On Eastern Avenue, right off Broadway, is Teavolve. Inside, there's a short stone bar deep enough for a laptop (they provide the free wireless) and four modern wood and metal bar stools set just inside the French doors. Dark tables line both sides of the shop with brown square ottoman-type chairs that make you sit directly on your ass, with your back straight, even if you sit cross-legged. The mellow music and lighting, sage-painted ceiling tiles, and local art on display make for a new cozy café that, strangely enough, lacks the smell of coffee. Instead of jars of java, a couple dozen metal tea tins sit on squared wooden shelves all the way across the brick wall behind the sweeping counter. You can order any one of Teavolve's delectable teas from an exhausting but informative menu of more than 50 varieties. Your tea is served in a pot or freshly brewed and poured over ice--or take a short cut and hit the "SpecialTea" beverage list, which offers a flavored sweet tea of the day. The little lady behind the counter is more than helpful, offering a whiff from the tins and explaining the tea preparation. Off the list of black teas, green teas, scented and fruit teas, white teas, exotic scented teas, blended teas, infusion/tisanes, fruit blends, chai, oolong, and pu-erh, our favorite is Blue Lady--passion fruit, grapefruit, orange, and grenadine. Add a touch of simple syrup and you have golden heaven. They also serve bubble tea, green tea sodas, and tea lattes.

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