TEA OUTING: PORTO RICO IMPORTING CO.

After a few big shooting days in New York City, I had the pleasure of an afternoon to myself where I could just wander, windowshop and indulge in my senses. I bought a chocolate chip cookie from City Bakery and some pretzel croissants to bring back to Dave, had a beautiful brunch at Minerva in the West Village, then decided to dig into a few tea shops near by.

I walked by Porto Rico and recognized it upon entering as the spot where one of our beloved New Yorker friends, Marcia Tucker, would procure her stash of the finest Earl Grey tea. I think Marcia was the first person in my memory bank to really LOVE loose leaf tea and make the effort to prepare single, bold cups of Earl Grey while we visited from California. Marcia was an amazing vegetarian cook, perpetually composing artful pasta dishes late at night while my friend Ruby (her daughter) and I painted our nails or applied temporary tatoos in their SOHO apartment. Marcia was a luminary in her field of museum directors, she opened the New Museum after being fired from the Whitney and turned many contemporary art paradigms on their head along the way. She was a lovely lady and mentor, someone I'm so grateful to have known and shared several cuppas with.

Porto Rico, Marcia, I love you both.

If You Go:
Porto Rico Importing Co.
201 Bleecker St.
New York, NY 10012