Blog 21

4 Creature Comforts Evolution continues

One of my best sales locations had been the Port Gamble Trading Company. This store occupied the old garage in Port Gamble, not far from where I lived in Hansville. Stacy and John ran the store as a collective of vendors. Here is John with Tino and his mom, Gracey. Major attractions at the store were John’s stunning furniture he created from driftwood, and fantasy fountains from tree root balls. Because of the store’s success, they decided to branch out, opening a second location in Mill Creek, a ferry ride away on the Seattle side of the Puget Sound. The new site had been a garden nursery on a major highway. I decided to be a vendor in their new store as well. They were able to open on a shoestring just before the 2005 Holidays. I traveled to Thailand early in 2006 to select a container of goods primarily to be displayed in Mill Creek. Because there was still a nursery theme, I planned on focusing on garden art.

It had been a while since I had been to Thailand to fill a container. I was truly surprised at the changes in Bangkok. Layered on top of the old city was a veneer of sophistication that seemed so strange to me. Where once it had been impossible to get anything but a cup of instant coffee, now there were Starbucks with lines of Thais ordering fancy espresso concoctions; where there had been no bread to be found, now there were fancy bakeries offering croissants and pastries; where there had been no desserts, now there were ice cream and gelato shops.

Most Thais were now dressed in western attire, leaving the more classic Thai panangs and sabais to the street vendors. There were abundant upscale shopping malls and gourmet supermarkets with hip music. I went to the Blues Bowl, where you could play candlepin bowling to a live band with psychedelic lights. In an effort to cool down due to the extreme heat and humidity, I decided to go to a movie at Paragon Cinema. I thought it was a bit expensive for Thailand, but I was looking forward to a few hours of cooling relief. I was in awe once inside the theater. I was ushered to a lounge, served a cocktail and snacks before being escorted to the theater. I was seated at a Barcalounger, offered a silk blanket, and another cocktail was placed on my own side table! The movie and sound experience was all-encompassing. I had never experienced this level of movie entertainment at home. This was definitely not the Bangkok I knew so well years ago.

The Chatuchak Weekend Market was disappointing since I didn’t discover any new finds. It was upsetting to see creatures that should not be for sale, especially in such extreme heat. I was glad to get away from there. Getting around the city was a dream from years past, with unbearable traffic and congested streets. The Sky Train connected the city and was easy to use. Plus, water taxis were now also updated and easily accessible. Some things never change, however. A visit to Wat Po, one of the oldest Buddhist temples in Bangkok, is always exceptional. Beauty and serenity filled my soul here as always.

After five days in Bangkok, I was ready to wing my way to Chiang Mai to stay with my friends Darryl and Prasert in their newly finished masterpiece: Ban Ming Ming, the House of Ming Ming, a beloved dog. Darryl designed this house surrounded by a moving waterway moat system stocked with over 150 carp. It seems impossible that they started with a vacant piece of land on a river and evolved it so quickly with lush gardens and trees. I was their first guest, staying for five weeks!

Prasert would go out early in the morning and bring home unknown food presents for breakfast, wrapped in banana leaves for me to try. Always suspicious, I was told to try, and I would see if I liked it. My adventurous spirit never included being an omnivore, however. We typically ate in the dining pavilion surrounded by water, accessed by stepping stones from the kitchen. Their female min pin, Gigi, gave birth to five puppies while I was there, to my delight. Their house was conveniently close to their warehouse.

Our days were spent seeking goods for my container during the day and socializing in the evenings. Some of the highlights included a Thai housewarming, one of Thailand's biggest cultural events besides a funeral. There were 1500 people. Two blocks were closed off for the event, with a huge stage for a band. It was a very memorable night. We attended a high-style jazz concert, Global Spirit at Hospital University. We went to a movie to raise money for children with exceptional needs. We went to a block party of maids where there were 100’s of people, live music, and great food. Many nights, we would be home to barbecue our dinner in the dining pavilion. We often ate out at a variety of restaurants with our friends around Chiang Mai as well. They treated me like a princess!

A typical Thai breakfast is a consume soup with cilantro, noodles, and blocks of congealed chicken blood, which I would invariably remove due to being finicky! This was an easy, inexpensive, and quick start to our long days, first at their warehouse before setting out to explore. The crew at the warehouse consisted of many of Prasert’s relatives. His brother, Pradeet, supervised shipping; his wife, Jew, served as the office manager; and their 9-year-old son, Nong Nai, helped out, singing all the while. While searching for goods, I was intrigued by furniture and gazebos made from recycled wagon parts. Our journey of local goods continued over the weeks to a village famous for exquisitely carved elephants, shopping for antique puppets, textiles from Nagaland, a visit to my favorite Baan Phor Llang Muen’s Terracotta Factory, and a great new source of garden fountains, plaques, and art made of resin with a sandy, gritty finish.

In the village of Baan Tawai, I found a soul sister known as Marilyn because she was obsessed with Marilyn Monroe. She invited us to join her and a friend for a lovely lunch at her gallery, gifted me several necklaces she had made, which I still wear, and continued to give me rock bottom pricing on her collection of antiques. I was overwhelmed with her generosity. I made a serious dent in her inventory. Another highlight was dinner with Gary and Noy Whip with their daughter, Nina. We met them at the charming Galae Restaurant, located on a pond with spectacular gardens. Gary, originally from Portland, OR, started a cottage industry with Noy years earlier with village women handknitting cotton sweaters. I had been a returning customer of theirs for years. It had been my pleasure to share with clients that when they retired, the village women used the money they had been saving over the years to purchase a rubber plantation and start their own business. It was such a great example of empowering people to take advantage of a helping hand and become independent.

Prasert grew up in severe poverty as a child, sleeping under a barn, tending cows, and walking miles to school. He took me to a temple where he introduced me to a monk who truly saved his life when he was a small, starving boy. Monks receive gifts of food in the morning from the community, a ritual called pindapata, which is their one meal of the day. This monk shared his bowl of alms with Prasert. They remain deeply bonded. Prasert is a rare Thai to have evolved from poverty to a successful businessman.

I met Ginger at the warehouse, one of Darryl and Prasert’s returning clients. She arrived from Nepal with a bad cold. Prasert’s doctor had her ready to “shop” in a few days. Since we hit it off immediately, we were willing to work on our container shopping together. We had fun looking at clothing, bags, baskets ...laughing at signs like: Grilled Rats Ahead! We are still friends today. I even had an opportunity to visit her off-road complex of buildings filled with treasures from around the world in Richmond, IL, in 2011.

I went on a five-day road trip with Darryl and Prasert. First stop: the Wat Phra That Hariphunchai in Lamphun, dating to the 11th century. The Chedi Suwanna, an unusual pyramid shape, hosts an impressive sixty images of Buddha. Continuing southwest to Mai Sot, we crossed the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge on foot to Mywaddy, Burma.

We found amazing antiques from our connection with Old Lady Bangor, like a unique hand-carved dragon gong and an intricate wall carving shown here. I passed on buying bags of dried frogs for making soup, however. Dinner at The Middle Earth included my first black chicken meat from Asian chickens with black bones, skin, and feathers...I did not order the fish stomachs!

Next stop was the ancient city of Ayutthaya to the southeast. The last time I was here, I focused on stone carvings, including several commissioned pieces, but this time we browsed and enjoyed a relaxed meal of grilled giant river prawns on a floating dock on the Chao Phaya River ( River of Kings). We fed the river tiger fish our leftovers, creating a frenzy of fins and tails. Two more places to visit before we head back up north to Chiang Mai: West to Korat, then north-west to Sukhothai. In Korat, we found an abundance of fabulous garden art.

Sukhothai is traditionally known as the first Thai kingdom, but the current consensus is that the history of the Thai people began much earlier. The Sukhothai temple ruins, "the Dawn of Happiness”, cover a vast area that includes a royal palace and twenty-six temples.

Wat Mahathat, maybe the most significant, is based on a mandala representing the universe. The Wat Sri Sawai, also known as the Temple of Mangoes, was originally a Hindu shrine for Vishnu, built in the 12th century by the Khmer empire. There are three laterite prangs enclosed by a double rampart and a moat. We shopped for exquisite pottery vases before asking for directions home to Chiang Mai. A quick stop to buy 20 lbs. of tamarind, and we are off. We had the most amazing sighting of a tiger that night on the road!

Darryl and Prasert sent their trucks to collect all my purchased goods, both locally and afar. It’s a daunting process to inventory everything, pack it, and know when you have reached the limit of what the 40-foot container will hold. This is where Darryl’s mathematical genius is essential. Luckily, they had items I could buy from their warehouse stock to fill in holes if needed. The timing was perfect. The container arrived in June, early enough to stock the new Mill Creek Garden Store.

The majority of this container was selected for this new venue. I managed to have a gazebo erected there. It was a bit trickier than I had expected, but the result was spectacular. The summer was super busy with the standard weekend festivals, keeping the storefronts supplied, managing the care of my dad, my Lady horse, Tino, Tibet, and Jasper kitties, and life in general. I was grateful for Geddy’s help at Labor Day’s Bumbershoot Festival. He flew in just for that one week, and I followed him back to Bar Harbor, ME, a few days later on September 10th to see his new business, Panama Geddy’s Mount Desert Island Taxi & Tours.

Wanting to impress me, he booked a room at the prestigious Bar Harbor Club and a ticket for a whale-watching trip. We did see a minke whale and a basking shark. While I was there, Geddy fired his dispatcher, David, due to a drinking incident. I was his dispatcher for a few days until Geddy cooled off, allowing David back. This was not the first ( or the last) time they had issues. Geddy’s fleet of taxis consisted of vintage Cadillacs. He lent me one for a side trip, first to my hometown, Norwell, MA, then to visit Ali in Cumberland, RI, and lastly, to spend a few days on Martha’s Vineyard with my cousin Susan.

Staying with old friends Lynn and David in Norwell is always a warm and cozy treat. Their old colonial home is full of antiques and charm, reminding me of the home I grew up in, not very far away.

Pictured here is my home with the giant buttonwood tree in the front yard, which I visited, and my Mom’s memorial plaque at the Unitarian Church in our tiny town center. My closest friend growing up, Ali, who had been living in Kuwait for decades, had recently moved to Cumberland, RI. She had found a condo in an old mill building that once produced wool and cotton fabrics. Her place was as dramatic as her flair for fashion, with fabrics draping from the ceilings, gorgeous Persian rugs, giant antique armoires, and exotic global artifacts… a feast for the eyes. Her passion was setting herself up as a mermaid at the Blackstone River Walk Market. Ali wore a glamorous mermaid costume. She sat on a high-backed chair with a glass jar full of colorful glass bobbles in front of her that children could select to take home. After sharing a joyful time with Ali, I drove to Woods Hole on Cape Cod to catch the Martha’s Vineyard Ferry. My cousin Susan, who lives in West Hartford, CT, has owned a cottage on the island with several partners for years. They each have dedicated weeks during the year. The Vineyard and Nantucket hold a cherished place in my life, as does my cousin. We took the time to explore the island’s gifts of nature: hiking on beaches, trails, and kayaking. We created some great meals, checked out art galleries, and discovered yummy restaurants. The time went too fast!

Back to Bar Harbor, Geddy had scheduled us to take the high-speed ferry, The Cat, to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, for a long day trip with little dog Starr, of course. He also made arrangements for us to go on a Glider plane ride. This was an absolutely amazing experience! Once airborne and released, it was hard to believe how silent it was to glide along the currents of air. It was breathtaking to view Acadia National Park with Cadillac Mountain in full autumn foliage, surrounded by the deep blue of the Atlantic Ocean.

Our only issue was that we couldn’t take any photos because we were so crammed into the cabin, it was impossible. Geddy was able to get complimentary tickets for everything he arranged as part of his touring business. I really scored!

In early October, Darryl asked me to help him out of a jam in Las Vegas. A client was extremely late in paying for a container. I agreed to buy all the goods at a discount. This was risky for me as I hadn’t selected these items myself. But there’s not much I wouldn’t do for Darryl, who is like a brother to me. I sent my worker, Wayne, there to load a truck and drive it back to Hansville with Darryl. It was a mixed bag of goods, but it all worked out in the end.

There were several bronze replicas of Frederick Remington’s work, like Coming

Through the Rye. Darryl enjoyed visiting the Mill Creek store, where he got to see my displays of the Thailand products from our Winter travels.

I started making art that fall from recycled finds on the beach, or hiking, or wherever. This quickly became a new passion, one I still love to do. November and December were a blur of work and social events. At Christmas dinner with friends, it came up that Dad had just bought a new truck. I remember another elderly dad at the table who was incredulous that my dad was still allowed to drive. I remember this clearly because in the new year to come, this will change.