Hoogly Blogs / Try something new

HIGH RESOLUTION

HIGH RESOLUTION

Hello and a Hoogly New Year to you all! It’s that time of year again; a time of reset and resolution; a time of looking forward to the months ahead; of new challenges and high expectations; of learning from our mistakes and setbacks in an attempt to do better this time round. At Hoogly, we are always searching for ways to help you feel happy and empowered, and this month we are sharing our top tips for achievable New Year’s Resolutions. Obviously, drinking more Hoogly Tea is the number one target for 2023, because this is a sure-fire way to tranquillity and mindful bliss—but we also have a whole load of equally amazing suggestions, so buckle up and see if any of these ideas strikes a chord…

 

  1. Boundaries. This is a tricky one to get right, but hugely beneficial in the long run. Learn to say no in the right way and at the right time. If you can master this simple-sounding (but often difficult) act, you will find yourself with more time, more productivity, more belief in yourself and a good work-life balance. 
  2. Become a better listener. Give people around you the time and space to express themselves.  Active listening will make others feel respected, valued and understood, and the feelings will usually be reciprocal. 
  3. Mind-wandering. Give your brain the space to make connections and form ideas without the constant interruption of technology or conversation. Allow your thoughts the silence they need to coalesce, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how much your focus and creativity is bolstered.
  4. Social Media time out. Maybe start with a ban on checking your socials first thing in the morning and last thing at night. If you can, expand the times when you are tech-free, and attempt wherever possible to avoid ‘doom-scrolling,’ endlessly swiping through content that lasts only for a few seconds. Engage in an activity that fills you with joy, one that makes time melt away in a positive way, and focus exclusively on being present in that activity. Your mind will thank you.
  5. Be health-conscious. This doesn’t mean an all-out blitz on every aspect of your life, but small and positive changes as you are able. Walk or cycle instead of driving where possible. Dodge the lift and take the stairs. Eat an apple instead of a chocolate bar. Chose proteins over trans-fats. Drink less coffee and add more water. Even doing these things once or twice a week can make a big difference, and the positive changes you notice might just motivate you to continue!
  6. Gratitude. Start a journal and jot down three things each day that you’re thankful for. It can be big or small, getting a new job or simply narrowly avoiding a downpour. Go back over these notes every night and focus on the positive things in your life, gently pushing away negativity. 
  7. Read more books. Of course, this requires a certain investment of time, but if you can carve out some moments from your schedule, this traditional hobby is a hugely mindful way of relaxing, as well as offering (depending on the genre) excitement, cosiness, educational value or a darn good fright!
  8. Drink more Hoogly Tea.  This comes in at number 8, despite being the most valuable item on our list! As you know, being more Hoogly is about tapping into the Danish sense of cosy, calm and joyful living, focussing on the things that matter most in your life, and treating yourself to things that put a smile on your face. It is about slowing down and appreciating the people, places and hobbies that we love; it’s about being kind to yourself; it’s about fluffy socks, candlelight baths and baking cakes; it’s about board games with friends, light conversation for the sake of conversation, and surrounding yourself with people who make you feel special. And all this joyful Hooglyness has been condensed and curated into our wonderful selection of teas, offering you a tantalising treat to help you shed the day’s stresses and a deliciously Danish taste of comfort that you can turn to time and time again.

 

And now introducing our brand-new addition to the Hoogly shop: Silver Needle White Tea! This is the champagne of all white teas, utilising only the top buds of the Camellia Sinensis to produce beautifully smooth and elegant loose-leaf brew, ideal to send as a delightful gift to your nearest and dearest, or simply to enjoy as an indulgent treat for yourself. 

 

If it’s possible, our next newcomer might be even more spectacular! Jasmine Flower Balls Green Tea are intricately hand-crafted, jasmine-scented Green Tea balls, whose blossoms unfurl as the brew infuses to reveal a stunning display of delicate flowers. This is a mesmerising spectacle, perfect for wowing guests on special occasions, and ideal for adding light and cheer to the dark winter months!

 

That’s it for now, Hoogly lovers. Good luck with your resolutions—stay safe and take care of each other!

 

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com

Read more

A Whole New Ballgame!

Right now, in the United States, the American football season is building to a crescendo. The days get shorter, the nights get colder, and fans have a decent idea of how their team’s season is going to pan out. Months of off-season anticipation and excitement (the first week of February all the way to September) have led to this; soon we’ll know who is going to make the playoffs and have a chance of playing their way into the most watched sporting event on the planet: the Superbowl. A place where history, dreams and legends are made. Last season’s Superbowl was a perfect example of the wonderful stories that this incredible game can create: on one side, the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady—considered by many to be the ‘GOAT’ (greatest of all time) and winner of five Superbowl titles—versus the Philadelphia Eagles, led by a substitute quarterback called Nick Foles, who was only playing because the star quarterback Carson Wentz was injured. After a momentous, back-and-forth tussle, Foles and the Eagles came out victorious, confirming to many that football is the most unpredictably dramatic sport on earth, and writing Foles’s name into the pantheon of NFL history.

For many English people, the world of pads, helmets and cheerleaders represent a confusing amalgamation of rugby and wrestling; a three-hour circus full of strange movements, endless stoppages and eccentric terminology. And these people aren’t wrong! To the uninitiated, gridiron can appear clunky, overblown and immeasurably tedious. But once you start to pick up the basics of the rules and tactics, a new picture emerges: an unbelievably well-choreographed combination of balletic athleticism, brute strength, chess-like strategy and graceful execution of physics-defying agility.

In the simplest terms, the eleven-man teams are split into Offense and Defence, so that at any given time, one team’s Offense will play the opposition’s Defence—and vice versa. The Offense has four attempts—called downs—to move the ball ten yards by either running with the ball rugby-style, or throwing it down the field to one of the receivers, who will attempt to run in cleverly-devised patterns in order to create space and receive the pass. These attempts are called plays. Once a player is tackled, the play is over and the game stops. The next play starts from where the player was tackled. The ultimate aim is to move the ball into the opposition’s Endzone (similar to the area which you score a try in rugby) thus scoring a touchdown. If the Offense succeeds in getting ten (or more) yards, they receive another four downs. If they fail, they will try and kick (punt) the ball as far away from their Endzone as possible, in order to make it harder for the opposition team’s Offense to score when they take to the pitch. At any time, the Defence can try and strip the ball from the Offense or intercept one of their throws and advance it towards the opposite Endzone.

Still confused? I don’t blame you. It takes a whole heap of time and patience to absorb all the multitude of fine details the game has to offer, to decode what on Earth is meant by Tight End Waggle, bubble-screen, Hail-Mary and quick-slant. But as you slowly start to pick it up, you realise that this sport offers so much more drama, tactical prowess and nail-biting tension than so many others. In a large percentage of matches, the result will go down to the last pass in the last second of the game, with thousands of camera lenses flashing, the pigskin ball arcing through the floodlit heavens, and four or five 200lb men jumping like gazelles to try and grab the prize in the Endzone. And because there are only 32 teams in a country the size of America, competition for places is fierce. A bigtime mistake might be a player’s last. It’s commonplace for players to be cut from a team the morning after a big loss: there’s always someone else waiting in line for their chance. Hard to reconcile that with a sport like cricket or soccer, where some players can have an underwhelming season and still find themselves signed up to the squad.

But this is football. Brutal, relentless, elite. Filled with stories like Brady and Foles, heroes and villains, underdogs and Hall-of-Famers, pride and glory, misery and defeat. If you like sport, my advice is to sit back, grab a hotdog and give the game a real good go. You may be pleasantly surprised by what you find!

And in the spirit of trying something different, don’t forget to flip on the kettle and discover our delicious range of Hoogly Teas! Our blends are as exotic and thrilling as anything American Football can conjure, combining tantalising tastes with the cosy comfort of Danish-inspired Hygge!

After safely removing your helmet and gumshield, try a mug of Baked Apple Chai! Mellow Sri Lankan tea is the quarterback here, carefully coordinating a combination of Apple, Ginger, Cinnamon and cloves to bring you an alluring and harmonious brew that is sure to score a touchdown! 

For those who yearn for the fire and energy found in football, why not try Lemon and Ginger herbal infusion? This satisfying brew will warm your cockles and pads, and give you a zesty edge over the competition. So good you’ll keep coming back for more!

And if you’re after the magic of the Superbowl, bring the special occasion home with Sparkling White tea. This beautiful Chinese brew is elegantly blended with flowers and fruit pieces to give you the refreshing taste of victory with every sip!

That’s it for this week, folks. Bring on game night. Go Vikes!!!

Written by Chris Bedford

www.hooglytea.com

Read more
Left Continue shopping
Your Order

You have no items in your cart