Our History
House of Balance was born in February 2015, the year of the wooden Sheep. You could say it had been brewing, in the dark, fertile soil of dreams, for many years. Like a seed, it required the right conditions to crack itself open and come out into the world. Where did this seed settle, to further unfold? In Appalachia, with headquarters in Asheville, North Carolina.
This ever-evolving nonprofit stemmed from The Tea House Speak Easy: an underground community tea and craft space in the Treme of New Orleans. Alina Quu, director of this humble space, had been living in the Crescent City for a few years, with some interrupted months in New Mexico. During her time in New Orleans, she created a successful space for community to gather, to drink tea and to learn about herbal medicine; to share stories, hopes, concerns, and to practice art and craft together.
The space served healing teas and homemade, organic meals with locally-sourced ingredients, teaching the benefits about nutrition and herbal medicine. The main room also hosted creative workshops, like clothing "swaps and sews", dream catcher-making and "kids painting" workshops. Community members could teach a workshop as well. Though short-lived, it marked the beginning of a greater vision.
After some years in New Orleans, Alina moved, with her newly adopted canine, old feline friend and a dream. In search for land, mountains, cleaner rivers, farms, and smaller, musical towns that support local economics, the not-yet House of Balance found its way to western North Carolina. What better place to begin the quest for Balance? We are excited to be here!
This ever-evolving nonprofit stemmed from The Tea House Speak Easy: an underground community tea and craft space in the Treme of New Orleans. Alina Quu, director of this humble space, had been living in the Crescent City for a few years, with some interrupted months in New Mexico. During her time in New Orleans, she created a successful space for community to gather, to drink tea and to learn about herbal medicine; to share stories, hopes, concerns, and to practice art and craft together.
The space served healing teas and homemade, organic meals with locally-sourced ingredients, teaching the benefits about nutrition and herbal medicine. The main room also hosted creative workshops, like clothing "swaps and sews", dream catcher-making and "kids painting" workshops. Community members could teach a workshop as well. Though short-lived, it marked the beginning of a greater vision.
After some years in New Orleans, Alina moved, with her newly adopted canine, old feline friend and a dream. In search for land, mountains, cleaner rivers, farms, and smaller, musical towns that support local economics, the not-yet House of Balance found its way to western North Carolina. What better place to begin the quest for Balance? We are excited to be here!