Saturday, May 23, 2009

Nothing to do with fashion | The Fashion Dungjen

Today I went gypsy hunting.

Prompted by Twitter updates from one of our professors my good friend Ryan and I knew we had to go back. (We tried to find the gypsies last year too.)


He called, said, "We're going back to find gypsies. I'll be there in five minutes."

I grabbed my camera, my wallet and was out the door.

This doesn't really have anything to do with fashion, but you have to understand, these gypsies, people, whatever, have to be spending thousands of dollars on these floral arrangements that they leave at Spring Grove Cemetery. And, seriously, gypsies are all over this pop culture stuff (They had arrangements in the shapes of Dora the Explorer, Spongebob
Squarepants, Nemo.).

So, for some back story..

My understanding is, that, back in the '40s the gypsies were traveling through Cincinnati when one of the gypsy kings died. The owner of Spring Grove cemetery allowed him to be buried for free so, now, every year the gypsies make the trek back to Cincinnati - mostly from New Jersey (although we did spot a few Georgia and Florida plates) to pay homage to their dead.

Last year, when Ryan, his boyfriend John and I went on the prowl we did a little investigating, stopping some of the cemetery grounds employees where to find the burial sites and such. The furthest back death date was
around 1946, I think. Thought it was pretty interesting.

Today we spoke to one woman who was there - part of the gypsy clan - paying homage to the dead. She said
she was originally from the Cincinnati area but had since moved to New Jersey. She used to come to Spring Grove all the time, but this year was the first time she'd been back in the last four years. She also said that all the flowers came from Swan Florist in Kentucky.

This is the stone that was near all the pop culture Disney-related arrangements.
I'm guessing it was because the boy was so young when he died..?
(Although I'm not sure when 'Grandson' is...?)

These flowers were all for the same family.

Most sites had dozens of individual arrangements.

One thing about all the arrangements: They all had beautiful, bright colors.

Here are some of those pop culture references. I think these are baby Shreks?

This arrangement says "See you all in paradise."

This is a ballerina. (Obv. ) I'm wondering if this one was another
pop culture reference. The ribbon on this one said "with Jesus."
Maybe, "Dances with Jesus" instead of "Dances with Wolves?" :]

Dora the Explorer. Seriously. Crazy awesome. This ribbon said 'BFF.' I took a picture of the monkey Deago, or whatever its name is.

Here's the fashion. A floral arrangement of pink lipstick.
She must have been my kind of lady.

Nemo and I'm guessing one of the cars from the Disney movie "Cars."

Spongebob Squarepants.

Two of the visiting women looking at the arrangements.

I think Ry was taking a picture of something..?

Regular fashion-related posts to resume in the next day or so.

11 comments:

Unknown said...

Way cool!

Anonymous said...

WOW that's where I'd go to seek out the newest fads....Spring Grove the happening place in Cincinnati!!!! What losers:(

Anonymous said...

Weather these people are "Gypsy's" or not do you think it is right to invade their privacy when mourning their dead, especially the infants.
You should have more respect for people no matter their ethnic back ground.
And "Gypsy's" when was the last time you seen a band of Gypsy's in the USA dancing around telling fortunes selling snake oil and casting spells come on get real was Big foot or the Lochness Monster with them maybe the Shoe Cobblers Elf's make their Floral arrangement's.
I can't wait till you post your next adventure chasing the Leperchaun for his Pot'o Gold.

Anonymous said...

Hi, fashion disaster I guess you have never lost some one that you love and I hope you never do but I thought I would ask you do you have a brain ?or heart or did you and your friends rayn and his boy friend john just wake up and say lets go and see the people that has lost a child or some one they love o what fun what it a party and if your real lucky some one might be crying and you can take more pictures think they are christens do you make fun of christens and what is it to you how they spend there money I want to know how you spend your mothers money and to make fun of the children’s flowers They had arrangements in the shapes of Dora the Explorer, Spongebob Squarepants, Nemo.).Its clear that the Dora was for a child that liked Dora and the card was from a best friend what is seriously. Crazy?
About that get a life I think some one is seriously. Crazy and it’s not the people who got a flower Dora for a child and you said this is the stone that was near all the pop culture Disney-related arrangements.
I'm guessing it was because the boy was so young when he died..?
(Although I'm not sure when 'Grandson' is...?) Oh uh duh Don’t strain your brain too hard thinking it is a child Duh its all so pop culture stuff I learned to spell pop culture today why don’t you and Ryan and his boy friend john get a sponge bob to day and "Dances with Wolves?" at all so pop culture

Anonymous said...

Looks like some anonymous writers need to look over what they wrote. Run on sentences, no capitalized names, no punctuation. If you're going to criticize, at least do it at an adult writing level!

Anonymous said...

HAHA! You call yourself a "Workaholic Journalist" why don't you find something worth writing about. You seem to portray a rather liberal view on life (( having two homosexual friends )). So where do you get off mocking any culture or person especially at a time of grief? If these people where asian, Indian, or african would you be commenting on how they spend they're money or calling theme slanderous words like crazy!! Just because they are honoring they're dead in a way that brings them comfort. Also I just want to ask, at any time did you ask these people if they are Gypsies, I mean do Gypsies even exist today we are living in 2009! Shame on you this is not journalism, this is called boredom! So next time you have nothing to do instead of grabbing your camera and wallet and hunting a culture of people as Hitler once done, try reading a book or taking a walk. Or maybe try reading a fashion magazine because from what I can see from your picture in the mens room, You have no style. Also I hope you washed you're white boot after sticking it in a urinal. P.S. I know your profile said you use to be chubby but why is that in past tense? If you did loose weight you should update you're pic as you still look chubby to me. ;-)

Ashley K said...

Well, I kind of find this interesting. I don't really understand why people are hating on this that much. I know it's a personal deal but I never knew of such a thing. Michael Jackson's death is a personal deal but people are talking up a storm about it. I find it to be somewhat similar in ways. And why is everyone afraid to post their actual name besides "Anonymous." It could be the same person posting for all we know! So people need to get over it! It's something some of us never knew and have learned about it through this post! It's part of the past and it's part of all our history.

Jaimie G said...

i think this is interesting and unique. Beautiful picture taking by the way.

Alyssa Ryan said...

1) This entry is totally cool.
2) Some people hang out in cemeteries. Some people like to walk around in cemeteries. I once had a boyfriend take me to a cemetery so we could walk around. It's fine to do this.
3) I visit my grandfather in the cemetery, and I could care less if anyone took a picture of me there.
4) If you're going to respond to a blog post, respond to the post. Don't play "Hate On Taylor" and point out everything that you disagree with. It's kind of tacky.
5) Learn to spell and construct proper sentences.
6) I highly doubt that Taylor was intruding upon the privacy of those viewing the graves as she mentions speaking to them...

Think before you speak, please. And, if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. This is still one of my favorite entries.

Anonymous said...

these "anonymous" responses show me nothing but the fact that more people should pursue education instead of "taylor hating." In all seriousness, someone started a sentence with the word "weather." it's particularly sad because the comment box i am typing in right at this very moment provides a rather nice spell check. go back to school, gypsies.

and taylor looks fantastic ; D
hahahahah. "chubby." not a chance.

loves it

Anonymous said...

taylor stop having ryan sign your not chubby