and yet it is really light. An amazing tea, and, I love it because it comes in such limited quantities from our friend, Mr. Den."

"After a long day, I really like to unwind with the Spicy Lemongrass herbal infusion. Just looking at the mixture of baby wild roses, lemongrass, peppercorns....It's as beautiful to look at as it is to drink. It has no caffeine because it's an herbal, and yet it has a bright, spicy, floral taste."

"I grew drinking tea from really beautiful, authentic, gold-plated, traditional Samovars in Iran. Tea has been an important part of my life since childhood."

These days, when Jodet isn't sipping from our Samovar, she spins poi , fire dances , meditates, and writes as a student studying print journalism. Although Jodet speaks Farsi , Armenian , some Assyrian , and English (of course), she's also studying Spanish with the intent to become fluent.

Jodet adores the Maiden's Ecstasy Pu-erh for its mossy, earthy, deep forest qualities. "I also love the Morning Dew Sencha , I think it's oceanic- you can really taste the green in the leaf and I think it reflects the best of the Sencha tradition. But what I really love is the Lychee Black : it's my favorite tea of all time. Ever. I like that since it's a black tea, it's caffeinated, but it's still really light, uplifting, almost floral, fruity, and naturally sweet. I don't need to add any sugar to it. I drink it everyday!"

Francisco is the best cook at Samovar- not only because his sandwiches beat any in the city, but because you will never see him stressed out. Cool and calm, smiling and chuckling to himself, Francisco is always ready to share a joke, teach us a phrase in Mayan , or tell a long, fascinating, and layered story.

Curious about tea, it's rare to see Francisco drinking the same tea day in and day out. He's always switching it up, but when pressed, Francisco will single out our Japanese greens: the hearty Ryokucha , as well as Lobocha and Spring Twig Senchas for their clean, vibrant, vegetal energy. Organic Rooibos herbal infusion is also a favorite. Since Rooibos doesn’t get bitter with a long infusion, Francisco says his trick is to steep it extra long- sometimes even drinking it with a bombilla-so all the deepness of it’s flavor, burgundy, and anti-oxidants are extracted into the liquor.

Our little lobo, a sencha freak, kicks back with Lobocha of course!  more coming soon...

A beauty pageant winner and dancing machine, Juan Carlos is a lover...of life and Oolongs! He revels in the company of good food, good tea, and good friends.

Like so many of us a Samovar, Juan Carlos craves the complex nectar of the rare MiXiang oolong. For an excellent pairing with any food, Juan Carlos infuses a koryo cup of Wuyi oolong . To mirror his sweetness, he'll brew a pot of Lychee Black tea, a special liquid dessert. When Juan isn't gracing us with his presence at Samovar, he can be found carousing in the nature of the hills of Oakland .

A writer by day and reptile trapper by night, Paul comes to Samovar Tea Lounge after living for years in the outback of Arizona rescuing lethal reptiles from worried suburbanites. Monstrous snakes, lizards, and poisonous frogs were his specialty and he never once harmed an animal with his capture and release techniques.

Paul moved to San Francisco to work at Samovar and pursue a writing career and a tea lifestyle. His favorite teas include our Breakfast Blend black tea and Dong Ding oolong-- both for their pleasing alliteration and complex flavors. Lobocha also holds a special place in Paul's heart and palate- it's thick mouth feel, vibrant, opaque green liquor, and delicious sweetness.

"I believe in working out hard, really hard, and to stay hydrated during my kickboxing tournaments, I always keep a bottle of brewed Organic Rooibos by my side. Being on a strict training regimen, I don't drink any caffeine, so for me I stick just to herbals. Although, when I want to really let my hair down, I will go crazy with a pot of Organic Fair Trade Snowbud white tea."

Spending the daylight hours in the gym on the heavy bag, training for the upcoming US national kickboxing tournament, Ervinna keeps her eye on the target at all times. At night she pays the bills with her tech-savvy skills as a CSS programmer. Keep an eye out for Ervinna: the olympics for her kickboxing, and some of the web's hottest sites for her programming.