TEA WITH editor Sydney Gore
Hello! Hello!
Apologies that it's been crickets from the Masha Tea newsletter for a little while now. Some things are in the works! And I've been "doing stuff" - going to the ballet, eating oysters, realizing that I can no longer drink two extra dirty vodka martinis without feeling ill the next morning, filling my apartment with flowers, making iced tea for the first time this year. That kind of thing!
Excited to share the next TEA WITH - a conversation and photos that I took of Architectural Digest editor (and fellow Jersey girl), Sydney Gore in her UWS apartment. I first met Sydney at the Morningside Park Farmers Market uptown - Sydney was a regular at the Masha Tea stand back when I used to do the farmers markets. Sydney included me in the Next Generation of Wellness Changemakers for Byrdie in 2020 (I was busy with my naturopathic medical practice at that time), she has featured our apartment in AD, and most recently assigned me my first piece for AD, on wedding cake design. Basically, she has believed in and supported Masha Tea and my writing from the beginning. I feel very lucky! I've always known Sydney to be a tea enthusiast because that is how we became friends in the first place, but it wasn't until taking this deep dive into her tea collection that I got to experience the extent of it.
Sydney is somebody whose job it is to write, edit, and think about design. I am so enthusiastic to share the application of her collector's mind to her collection of teacups, vessels, literature, and her tea drawer itself. HERE IS TEA WITH SYDNEY GORE!
(above - A rare Michael Harvey paper bag ceramic tea pot)
When do you typically drink tea?
All day, every day.
What ceramicists do you love and/or what tea cups do you gravitate towards?
Because it’s Taurus season, I’ve had a change of heart and decided not to gatekeep my faves… You’ll find Grey Remedy, Rachel Saunders, Mimi Ceramics, Nancy Kwon, and Summer School on the shelves. Lately I’ve been loving this set of mouth blown glass tea cups by Kim Dongwan that my friend Bomi gifted me, you can buy them from her store in SoHo!
Do you have a favorite Masha Tea?Â
My favorites are Wild Rose, Earl Grey, Lemon Balm, Mood Tea, Holy Basil.
Currently reading or listening to anything during tea time?
I recently finished reading an advanced copy of Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership by Brea Baker, highly recommend. I can’t stop listening to the Challengers soundtrack, but I’ve mixed it into this seasonal playlist which features new bangers from artists like Charli XCX and Justice.
Does tea have a place in your work?Â
I would say that tea is a fundamental part of my practice which begins with the ritual of brewing a fresh pot in the morning if I’m working from home—I typically start with a black tea and then switch to herbal and green blends later on in the day. Whenever I commute to the office my first stop is always a cafe that makes a good matcha latte, preferably with pistachio milk.
How do you make tea?Â
I start by boiling water with my electric kettle (I swear by Fellow). If I’m not in a rush then I’ll prepare loose leaf in a pot with a strainer, I especially love the Bump Teapot by Tom Dixon. Otherwise, I’ll throw a bag in a mug or tumbler and keep it moving. Depending on the blend I might add a spoonful of lavender honey—specifically from Provence—or drop in three cubes of brown sugar. Â
Last thoughts on tea memories/sensory experiences?
My fondest memories from my childhood are tea parties with my mom :)
Sydney pours tea from a MacKenzie-Childs teapot into a retired Rachel Saunders mug beside a tea cup by Nancy Kwon
L to R: Vintage MacKenzie-Childs Wittika pitcher, Zulu Goth Teapot by Sandile B Cele from KOMBI
Tom Dixon ‘Bump’ teapot and teacup with Gaetano Pesce resin coasters from Coming Soon.
Previous image : MacKenzie-Childs teapot and cake stands with pieces from Pretty Shitty Cakes.
A vintage Feltman Langer tea pot, creamer, and sugar bowl from the 1980s.
Previous image : Sarah Ellison Muse Sofa
this image : Janie Korn petit four candles, Pretty Shitty Cakes magnet, RHODE x West Elm wicker bed tray
below : From L to R: RiRa Liquidish, Le Creuset French Press, Gustaf Westman Chunky Cup & Saucer, Catnip Magazine, Faith Ringgold ‘Woman on a Bridge #1 of 5: Tar Beach’ framed and signed print
THANK YOU for being here :)
Love,
M
Sydney's favorite Masha Teas - Wild Rose, Earl Grey, Lemon Balm, Mood Tea, Holy Basil