thai drama

I am watching a period drama called Silamanee. The costume and the scenery where the story is about are really nice. It made me want to visit Chiang Mai again.

working on kain panjang

I am still doing line drawing of this kain panjang. Progress has been good but I get tired because the light is not good. There is no sun in Vancouver now, the sky is rain or overcast all the time and I cannot do any botanical illustration under this horrible light. Anyway, it will be a few months before we get any decent light.
Anyway, I am looking at some beautiful filippino national costume, the barong tagalog. Here are a couple examples.

Year of the Dragon

This is the seasonal wagashi for the year of the dragon. It can only be enjoyed in Japan as it lasts only 1 day. I found this photo of it and I imagine it tastes wonderful.

Perfume for the Goddess

Today Naz helped me to find a perfume for my trip to Java.
I have been designing some batik shirts and length this past year and would need these designs to be executed by wax onto cloth at various batik factories by the skillful workers in Java.
On my last trip, the main purpose was to search for skilled batik workers for this artistic works. In Bandung, I will have one design of a shirt executed by Batik Komar. In Yogyakarta, Batik Winostosastro will execute another shirt that features the victim of Nyai Ratu Kidul, the Goddess of the Southern Sea. Another long batik length with the design of climbing plants and Nyai Blorong will be executed by another artist whom I will look for on future trips.
In order for the commission works to commence, I will need to ask for permission from the Goddess by performing the ritual required. Otherwise the workers will refused to commence the work because they believe that any work involves the image of Ratu Kidul will end in disaster if ritual or sacrifice is not done prior.
I am preparing for the ritual step by step.
I need to prepare my costume:
blangkon (hat), batik length, obi (to be done in Kyoto, with a blue sea dragon design), belt, surjan in purple (buy silk in Japan and cut and sew together)
I need to prepare the items for sacrifice:
I bought this perfume from Naz at the Perfume Shoppe, we found the perfect one that has rose, jasmine, Ilang Ilang (traditional flowers for sacrifice to the Goddess), it is Antonia from Pure Distance Perfume. It symbolized the colour light green. It smells fresh, light and beautiful even in hot weather.
The site for ritual:
When eventually I am there at Parangtritis Beach, I would be staying at Queen of the South Hotel, and walking to Goa Langse which is about 100 meter down the steep cliff where a sea cave is located. There I will be performing the ritual in traditional javanese costume, asking permission for the batik works to commence and to sacrifice the small bottle of Antonia perfume.