Longboat Key's yearlong residents enjoy high time for tea

A hush fell over The Paradise Center as attendees of the first Color and Cuppa Tea Party, where they sipped on steaming brews and filled pages of mandala designs, nature scenes and florals for the first social event since members bid farewell to seasonal residents at a 70s-themed end-of-season party last month.

The Paradise Center hosted the brand new event on May 14, providing sweet treats, organic tea and adult coloring supplies.

A 2022 article from the Mayo Clinic Health System lauds the health benefits of coloring for adults, particularly in promoting mindfulness and improving one's ability to focus.

"Because you're focusing on color choice and staying inside the lines, you're only thinking about the present moment," writes clinical social worker Joel Bobby. "You can shut off the noise around you, and give your mind the gift of focusing on the movements, sensations and emotions of your present moment."

He said the motion of coloring also can help relieve stress, encouraging people to tune into their breathing over more sedentary activities.

Attendee Angela Bennink said she especially appreciated the tea party theme given her English background, although she admits she opted for coffee that afternoon.

Her friend Sandy Love went for turmeric tea, although her favorite is a green jasmine pearl tea with a drop of honey is her favorite. 

Bennink offered a bit of advice for making the perfect honey-sweetened brew. She said, based on advice from Sarasota Honey Company representatives who attended a recent garden club event, tea drinkers should let their cups cool slightly before adding the honey to get the full anti-allergen benefits.

Several participating ladies found the coloring surprisingly relaxing.

The next one-off event scheduled at The Paradise Center is a free meditative sound bath at 2 p.m. May 28.