Tile Talk

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FEATURED GUEST: Welcome to the table! Lets Mahjong with Molly! 
Molly joins us to chat about her Mahjong journey and AMAZING new App Tile Time! One Home for All Your Mahjong Needs!
Find instructors, play with friends, join events, and see your overall standings - all in one place, without needing multiple apps.
https://tiletime.co/
https://www.instagram.com/mahjongmolly/
TABLESCAPE:
Mat - Oh My Mahjong!
Tiles - The Minimal Line: Palm Springs from The Mahjong Line
Racks - Double Acrylic Racks with magnetic pushers Bam! Let's Mahjong
DIY Drink - Vegan white Russian: chilled Vodka of choice, Kahlua, Mooala milk, over ice with dash of nutmeg  (https://mooala.com/products/oatmilk)
Guest Drink- 1 part teq/ ½ orange liq/½ fresh lime juice
Flowers- PROTEAS and palm, coleus (Proteas from FreshwreathscoUS on Etsy)
Save when you Shop with Tile Talk! 
WHAT’S BLOWIN IN THE WIND? 
ParisMahjClub - had a post on the mysterious workings of the NML:
Inspired by the rumor the card price may be going up next year ($15 to $16-18) she did a DEEP dive:
https://www.instagram.com/reels/DdXjnZ7o1BT/
Molly dives into her Mahjong past, present, and very exciting future with us! 
Tile Tips!
Molly dishes on what to do when you have a hand you cannot win! "Dogging" your tiles!?

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TILE TALK EPISODE 16: Mahjong Goes Couture: Meet Caroline Johnson of Mahj Tile Haus!
Today we’re sitting down with Caroline Johnson, the woman behind Mahj Tile Haus - where mahjong meets high fashion, and the table becomes the runway. Caroline, welcome to Tile Talk!
HOW’S EVERYONE DOING? Hair cuts, fantasy football, bringing new players into Mahjong! Dont fight it!
TABLESCAPE:
Mat - MTH: Imperial Lotus 
Tiles - MTH: Imperial Lotus
Racks - Clear or Tortoiseshell MTH
HH Drink - Matcha Mai Thai
WHAT’S BLOWIN IN THE WIND? 
Apparently mahjong is moving out of our living rooms—and getting its own address!
We’re talking dedicated mahjong parlors, studios , lounges and social clubs - they’re popping up around the country, and y'all, these aren't just rooms with four card tables
One end of the spectrum: Charlotte's Heron House opened this summer in a 3,000-square-foot historic home. You can drop in and play for $25. multiple individually designed rooms, a boutique, lessons and events. And you don't need to be a member: $25 gets you in to play.
Mid Spectrum: In San Antonio, The Polished Tile has opened inside a restored historic mansion, with memberships up to $225 a month. 
Other end of spectrum: And then there's The Hidden Parlor outside Boston—a private mahjong society with a country-chic dress code and a top membership tier of $4,000 a year. It's intentionally secretive. The exact address is shared privately with members/serious prospects. There's a “country chic” dress code. Athletic/overly casual clothing is discouraged. Members can come to play—or apparently just hang out, read or knit. And its top East Society membership is currently listed at $4,000 annually.
GUEST & TOPIC: ALL THINGS CAROLINE / MAHJ TILE HAUS
-Caroline, your career path is WILD—professional photographer, New York Fashion Week, Fortune 10 healthcare executive…and now founder of a luxury mahjong brand. Give us the Cliff's Notes version of how we got from there to Mahj Tile Haus.
IMPERIAL LOTUS & HONORING MAHJONG'S ROOTS
-Your newest Imperial Lotus collection, which we're obsessed with, feels different from your other collections because you very intentionally went back toward Chinese imagery and heritage. Where did the idea come from?
-Put your Fortune 10 executive hat back on for us. What do you think is happening with American mahjong right now? Is this a trend—or are we watching a permanent cultural shift? Behavioral shift?!
TILE TIPS: THE JOKER SWAP!
SIGNOFF:  
Thank you for joining us today, CAROLINE! 
And that’s a mahjong for today’s Talk Talk! Thank you so much for joining us! Until next time, may your tiles be lucky and your table always welcoming!

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Welcome to the 15th Episode of Tile Talk! We are so excited to continue our American Mahjong History Series. Episode 9 was Part 1, we dive deeper into "Bad Boy Babcock" and how Mahjong stormed into the Amercian scene in the 1920s!
Checking in with everyone: Marshall is buying a new house! Elizabeth and Christina played Mahjong at the FSU tailgate!
Hayward House drink: Mocktail! Ginger beer, fresh mint, splash of pineapple, and lots of ice! https://haywardhousetlh.com/
Blowing in the Wind:
We love Dolly! We Dolly and relate her life and spirit to the game of Mahjong!
Black Dragon Controversy - Proposed by prominent player and expert Gladys Grad (codified the Siamese Mahjong card), the concept suggests using blank tiles designated as "Black Dragons" to pair specifically with the dot suit - Soaps are just 0s (Christie B, a Greesnsboro Instructor - Sparrow and dragon, breaks it down nicely on Instagam) https://www.instagram.com/reel/DcvszGcOx9_/?igsi=aWdzbTZia2J6M3Rl
Also check out Missy Mahjongs post: https://www.missymahjong.com/post/the-black-dragon-mahjong-tile
Gladys has free stickers for blanks = 156 tiles, east adds four tiles to their wall. Thoughts?!? I think I would try it with Siamese? LOTS of thoughts on MJTI!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MahJonggThatsIt/posts/28677793245172149/
Main Topic: The REAL History of American Mahjong, Part 2: Opium, Babcock, and “The Red Book”
How did Joseph Babcock aquire, learn, and bring Mahjong back to the states?
What were the driving cultural influences of the time?
How did he market, sell and produce his first books and sets?
How did this shape the game we know and love today?

Tile Tips for this Episode feature tips for Charleston domination:
filtering them first. The player sitting across from you is statistically the most likely to be chasing the exact same hand family - this weekend Christina and I were sitting across and went for the same hand!
Pay close attention to the difference between what they passed you in the First Across (the 2nd pass of the game) versus the Second Across (the 5th pass of the game). Play the courtesy pass accordingly!
And that’s a mahjong for today’s Talk Talk! Thank you so much for joining us! Until next time, may your tiles be lucky and your table always welcoming!
Love you bye!

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This super fun and colorful Episode features Mischief Mahj founder Roxy Corbet! It is a fun new twist to add to your Mahjong repertoire! The same American Mahjong gameplay and rules, just add twists and turns to elevate your play or spice up your next Mahjong event! Thank you Roxy, use code TILETALK and it will get your listeners 10% off their online purchase! mischiefmahj.com
Table Scape: beautiful confetti tiles from Mahj Boutique! https://mahjpit.co/collections
Carajillo beverage from Hayward House: 2 oz. of cold brew, 2 oz. Liquer 43 (Sweet Spanish liqueur), pour over ice and garnish with coffee beans - DELISH!
 Blowing in the Wind: 
We dish on funny things you hear at the Mahjong table - post from Gold Coast Mahjong (https://www.instagram.com/p/DbWmqAIFHTe/)
New Disney princess tiles from the Noble Collection! https://noblecollection.com/Item--i-GAM-DI-4842?srsltid=AfmBOor8UB7G6_2tq7l_O0to7vUBiJwzKDMiK_FSEn4lswb2aNamQr4E
Elizabeth shares a tip for rooting Hydrangeas from Anya the Garden fairy! https://www.facebook.com/anyathegardenfairy/videos/multiply-hydrangeas-to-make-more-free-plants-for-your-garden-do-it-between-late-/1360752332564097/
Check out Tile Tips at the end of the Episode for some stealth moves for "spying" on your opponents and gaining the upper hand during the Charleston!
https://www.instagram.com/tiletalk_/
https://haywardhousetlh.com/

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Tile Talk gets ready for back to school! We explore ways to teach and play with kids! We also welcome back to Alice Hopkins, an Elementary school counselor, to explore the benefits of playing with the whole family!

Thank you sooooo much to Bam Lets Mahjong for the beautiful Palm Royale Set AND a new Siamese rack we cant wait to try!
⁠https://www.bamletsmahjong.com/products/the-palm-royale-tile-collection-pre-order?variant=45502168105118⁠
Jimmy Fallon loves Mahjong!?! Hilarious clip in Blowing in the Wind
⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/MahJonggThatsIt/posts/28250820731202738/⁠⁠

 Solitaire Mahjong is a great way to start with children. We model how to set up and play a simple Solitaire game to help gain tile recognition. Learning the tiles before diving in to Mahjong and card will help kids (or anyone) - learn the language and the comprehension will come! 
https://www.bamletsmahjong.com/products/the-palm-royale-tile-collection-pre-order?variant=45502168105118
Mini Mahjer is a great resource. Alice has a set in her office at school!

https://minimahjer.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorwCAW0tHWLDOcoqUyb312VZ3mIZtZjdFS3HWC8mRUS42V2u7OB