#Chinese Fringe Flower

[faguscarolinensis]

Loropetalum chinense / Chinese Fringe Flower at the Sarah P. Duke Gardens at Duke University in Durham, NC

#Loropetalum chinense #Chinese Fringe Flower #Fringe Flower #Loropetalum #Flowers #Nature photography #Sarah P. Duke Gardens #Duke Gardens #Duke University #Durham #Durham NC #North Carolina

[ayanos-pl]

ベニバナトキワマンサク（4月10日）

#Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum #Loropetalum chinense #loropetalum #Chinese fringe flower #strap flower #flowers #kwiaty #japan

[heavenlyprince]

Chinese Fringe Flower

#chinese fringe flower #chinese witch hazel #flowers #nature #spring #photography #red flowers

[deathtek]

2/9/23

#chinese fringe flower #Loropetalum chinense #eucidots #Saxifragales #Hamamelidaceae #plant #flowering plant

[kingsandbastardz]

So for basically my whole life I'd grown up with and was resigned to accept that the chinese concept of formal/nice clothing of my and the previous generation has been western clothes. So at any awards ceremonies or performances, entertainers would show up mostly in western suits/dresses and maaaaaybe you'll spot the occasional cheongsam if they're going for a Wong Fei Hong vibe. Which, you know, kinda sucks if you have any concept of western cultural imperialism in asia.

So when the hanfu revivalist movement started, I was waiting to see when it would enter the mainstream -- my hope was for fashion designers to integrate traditional/dynastic elements into their work and make it common place enough that I can buy this shit online for ME. Because I WANT.

Though some of the designs can be a bit hit or miss, I am LOVING what various stars and entertainers are wearing out and about now.

Anyway - here's a collection of Xiao Shunyao's modern hanfu inspired/hybridized stage outfits from the last couple years. For his MLC performances, his stylists seem to be borrowing inspiration from his Di Feisheng and possibly other character costume silhouettes.

I'd been seeing a few comments about how his outfits play with gender - and some of his outfits do! But I think the interesting thing to discuss is from which standard is he playing with gender? Because from a western perspective, the things he does with his western suit tops, belting on top of the jacket for a tightly cinched waist, and the addition of a trailing skirt = femme. But if you're talking from a hanfu-hybridized pov, that's just a modern take on hanfu and having any of those elements is not inherently femme and would often read masc to me.

So these things aren't necessarily gendered because they exist traditionally in chinese men's clothing or costume designs (ie video games, comics, historical fiction illustrations and film, etc, so therefore in the modern lexicon of masculine/acceptable for men):

presence or lack of a skirt

silky, velvety, gauzy or sparkly material choice, esp in formal or stage clothing

short or long length of skirt

embroidery

flowers/floral/bird designs

folding fans

certain styles of makeup

beading, gold, tassels, jewels

non-chunky jewelry

headbands

widely flowing silhouettes

What XSY's stylists are doing with some western clothing items are interesting. I'm convinced there have been one or two western jacket tops made of thinner material that they're folding over the front, and belting down instead of buttoning (which then matches with his other outfits that are designed specifically to do this). Then they're adding a skirt, cloak or bracer element to it.

The western portions often bring a military minimalist feel which they balance with a more gauzy material in the skirt or cloak portions.

Things I think are playing with gender:

row 1 - image 1: red di feisheng-inspired outfit

The lace-up girdle is there to match the bracers in both material and style. And it's positioned to be similar to the heavy belt that Di Feisheng wears. HOWEVER. That style of girdle/corset-like clothing item can't be divorced from the modern idea of sexy leather corsets. So imo, this waist piece on that outfit was a choice. Especially when paired with his allergic-to-collars-higher-than-his-sternum necklines. And if you take into context how masculine yet female coded his character is in the drama, the whole look evokes that.

row 2, image 1: black western suit with belt on top, hat, cloak, black boots and not-visible but also a black tassel fringe skirt

Hat and cloak moves the intention of the outfit from western toward a more Asian slant, because alone, it looks like a western black suit with western heeled boots, cinched waist with a lady's belt (seated photoshoot) and western style tassel skirt. The suit top consists of a vest and a shrug-like sleeve portion that appears masculine at first glance. But take the shrug and pair it with the tassel skirt (I can't find the red carpet photos but here is a better view of the skirt when seated), and I think you got a look that's both intentionally edging toward the femme in a western sense but also confusing matters by hiding within the parameters of both western and chinese traditional male styling.

row 2 - image 2 : white asymetrical western jacket styled in a front fold-over style, gauze skirt, trailing pearl embellishments

The more traditional leaning version of this is the white outfit in row 3 that he wears to the Hi6 Hello Saturday variety show -- the skirt portion on that outfit is one I'd consider non-gendered. Row 1, images 2 and 3 are examples of masculine/neutral uses of gauze that plays with flow of form but isn't inherently femme. This stage outfit is very western-appearing masculine suiting, until you hit the skirt which is giving me long ballerina tie-on skirt with the additional swan/mermaid pearl strings. Imo, another example of deliberately using traditional masculine styling but switching it up with the combination of material choice and make that is feminine.

row 2, image 3: black space military boots, black suiting, black -silver ombre sequin trailing skirt and white gauzy shawl with black floral design

The over all design is going for a masculine military-feel. (think this outfit for shen langhun) But instead of a thicker military cloak, it's replaced with a woman's gauze shawl and a skirt that trails behind him very much like the back of a woman's formal fish-tail gown when he moves around. If you take into context Wang Herun's outfit is a white-silver sequined dress cut in a way to also give a space-military-queen vibe, imo they both coordinated their outfits to balance out with both femme and masc qualities.

Thoughts? I'm curious what others think about this.

While I wait for the CNY photoshoot for XSY's red and black look, here's him with his stage collaborators with a nice range of skirt lengths, period influences and material choices. The woman in the center is the one with the most military-fighter design out of the bunch. The dudes are all in variations of formal-wear-with-good-kicking-boots (and lots of crotch space).

#xiao shunyao #mysterious lotus casebook cast #my royal ramblings #fashion #chinese fashion #gendered fashion in cultural context

[heaven-is-in-your-arms-series]

Costume Break Down

aka more than you ever wanted to know about Thai dance costume details but I think they are gorgeous and require so much effort to create and wear that they are worth celebrating.

Let's take a look at Khem's beautiful red costume.

Here the presence of the dagger and the colour choice quite firmly indicate that he is performing the role of the hero Prince Inao from the Lakhon Nai dance drama 'The Romance of Inao.'

His costume is based on the traditional costumes worn by heroes in both Khon and Lakhon Nai. There are some historical differences between the two types but they have very much influenced each other from the 19th Century onwards.

There are some elements of his costume that read as modern influences which I suspect are to reflect both current tastes and also the fact that the costume was intended to be seen on screen rather than a stage.

Here we see Khem's ornate headdress, known as a chada, he has a flower garland on the right side of his crown, which is the side that male characters always wear these flower pendants with heroines displaying them on the left.(Historically Lakhon Nai was only performed by women and was only for the eyes of the royal court although rules did relax in the 19th Century.)

It's hard to see in these pictures but he would usually be wearing the ornate wing shaped ear kaffa as well, which sit around the ears.

We can also see his very fine inthorn-tanu, which are those high pointed shoulder pads, worn by male characters to exaggerate their body shape.

We can see him wearing the ornate wide collar around his neck, known as a krong-kaw and a large pendant pinned to the end of the collar against his chest.

A body chain known as sangwan is then crossed around the pendant and is usually attached to an ornamental belt or just below it, at the front and back of the costume.

Khem's sangwan is a relatively simple looking version of what can be a very intricate piece of jewellery but I suspect it is because the camera will be getting a much closer look at him than an audience looking at a stage could do.

In general I think his costume is not quite as ornate and covered with detail as a stage costume often is but there is just enough there to show the luxurious nature of dance outfits without looking too much on screen.

The above picture also gives us a great look at both his hoy-na, a silk panel that hangs at the front of the costume, (here it is red and gold with gold fringe) and his hoy-kang, the silk panels that sit either side of the central hoy-na.

We also see one very modern addition - the shiny gold buttons!

Traditionally dancers are sewn into their costumes with no visible seams, a lengthy process which does run the risk of damaging the costumes every time they are stitched and unstitched.

I suspect that Apo is still partly sewn into this outfit but I imagine they wanted to give him a top that he could get in and out of more easily as he would need to be able to change constantly for filming.

I really like the design of the top, it gives both a hint of Western influence with the shape but also has a Chinese feel with the high collar and then those beautiful very Indian looking fabrics, which feels appropriate for the era and for Man Suang itself. We see it sits over the pha-nung and hoy-na etc which would not typically be the case and is why I suspect he is not also wearing a cloth belt under it as well (mentioned below.)

The red tights are also a modern addition, usually we would see bare legs and feet but they do give a very theatrical look which feels fitting for Man Suang.

From this angle we can see his pha-nung, which is a long rectangular cloth that is usually pre stitched and pleated and is wrapped around the waist and drawn through the legs to be tied in a knot at the back.

Underneath that he will be wearing a pair of sanab-plao, short trousers with deep embroidered hems that sit just below the knee.

He may also be wearing pha-pawk, which is a fabric that basically functions like hip pads to assist the pha-nung in exaggerating the body shape to create an image that mimics statues and murals depicting dancers.

Usually he would be wearing a radsa-aew, a cloth belt which is stitched into place and secures the pha-nung. I can't tell just by looking at this but I suspect he may not be given the way his clothes are lying.

We can see he is wearing a lovely cloak here that appears to be silk lined velvet.

Here we can see his embroidered sleeves, these are usually sewn on to an undershirt which also has padding sewn into it to exaggerate the shape of their chests. The decorative outer shirt is then usually sewn onto that undershirt.

Now in this picture, we see the fancy sleeves taper off to a plain red fabric at the shoulders which could indicate the presence of an undershirt but there is that clip in the trailer where Khem tugs his costume open and we see his bare chest so I don't know whether he is or isn't. Perhaps it depends on the necessity for him to be able to strip in any given scene which is totally fine by me!

We can also see his decorative golden vambraces and he is likely also wearing beads or a bracelet of rings as well. Usually more is more when it comes to dance jewellery but once again, I think they have been more restrained here.

Rings worn on the fingers are common and of course, anklets are essential.

At least they are to me ❤️

#thai dance #thai dance drama #thai dance costumes #khon #lakhon nai #thai culture #man suang #man suang fic inspiration #khem #apo nattawin #i love this costume #i want to know who designed it #give them a medal please #its perfect #does this count as #man suang meta #? #man suang costumes

[lierrelearns]

皇居東御苑 The East Gardens of the Imperial (HIgashi-Gyoen) 所要時間 大手本 → 本丸、二の丸ーー大手門 およそ60分 →二の丸、ーーー平川門 およそ30分 →本丸ーーーー北桔橋門 およそ30分

乾門　Inui-mon Gate 至千鳥ヶ淵　For Chidorigafuchi 科学技術館　Science Museum 国立公文書館　National Archives of Japan 東京国立近代武術間　The National Museum of MODERN ART, Tokyo 乾濠　Inui-bori Moat 発券所　Ticket office 北桔橋門　Kita-hanebashi-mon Gate 平川濠　Hirakawa-bori Moat 1a出口 (Exit) 地下鉄　竹橋駅　Takebashi Sta. 清水濠　Shimizu-bori Moat 平川門　Hirakawa-mon Gate 天守台　Tenshudai (Tenshukaku Dunjon Base) 宮内庁書陵部庁舎　Shoryobu (Archives and Mausolea Department Bldg.) 桃華楽堂　Gakubu (Music Department Bldg.) 梅林坂　Bairin-zaka Slope 都道府県の木　Symbolic Prefectural Tree Emblems 天神濠　Tenjin-bori Moat 発券所　Ticket office 大手濠　Ote-bori Moat 内堀通り　Uchibori-street 諏訪の茶屋　Suwano-chaya Tea House 竹林　Bamboo Garden 石室　Ishimuro (Stone Cellar) 桜の島　Sakura Blossom Island 富士見多門　Fujimi-tamon Defence-house バラ園　Rose Garden 茶畑　Tea Garden ユーロッパアカマツ　Scots Pine 本丸　Honmaru 本丸大芝生　Honmaru Oshibafu (Lawn) 本丸休憩所　Honmaru Rest House 汐見坂　Shiomizaka Slope 白鳥濠　Hakucho-bori Moat 展望台　Observatory 二の丸休憩所　Ninomaru Rest House 二の丸雑木林　Ninomaru Grove 秋の七草　The Seven Flowers of Autumn 新雑木林　Renewed Grove 菖蒲田　Iris Garden 二の丸庭園　Ninomaru Garden 蓮池濠　Hausike-bori Moat 松の大廊下跡　Site of Matsuno-o-roka Corridor 果樹古品種園　Orchard (Old Species of Japanese Fruits) 野草の島　Wild Grass Island 緑の泉　Green Fountain 中雀門跡　Site of Chujaku-mon Gate 大番所　O-bansho Guardhouse 中之門跡　Site of Nakano-mon Gate 百人番所　Hyakunin-bansho Guardhouse 同心番所　Doshin-bansho Guardhouse 大手休憩所　Ote Rest House 三の丸尚蔵館　Sannomaru Shozokan　The museum of the Imperial Collections 皇居東御苑管理事務所　Office of the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace 発券所　Ticket Office 大手門　Ote-mon Gate 現在地　You are Here C13b出口 (Exit)　Otemachi Sta. 坂下門　Sakashita-mon Gate 富士見櫓　Fujimi-yagura (Mt. Fuji View Keep 蛤濠　Hamaguri-bori Moat 桔梗門　Kikyo-mon Gate 桔梗濠　Kikyo-bori Moat ←至　二重橋　For Nijubashi Bridge 皇居外苑　Kokyi gaien National garden 至 JR東京駅　For Tokyo Sta. 和田倉噴水公園　Wadakura Fountain Park 日比谷通り　Hibiya-street

皇居東御苑は、旧江戸城本丸、二の丸及び三の丸の一部を皇居付属庭園として、宮中行事に支障のない限り次のように公開(無量)しています。（Free of charge）

１．出入門 大手門、平川門、北桔橋門の３つの門から出入り出来ます。 ２．休園日 （１）月曜日及び金曜日 ただし、天皇誕生日以外の「国民の祝日等の休日」は公開します。なお、月曜日が休日で公開する場合は、火曜日（休日を除く）を休園します。 （２）12月28日から翌年1月3日までの日 ３．入園手続き 入園するは、各門内の発券所で入園票を受け取り、退園の際にはいずれかの発券所にお返し下さい。 宮内庁

１．The Gardens are open on the following days. However the Gardens are closed in the period between 28 December and 3 January and may be closed due to Court functions and other reasons. ① Wednesdays ② Thursdays ③ Saturdays ④ Sundays ⑤ National Holidays (excluding the Emperor’s Birthday, 23 December) ⑥ Mondays immediately following the National Holiday which falls on Sunday ⑦ Tuesdays (excluding Tuesday immediately following ⑤ and ⑥) ２．While you are in the Gardens, please keep the plastic ticket which you will receive at the gate. Please return the ticket to the officer at the exit gate. IMPERIAL HOUSEHOLD AGENCY

公益財団法人菊葉文化協会 寄贈 財団法人日本宝くじ協会

Vocab 皇居（こうきょ）imperial 御苑（ぎょえん）imperial garden 所要時間（しょようじかん）time required, time taken 至（し）to 科学時術（かがくじじゅつ）science and technology 近代美術館（きんだいびじゅつかん）museum of modern art 濠（ほり）moat, canal 発券（はっけん）issuing (a ticket, etc.) 宮内庁（くないちょう）Imperial Household Agency 書陵部（しょりょうぶ）agency that takes care of records and the tombs 庁舎（ちょうしゃ）government office building 梅林（ばいりん）plum grove 都道府県（とどうふけん）prefectures of Japan 竹林（ちくりん）bamboo grove 茶畑（ちゃばたけ）tea field ユーロッパアカマツ Scots/Scotch pine, Pinus slyvestris 芝生（しばふ）lawn, grass 休憩所（きゅうけいしょ）rest area, rest stop 展望台（てんぼうだい）observation deck 雑木林（ぞうきばやし）thicket; grove of miscellaneous trees 秋の七草（あきのななくさ）seven flowers of autumn: bush clover, Chinese silvergrass, kudzu, fringed pink, golden lace, thoroughwort, and balloon flower 菖蒲（しょうぶ）Japanese iris (Iris ensata var. ensata) [coll.] 果樹（かじゅ）fruit tree 品種（ひんしゅ）breed variety, cultivar 野草（のぐさ）wild grasses 泉（いずみ）fountain 番所（ばんしょ）guardhouse 桔梗（ききょう）Chinese bellflower (Platycodon grandiflorus) 外苑（がいえん）outer garden 噴水（ふんすい）water fountain 付属（ふぞく）being attached (to), belonging (to) 宮中（きゅうちゅう）imperial court 行事（ぎょうじ）event, function 支障（ししょう）obstacle, hindrance 休園日（きゅうえんび）day on which a park (or kindergarten or zoo) is closed 祝日（しゅくじつ）national holiday なお　furthermore 除く（のぞく）to exclude, except 手続き（てつづき）procedure, process 票（ひょう）ticket, stub (suffix) 公益財団法人（こうえきざいだんほうじん）public interest incorporated foundation 文化協会（ぶんかきょうかい）cultural association 公益財団法人菊葉文化協会（こうえきざいだんほうじんきくようぶんかきょうかい）a cultural association that focuses its research on making artifacts of the imperial household available to the public. 寄贈（きぞう）donation, gift 宝くじ（たからくじ）lottery ticket

#日本語 #日本 #japanese language #japanese langblr #japanese vocabulary #japan #東京 #Tokyo #Tokyo imperial gardens #皇居東御苑

[blackacre13]

Hiii, can you do one where Lou's overwhelmed with work and Deb tries to talk to her abt it but then she snapped, leaves her for several hours making the other one worried and kinda hurt. Then she comes back home with flowers and gifts feeling guilty with her attitude, soft smut afterwards(?) thankss

x.

There was a light tapping on the door and Lou looked up through messy fringe with an exasperated sigh. If April had the audacity to bring her the wrong numbers again she swore…

“Baby?” A soft voice murmured instead, an undeniable Debbie Ocean choice of heels making their way into the room, toe first after nudging the door open. The brunette’s head peeking around the door.

Lou’s sigh stilled in her throat. She would always rather see Debbie than anyone else. But at the same time, it only reminded her of her growing pile of responsibilities, a lack of follow through from everyone she had asked for assistance or delegated a task to, and if Debbie was showing up then that meant…

“You missed dinner,” Debbie smiled sadly, closing the door behind her.

A large takeout bag landed on top of the blonde’s current stack of paperwork with a thud. She couldn’t help the grimace that ghosted across her face. The last thing she needed was the grease from spicy egg rolls on tax forms and liquor licenses.

“I thought I’d bring dinner to you,” the brunette grinned, dragging a chair up to the other side of Lou’s desk before she moved to shimmy off her coat. Her hands were already on the paper bag, undoing the staples. “And pending how much work is left to be done, maybe a little bit of dessert. Here? Or at home?”

“Debs,” Lou sighed, frustrating dripping out of her mouth before she could stop it. It was sweet. Really. It was. Romantic, even. And she bet she could guess every last item in that bag down to the extra pair of chopsticks in there because she always managed to pick them apart into the world’s weakest kindle when she was stressed. And Debbie knew that.

She could have said thank you. Or said exactly what she was thinking. But her jaw was unhinging without her say and she was spitting venom at her partner, her own words unclear to herself. Just the occasional bites of “damnit” and “out of time” and “in the way”. And all she could see was the hurt in Debbie’s eyes and her clenched jaw to keep from letting her from lip quivering as she nodded, backing up slowly.

“Yeah..you’re right…I’ll just—“ but Debbie didn’t finish the sentence before she back treaded out of the office. And even though Lou didn’t actually catch it, she knew her fiancée was shedding a rare Debbie Ocean tear.

She had fucked up. Majorly.

She growled at the bag of Chinese food and cursed at herself. “This is your fault, Miller.”

The door burst open and April stumbled in, shoving several file folders at her, looking like she was about to vomit.

“I’m sorry. They all look the same and I didn’t want to bring you the wrong ones again and I—“

“Don’t.”

“Please don’t fire me,” April squeaked.

“Fire you?” Lou raise a brow, chuckling dryly. “You look how I feel, kid. Breathe. Help yourself to a drink. And then go the hell home. We’ve done enough tonight. It’s nothing that can’t be done tomorrow. There are more important things.”

“But I thought you said we had to—“

“April,” Lou smiled. “Go. It’s fine. Promise. Send everyone else too. I’m headed out in a bit.”

“You okay, boss?”

“I will be,” Lou sucked in a breath. “Just have some crow to eat.”

“Is that what’s in the bag?” The younger woman smirked.

“That’s your dinner,” Lou grinned, chucking it at her. “Go home. Eat. Go the fuck to sleep. Your boss is an asshole. Now that’s an order.”

“You got it,” April grinned with a laugh. “Make sure you actually get home tonight.”

“I will,” Lou promised. “I just have a list of I’m an asshole but I love you errands to run before I beg for the love of my life’s forgiveness for simply being an amazing woman.”

“Isn’t that usually more a Debbie task?”

“We alternate,” Lou winked.

#queue #blackacre13 #lou miller #debbie ocean #lou miller x debbie ocean #debbie ocean x lou miller #lou and debbie #Debbie and Lou #lou and deb #Deb and Lou #lou x Deb #Deb x lou #heist girlfriends #heist wives #ocean’s eight #oceans eight #ocean’s 8 #oceans 8 #ocean’s eight fanfic #ocean’s eight fanfiction #ocean’s 8 fanfic #ocean’s 8 fanfiction #lou x debbie #debbie x lou #loubbie #o8 fanfiction #o8 fanfic #April

[alcnfr]

The Chinese Fringe Flowers (Loropetalum chinense) are fully blooming now...

#nature #my photography #flowers #nature photography #blooms #bushes #blossoms #strap flowers

[mirellabruno]

                                                        blue, purple, green, pink; covers neck and ears with flaps; three dimensional; wired, stiff flower petals on purple, tan, orange and blue; gold fringe in center; top has fringed butterfly with metal springs; blue background edged in pink braid; mauve plaid lining; PR knotted ball button; silver paper edges Size: 14 ¾ x 13 ¼ x 6 in. (37.47 x 33.66 x 15.24 cm) Medium: Cotton, metal, paper                                                    

Child’s Hat, Date Unknown, Minneapolis Institute of Art: Chinese, South and Southeast Asian Art

https://collections.artsmia.org/art/94257/

#artsmia

[quinnlarrabee]

A Guide to Italy for Brooklyn Hipsters

Younger adults with US passports who identify not as Americans but as New Yorkers, Californians or Global Citizens have made Italy their official summer destination for remote-not-working, consuming illicit substances and expanding the boundaries of their unconventional relationships. While Italy has always had a gravitational pull for people who wear large sunglasses and refer to themselves as foodies at other people’s dinner parties, travel to the peninsula that’s shaped like a thigh boot kicking a pigeon has spiked within a certain US demographic as a result of the rise in elective unemployment and the realization that the food in Portugal—improved by vanity restaurants opened by post-work expats who relocated for the vanity passport—is still largely inedible. If you or someone you know uses alternative pronouns or has heard of Burning Man, it is likely that you will one day find yourself in Italy during the Summer months of April to mid-November for an indeterminate amount of time. This guide will ensure the peakness of the peak experience you seek out in the country responsible for pesto, pappardelle, and the Pope.

Preparations

Italy runs on the chips of American credit cards, and as such, the entry requirements are perfunctory. The only visa you need is your Chase Sapphire, and the only reason the border guard will stamp your entirely optional passport is to channel his disdain when you cheerfully mispronounce, “Ciao!” On the off chance you’re considering buying a round trip flight, this is ill-advised. ­It is inevitable that you will arrive and discover via Instagram stories (or Threads!) or an indiscreet comment in a WhatsApp group that a fringe member of your Burning Man camp (who considers you a fringe member of their Burning Man camp) is in Ischia/Capri/Como hosting a party to which you are not invited—but will weasel your way into by claiming to have “Unicorn K”—and due to FOMO and missing your flight because you slept through the alarm that you will be too high to actually set, you will end up changing your return flight so many times that the change fees exceed the average per capita income of North Dakota. 

Like the New Yorker, but without an editor’s scrutiny or a real writer’s adherence to sentence structure. Subscribe now or upgrade to raise your level of literary pretentiousness.

Subscribed

Packing for Italy is very easy, because you should bring only your flat-brimmed summer weight hat, amulet(s) gifted to you on Playa, and face chain. Everything else should be bought in Italy so that you can tell people back home that you bought that deadstock silk, abstract-flowered, vintage deepest of v-neck Miu Miu in Italy. 

For a certain kind of traveler, Italian fashion is third only to brightly colored rags sourced from the mercado in Tepoztlan and jeans made of selvedge denim the texture of Communist cement tailored by That Guy in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. If the label says Made in Italy, and the price tag gives your parents heart palpitations when they see it deducted from your trust, you can be absolutely certain that there is a one in twelve chance the garment you’re considering was indeed assembled by the adult hands of someone employed by the fourth generation of an actual Italian family in the factory that looks like a 1950s film set pictured in sepia on their .it website with materials produced by people employed by other (closely related) Italian families. However, you will almost certainly end up purchasing garments that are not actually made in the factory sketched on the tiny pamphlet attached to the label bearing a hand-written price. Despite this fashion fraud, any garment that says Made in Italy but is not actually made in Italy will still look great on you before it disintegrates during your first heavy sweat, because the Latvian children who made it out of Chinese fabric have even smaller hands than the Indonesian children who make clothing that does not say Made in Italy.

Language

As a “citizen of the world” who embodies American entitlement (a descendent of the British superiority complex), you are intrinsically international without speaking any foreign languages because of the geographic range of Saved Places on your Raya profile, the variety of countries in which you have reliable drivers and dealers, and the volume of foreign transaction fees that appear on your monthly Amex statement. The only Italian word you know is the pinched-fingers emoji, which you use every time you post a shot of Carbone’s spicy rigatoni. Luckily, most Italians over the age of 45 begrudgingly speak at least five words of English, and Italians under the age of 45 write best-selling romance novels in English, which they then translate themselves into 9 other languages. There is, however, one word that you should learn so that your travel posse will think that you are fluent when you use it during your very spotty call with Laura (pronounced LAO-rah), your Airbnb host, to complain that the key doesn’t open the door to the villa: (It does, you’re just super high.)

Ciao

This word to Italians is what vibe is to you: it is every third word spoken, and it means anything, everything and nothing at all. Depending on the time of day and context, ciao might mean hello, goodbye, and nice try dickface. Only if you were born in a 17th century villa in the Italian countryside (owned by your family for at least 600 years), make pesto from home-grown basil and pignoli nuts, and own a vintage green/white Vespa with a faded Italia FIGC football sticker above the wheel well will you ever pronounce ciao correctly, but you will sound cooler to your friends if you at least try not to sound like a Will Farrell character. Ciao appears to the naked eye to be a monosyllabic word, but it is actually a little more than three syllables. This is the phonetic spelling and intonation:

Since every single one of you is an accomplished DJ, you will recognize that the first syllable is a C, the second is an B, and the third is a G. Ciao is sung, not spoken. This is why all Italians are opera singers and most opera singers are Italian: one must literally sing every third word.

Other common words for the more ambitious include: allora (AHLL-or-ah), which means let’s go, what’s up, whatever, fuckit, and YOLO, and occhei (UH-kaiEEEE), which, depending on the context, can simply mean ok, or it can be a very chill way of telling someone to go fuck themselves.

Currency

Much to the chagrin of Italians, who still mourn the death of the long defunct Lira­–because being Italian means you must always be mourning something (the loss of a football match or a horse race, the last sip of your first coffee, your 45-year-old son moving out of your house to live with his wife and children, etc.)–Italy’s currency is the Euro. The cost of food, clothing, and Aperol spritzes is reasonable compared to socialist countries such as France and Sweden, isolationist monarchies such as the United Kingdom and Norway, and countries that exist purely to store and launder ill-begotten wealth such as Liechtenstein and Switzerland. 

To add more suspense to every purchase, Italy has a charming tradition of adding tiny, almost imperceptible incremental fees on top of the very perceptible EU VAT. One will overtly or tacitly agree to a certain price and then find that several creative fees have been added to the sum, much like how the cost of a rental car is enhanced by dozens of line items (airport fee, parking fee, moving fee, profit margin fee, creative accounting fee, incremental revenue directly to the private equity company that owns the rental car company fee, etc.). For example, you will be charged a €3 fee per person for sitting at the table on top of the cost of food and drink, which are the only reasons you are sitting at a table in a restaurant. This annoyance fee is called the coperto. Loosely translated into English, coperto means don’t ask me about my business. If you ask your server what this “coperto” is on your check, they will stare right into your eyes, channel their inner Cosimo de Medici, and tell you unapologetically that, “eet’s for seetting at-a tha table.”  

Climate

Because finding silk kimonos, sheer cotton tunics, and matching pastel chiffon tops and bottoms in winter weight is challenging, and getting high on chartered catamarans and retrofitted fishing boats equipped with Funktion One (or a Soundboks if you’re on a budget) speakers isn’t as fun when it’s cold, you will most likely only ever travel to Italy during the summer months. Summertime weather in all but the northern mountain regions of Italy is identical to that of Tulum, so it is helpful to bring your rose quartz amulet from Tulum to cool your heart chakra. The temperature ranges from a breezy 24 degrees just before the sun rises to a not as breezy 40 degrees, which remains consistent from sunrise until about an hour before sunrise. 

Air conditioning has not yet been invented in Italy or anywhere else in Europe, but fans are highly effective at moving warm air from the fan to your body. It is customary in Italy for people to compensate for the absence of air conditioning by eating spectacular volumes of gelato. Gelato is basically ice cream without the obesity stigma, and as such can be eaten multiple times every day. Unlike ice cream, gelato is only eaten in public and while standing in dense clusters right in the middle of streets and sidewalks.

For people who have read Peter Attia’s book or listen to Dr. Huberman’s podcast and have thus sworn off processed sugar, dairy, and joy: an alternative to consuming 4,000 calories of frozen lactose is a dip in one the many swimming pools that are found behind private villas owned by American movie stars, or a brisk swim in the ocean, accessible from the soaring, jagged cliffs that surround the entire country except for that tiny patch of sand in Calabria. For those who follow Wim Hoff or are Wim Hoff and use cold plunges as both a conversation starter in Aspen/Mill Valley as well as a personality type, do not fret. Simply find a Loro Piana boutique and walk inside, and you will feel like you are back home in your VC/PE dad’s $15k medical-grade cold plunge. The air in these boutiques is just a bit colder than a sushi fridge and not quite warm enough to prevent the occasional hypothermic cardiac arrest of staff. While Brunello Cuccinelli keeps their stores cool with the hearts of their customers, Loro Piana has the air in their shops flown in daily from Antarctica, which is why you can feel justified purchasing a t-shirt for €840.  

Food

The food in Italy is even better than the Fettuccini Alfredo invented by Olive Garden for people in Texas, co-opted by Lean Cuisine for people in West Virginia, and bottled by Bertolli for people in Wisconsin. If you are vegetarian, you can consume chicken and fish, as they are not considered meat in Italy. If you are vegan, you can choose from the country’s many different preparations of nightshade vegetables, which your nutritionist forbade you to eat because forbidding nightshades is fashionable. If you ask for a “salad,” you will receive a plate of sliced zucchini, and if you ask for an insalata mista, you will be presented with a bowl of sliced eggplant, zucchini, and mushrooms with slabs of parmesan flanked by exceptionally large bottles of olive oil and balsamic vinegar (made by the restauranteur’s uncle) along with monstrous olivewood salt and pepper grinders, which are multifunctional and utilized by the police for crowd control after football matches.

Italy is of course famous for its pasta, which is served al dente. Al dente loosely translates in American English to half-bat on the East Coast and half-chub on the West Coast. The range of pastas is dizzying, and even the most annoying eater will certainly find a dish that they can post in their Instagram stories. That said, most of you will not have any kind of pasta experience in Italy, because you have not consumed gluten since the Clinton administration. For the three of you who are actually gluten-intolerant, the majority of people with clinical dietary sensitivities find that native Italian wheat products do not arouse the bloating and inflammation caused by American wheat (which is made of soy beans and pork rinds). People whose gluten intolerance is caused only by an intolerance of being tolerable will find that eating wheat products in Italy still makes them feel less special.

Coffee

While most machinery in Italy operates sporadically and with the lethargy of a trust fund kid at Trinity or St Andrews, espresso (no x) machines operate flawlessly all over the country despite the fact that most machines predate WWII and are operated by men who predate WWI. It is known that Italy lacks a space program because the top designers and engineers matriculate to espresso machine companies, with Scuderia Ferrari a distant second choice of employer. ExpressoEspresso machine companies employ 1 in 4 people in Italy and the sale of these machines to Brooklyn and Venice Beach coffee shops are responsible for 23% of the trade between Italy and the US.

Despite the quality of the coffee, Brooklyn-based travelers will be frightened to find that Italy has not yet invented alternative milk. Along with your peptides, adaptogens and nasal k, travelers from Williamsburg and the more expensive parts of Greenpoint and Bushwick, Venice Beach and the US protectorate Portland, Oregon are permitted to bring their own alternative milk to Italy. Any barista will always happily take your special milk and froth it for you with their steam wand, which in Italian is called a cazzo. You will find that coffees in Italy are significantly smaller than their American counterparts. While the average cappuccino in the United States is one pint, Italian cappuccinos are just shy of a thimble. This is not only the reason for their accessible price – between €1 to €2 – but also why one can have twenty to thirty a day without becoming schizophrenic. Note that to order a cappuccino after 11am in Italy you will need to show a valid American ID or a note from your doctor explaining that you suffer from osteopenia due to calcium deficiency.

Wellness

Athletic travelers who don’t consider pasta a sport will find several gyms in the country. Two of them are in converted hotel rooms at Sheraton Four Points in Milan and Rome, and one of them is in the basement of a retired porn star’s home about an hour outside of Turin. Gym attire is somewhat more conservative in Italy. Women typically wear clothing, and men wear jeans and either a silk polo shirt or a linen button down with a braided belt and loafers without socks. (A reminder that cold plunges can conveniently be found in any Loro Piana boutique and the entire country is an infrared sauna from early April until mid-November.)

Traveling within Italy

There are countless delightful places in Italy to which you will be drawn. These places include Milan (for 7 hours of pre-travel shopping), Florence (to post a photo of David with a wistful, virtue-signaling remark about Michaelangelo’s repressed sexuality), Forte dei Marmi, Capri, Como, Puglia (POO-lee-ah), Stintino on Sardinia, Cefalu on Sicily, and, for those with staggering financial abundance who settle for nothing but the finest Fettuccine Alfredo, Il Pelicano. As such, it is essential to understand the nuances of mobility in Italy. Fundamental to this is the time conversion, which has nothing to do with the 6-hour / 11-hour time difference: in Italy, one US minute is equal to approximately 1 minute and 93 seconds. For example, when an Italian tells you that your table will be ready in 10 minutes, this means the table will be ready in just under 30 minutes. When you tell an Italian to meet you for a 7pm dinner, they will make a mental note that you must have a serious health problem, and will arrive for your 7pm dinner—entirely free of contrition—promptly at 8:25pm.

The only entities in Italy that operate on a universal timetable are the trains, which – unless canceled for no apparent reason – are never late. You will miss every train you book in Italy. This is because Uber has not yet been invented in Italy. AppTaxi, the Italian taxi-hailing app does not work because the drivers of the 5 taxis in the country carry Nokia flip phones. If you try to walk from your hotel to the train station, which in literally every Italian city is never more than 12 minutes on foot from your Airbnb, you will most likely suffer from heat stroke. On the off chance you make your train, you will be seated next to an older Italian businessman who works (works!) in middle management for a trucking company, refuses to speak any of the 5 words of English he knows, and knows that American millennials are the reason the world is terrible.

 Given the complexities of train travel, you will be tempted to rent a car. As a result of inflation and you, daily car rental rates hover between €400 and €900 for a micro-sub-compact vehicle, which is suitable for a polycule of five with five RIMOWA or Tumi rollers, three garment bags, and two designer hat cases. When you forget your dry cleaning bags and vapes at the AirBnB, Laura will gladly ship them to whomever buys them on eBay. Drivers drive on the right side of the street unless they are in a disagreement with another driver. Be advised that in order to give police sufficient time to drink espresso all day at gas stations, invisible speed cameras are placed every twelve feet on every road in the country. If you slip over the speed limit for more than six American seconds, your parents in Connecticut will receive a fine of €3,000 long before they receive your postcard.

Italian Romance

There is really only one rule in Italy when it comes to romantic pursuits. If you are a male, do not make the mistake of hitting on a woman who is with a guy. The more attractive the woman is, the more likely you will be followed to the bathroom by her male partner and not come out. The more attractive the guy is, the more likely you will be followed to the bathroom and asked in tears why you didn’t hit on him.  

<><><>

You may be tempted to follow your DJ friends (who are following your credit card) from one summer music festival to the next and leave Italy to the Fettuccine Alfredo crowd, but this is kind of like buying IKEA instead of an antique. You know what you’re going to get with an IKEA product—it takes a lot of sweaty effort to put it together, it doesn’t look nearly as good IRL as it does online, and you end up with buyer’s remorse and a weird rash. Sure, an antique isn’t practical, and it doesn’t really work, but it’s pretty and it has a story that people will at least pretend to want to hear. This kind of sums up Italy today: beautifully designed, and nothing really works (except for the espresso machines), but people would rather hear about your multiple gelato orgasms than Solomun’s set at Destino Ibiza, because they saw him at Pacha last week. 

#culture #dark humor #comedy #satire #social commentary #jokes #essays #italy #travel #hipsters #brooklyn

[sansloii]

Fun Fact: Andris personally picked a handful of flowers for the casino

and when i say personally picked, i mean he cozied up to whoever was in charge of arranging the landscaping and floral arrangements for the casino portion of Oleander Gardens and charmed ( verbally and magically ) them into picking the ones he wanted — the ones that were his favorites so he'd have an easier time bonding with them. The flowers that can be found littered around the building are as follows.

"Yesterday-today-and-tomorrow" ( Brunfelsia grandiflora ) - Inside

White fountain grass - Outside

Silver Buttonwood trees ( Conocarpus erectus var. sericeus ) - Outside

Cocoplum ( Chrysobalanus icaco 'Red Tip' ) - Outside

Lantanas - Inside and Outside

Chinese fringe flower ( Loropetalum chinense ) - Inside

Umbrella tree plants ( Cyperus alternifolius ) - Inside

All of these were picked to complement the Oleander, which he also has an affinity for.

#⚜ ┊ ( a. headcanons ) #.should've honestly started with WHY he likes plants first #.and WHY he wanted those ones beyond being his favorites #.and HOW he's able to charm people #.but i was focused on the flowers today so that will be a post for another day

[ayanos-pl]

ベニバナトキワマンサク（4月5日）

#Loropetalum chinense var. rubrum #flowers #kwiaty #japan #loropetalum #Chinese fringe flower #strap flower

[translationmuffin]

teniwoha - Uta ni Naranai Hana wa Nai (translated lyrics)

I translated my favorite song from teniwoha's album NO BOY (my favorite out of the album-exclusive songs, I mean). A big reason why I started trying to learn japanese was so I would be able to understand the songs from this album that most likely wouldn't get translated, so I'll definitely translate all the songs, eventually. :)

My japanese is self-taught, and I haven’t been learning it for a long time, so there might be some mistakes. Any notes or corrections are welcome!

teniwoha - Uta ni Naranai Hana wa Nai (There's not a single flower that wouldn't become a song)

It's like I'd been growing a flower that would never become a song. (Lotus, lily, Chinese lantern) It's like I'd been humming a song that would never become a flower. (Moonflower, fringed pink) Indigo, ultramarine, pale yellow, vermillion, crimson – I can't just forget them. "Don't worry. Everything's okay," I lied.

Goodbye bloomed and tore us apart so as to block our field of view. Alone, I cried at nighttime so that the flowers that remained would not wither. I hold and drop the scattered seeds for the sake of connecting. May they one day sprout again with a different color, scent, and name.

Even if the season ripens, its roots are still getting entangled. (Gentian, chrysanthemum, camellia) Walking is impossible. Let it spill now. (Hydrangea, peach, Chinese bellflower) It bloomed without any seeds or tricks, didn't it? Surely that couldn't have been reproduced. I have trouble. Love probably Doesn't belong to anyone, I think.

The song that bloomed from my heart was my only guide. I'll just sing until it reaches to you.

My memories of you are like incense of flowers blooming from every page. I find myself looking for that lingering scent each time they open.

Goodbye bloomed and tore us apart so as to block our field of view. Alone, I cried at nighttime so that the remaining flowers would not wither. I hold and drop the scattered seeds for the sake of connecting. May they one day sprout again with a different color, scent, and name.

I'm sure that must have been an illusion too, so I'm not going to run to it. "Don't worry. Everything's okay." I'm walking as I lie.

I'm singing so as to not wither.

Japanese parsley, shepherd's purse, cudweed, chickweed, (Nipplewort, turnip, radish)*

*The plants listed here are the traditional names of the 七草, the seven spring flowers eaten during the Festival of Seven Herbs or Nanakusa no Sekku (七草の節句), a Japanese custom in which seven-herb rice porridge is eaten during the 7th day of January.

As for the other flowers named in the song, I did a lot of googling trying to get the right english names and to find a connection between them, but there doesn't seem to be any. If anyone knows I would love to know!

#vocaloid #teniwoha #kagamine len #uta ni naranai hana wa nai #translation #歌にならない花はない #てにをは #Youtube

[wenbochenphoto]

Chinese fringe flower (Loropetalum chinense) is a lovely shrub native to eastern Asia. They are popular garden plants in both Sydney and Melbourne.

[kavyaorganicfarm]

Loropetalum: A Guide to Growing and Enjoying This Versatile Shrub

Title: Loropetalum: A Guide to Growing and Enjoying This Versatile Shrub

Loropetalum, also known as Chinese fringe flower, is a versatile and visually striking shrub that can add a pop of color and texture to any garden or landscape. With its vibrant foliage, unique flowers, and easy maintenance, it's no wonder that loropetalum has become a favorite among gardeners. In this guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about growing and enjoying this beautiful plant.

1. Understanding Loropetalum:

Loropetalum is native to China, Japan, and Southeast Asia and belongs to the witch hazel family (Hamamelidaceae). It is prized for its stunning foliage and clusters of spidery flowers that bloom in shades of pink, red, or white, depending on the variety. The foliage ranges from deep burgundy to bright green, adding visual interest throughout the year.

2. Choosing the Right Variety:

There are several varieties of loropetalum available, each with its unique characteristics. When selecting a variety for your garden, consider factors such as mature size, flower color, and foliage type. Popular varieties include 'Ruby', 'Burgundy', and 'Zhuzhou Fuchsia', each offering its own distinct appeal.

3. Ideal Growing Conditions:

Loropetalum thrives in well-drained soil and prefers a location with full to partial sun. While it can tolerate a range of soil types, it performs best in slightly acidic soil. Ensure proper drainage to prevent waterlogging, as loropetalum is susceptible to root rot in overly wet conditions.

4. Planting and Maintenance:

When planting loropetalum, dig a hole that is twice the width of the root ball and of equal depth. Backfill the hole with soil mixed with compost or organic matter to improve soil fertility and drainage. Water the plant thoroughly after planting and mulch around the base to conserve moisture and suppress weeds.

Regular pruning is essential to maintain the shape and size of loropetalum and encourage vigorous growth and flowering. Prune in late winter or early spring before new growth emerges, removing any dead or diseased branches and shaping the plant as desired.

5. Watering and Feeding:

While loropetalum is drought-tolerant once established, regular watering is necessary, especially during periods of prolonged drought. Water deeply but infrequently, allowing the soil to dry out slightly between waterings. Apply a balanced fertilizer in early spring to promote healthy growth and abundant flowering.

6. Pests and Diseases:

Loropetalum is relatively resistant to pests and diseases, but it may occasionally encounter issues such as aphids, scale insects, or fungal diseases like powdery mildew. Monitor the plant regularly for signs of infestation or disease, and treat promptly with insecticidal soap or fungicide if necessary.

7. Landscape Uses:

Loropetalum is incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of landscape settings. It works well as a specimen plant, accentuating its unique foliage and flowers, or as a hedge or border plant for added privacy and structure. Additionally, loropetalum can be grown in containers on patios or balconies, bringing color and texture to small spaces.

8. Enjoying Loropetalum:

Whether used as a focal point in the garden or as part of a mixed border, loropetalum never fails to impress with its vibrant colors and graceful form. Its long-lasting flowers attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, adding life and movement to the garden. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the beauty of loropetalum as it brightens up your outdoor space throughout the seasons.

In conclusion, loropetalum is a versatile and low-maintenance shrub that deserves a place in any garden or landscape. With proper care and attention, it will reward you with years of beauty and enjoyment. So why not add a touch of color and elegance to your outdoor space with this stunning plant?