TorMan – A Unique Store

They finally have arrived!  Cynthia Lawrence of Tusnelda Pottery came to see us over the weekend and she dropped off a new shipment of her delightful pottery birdhouses.  Just my opinion, but these are even more incredible than the last shipment we received. 

These make perfect Mother’s Day gifts!  Hint, hint…..Mother’s Day is May 11th. 

James and I look forward to seeing you soon!  Visit us often as our inventory is constantly changing.  Have a super day!

While visiting my hometown recently, I caught up with my cousins and had the chance to see some of the items they knit and crochet.  I mean to tell you – INCREDIBLE work.  Collectively, these ladies have been crocheting and knitting for well over 30 years and they together represent three generations of women who are carrying on this family tradition.

I convinced them to allow me to carry some of their items at TorMan.  This weekend a shipment of items arrived and I can’t wait to tell you about the Spa Body Cloths.  My cousin Brandy Marilla knits these.  They are made from either 100% cotton or “color grown” organic cotton.  She tells me there is no better face/body cloth in the world; according to her, the people she has made them for don’t use anything else on their skin.  Not only do they clean wonderfully, but they also gently exfoliate the skin.

Remember to take care of the skin you are in!  Treat yourself to a spa cloth.  Happy bathing! 

Today we received a beautiful shipment of crocheted baby shawls, receiving blankets, christening blankets and crib blankets.  If you are looking for a gift for a new parent or parent-to-be then you have to see these – they are incredible.

My cousin, Shelia Elliott, hand crafts these wonderful baby items.  Each blanket is crocheted and takes between 8 to 12 hours to create.  The color are perfect and each item is very soft.  Some of the items are embellished with ribbons, other with tassels.  She said, “most people think these are for decoration or for special occasion use, but they are not, they are durable and can be washed and used often”. 

For a truly special gift, stop in at TorMan and check these out. 

James Torres, co-owner and resident artist at TorMan, will be showing his “Scary Wonderland” creations at Art Works Studios and Galleries.  The show will open with an artist reception on April 25th at 7 pm.  His show will be featured in the Skylight Gallery.  In addition to “Scary Wonderland”, this show will also feature other recent works of art. 

We hope that you will be able to join us for his opening.  If you can’t make it Friday night, the show will be on display until May 18, 2008 so please stop in at Art Works and check it out. 

Art Works is located 1/2 mile from downtown Richmond, across the Mayo (14th Street) bridge.  Their telephone number is 804-291-1400.  Visit their website at www.artworksrichmond.com for more information.

I am thrilled to let you know about our new friends over at River City Bean Co.  These wonderful ladies (a mother and daughters team) have taken two of my favorite things and created a fantastic product.  And, it is crafted and produced right here in Richmond!  James and I are delighted they have agreed to work with us at TorMan.  We are excited to bring these new products to you!

When you LOVE coffee, and when you LOVE chocolate, fusing them together is pure poetry!  This is what the owners of River City Bean Co. have done.  They have created a perfect union of rich, tantilizing chocolate flavors by infusing their gourmet flavored coffee directly into the chocolate.  The results are a match made in heaven!  A smooth, rich, melt in your mouth chocolate with just a touch of crunch that adds to the overall texture and flavor.  They have enhanced their creation by adding fresh ingredients, natural oils and fruit zests resulting in an incredibly delicious, decadent line of chocolates.

We are also excited to carry their coffee line.  Their organic coffees are roasted in small batches by Orange County Roasters.  They are also a family owned and operated company, located on the outskirts of the Shenandoah Valley.  They roast the beans for River City Bean Co. at the time of order, ensuring their ultimate freshness.  The difference in taste is apparent in the very first sip!  I must say, this is an excellent cup of Joe!

When you are back in Shockoe Bottom, James and I look forward to having you stop in and see us.  We have new products arriving all the time.  The store is forever changing so check us out frequently and while you are shopping, don’t forget to get some chocolate!

Oolong Tea (pronounced Wu-Long).  The cultivation and manufacture of classic oolong teas are restricted to a small area of Southeastern China’s Fujian and Guangdong Provinces as well as the island of Taiwan.  Oolong tea is widely consumed in Southeastern Asian countries and in Japan where it is prized for its cholesterol reducing and weight-loss functions.  The oolong tea category is defined as a group of semi-oxidized teas whose manufacturing style ranges between green and black tea.  Research conducted in Japan, China and Taiwan report that oolong tea is rich in anti-oxidants.  Regular consumption of oolong tea is linked to the reduction of plaque in the arteries, reduction of cholesterol and lowering of blood sugar.  Its reputation as a safe, daily slimming and dieter’s tea in Southeastern Asia has been widespread for hundreds of years.

 The Pu-erh “family” of teas includes semi-green teas and dark green pile fermented teas.  All Pu-erh tea is made with sun-dried Yunnan broad leaf green tea or what is know as “Saiqing”.  Sun-dried green teas from Yunnan and the broad leaf varietals are closely related to some of the teas consumed by the world’s most ancient tea cultures.

Chai means tea in Hindi and is derived from the word cha which means tea in many eastern languages.  Chai is a spiced black tea “latte” which is believed to have originated in India.  Traditional chai is a blend of spices and black teas simmered in water, milk and sugar.

Caffeine Free Botanical Blends – fruits, flowers, roots and herbs are used in foods, drinks and medicines in just about every culture.  Mild tasting infusions of wild herbs and flowers are often served before a tea ceremony to cleanse the palate and the soul before the tea is served.  Our tea partners have traveled the world to source the highest quality pure herbs and botanicals for our delicious, naturally caffeine-free blends.  These award winning blends integrate the world’s culinary and folk traditions with contemporary taste, gourmet spirit and expert blending techniques.  The do not contain any tealeaves but are formulated to be prepared like a tea.

 Not sure what type of tea to try?  Stop in at TorMan; the tea pot is always on – if we are open, we are serving tea.  We serve tea by the cup, the pot and we even have tea to go.  James and I look forward to seeing you soon

We often get questions about the different types of tea we sell; so, I decided to provide a quick tea lesson.  This is part one – Enjoy!

Black Tea – originated in China where it is referred to as “Hong Cha” or Red Tea due to the reddish infusion color typically yielded by this category of oxidized teas.  Black teas are produced in many countries and offer a broad spectrum of flavors and characteristics.  The profile of a black tea including its infusion color, body, strength, aroma and flavor depend on the tea bush varietal, the season of harvest, the elevation of the tea garden and the degree of tea-leaf oxidation.

Green Tea – refers to a broad class of teas that are processed with the intention of preserving the tea-leaf’s green character and low degree of oxidation.  Green teas are heated (often by roasting or steaming) soon after harvest to prevent leaf oxidation.  Within the broad category of green tea you will find vast differences in flavor and aroma.  Green teas are produced in various countries.

White Tea – originated in a small area north of the Min River in China’s Fujian Province.  White Tea is a group of semi-oxidized teas that can only be made according to a unique withering process.  White teas are not fired or rolled like other teas and are the least processed of all the types of tea.  Compared to other teas, White Teas are very low in caffeine and contain the highest concentrations of antioxidants.

White Teas are made from medium-leaf tea bush varietals that yield silvery-white sprouts and leaves.  They are delicately hand harvested only once a year, for a few weeks in early spring when the weather is consistently cool and dry.  The withering process of white tea raises an abundance of silvery white hairs on the dried tealeaves and buds.

 Check in with us tomorrow as we talk about Oolong tea, Pu-erh Tea, Chai, and Caffeine Botanical Blends. 

Here are some pictures of artwork created by James during the last part of 2007.  If you are interested in any of the works shown here, please feel free to contact us.  Have a super evening!

These are super cool and definitely unique.  Connie Henshaw is the artist who makes these wonderful little pins.  The bugs are crafted using beads.  Need a quick gift?  A thank you?  A just because gift?  These are perfect and the “bug” comes attached to its own gift card!