To be at peace.  To live in peace.  To find peace. To experience peacefulness.

Venus Sophia Tea Room, by nature, is committed to the premise that where there is genuine interest experienced, cultivated and pursued there is the potential for friendship to be discovered and unfolded one lovely layer or petal at a time.  And where there is friendship, peace can be found, full and inviting.

And in that moment of peace-full-ness, there is the possibility to live a new life, to cultivate a new culture full of being at peace, living in peace, finding peace and experiencing peace from the inside out, in the present moment.  Within the inner sanctuary of Venus Sophia Tea Room, the alchemy of refinement can begin to happen as the radiance of an inner beauty, enrobed by the presence of a living wisdom, walks hand in hand in  the pureness of common intention and genuine interest.  For it is here that a radiance as bright as the sun and as pure as the molten sea of gold rays out filling the space with the warmth of friendship and the lightness of joy, and love is born into the world of every day life.

A love that quickens the way we see, the way we hear, the way we act–a substance that turns an ordinary day or moment into an extraordinary one.  An essence that fills our lungs with song and our hearts with compassion.  “Love makes the world go round” isn’t about dizziness or splendour, it is about embodying and living the love in such a way that it moves the world forward in its lovely choreography of orbiting and becoming.

And in the centre of that twirling, an entirely new space in the middle of the vortex opens called life.  And it is within this living environment, like the inside of a seed, or the inside of a universe, yet on Earth,  where the presence of an inner beauty, a living wisdom, a radiating love and a new culture of peace can be born.

Venus Sophia Tea Room holds open that quiet space in the midst of busy life to be able to find a place with others, while drinking tea, to experience the potential of the world in which we live, to experience the alchemy of refinement within ourselves, and to have an opportunity to move it all forward in new and imaginative, inspired and intuitively alive ways…one heartbeat and one breath at a time.

Changing traditional ritual into living presence.

The kettle’s on, come for tea.

Jill,

It was a pleasure to meet and talk with you yesterday. You may remember I visited your beautiful tea room with my mom, Dolly, and took a bunch of wonderful photos. I posted a feature article and review of Venus Sophia on my blog and thought you may like to read it.

http://snackingsquirrel.blogspot.com/2010/05/venus-sophia.html

Thank you for your beautiful energy and enlightening conversation!

Sincerely,
Kelsey Taylor

TODAY WILL BE A WONDERFUL DAY AT THE TEA ROOM.

WE WILL BE HAVING LOTS OF MUSIC!

FROM 1 TO 3 P.M. SATORI STRINGS WILL BE PLAYING CLASSICAL AND CELTIC.  FIND THEIR BIOS BELOW.

AND FROM 4 TO 6 P.M. SWING ON BY WILL BE HERE WITH THEIR SMOOTH TUNES.

LOVELY DAY, LOVELY LUNCHES, LOVELY SOUPS AND SALADS, LOVELY TEA AND TEAPOTS, LOVELY ORGANIC COFFEES, AND MOST OF ALL

LOVELY MOTHERS AND FAMILIES!

PLEASE MEET OUR NEW TEA ROOM MUSICIANS….YOU WILL JUST LOVE THEM!

Catheryn Kennedy – Violin/Viola/Voice

A recent graduate from Western Oregon University, Catheryn has moved to Victoria to teach and further pursue her musical education. Catheryn was the winner of Western Oregon University’s 2008 Concerto competition, a selected soloist for Festival Chorale Oregon’s 2008 European tour, and has since enjoyed playing with local groups such as the Victoria Children’s Choir and with Vinegar Hill. Catheryn is currently an active member of the Victoria Chamber Orchestra; Civic Orchestra; her string ensemble, Satori Strings; and many others.

Elizabeth Jane Fields – Viola/Violin/Voice

Joining the Toronto Symphony Youth Orchestra at the age of twelve as a violist, Elizabeth spent the next five years being coached by Toronto Symphony members, among them Daniel Blackman, as well as performing under the direction of world-renowned musicians David Zafer,  Sir Andrew Davis and Joaquin Valdepenas. During this time she performed in the Banff International Youth Orchestra Festival, and was presented with the Young Artists Award by the Oakville Symphony Orchestra. After studying classical voice with Norma Burrowes, Elizabeth moved to Victoria B.C. where she now is a member of and performs with Satori Strings, SheNanigan and Vinegar Hill.

Zachary Taylor – Cello/Bass Viol

Zachary Taylor has recently finished studying cello at Western Oregon University. He has been trained in various styles, with a focus on classical and early music. He was the winner of Western’s concerto competition in 2007 with the Saint-Saens concerto in A minor, and has toured Germany with the Oregon Festival Chorale as a chamber musician premiering “Songs of the Earth” by Hal Eastburn in 2008. He has been involved in several ensembles since moving to Victoria, including the Civic Orchestra of Victoria, the Victoria Chamber Orchestra, the Sooke Philharmonic, Vinegar Hill, and is also a member of the Satori Strings Ensemble.

VENUS SOPHIA TEA ROOM GIFT CERTIFICATES AND TEA

ARE AVAILABLE FOR WONDERFUL MOTHER’S DAY PRESENTS.

WHY NOT SPEND A LOVELY MOMENT WITH US ON MOTHER’S DAY, MAY 9.

WHAT BETTER COMBINATION–MOTHERS AND TEA.

SWING ON BY WILL BE PLAYING LOVELY MUSIC FROM 4 TO 6 P.M.

RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED–250-590-3953.

INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING US?

We’ve just found out that it is the time of year when Victoria News is counting ballots for:  Best Place for Afternoon Tea.

Wouldn’t it be fun if we suddenly appeared on their list in our first year!

You can access the ballot count online at www.vicnews.com.  Scroll down, keeping an eye on the right side of the page until you reach Cast Your Vote.  It is also available by mail-in ballot form through the newspaper.  The deadline is April 30th.

If you love us, won’t you vote for us!

Thanks a million,

Jill and Rod

Venus Sophia Tea Room.

When you walk through “the gate of harmonious interest” in Victoria’s Chinatown and down the sidewalk, you will come upon a place that has an awning with lace.  Yes, it is Venus Sophia Tea Room.

And if you stand by and quietly listen, many thoughts are spoken when it is found and seen.  On the one hand, someone will say “this is funny for Chinatown,” or “oh a tea room!”  Others will become curious, some just looking in through the doors, and many will cross over the threshold and enter into this lovely environment presenting the awning with lace.

Nothing quite funny about any of this really.  A tea room on the street of Chinatown is a place that opens its windows into the world at large.  Chinatown feels like the international street in Victoria, and what better place to sell teas from around the world.   We are not a British tea room or any particularly placed tea room, we are a space in and out of time, in and out of location bearing the awning with lace.

It is interesting to watch though.  For those who do cross over the threshold into this prepared space, something happens…a sense of something remembered, or quickened, or even loved.  The tea room is perfectly placed to be part of the world at large, to be part of the international street of Chinatown, to be part of the small businesses on the block, and to bring tea that has been grown around the world into a pot of boiling water for many to enjoy.  The coffee beans, as well, harken from afar and in our own way, we are partaking in an ancient ritual of tea drinking, some say, began in China.  We are also creating opportunities for all of us to sit down inwardly and outwardly to have a nice cup of organic tea supporting a way of growing without chemicals and supporting a way of life by slowing down and smelling the tea…at Venus Sophia Tea Room the place featuring the awning with lace…..we are perfectly placed in our artistic, worldwide, imaginative and sunny view of the world…..won’t you join us?

Venus Sophia Organic Red Rooibos run through our machine creates an exquisite rich espresso, an americano, cappuccino or latte adding regular, soy or almond milk.  Two full squirts of organic vanilla creates A Red Lady!

We also run Yerba Mate through our machine to make a rich latte as well. Our matcha is not a mix, instead we whisk each matcha tea with our bamboo whisk and serve straight or as a Matcha Latte, again with your choice of regular, soy or almond milks.

We have a beautiful array of our own organic teas and make a fantastic London Fog.

Our Oso Negro Coffee is the cream of the crop.  Full bodied with medium and dark roasts–Venus Sophia blend, Prince and Princess of Darkness, Deeply Organic…served fresh daily and beans available for take home.

We also carry organic iced teas, sparkling drinks, juices and organic strawberry and chocolate soy milks.

Let us refresh you with the specialty drink of  your choice and pleasure.

When the world shifts and everything changes, there is a silence that one can only hear in the stillness…and just as there is light and warmth remaining, there are also large places of stillness in the world, walked and talked over, but there, nevertheless, rich and full and deep and quiet..Venus Sophia Tea Room holds open that space of stillness and quiet with genuine intention and genuine interest…so we can hear each other.

And in that place of inner dwelling, a creative impulse lives that has the potential to open the art of living….that has the potential to offer the art of accompanying each other….that has the potential of offering a warm cup of tea welcoming the art of conversation.

When the inward door is opened in the tea room, in ourselves, we can walk through and find the third place called sanctuary and there a world of love and compassion can flourish and we can not only live in peace, but be there for each other, so that the world is at peace.

Venus Sophia Tea Room– supporting the culture of peace.

Of all the songs that Swing on By plays, this one stays with me and it is delightful…and they are delightful and they will be back this Sunday, between 4 and 6 to fill the tea room with their lovely swing music.  Just imagine the doors open and the music lightly dancing its way around the tea room and onto the street and back in again bringing with it smiles and tapping feet that sometimes turns to dancing….what a delightful afternoon.

I am also equally thrilled, to say the least, because a few afternoons ago, my wish came true….three beautiful musically inclined young adults…came into Venus Sophia and the chemistry of love at first sight and mutual interests combined to open a new opportunity for all involved.  Swing on By plays the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month…..and now Satori Strings, composed of musicians from the Conservatory of Music, will play delightful classical and celtic music the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, also from 4 to 6 p.m.!  How lovely….Sunday afternoon music….every week……Swing on By and Satori Strings.

Karch and Taylor are still scheduled for Saturday afternoons, the 1st and 3rd, from 4 to 6 p.m. and soon we will be announcing who will be playing the 2nd and 4th Saturday afternoons…..music is definitely in the air at Venus Sophia Tea Room…..just like pennies from heaven, or cherry blossoms from the tree…..all falling into place.

Also, a very, very special and warm thank you goes out to Sherrie Allen, who has bestowed upon the tea room, a gift of more beautiful tea cups and plates….they are beautiful.  And they are very, very special to us because in the spirit of drinking tea together and supporting the culture of tea, what a delight to have someone’s special tea cups come our way to carry on the tradition of tea drinking in the new setting of the tea room with others. Namaste seems to be so appropriate to speak to you right now—I see the highest in you…..

Well, more exciting updates soon…..for now, I’m off humming pennies from heaven….

INTERESTED IN SUPPORTING US?

We’ve just found out that it is the time of year when Victoria News is counting ballots for:  Best Place for Afternoon Tea.

Wouldn’t it be fun if we suddenly appeared on their list in our first year!

You can access the ballot count online at www.vicnews.com.  Scroll down, keeping an eye on the right side of the page until you reach Cast Your Vote.  It is also available by mail-in ballot form through the newspaper.  The deadline is April 30th.

If you love us, won’t you vote for us!

Thanks a million,

Jill and Rod

Venus Sophia Tea Room.