"I like Coffee, I like Tea....

Time out alone in Paris this past summer and you get a glimpse of the Jake many wish to see again, with a grin, a good book and a little shopping. Who said the company you keep doesn't matter?

Yes this was business but he was enjoying this afternoon. This was research that Jake got really into because it was things Jake loves, books and tea. He will do the coffee for "business meetings" but you know the man loves his tea.

What's in the bag this time? Well it's Mariage Freres. One of the best tea purveyors in the world. This could be tea nirvana. Britain might make the best cup of tea, but Mariage Freres is were you get the tea to make it. You have to give it respect when this is the place where Claridge's of London gets its tea. In fact Mariage Freres has a book on the French Art of Tea.

Their long tradition in the tea trade goes back to the Mariage family's travels in the 1600's on behalf of Louis XIV to sign a trade agreement with the Shah of Persia and also to explore Madagascar for the finest teas as well. A hundred and fifty years later, two brothers in the family, Henri and Edouard Mariage, began to import and sell the finest teas as pre-eminent wholesale merchant to exclusive retailers, tea rooms and hotels. It wasn't until the 1980's that the company began selling directly to the public.

How better to get a sense of princely destiny than with having a cup of tea that once the Shah of Persia would have had, while reading Authurian legend in The Once and Future King? And if it involves two of your passions even better.

While it was not on Jake's workout schedule you know that tea time is definitely observed on the Prince of Persia set. Makes you wonder if Jake brought his favorite over or if he has been looking for additional sets during shooting.

Jake looks like a tea drinker, you can picture him into the ritual of making "the perfect cup" or should I say "cuppa"? Putting the kettle on, getting the tea ready, warming the teapot, adding the tea leaves, adding the boiling water (if black tea of course) and precisely knowing how long to steep it, having the perfect china cup to drink it from, and finally enjoying it. Austin may like tea, but bet he sits and watches, finding the whole the tea maker making it even more fascinating.

Now if you put Jake and tea and Austin together you either get tea for two or you get this guy. Here's the funny part, he was a Disney star before Jake.




Now Audience Participation Time: Any movie suggestions for this month's movie club?

Do we want to do something with a holiday theme to get us in the mood?

A favorite Thanksgiving one - Home for the Holidays directed by Jodie Foster. Robert Downey Jr., Holly Hunter, Anne Bancroft, Charles Durning, yes total dysfunctional family, but a real snapshot.

Or Gurinder Chadra's "What's Cooking?" looking at families celebrating Thanksgiving in their own ways. Or maybe just skip past all that and go straight for Christmas, a favorite that you'd like to share with everyone?

Any and all movie suggestions are welcome today and tomorrow.

We'll pick over the weekend with the poll open Sat & Sunday.

Catch Jake from the set of Prince of Persia tonight on Entertainment Tonight, (check local listings for time and channel)


...I like the boys and the boys like me."