Wine Down Wednesday: Kamilah Mitchelle

Wine Down Wednesday: Kamilah Mitchelle

Aired: July 21st, 2021

Audio and Photo Source: Kamilah Mitchelle and Instagram

Episode Summary

This Wine Down Wednesday, forget the wine we've got the tea sis! Our special guest Kamilah, is tea connoisseur, CEO and Founder of Teas With Meaning. Kamilah shared with us the importance of choosing the right travel partner, the destinations her teas have taken her, her next stops on her travel list, and so much more. Join us for the journey and and be transported wherever the conversations take us.

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Episode Transcript

Wine Down Wednesday: Kamilah Mitchelle

Orion Brown (00:07):

Hey everyone. See if we need a little more light here. Oh, that's barely. Oh, I guess it's kind of like, not much. How are you guys? Hey, look at who's already here! What's up! Look at y'all coming in. It's Wednesday. I'm so excited to chat today because today is Wednesday. It is Wine Down Wednesday.

Kamilah Mitchell (00:38):

I mean HELLOOOO!

Orion Brown (00:38):

HEYYYY! How are-

Kamilah Mitchell (00:44):

When's our next trip? When is our trip?

Orion Brown (00:48):

We need, we need, we- look, I'm in a hotel room right now.

Kamilah Mitchell (00:52):

Hey, you went without me. Where we at sis?

Orion Brown (00:57):

So this is like work stuff. Like, you know, this is, I can't even get it right now, but yeah, I'm in Chicago actually, Today is my dad's birthday. So, um, I'm uh, right, so I'm not gonna wine it up too much, but I did bring just, just a little bit. I got a little canned wine. Um-

Kamilah Mitchell (01:15):

Of course I always bring the tea. I always bring the tea.

Orion Brown (01:18):

Boom, Boom. I love it. I mean, it's all from the earth. It's all from the earth. Thank you. So much for joining. I see everybody coming up in the comments. Hey y'all

Kamilah Mitchell (01:29):

Hello. Hello. Cheers.

Orion Brown (01:31):

Where are you guys at? And what are you drinking? It can be tea. It could be wine. It could be anything. Whatever your little heart desires on this happy Wednesday, happy hump day, Wednesday. For those of you who don't know, me, my name's Orion brown. I am the founder and CEO of black travel box. We're personal care products company for travelers of color. And I created Wine Down Wednesday in the middle of the pandemonium because I wanted to just chat with people and kick it and let go of some of the angst and talk about travel and, and just have a moment. And so y'all have been so great about nagging me every week. Well, where are you coming back? You're not going to do it if you can do it this week. Um, so, so here we are and Ooh, glow girl. Okay.

Kamilah Mitchell (02:22):

Hey Taska! Taska got the the best red lip. I know I ain't got nothing on to kind of shout her out, but glow girl cosmetic. She got it. She got a good one.

Orion Brown (02:31):

Love it. Love it. Look there is room for everybody to eat. I tell you what a so, so why don't you, can you look, why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself? And we, we know that you're well, I'm going to switch it up a little bit. Cause last time we did, how many stamps on your passport? So name where you are, where you're from. So like where are you actually physically are right now where you're from. Uh, and then you got to tell us about your teas, of course, but then I want to start from jump weirdest trip you've ever been on.

Kamilah Mitchell (03:13):

I think we kind of talked about this last time too, but I am Kamilah Mitchell, the owner, founder, and tea lady of Teas With Meaning. Um, I am currently in Oakland, California, but I am a proud, proud, uh, Columbus, Ohio native, and the weirdest trip I went on. Honestly, I wouldn't say it was a weird trip. I just went with the wrong person and I, that might've been that might've been Palm Springs and yeah, but I, I don't, I don't think I've been on any weird trips, just the wrong person. And I was the only once. That was the only once.

Orion Brown (03:55):

So yeah, let's, let's spill the tea, shall we? What were some of the, the things that made the trip? Like what made that trip come to mind and what were some of like your red flags to be like, Ooh, this is it's weird.

Kamilah Mitchell (04:15):

Well, because you said a weird trip and I'm like, I've had some amazing trips. Like I, I don't ever use weird with anything. And so that one, um, so definitely it was weird. Just, I want to say vibes and expectations, you know, oftentimes, you know, when, when traveling with others, they have their own, um, expectations or, you know, things. So just, I think that's what made it weird were things that were discussed and planned beforehand, there was a different vibe and expectation getting there. And it's just like, why don't we got to do this here? Like now at the pool.

Orion Brown (04:55):

I've, I've literally been on a girls' trip. We went to Vegas, um, and went on a girls trip and we were like, you know, let's go to Nobu. Let's do, you know, let's do -

Kamilah Mitchell (05:07):

Right, right.

Orion Brown (05:10):

Like we get to the table and it's like, I want to say it's like six, five or six of us and one person who did not want to come to Nobu and everybody else did. It was like, I can't eat anything on this menu. I just, I can't eat. I'm allergic to onions. Like I'll like, what, what, how is-

Kamilah Mitchell (05:29):

Is it the crunch? Is it the crunch?

Orion Brown (05:32):

There's onions in everything, it's sushi. And she was just like, well, I don't eat meat. It was like, well, they've got vegetables. Well, is this salty? Is this going to be salty? Like, somebody's going to be salty. So I feel you on those like quick changes of the wind and of the weather with people. Um, yeah. It's, it's hard to kind of go with the flow with that, but were you able to, were you able to get some good nuggets out of that experience anyway? Like, or was it just like-

Kamilah Mitchell (06:07):

Always! Yes most definitely. There were some really, really good chiro waffles. Yes. I said churo and waffles. Um in Palm Springs. They are great. Um, and I would, I mean, I enjoyed the rest of the trip, but it was just like the first trip that I can remember being like, I don't like the way I feel, you know, like this is weird. I think the biggest nugget was just, you know, not to travel with that person ever again, not even to the grocery store. Like not even to, like-

Orion Brown (06:39):

You said, we're not driving around the corner for gas, we're not going anywhere. So, so I've talked to people who th- the reason why I asked, like, where's the weirdest place that you've been, because I've talked to people who have been places where they're like, you know, I, I, a great example, robot bar in Japan, it's like, okay, it's cultural, but it's crazy. Like, it's like the equivalent is if a Sci-fi movie mashed up with a drag show and mashed up with Christmas on the lights.

Kamilah Mitchell (07:21):

I mean, the drag show and Christmas was a thing.

Orion Brown (07:24):

It was like a whole, it was, I mean, it's a, it's a whole overwhelming experience, which is really interesting because you can be in places like Tokyo and have very quiet, serene surroundings and have a very different expectation of what you were getting into. Have you have, so it sounds like you plan ahead, but have you taken any trips where you were, I hope pleasantly surprised by something, you know, a dichotomy between what you expected and what you actually got.

Kamilah Mitchell (07:55):

Um, I think we talked about this the last time, but I love fruit. Like, I'm a, I love fruit and I told you, Gahna surprised me with having the best pineapples in the world. So, um, I don't really go in with like a travel experience thinking like, you know, it's going to look like this, or it's going to be like, I go in and really like open minded minded as well as looking forward to the fun. So I'm always intrigued by the food. It's always the food and the fruit. Give me some good fruit. Um, I'm there, I'm there, but it's always the food for me. Like where I'm always like either shocked or disappointed. I've been disappointed a few times. Oh man. I came here, he's supposed to be fresh here.

Orion Brown (08:47):

I say, I'll try anything twice because you never know if you try for the first time. And you're like, oh, I didn't like that. You might think that you don't like that food, but you might not like that cook.

Kamilah Mitchell (09:04):

Our vibe! Our Vibe.

Orion Brown (09:06):

We're here. We're here. Alright, so.. I- I'm like, I'm really, really hype because I'm going to be out your way, uh, next month because it's our brand birthday and it's our birthday.

Kamilah Mitchell (09:23):

Yay. How old are we turning?

Orion Brown (09:27):

She's four, she's four. She's still a baby.

Kamilah Mitchell (09:30):

Yay, mine will be four in January. You know how they act at this age, you know,

Orion Brown (09:35):

They just run around-

Kamilah Mitchell (09:37):

But yours done ran around and joined the academy at target. I see you sis! Yours done ran staright into the little target and just sat there like, oh

Orion Brown (09:53):

Yeah, I'm going to, I'm going to be out in Sonoma. Yes, we're having, we're having a dinner. You got to come out, I'm going to send you info on it. We're having a Black Girl Magic dinner out there, um, to celebrate the brand. And I was thinking, I was like, well, you know, clearly I'm going out for the wine, but, um, I need to stop in, you know, Oakland and San Francisco for food. Cause that for me is the trip. It's not trip for you, but like, what is, what's your next spot that you're like, yeah, I need to go get some food there. Like some-

Kamilah Mitchell (10:28):

You talking about restaurant or travel. Cause I'm like, I'm already in a different country right now in my head. Yeah. I, um, my next big trip, um, I think we talked about this the last time that Kenya was, uh, canceled due to shelter in place. So I'm still, um, on that flight plan as well as, um, I've been looking at Senegal a lot.

Orion Brown (10:52):

Ooh. What intrigued you about Senegal in particular?

Kamilah Mitchell (10:57):

Um, actually a friend of mine, uh, shared with me. Uh, she has some artwork and we were talking about the artwork. Um, but then she was telling me about the culture. She was talking about the beaches. She was just telling me about just the whole experience, even how, um, as a culture, how they treat each other and how they treat others there. And I think that's always big in, in looking at travel, like how are the people welcoming others? And I get it, you know? Um, because I mean, even if you go to a different city nowadays, even in America, people treat you some type of way. So, you know, overseas, just like, wait, y'all both from the same city and y'all treat each other like this. So definitely Senegal, Senegal and Kenya 2021 is coming.

Orion Brown (11:47):

I love that, 2021. So like in the next few months?

Kamilah Mitchell (11:52):

Yeah Like, like I'm going to be like sending you pictures after you leave Sonoma, then we're going to go, I'll send you pictures.

Orion Brown (12:01):

I love it. I love it. Kenya was so good. And the food was fire. It was fire. And actually the best food that I had in Kenya was the home cooking, the mama, cooking it, y'all see the, um, the meme and it's got the voluptuous lady's arm on it. It's a voluptuous arm. And say, if you're cook don't - arm don't look like this.

Kamilah Mitchell (12:26):

If it doesn't it, we,

Orion Brown (12:30):

I mean, we had these lovely women at home, Mobay. We were doing a habitat for humanity trip. And so they brought us lunch every day while we were like working and like digging foundations for this house and stuff. And they would come and bring us lunch. And as soon as I saw that big happy, beautiful black dark chocolate, black woman, I said, we bout to eat. Y'all we are 'bout to eat. And they are just, I mean, and there's so they're so passionate about the food.

Orion Brown (13:03):

So I actually followed them to why I didn't follow them. That sounds creepy. I asked them if I could go with them to prepare the food one day. And I mean, when I tell you there, they're doing it in the backyard of this like zinc house, you know, and open pit fire, big pots, making peas over here, cutting onions, their tomatoes, rolling out. I can't even remember the name of the dough. Ooh. I have notes though. Um, I took notes and everything and it was just like, they were so sweet about it. They were like, well, what do you call this? So like, we were swapping names for stuff. So I was like, oh, that's garlic. Oh, that's black peper, And I mean, everything, it just smells so good.

Kamilah Mitchell (13:48):

You had a real culinary experience.

Orion Brown (13:51):

Normally my bougie self would have been like, you know, you lost me at the flies. I'm like, now I'm like, it was the dirt for me sis it was sitting under the trees. Like I didn't even think about it. And we went to, we went to a very nice restaurant in, um, Nairobi and the food was fine, but that mama food was fire. That neighborhood food was fire.

Kamilah Mitchell (14:23):

I think its like that everywhere though. Cause I'm thinking about the Caribbeans I'm thinking about even South America, like I'm thinking about a lot of spaces.

Orion Brown (14:40):

Yeah. I mean, I think, I think though we re we bring a certain amount of flavor because I've definitely been in some places where I'm like, you know, where's a great to get food and they're like, you should go to the bar. Like, like don't even worry about it. It's not that great. A lot of that's in Europe, like, you know, UK kind of spaces, but then also some of them is just like, you know, you like spicy food, we don't touch it, that kind of thing. Um, but that's what be said, like the food that we had in Kenya wasn't spicy, um, it was, it was tasty. It was stick to your ribs. And one of the things that I loved about it, they had the bread that I was talking about. They basically, we have beignets all over the planet. Like everybody has some form of beignets, like let me take bread and fry it and make it sweet. Lord Jesus.

Kamilah Mitchell (15:37):

It's all in a neading too, if it's done right. It's done. It's done well.

Orion Brown (15:42):

So what did, what do you know about Senegalese food? Do you know, did your friends talk about the food or anything

Kamilah Mitchell (15:48):

Talking about fish? I think you and I talked about this too. Like I'm a big seafood. I like when the fish is fresh and when I was sharing with you, my hoodie story. Um, so I definitely, um, she just talked about like a lot of the fish dishes that she knows, like that I'm big on that. So

Orion Brown (16:04):

Yeah. I tend to do like fry fish, like this is me, this is me being in south side of Chicago. Y'all uh, they, they fry they fish or are we talking like little stewed fish or like what's, what's the,

Kamilah Mitchell (16:17):

Oh, I didn't even ask her. She just told me that I would love the fish, the fish cuisines that I would like the meals and stuff prepared. Um, but I didn't ask her those details. I will like, you know, the closer I get into planning, I think July was one of those busy months for all of us. So August will be the month where I'm kind of like narrowing down my last few months of the year to kind of pinpoint everything. Um, so I can have more details around that next month when I see you in Sonoma. And when we sipping and wine.

Orion Brown (16:49):

You should just come for that, week's wine down. I love that. So, so now I'm hungry now, right? Like, cause I'm thinking about escovitch and different fish and then I'm like, Ooh, but if it was stewed and it had tomatoes, that would be good too. Um, so, so tell me, um, cause you mentioned you you're like, oh, I'm gonna just do this this year. It's not planned yet, but I'm just going to do it. A lot of people don't travel that way. A lot of people are like, Ooh, if I'm going that far, I need to figure out six, eight months in advance. And all of that.

Kamilah Mitchell (17:25):

We just got out of, we just opened in California and shelter in place and the variants of this pandemic continue to rise and so on and so forth. So I mean like, you know, last year when my Kenya trip was canceled, um, I understood we were in the middle of pandemic, but with numbers and everything still rising, this is like literally the first time a lot of people have been going out, we really don't know how things are going to be. Like, let's just be honest. So planning something six to eight months in advance. I don't even think like that.

Orion Brown (17:57):

So, so what are some of the things, if somebody is like itching to travel and they've never done like the quick turn trip, like how to plan a trip really quickly? Like what are some things, what are some tips that you have for like, just getting that figured out

Kamilah Mitchell (18:13):

Knowing why you're going? I think knowing why you're going with nothing would deter you from going, you know what I mean? Like, so if you're really going to have like a reason of, you know, like, I think when I shared with you with Kenya was to learn more about, you know, the purple tea leaves and so on and so forth. So I had people in my community that were familiar with tea farms and we're familiar with, so the planning kind of just flows together when you know your why and you just start talking to people and they're like, oh, I know this, there are all, um, I mean, if you're on a budget, you can still make things work because oftentimes you can find, I think the most expensive thing on last minute is the flight, housing is always like really consistent. Um, but then, you know, like I kind of already budgeted that in, in a sense, because I also know like again, I run a business full-time and I live in Oakland, one of the most expensive cities in the United States. So, um, yes, these things are necessary and will help, not only with the professional development in my business, but at the same time, like I'm also wanting to learn more about the cultures and in what parts do I want to learn? As I also learn about the beaches, as I learned about the food and the fruits as I learned. So I think that it just kind of flows together. Um, but always just know why you're going, because then everything else will kind of just support that flow.

Orion Brown (19:35):

And I love something that you said about that because a lot of us are just stir crazy, right? Like we just want to get out. We just want to get up and go somewhere. But there's something to be said for making the most out of the experience and having a deeper why for it, even if you are traveling for work or even if you are traveling, just, you know, I just want to get to a beach, but like what can you do to, um, think about the local culture and immerse yourself a little bit and really take away a deeper experience of the place

Kamilah Mitchell (20:05):

So you can have that home cooked meal and have them cullinary notes from, from Kenya

Orion Brown (20:11):

Look I've got notes from Cuba too. I I, every time I go places now that are, you know, the international spots, I try to, if somebody is cooking in their home, I try to find a way to get there and see what they Do. Um, Cause that's the real food right there. That's the real food.

Kamilah Mitchell (20:31):

It is. Its is.

Orion Brown (20:31):

I feel like a lot of the restaurants in places, especially places that are, you know, heavy tour with tourist traffic, it's like TGI Fridays and in times square. Yeah. I mean, Fridays is cool if It's like an after work happy hour and the boss is pain, but like any other time, why? I don't want your baby back ribs, you know? Um, and so it's, to me, it's like a lot of these restaurants are a reflection of the tourism, um, and not reflection of the local culture.

Kamilah Mitchell (21:02):

Exactly. And yeah, so I'm one of those, I'll find what it is that I need to find.

Orion Brown (21:10):

And you said you talked to people about it, so is it that you're evangelizing to people in your, in your circle? Like, this is what I want to go do, or is it that you're showing up to the place and then talking to everyone out there asking questions and digging deeper?

Kamilah Mitchell (21:25):

I definitely talked to, um, friends before going, um, I think nowadays with the day of social media, you can always find somebody to follow somebody, to know somebody that went to a beach somewhere. You'd be like, oh, okay. You know, so there's, there's always social media research ask. Um, cause a lot of people lie about how things are, Instagram can show you one thing and you'll be like, wait a minute, you get there, you'll be like, well, how are they? How are they angle that? How did they get that angle? Um, but, um, but definitely talking to my people. Cause I'm also one of those people, honestly, that I don't even talk about when I'm, I travel a lot. Like, so like I just got back to, to Oakland a couple of days ago. And um, my friends that exactly in my friends will tell you, like she is Carmen San Diego, like we'll turn around.

Kamilah Mitchell (22:21):

And I mean, she'll, she'll be back from somewhere else. So I say that to say, like, if I am traveling somewhere that I know that people are, especially when it comes to the continent, a lot of my friends that have been there or know much about the spaces that I'm interested in, they are definitely my supporters in that. Um, I don't think I have any other interests outside of Guam. I do want to go to Guam, but I know I have a friend, her mom has an Airbnb property there, so it was just like, boom, boom,

Orion Brown (22:58):

You hit that flight and that's you good.

Kamilah Mitchell (23:02):

So I think, but I think everywhere else I've been really, really satisfied. You know, I would do like Peru or Chile, but I think I'm always like, I'm grateful for my travels. Um, so I'm just ready for, for that man to come through and take me on surprise trips. Some, some somewhere,

Orion Brown (23:23):

Well, you're, you're pretty flexible though. I feel like you could live anywhere and be like, cool. Um, but definitely you want that person. So I don't like surprises. I'm not gonna lie. I don't like, but I w I, because I, I have particular tastes and I've only really probably been with one or two people who was got that. And they were like, oh yeah, I know exactly what to do. Um, but there's something even in a travel partner, not even one of the opposite sex or a romantic partner, just a travel buddy, when you can get to a place and just be like, what do you want to do? Would you want to do yeah. And just run with it. That's like the best feeling.

Kamilah Mitchell (24:08):

It's a flow it's a flow. That's why the last one was weird. I was like, wait what?

Orion Brown (24:15):

Oh Lord. And that's, that's the thing like, um, I feel like you can also be more adventurous when you have the safety of that trust. Not only the trust of you trust the person, like they ain't gonna steal nothing or leave you somewhere, but the trust of knowing that like you get ended up somewhere and it's is whack. They're not gonna make you stay there for three hours. Right. Like they probably think it's whack too, you know, that's so, so helpful. Yes. Yeah.

Kamilah Mitchell (24:52):

What is your next trip outside of home or Chicago?

Orion Brown (24:56):

I mean, so, so right now it really is just, uh, not just Sonoma. I'm really geeked. I'm really, really geeked, um, for that, but it's more of a business trip and then I still have, I'm turning 40 next year. So I'm like, I need to figure out, I am saying that I'm going to go to the Caribbean for like carnival, but, um, I haven't figured out anything yet. I might show up, with like three feathers looking like big bird and just, okay,

Kamilah Mitchell (25:32):

I'm not playing with you and get three. I'm not playing with you and your three, your three feathers.

Orion Brown (25:42):

Um, um, yeah, so that's, that's a goal I have, cause that's going to be right around my birthday. And then I re basically there's oh, Antarctica.

Kamilah Mitchell (25:53):

Yeah, you said that before.

Orion Brown (25:54):

Yeah. I'm waiting for the details, but um, I'm basically like hook or crook. I'm going to Antarctica and then we'll see what happens in between. Yeah, yeah. Um, I, the thing is, is I really do need like, uh, actually I need a staycation that's, that's something that I actually have on my, to do list, um, in the next couple of months to just go out into the mountains three hours down. I don't know. I'm normally in Denver, I'm in Chicago right now, but, um, there are some amazing spaces out there and it's just beautiful and it's quiet and you've never been under the stars and you've been under the stars in the middle of nowhere, like,

Kamilah Mitchell (26:34):

Oh, I know I do. I get it.

Orion Brown (26:38):

I think, I think I'm going to put together a staycation there's um, there's some like sand dunes and hot Springs and elk be walking through neighborhoods and stuff. So, uh, I think that'll be like the most immediate short trip. And then the next, the long one will be getting my, my, my tuchus featheredsomewhere in the Caribbean. I'm scared though. I'm scared. They go hard.

Kamilah Mitchell (27:08):

Yeah they do. I was about to say you scared of what, but you're like, yeah,

Orion Brown (27:11):

They go to the medium. I want to go to the island. That's like, Hey, is that time to go. Because I feel like if I go to Trinidad, I will die. I will just literally die of exhaustion and glitter. And so I just,

Kamilah Mitchell (27:28):

I think, I think you just go have to prepare yourself. You will have to have your two to three days revving up, but that's hilarious of the glitter. Okay. It's the glitter.

Orion Brown (27:40):

Yeah. It's the glitter for me. Um, so, so tell us about your company and tell us about some of the amazing places that it has taken you for folks who aren't familiar with your, with your tea brand.

Kamilah Mitchell (27:53):

Uh, cheers. Um, something's worth, meaning started in 2018 after I was diagnosed with cancer in 2017. So all of the blends are handcrafted and intentionally crafted with meaning by me. Um, and I wanna say like, I think the biggest spaces and places that Teas With Meaning has been, is working with some of the farms that we work with, um, outside of the farm here in Mount Shasta, California, there's definitely some farm spaces and Haiti, as well as Ghana, um, saffron from Greece. I was getting it from Spain at first, but Spain saffron is tad bit expensive. Um, but getting it from Greece. Um, and, and

Orion Brown (28:36):

When you say, I getting it from Greece, you were like, hold up, let me run to Greece right quick.

Kamilah Mitchell (28:46):

Girls' trip. Um, so yeah, definitely was, uh, was a, um, it was a journey because I didn't know that I was gonna find Safra on here. I was actually looking at their hemp, um, when I was in Greece. And so initially I was looking at one product and then, you know, when the farm, um, the farmer that I was working with at that time when he mentioned, uh, you know, some other ingredients and things that he had, and he said, saffron, I was like, how much, you know, like I said, in Sapin. They were like, you know, Spain has some beautiful saffron, but it's expensive, expensive, expensive. So saffron is a very expensive spice. Um, but yeah, definitely I- but Gahna has been my favorite. I was using, uh, pineapples from Maui. So Maui is always a fun place to go. And yes I did was, um, and I think I said, everything else is local. Everything else is United States.

Orion Brown (29:51):

I mean, but those are a lot of places. Those are a lot of places. That's one of those things that it's like, um, to be able to say that my job takes me around the globe is, is so it's just, it's, it's such a cool thing too. And I don't mean cool in like the high school popular kind of way, but just like a real experience to have your livelihood also, um, sort of invest in your, in your, your personal, I don't know, happiness and experience. Right. I love it. I love it. I love

Kamilah Mitchell (30:29):

It's- it's all organic, too. Meaning like even the flow of how the business is growing and developing and where I've been. Um, it just, it all flows organically. And that's the biggest takeaway is that it's not something that's like a strategy, a plan that is to that. It's just trusting the process of what nature has for us and making a tea for it.

Orion Brown (30:49):

Ooh, I love that. I love that trademark circle.

Kamilah Mitchell (30:54):

You heard it here first.

Orion Brown (30:56):

I love it. Then trusting the process that nature has for us. Like just stepping back and allowing, you know, and, and the thing is, is like, it's, um, the thing I love about your brand, and this is me not knowing a ton about tea I'm not gonna lie. Like I might still, I might still pop a celestial seasoning every now and again, just cause it's there. But like she said, yes, it is. It is there.

Kamilah Mitchell (31:23):

Yeah. I got, I might got to that. Might've been there for three years. Yeah.

Orion Brown (31:26):

Oh, that part, that part, it's like the lotteries jar and mamas. Yeah. Um, the other one, you know the lotteries went bad when it's pale. Like when it loses that orange,

Kamilah Mitchell (31:42):

I have never seen a pale lottery.

Orion Brown (31:42):

I have. I have Um, well, what I love, what I love about your brand and what I love about what you do is like you're actually going out and working with farmers and choosing ingredients and all of that stuff. And, you know, you mentioned sort of impassing is with the cancer diagnosis and really switching up how you holistically heal yourself. You're still taking that same level of interest in other people. Like, you know what I mean? Sometimes I got this story and then they're like, eh, you know, I'm just going to throw some stuff together giht quick. Um, so I really love that. And I, I feel like it makes your tea, I don't know, better quality. Am I perceiving that? Right? Like, what are the things that you do to make your tea exceptional?

Kamilah Mitchell (32:34):

I'm glad you asked that because magic is truly the main ingredient. It says it on the ingredient, it says on the website is magic is the main ingredient. But now, like, honestly, during that first, um, creation of the first blend, um, it was just really that slow down of even creating a blend. And there was a lot of grief and things that I was going through, obviously just finding out I had cancer. Um, but then it's also like, it's funny. Cause then it's like your grandmothers come over you because you never see your grandmother in the kitchen cooking mad, or your mom cooking in the kitchen mad. So it was just like having to change up even the vibe and an intention of what it was that I was creating and making sure that I was truly doing it with meaning. And um, so I think that's the magic of it, you know, like ensuring that yes, what it is is not only helping me on levels, but how is it helping those that- And I'm hoping that for those who do try my, my blends, that they will understand, like you have to set the intention of what you're slowing down in your wellnesses for, and you'll end up enjoying the magic of Tea With Meaning.

Orion Brown (33:43):

Oooh Girl, that's a word that is a word. And Congrats, uh what is that? I don't have my glasses on, I can't see, but She said her mom beat breast cancer.

Orion Brown (33:52):

I'm like, that's what's up. Yeah. Yes. Um, yes. I, I always, I always feel compelled to say, and not in like a oh poor thing kind of way, but in a true, like, I am glad you are still here. And so I'm very glad that you're still here and I love that you're probably saving other people. And I don't even mean that flippantly because just even getting people into the practice of thinking about what they're putting in their bodies, it saves somebody, you know? And so where can we find, where can we find your teass and like, what- actually, what tea do I need to try next? And then where can we find you?

Kamilah Mitchell (34:41):

I think you will love bloom.

Orion Brown (34:43):

Ooh, tell me that

Kamilah Mitchell (34:46):

Bloom is, she's like a fun tropical friend. She has papaya and a little strawberry, and she's just, she's nice and fruity. So it's all fruit meaning you can add it, you can make a spritzer out of her. You can make ice tea out of her. You can make tea Sickles. You can see that on Teas With Meaning instagram.

Orion Brown (35:05):

Hold up wait let's go back to the spritzer. Cause I am so here for the spritzers. So would you, for those, for those y'all don't know, spritzers typically some type of sparkling wine plus like an Aperol or other, you know, kind of, um, sweet or bitter. And then you've got basically a little splash of soda on top, but I don't really be splashing too hard. I need to splash harder,

Kamilah Mitchell (35:27):

But, well, I got a tea for that. I got to think for that. So with the, with the spritzer, I have people who do the sparkling wine. I have people who make actual drinks, drinks, um, with the tea. So it's the, it's the, it's the, um, non-alcoholic part of the beverage. Um, but bloom is more tropical, so you'll like her and you can make you a drink with her, or like I said, the, the tea Sickles, um, and then you can find Teas With Meaning at teaswithmeaning.com. It's all one word, and I'm not teasing you is T E a S a lot of people would be like, is it tease I'm like, okay, now if you're being teased with meaning I don't got nothing to do with that, but I got a tea for it. I got a tea for it. So yeah, I'm definitely teaswithmeaning.com. Um, and yeah,

Orion Brown (36:21):

That's me. Um, is anything like in bloom that sounds weird now in the bloom tea that you've had to travel for?

Kamilah Mitchell (36:31):

No, no, not yet. Not yet because the papaya came, um, from Costa Rica, but that was imported. So I wasn't able to actually, um, to go yeah, like traveling and stuff. I wasn't one of those, I did travel during the shelter in place, but I wasn't one when, when everything's started to open explain it. But then when everything opened, I was like, oh, I don't want to go anywhere. And so everybody finies with their little summer breaks. Um, so definitely a lot of stuff just been imported at this time. And then like a lot of, I mean, it's it's fruit season, so you can find fresh fruit growing everywhere here in the states. Um, so like the elderberry and, um, strawberries, blackberries and things have just been from land here in California.

Orion Brown (37:29):

That sounds so yummy. That sounds so yummy. I'm about to get me some tea. I love it. Well, this has been so much fun. I'm so glad we're going to catch up in August. I'm sending you info. We're going to catch up.

Kamilah Mitchell (37:46):

If I'm in town, I'll be there. Oh right. I'm farming San Diego. That's up here and I come back and I'll be like, I just needed to breathe.

Orion Brown (37:55):

Just a minute. Just a quick minute. I feel like Guam would not be a quick minute trip. Like that's like a two week and a half easily, easily

Kamilah Mitchell (38:04):

A week and a half. Like, and it's a beachfront Airbnb week and a half.

Orion Brown (38:11):

OhnGod. On my mama. Yes. I love that. I love that. Oh, you got to definitely, um, tag BlackTravelBox on your travels while you out there into, but, um, yeah, this was so fun catching up. I want to be mad. I want to be mindful of the time. Cause you know, we ended up, we'll just end up talking for like two hours and then yeah. And

Kamilah Mitchell (38:31):

Then your dad will be like, but it was my birthday.

Orion Brown (38:40):

Yeah, but girl thank you for joining. For all of you for joining and then Teas With Meaning it's your, your, uh, handle is @teaswithmeaning. Right. So cheers. There we go. I love it. Um, so y'all follow teas with meaning come back next week. We're going to be doing another Wine Down. I'm going to have my wine in a glass next week. Cause we fancy y'all. That's how we do it, but I hope today was a nice little break. You guys to think about something different. You got to relax your mind for a bit. It's all downhill from here. You know, we just roll into the weekend from here. Y'all so take good care of yourselves. Thank you so much for being my guests. Thank you so much for any and uh, cheers.

Kamilah Mitchell (39:25):

All right, bye.

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