Elite Lifestyle Magazine : Issue 62 by 《時尚精英》: Premier Chinese Luxury Magazine

E L I TE 時尚精英

A Smarter Way to Shop for Skin Care 認識行銷術語聰明消費護膚品

JULY-SEPTEMBER 2023

Hilton Carter: Transform Your Home and Heart With Houseplants 植物風格大師的居家改造心法

The Ultimate Road Trip Along the Mississippi 密西西比河壯遊祕笈

SAVORING THE

ISSUE 62

CULTURAL ESSENCE Inside the Top-Tier Chinese Restaurant in New York

名廚人生護膚潮流文化探詢北美旅遊

The HeavenlyPhoenix Collection Luxurious gems float atop wing-like clouds, expressing the majestic grace of phoenixes bringing the beauty of the heavens to Earth. Exclusive offer for Elite readers: Save 10% with code ELITE10. THE HEAVENLY PHOENIX NECKLACE Natural sapphire/aquamarine, diamonds, 18kt white gold. Made in Taiwan.

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目錄 CONTENTS 4

Editor’s Pick: Love That Lavender

Editor’s Pick: Liven Up Summer

A Smarter Way to Shop for Skin Care: How to make informed choices for skin care products

編輯精選：薰夏情懷

編輯精選：亮彩輕裝

如何在護膚品中聰明消費——認識各項潮流標籤

Beauty Editor’s Summer Picks

Take It From Etiquette Coach Myka Meier

Inside the Most Expensive Chinese Restaurant in America: Chef Guo

美妝保養夏日嚴選

翻轉「禮儀」印象——麥卡˙梅爾禮儀教練的入門指南

一品國宴食藝——頂級中餐主廚郭文俊的料理哲學

Teleport to China Through The Huntington Botanical Gardens

Hilton Carter: Transform Your Home and Heart With Houseplants

遁入中國園林——遊漢庭頓圖書館中式主題花園

植物風格專家希爾頓˙卡特實用養護心法

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58 COVER Chef Guo's Silver Cod Steak, a delicate fusion of East and West, is cooked with traditional Chinese methods but plated in Western style. Read the full story on page 22. Photography by Hongda Zhu

Home Editor’s Pick: Coastal Tranquility

家居編輯精選：沿海時刻

The Breakers: The Vanderbilts’ Summer Residence 走進紐波特夏日名邸——聽濤山莊

The Great River Road Trip: Tour Along the Mississippi

啟程吧！密西西比大河之旅

序 EDITOR’S NOTE 表裡相濟

禮儀教練麥卡．梅爾（Myka Meier）在其社群媒體上，深入淺出分享日常中實用的禮儀知識。她開辦禮儀學院，豐富趣味的禮儀學習，使更多人從中體會其美好與意義。藉由本專題故事，您或許能發掘截然不同的「禮儀」面貌。生機蓬勃的夏日，是否也想將戶外的綠意盎然帶進家中？透過居家植物風格專家希爾頓．卡特（Hilton Carter）的分享，近一步探索栽種植物之樂趣，不僅為了美觀，背後更有受用一生的處世哲學。本期封面故事，走進全紐約最頂級的中式料理餐館，與官府養生菜的創辦人——郭文俊展開對話。千錘百鍊的廚藝、對料理無盡的追尋，在曼哈頓群雄割據的餐飲世界裡，呈上一席堪比國宴的料理，招待世界各方的名流貴

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賓，是什麼讓他一步步地踏上這段旅程？無論是禮儀學習，養護植物的過程，又或是精心設計的料理，亮麗成果背後，來自未曾停歇的自我探索與挑戰，在追尋旅途中，遇見更好的自己。盼本季內容給您一別以往的樂趣！

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大量現貨歡迎設計師洽談合作

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EDITOR'S PICK

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Liven Up Summer 亮彩輕裝 Crochet is back! This summer, use it to style your favorite top with light-colored jeans and a straw hat. Try accessorizing with bold, colorful pieces for a dash of pizazz and individuality. Throw all your must-haves into an oversized tote, and you are good to go.

編織風格是本季的時尚亮點之一，搭配俏麗的淺色牛仔與遮陽草帽，選擇繽紛的彩石首飾，帶點童趣的活潑感。若剛好為度假準備，別忘了大容量的托特包，既實用又別有

1 ERDEM, FLORAL-PRINT, COTTON-TRIMMED RAFFIA SUNHAT, $490, NET-A-PORTER.COM | 2 SYDNEY EVAN, TINY GROOVY EYE 14K GOLD-BEADED CHOKER WITH DIAMOND, $870, MYTHERESA.COM | 3 E.M., GRAPE EARRINGS, $225, FARFETCH.COM | 4 ETRO, CROPPED CROCHETED SILK SWEATER, $2,350, NET-APORTER.COM | 5 NIALAYA JEWELRY, BEADED DRAWSTRING BRACELET, $159, FARFETCH. COM | 6 CHLOÉ, MARCIE LEATHER-TRIMMED TOTE BAG, $1,950, MYTHERESA.COM | 7 BLUMARINE, EMBROIDERED HIGH-RISE STRAIGHT JEANS, $1,900, MYTHERESA.COM | 8 ALANUI, DAISY CROCHET ESPADRILLES, $685, MYTHERESA.COM 6

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IMAGES BY NET-A-PORTER, FARFETCH, AND MYTHERESA.COM.

一番風采。

ELITE BEAUTY

Clean, Natural, Organic: What Does It All Mean? Here’s how to make informed choices 如何在護膚品中聰明消費 By Ida Pink 您是否曾試著閱讀保養品或化妝品上的成分表，卻被一長串陌生的名詞弄得一頭霧水？是否也曾對於這些產品的成分安全性感到疑慮？作為消費者，確實要對產品保有警覺心，畢竟皮膚是人身上最大的器官，我們塗抹那些外用產品後，皮膚會吸收，再進入人體系統，進而影響到我們的健康。把關產品安全性的消費意識逐年漸長，人們也對護膚產品擁有辨識能力，並想尋找更安全無虞的商品。但難題不止一道，面對美妝產業中令人眼花撩亂的行銷術語，我們能如何過濾出您真正需要的產品呢？諸如「天然」、「有機」和「純淨」等用詞。本篇文章將帶您進一步了解。天然保養會使用從大自然取得的原料。不過「天然」一詞，並未受到美國食品藥物管理局（U.S. Food and

ave you ever found yourself reading the ingredients list on skin care products or makeup, wondering about the long list of strange names, and feeling concerned about putting a product on your skin? We should be concerned, as the skin is the largest organ in the body, and what we put on it gets absorbed into our skin and into our whole body. Consequently, what we put on our skin can affect our health. As people grow increasingly aware and discerning of what they put on their skin and look for safe options, how do we sift through all the confusing marketing jargon that is tossed around in the beauty industry? Some of it is even misleading, such as “natural,” “organic,” and “clean.” This summary will help guide you along the way. 8│

Drug Administration，簡稱FDA）的管制，意思是天然保養品並沒有規範的定義或標準。美妝品牌為了符合行銷策略，能夠照自己想表達的任何意思，將產品標榜為「天然保養品」。所以，若一間公司聲稱自家產品很天然，也未必代表這些產品都是使用天然原料製造而成的。有機保養的產品中含有不使用農藥與化肥栽種的原料。FDA 目前沒有管制在化妝品或保養品中使用的「有機」字眼，但是依照美國農業部（U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE，簡稱 USDA）國家有機計畫的規定，如果產品的配方是以農業原料製成，就能夠被認證為有機的產品。為了獲得 USDA 的有機標章，該配方至少須由 95% 的有機原料組成，而這些原料必須以無農藥、不使用人工肥料的方式栽種。而如果產品上標示「有機成分製造」，表示它需有 70% 以上的有機成分。純淨保養的產品可由天然、有機或人工合成原料製成，但是這些原料必須無毒性，且對人體無害。一般來說，天然和有機的護膚品牌通常會重視產品中的成分，而純淨

IMAGES COURTESY OF CONTENT PIXIE/UNSPLASH AND SHUTTERSTOCK.

Natural skin care uses ingredients sourced from nature. The term “natural” is not FDA- regulated, meaning there is no standard definition or criteria for natural skin care. “Natural skin care” can mean whatever a brand wants it to mean, whatever aligns with its marketing strategy. Just because a company claims its products are natural does not mean they are made with only natural ingredients. Organic skin care contains organically grown ingredients that are free from pesticides. The FDA does not regulate the organic label on cosmetics or skin care products, but if the formula is made from agricultural ingredients, it can be certified organic in accordance with the USDA National Organic Program. To carry the USDA Organic Seal, the formula must be made of at least 95 percent organic ingredients grown without pesticides, artificial fertilizers, and synthetic ingredients. If something is labeled "made with organic ingredients,” it contains at least 70 percent organic ingredients. Clean skin care can be made of either natural, organic, or synthetic ingredients, but the key is that the products must be nontoxic and not harmful to the body. In general, natural and organic brands tend to focus on what is in them, while clean brands focus on what is not in them. Clean beauty products typically include a long list of “free from” toxins and questionable ingredients (like parabens and sulfates) that are excluded from the formulations. Natural ingredients are not all automatically good for you (many plant-based ingredients, like limonene and bitter orange, can cause irritation or allergic reactions). Likewise, synthetic, lab-made products are not automatically toxic or bad for you. Nonetheless, people are increasingly turning to the concept of clean beauty, which has gained a lot of attention and popularity in recent years.

保養的品牌則是注重產品中的未添加成分。純淨保養的產品通常會含有一長串清單，其上列出產品中所「不含」的毒素或堪慮等成分（如對羥基苯甲酸酯（Parabens）與硫酸鹽（Sulfates））。天然成分不見得就是好的（很多以植物為主的成分，像是檸檬烯（limonene）和苦橙（bitter orange），會導致發炎或過敏反應），有些成分則是許多人需避開的過敏源，例如取自於大豆和小麥的原料。同樣地，人工合成的產品則未必有毒或對人有害。因此，越來越多人開始以純淨保養為原則，近年來，該保養主張備受關注。那麼，以下就讓我們稍微深入了解一番。純淨保養究竟是什麼？純淨保養就等同於無毒保養，它也沒有正式或法定的定義，但根據所有相關產品的品牌的說法中，其核心概念為——產品對人體健康無害，且要符合以下兩相主要標準：

1. 乾淨的成分純淨保養的產品必須只含有安全、乾淨的成分，並不含環境荷爾蒙（內分泌干擾物）、致癌物、已知的刺激性成分和過敏原。要如何得知某成分是否乾淨呢？有個很棒的網站叫 The Good Face Project （goodfaceproject.com），上面會分析化妝品成分，並把各項成分以安全性和毒性做出分級。

2. 成分標示透明保養品牌應該列出它有使用的所有成分，並清楚標示在各產品上。然而，不是所有品牌都完全公開透明，很多品牌會利用包裝和標示誤導消費者，使用一些流行用語如「天然」、「環保」（eco）等字眼來吸引消費者。總而言之，純淨保養的意思就是某樣產品安全、無毒，且成分標示公開透明。它並非純天然或純有機，也可以含有安全的人工合成原料與安全的防腐劑。只要某樣人工合成的成分是無毒且無害的，就能作為純淨保養產品中的成分來使用。

WHAT EXACTLY IS CLEAN BEAUTY? Clean beauty is synonymous with nontoxic beauty. There is no official or legal definition, but in general, it means that the product is not harmful to one’s health and satisfies these two main criteria: 1. Clean Ingredients The product must contain only safe, clean ingredients and be free of hormone disruptors, carcinogens, │9

avoid. For example, Sephora‘s website cites more than 50 ingredients that its clean brands exclude, such as parabens, phthalates, and mineral oil. Keep in mind that labels on beauty products are only for your reference, for comparison. The claims are not a guarantee, as many of the terms don’t have official definitions. 如何選擇更加安全的護膚品在尋找安全的保養品時，粗略瀏覽包裝上的標籤仍不完備，因為有很多用詞容易使人誤解。為確保妳想找的產品是安全的，應該要研究該保養品牌、仔細閱讀成分標示，並檢查這些產品所擁有的認證標章。除了清楚自己的購物需求，也應積極了解我們需要避開的成分，舉例來說，著名美妝零售品牌 Sephora 公開列出其純淨保養品牌中不含有的成分，有超過 50 種，包括對羥基苯

known irritants, and allergens. So how do we know if an ingredient is clean? A good resource is The Good Face Project (goodfaceproject.com), which analyzes cosmetic ingredients and grades them based on their safety and toxicity. 2. Transparent Labels A beauty brand should also list all of its ingredients and label them accordingly. However, not all brands are transparent, as Many mislead consumers with their packaging and labels, with buzzwords like “natural,” “eco,” and the like to attract customers. In summary, clean beauty means that a product is safe, nontoxic, and has transparent labeling of ingredients. Clean beauty does not have to be all-natural or organic. There are also safe synthetic, man-made ingredients and safe preservatives. As long as a certain synthetic ingredient is nontoxic and has no harmful effects, it can be incorporated into clean beauty products. HOW TO CHOOSE SAFER SKIN CARE PRODUCTS When looking for safe skin care that also delivers the results you want, simply scanning packaging labels is not enough, as many terms are misleading. Research the brand, read the ingredients labels, and check out the product certifications, if any. Besides knowing what to look for, we need to know what to 10│

甲酸酯（Parabens）、鄰苯二甲酸酯（Phthalates）和礦物油等。不過無論是上述哪一種聲明與標章，都只是一種幫助您了解產品的標示，而非官方認證，作為消費者，應辨明其中區別再行消費。

TIPS 其他建議 ❶ Research the brand to learn about its philosophy and values. 對品牌進行研究，了解該品牌的經營哲學與理念。 ❷ Try to buy clean beauty products and also streamline your skin care routine (more is not always better). Keep three key principles in mind: Keep your skin clean, moisturized, and protected from the sun. 若想嘗試購買純淨保養產品，也先試著簡化妳的日常保養步驟（更多不等於更好）。記住三個關鍵原則：讓肌膚保持乾淨、保溼，並注意防曬。 ❸ While a beauty brand may carry some clean products, this does not necessarily mean the entire brand is clean, unless specifically stated. The truth is in the ingredients list. 雖然某些保養品牌有幾樣乾淨安全的產品，未必代表整個品牌產品都是如此—— 除非它有明確地聲明。想知道真相，就得閱讀成分標示。

Avène: Tolerance Control Collection A clean skin care collection for hypersensitive and reactive skin. The 100% sterile formulas are made with only a few essential ingredients to provide maximum safety and tolerance without compromising efficacy. Avène Thermal Spring Water ($9.50–18.50): Soothing and calming thermal water spray. Tolerance Extremely Gentle Cleanser ($25): Soothing and gentle cleanser lotion in a no-rinse, wipe-off formula. Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Balm ($36): Rich, soothing balm. Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream ($36): Lightweight soothing cream. (www.aveneusa.com)

Chantecaille This French luxury beauty brand was one of the skin care pioneers that switched out skinharming chemicals for skin-loving botanicals. By combining nature and science, the brand has some of the most effective clean beauty products on the market. Pure Rosewater ($80): Packed with antiaging essential oils and artesian well water, this iconic hydrating staple is made using 100% of the Rose de Mai's petal. (chantecaille.com)

3 Niki Newd This "fresh skin care" line from Finland offers skin care products that are made according to the same principles applied to healthy nutrition: fresh, traceable ingredients that are pure, nutritious, and effective and are free of additives and preservatives. Prices range from 35–155 euros, and the company ships worldwide. (www.nikinewd.com)

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ELITE BEAUTY

Editor’s Summer Picks 夏日嚴選 By Ida Pink

BioNova: Targeted Anti-Aging Collection BioNova's Hyper-Natural approach to skin care focuses on finding antiaging solutions within our body, not externally, using ingredients specifically developed to replicate chemicals naturally occurring within our bodies. The targeted Anti-Aging Treatment collection includes at-home care treatments for hard-to-treat areas, using filler-free technology that focuses on boosting the skin to regenerate and self-firm naturally. The entire collection has seven treatments that target the following areas: forehead, nose to mouth, upper lip, neck, hands, elbows, and knees.

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Frown Wrinkle Control with UV Chromophores ($72) Nose-to-Mouth Wrinkle Treatment with UV Chromophores ($72) Anti Aging Upper Lip Treatment with UV Chromophores ($72) (shopbnscience.com)

Creed: White Flowers Delicately divine, this fresh and captivating floral-rich blend of white flowers is a work of art in form and fragrance. ($610 for 75 mL, creedboutique.com)

Immupure: Hydrating and Rejuvenating Body Cream Harnessing the power of colostrum and natural growth-factor proteins that support and promote collagen and elastin production, this rich and hydrating body cream improves firmness and tone, leaving skin wonderfully soft and rejuvenated. ($180 for 200 g, immupure.com)

Perricone MD Cold Plasma Plus+ The Essence ($179–$229): This intensely hydrating and balancing treatment essence improves uneven texture and tone and visibly improves skin clarity and radiance. High Potency Face Finishing & Firming Toner ($45): This rose-scented toner instantly revitalizes, refines, and minimizes the appearance of pores for firmer, smootherlooking skin. Vitamin C Ester Intensive Dark Spot Treatment ($69): Designed with three forms of vitamin C, this dark-spot serum visibly reduces the most stubborn age spots, dark-brown sunspots, and discoloration. (perriconemd.com)

DefenAge

IMAGES COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK.

This advanced antiaging and dermatologistrecommended clean skin care brand uses Age-Repair Defensins, a patent-pending peptide complex, to help rejuvenate skin naturally and effectively. 3D Eye Radiance Cream ($127 for 15 mL): Radiance-promoting antiaging eye cream. 2-Minute Reveal Masque ($74 for 71 g): Warming exfoliating, brightening, and resurfacing face mask. 6-Week Perfection Neck Tightening Cream ($127 for 45 mL): Fast-acting antiaging neck cream. 24/7 Barrier Balance Anti-Aging Cream ($127 for 45 mL): Intensely hydrating antiaging cream. 8-in-1 BioSerum ($264 for 45 mL): Concentrated, fast-acting antiaging serum. 10 Luxe Hand and Body Cream ($184 for 120 mL): Fast-acting antiaging hand and body cream. (defenage.com)

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ELITE BEAUTY

SUMMER SWEETNESS 甜美輕盈夏日妝彩 By Ida Pink

Perricone MD: No Makeup Makeup This unique skin care-infused makeup collection blends effortlessly with the skin, creating a natural and luminous “no makeup look.” No Makeup Bronzer SPF 15 ($35), No Makeup Highlighter ($35), No Makeup Eyeshadow ($35), No Makeup Blush ($35), No Makeup Foundation Serum SPF 20 ($60), No Makeup Mascara ($35), No Makeup Lipstick SPF 15 ($30) 14│

(perriconemd.com)

IMAGE COURTESY OF K-ANGLE/GETTY IMAGES.

5 1 RMS BEAUTY, UNCOVERUP CONCEALER, $38, RMSBEAUTY.COM

2 RMS BEAUTY, REEVOLVE NATURAL FINISH LIQUID FOUNDATION, $52, RMSBEAUTY.COM

3 CHANTECAILLE, LIP CHIC IN GYPSY ROSE, $42, CHANTECAILLE.COM

4 CHANTECAILLE, PHILANTHROPY CHEEK SHADES, $44, CHANTECAILLE.COM 5 SISLEY-PARIS, PHYTO-ROUGE SHINE IN SHEER FLAMINGO, $63, SISLEY-PARIS.COM 6 SISLEY-PARIS, PHYTO-EYE TWIST IN 19 SUNSET, $58, SISLEY-PARIS.COM

7 STILA, NOBILITY EYE SHADOW PALETTE, $36, STILACOSMETICS.COM

8 STILA, TRIFECTA METALLICA LIP, EYE, & CHEEK STICK, $26, STILACOSMETICS.COM 9 STILA, STAY ALL DAY ARTISTIX GRAPHIC LINER IN FLAMENCO, $24, STILACOSMETICS.COM

10 RMS BEAUTY, REDIMENSION HYDRA POWDER BLUSH IN FRENCH ROSE, $28, RMSBEAUTY.COM 11 CHANTECAILLE, SHEER GLOW ROSE FACE TINT, $79, CHANTECAILLE.COM

12 STILA, COMPLETE HARMONY LIP & CHEEK STICK IN SHEER PETUNIA, $28, STILACOSMETICS.COM 13 SISLEY-PARIS, L'ORCHIDÉE CORAL, $127, SISLEY-PARIS.COM

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ELITE PEOPLE

TAKE IT FROM

ETIQUETTE COACH MYKA MEIER True grace radiates from a heart of kindness 翻轉「禮儀」印象禮儀教練麥卡 · 梅爾的不敗心法

By Hazel Atkins Pictures courtesy of Myka Meier

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN AMERICAN ESSENCE MAGAZINE.

yka Meier, founder of Beaumont Etiquette and the Plaza Hotel Finishing Program, knows first-hand that knowledge of the codes of etiquette does not come automatically. “If I can learn it, anyone can!” she said, laughing. Bright-eyed, lively, and smiling, her exquisite poise is familiar to anyone who has watched her short, fun, and informative YouTube videos. Despite having a natural grace that many might consider unattainable, Meier’s humor and openness give her warmth and make her relatable. These qualities make the rules of etiquette seem easy, and she believes that they are. She offers classes through her New York-based international etiquette school; has a YouTube channel providing tips on how to tie a scarf, how to withdraw from toxic relationships, and how to drink tea properly; and has published two books on etiquette, the first of which sold out in 24 hours. Her business is

麥卡．梅爾（Myka Meier），禮儀學院 Beaumont Etiquette 與廣場飯店禮儀課程創辦人，她切身體會，禮儀規範不是人與身俱來的能力。「如果我能學會，那麼誰都能學會！」她笑著說。梅爾眼神明亮，充滿活力，在 YouTube 影音平臺上見過她的人，應該很熟悉她的從容與優雅，在其頻道中有許多有趣且富含知識的短片。可能有很多人會認為，她天生優雅，這並非能靠自學而來，但其談吐幽默且坦率，熱情渲染觀眾，進而產生共鳴，讓學習禮儀規範不再那般沉重，而她也認為，禮儀學習應該輕鬆自在。梅爾在紐約創立國際禮儀學院，開設了實體課程，並創建 YouTube 頻道，提供日常禮儀小技巧，像是領巾的打法、如何擺脫不健康的人際關係（在西方文化中，有「毒性關係」一說），和下午茶的正確喝法等。她還出

Left page: Meier holding a class in the Plaza Hotel in New York. In her courses, she offers real-life tips that can be easily applied to everyday social interactions.

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thriving, and people are hungry for more. So, what is she teaching, and how is she teaching that makes something commonly regarded as old-fashioned seem relevant, meaningful, and necessary?

Meier believes that how you dress represents respect and thoughtfulness toward the person whom you’re going to meet.

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ETIQUETTE IS FOR EVERYONE The concept of etiquette can seem intimidating, stuffy, old-fashioned, and overbearing. And yet, in the West, we regard certain figures with admiration and perhaps even reverence for their poise, self-control, and grace: Princess Diana, bending sweetly to take the hand of a child in India; slender Kate Middleton, seated with her legs slanted off to the side. If we love to observe these people, then perhaps we do not find grace, poise, and good manners so stuffy after all. Do we, in fact, wish to be more like them ourselves? Meier’s approach to etiquette is the opposite of stuffy and overbearing. With her wide smile, she laughs and tells anecdotes of social blunders she has made. She references pop culture and celebrities to keep her content up-to-date. She gives classes fun names like “The Duchess Effect.” But more importantly, she has an underlying guiding philosophy that people are keen to hear. For Meier, at the heart of good manners, poise, and grace is compassion and respect for others. You might be impressive at your next job interview, but what you’re really signaling with your polish is kindness, care, and consideration for the people around you. She said, “You’re doing what is the most respectful, kind, and considerate thing in that moment—it’s about emotional intelligence.” It was emotional intelligence that made Meier want to learn more about etiquette. She was living in London, the only American working in a British company, and she realized there was a kind of unspoken code of behavior that was foreign and mysterious to her. In a desire to feel more comfortable and avoid social gaffes that created awkward situations, she took her first etiquette class. “I must have made every mistake in the book,” she said, laughing. She was astonished at how much more confident she felt after taking etiquette classes, and she noticed that once she stopped feeling so shy and anxious in social situations, other people around her seemed more at ease as well. One of her teachers had been Princess Diana’s aide. ”She taught me all the things

Meier’s finishing program teaches dining etiquette and social graces.

that she taught Diana, and I thought, wait a second, here I am, just a middle-class American practicing something that I thought you had to be a princess to learn.” Once she saw that etiquette was something anyone could learn and that it was fun and transformative, she started holding cocktail parties for her girlfriends and teaching them tips. Word spread. “Soon enough we would have massive dinner parties where I was teaching everybody over dinner the correct formal etiquette,” she said. “I thought you had to be born with it. But I realized that etiquette is just about kindness and showing respect and consideration. Anyone can learn this.” She started Beaumont Etiquette in London first, and in 2014, she opened an office in New York. In 2016, she partnered with the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York, and the Plaza Hotel Finishing Program was born. “I love doing this,” she said. “I teach confidence through etiquette.” For etiquette classes to be appealing in America, they have to be relevant, approachable, and relatable, she said She started her classes by creating a judgment-free zone where people could ask her anything. She told her classes to forget everything they think

版了兩本禮儀著作，第一本在上市後的 24 小時內便售罄。梅爾的事業正蓬勃發展，大眾也渴望看見她提供更多禮儀知識。那麼，她教的是什麼？一般認為過時的觀念，透過其詮釋，變成了人人能有所共鳴、有意義又不可或缺的技巧，她是如何辦到的？禮儀不分階級談及「禮儀」，各式教條可能會令人緊張，讓人以為這是件專橫、沉悶又古板的事。然而，在西方社會中，那些從名人身上可見的從容自持與優雅儀態，使我們不禁對其投以欣賞，甚至尊敬的目光：像是溫和地彎腰與印度孩童握手的黛安娜王妃（Princess Diana）；還有凱特王妃（Kate Middleton），她身材苗條，雙腿總保持稍側一旁的優雅斜角坐姿。如果喜歡關注這些人物，那麼也許，舉止優雅、沉穩與良好的禮儀對我們而言，並非古板過時。實際上，我們是否也希望能更像她們一點呢？梅爾指導禮儀的方式，既不古板也不居高臨下。她面帶微笑，說些她曾在社交場合鬧過的笑話等趣事，也會談到流行文化和明星名流，讓課程內容保持新穎；她也會為課程取些有趣的名字如「公爵夫人效應」，但最重要的是，課程背後的哲學，這也是學員們最想聽到的。對梅爾而言，良好的禮節與優雅的儀態，體現於對他人的關懷與尊重。學好禮儀，也許可以讓您在下次工作面試中給人留下深刻印象，但是優美儀態的背後，能 │19

they know about etiquette: “I want to retrain everyone in here to think about this social skill set in a new way.” HOW ETIQUETTE WORKS The word “etiquette” comes from the French royal courts of the 17th and 18th centuries. When Louis XIV’s gardener realized that aristocrats were trampling his gardens, he put up signs, “étiquettes” to tell people to keep off the grass. Later, the idea expanded to social events, where the signs told people where they should not stand or what they should not touch. “So, historically, it was about showing respect in a social environment,” Meier explained. “Now, fast forward to today. Really, it’s the same. It’s about showing someone through your actions, and your interactions, and your words, that you are there in a peaceful and friendly spirit, and that you want to do what will make them feel most comfortable.” Meier’s approach teaches people techniques that they can put into practice immediately and use every day. “There’s no point in teaching a skill set that you use once a year,” she said. Her classes offer people real-life tips that can change the way they interact with people and their environment immediately. For example, she teaches the “WWHC” formula for starting a conversation anywhere with anyone. First, ask a question beginning with “what.” Follow with a question beginning with “why,” and then one starting with “how.” Give the person you are talking to a break from questions by following up with a compliment. This shows how closely you’ve been listening to their answers and how appreciative you are of what they said. By this time, conversation should be flowing nicely, and you’ve put the other person at ease. Similarly, making an effort to dress nicely when you are meeting someone not only makes you feel good and well put together, but it also shows the other person that you put thought and care into your appearance. Dressing nicely can be as simple as wearing an ironed shirt, tying a bright scarf around your neck, or slipping on high heels. “Please just relax, have fun,” Meier says. “This is a judgment-free zone, you can ask me anything.” Within the first five minutes of her classes, she takes

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Myka Meier defines etiquette as treating everyone with respect.

真正展現您對周遭人的善意、體貼與關懷。她說：「在那當下，做最有禮貌、體貼他人的事——就能表現您的好情商（emotional intelligence）。」梅爾表示，最初她就是為了培養自我情商，進而踏入禮儀規範的世界。當時她在倫敦就職，是公司中唯一的美國人，工作環境中有種不成文的行為準則，既陌生又難以理解。為了讓自己能工作環境中感到更加自在，也想避免在社交場合中出糗，於是去上了人生中第一堂禮儀課程。「禮儀書中指出的每項錯誤行為，我一定都犯過。」她笑著說。從禮儀開始的改變上過幾堂禮儀課後，她變得更有自信，並對此感到驚訝——身處社交場合時，只要不再感到羞怯或焦慮，身旁的人們似乎也會更加自在。梅爾的其中一位禮儀老師曾是

the intimidation factor out of etiquette lessons by getting people laughing: “I usually crack some kind of joke to make people feel comfortable or give an awkward story or scenario that happened to me, just to make them say, ‘Oh, okay, she’s normal.’” In human interactions, it is normal to want to set others at ease, and following the rules of etiquette is the way to do it.

梅爾會教導學生一些方法，都是能讓他們馬上練習，運用在日常生活中的技巧，並改變學生和其周遭人、事、物的交流互動。她說，「教一套一年只用一次的技巧沒有意義。」舉例來說，她教學生的「WWHC」公式，能讓人在任何地方與任何人展開對話。首先，用「⋯⋯什麼」（what）問對方一個問題，再用「為什麼⋯⋯」（why）接著問下去，隨後問「是怎麼⋯⋯」（how），最後，用一句讚美（compliment）回應，讓對方從接連的提問中喘口氣。如此對話模式，能讓對方感受您有認真傾聽，

黛安娜王妃的助手，「她將教給王妃的一切都教給了我。

並且欣賞他所說的內容。若善用此公式，應該能讓對話

就連我，這個中產階級的美國人，也能在這裡練習這些

進行流暢，並創造出自在的交談氛圍。

原以為只有公主才能學的東西。」

同樣地，與人會面時，花點心思穿著打扮，不僅能

她理解到，禮儀是任何人都能夠學習的事，而且

提振自己的心情，也顯得得體，對方也藉此感受到您的

學習禮儀不但有趣，還能使人澈底改變。明白這個道

用心。穿件熨好的襯衫、脖子上繫條鮮豔的絲巾，或穿

理後，她開始在自己的女性交友圈內舉辦雞尾酒派對，

上高跟鞋，用心著裝不見得需要花俏的元素。

並藉此分享禮儀技巧。「很快的，我們舉行了很多場晚

「請放輕鬆，玩得開心點，」梅爾說，「這裡是零批

宴，大家一面用餐，我一面教大家正確且正式的用餐禮

評地帶，你們可以問我任何問題。」禮儀課開始的五分

儀，」她說，「我原先認為，必須以生俱來這個資格或

鐘內，學生們各個笑得開懷，這裡沒有任何令人退避三

能力，但後來我認識到，禮儀即是善待他人，對他人表

舍的嚴肅規章，「我通常會講個笑話讓大家放鬆，或是

示尊重與體貼，因此任何人都能夠學習禮儀。」

講講曾發生在我身上的尷尬場面，讓他們覺得『噢，好，

她首先在倫敦開辦了禮儀學校 Beaumont

她是普通人啊。』」在人際互動中，希望對方能感到自在

Etiquette，並於 2014 年，在紐約設立了事務所，

是很正常的，而遵循禮儀規範，就是讓對方自在的方法。

2016 年，她與紐約廣場飯店合作，實體禮儀課程就此誕生。「我很愛我的工作，」她說，「我透過教人禮儀，讓人獲得自信。」梅爾為了使禮儀課程能在美國引起關注，她明白課程必須要與學員的生活產生關聯、平易近人。因此，她在課程之初，設計了「零批評地帶」（judgment-free zone），在此，學生可以問她任何問題，她告訴學生，忘掉他們對禮儀的一切觀念：「我想在這裡重新培養每位學生，以新的方式看待這個社交技巧。」日常實用禮儀「禮儀」（etiquette）一字，源於17~18世紀的法國宮廷，當時法國國王路易十四的御用園丁發現，貴族們會隨意踐踏他精心維護的花園，所以在花園放上告示「étiquettes」，示意人們別踩到腳邊的花草。而後，該主意逐漸擴展至社交活動中，告示所在之處，提醒人們哪些地方不能站，或什麼東西不能碰。「所以，從歷史的角度來說，禮儀就是在社會環境中表達尊重，」梅爾解釋，「時間快進至現代，其實概念是一樣的。禮儀就是透過你的行動，透過你與他人的互動，還有你的談吐，向對方表達你的平和友善，期望透過言談舉止，盡可能讓對方感到自在。」

Meier’s two best-selling books on business etiquette and modern etiquette.

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ELITE PEOPLE

INSIDE THE MOST EXPENSIVE CHINESE RESTAURANT IN AMERICA Chef Guo Wenjun crafts an intricate feast fit for an emperor 一席「國宴」改寫中餐印象 English by Catherine Yang | Chinese by Ann Lin Photography by Hongda Zhu

he idea of Chinese food doesn't often bring to mind an elaborate 19-course meal of meticulously composed dishes served in custom-made vessels. “Chinese food has thousands of years of history and culture. It should be expensive,” said chef Guo Wenjun, whose eponymous restaurant in New York, at $518 per person for the tasting menu, is the most expensive Chinese restaurant in America. The windowless, Midtown East location is meant to serve no more than 10 patrons a night. Guo, who has served as executive chef at China’s Diaoyutai Garden Villa International Club, the Imperial Kitchen of the Palace Museum, and others, oversaw the decor: sourcing stately seats from Indonesia weighing some 160 pounds, curating the playlist, and handcrafting the faux gingko tree whose branches sprawl across the ceiling. It's a deliberate affair meant to mirror the tradition of imperial banquets. "When I came to America, I saw the standing of Chinese cuisine. I wasn’t satisfied,” Guo said. The cuisine encompasses myriad complicated and versatile culinary techniques, reflecting China’s millennia-long history. "I felt I needed to show the American people what Chinese cuisine is really about," he said.

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飲食是文化的載體，承載著一個民族的傳統和價值觀。華人重視飲食，歷經數千年傳承，每一道料理都蘊含著悠久的歷史人文，且發展出複雜多變的烹飪技巧。而在這淵遠流長的飲食文化中，又以宮廷御膳為最高指標，聚斂天下四方美饌，也讓中國烹飪藝術能持續發展。「過去的宮廷菜，就是皇帝吃的御膳，特別注重養生；官府菜，則是以味道為主。」來自中國的郭文俊先生秉持著「以味為先，以養為本」的精神，結合了八大菜系、滿漢全席，以及各地官府菜及其菜系的精華，獨創了「官府養生菜」。此菜品形式，運用中國傳統的手藝與精神，結合西方的餐飲文化，在紐約曼哈頓開席設宴，款待世界各地的饕客。廚藝傳承弘揚中餐郭文俊14歲起便在御廚第七代傳人丁廣州大師的指導下，接受烹飪培訓。回憶起過去的時光，他道：「那時是夏天，穿著皮鞋的腳，汗不斷往出冒，」、「從（上午）五點上班到（晚上）九點鐘結束，期間我能開差不多 40多頭豬，分劏（分解、剖開之意）。過去我們練的就是基本功，現在這廚師，可能分劏都不會。」

Right page: Butterfly Loves the Flower merges ingredients from the land and sea. The butterfly garnish is handmade from edible rice paper.

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Custom-made dinnerware and decor give the restaurant a regal air.

PRESERVING THE HERITAGE OF CHINESE CUISINE Guo began his culinary training at 14 under master chef Ding Guangzhou, a seventh-generation disciple in the line of royal chefs. In 1983, he furthered his training in the National Youth Chef program and next in an international culinary training program in Hong Kong. The strict training meant a high-level mastery of the fundamentals; students weren’t allowed to touch certain ingredients or techniques until the master deemed them ready. But Guo was ambitious beyond his years and wanted to attempt everything he could. “Because I dared to do the most, I also learned the most,” he said.

他分享過去參加烹調大賽的經驗，將一隻活雞宰切炒成一盤雞丁，僅花用 2 分 27 秒，成為了該年大賽的冠軍。大賽評項包含速度、味道、衛生等要素，如何快速地判斷肉質的老嫩、骨肉的分布，以及烹飪過程中的火候掌握、刀工技巧和調味的融合，一切全憑師傅老道的經驗。「實際上，這個都有一套完整的程序，天天做，練就了一身基本功。」郭文俊說。過去的歲月練就了真功夫，郭文俊帶著御廚傳人傳授的技藝，在 1987 年滿懷抱負地出來闖蕩。然而，他到過廣州、青海，甚至到了青島，都找不著工作。最後他回到了鄭州，一間一間飯店的詢問缺不缺廚師，即便店家不缺人手，他也跟對方說：「我不要錢，你先看看我，看我幹的活值多少錢，你給我多少錢。」很快地，這位免錢卻滿身技藝的廚師就闖出了名堂，許多飯店老闆爭相出高價來挖角，他卻先是拒絕：「我告訴他（挖角的老闆）：『我剛來這，我得善始善終。不能你叫我來就來，我得給這邊一個交代。』」最後他無私地將料理作法傳授給最初給他機會的老闆，才另尋高就。經過數十年的刻苦訓練，郭文俊輾轉成為北京釣魚台山莊國際會所的行政主廚，在那裡為世界各國的企業家、社會名流、政要烹調料理。同時，他也在北京開了幾間七星級的會所。「做廚師，要去想，每一道菜要通過自己的思維，自己的理解，呈現給客人，這一直是我堅信的。在（中國）國內時，我一直是這個想法：我是要引導這個行業，國內我做完這道菜後，全國各地都跟我學的。」郭文俊拋磚引玉，在獲得了如此高的成就後仍不滿足，他在美國看到中華料理被視為廉價果腹的代

Chef Guo's signature Silver Cod Steak.

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名詞，於是決定來到美國弘揚中式料理文化，致力讓中

Recalling that time, Guo added with a laugh that he could still remember the feeling of his feet sweating through leather shoes on sweltering summer days. “We worked from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m.. Within those hours, I could butcher more than 40 pigs. Back then, this was considered a basic skill, and we spent a lot of time perfecting it. Nowadays, most chefs have no clue how to butcher meat,” he said. During a culinary competition, Guo wowed the judges by transforming a live chicken into delectable stir fry in just 2 minutes and 27 seconds. He took home the grand prize for that feat. The judging criteria placed heavy emphasis not only on the flavor of the dish, but the chef 's speed and attention to hygiene as well. For Guo, this was all in a day's work. After all, experience is key when it comes to being able to quickly determine the quality of the meat, prepare the selected cuts, cook, and present the final product. In 1987, Guo bid farewell to his teacher and embarked on a culinary journey of his own. He couldn't find a job anywhere. He traveled from city to city and visited restaurant after restaurant, but no one needed a chef. However, he was not deterred. "I walked into a restaurant and though the owner wasn't hiring, I said to him, 'Don't worry about paying me. Just give me a chance and take a look at what I can do. You can pay me however much you think my ability is worth,'" Guo said. Soon, word spread throughout the city about the unconventional chef with amazing culinary skills. Many restaurateurs visited Guo and presented him with tempting offers. To everyone's surprise, he turned them down. "I told them, 'I have only just been hired, I need to be responsible for the decision I've made and the restaurant that hired me,’" Guo recounted. To repay the restaurateur who had taken a chance on him when he first arrived in Zhengzhou, Guo stayed with that restaurant until he was satisfied that the owner had learned everything he needed to know to recreate Guo's extraordinary dishes.

Guo Wenjun, chef and owner of Chef Guo in New York City.

餐在美國走入主流。「我十幾歲入這行，四十幾年我就幹過一件事，我在這就有一個信念，一定要把中餐讓美國人知道，什麼才是中餐。」郭文俊說。他在餐廳的室內設計上也融入了許多細緻的中華文化元素，讓客人吃得健康、營養、尊貴，將整套餐飲體驗，定位為「國宴」，於是這間精緻的中式料理餐廳——「小國宴」——就此誕生。再探食藝昇華菜品

FOOD WITH A PHILOSOPHY Guo follows the traditional imperial cooking philosophy passed on to him by his master: “A good meal is beneficial, the arrangement is paramount, the flavor is foremost, nutrition is essential.”

郭文俊對菜品自有一套審視標準，在中華料理傳統標準「色、香、味、形、器」的基礎上，又增添了「尚、溫、聲、意、養」的標準。所謂的「尚」，指的是結合中西方要素，將食材塑造成精緻的藝術品，在藝術表現上使菜品的形狀、色澤和擺設，皆能呈現符合現代美感的視覺享 │25

His menu is the culmination of 40 years of experience and study, the best of the Chinese culinary arts, and the best of today's international food scene, Guo said. As a result, one can find elements of nutritional science both modern and ancient, as well as the art of culinary presentation from both the East and West. The classic five elements of Chinese cooking are color, aroma, taste, presentation, and the vessel. To this, Guo adds style, temperature, sound, story, and nourishment. The ingredients are treasures sourced from the world over: prized morels from China, Japanese A5 wagyu beef, wild black rice from Canada, wild-caught Australian lobster and sea bass. The menu, highlighted on the website, changes seasonally and without notice, depending on the ingredients of the day. The menu also includes three tea courses that are meant to serve as palate-cleansers: White Hair Silver Needle tea (Baihao Yinzhen), which is the most prized of white teas, with only the top buds of the plant; Big Red Robe tea (Da Hong Pao), which originates from a scarce six mother trees on a cliff of Wuyi mountain and is prized for its health benefits; and a Pu-erh tea that Guo sources from Yunnan, where six 300-year-old bushes are reserved for him. “In retrospect, everything on the path I’ve walked had a purpose,” said Guo, who is determined to raise the profile of Chinese cuisine on the international stage. “I want to influence this direction. ... I’ve always felt a responsibility. If I don’t do it, who will?”

Top: The vivid green sauce for Tofu and Caviar is made from scallions that are slow-cooked on low heat for eight hours. Bottom: A peony flower made from prawn and fish is set in a broth tinged with dragon fruit juice.

郭文俊重視食物的原汁原味，不計成本地追求食材的新鮮度和品質，選用來自世界各地的上等食材，有來

受。「溫」指的是各種菜品盛到客人面前時，必須是能呈

自中國的羊肚菌、日本的 A5 和牛、加拿大的野生黑米、

現最佳風味的溫度。所謂的「聲」則分為先天和後天兩種

澳洲野生捕撈的龍蝦和鱸魚等，藉由其多變的烹飪技

聲音，「像這花肉片，熱油往那一倒上去，『颯』一聲，這

巧，將食材的天然風味發揮到極致，並創造出豐富多樣

是先天的聲音，自帶的那種聲音，這個菜才是成功的。」

的口味和質感。就連用餐供應的茶品都大有來頭，那是

郭文俊說。後天聲音指的則是介紹菜品的聲音。「意」指

採摘自雲南 600 年老茶樹烘製出的普洱茶，空運直送，

的是每道菜品背後都有傳承的意義與故事。「養」則表

僅供小國宴使用，在菜品之間飲用，茶香一掃口腔餘味，

達了郭文俊對身體健康的關注，他遵循著均衡的飲食原

讓賓客能用全新味蕾，品味下一道佳餚的精細之處。

則，強調養生的觀念。「我們做菜講究那個厚重、回味。中國文化說人的也是，很厚道。這菜品也一樣，一定是厚道，厚重怎麼來的？一定是靠食材，有回味。」郭文俊將他 40 年的修練成果呈上菜單。「官府養生菜」從食材的選擇、烹調

IF YOU GO

的技巧到菜餚的擺設，處處體現其對飲食未曾停止的細

Chef Guo 小國宴

膩追求。 Left page: Chef Guo's signature black bean noodles are based on a secret recipe passed down from the imperial palace.

135 East 50th Street, New York, N.Y. 10022 Tasting menu: $518 per person, minimum two per table ChefGuo.com

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ELITE CULTURE

THE SYMPHONY OF A CHINESE GARDEN The Huntington Botanical Garden, a classic aesthetic 傳藝再現北美探中式園林之美

Article and photography by Jeff Perkin

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE EPOCH TIMES.

nter as a hundred cares vanish. Laugh as the great river expands.” This couplet is vertically inscribed at the entrance of the Chinese garden’s tea house. “Liu Fang Yuan,” or The Garden of Flowing Fragrance, is an incredible 15-acre garden created in the traditional style of scholar gardens from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) in Suzhou, China. This breathtaking garden is the result of nearly two decades of work, uncompromising craftsmanship, and comprehensive attention to detail. Surrounding a central lake called the Lake of Reflected Fragrance, the garden was artfully designed to be a “moving painting” composed of architectural structures, plants, trees, rare rocks, ornate walkways, and bridges. Every area of the garden offers new compositions and sensations to stimulate the mind and captivate the senses. Beyond its aesthetic and sensual beauty, the landscape and architecture are filled with messages in Chinese calligraphy, abundant Chinese plants, and stones and architectural features that were artfully incorporated for cultural significance. Incredibly, Liu Fang Yuan is just one of an astounding collection of 16 themed gardens that make up 130 acres of botanical gardens at the Huntington Library and Gardens in San Marino, California. Thousands of plant species, extensive art galleries, and extremely valuable book collections make the Huntington a one-of-a-kind historic estate and living museum.

「入口百憂去，一笑大江橫。」中式庭園的茶館門口，柱子上的楹聯寫道。流芳園占地 15 英畝，是以中國明朝（1368~1644 年）蘇州文人園林風格打造的傳統中式庭園，漫步其中，處處令人歎為觀止，其建造堅持傳統技藝，著重細節，且耗時近二十年。園林建築、植栽、樹木、奇石，華美的小徑與拱橋圍繞著中心的湖泊，仿若一幅會動的畫卷。庭園任一處的景色，都有著令人悸動的元素，帶來靈感，為五感增添驚喜。景觀與建築間，有數幅書法展示期間，精巧地穿插了姿色各異的植物、造型特異的石頭與風格建築元素，充滿文化韻味。然而，流芳園只是漢庭頓圖書館中，其中一座主題式花園。位於加州聖瑪利諾（San Marino, CA）的漢庭頓莊園共有 16 座主題花園，總面積達 130 英畝，當中上千種花草樹木、廣大的美術館和珍貴的藏書，使漢庭頓成為一座獨一無二的莊園，與別具歷史意義的生活博物館。再現明朝園林風采中式庭園巧妙運用周圍環境，彷彿將遠方的景色裝進畫框，創造庭園內外的平衡，而忠於蘇州景觀設計的原則，建造庭園是為了向自然景觀表達敬意。占地廣闊的漢庭頓莊園，在聖瑪力諾山區成年橡樹與松樹襯托之下，充滿遠離洛杉磯城市塵囂之感。

Left page: The World in a Wine Pot is part of the new Verdant Microcosm, which is a natural gallery of Penzing and Taihu rocks.

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RECREATING A MING DYNASTY GARDEN Chinese gardens creatively utilize their surroundings by framing distant views and achieving a balance between environments inside and outside the garden. True to the principles of Suzhou landscape design, the gardens were designed to respect the natural landscape. Set against the backdrop of mature oaks and pines near the mountains above San Marino, the Huntington estate’s massive acreage provides the area necessary to create the illusion of being far from Los Angeles County. A natural basin where rain waters originally collected provides an authentic landscape to create the garden’s central 1.5-acre lake. The Lake of Reflected Fragrance is a focal point for surrounding walkways and structures. Visitors serenely stroll by the water and look out at views that were carefully crafted by masters in garden design. From its conception, designers from Suzhou, China, developed the vision for the garden based on specific elements from several classical Chinese gardens of the past. The result is a symphony of wood beams, tiles, granite terraces, Taihu rocks, and fragrant plants lining detailed walkways and courtyard pavilions.

原本雨水自然匯集的低窪地，搖身一變，成為庭園中央 1.5 英畝大的人造湖。映芳湖是周圍小徑與庭園建築的中心。遊客悠然漫步於湖畔，欣賞大師們精心打造的庭園景緻。來自蘇州的設計師，根據古代傳統中國園林中出現的特定元素，構想如今此座庭園的樣貌，木梁、磚瓦、花崗石階、太湖石、精緻的園林小徑，與兩側芬芳的植栽，搭配樓臺亭閣坐落其中，呈現出一片諧和的景緻。「建築中的一梁一柱，都是以五百年前建造中國園林建築的木結構技術所搭建。將庭園交由中國傳統匠人建造是極為重要的，他們的技術已流傳了數百年，非常了解這種傳統建築的每個微妙細節，」一位美國建築師 Jim Frye 說道，「施工期間，現場會聽到三種語言：中文、西班牙文和英文，大家不斷換算丈量的尺寸，從英制換到公制，然後再換回英制，不容許半點差錯。」遊客見到的庭園建築，有九成都是在蘇州製作，包含手工雕琢的花崗岩拱橋、雕刻的梁柱、繁複的鏤空花窗、陶燒瓦、雕花木頭鑲板，還進口了 850 噸重的太湖石等，不勝枚舉。這些作品絕大部分都是遵循真正的蘇州樣式手工製造。庭園中展現的高水準傳統技術，是所有設計師傾盡心血的證明。在長久努力之下，流芳園已然成為能讓遊客欣賞中華古典文化之美之所。古典造景美學傳統中國庭園的歷史可以追溯至 11 世紀，手工雕刻的木作、花窗、屋瓦、石頭與門扉，都是傳統庭園文化中的特

Below: The Bridge of the Joy of Fish provides views of the Lake of Reflected Fragrance and the many areas of the garden surrounding and reflected by it.

色。 16 世紀時的蘇州富商們在自己的宅邸建造了寬廣的庭園，推廣了中國庭園文化。漢廷頓圖書館收藏有豐富的藝術品、珍貴的藏書，與多樣性植物，還有如此廣闊的庭園景觀，在現今實屬罕見。

Left: The Terrace of the Jade Mirror is a window and a portal in the garden, with an inner meaning connected to the white moon. Right: This penjing is part of the Verdant Microcosm and throughout the day, casts its graceful shadows on the “cloud wall” behind it.

“All of the posts and beams in the structures are connected with wood joinery techniques that were being used in these type of garden structures 500 years ago. It was vitally important that the garden be built by Chinese artisans. Their craft has been handed down through hundreds of years. They are aware of all the subtle details involved in this traditional type of construction,” U.S. architect Jim Frye said. “There were three languages spoken during the construction: Mandarin, Spanish, and English. They were constantly converting measurements from imperial to metric and then back to imperial again. There was no room for error.” Ninety percent of what visitors see in the garden’s structures was crafted in Suzhou workshops. This includes bridges that were hand-carved out of granite, an incredible 850 tons of imported Taihu rocks, carved pavilion beams, ornate window features, delicate roof tiles made of baked clay, sculpted wood panels, and much more. The vast majority of the work was done by hand in true Suzhou fashion. The garden’s high-level artisanship and authenticity is a true testament to all the designers’ dedicated efforts to create a living, breathing work of art. Many years of this dedicated work has made it possible for visitors to learn about, and truly become immersed in, classical Chinese culture.

石頭造景是傳統中國園林的主要特色之一。流芳園裡有超過 800 噸的太湖石（是一種在蘇州地區以傳統手法開採的石灰岩）。數千年來，這種石頭在海洋裡形成，隨著地殼變動被抬升至湖泊中，後來被人帶至地面。因為奇特的形狀和自然形成的孔洞，人們認為這些石頭具特殊意義，富含精神性與能量。太湖石超凡的外型與滿布的孔洞，是傳統中華文化裡精神本質的象徵，象徵著生命在順遂前所必經的沉重歷練。基於這些原因，出現在流芳園中的太湖石有著令人神往的名字——補天。流芳園有一個新擴建的園區，名叫翠玲瓏，於 2020 年落成，是專為收藏漢庭頓的盆景而設的區域。盆景，意思是花盆中的景色，中文裡相對應的詞是盆栽。盆景藝術，是在盆中培養一棵小樹數十年，使它看起來像大自然中壯麗的樹木或風景的縮小版。盆景展示在一面寬大的白牆前，一整天，白牆上都會映著小樹的影子，像極了一張白紙，而盆景是紙張上的畫作。一花一草皆精神中國傳統庭園裡出現的花草樹木，具有文化象徵意義。竹，象徵堅毅不屈的情操，蓮花象徵高潔，而在寒冬中綻放的梅花，代表在逆境中堅忍不拔的精神。中國古代園藝學對世界貢獻非凡，因為今天我們習以為常的植物，大多數都是起源於中國。漢庭頓植物園的主任， Jim Folsom，明白地表示：「走遍整個北美，在花園裡能看到的花草，或至少常見的幾種花園植物，全都不是北美原生種，甚至也不來源於歐洲，它們直接源自於亞洲。所以現在你看到山 │31

CLASSICAL CHINESE GARDEN DESIGN Classical Chinese gardens have a history dating back to the 11th century. Hand-carved woodwork, windows, roof tiles, stone, and doors are all features of this tradition. Wealthy merchants in Suzhou during the 16th century created large gardens on their estates with a dedication to this style. With its large collections of art, books, and plant life, the Huntington Library is a rare modern-day example of such gardens. Rocks are one of the main features of classical Chinese gardens. Liu Fang Yuan has more than 800 tons of Taihu rocks, which are a limestone traditionally quarried from the Suzhou area. Over thousands of years, these rocks formed in the oceans and were uplifted into lakes before being brought to the surface. These rocks are spiritually and energetically significant because of their unusual shapes and natural holes in their form. Their ethereal shapes

and holes throughout their form are symbolic of the spiritual essence in pre-modern Chinese culture. Taihu rocks symbolize the process of the heaviness of physical form being made light. For these reasons, featured Taihu rocks at Liu Fang Yuan have dreamy names like Patching Up Heaven. A newly expanded area of Liu Fang Yuan, called Verdant Microcosm, was completed in 2020. Verdant Microcosm was created for housing the Huntington’s penjing collection. “Penjing,” which means scenes or landscapes in a tray, are the Chinese equivalent of bonsai trees. The art of penjing is to cultivate a small tree over decades to make it look like the miniaturized version of a magnificent tree or scene in nature. The penjing are displayed in front of large, white walls against which the trees cast shadows throughout the day. The white walls, called “cloud walls,” are like a piece of paper while the penjing is a work of art painted upon it. THE SYMBOLIC MEANING OF PLANTS Plants in classical Chinese gardens are selected for their cultural significance. Bamboo symbolizes an enduring fortitude, lotus f lowers symbolize purity, and plum blossoms (which flower in winter) represent perseverance through difficult times. Ancient Chinese horticulture has made a huge contribution to the world, as most of the plants we take for granted today are thought to have originated in China. The director of the Huntington’s botanical gardens, Jim Folsom, puts it plainly:

A cloud wall with a whimsically shaped doorway leading to Liu Fang Yuan's Cloudy Forest Court.

32│

The plants that are in gardens across North America, or at least the common garden plants, are not from North America at all, and not even from Europe. They are straight from Asia. So you begin to look at the camellias and the wisteria and the forsythia and lilac and understand that these plants were cultivated for a thousand years by Chinese gardeners before Westerners even knew they existed. There’s a whole range, a whole host of material that you would encounter, and be very comfortable with, if you went to China and visited the gardens. You’d almost look around and think, what are they doing with our plants? Well, the truth is, what are we doing with their plants?

The Waveless Boat is an architectural feature designed to look like a boat at peace on the calm waters of the Lake of Reflected Fragrance.

Words and meaningful literary references are present throughout classical Chinese gardens in the form of calligraphy, poetic couplets, and Chinese lettering. Every structure, courtyard, pavilion, and water feature is given a name in Chinese characters. Many literary references of ancient cultural significance fill the garden. While walking through this living work of art, each person may contemplate the garden’s collection of meaningful insights. Though they seem worlds apart, the gardens’ peaceful harmony has the potential for even greater impact due to its close proximity to one of the largest cities in the world.

茶花、紫藤、金鐘花和紫丁香，是數千年前中國的園藝師培育出來的，那時西方人甚至都還不知道這些植物的存在。如果你去中國參觀那些庭園，會看到許許多多的植物，應有盡有，而且令人感到非常輕鬆自在。你幾乎會想說，他們對我們的植物做了些什麼？嗯，說實話，是我們究竟拿他們的植物在做什麼？」引用自古籍經典中的詞句，以充滿詩意的對聯、中文書法的形式，出現在庭園各處，每座建築、庭院、亭臺樓閣與水景皆會以漢字命名。對此，流芳園可說是傳統蘇州庭園中真正的「文人園林」，是讓人培養高水準修養的地方。人與大自然的創造力交織於此，可以感受到生存與存在的凝聚力。走進這件活生生的藝術中，每個人都有機會去思考這裡每一件物品蘊含的意義。雖然彷彿存在於截然不同的世界，但是流芳園位於世界大城之一——洛杉磯附近，它譜出的和平交響曲，可能會產生更大的影響力。

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ELITE LIFESTYLE

The Life-Changing Power of

HOUSEPLANTS Hilton Carter on how to transform your home and heart with plants

由內而外的綠意人生 ——植物風格專家希爾頓．卡特

By Crystal Shi Photography by Hilton Carter, copyright CICO Books 2023

t started with Frank—Frank the fiddle-leaf fig, 一切始於法蘭克——那是棵名為法蘭克的琴葉榕。 that is. 希爾頓．卡特（Hilton Carter）於 2014 年買下 W hen Hi lt on Ca r t er bought—a nd t hen 第一棵室內植物，並為它取名時，沒有料想到這會是 named—his first houseplant in 2014, he didn’t know it 他轉變人生的開始，他從此踏上了探索室內植物的旅 was the start of a life-changing jour程。如今，法蘭克高高挺立，直至天花 ney into indoor greenery. Now Frank 板，是家裡的明星植物，在卡特巴爾的 is the ceiling-brushing star of Carter’s 摩的家中，有超過 300 種植物，而卡 Baltimore home of 300-some plants, 特——一名畫家與經一番歷練的電影製 and Carter, a fine artist and filmmak作人——他將這些植物作為自己的調色 er by training, has fully embraced 盤，樂此不疲。 plants as his palette. 除了室內植物風格師的工作外， Along with his work as a plant and 卡特著有四本植物照護與風格設計 interior stylist, Carter has written four 書 ——《Wild at Home》、《Wild plant-care and styling books: Wild at Interiors》、《Wild Creations》，以 Home, Wild Interiors, Wild Creations 及近期發表的新書《Living Wild》。他 and the recently released Living Wild. 也有在 Magnolia Network 電視臺上 Living Wild, published in He has also hosted a workshop series 主持工作坊系列節目，並推出系列商品， March 2023 by CICO Books, is on the Magnolia Network, launched 在目標百貨（Target）就可找到一系列 Carter’s fourth book. his own line of products as well as a 的聯名產品。同時，在家鄉巴爾的摩， collection for Target, and opened a plant shop called 他與夥伴開了一間植物商店，名為 Green Neighbor。 Green Neighbor with a partner in his hometown of 在一次訪談中，他談到成為植物風格師的歷程，及植物 Baltimore. In an interview, he spoke about his jour如何使他成為更好的人，也不吝分享了一些種植技巧， ney to plant styling, how plants made him a better 幫助新手簡易上手。 person, and what new plant owners need to know to set themselves up for success. 34│

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED AMERICAN ESSENC E MAGAZINE.

Hilton Carter’s career as a houseplants stylist began with taking care of a fiddleleaf fig named Frank. Caring for plants led to dramatic changes in his career and even his life.

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In the process of caring for plants, I learned a lot about how to care for the other living things in my life.” Hilton Carter

What are the unique challenges and rewards of decorating with houseplants?

Hilton Carter: There’s a lot more consideration that goes into plant styling than, say, interior styling. It isn’t just picking a corner and dropping in a plant. You’re dealing with a living element, and understanding not only how it fits in the space for now, but also how it will change and morph and grow over time. You’ve got to think about the future. I always start with the fact that light is going to be what makes sure that plant stays happy and alive. So you lead with light. It’s difficult to go into the styling portion if you’re not well-aware of the care. Let’s focus on care—get that in our back pocket—and then we can have fun when it comes to styling, and that’s where my new book comes in. A plant is not an inanimate object; it’s a living thing that is giving back to you. It’s providing not just a look, but actually a lot of good energy. It’s a symbiotic sort of relationship that is happening between us and plants. We always find ourselves chasing what nature provides. All of the studies show how people become more creative and happy and relaxed and carefree when they are exposed to sunlight and nature itself, so when you find ways to sprinkle a little bit of that outside world inside of your home, there can only be good that comes from it.

用室內植物做裝飾，有沒有哪些特別的挑戰或是與眾不同的收穫呢？卡特：植物風格設計比起一般室內風格設計來說，有更多細節要列入考量，不是簡單選個角落，擺上盆栽就完事了。你面對的是一個活生生的物件，要了解它是否適合這個空間，而且不僅要符合當下的狀態，更要明白它會成長、會改變型態，必須將未來也考慮進去。我都會先從觀察光線開始，光線能夠確保植物愉快、有生氣，所以光線是首要的考量。如果不能好好意識到照顧的重要，那我們也很難談及風格設計。讓我們先以照顧為重，有把握以後，便可以進入風格的部分，這樣才有辦法從中獲得樂趣，也就是這次我的新書著重之處。

Left: With more than 300 plants in Carter’s Baltimore home, making time to take care of them on a daily basis isn’t easy, yet it’s definitely a happy routine for him. │37

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS Are you ready to add greenery to your home? Hilton Carter has some advice.

給新手的建議 LEAD WITH LIGHT Before you even consider buying a plant, consider the quality of light in your home. “Get a plant that is into the type of light that you have. It’s setting yourself up for success. If you have a dark home, certain plants will never do well,” Carter says. There are low-light tolerant plants, such as snake plants, ZZ plants, and dumb canes—“but I use the word ‘tolerant,’ and underline it, because they’re not thriving.”

準備好要在家裡增添點綠意了嗎？卡特有幾點建議

讓光線引導你在考慮購買植物前，卡特建議，先斟酌一下家中光線的品質，接著「選擇適合你家光線的植物，這能確保可以成功種植。如果你家是個陰暗的環境，某些特定的植物肯定養不好的。」卡特提到，可以選擇一些耐陰植物，像是虎

DO YOUR RESEARCH Next, you’ll need to think about factors such as the best planter size and material for your plant’s needs, its preferred moisture level, and how often it needs to be watered. “If you’re a novice, you’ve just got to do the work,” Carter says. “Think about it as if you are bringing in a new pet. It can’t just be an off-the-cuff decision; it has to be well- thought-out.”

尾蘭、金錢樹和花葉萬年青等，「但是我說是『耐』陰，還是要強調一下，因為（在低光照環境下）它們無法長得很有活力。」著手研究一番接著，你得開始想想一些種植的要素，像是大小適中的花盆、植物需要的土壤介質、適合的溼度，還有多久澆一次水等。「如果你是初學者，就必須得做這些功課，」卡特說，「假設你想養一隻新寵物好了，不能毫無準備就隨

BUILD A RELATIONSHIP Contrary to common advice to start with a low-maintenance plant, Carter isn’t afraid to recommend a needier variety to a novice: “I think if something is asking for your attention every single day or every other day, you’re probably better off to do that work than to go for a plant that only needs watering every three weeks.” A beginner might simply forget—or be skeptical and overwater. There’s another big bonus: “I love the fact that it’s making them more involved in the life of that plant. That’s how it gets easier because now they’re more in tune with what a plant needs.”

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意做決定，得審慎考慮過才行。」與植物建立關係有別於一般所建議的，從無須太多養護的簡易上手植物養起，卡特則有不同見解，他推薦新手嘗試一些需格外照顧的品種：「我認為如果某個東西每天或每兩天，就需要你的關照，比起一棵三週才要澆一次水的植物，你會更好地照顧前者。」因為新手可能會直接忘記植物的存在，或因為懷疑而過度澆水。選擇比較難照顧的品種，還有另一項好處：「這種植物會讓照顧者更加積極融入其生命中，我很喜歡這點。這會讓事情變得容易，因為現在他們與植物更加契合，了解植物的需求。」

How many houseplants do you have now?

Mr. Carter: About 300 that I keep in the house most of the year. I will say it has become more difficult for me to keep my ducks in a row, but like everything else in your life, you have to make time for it if you care for it. I have a daughter who wants all of my time, a wife that understands that my daughter wants all of my time, a dog that definitely doesn’t understand that, and all my plants are like, “Hey, I know we’re probably number four on your list, but please, please make sure you make your rounds.” So whenever I have a moment, I’ll always set some time in my day to check in on my plants. It isn’t like you can water every seven days and walk away; they don’t all operate that way, especially depending on changes in the seasons, or their placement. You’ve always got to be in tune with them, and you just check in. The fact that my plants also are a part of my job makes it a lot easier for me, and I’ll totally be transparent about that. How has learning to care for plants affected you as a person?

Mr. Car ter: Before, I was a ver y high-strung, stressed-out individual. Relationships for me were very tough. I never really had an understanding of the back and forth that needs to be part of a good relationship—the give and the take, the “nurture what nurtures you” part of it. In the process of caring for plants, I learned a lot about how to care for the other living things in my life. I studied how to be patient—and patience is one of the biggest things you need when it comes to plant care. You’ve got to understand the small nuances, and the changes that can happen when you move a plant from one space to another—they’re all individuals. You can sample that and sprinkle it onto every other living thing that you have in your life, and you will be better off. You’ll see those things thrive. That is what plants have done for me. I started to see it in my relationships—see that more nurturing side of myself come out. I would pay more attention to how individuals in my life operated, and where they were in their emotions, and how to be more delicate, be more understanding, be more patient. I guess it isn’t a coincidence that a year after I completely fell head over heels for indoor greenery, I met the person who ended up being my wife and the mother of my child.

Carter styled the living room of his Baltimore home to have a mix of light, color, and texture.

植物是能回饋於你的一種生命，它不僅外觀好看，還會帶給你很多正能量。我們與植栽之間，存在著某種共生關係，人們總會發現自己在追尋大自然的恩賜；許多研究顯示，當人置身於陽光下或身處大自然中時，會變得更有創造力、心情更加愉悅、放鬆、無憂無慮。所以當你找到一些方法，能將大自然的一小部分點綴於家中時，這對你絕對有益。請問您家中現在有幾種室內植物？卡特：我常年設置在家裡的植物約有300種，現在要將事情安排得井井有條，變得更困難了，但就像人生中的其他事一樣，如果在乎，就必須為它付出時間。 │39

People say that plants make people happy. Well, I’ve been very sad seeing a sad plant, so I can’t say plants make you happy; it’s the care you put into a plant that will make you happy, especially if the plant is thriving. And I haven’t been happier in my life since I introduced plants into it.

我有個想要我隨時陪伴的女兒、理解女兒想占據我全部時間的太太，還有一隻狗，想當然，牠完全不了解什麼占用不占用的。而我的植物們像是在說：「嘿，我知道我們大概是你的第四順位，但是拜託，拜託你一定要來看看我們。」所以一天中，我總是會撥出一些時間去看看它們。照顧植物並非七天澆一次水，就可以一走了之，不

Before you became a professional plant stylist, you

是所有植物都能如此對待，特別是季節轉換期間，或是

were an artist and filmmaker. Was there a particular

根據擺放的位置，也會有其他需要注意的地方。要了解

“aha moment” when you realized plants could be a

植物的需求，才能知道它們是否安好。對我來說，因為

bigger part of your life and career?

我的植物也算是我工作的一部分，對此我可以坦言，花

Mr. Carter: The aha moment was definitely with Frank the fiddle-leaf fig. It started with, Oh no, this very expensive bit of decor that I thought I would buy for myself is starting to lose itself; the leaves have fallen off! It was then through figuring out the process of care that I [realized] I need to be more involved, I need to be more in tune with this plant, I’ve got to name you so I am now bonded to you, and if you start to struggle, I feel it. I would be like, What is going on with you, Frank? I thought we were in this together. What have I done wrong? Talk to me. With plant care, you can set yourself up for success. All the times you might feel like man, I’m no good at anything—if you’re stuck in that position and you bring a plant into your life, you’re focusing on that plant and a new leaf unfurls, that is something you did. Because you could have stuck it right into a closet—dead. But you made the decision to put it into the right light, to pot it in the right size pot, to water it, rotate it. Your care developed a new leaf. That is that serotonin hit: I’m good! I’m doing something good! For me, I was getting so many of those hits that I realized, I’m actually really good at this because of the things that I’m deciding to do. And then I decided, well, if I can do it here, why don’t I focus that energy toward my relationships? That is when I realized that when it comes to this, I feel my true self—I feel the joy of life in me. This needs to be my world. Because I am now not only giving to someone creatively, but also giving them something that can hopefully help change them in a positive way emotionally, and not just for the moment, but throughout the rest of their lives. That’s something you also learn as someone who tends to plants—that you then want to share that. I’m sure so many people who love plants around you are like, “You’ve got to have a plant! Take a cutting!”

時間照顧它們並不困難。

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請談談您在接觸植物後的經歷，學習照料它們，對您個人產生了哪些影響？卡特：以前的我是個神經異常緊繃、經常感到壓力很大的人，經營人際關係對我來說非常困難。我一直沒有認識到，一段良好的關係是需要往來才能建立的，也就是接受與付出，你得用心去栽培。在照顧植物的過程中，我充分學習到該怎麼去關心人生中其他的生命，學到如何保持耐心——這也是在照顧植物時很重要的事。還得學會了解一些細微差異（的背後原因），把植物換個位置擺放，就有可能會發生這種微小變化，它們都是獨立的個體。你不妨嘗試，將這種變化應用在周遭的其他生命之上，你會發現情況有所改善。你會看見它們茁壯，這就是植物對我的影響。後來，我開始用這個想法去檢視人際關係，發現自己更願意去照顧他人的一面。我開始更加留心生活中的其他人，感受他們的情緒，如何更柔和、更能理解他人，以及更有耐心。我猜這也不是什麼偶然，但就在澈底愛上室內植物的一年後，我遇見了自己的人生伴侶，後來她成為我的太太，與我們孩子的母親。人們總說植物使人心情愉悅，嗯，看到可憐的植物，我還是會感到非常難過，所以我不會說植物令人快樂。是照顧植物的過程，使你感到快樂，特別是它生機蓬勃的模樣。自從將植物擺進人生後，我感到了前所未有的快樂。在成為專業的植物風格師前，您的職業是畫家和電影製作人，請問您是否有遇到某個特定的「頓悟時刻」，讓您明白植物可以在生活中扮演更大的角色，甚至成為職業？卡特：我的頓悟時刻，那一定就是在照顧琴葉榕法蘭克的時候了。一開始是這樣的：糟了！當初為了裝飾買的這個昂貴植物好像快要撐不住了，葉子都快掉光了！接著，在找尋照顧它的方法時，我想：「我要更加積極，要更加了解這個植物才行，我必須給你取個名字，這樣我就會與你產生連結，當你開始難受時，我會知道。」在照顧

它時，我會說：「你怎麼了，法蘭克？我以為我們處得不錯，我做錯了什麼嗎？告訴我。」照料植物，能夠讓你走向成功的道路。你可能常常會想：「噢，我什麼事都做不好。」陷入這種情景時，請將一盆植物帶進你的生活中，開始將注意力放在那棵植物，還有它慢慢展開的新葉上。你大可以直接把它隨便擱在壁櫥裡，等待它的就是死亡。但當你決定要把它放在適當的光線下，並裝在一個正確尺寸的花盆中、幫它澆水、更換盆子方向等，在這些照料下，新葉長了出來，這時你腦內的血清素隨之迸發，會感到：「我好能幹！我做了件很棒的事！」對我來說，自己接收到太多次如此的快樂衝擊了，這讓我明白，我確實很擅長做這些事情，因為這都是自己考慮後的行動。所以我決定，如果我在這方面可以做到，那何不將這份力量運用在我的人際關係上呢？那時我發現，只要談到照顧植物，我就能感受到真正的自我——我可以在身上感受到人生的樂趣，於是我想，這必須成為我的世界。因為現在我不只是為別人提供創意，還能給予那些不僅限於片刻的情緒改善，甚至，是能夠伴隨他們一生的改變。不過，你也會從其他常種植物的人身上體認到一件事：種了植物後會想要去分享。我敢說在你身邊有很多喜歡植物的人會說：「你一定要種個植物試試，這個拿去插枝！」但是這些分枝、根對栽種者來說就是一切，如果我把法蘭克的某部分給了別人，就像是把我的其中一根手指給了他們一樣。這是別人花時間跟努力悉心照料的成果，而現在他們卻願意分享。在您的新書中，有一個部分是兒童房的植物造型設計，請問您是如何教您女兒 Holland照顧植物的呢？卡特：我們還在試著教她把動作放輕柔，不要把植物的每片葉子都拔下來。不過確實是有用的，她是個非常溫 Carter’s wife, Fiona, and their daughter, Holland, enjoy a moment in the conservatory-inspired sunroom of their Baltimore home.

柔的人。任何一種生物身邊都要圍繞著綠色植物，我覺得這個想法很重要。對孩子們來說，把植物放進他們的育嬰室或是房間裡，不只是將有生命的東西帶進這個空間

Those are everything to plant people. If I gave someone a piece of Frank, that’s like if I gave them one of my fingers. Someone spent a lot of time and effort to care for this thing, and now they’re like, “Here’s a piece of it.” In your new book, you have a section on styling plants in kids’ rooms. How have you raised your daughter, Holland, to care for plants?

Mr. Carter: We’re still trying to teach her how to be gentle, not just pull every single leaf off a plant. But it’s working. She’s a very gentle individual.

中，同時也創造了讓孩子學習的機會：要有耐心、溫柔、關照他人、如何遵守日程？要如何看待生死？當一片葉子枯萎，而另一片葉子正在開展時，就是個學習機會，試著與孩子聊聊這樣的話題。當您承接一個室內植物風格設計案時，無論是就現有的植物設計，或是擺放新的植物，請問您如何確保客戶會好好照顧它們？卡特：我沒辦法真的盯著客戶做到每件事，但是我都會給他們一張照顧清單，也會去查看狀況。當植物被擺進新的空間時，會發生一點落葉的狀況，因為這些植物正在試著適應新環境，我會提醒客戶有這樣的狀況發生，這 │41

I think the idea of surrounding any sort of living being with greenery is important. When it comes to kids, bringing plants into their nurseries or their rooms can not only bring life to their space, but also create learning moments for them: patience, tenderness, care for one another. How do you stay on a schedule? How do you treat life and death? That could be a learning moment—when a leaf dies while another leaf is unfurling—talking and having that conversation.

樣他們才不會直接認定自己很不會照顧植物。我用盡全力去幫助客戶順利養好植物，也總是讓他們能找得到我。不過，大部分的人，如果他們真的把植物養死了，他們絕對不會告訴我的。有的人現在已經不會邀請我去他們家，他們覺得我會為植物而批判他們，但我不會評判任何人，我只會就植物這個話題跟他們聊聊，告訴他們，有一天會成功的。我不是來譴責任何人的，而是想進一步與客戶探討，植物是活生生的，而它們的性命就握在其手裡，但願最後他們會覺得：「你知道嗎？儘管希爾頓會對我感到有點失望，但是我需要他的幫忙。」這就是讓一個對植物毫不關心的人，變成像我一樣在乎植

When you take on an interior plant-styling project,

物的開端。

whether you work with existing plants or bring in new ones, how do you make sure your clients give them the care they need?

Mr. Carter: I can’t really make anyone do anything, but I do leave them with a care sheet, and I do check in. Whenever you bring a plant into a new space, you’re going to see a little bit of leaf loss because they’re trying to acclimate to the space, so I have to make people aware of that so that they don’t jump to the conclusion that they are just terrible at plants. I try my very best to set people up for success, and I always make myself available. I will say, most of them, if they do kill their plants, they’re definitely not going to tell me. I already don’t get invited to certain people’s homes because they think I’m going to judge them because of their plants. I don’t judge. I just have side conversations with the plants, telling them that one day they’ll make it out of that situation alive. I’m not here to reprimand anyone. I just drill down the fact that the plants are living things in their heads, and hopefully, at the end of the day, they’ll go, “You know what, I know Hilton’s gonna probably be a little disappointed in me, but I need him to help me.” That is where you turn someone who’s very nonchalant about plants into someone like myself. Are there any exciting new projects in the works for you?

Mr. Carter: There are, but in order to tell you, I’d have to, uh, overwater you.

This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity. 此訪談為求清晰、簡潔，經編輯需求刪節。 42│

Alocasia cuprea, a "designer plant" with leaves that shimmer like copper.

STYLING WILD Once you’ve gotten a handle on houseplant care, you can go wild with styling them in your home. Here are some of Hilton Carter’s favorite ideas.

NEW HEIGHTS Whether it’s seitting a large plant on top of an island, hanging one from the ceiling, enshrining it literally on a pedestal, or perching it on the edge of a bookshelf with leaves trailing down the side, or “bringing plants higher into a space, I think having those moments in the home is very fun,” Carter says.

大膽擺設等到你學會照顧室內植物後，大膽地把它們裝飾在家裡吧！以下是幾個卡特最喜歡的點子：擺出新高度把大型植栽擺在廚房中島上、從天花板懸吊著、擺在基座上好好供著，又或是把它高掛在書架邊緣，讓葉子沿著側邊蔓延而下，不論是哪一種，「把植物擺到一個空

THE WALLS ARE ALIVE Mounting plants on a wall adds unexpected depth to a room—you’re making a hard, flat surface “literally come alive,” Carter says. “I love the idea of breaking up a gallery wall with something that’s alive.”

間中的高處，我覺得在家裡做這些事的時候會非常的開心，」卡特說道。讓牆壁活起來將植物安裝在牆面上，會為房間增添一種意想不到的深度——你會讓一面堅硬、乏味的牆「真正地活起來，」卡

CONVERSATION STARTERS For a reliably “transformative” effect, Carter prescribes a “statement plant—a centerpiece that people are just drawn to as soon as they walk in. It’s something that anchors a space.” It could be a singular plant with an eye-catching shape, color, or size; or an artfully assembled arrangement, such as a kokedama (Japanese moss ball).

特說，「我喜歡用一些有生氣的東西，為家中的展示牆增添變化。」聊天開場白為了確實達到「顛覆想像」的效果，卡特指出，一個「主角植物——就是人們一走進房裡就會被吸引視線的中央擺設，它會使整個空間氛圍穩定下來。」它也許可以是個有著引人注目的造型、顏色或尺寸的單棵植物；或是

ILLUSTRATIONS BY RAWPIXEL AND SHUTTERSTOCK.

由幾個植物組合的巧妙搭配，比如說苔玉（日式苔球）。

THE ‘WOW’ FACTOR For serious plant stylists, consider the “designer plant”: Carter employs these high-profile (and often high-budget) stunners with unique patterns, colors, and textures to complement pieces of home decor. Two that he predicts will be especially popular in 2023: the Alocasia cuprea, for its “beautiful copper shimmer and unique foliage shape and texture,” and the Monstera albo, for its “stunning marbled variegation and ability to climb tall in any space.”

外型亮眼令人驚豔如果是認真的植物風格師，可以考慮「名師設計植栽」：卡特會利用這些高調（通常也是高預算）的美麗尤物，來為家中裝飾增色，它們通常有著獨特的紋樣、顏色與質地。有兩種他預測會在2023年特別流行的植物：銅鏡觀音蓮（Alocasia cuprea），它擁有「美麗的銅色反光、質地與造型獨特的葉片，」另一個是白斑龜背芋（Monstera albo），理由是它「迷人的大理石紋斑葉，與能在任何空間攀爬生長的能力。」

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ELITE HOME

DESIGN THAT HARMONIZES WITH NATURE The first-ever outdoor collection by Poliform

取用有道對話自然 Poliform首度推出戶外系列 By Ann Lin Pictures courtesy of Poliform

The serene atmosphere of the Cloisters of San Simpliciano complemented Poliform's first-ever outdoor collection: Percezioni, which was presented at the 2023 Milano Design Week in April.

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s the last ray of light sank below the horizon and tranquility permeated the Cloisters of San Simpliciano, Poliform—Italy’s luxury furniture company—welcomed more than 200 distinguished guests and clients to an exclusive exhibition tailored for the April 2023 Milano Design Week, the world’s biggest annual design fair. Built during the Renaissance as a part of the Basilica of Simpliciano, this secluded corner tucked within the heart of the Brera district was perfect for Poliform’s presentation of its newest project—Percezioni, or Perceptions. "While architecture determines the boundaries and meanings of our lives within domestic spaces, nature does the exact same thing when we are outside. The Cloisters of San Simpliciano mirrored Poliform's signature elegance and its take on modern luxury," Poliform CEO Giovanni Anzani told Elite. The multi-sensory installation was inspired by humanity’s innate connection to nature. It featured the same sleek and simple designs iconic to the brand, but for the outdoors. The ethereal live performance of saxophone, intertwined with Italy’s own Caterina Barbieri’s electronica, accompanied the ancient backdrop. As soon as the attendees stepped into the plaza, they were transported to a meditative realm of heightened senses. Percezioni was presented in collaboration with renowned designers Jean-Marie Massaud, Emmanuel Gallina, Marcel Wanders, and Soo Chan. Fusing tradition with innovation, the installation beckoned its guests to look beyond the obvious and reexamine the world around them.

在夜晚的米蘭聖星波里新聖殿（Cloisters of San Simpliciano church）廣場上，薩克斯風樂聲和電子音樂旋律交織迴盪，點點燭光映在建築上的光影，為這隱密且古老的角落營造出一份沉穩、優雅。這是意大利家居品牌Poliform為今年春季的米蘭設計週量身打造的沉浸式空間——Percezioni（感知）。活動靈感來自反思設計對於人和大自然之間的意義，通過將音樂、戶外空間和家具設計相結合，使新舊元素、藝術表現和自然人文等不同概念相互交織。 Percezioni 恰如其分地展現了 Poliform 對於家具設計的精神，Poliform 兼具傳統與創新，風格融合現代與古典元素，堅持在簡約優雅的線條中，展現意大利工匠古老且精緻的手工技藝。今年，Poliform 更首度將其典雅且兼具實用性的居家風格延伸至室外，在 Percezioni 向各界設計師、建築師，以及各地媒體宣布一個嶄新的計畫—— Poliform 首度推出戶外家具系列。品牌邀請了 Jean-Marie Massaud、Emmanuel Gallina、Marcel Wanders 和 Soo Chan 等多位知名設計師，藉其藝術敏銳度，詮釋 Poliform 戶外生活格調的願景。透過 Percezioni 展演空間重新演繹人類、自然與景觀空間之間的流動性，展現人與家具和戶外空間對話的可能。設計延續自然之美如同Poliform重視人與自然環境的連結，設計師 Emmanuel Gallina注重家具的細節和實用性，也喜好將中性的色調和天然的材料，運用在作品之中，呈現簡約而優雅的現代美學。他與Poliform共同推出的 Magnolia系列，也是其設計師生涯中首個戶外家具系列。座椅系列中的沙發、扶手椅、躺椅等作品中，那俐落又帶著圓潤的線條，原型便是來自於樹枝和飄零的落葉。其木材共有淺色與深色兩種木質色澤可供選擇，靈感源於日本四百年前的傳統工法——燒杉（Shou Sugi

ADVERTORIAL

Ban）。以火燒的方式進行木材的表面處理使其碳化，

NATURE’S CRAFTSMAN To highlight the unbreakable bond between nature and humanity, designer Emmanuel Gallina sought inspiration from beyond the four walls. His Magnolia Collection—composed of a sofa, an armchair, a daybed, and a sunbed—features sleek, rounded lines reminiscent of majestic overarching tree boughs and the fluttering motion of fallen leaves. Everything, from the furniture’s innovative invisible backrest for extra comfort to the designer’s choice of natural palettes and materials, echoes Poliform’s simple yet elegant and modern aesthetics. This Magnolia Collection heralds Gallina’s venture into the world of outdoor furnishing.

因內部結構的改變，使得木材更加穩固不易變形，並且達到天然的防潮、防腐、防蟲效果。使用燒杉板作為家具材料是古人的智慧，在炭層的保護下，木材大幅延長了使用壽命。作為極少數的板材，其擁有持久、固炭的特性，透過傳承與創新，Poliform 讓這項古老技藝飄洋過海。延續設計理念，Gallina 進一步探索著古老巨石碑與周遭自然環境的連結關係，於是又一戶外作品—— Monolith 油然而生。由 Poliform 研發的專利技術 Cementoskin® 或玄武岩石材製成的纖薄桌板，突顯了底座的厚實，而圓潤的線條取代了桌邊的稜角，增加了柔和的視覺效果。作為一系列作品，Monolith 提供不同尺寸和各種平面形式的選擇，並採用 Cementoskin® 表面處理技術，通過在表面塗覆薄層水泥，創造獨特的 │45

Left: Complete with adjustable curtains on all four sides, the Ketch Canopy is great for those seeking a little extra shelter and privacy. Top: The Magnolia armchair in taupe features natural Iroko and removable cushion covers for easy cleaning. Right: Available in various sizes and surface shapes, the Monolith tables pay homage to the timeless beauty of ancient dolmens.

Available in both dark and light tones, the furniture’s solid wood frames are carved from natural Iroko and made durable by Shou Sugi Ban—an all-natural preservation method that carbonizes the surface of the wood with fire. This 400-year-old Japanese technique drastically increases the furniture’s dimensional stability while preventing decay, insects, and mold infestations. The Magnolia pairs beautifully with Gallina’s Monolith Collection. A table set inspired by the resplendent and immutable dolmens that have stood their ground since antiquity. By replacing the harsh edges of traditional table legs with soft lines and a rounded base, Gallina’s design exemplifies the gentle strength of its namesake. Each piece is finished with a thin layer of Poliform’s patented Cementoskin, or basalt stone. While giving the tables a unique look and texture, this technology also adds an additional layer of protection against outdoor wear and tear.

外觀和質感，並提供額外的保護層，增強其耐久性和抗磨損性能，使其更能適應戶外空間。戶外風格獨樹——島嶼與海作為Poliform品牌的設計師之一，Jean-Marie Massaud經常將自然元素融入作品中，其與Poliform 共同打造的Ketch系列，靈感源自航海世界。沙發和扶手椅的靠背，如同帆船上那兩根桅杆拉起的風帆，是由兩根堅固的綠柄桑實木撐起。綠柄桑木質堅實耐用、耐腐性好、穩定性高，且具有優良的抗風化性，色澤會隨著時間逐漸變深，構成千姿百態的自然紋理。Poliform 將實木表面打磨成自然的溫潤手感，搭配天然棉麻編織的靠墊，形塑出自然樸實的度假風情。航海終歸要靠岸，同樣致力於創造與環境相互融合的作品，設計師 Soo Chan 為戶外系列打造了一座令人放鬆的島嶼——Soori Day Lounge 沙發床。這座造型如島嶼般的沙發床，其外部是以圓為造型基底，其靠背與扶手採用編織面料，搭配柔軟舒適的床墊，供人們愜意地臥躺其上，放鬆享受戶外時光。無分內外平衡兼具

OF SEAS AND ISLANDS Renowned designer Jean-Marie Massaud brings weary seafarers to shore with his beautiful Ketch Collection. Inspired by his fascination with the nautical world, Maussaud’s sofa and armchair feature flexible backrests that stretch like a sail between two masts. The canopy version of the sofa has removable fabric blinds that can help to fend off excessive wind and sun. Combined with cushions crafted specifically for outdoor use and hydro-oil-treated Iroko supports, 46│

針對戶外家具系列這個全新的領域，Poliform執行長 Giovanni Anzani表示：「我們在新領域的探索中主要側重兩項：一是用於室內物件設計的美學完整性，另一方面，則是關於防水、抗曝曬，以及提升耐久性的革新技術。我們戶外家具選用的布料即可體現，易於保養，同時又不會犧牲其舒適度，堪比室內家具。」擅長運用豐富的細節，將傳統和現代元素相結合的設計師 Marcel Wanders，便將此發揮的淋漓盡致。他重新詮釋其與 Poliform 的代表性作品 Mad，推出戶外系列 Mad Out，保留原系列主體風格，將沙發和

Below: The Magnolia sunbed with adjustable backrest is fitted with rubber wheels for easy transport.

Top: Designer Soo Chan chose the Soori Day lounge upholstery for its pleasant texture that is gentle on the skin. The elegantly braided headboard provides excellent ventilation to keep its occupants cool even on warm summer days.

this rustic collection is made to last a lifetime. In contrast with Massaud’s depiction of life on the sea, Soo Chan opted for something reminiscent of a cozy island. His Soori Day Lounge creation is representative of a safe haven above the turbulent sea. The round daybed boasts an elegantly braided headboard and comfortable cushions. Whether you're looking to catch a relaxing midday nap or stargaze deep into the night, this little piece of paradise is the ideal choice. PERFECTING PERFECTION Leading product and interior designer Marcel Wanders has long perfected the art of combining the classic with the contemporary. Famed for incorporating rich details into his work, Wanders took Poliform’s iconic Mad collection and reinterpreted it into Percezioni’s Mad Out. This new outdoor sofa and armchair set retain the original collection's simple yet modern style but replaced the wraparound back with intricate, hand-woven ropes. The stainless-steel wire threaded within the rope offers structure and back support while allowing air and light to filter through. This hidden detail is the secret to keeping the sofa’s occupants cool even on sweltering summer days.

designed to be aesthetically pleasing while complementing their indoor counterparts. In addition, the collection is guaranteed to be functional in all kinds of weather. "It is water-resistant, light-resistant, and durable. [We chose a] selection of outdoor fabrics that are easy to upkeep and do not differ from the quality and feel of our indoor fabrics. They are made from raw materials of biodegradable and vegetable origins, or from certified and recyclable synthetic fibers," Mr. Anzani said. Brought together by their shared love for the outdoors, Poliform’s designers are on a ceaseless quest to explore the elusive art of connecting nature to design. Their work is a celebration of the beauty and simplicity of natural materials. Through Percezioni, the designers hope to encourage everyone to bring a little bit of the wild and rustic into their lifestyle. 扶手椅的環繞式椅背，改採用不鏽鋼及手工編織編繩，不僅展現 Poliform 卓越的手工技藝，空氣和光線在編繩中的穿透作用，增加了家具與戶外環境的互動性，呼應 Poliform 重視自然的品牌精神。品牌執行長及其合夥人 Aldo Spinelli、Alberto Spinelli 進一步談及所有戶外家具的原料皆是可生物分解以及原生的天然植物，又或者是受認證、可回收的人造纖維，這些布料都採用中性色調，與自然界的原色相呼應。本次推出的戶外系列，無論是選材或是設計靈感，

INSIDE OUT Mr. Anzani and his business partners Aldo and Alberto Spinelli said that Poliform's outdoor collection fulfills two important criteria. The pieces are

皆能體現出 PoliIform 不斷探索如何將設計與自然融合。透過在米蘭設計週的展示主題「Percezioni」，引領人們重新思考，鼓勵人們去感知和欣賞週遭的美麗與價值，發掘源源不絕的驚喜。 │47

PHOTO BY JESSICA GLYNN PHOTOGRAPHY | DESIGNED BY PINEAPPLES DESIGN GROUP

ELITE HOME 1

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PICTURES COURTESY OF BACCARAT, CANE-LINE, CAPITAL LIGHTING, CHELSEA HOUSE, LLADRÓ, PINEAPPLES DESIGN GROUP, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, AND SCULLY AND SCULLY.

COASTAL TRANQUILITY

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沿海時刻 Just imagine relaxing at a beach cottage. You take in the surroundings—the ocean waves, the whites and blues. The scene conveys a sense of calm. Select ocean-inspired decor. Fill your favorite nooks with colorful seashells. Place a crystal glass of icy lemonade on your coffee table, and poof! You’re there! 經典藍白色調，優雅、寧靜，格外適合夏日，巧妙平衡生活中的喧囂。以貝殼和珊瑚的海洋元素家飾，點綴生活角落，在一旁的咖啡矮桌上，配上一杯用水晶玻璃杯裝滿的冰鎮檸檬氣泡飲，坐在家中，彷彿也能聽見海浪拍打上岸的沙沙聲，伴著晚風，品啜恬靜的夏夜。 1 CAPITAL LIGHTING, (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT) DILLON PENDANT, $218; BRENOD PENDANT, $250; DOLAN PENDANT, $350, LIGHTINGDESIGN.COM | 2 HEREND, ANCHOR PAPERWEIGHT, $390, SCULLYANDSCULLY.COM | 3 JOANNA BUCHANAN, SHELL SWIZZLE STICKS, $98, SAKSFIFTHAVENUE.COM | 4 BACCARAT, VÉGA GLASS IN BLUE, SET OF TWO, $700, GEARYS.COM | 5 CHELSEA HOUSE, MECKLENBURG BARSTOOL, WHITE AND BROWN, $1,767, PERIGOLD.COM | 6 LLADRÓ, PLAYING AT SEA MERMAID FIGURINE, $315, LLADRO.COM | 7 PINEAPPLES PALMS, CORAL NAPKIN RINGS, SET OF SIX, $120, PINEAPPLESPALMS. COM | 8 SCULLY AND SCULLY, BLUE LAGOON DINNER PLATE FISH, $200, SCULLYANDSCULLY.COM | 9 JOANNA BUCHANAN, CRAB EMBROIDERED LINEN DINNER NAPKINS, SET OF TWO, $80, SAKSFIFTHAVENUE.COM

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Located at 44 Ochre Point Avenue in Newport, R.I., this 70-room mansion sits beside ocean-side cliffs, overlooking Easton Bay.

ELITE HOME

The Vanderbilts’ Summer Residence The Breakers, a grand mansion of the Gilded Age

范德比爾家的夏日度假屋聽濤山莊——重現鍍金時代風采 By Bob Kirchman Pictures courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County

n the autumn of 1885, Cornelius Vanderbilt II paid more than $400,000 for a summer residence in Newport, Rhode Island. The Queen Anne style house, built in 1878, was considered the crown jewel of Newport. It had been designed by the architectural firm of Peabody and Stearns for Pierre Lorillard IV, whose fortune came from the Lorillard Tobacco Company. He bred thoroughbred race horses and financed archaeological expeditions to South and Central America. He helped to make Rhode Island a yachting center as well. The house was situated along Cliff Walk in Newport, with an amazing view of the ocean. When Cornelius Vanderbilt II acquired the property, he hired Peabody and Stearns to oversee $500,000 in renovations, but in 1892 a fire that started in the kitchen largely destroyed the house. Vanderbilt decided to demolish the ruined house, right down to its foundations, and build anew. He brought in architect Richard Morris Hunt, who had worked for the Vanderbilt family in New York, and expressed to him his great concern about the new house being fireproof. Hunt responded by creating a design that would cost $7 million to build— even in 1893.

1885年秋天，康內留斯 · 范德比爾特二世（Cornelius Vanderbilt II）以美金四十多萬元，買下位於羅德島州紐波特郡一處座落於懸崖邊，坐擁壯麗海景的度假莊園。這是座1878年建造的英國安妮女王風格建築，在當時被視為紐波特至珍之寶。原豪宅主人是菸草製造商皮耶爾 · 洛里拉德四世（Pierre Lorillard IV），而建築是由Peabody & Stearns公司設計建造。范德比爾特買下這座豪宅後，雇用原先的建築公司，讓他們負責翻新整修，耗資五十萬元，然而在 1892 年，一場由廚房引起的大火將房屋燒得近乎全毀。後來，范德比爾特決定拆除原損毀建築，重新打造一棟豪宅。他請來曾在其家族工作過的建築師理查 · 莫里斯 · 亨特（Richard Morris Hunt）打造新豪宅，並特別指出新房子必須使用防火建材。 1893 年之際，打造這樣一座新豪宅，需斥資七百萬美元。祝融之後豪宅重生這座大宅以鋼鐵、磚頭和印第安納州出產的石灰岩作為主要結構。有別於以往使用木頭作為房屋骨架，這次磚砌拱門是在鋼梁上建造，建築師還將鍋爐室與主屋分離，僅以地下蒸氣管線相連。重建完工後，已然不是當年的舊式豪宅，而是一座雄偉的意大利文藝復興式建築，成為當地最宏偉的鍍金時代豪宅，名為「聽濤山莊」。事實上，新建成的山莊比最初的建築規模大了許多，在建築師亨特的設計中，原建築地基僅占新豪宅基座的一部分。亨特從巴洛克時期畫家魯本斯（Peter

A GRAND EDIFICE The bones of the estate would be steel, brick, and Indiana limestone. Rather than using wood framing, the architect created masonry arches on steel beams. The boiler room was in a detached building and connected to the main house by an underground steam tunnel. What rose from the original foundations was not simply a reconstruction of the old house, but a grand edifice in the style of the Italian Renaissance. It would be the grandest Gilded Age mansion of Newport. In fact, the new Breakers is much larger than the original house, of which the remaining foundations made up only part of the base of Hunt’s grand masterpiece. Hunt took his inspiration for The Breakers from Peter Paul Rubens’s book Palazzi di Genova, written in 1622. He acquired the book on a trip to Genoa and referred to its detailed illustrations as he created a Renaissance villa for the Vanderbilts. When you approach the mansion from the street, it appears to be three stories high (it is actually five). As you enter the foyer, there is a gentlemen’s reception 52│

Paul Rubens）的著作《熱那亞的宮殿》（Palazzi di Genova, 1622）汲取靈感，打造這座文藝復興式豪宅時，他參考了書中充滿豐富細節的插畫來構思設計。從外部觀賞豪宅，看似一座三層樓建築，實際上則有五層樓高。步入門廳，左右兩側分別是男、女會客室，繼續往前走，便會進入相當壯觀的大廳，那 50 英尺高的天花板和二樓的精美露臺，給人一種走入意大利開放式庭院的錯覺。就像《熱那亞的宮殿》中描繪的豪宅一樣，亨特的設計是以大廳為中心，由房間圍繞四周。豪宅的室內裝潢設計由法國巴黎的阿勒德父子公司（Allard and Sons）負責，使用各地進口的頂級建材。莊園內的浮雕則是出自奧地利雕塑家卡爾 · 比特（Karl Bitter）之手，而二、三層樓家族成員的住所，是由波士頓建築師奧頓 · 考德曼（Ogden Codman）負責設計。古典與奢豪共舞室內裝修交響宴為了能夠觀賞絕美海景，亨特設計了雙層涼廊，即有屋頂的室外走廊，創造休憩空間，下層涼廊的拱形天花板布滿鑲嵌畫，而上層的涼廊天花板彩繪，就像迎向天空的罩棚一般，走廊拱門的拱肩處則用代表四季的人物浮雕裝飾著。受到16世紀熱那亞宮殿和豪宅的啟發，亨特採用了希臘和羅馬的古典式樣，建築所需的材料和工匠

THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN AMERICAN ESSENCE MAGAZINE.

The dining room, which is the most lavish room inside The Breakers, features 12 rose alabaster Corinthian columns, a ceiling mural of the goddess Aurora bringing in the dawn on a four-horse chariot, and two Baccarat crystal chandeliers. │53

room to the right and a ladies’ reception room to the left. Continuing straight, you step into the immense Great Hall. Rising 50 feet above with its great balconies, the Great Hall creates the illusion of an Italian open courtyard, or cortile. Hunt organized the rooms of the mansion around this central space, in the manner of the villas depicted in Palazzi di Genova. Allard and Sons of Paris created the interiors, importing the finest materials for its work. Austrian sculptor Karl Bitter created the relief sculpture in the 54│

來自世界各地，只為傾力打造出華麗雄偉的聽濤山莊。豪宅外牆是由印第安納州的石灰岩所建，而室內大廳的牆壁則是由法國進口的卡昂石灰岩雕刻而成，牆壁上還嵌有來自非洲的粉紅大理石與意大利的綠色大理石板。大廳的壁柱（嵌入石柱）和圓形浮雕使用橡實和橡樹葉裝飾，這是范德比爾特的家族象徵，代表著長壽與力量。視線向上延伸至天花板，巨大的裝飾線板框起了一幅描繪天空的天頂畫。考量到新英格蘭地區多變的氣候，亨特特意將大廳設計為封閉的空間，但又讓該空間保有開放式庭院之感——透過其細節繁複的天花板

Left: The music room showcases a gilt-coffered ceiling lined with silver and gold. This room was featured in the season finale of the HBO series The Gilded Age . Top: The Breaker’s lavish library was designed to be the mansion’s centerpiece, as Cornelius Vanderbilt was a well-read man committed to lifelong learning. Its walls are paneled with Circassian walnut cut in Europe and stamped with gold. Bottom: Facing east to welcome the rising sun, the morning room is a communal sitting room designed by Allard & Sons of France. The design features platinumleaf wall panels adorned with muses from Greek mythology.

estate. Ogden Codman, a Boston architect, oversaw the design of the family quarters.

裝飾與天頂畫之間的對比，與間隔室內走廊和涼廊的巨型玻璃牆，增強了空間的開放性。豪宅南翼突出的空間，是橢圓形的音樂室。這裡

CLASSICAL MOTIFS AND LUXURIOUS MATERIALS For the grand view of the ocean, Hunt created the double loggia (covered exterior galleries, one above the other, created primarily as a place for sitting). The lower loggia has a vaulted ceiling covered in mosaic, and the upper loggia is painted to resemble canopies

的家具與精細的木製品是由 Richard Van der Boyen 設計，並由阿勒德父子公司在巴黎製造，再運送至美國安裝。音樂室原本主要是用來舉辦獨奏會和舞會，前陣子則作為拍攝場景，在《唐頓莊園》編劇朱利安 · 費羅斯（Julian Fellowes）的新作影集《鍍金年代》中出現。在這廣大的莊園中共有 70 個房間，花園的景觀設計是出自波士頓工程師 Ernest W. Bowditch 之手， │55

against the sky. The spandrels (panels) of the loggia arches feature figures representing the four seasons of the year. The materials and the artisans were imported from overseas. Inspired by the palaces and villas of 16th-century Genoa, Hunt drew from classical Greek and Roman motifs to create the splendor of The Breakers. While the exterior is constructed of Indiana limestone, the walls of the Great Hall are made of carved Caen limestone imported from the coast of France. The walls are inset with plaques of rare marbles such as pink marble from Africa and green marble from Italy. The Great Hall’s pilasters (embedded columns) and medallions (circular decorations) are decorated with acorns and oak leaves, representing strength and longevity, symbols of the Vanderbilt family. On top sits a massive cornice that frames a ceiling mural of a windswept sky. Hunt enclosed the space in consideration of Rhode Island’s New England climate, but he quite successfully retained the illusion of an open courtyard. The contrast of the elaborately detailed cornice against the painted sky reinforces that feeling, as does the large glass wall between the hall and the loggias. Projecting from the estate’s south wing is the oval Music Room. Richard Van der Boyen designed the intricate woodwork and furnishings. Jules Allard and Sons built all the woodwork in their shops in Paris and shipped it to America for installation. Used originally for recitals and dances, the Music Room was featured in an episode of Julian Fellowes’s HBO series The Gilded Age. A CHILD’S PLAYHOUSE AMID ELABORATE GARDENS The gardens of the 70-room estate were designed by Boston engineer Ernest W. Bowdtich, who was a student of Frederick Law Olmsted. Trees were carefully placed to increase the sense of distance between The Breakers and the neighboring houses. The enormous gate of the property and the wrought iron fence are f lanked with rhododendron, mountain laurel, and other f lowering shrubs to create a secluded place. Footpaths wind around the tree-shaded grounds, all of which provide a very natural backdrop for the more formal terrace gardens. Paying homage to the original Breakers, Robert Swain Peabody and John Goddard Stearns, 56│

the architectural firm that designed the original house, was commissioned to create The Playhouse in the garden. It was a small, Queen Anne Revivalstyle cottage, reminiscent of the firm’s original design, which was used as a children’s playhouse. Cornelius Vanderbilt II died in 1899. He was 56. Alice, his wife, outlived him by 35 years. Not unlike the fictional Crawley family of Downton Abbey the Vanderbilts faced the reality that such an estate, with its army of servants, was becoming increasingly difficult to maintain. Alice gave the mansion to her youngest daughter Gladys (Countess Széchenyi), who was an active supporter of the Preservation Society of Newport County. She opened the house for visitors in 1948, leasing it to the society for a dollar a year. The society eventually purchased The Breakers in 1972 for $365,00.

他曾是美國著名景觀設計師弗雷德里克 · 奧姆斯德（Frederick Law Olmsted）的學生。植栽的位置經過仔細安排，增加聽濤山莊與鄰近住宅的距離感，讓人感覺莊園更加寬闊。氣派的大門和鍛造圍欄周邊簇擁著杜鵑花、山月桂與其他開花灌木，成功打造出與世隔絕般的祕境感。為了致敬聽濤山莊的前身，最初設計這座豪宅的建築師 Robert Swain Peabody 與 John Goddard Stearns 受託在花園裡建造了玩具小屋。這間作為兒童遊戲室的小屋，以安妮女王復興樣式的建築風格呈現，令人憶起舊時的樣貌。康內留斯 · 范德比爾特二世在 1899 年去世，享年 56 歲，他的妻子愛麗絲，在其過世 35 年後才離世。就像影集《唐頓莊園》中虛構的考利家族一樣，龐大的地產、大批的傭人，讓范德比爾特家族也面臨難以維護這座莊園的困境。愛麗絲將豪宅留給她最小的女兒 Gladys，或稱 Széchenyi 伯爵夫人。伯爵夫人是紐波特郡保護協會（the Preservation Society of Newport County）的支持者，後來她將豪宅以一年一美元出租給協會，並於 1948 年開放民眾參觀。最終在 1972 年，協會以 365,000 美元的成交價購得聽濤山莊，持續營運並對外開放至今。

Left: Designed by Richard Morris in the style of ancient Rome, the walls of the billiard room are constructed from slabs of Italian cipollino marble with rose alabaster arches. Semi-precious stones create mosaics. The Billiard Room was featured in the second episode of The Gilded Age series on HBO. │57

ELITE TRAVEL

The Ultimate Road Trip

THE GREAT RIVER ROAD 風情萬種的美洲大河之旅 ——壯遊密西西比河 By Kevin Revolinski

waded across the Mississippi once. That might sound preposterous or Paul Bunyanlike in hyperbole, but the Mighty Mississip’ has, like all big rivers, its humble origins. The official starting point is Lake Itasca, located in its namesake state park in northern Minnesota. From there the river is a 20-foot wide stream of ankle-wetting water embarking on its threemonth, 2,300- to 2,350-mile journey (depending on who you ask) to descend 1,475 feet to the sea at the Gulf of Mexico. This course takes it along Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana, a broad slice of American life and landscape—and an opportunity for a great road trip. In fact, it’s already mapped for you: The Great River Road National Scenic Byway, first developed in 1938, is a route as grand as the river itself. Stringing together a series of local, state, and national highways, the combined 2,340 miles follow as closely as possible along the banks of the muddy

我曾經涉水穿越密西西比河（Mississippi）一次，這聽起來或許荒謬，或像是誇大其詞，但是世上所有名川大河，都發源自不起眼的小河流，而偉大的密西西比河也是如此。它源於艾塔斯卡湖（Lake Itasca）——位於明尼蘇達州（Minnesota）與湖泊同名的艾塔斯卡州立公園內。在發源地，密西西比河從一條僅20英尺寬，水深只及腳踝的小溪流，逐漸匯集成為北美主要大河之一。循著河流的方向旅行，需耗時三個月，里程約為2,300~2,350英里（根據不同路線規劃，長度有所不同），從上游到墨西哥灣的出海口，海拔高度相差約1,475英尺。密西西比河起源於明尼蘇達州，沿途流經威斯康辛州（Wisconsin）、愛荷華州（Iowa）、伊利 THIS ARTICLE ORIGINALLY APPEARED IN THE EPOCH TIMES.

諾州（Illinois）、密蘇里州（Missouri）、肯塔基州 The historic steamboat Natchez takes visitors on a tour along the Mississippi River to experience the beauty of New Orleans. _shutterstock

（Kentucky）、田納西州（Tennessee）、阿肯色州（Arkansas）、密西西比州（Mississippi）和路易斯安那州（Louisiana），與美國中部大自然、地理與人文密不可分。不過，談到密西西比河，我首先想到的就是：公路旅行！還有專門規劃好的地圖：大河之路國家風景路線（Great River Road），該路線發展於 1938 年，把各州的地區公路、州際公路和國道串在一起，總長 2,340 英里，像密西西比河一樣壯闊。為了盡可能沿著河岸行進，有時路線需跨越河的兩岸。各州各有其管理單位，但基本上， │59

master, in some cases on both sides. Each state has its own managing commission, but the entire route is marked by green signs bearing a white river steamboat inside a pilot wheel. Consider the range of cultural experiences: shucking fresh oysters and spooning up jambalaya in the French Quarter in New Orleans; getting your fingers covered with barbecue sauce in Memphis; dining on fried walleye filet with a side of wild rice (or a Juicy Lucy burger in Minneapolis); and sampling local craft beer while listening to the loons at the headwaters in Minnesota. The segment running the border between Wisconsin and Minnesota is characterized by majestic bluffs overlooking barges negotiating the locks while eagles circle above. The winding road passes through tiny towns such as Potosi, Wisconsin, home to an eponymous brewery and the National Brewery Museum. Midway along this life journey, I found myself in St. Louis, beneath the Gateway Arch, on a tram ride to the top for a unique viewing experience of the river. In the afternoon, I crossed east to Illinois and visited Cahokia Mounds, one of 11 UNESCO World Heritage cultural sites in the United States. In the 13th century, this city, built by what archaeologists refer to as the Mississippian culture, once rivaled London in size. At the top of its largest earthen pyramid, I looked back at the Arch where it marked the river.

整條路線都有著相同的指標，是一個中間畫有白色蒸汽船的綠色船舵。一路上，可以體驗各地文化——在新奧爾良（New Orleans）法國區，一邊聽著爵士樂，一邊豪邁剝開新鮮牡蠣、大啖海鮮什錦燉飯（jambalaya）；接著來到田納西州的曼非斯（Memphis），腳隨藍調節奏踏著拍子，享受美味的燒烤，手指沾滿醬汁，再三回味；往北到了河流的發源地明尼蘇達州，聽聽潛鳥（loons）多變的叫聲，品嘗炸魚排搭配野米（wild rice），或是到明尼亞波利斯嘗嘗充滿起司內餡的露西漢堡 Juicy Lucy，再喝個當地的精釀啤酒，好不過癮！在威斯康辛州與明尼蘇達州的邊界直駛，映入眼簾的雄偉峭壁，是這段路程的獨特之處，眺望駁船緩緩穿過水閘，還能時常看見老鷹在天空盤旋。道路蜿蜒，沿途會路過一個叫波托西（Potosi）的小城鎮，這裡有間啤酒廠，與小鎮同名，國家啤酒釀造博物館（National Brewery Museum）也位於此處。旅行途中，為了以獨特的視角欣賞密西西比河，我在聖路易斯拱門（Gateway Arch）搭乘登頂電車到拱門頂端，從高處俯瞰。時間來到下午，我向東前行，橫渡密西西比河，抵達伊利諾州，參訪卡霍基亞遺址（Cahokia Mounds），這是 11 個登錄在聯合國教科文組織（UNESCO）的美國世界文化遺產之一。考古學家們認為，該遺址是十三世紀的當地人類聚落，當年的規模可與英國倫敦相比擬。站上遺址最大的土墩頂端，我回頭望向遠方的聖路易斯拱門，也可望見密西西比河。回程，我停留於闊德城（Quad Cities），在當地享用晚餐。

Left: Spanning 2,200 acres, the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is the most sophisticated pre-Columbian Native American civilization north of Mexico. _shutterstock Right page: Top: Nestled at the heart of the French Quarter, Jackson Square is named in honor of Andrew Jackson—the hero of the Battle of New Orleans in the War of 1812. _Getty Images Bottom: Downtown trolleys are one of the most popular modes of transportation for visitors and locals in Memphis, Tennessee. _shutterstock

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America's Battlefields 美國本土戰場 1156 15th St. NW, Suite 900 Washington, D.C. 20005 202-367-1861 | 800-298-7878 battlefields.org Chalmette Battlefield 查爾梅特古戰場 1 Battlefield Rd, Chalmette, LA 70043 504-281-0510 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Cahokia Mounds 卡霍基亞遺址 30 Ramey Street, Collinsville, IL 62234 618-346-5160 Interpretive Center: Closed for renovations Grounds: Open daily from dawn until dusk Wickliffe Mounds State Historic Site 威克利夫歷史遺址 94 Green St. Wickliffe, KY 42087 270-335-3681 Open March 29–November 15, Wednesday through Sunday. Grounds: 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Museum, Welcome Center and Gift Shop: 9 a.m.–4:30 p.m. Park is closed Mondays and Tuesdays

PHOTOS BY FREEPIK, RAWPIXEL.COM AND ROSIE KERR.

List of Sites for the Underground Railroad Travel Itinerary 地下鐵路地點列表 www.nps.gov/nr/travel/ underground/states.htm

Driving home, I stopped for dinner in the Quad Cities—Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, and Rock Island and Moline, Illinois. The river runs through them east to west. Here you can take a cruise on the riverboat Celebration Belle, tour the Deere family mansions, and see a combine being made at the John Deere factory.

該地名意為「四城」——即愛荷華州的達文波特市（Davenport）與貝滕多夫市（Bettendorf），以及伊利諾州的岩島市（Rock Island）與莫林市（Moline）四座城市組成。密西西比河由東向西穿過此處。在此，可選擇搭乘遊艇 Celebration Belle 遊河、參觀美國歷史悠久的機械設備公司——約

The Gateway Arch 聖路易拱門 Gateway Arch, St. Louis, MO 63102 314-655-1600 Summer (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend): 9 a.m.–8 p.m. Winter: 9 a.m.–6 p.m. The last tram ride to the top: one hour before closing

翰迪爾。

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規劃最佳專屬路線這趟公路旅行，涵蓋範圍很廣，因此在規劃時，建議將注意力集中於您最感興趣的部分，為您的大河歷險記設定

CHOOSE YOUR ANGLE A road map so enormous can use a bit of focus. Consider a theme for your Great River Road adventure. History buffs can visit Civil War battlefields, Underground Railroad locations, and archaeological sites. Besides Cahokia, there is more archaeology at Wickliffe Mounds State Park in Kentucky. Or visit one of more than 70 interpretive centers covering a wide variety of topics, including Mark Twain, Lewis and Clark, the National Eagle Center, aquariums, art museums, and much more. The history of American music runs countercurrent, following the river north from roots in the South, and you’ll find museums dedicated to a variety of genres along the way. Foodies could call this the barbecue trail, with Memphis (wet or dry rub?) and St. Louis as obvious hubs, but with several alternatives besides: Kentucky and Arkansas have their own ideas about barbecue, and even New Orleans goes rogue on the definition with its “barbecue” shrimp. (And while barbecue is not often considered a Minnesota thing, The Piggy BBQ in Walker, 30 miles east of the headwaters is worth the extra miles.) Meanwhile, beer flows where the river goes: Craft beer fans will find more than 50 breweries along the route, without even venturing far from the river into brewery-dense places such as St. Louis and the Twin Cities.

個主題吧！愛好歷史的您，可以走訪南北戰爭時的戰場、當年非裔奴隸逃跑的祕密路線地下鐵路，還有考古遺跡等。除了卡霍基亞遺址，還有肯塔基州的威克利夫州立公園（Wickliffe Mounds State Park），或是參加大河之路遊客中心舉辦的活動，內容豐富多樣——例如馬克吐溫主題導覽、路易斯與克拉克遠征（Lewis and Clark）、參訪國家老鷹中心（National Eagle Center），還有水族館、美術館等各色活動。如果想探索美國在地音樂的歷史，您可沿河逆流而行探訪博物館等景點。而對美食愛好者來說，將這段路程稱為「燒烤之路」也不為過。說到燒烤，要以曼非斯（您是醬燒派，還是乾燒派？）和聖路易斯為經典，不過有幾個地方，也能找到比較非典型的選擇：肯塔基州和阿肯色州的燒烤獨具地域特色，新奧爾良也有他們所謂的「烤」蝦料理。雖然明尼蘇達州並不風行燒烤，但從密西西比河源頭處往東 30 英里的沃克（Walker），有間燒烤餐廳叫 The Piggy BBQ，絕對值得您花時間走一趟。大啖燒烤的同時，別忘了，密西西比河流到哪兒，哪兒就有美味的啤酒。喜好精釀啤酒的人，不用專程去啤酒廠最密集的地方，如聖路易斯和雙子城，大河之路沿途就有超過 50 間啤酒廠，無須偏離主要路線，也能暢飲淋漓。

Right: A cannon-firing demonstration at Chalmette Battlefield, New Orleans. _courtesy of U.S. National Park Service Right page: Built in the 1850s by Baroness de Pontalba, New Orleans' historic Pontalba Buildings are one of the most recognizable features of the French Quarter.

Itasca State Park 艾塔斯卡州立公園 36750 Main Park Drive Park Rapids, MN 56470 218-699-7251 8 a.m.–10 p.m. Mississippi Palisades State Park 密西西比州立公園 16327A IL Rte. 84 Savanna, IL 61074 815-273-2731

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Pikes Peak State Park 派克峰公園 32264 Pikes Peak Rd. McGregor, IA 52157 563-873-2341 The Park Store is open from 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), Memorial Day weekend through the third Sunday in October.

Hawn State Park 漢恩州立公園 12096 Park Drive Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670-8121 Park Office: 573-883-3603 Park Grounds Year-round: 6:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday–Thursday; 6:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Friday and Saturday

Park Office hours April through October (on-season): Noon to 4 p.m., Thursday –Monday. November–March (off-season): 8 a.m.–4 p.m., Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Closed Wednesday

波托西啤酒廠餐廳 Potosi Brewery Restaurant 209 S Main St, Potosi, WI 53820 608-763-4002 Monday–Saturday: 11 a.m.– 9 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m.–6 p.m. 波托西啤酒廠導覽 Potosi Brewery Tours 209 S Main St, Potosi, WI 53820 608-763-4002 Saturday: 1 p.m. Sunday: 1 p.m. 國家啤酒釀造博物館 National Brewery Museum 209 S Main St, Potosi, WI 53820 484-431-4037 10:30 a.m.–9 p.m.

The Piggy BBQ Restaurants 607 Minnesota Ave Box 1286 Walker, MN 56484 218-547-6465 Monday: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Tuesday–Saturday: 11 a.m.–8 p.m. Sunday: 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Independence Day: 11 a.m.–4 p.m.

Columbus-Belmont State Park 哥倫布-貝爾蒙特州立公園 350 Park Road Columbus, KY 42032 270-677-2327 Park Grounds April 1–Oct. 15: open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Winter: open 8 a.m. to dark. Museum by appointment only; camping and park open year round.

Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge 里爾富特國家野生動物保護區 4343 Hwy 157 Union City, TN 38261 731-538-2481 Monday–Saturday (closed on all federal holidays) 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

Reelfoot Lake State Park 里爾富特湖州立公園 2595 Hwy 21 E Tiptonville, TN 38079 731-253-9652 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. St. Bernard State Park 聖貝爾納州立公園 501 St. Bernard Parkway Braithwaite, LA 70040 504-682-2101 888-677-7823

National Eagle Center 國家老鷹中心 50 Pembroke Ave. S. Wabasha, MN 55981 651-565-4989 877-332-4537 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Different events daily

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NATURAL BEAUTY The river route has an unbeatable natural beauty for nature lovers. Twice each year, millions of birds from 325 species make the migration along the Mississippi Flyway, drawing many birders hoping to add to their life lists. State parks abound: Pikes Peak in Iowa overlooks the river and is great for fall colors. Mississippi Palisades State Park in Illinois features its own overlook and the iconic sandstone tower Sentinel Rock. Missouri’s Hawn State Park is home to sandstone canyons, while Kentucky’s Columbus-Belmont State Park, a Civil War site, offers river cliff-top camping. Reelfoot Lake State Park is a watery wonder with thousands of acres of lake and flooded woods for paddling, plus a national wildlife refuge nearby. Eagles dominate here in the middle of winter. Finally, St Bernard State Park lies just 18 miles south of Bourbon Street, yet is immersed in nature with camping, boating, swimming, and excellent birdwatching. Minutes away at Chalmette, visit the site of the Battle of New Orleans, the last major battle of the War of 1812. Overwhelmed yet? The great thing is this road trip is inexhaustible. I try to knock off a bit more of this each year. Start planning for next spring and summer, or even now for sites along the southern stretch. Check out the Experience the Mississippi River website (ExperienceMississippiRiver.com) for more itinerary ideas and to order or download a free map of the entire route.

Waterfowl in flight at the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge. _courtesy of USFWS

擁抱自然風光喜愛大自然的您請務必留心，在大河之路上有一種景色，其壯麗無與倫比。季節轉換之際，有數百萬隻、325種候鳥會以密西西比河上空為路線，展開一年兩度的大遷徙。許多賞鳥人士遊大河之路將此列上此生必做的願望清單。該路線途經多座州立公園：愛荷華州的派克峰公園有著絕美的秋景，還可以眺望密西西比河。伊利諾州的密西西比河公園有著名的哨兵岩地質景觀，而從這裡遠眺的河面，別有一番景致。河流流經密蘇里州一帶，有座漢恩州立公園可以觀賞砂岩峽谷地形；而肯塔基州的哥倫布 - 貝爾蒙特州立公園，除了山頂露營區，此地也曾是南北戰爭地點。田納西州的里爾富特湖州立公園，擁有數千英畝的湖泊與沼澤森林，可以在此划船遊覽；附近的國家野生動物保護區，寒冬時節常有老鷹出沒。從新奧爾良法國區著名的波旁街往南 18 英里，聖貝爾納州立公園就座落於此。雖與鬧區相距甚近，卻為大自然完美包覆，遊客可以在公園露營、划船、游泳戲水，此地也是一處絕佳的賞鳥景點。距離公園幾分鐘的路程，就是查爾梅特（Chalmette）古戰場，這裡是新奧爾良之戰，即 1812 年戰爭（又稱美國第二次獨立戰爭）中最後一場重要戰役的所在地。大河之路永遠可以帶給遊人驚喜。每一年，筆者都會循著大河之路旅行，試著去那些未曾到訪的景點。現在就開始計劃明年春天或今年夏天的旅程，或馬上出發，就近前往幾個景點，來趟小旅行。如果想知道更多路線規劃，在大河之路的官方網站（experiencemississippiriver.com）可以免費下載自訂路線地圖或完整地圖，也有各種活動資訊可供參考。

在家體驗神韻的神奇震撼心靈的視聽饗宴就在神韻全新的線上影音平台

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