The Meaning of Tea® invites guests to a meaningful tea-inspired gathering at Ramscale West Village Lofts in New York City on November 3rd, 2011, to benefit the nonprofit herbal research and education organization, the American Botanical Council.

2:00 to 6:00 pm
-afternoon tea and book signings

6:00 to 7:00 pm
-VIP tea tasting with noteworthy tea guests (For those with VIP Early Bird Tickets purchased by Oct 10th)

7:00 to 9:00 pm
-an abbreviated screening of the tea-inspired film, The Meaning of Tea
-a panel discussion with our special guests
-a selection of extraordinary teas!
-herb-inspired hors d'oeuvres by Cynthia Gold, author of Culinary Tea
-wine and tea-infused cocktails crafted by Brooklyn Gin

Mark Blumenthal
Mark is the founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council (ABC), the editor/publisher of HerbalGram, and the senior editor of three of ABC's books.
www.abc.herbalgram.org

Dr. Selena Ahmed
Selena is an ethnobotanist, author of over a dozen articles on tea, and co-author of Tea Horse Road: China's Ancient Trade Road to Tibet with photographer Michael Freeman. She is currently a NIH IRACDA postdoctoral fellow at Tufts University where she is leading a project on the impact of climate change on tea production quality and associated farmer perceptions and adaptations. This work builds on her previous research on cultural practices, biodiversity, and health properties associated w. various tea production systems in the mts. of SW Yunnan, China. www.riverbooksbk.com

James Norwood Pratt
James Norwood Pratt has served the cause of tea around the world for thirty years as author and teacher. Instigator of America's present Tea Renaissance and our acknowledged Tea Sage, he is quite possibly the world's most widely read authority on tea and tea lore. His most recent books are JNP's Tea Dictionary and The Ultimate Tea Lover's Treasury. www.jamesnorwoodpratt.com

Letha Hadady
Letha Hadady, D.Ac. is a tea enthusiast nationally certified in acupuncture and Asian herbal medicine from Tri-State College of Acupuncture and Shanghai College of TCM. She is the author of Asian Health Secrets, Healthy Beauty. Letha has led walking tours of New York's Chinatown and Little India food/herb markets for over 20 years and taught workshops through New York Open Center, Beth Israel School of Nursing, and the Rosenthal Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. www.asianhealthsecrets.com

Jeff Carpenter
Jeff Carpenter owns and operates Zack Woods Herb Farm with his wife Melanie, who is an herbalist, where they grow and market 35 species of certified organic medicinal herbs. He is an agricultural consultant, educator, researcher, and is the co-director of the International Herb Symposium. www.zackwoodsherbs.com

Scott C. Hoyt
Scott is a filmmaker and director of The Meaning of Tea. His longtime interest in tea evolved as he studied various alternatives to orthodox modern medicine and learned that tea is one of the cornerstones of living a well balanced life. His perspective is augmented by years of world travel, and exploration into Eastern thought. Scott is on the board of directors for Global Learning Across Borders, a member of the Directors Circle for the American Botanical Council. www.themeaningoftea.com