Karma Chocolate and Other Addictive Dahlias

Weston Spanish Dancer

Karma Chocolate, Prince of Orange, Sakura Fubuki, Spike, Thomas Edison, Amorous. These are just a few of over 200 dahlia varieties grown at Endless Summer Flower Farm in Camden, Maine. Farmer, Phil Clark, started growing the flowers in 1997 for his daughter’s wedding. Dahlia-growing became an addiction and he now enables others who are hooked or would like to be.

As for the name, “Endless Summer Flower Farm.” Well not exactly. Camden is likely to have frost before September is over. The tubers must come out of the ground before then, not to be replanted until late April. There’s Maine humor for you.

Karma Chocolate

Happy Face

White Kelvin

CPW

Cafe Au Lait

Procyon

Procyon (again)

Hamilton Lillian

Lupin Ben

Tartan

Baron Kati

Colorado Classic

Dare Devil

Just Married

Thomas Edison

Pink Flair

Farmer Phil with a spectacular Cafe Au Lait.

You will definitely get high walking the fields.

A simple Ball jar will do for a vase.

Every combination is an inspiration.

Catalog link

Scarpe Diem

Pope Pius X

served: 1903-1914

(Jonathan O'Donnell photo)

Scarpe Diem, was the name of a shoe store that used to be on the Upper West Side, and it always made me smile when I walked by. And you know what they say, "If the name fits …"

When Pope Benedict XVI recently took the historic step down from the papacy, he also had to step out of the papal red shoes. Which got me wondering. What becomes of the shoes! Was there, somewhere in the nether reaches of the Vatican, the entire history of the papacy in footwear? I could so clearly picture a long hallway or even an entire room fitted with bespoke cabinetry and vitrines for the purpose. Well, no such luck. It seems that assorted pairs of red shoes and slippers (for inside wear) worn by past pontiffs reside in various collections and museums around the world. 

While our most recent popes have opted for classic minimalism in footwear, that wasn’t always the case. So as the world eagerly awaits the puff of white smoke, let’s take a look at some of the shoes the next pope will have to fill.

Pope Pius VI

served: 1775-1799

Pope Pius VII

served: 1800-1823

Pope Leo XIII

served: 1878-1903

Pope John XXIII

served: 1958-1963

Pope Paul VI

served: 1963-1978

These next two images are from the site of Dieter Philippi. He has collected a fascinating array of religious headwear and also maintains a very informative website which includes much information about all things papal (clothing, shoes, eyeglasses, dishes) and their makers. You can read about the family shop which might at this very moment be putting the finishing touches on the shoes and robes (they prepare three sizes) that the new pope will don immediately upon his appointment.

Pope John Paul II

served:1978-2005

I love these ecclesiastical stockings as a found palette.

KEY: white=pope, red=cardinals, magenta=bishops, black=priests

The rest of the shoes below, are the work of Adriano Stefanelli. The shoemaker from Novara, a city near Milan, started making shoes for Pope John Paul II. Though JPII had a full wardrobe of red shoes and slippers, he decided to drop the custom as he preferred to wear humbler brown shoes. Stefanelli's relationship with the Vatican continued through the term of Benedict XVI, for whom he made five pairs. 

Pope John Paul II

Pope Benedict XVI

served: 2005-2013

Pope Pius IX

served: 1846-1878

Stefanelli made these replacement shoes for the remains of Pope Pius IX, whose crypt was severely damaged in a flood.

Rabbi Dov Beer Riger HaCohen, Admor of Malta

Stefanelli has made shoes for leaders of five religions, including the Chief Rabbi of Malta (above) who ordered three pairs. It's hard to know if it was a case of buy-one-get-one-free, or if the rabbi purposely bought in bulk to avoid paying retail.

As you can imagine, this 'shoemaker to the stars' has crafted footwear for numerous heads of state and a multitude of other luminaries. The slippers below, were for Michelle Obama.

60 Shades of Queen

In a tribute to Queen Elizabeth II’s signature style of monochromatically coordinated outfits, Pantone has issued this dazzling color wheel for the Diamond Jubilee.

The wheel, which was devised for Pantone by Leo Burnett London, assigns numbers and colors to specific outfits worn by the Queen on various occasions. Take Pantone 13-0755. That would be the Primrose Yellow she wore to the wedding of Will and Kate, which “speaks to the future with hope and optimism.”

The creators may have gotten a bit carried away with symbolism, however. Here’s the explication of Pantone 13-5414.

During the Queen’s landmark state visit to Ireland, the first since the country gained independence in the 1920s, she was seen in a cool shade of green. Her colour choice echoed the sentiment of her visit as green is widely seen to symbolise new beginnings, fresh thoughts and rejuvenation.

And here I thought the wearing of  Ice Green to Ireland spoke entirely for itself.

Don't expect a royal color wheel as a Pantone promo. It was printed in an extremely limited edition of 60.

VIA STYLEITE

Color Heaven Alert

Where: Mid-block on 13^th St. between Avenues A and B, in NYC’s East Village.

What: The amazing rainbow swatch wall at Guerra Pigments.

When: The wall is visible from the street so walk by any time for a chromatic mood elevation.

Extras: Inside the store are the fabulous swatch books showing the range of effects that can be achieved with Guerra’s pigment dispersals—from luminous transparency to gritty pumice paste.

Read more about Guerra in Cabinet magazine.

Ephemera Friday: Green Pieces

Not too much that's Irish here, but I'm going green from St. Paddy's Day with ephemera from my personal archive. Is drinking good for the environment? Have a great weekend!