Written Language Discovered

Once thought to be rock art, carved depictions of soldiers, horses and other figures are in fact part of a written language dating back to the Iron Age. Read more here.

 

2010 Orchid Show: Magenta

"Some of the Garden's orchids date back to the early 19th century, when they were gifted to founder Henry Shaw. Others are familiar favorites, leaving the greenhouse just once a year to be publicly viewed at the annual Orchid Show.This year's orchid show is inspired by a French "Butterfly's Garden." - Missouri Botanical Garden

For more info, click here.

2010 Orchid Show: Pinwheels

Did you know orchids grow wild on every continent except Antarctica? These orchids look to me like cute little pinwheels... spinning round and round...

For more information, click here.

2010 Orchid Show: Jumping Jacks?

Did you know that orchids are the largest flowering plant family in the world, with 30,000-35,000 species? This orchid plant looks very interesting to me, since I've never seen it before in my life. Doesn't it look like an insect? Or like a person standing with legs wide apart, with arms raised high above his/her head doing Jumping Jacks?

For more information, click here.

2010 Orchid Show: Orange

"Orchids are extremely vulnerable to extinction in nature. All orchids at the Missouri Botanical Garden have been carefully and legally acquired in accordance with the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. Garden researchers work throughout the world to preserve the ecosystems orchids depend upon." - Missouri Botanical Garden

For more info, click here.

Join in the Effort: Turn Off Those Lights!

Going Dark for Earth Hour 2010

Folks, in about an hour, nothing but HAT's is going dark in observance of Earth Hour 2010. Join the global effort and turn off your lights for at least one hour. 8:30 p.m. local time. Do this! All the major landmarks in the world have done it, are doing it, and will be doing it! Read about how the rest of the world is unplugging for
Earth Hour.

Join us!

2010 Orchid Show: Dainty Lady Slippers

"Orchids are the Garden's largest living collection, with over 8,000 plants and 2,500 varieties. Some specimens date back more than a century, such as the vanilla orchid Vanilla planifolia (the species used in vanilla extract) which debuted in 1904. The genera Cattleya, Laelia, Epidendrum, Oncidium, Paphiopedilum, and Phalaenopsis are emphasized because they can withstand St. Louis's blistering summer heat. The show is designed anew each year by the Garden's floral display team. Construction and installation of the show begins immediately following the annual holiday flower and train show, although the Garden's Horticulture Division and volunteers prepare for the show months in advance." - Missouri Botanical Garden

For more info, click here.

2010 Orchid Show: Purple

Today, we attended the 2010 Orchid Show at the St. Louis Botanical Garden. It was a lovely, magnificent show, and we marveled at all the colors, shapes, and sizes of these beautiful plants. This visit served as a reprieve from our daily grind, and rejuvenated our spirits to prepare for Palm Sunday weekend. I am so lucky to live so close to the Gardens! In order for you to enjoy a little of what we saw today, I will be posting pictures here and there during these next few weeks. So stay tuned and marvel at these snapshots of what our Creator has given us!

Cranes Take Flight & a Bit of Red for Luck

Tulip Magnolia

This was the last photo that I took before leaving the old Deanery in Berkeley. In the last few weeks before my departure, this gorgeous tree was a-blooming in the back yard, right outside the double French doors. I would stand next to this tree and look out the back yard past the gigantic trees and see the Bay Bridge. On clear days, I could even see the Golden Gate Bridge.

Isn't this beautiful?! If you ask me why I had a hard time leaving Berkeley, this is surely one of those reasons.

FYI: I googled the tulip magnolia and found this lovely blogpost about this magnificent tree. Click here to visit Neglected Beauty.

Prayer Quilt: Sent Forth with Warmth and Prayers

On my last Sunday at church, in sending me forth into the midwest, my beloved congregation presented me with a gorgeous prayer quilt. The women (and perhaps men?) had worked very hard and quickly, I imagine, to piece together this quilt. Their dedication, commitment, love, and tenderness overwhelms me.

Each time I look at this beautiful creation, I remember that:

(1) these very talent people had pooled together their God-given skills to make this quilt for me (as they did in times past for many others as part of our prayer quilt ministry);

(2) this precious gift is only one manifestation of, one embodiment of all the love, prayers, hope, encouragement and joy that I experienced at this church, and which they were sending forth with me as I begin a new journey;

(3) the colors and materials are perfect for me -- in design and in theme -- and they probably knew exactly that about me (plus, the pattern is the exact same pattern that was used to make my sister's preaching stole which the church gifted her when she departed for St. Louis); anywhere else, this sort of knowing could only be hoped for, and received humbly

(4) each knot on this quilt (shown on the 1st photo and the 3rd-to-last photo) was tied by a well-wisher, a friend, a loved-one from this community and therefore, I am tied to this faith family in more ways than one;


On that day, all choked up with tears and overwhelmed with emotion, I joked that thin as it is, this quilt might not keep me warm in the cold St. Louis weather.

The truth is, every time I touch this quilt, I am overcome with emotion, and, to borrow John Wesley's words, am "strangely warmed" by the love that this church family has shown me. All these years in the presence of these people of genuine faith have changed me in such mysterious and wonderful and challenging ways -- for the better, for the good. This quilt keeps me warm, but it also fills me with love, joy, and wonderment for having been a part of this community.

I am grateful for this church, for God's love shown through this church. As I said during the Sundays preceding my departure, I hope we will remain connected (after all, we Methodists are a "connectional" church!). I hope we will think of each coming and going, each arrival and departure, as new ways of the Holy Spirit working within us, amongst us, and through us.

Let us pray for one another as we move into new spaces and answer different calls to ministries elsewhere in the world. Pray that our challenges will strengthen us and bring us closer to one another through the Spirit of God's mysterious ways.

Once again, to borrow e.e. cummings' words:





here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)




*For full text of the poem by e.e. cummings, visit the PoetryFoundation.org

Psalm 23 Li Xi

Although I'm unable to read Chinese (neither ancient nor contemporary Chinese), I still cherish this little red lucky money envelope that I received on my last Sunday at our church in Oakland Chinatown.

It was a gift given to me by the board of admin and trustees of our church, on behalf of the entire congregation. Inside was a monetary gift for which I am grateful, but more valuable and important to me was the fact that both our senior and our associate pastor had searched far and wide for this very special red lucky money envelope. I am incredibly lucky, to say the least.

As some of you know, the traditional lucky money envelope comes in all shapes, sizes, colors, and textures. (The traditional red represents luck, good fortune, wealth.) Some of you already know why red envelopes are given, and on which occasions. For me, for this particular event, the church wanted to give me a little luck and a lot of blessings on my new adventure. So, our pastors found a red lucky envelope on which is inscribed the words (in Chinese) of Psalm 23 in the shape of a chalice.

Chalice, vessel, goblet: a drinking vessel with a foot and stem; the eucharistic cup from which we drink, reminding us Christ shed his blood to make us united as one, to re-member us into the body of Christ.

Blessings for Maddie: Me a Godmother?!

As godmother, I am allowed certain indulgences. It is only fair. I get to buy cute clothes (not for myself). I get to browse and read books for fun. I get to cut, color, fold, and paste things into a blessings book for my godchild. I get to join in with a wider group of people who wait expectantly for this little person to enter into the world. I get to join them in sending our blessings to this little baby who is, after all, God's grace and blessing in our lives. I get to welcome God's new creation... soon and very soon...

How does one go about preparing one's self to be a godmother? I know that I participate to "train up a child in the ways it should grow," but what are my responsibilities as godparent?

As a United Methodist, I understand that "the ministry or office of godparent is a ministry of creative and nurturing love, a gentle evangelizer to younger brothers and sisters in the faith so that they come to a place of owning their baptism, professing their faith in the triune God, and knowing the basic disciplines of discipleship" (Source).

This is from the United Methodist website:

The United Methodist Book of Discipline does use the term "godparent" along with the word "sponsor" and does so because in different regions and different churches one or the other of the terms is familiar and  comfortable.  Both derive from the ancient practice of the church of a mature, reliable Christian serving as a mentor and encourager of persons coming into the Christian life in baptism, whether adult or child. In all infant baptisms, the parents or other family member serve as the primary sponsor, and in many churches another Christian or two are named as "godparents"-- sponsors and encouragers for the child.  In the case of adults, the sponsor walks with the person on a journey of conversion, until the day they are baptized--perhaps weeks or months after having learned and experienced the way Christians live and think. When it is a child or infant, the sponsor/godparent and the parents walk with the child on a journey of conversion until they claim the way of Christ as his or her own at confirmation or some other profession of faith. 

In essence, as godmother to Madeline, I am to live my life as a faithful Christian to help develop, encourage, nurture my godchild's faith in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, so that she too may experience God's grace and love and therefore grow up in this world to become herself a disciple of Christ, embodying God's Word, joining in the effort to create a world of peace, love, justice, and mercy.

• Pray regularly for your godchild
• Set an example of Christian living
• Help her grow in the faith -- until she claims the way of Christ as her own

Heavy responsibilities indeed. And that doesn't even include clothing and feeding and the child!

Looking at Enormous Things with Small Eyes

When I pose for pictures, whether by myself or in groups, photographers, amateurs and professionals alike, are always telling me to open my eyes. They don't seem to recognize that when I smile, I can only smile WIDE, and when I smile a lot, my eyes disappear. I can't help it. I blame it on my genes passed down from my parents, because my sometimes cheery disposition often results in my eyes totally disappearing into little dots, and when the picture-takers look through their camera lens, they always tell me to open my eyes. (This could almost be a spiritual reminder -- keep your eyes open!)

Surprisingly, though, my little eyes see so many things! Remember what Rumi wrote?

Look at your eyes. They are small
but they see enormous things.

The following photos are snapshots of the St. Louis Botanical Gardens, taken on my cellphone, when I visited my sister about a year ago. We were walking through the gardens and passed by this great little pond.

I'm surprised that my eyes recognized this beautiful scene, and I am thankful that technology allowed me to capture on film what my spirit sees.

Measuring for Ao Dai: Do Ao Dai

Here are two links to brief instructions on how to measure for ao dai (do ao dai):

courtesy of Ao Dai Cham Khanh. (This site is from a very popular higher end chain in Viet Nam, so the site is all in Vietnamese.)

courtesy of Ao Dai Vinh (this is my preferred site since they show pictures and instructions for how to measure; instructions also available in Vietnamese.)

From past experience, I've seen that each tailor measures slightly differently, but it's always best to talk to a tailor who has done this multiple times before. The best tailor is someone who will not only measure accurately, but who is familiar with you and who can use imagination in creating the designs for you. Ideally, your tailor will know how you move, where you typically put stress or pressure on the tunic, and he/she can recommend  modernized techniques that update the look. (For example, I LOVED it when they put zippers on the tunic instead of buttons!)

My recommendation is to find a customer/client who has been pleased with how his/her tailor has made the ao dai fit his/her frame, and ask that person about his/her tailor. Talk through the process. Don't just measure the basics as if you were going to make a traditional ao dai (ao dai truyen thong), because who knows, you might be inspired to wear something different!  (And, think creatively... don't limit yourself to a high neck (co cao) or a "co thuyen", or a regular sleeve length versus a 3/4 sleeve length. I've seen some women wear amazing designs!)

There are a gazillion and one different designs and styles. You can go modern, traditional, contemporary, whatever you like. Long sleeves, capped sleeves, sleeveless, straps, strapless, 3/4 sleeves, slitted sleeves, flared sleeves, you name it. And the collars... sheesh. Whatever you want. The last I heard was that "3 phan" is the new preferred height for the collars, unless you want to go crew neck, or v-neck, etc. 

Last reminder:  When measuring, wear the bra you intend to wear with the ao dai, and wear shoes that are of the same height as the pair you intend to wear with the ao dai because that affects the length of your pants.

Fabric Store for Ao Dai: Fabrics R Us

If you are looking to buy fabric for ao dai, then you must visit Fabrics R Us in San Jose. The owner is Vietnamese, and the folks who work there speak Vietnamese, Chinese, and English. The selections of fabrics are much better than JoAnn Fabrics, and I think the materials are much better for ao dai. I've had wonderful luck shopping here. Although, a word of caution, you will borrow a bit of frustration here.

The store is located in a little shopping plaza, and since there is so much fabric, they had to expand from the main shop into two other smaller shops in the same plaza.

Organizationally, the shop is messy. There is a small measure of order and in general, you can find different materials grouped together in sections, but the sales associates and the shop owner will know better than you. I've just had to walk through the entire store several times to see what I like before actually beginning "my hunt."

My future sister-in-law is from Da Nang, VN, and she was going to purchase a bunch of materials in Viet Nam and have them tailored back there. However, when she came w/ us and saw the fabric selections, she decided to buy much of her fabric here even the one for her white wedding ao dai, as well as the fabrics for her bridesmaids' dresses.

The fabrics are very reasonably priced. I went comparison-shopping at a "chuyen nghiep" ao dai store in the Century Mall in SJ, and I was quoted $440 for ONE ao dai. The woman quoted me $300 for the fabric for tunic and pant, plus $140 for labor (each ao dai has to be custom made, that's why). Friends, at Fabrics R Us, I bought enough fabric for 8 ao dai for a total of $225. I'm not joking.

[If you know of people who can make your ao dai in Viet Nam, it might only cost you $10 for labor. Plus the cost of shipping the dress -- unless you have a relative or friend bring the fabric to/from from VN.]

Several things to remember:

• If you pay cash, there may be a discount.
• They will often have 10-20% discounts, especially when they're trying to clear the inventory for new materials.
• Check the materials carefully for holes, cuts, rips, etc. before you ask them to cut. Once, we asked to check the material before the woman cut the fabric and they all said we were worrying for nothing; however, upon close inspection, there was a thumb-size hole in the yard that they cut for us so they had to cut us another yard.
• There are always a lot of customers and not enough sales associates so you have to hunt them down to get them to cut the fabric for you.
• After selecting the fabric that you like (such as for the pants of the ao dai), ask them to recommend alternative materials. They might be able to recommend something in stock that is similar in quality but more reasonably priced.

Usually, you can buy about 4.5 to 5 yards for one ao dai, complete with tunic and pant. It's usually 2.5 yards for the ao (tunic) and 2.0 yards for the pant (quan), but how many yards for the ao depends on your size and the kind of material you select. Sometimes they recommend you cut 3 yards for the tunic because (due to the design of some materials) they say the tailor might want extra fabric to cut.

My sister bought fabric for one ao dai for about $25 -- that included the fabric for the ao, the material to "lot ao" and the material for the pants. Sometimes the fabric is only $3 or $4.95 a yard. And if your pants are only 2 yards, well, that's a steal.

The most expensive yard of fabric that I purchased was $18/yard. They also sell pre-cut fabric that is specially designed and those range from $40-$60 each (tunic only, pants sold separately).

There is no website, but there is a phone number and an address:

Fabrics R Us
1745 Berryessa Road
San Jose, CA 95133-1129
408-9292-4330

These fabrics below are for my ao dai. Fabric shown on the left-hand side with the large flowery blotches, $18/yard. The clementine-orange fabric for pants shown on the right-hand side of the photo, $6/yard.

The fabric shown in blue hues: on the left-hand side with the black, blue, yellow and green tones, $10/yard; on the right-hand side with the sapphire-blue colors, $6/yard.















The fabric shown in pastel green tones with heavy embroidery: the tunic of the ao dai has a front panel and a back panel, and each panel was $18.00. The light green fabric for the pants was $6/yard, and the chiffon material for the "ao lot" was $3/yard. Each panel is the design of peacocks, feathers, and flowers, in embroidery, beading, and a whole bunch of other things that I can't really describe. Detailing on the panels is exquisite, though, and the colors -- simply stunning. We saw and knew it was perfect for the mother of the groom. And, let me tell you, the mother of the bride was given an even more stunning fabric in black, mauve, and pink -- but also peacocks in design -- also only $18/panel.

Ao Dai Fabric: Prepping for the Brother's Wedding

Here is the fabric that we selected for my ao dai which I will wear at my brother's wedding this June. With the bride and groom's permission, we have each selected our fabrics, always in keeping with the general color scheme of the wedding. For the groom's family (my side!), we will be wearing clothing that bear different shades of green. Therefore, each person's ao dai will contain hints of green. My fabric contains hints of olive green and pepper green, balanced out by juicy orange. So, the tunic (ta ao) will be the fabric that you see on the left-hand side of the photo, and the pants worn underneath the tunic will be the orange color that you see on the right-hand side.

If you want to see what the final product will look like, visit Ao Dai Cham Khanh to see the different fabrics, styles, and prices.  Here is a sample ao dai which I've borrowed from the website:

[The baby blue fabric that you see the model wearing underneath the tunic is the pant and mine would be orange. Of course, the fabric that the model is wearing for her tunic is much more elaborately embroidered but mine is not.]

Thankfully, people w/ much better fashion sense have looked at this fabric, compared it with my skin tones, and have given their approval. Phew! It's a good thing I don't have to select this on my own.

Marco Polo Gelato: Best Kem Sau Rieng in Bay Area

Friends, if you are looking for excellent durian ice cream (kem sau rieng) in the Bay Area, then you must visit Marco Polo Italian Gelato shoppe in San Francisco. I have been going there for years, ever since I arrived in the Bay Area, and have not found the same quality gelato anywhere else. You can enjoy the ice cream on site, or buy a pint (or several!) to take home and enjoy with friends (or by yourself!). The gelato is light, has real durian in it, and is super creamy even though it's gelato.

The shop has been around since 1982, I think, and is a favorite among the locals. I always see a lot of Vietnamese and Asian durian-lovers hanging out. Once, my brother and I and his friends wanted durian gelato and drove in a mad rush to arrive before closing time at 10pm. Fearing that we wouldn't make it because of the stoplights, I called ahead and told them that we were on our way and begged, literally begged, that they let us in to buy some ice cream. We got there 5 minutes to closing; they had already put away all the ice cream behind the counter, but allowed us to purchase the pints to take home. It was soooo worth it!

Everybody I know loves this place; each person to whom we've introduced the gelato has claimed it as their own. I'm torn between wanting to save it all for myself and wanting as many people to know about it as possible. It is a secret we want to keep, but also something wonderful we want to share. My uncle grabs a spoon and eats the whole pint of durian gelato by himself. My friend, L, loves the taro flavor and can consume an entire pint in one sitting. Personally, I feel like each spoonful is a taste of Viet Nam.

In addition to durian, they carry a variety of interesting (and equality delicious) flavors: lychee, soursop, red bean, taro, jackfruit, vanilla, chocolate, mango, green tea, and several others.  As of this month, the price is $10 for one pint of durian; all over flavors are $8.50/pint.

Marco Polo: handmade Italian gelato
1447 Taraval Street
San Francisco, CA 94116
Hours: 12pm-10pm

God's Grandeur: Joshua Bell at Cal Performances

One of the last shows that I saw in Berkeley prior to my relocation was a performance by Joshua Bell (on Feb. 21, 2010). He appeared as part of UC Berkeley Cal Performances' 2009-2010 spring season, and he performed with Jeremy Denk on piano. They were amazing. Hearing the music, witnessing their musicianship, being a part of that night of un-rivaled art and magic -- I will never forget it. How is it that we as small human beings could carry so much energy, talent, vitality, beauty? Thomas Merton once wrote, "there is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun." I believe that on that rainy February afternoon, each person left Zellerbach Hall with their ears ringing, each person's heart swelling and glowing like the sun. If Gerard Manley Hopkins is right, then that performance was a way for each of us to catch a glimpse of God's grandeur. It was, for me, a reminder that in the midst of the work and toil, between the frenetic activities of packing, boxing, cleaning, and preparing to relocate, I should and could still pause to hear the music. And, in hearing the music, remember to focus and center myself. It was a wonderful gift in those crazy last days in Berkeley.

The program was as follows:

Johann Sebastian Bach
Sonata No. 4 for Violin and Piano in C minor, BWV 1017 (ca. 1723)
-Siciliano: Largo
-Allegro
-Adagio
-Allegro

Edvard Grieg
Sonata No. 3 for Violin and Piano in C minor, Op. 45 (1886-1887)
-Allegro molto ed appassionato
-Allegretto espressive alla Romanza - Allegro molto - Tempo I
-Allegro animato

Intermission

Robert Schumann
Sonata No. 1 for Violin and Piano in A minor, Op. 105 (1851)
Mit leidenschaftlichem Ausdruck
Allegretto
Lebhaft

Maurice Ravel
Sonata for Violin and Piano (1923-1927)
Allegretto
Blues: Moderato
Perpetuum mobile: Allegro

God's Grandeur

The world is charged with the grandeur of God.
It will flame out, like shining from shook foil;
It gathers to a greatness, like the ooze of oil
Crushed. Why do men then now not reck his rod?
Generations have trod, have trod, have trod;
And all is seared with trade; bleared, smeared with toil;
And wears man's smudge & shares man's smell: the soil
Is bare now, nor can foot feel, being shod.

And for all this, nature is never spent;
There lives the dearest freshness deep down things;
And though the last lights off the black West went
Oh, morning, at the brown brink eastward, springs --
Because the Holy Ghost over the bent
World broods with warm breast & with ah! bright wings.

Gerard Manley Hopkins