Pacific Orchid Show Failure

Every year Fort Mason becomes a huge greenhouse filled with orchids. All kinds of orchids from all over the world. Every year I attempt to limit myself to only 3 new orchids friends that I can bring home with me. Since I started going, I must admit not all of my orchids survive, but I've had pretty good success considering I don't have a greenhouse and San Francisco weather isn't exactly an orchids tropical, native habitat.

One of my favorite now deceased orchid was from 2 years ago who died about a year into my care from a tragic over-watering death. After a year of mourning, I was ready to get a new one this year. I searched the show through the rows of booths over and over determined to find that same one again. Since it had been a year, I had forgotten the name of the orchid but remembered it's markings. One of the best things about orchids is that there are so many species, but it also makes it nearly impossible to try to find a specific one amongst the loads of species. I was about to give up when I saw a flowering spike, but it wasn't attached to the plant.

I asked the vendor if he had any left. He said he thought he had a few left but after searching his booth he realized they were all gone. He asked me if I was local because I could stop buy their nursery in Menlo Park to get one. I decided it was time to come clean and tell him that I had killed my first one and get his opinion on whether I should get another. So I told him the tragic story. He said, "You don't learn anything from success. It's good that you failed. How'd you kill it?" I told him I overwatered him but tried to say it in a funny "but I swear I know better kind of way." And he said, "Most of the deaths related to orchid growing are water related." He didn't advise me to get another, but he did write down the name of the orchid for me so I'll take that as the okay. I don't usually talk to the vendors about my failures because I want to look like a total pro who is one with all her plants, but I'm pretty glad I told this guy. Who wants to road trip to Menlo Park for a new Phaius Lady Ramona Harris?!

Phaius Lady Ramona Harris

Pacific Orchid Show New Friends

New friend #01: Maxillaria tenuifolia otherwise known Coconut Pie Orchid because it smells like coconuts. I think his name shall be Max Coconut.

New friend #02: Coelogyne Jannine Banks "Snow White" who will now be called Miss Snow Banks.


New friend #03: Dendrobium Micro Chip who will just be named Dr. Pepper.

New friend #04: Who is also a Dendrobium but is a Dendrobium aggregatum. I'll name him Yellow Bomb and will hopefully have photos when I get him to bloom.



New Friend #05: Fern Asplenium stoloniferum who shall be named Stolo from now on. 



New Friend #06: This guy wasn't from the Orchid Exposition but I did get him yesterday and couldn't leave him out of the mix. He's a Senecio rowleyanus or string of pearls plant or string of beads. I think I'm going to call him Peas.

That wraps up the 6 new friends living in the apartment with us.

Pacific Orchid Exposition Success

Here are a few photo gems from the Orchid Exposition: 

TAZO Tea Rebrand and the Minor Mental Breakdown

While away on holiday in central Washington, I was at a grocery store with my mom cruising the aisle for new interesting packaging. In San Francisco, the options are limited because stores are so much smaller so it's hardly ever stocked with new gems. As we wondering through the tea section, I noticed in the TAZO section new, awful packaging for only the Earl Grey tea. What follows is my inner monologue for the next 15-23 seconds after seeing the terrible new branding:

Panic. Oh no, they have done a terrible, terrible "yoga modern" rebrand. Shit, shit, shit. Think, think, think. Maybe it's just this one package. They wouldn't do this to me. They understand how much beautiful color-coordinated packaging means to me, right? Right?! Shit. Fuck. They are really doing this. What do I do? What do I do? What if all the tea in San Francisco has already turned yoga mod? This might be your last chance to purchase the good packaging before it's gone. Gone forever. Quick load them all in the cart. I'm Noah, and this cart is my Arc! Quick, everyone on the arc, except you Earl Grey. It's too late for your Earl Grey; you've already turned. Wait, how will you explain all that tea to your family? Maybe it's just better if you get one box. Let's not let anyone know exactly how crazy you are about color-coordinated teas. Yes. Okay, just act cool. Just grab your favorite flav... damn you Earl Grey. Okay, just pick the prettiest colored box. Oooohh! Berry Blossom White. You love that. Remember how much you love that light blue box? Okay, act casual. Pick up the box. Inspect it like you're looking at it for the first time. Say "hmmmm" like this tea is quite an interesting find. Toss the last of its beautiful kind into the cart. Gently though. That could be the last one ever made.

Now a week after my mini supermarket mental breakdown, my speculation have been confirmed. My beautiful TAZO packaging is slowly dying a transitional death. The nail on the coffin comes this morning when Brand New posted about the re-brand. While I can say I do like the new logo, I love nothing about the packaging.

Photo: Brand New

Photo: Brand New

Isn't it great that the new packaging lets you know you can drink breakfast tea at any time of day?! Thanks for opening up the possibilities for what I was only reserving for before 11:59am. And oh my gowsh, tea is made of leaves? Who'da thunk it? Now I want to drink it, and lots of it.

Look what TAZO (or should I say Starbucks as of 1999) has done to me. All I have left are sarcasm and a flattened Berry Blossom box that now hangs on my design wall as an obituary to the old goodness that once was TAZO.

Golden Typestaches

 Along with the lovely Lauren and Joel over at Old Tom Foolery, I've created Volume 2 of the Field Guide to Typestaches. It's printed with metallic gold ink on 80lb black paper for all you fancy folks. It's a limited-edition so get yours while they're hot off the press. And even better news, for the whole month of November we'll be donating 10% of the sales to Movember.

Camellia / Tor Weeks

Foliage Series / Tor Weeks

Untitled Foliage 01

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