Tea Outdoors with Pierre Sernet

The Association of Tea Bloggers (ATB) this month presents outdoor tea experiences. See Black Dragon Tea Bar for the complete listing of articles.

I trolled my mind for the memory of a personal experience that would match the grace and artistry of anything close to what Pierre Sernet has done. Of course, I found none.

Pierre Sernet performed The Guerilla Tearoom all over the world- from Times Square to the Great Wall. Using 12 pieces of wood, he created a virtual tearoom with no real walls. Inside these transparent walls, Pierre invited people to join him in a Japanese tea ceremony.

One of the interesting things about this experience was the sense of “inside” and “outside” that was created. Whether set up in the Charles de Gaulle airport or outdoors on a busy street, participants often noted a sense of quiet and calm in the midst of surrounding activity. In The Meaning of Tea book, Pierre recounts: “What is interesting is hearing from guests all around the world who tell me, ‘It’s very strange, there was all this noise, people going by, people talking, crowds, and yet when we were having tea it was very peaceful.’ ”

Whether indoors or out, tea creates a space for connection- a place where we can all be a little more human.