Sunday Tea with Cara McGee

Last month, Nerdophiles had the exciting opportunity to attend Bay Area Sherlock Con in Santa Clara, CA. While the convention itself took place on Saturday, several attendees stuck around for the tea party on Sunday afternoon, hosted by artist and tea expert Cara McGee. While more relaxed and intimate than the con, from tea sampling and snacks to cosplaying and raffle prizes, there was plenty of fun to be had.

If you’re active on Tumblr, or if you’re just crazy for tea, chances are you’ve heard of Cara, also known as areyoutryingtodeduceme on Tumblr. From Sherlock and Doctor Who to Hannibal and Welcome to Night Vale, Cara’s fandom tea blends on Adagio.com have blown up in popularity, and she has since gone on to host tea parties and sell her art at various conventions across the country. Most of her teas are “character teas” and are formulated to remind the drinker of the character after which the blends are named. My favorite blend is “John Watson,” a “strong but gentle” combination of Irish Breakfast, Cinnamon, and Earl Grey Green. I also enjoy “Reichenbach Recovery,” “Draco Malfoy,” and the “TARDIS” blend. I admit, I’ve probably gone a bit overboard on the fandom tea buying, but what else is new? And as most avid tea drinking nerds will tell you, once you try them, there’s no going back.

Several of Cara’s teas were available to try at the tea party, which were served by cosplaying volunteers. I even discovered a couple of blends that I’d never tried, and have placed them on my ever-growing tea wishlist. Every guest was given a small goodie bag with a tea sample and a pin, as well as their own teacup. Raffle prizes included Sherlock tea sampler sets, a copy of Sherlock: The Casebook, and a tin of the new “Watson’s Mustache” blend (which I tried and very much enjoyed). Cara was even kind enough to spend a good couple of hours sitting at a table and doodling requests on guests’ teacups, while the rest of us played games, chatted, and exchanged business cards.

If you are ever fortunate enough to be able to attend such a fandom tea party, I can guarantee that you won’t be disappointed, and (if you’re anything like me) will spend much of your time wishing you could relive the experience. I mean, how often does one get to sit around with a bunch of fellow nerds and drink as much tea as she wants? Needless to say, by the end of the afternoon I was sufficiently hopped up on caffeine and excitement just in time for my 2-hour drive home. Until next time, my fellow Sherlockians!

For more information on Bay Area Sherlock Con and what you might expect next year, visit bayareasherlockcon.com. And don’t forget to check out their Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr accounts as well for photos, updates, and announcements about upcoming events. Thank you BASC and Cara for putting on this lovely get together, and we hope to see you all soon!

Readers: What are some of your favorite teas from Cara McGee? If you were lucky enough to attend the tea party, were there any new teas that you tried and loved? Leave a comment below!