(Wine stain) A port-wine stain or naevus flammeus is a vascular birthmark consisting of superficial and deep dilated capillaries in the skin which produce a reddish to purplish discolouration of the skin. They are so called for their colour, resembling that of port wine.
Make (something or someone) free of dirt, marks, or mess, esp. by washing, wiping, or brushing
make clean by removing dirt, filth, or unwanted substances from; "Clean the stove!"; "The dentist cleaned my teeth"
Remove the innards of (fish or poultry) prior to cooking
clean and jerk: a weightlift in which the barbell is lifted to shoulder height and then jerked overhead
free from dirt or impurities; or having clean habits; "children with clean shining faces"; "clean white shirts"; "clean dishes"; "a spotlessly clean house"; "cats are clean animals"
(of a person's eyes) Bloodshot or having pink rims, esp. with tiredness or crying
(of a person or their face or complexion) Flushed or rosy, esp. with embarrassment, anger, or a healthy glow
Of a color at the end of the spectrum next to orange and opposite violet, as of blood, fire, or rubies
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
a tributary of the Mississippi River that flows eastward from Texas along the southern boundary of Oklahoma and through Louisiana
crimson: characterized by violence or bloodshed; "writes of crimson deeds and barbaric days"- Andrea Parke; "fann'd by Conquest's crimson wing"- Thomas Gray; "convulsed with red rage"- Hudson Strode
Your Host at White Sands
Todd surprised me (well, he asked for the camera, so it wasn't *that* much of a surprise!) with this profile shott, I instinctively yelped "Is it my bad side?"
Recently I had been taken aback by the short story "Face" by Alice Munro (in her latest collection, "Too Much Happiness") where the character had my type of birthmark, a port-wine stain. The character speaks: "My birthmark not red, but purple. Dark in my infancy and early childhood, fading somewhat as I got older, but never fading to a state of inconsequence, never ceasing to be the first thing you notice about me, head-on, or are shocked to see if you come at me from my left, or clean side. It looks as is someone has dumped grape juice or paint on me, a big serious splash that does not turn to driblets till it reaches my neck."
While I am not as self-conscious about it anymore, I'll admit to still having issues every now and then. But alas, of all the shots that were taken of me that day at White Sands this was my favorite one.
Wino
When people say to clean up red wine stains with salt, throw some salt in their eyes. The best way to remove red wine -- it's like magic and makes a good show when your sheepish sloppy drunkard friend is feeling guilty for spillage -- is a mixture of dish soap and hydrogen peroxide.