makenextfield: city of smyrna

Last week, I�was finally able to venture into McNultyapos;s, the 113 year old tea coffee company across the street from one of my workplaces.

The thing�I liked the most about this place is that as soon as�I went inside, it was impossible to decipher not only what part of the world�I had ventured into, but what time period as well. There were no electronic scales or fancy touch-screen cash registers, and no security cameras[quite rare in New York City]. It almost seems that McNultyapos;s has known no renovation beyond general cleaning upkeep since the day it opened. The place is quaint, without the slightest extravagance. It has a remarkably subtle charm that could be easily overlooked, or worse, ignored. The floor is old pine planks, with visable wear tear from age, as well as stains and scuffs from mud-coated boots split bags of freshly ground coffee beans. The smell is a combination of loose tea leaves, age metal, and espresso grinds. The center of the small shop is an island covered with various sized glass jars, filled with every type of tea Iapos;d ever heard of, and some that seems to be from a fairy tale. The basics are all there:�Green, Chai, Peppermint. Then there are refine variations: Peach green, "Magical Blend"(chai with real fruit nuts), Spearmint. Beyond these crafty creations are the truly peerless blends: Rosebud(just that:�roses nipped in the bud, dried to perfection, immaculate pristine), Matcha (a ceremonial tea powder), Gunpowder(youapos;re guess is as good as mine on this one). The prices go from beyond reasonable ($8/lb) to lavish extraordinary (the Rosebud tea is a homely $100/lb). The walls are piled with burlap sacks filled with coffee beans, and additional shelves homing dozens of fruit blend teas. Behind the counter are huge, aged metal bins filled with beans of every coffee imaginable, from air-roasted mild harvests to highly acidic, bold blends. If you have a question, whether or not you are willing to come out and ask, the McNultyapos;s mom-and-pop staff is ready with an informed answer. I chose 3 teas -- nothing too adventurous:�Chai, Spearmint, and China Rose(The black�tea blend�was the only way to get some real rose petals without the hefty pricetag). As the aged teaman(I hesitate to say "employee" because everyone here clearly is passionate about their workmanship) bagged my requests, he informed me of variations in volume weight, as well as the herbal qualities and varying intensities of my selections. I ended up with a pound of tea for a mere $12 hole in my budget -- well worth it for fresh tea that will surely last until the new year.