Monday, January 9, 2017

Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse



A week before Christmas, my husband and I visited the Boulder Dushanbe Teahouse in Boulder, Colorado to enjoy lunch. The teahouse is located along Boulder Creek in the Central Park area of Boulder.  As the teahouse website states: "Completely built by hand without the use of power tools, the teahouse was constructed in Dushanbe, Tajikistan, as a gift to their sister city, Boulder. It was disassembled, crated up, and sent halfway around the world to be rebuilt in Boulder as a symbol of friendship and cultural exploration. The elaborate and creative teahouse now sits as a reminder to the citizens of Boulder to value cultural diversity, global cooperation, and international friendship." You can read the entire history of how the teahouse came about on this link. The teahouse has become one of the city's most attractive and popular tourist destinations, as well as a place locals enjoy for good food, tea, and atmosphere.



We love the drive north to Boulder for the wide-open views we see of open space and mountain ranges, although the tremendous population growth along the Front Range of Colorado has resulted in more and more roads being widened and express toll roads being installed, and this route is no exception.




The Davidson Mesa Scenic Overlook, along westbound US 36, just east of Boulder, has postcard-worthy views of both the city of Boulder and the Rocky Mountains in the distance.




The teahouse was busy the day we visited for lunch, and since we did not have reservations we had to wait about 30 minutes to be seated.




The wait gave me time to go outside to admire the outside eight handmade ceramic tile artwork panels that represented the "Tree of Life," and peruse the menu board. Click on all photos in this post to enlarge them for easier viewing of their details. The menus for breakfast, weekend brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner are also on the teahouse's website.




As we walked up the walkway we could see the winter dormant rose bushes that the Boulder Valley Rose Society maintains in season.  You can see photos of how the roses look in the teahouse gardens on their website at this link.





Next to the teahouse, ice skaters were enjoying the winter weather on an ice rink.




Time to go in...




One of the first things one notices when entering the teahouse are the twelve intricate hand-carved cedar pillar supports. Each one has different carvings, and they immediately cause you to look up at the equally intricately and colorfully painted ceiling that they support!




It is hard not to be amazed by all the traditional Tajikistan folk artwork that was painted onto the ceiling panels and to admire all the beautiful designs.




The other object you will immediately notice is the "Fountain of the Seven Beauties" in the middle of the teahouse.  There are seven hammered copper sculptures created by the artist Ivan Milosoich. The sculptures are based on a 12th-century poem.




There is also artwork and scrolled screens and tiles throughout the teahouse, and a beautiful bar area that sells all the popular teas that the teahouse serves.  The teahouse offers a large selection of white, green, black, oolong, and herbal teas. You can see information on these teas on this link on their website.




We chose a tangerine cinnamon herbal tea that we both enjoyed very much!




The teahouse's menus feature international cuisine for lunch and dinner, including Moroccan, Indian, Persian, Malaysian, and traditional Tajik dishes that change seasonally.  Everything we had for lunch was very flavorful and delicious!  There is also a traditional afternoon tea service with sweets and savories served in a three-tiered tower.  Reservations are required for afternoon tea.  




By the time we finished our lunch and tea, the winter sun was going down behind Boulder's iconic Flatiron Mountains in the distance.   We really enjoyed the break from pre-Christmas preparations and we have decided to go back again in summer to see the roses in the garden and enjoy one of the formal teas. I'll bring you back with us when we do! 

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46 comments:

betty-NZ said...

Wow! The outside looks so quaint and nice and the inside is just fantastic! What fabulous colors.

Maggie said...

What a fascinating place to visit, I would love to dine there but would probably spend all my time looking around at the amazing decor. Looking forward to the next time you go there in summer and seeing the roses and gardens.
Happy Mosaic Monday.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, what a fabulous teahouse. The mosaic tile and sculptures are beautiful. The ceiling is amazing. Your lunch looks delicious. Thanks for sharing your visit. Enjoy your day and the week ahead!

Tanna said...

WOW! That is on a "must see" list should I ever make it to Boulder! Thank you so much for sharing. Love all the colors and design! blessings ~ tanna

From the Kitchen said...

Beautiful building! What a lovely idea and gracious gift.

Best,
Bonnie

Snap said...

Wowzer!!!!!!!!!!!! Gorgeous! I'm going to enjoy your links!

Anonymous said...

No words to express the beauty of the tea house! It looks amazing. Thanks for sharing the details about the tea house. Enjoyed reading about them:)

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

What an amazingly beautiful tea house, Pat! So colorful and much for the eye to enjoy. I've been to tea houses in the San Francisco area and this so reminds me of those. I can see why you and your husband want to return. I do hope you will share it again when the roses are in bloom.
The ride to Boulder is so lovely. I can just feel a breath of fresh air looking at the beautiful mountains.
I do hope your day is warm and cozy. ♥

Tom said...

...what a gorgeous place and Boulder look great in winter!

Tamar SB said...

How colorful!!

podso said...

It looks like an interesting place to visit and the food sounds delicious.

Linda W. said...

Now that's a place I'd love to visit! What a beautiful place, and the food looks fantastic.

Fun60 said...

What a delightful place. That intricate carving is amazing. A splendid place to have a meal.

Anonymous said...

Wow, that really looks amazing Pat. I'd enjoy visiting there for sure. Your photos are lovely. Happy Mosaic Monday!

Photo Cache said...

Wow, what an awesome place. I would drive to get there.

Worth a Thousand Words

Lorrie said...

What a beautiful place for tea, and a gorgeous drive to get there. Friendships between cities are a lovely thing and if only we had more of that kind of thing, what a more friendly world we might have.

Rajesh said...

Beautiful shots from the trip.

The Furry Gnome said...

What an amazing place!

Cheryl @ TFD said...

Beautiful! I'd love to see this place in person. The food looks very good, too. And the drive there was also beautiful. So much to see and do in gorgeous Colorado and I really hope I get to visit there again before we get too old to travel! :)

Unknown said...

What beautiful snow top mountains!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

What a treasure. I'll have to see this if I go to Boulder.

Ruth Hiebert said...

That looks and sounds like a fascinating place to visit.Can't wait to revisit it in summer, with you.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

We had lunch there the first year we visited G & L after they moved to Boulder County.... haven't been back and I am not sure why -- we all loved it. Your pictures were wonderful and you learned more than I did about the culture -- (or else I've forgotten -- that's fairly likely). Thank you for the tour.

Lady Fi said...

That teahouse is beautiful!

Tony McGurk said...

What a beautiful tea-house. It's so colourful & wonderfully decorated.

Sylvia said...

Pat, Wow that tea house is a work of art. Colorful, full of texture and serves tea and food! That is very good. Thanks for sharing your visit. Sylvia D.

Unknown said...

The place appears interesting and the pictures are fabulous!

bj said...

if ever we get back in Bolder, we will sure try to dine in this beautiful place with such a sweet history

Al said...

What a great place, I've never heard of it despite being in Boulder many times. And yes, those views coming into Boulder are spectacular!

Michele M./ Finch Rest said...

Oh my goodness! What a special treat to take tea at such a colorful, unique and special teahouse! It's a true feast for the eyes in every way!

And what's not to love about your mountains? They are incredible.

Hope your new year is going - and continues to go - nicely. : - )

Ruth said...

What a special place! Everything about it is intricate and colorful. The tea you chose sounds delicious and the food to die for. Really liked this place! #OurWorldTuesday

elizabeth said...

What an interesting spot!

Little Wandering Wren said...

Wow what an amazing building. Would you believe I have a friend in Tajikistan who has invited me to visit! Probs won't be in 2017 but if all the buildings are as gorgeous as this one, then I can't wait to get there. I will look forward to seeing it on your return!
Happy New Year Pat!
Wren x

carol l mckenna said...

Wow! What a gorgeous teahouse ~ you do know how to enjoy where you are ~ lovely outdoor photography too ~ thanks,

Wishing you a lovely week ~ ^_^

Anonymous said...

Wow, who would have expected an interior like this, in Boulder? Beautiful and international. Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful interior designs with ALL SEASONS!
No wonder it's busy! Of course, the skating ring is also an attraction. You having lived in New York, must have had longer waiting times than half an hour. That's something I don't miss from the city. The long waiting times in the weekend at the restaurant of an hour or longer! Have a great week, Pat!

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

What a fantastic building, I can certainly see why it is a popular destination.

Ciao Chow Linda said...

Oh my goodness Pat. That place is gorgeous. I would be staring up at the ceiling the whole time. The food looks delicious too.

Carol @Comfort Spring Station said...

I would love to visit the tea house. It's quite beautiful.

diane b said...

What a lovely place. The art work is amazing. Thanks for taking us for the ride and I look forward to the summer trip.

Sonia said...

Oh I love that tea house..we have had breakfast there twice over the past two visits to the area. Love all the special teas and the food was great too. Your photographs of the ceiling are fantastic! The colors are so vibrant. We enjoyed the farmer's market too while it was in season. Thanks for reminding of this wonderful place!

Gemma Wiseman said...

The teahouse desigtn is so creative. A most appealing exterior design. And it seems strange to see skaters just outside.

Lowcarb team member said...

A lovely drive to get there and then a most beautiful place to visit.
I've never seen anything like it - just fabulous. I certainly would like to visit ...if I lived a lot nearer!

All the best Jan

Anonymous said...

CO really has some really neat things. We went to a place to eat Golden that was painted very similarly. It's so beautiful.


Lisa @ LTTL

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

What an amazing teahouse! I loved the story behind it. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann

Gillena Cox said...

Lovely photos, thanks for sharing; have a good week

much love...

Anonymous said...

Wow! What a beautiful teahouse!! Love the decorative ceiling and those carved posts.