STeaP Live - What do you think?

[Brandice]

So, hopefully you've seen Episode #66 (if you haven't, go watch it first!), and you know that I have decided to transition the show to part live audio and part video. What has been further ironed out since my filming of #66 is that it's going to be more live audio than it will be sit-down video episodes.

Monthly video episodes will continue with intermittent TeaToday videos, but I'd actually like to do an episode of STeaP Live every Tuesday at 8 or 9 pm (the time is negotiable) on any Tuesday that I have free.

Subscribe to the TalkShoe show here: http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/35534 (iTunes feed to follow once we have an episode.)

What do you think? Any and all thoughts are very welcome!

[Derek Steen]

I haven't kept up with STeaP in a while, but didn't you guys used to do live Ustream shows? It would be cool if those were recorded and magically make in to a seperate iTunes feed. Can Ustream do that? *ponders*

Nevertheless, audio is always fun too! TalkShoe recordings are awesome for audio podcasts!

NB: I didn't watch episode #66 yet, so I apologise if this comment is misinformed. (I'm just breezing through some interesting links I found today/yesterday.)

[Amanda]

I think it sounds like a really good idea, as long as there are people who plan to take part in the show. It would suck if no one showed up. Maybe you could get a couple people to commit to being there every month (not necessarily the same people each month though), so even if no one else showed up, you could still have a discussion.

[zipflint]

I like the plans. I'll miss having a weekly STeaP-y, but the new format sounds good too.
I wish I could commit to actively participating but I really can't. I will definitely be watching
and listening though!

[Brandice]

Thanks for the thoughts, comments, and suggestions, all. :) Hopefully we'll have enough participation to make it interesting, the monthly videos will continue, and the audio version should be once per week if it goes well. I haven't hosted a live audio show before, so be patient with me!

[zipflint]

I'm sure the live shows will be fun! We have a pretty friendly bunch here on the ning group, and I imagine that once you have a few broadcasts out, word will spread to other online tea communities too!

[allison-lee]

I watched Episode #66, and, like others, I think as long as there is participation it might work out nicely. I'm not sure how interesting it will be for people to listen to the conversations after the fact, but I guess that is left to be seen.

On another note, I am not new to loose leaf tea, but I really liked Episode #65: Intro To Loose Leaf Tea. I thought you did an excellent job and that including information about tea, steaping, equipment, etc. really added to the show. I also like the idea of having guest hosts, like tea-shop owners, filming episodes and am interested in seeing those if and when they happen.

Hope this input helps.

[Brandice]

Really good to know that you enjoyed the informational episode! I will plan on trying to do more of these for sure. :)

[Brandice]

I would actually really love to including everyone's TeaTodays on both the blog and the iTunes feed, and anything that is uploaded in a way that I can download the footage and upload in iMovie would be used for STeaP videos. I'm also happy to provide tea samples I've been given for the purpose of having others do the reviewing as part of a more "people" not "person" approach to STeaP! :)

[Melissa Bishop]

Actually, I just found you and haven't seen anything other than the most recent vid about the changes you want to try.

I would love to see an episode devoted to tea pots, more specifically, tea makers. I'm torn between Adagio Teas TriniTEA and the Zarafina Tea Maker.

The reviews on the sites have to be taken with a grain of salt, some of the glowing ones may very well be "plants" and not true testimonials. There seem to be serious flaws with both and either you have a unit with the flaws or you don't.

The TriniTEA as issues with the stopper in the steeping chamber and the carafe spills tea everywhere. The Zarafina seems to be very finicky, is hard to clean, and only produces a small amt of tea that it may or may not put in the carafe and it has no way of keeping the tea warm.

They are $99 & $89 respectively, so we are talking of a large chunk of tea leaves. If I want cheap I can continue with the crappy coffee maker I have (put leaves in pot, let hot water drip on them, use strainer held over mug), but from what I gather, I'm missing a great deal by not steeping my tea at the correct temperature.

So Super Tea Peeps, What is the best tea maker to get? I tend to get a large mug and go about my business, I don't want to have to run back to the pot with a demitasse cup every 2 minutes.

[Eric Kientzy]

Definitely the TriniTEA....I have one also and the only flaw that I have seen so far is with the craft.....it is not the best designed for pouring that is for sure but as long as you pour slow it will work for you. As far as the stopper issue, I have not experienced this and I have used mime a minimum of 2 times a day since I have gotten it right around Thanksgiving last year. So I have put it through some paces to say the least...if it broke today I would have more than gotten my moneys worth out of it. I love mine and think that it is the best thing since sliced bread....:)

[Melissa Bishop]

So glad you didn't say "it is the best thing since tea bags"! ;-)

That is actually the one I'm leaning towards. I've dealt with Adagio before and have enjoyed the experience. I guess I'll order that one for home and bring my electric kettle and my IngenuiTEA to work.

Is the infuser on this as good as the one in the IngenuiTEA? That one is fabulous, not even rooibus gets through, though if it does, I just chalk it up to extra fiber!

[Eric Kientzy]

I have done Rooibus in it once before and it did have a lot of particles in the tea. I'm not a big fan of Rooibus myself so I only had that one experience with it.