Trends: A revolution is brewing...

The British tradition of social tea drinking is enjoying something of a renaissance. The Tea Cake Tuesday Movement ( www.myspace.com/teacaketuesday) was started by a group of teens from York, who meet up for tea and intelligent chat; there are now chapters all over the UK, and as far afield as Paris and LA.

In London, tea has become a ritual for the hip East End party crowd; from tea-and-burlesque parties run by Viva Cake ( www.myspace.com/vivacakebitches) to The Last Tuesday Society's literary tea parties ( www.thelasttuesdaysociety.org).

A new generation of elegant tea salons has also emerged, including Tea Smith in east London ( www.teasmith.co.uk) and Postcard Teas ( www.postcardteas.com) in the West End. Fancy a cuppa, anyone?

Thanks to thefuturelaboratory.com