Ladies and gentlemen, tonight we are pleased to present, all the way from the South Pacific Islands, Kava and the Kavalactones! Put your hands together! (And grab a shell)

The paragraph below is an excerpt from a post I did quite some time ago. 

What does make me happiest about this experience is that I had the chance to try it at all. My nose was to the grindstone as the old saying goes for about 38 years during my working career. And now, after all that, I'm being given a period of rest, relaxation and revitalisation. I'm seeing and doing things I never dreamed that I'd be doing. That's definitely enough to make an old codger like me a little euphoric. I don't really need any kava for that.  -djf  

The rest of that post, should you want to see it, can be found at the link below.

https://fostersoe.blogspot.com/2018/05/if-god-did-not-intend-for-us-to-eat.html

I am particularly pleased to be doing this post. I had a delightful experience today. As you see, I've prefaced this introduction by reminding you of that post that is in part about kava. I was a kava rookie then, a neophyte. I experimented with making some kava I found at a local grocery, but the results were far from satisfactory. (Something like the time I tried to teach myself the violin.) 

My adventure today changed all that. Allie told me recently about the opening of a place in Auckland called, Four Shells Kava Room and Shop. Today I found it. They make kava there. They are experts. They know how to do it the right way and all I had to do was decide which island's kava I would like to try. Since another guy at the bar had just ordered Hawaiian, I said I'd have some of that too.  Gotta start somewhere.... 

I've got a bunch of pictures. (Dianne, I wish we had been able to take you there when you visited. Let's plan on it for your next trip.)

 So, what does a city do with a big old municipal complex?

 Well, Auckland decided to sandblast (I suppose) all the brickwork, paint it up a bit and give it a new lease on life.  Divide the space up and let a bunch of retail shops, restaurants, cafes, and, best of all, (in my opinion) a kava room move in. 

 Those of you who know me, know that I like to be early wherever I go. I found the place a little after 1 pm. It opens at 2, so I spent some time wandering around Victoria Park, which is just across the street, and then back within this complex. 
You'll see lots of the photos I took in future posts. 

 It's 2:15 and here I am again. Let's go in. 

 I'm standing at the bar.

 I think I'll start with just a kava.

 I took a moment to look around. You know from my posts about New Lynn how I love brickwork. This place feels cozy to me as a result. 

 Not a big intimidating space. Comfortable. Almost homey. 

 I turn back in time to see my kava being prepared. 

 I've enjoyed about two-thirds of my shell** already. I'm pleased with the experience. My home made kava was extremely bitter. This is much less so. I also immediately noticed that my mouth felt just a bit of numbing...this must be the real thing.  

**Kava was traditionally drunk from coconut shells in the islands. For obvious reasons, bowls are now used but the term 'shell' still describes a single measure or serving. 

 I told you that I had asked to try Hawaiian kava, but I also sampled some from, I think, Vanuatu. It had a different flavor than the Hawaiian. I don't remember how many varieties they have here but I'd like to try them all eventually.

And this time, for the fist time since I've been trying kava, I was aware that it does indeed provide a gentle calming effect. It was subtle, but it was there. To say I felt euphoric, like one article I read suggested,  would be going much too far.  It was a pleasant feeling but not at all like drinking alcohol. As I left the shop and hurried to catch the Inner Link bus back to Great North Road, I felt completely in control. There was no loss of ability of any kind, but as I sat on the bus I was aware of a quiet pleasure. 
Part of that pleasure may very well have been the simple satisfaction of having tried properly made kava for the first time. Or of having had an interesting conversation with knowledgeable and friendly hosts for the better part of an hour.  Just think, I have now shared something that has been a part of the South Pacific island culture for thousands of years. That, to me, is significant and a cause for joy.  
I brought a 750 ml. bottle of kava back so Jeanne and Allie could try it. They both reported quietly pleasurable, relaxing feelings after sharing the bottle. And the mild mouth numbing. That is a unique feeling. 

The owner and his wife answered all my questions. I may be a new student (yeah, a really old new one, I know)  to the world of kava, but I know now where to go to study. 

The owner told me that there are over 100 kava rooms in the U.S. If you ever run across one, I strongly urge you to try a shell. You'll find the taste to be bitter, but the rest of the experience will be sweet as.     -djf

Here is the link to their website. 

https://www.fourshells.nz/

Update: Since I published this post, I have learned of the Kava Society, based here in New Zealand. Their site has a wealth of information. I suggest you take a look. Further, I found that the bags of kava that you see on the shelves come from the kava society. They select, test and report on the kava that they import into NZ. I think it's a great assurance of quality. 

https://kavasociety.nz/