Lance LeVine - Store Manager
Lance is a native of Chicago and has had a lifelong affair with the city. He has always been a tea lover, as well as a coffee afficionado, and now his favorite Folgers has been displaced by our own Blood Orange herbal tea! Besides baseball and all things Fleetwood Mac, Lance's not-so-secret (anymore) passion is professional wrestling and writing about any and all bizarre pop culture happenings.
Amanda Meyer - Tea Consultant
Amanda is new to the Windy City and loving every minute of it! Tea has been a staple of her pantry as long as she can remember, but it wasn't until she had the rare pleasure of experiencing a tea ceremony in Japan that she began to understand that there was much more to tea than what lie in a bag at the end of a string! Between cups of tea you will likely find Amanda pursuing her acting career and attending plays, obsessing over baby animals (especially sloths), expanding her yoga practice, and exploring Chicago. Her favorite tea changes by the hour, but she's a big fan of Silver Needle, Coconut Pouchong, Almond Oolong, and Sour Apple.
Elaine Michalek - Tea Consultant
Elaine comes from a strong background of Sales and Customer service. When she was younger, she moved to Kentucky to live with her Grandparents. The only tea she remembers drinking is the over-sweetened Lipton tea of the south. Her Grandma would even make sun tea where you leave the tea in direct sunlight for a few hours instead of using boiling water. Other than that she had the occasional Chamomile or Earl Grey teabag along the way. Working at Adagio has opened a whole new world of teas, and more important, loose leaf teas. Some of her current favorites are: Yunnan Golden Curls from our Masters collection, Rooibos Vanilla Chai (yum!) and the classic, Irish Breakfast. When she isn't thinking of what to drink next, Elaine enjoys live music, searching for the perfect taco, road tripping, cooking and exploring new areas of her hometown.
Jonah Winston - Tea Consultant
Jonah is a new transplant to Chi-city having recently relocated to Chicago
from Indianapolis. Knowing nothing about tea, tea culture, or its
importance around the world until his roommate Amanda began forcing Adagio
tea samples into his hands, Jonah now considers himself to be a tea
afficianado; and challenges everyone he meets to drink at least one cup of
tea every single day! Iced tea being his preferred manner of drinking the
beverage, Jonah can be found most days sipping on an iced glass of Ali
Shan, Vanilla Green, Silver Needle, or Raspberry Patch. When he is not
enjoying the comforts of a nice cup of Adagio tea, Jonah can be found
either performing on one of Chicago's many stages or gazing up at the stars at the Adler Planetarium.
Jordan Nelson - Tea Consultant
Jordan came to the lovely city of Chicago out of high school to pursue his passion for filmmaking at Columbia College Chicago. Since then, tea has become his creative fuel, pushing Jordan to join the Adagio team as a Tea Consultant. While at his editing workstation, Jordan likes to enjoy a hot pot of the 'Masters' Collection' Formosa Ali Shan (best, green Oolong you'll ever taste). Jordan's interests include playing and writing music, spending time with friends, traveling, and professional spelunking in the deep caves of his mind.
Linda Wong - Tea Consultant
Linda our newest tea ambassador comes from a strong customer service background and is happy to serve. Before Adagio Teas entered her life and educated her on the proper ways of all things tea. She was drinking Chinese restaurant oolongs from the age of 5 and understanding tea as a tradition reserved only for big occasions in Chinese culture. Only recently she experienced her first Gong Fu Cha Ceremony with Pu'erh in Austin, Texas did she then realize that there is so much more to tea than what her family has taught her. Linda also enjoys painting, traveling, boardgames, music festivals, and animals of all kinds. Her favorite teas so far are the complex flavors of Pu'erh, Assam Harmony, Ali Shan and the ever so delicious Matcha.
Malissa Kenner - Tea Consultant
Leaving the Motor City for the Windy City, Malissa has long enjoyed a cup of tea wherever she's gone whether it be the Philippines, Japan, or the streets of Chicago. It's hard to exactly pinpoint what her favorite tea is, but if she was stuck on a dessert island with only 5 teas they would probably be: the 'Master's Collection: Yunnan Pu erh Gold', Sencha, Blood Orange, Golden Spring, and the Jasmine Phoenix Pearls. If she isn't at work you'll find Malissa teaching herself Japanese (come talk with her, she would love the practice!), pursuing her love of dance and music, or cooking delicious food. Always willing to learn more about tea and try new combinations, a day at Adagio is always something different and exciting.
Stacy Redhead - Tea Consultant
Stacy has always loved a good cup of tea, but since joining the Adagio family, she has discovered that a love for tea can turn into a passion for tea. Native to Minneapolis, Minnesota, Stacy moved to Chicago to study art and animation at the Art Institute of Chicago, and enjoys nothing more than a warm cup of tea on a cold winter’s day or a long night of animating. Eager to steep herself in the rich history and culture of tea, Stacy is excited to be learning from the best.
Taylor Cowan -
From wandering the hot boulevards of Las Vegas in a matcha-induced haze, to sipping Rooibos in Dutch parlors, tea has always been a journey for Taylor; one that began talking leaf in DarkCloud Cafe, where by chance he met Jordan Scherer and soon became Wiseman Tea Co.'s blogger and social media manager. Now at Adagio, he hopes to instill the same passion for tea he has found himself. No surprise then that Silver Needle with its closeness to the Earth, its untainted beauty and rareness is his leaf of choice-- a grounding cup and bud. A graduate of Columbia College Chicago, Taylor also attended the Universiteit van Amsterdam. He continues to pursue his first love, writing, through blogging, magazines and plays.
