Comments on: Sumbrella

by: Amy

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:39:07 +0000

Those are wonderful.
They’re available in such a variety at the Chinese Cultural Center here. Different materials and colors…pretty awesome selection.
I’m very surprised that more people don’t use them here, especially considering the weather in Phoenix.

by: kathy

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 04:25:14 +0000

Looks like a scene from “The Concert.”

by: Daryck Monroe

Sat, 26 Jul 2008 00:12:30 +0000

Actually, yes, they are called parasols, but sunbrella is much, much cuter.

They are available in NYC - I’ve got two. You can find them at the Leekan Store on Mercer at Spring street in SoHo - they don’t offer a lot of variety, mostly blue, white and red…but that’s pretty much it.

They’re the best thing ever!!

by: Barbara

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 12:38:00 +0000

What about those little umbrellas with an elastic strap that fits around your head? Now that would be a fasion statement for NYC!

by: GraciaMichelle

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 09:04:12 +0000

According to a documentary I once saw about inventions from ancient China, parasols were invented there a very *very* long time ago!
And apparently it’s the other way around: parasols are not a special kind of adapted umbrellas, but they are the original idea that was then adapted to protect against the rain. In the word “umbrella’ you can even still recognise the root word from Latin for ’shadow’!

As for modern days/western countries: I think they just aren’t very practical, when compared to simply wearing sunscreen and a nice pair of sun glasses. Or a very big summer hat, if there isn’t much wind and you’d like to make a summery fashion statement.
That way you are protected from the sun AND you have your hands free for riding your bike/holding your shopping/waving at people you know across the street/punching thugs/whatever else you might do on an afternoon in the city.

by: Cathy

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 06:14:07 +0000

The sun umbrellas are used all the time in China as well. If you go there during summer, part of your job on the streets is to prevent getting poked in the eye with an umbrella, especially if you’re a tall person.

by: QQ

Fri, 25 Jul 2008 04:54:06 +0000

psychic. thats me, everyday. i bought my white sumbrella (can i use yr word?) from a store in Osaka for 100 yen (99 c), and nobody believed it here when i told them. 100% cotton, been using for 3 yrs now, still in good shape. and the japanese on the little tag says “made in China.”

by: delirium

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:20:38 +0000

I have a parasol (its designed to be a parasol, somewhat smaller than a regular umbrella) but I tend to get rather odd looks when I use it in NYC.

Then again people in the US (and Europe) still seem to be surprised that I don’t *want* a tan (or in my case, freckles and a burn).

by: Stephanie

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:07:26 +0000

I picked this habit up while I was in Japan as well. My husband (who has plenty of melonin I might add) always makes fun of me for carrying it around when I’m out in the sun, but it’s saved my pale Irish butt more times than I can count.

by: Gwenny

Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:11:49 +0000

I live in Arizona, and folk here do it all the time…if they are smart…