Gypsy Powder

It's no secret that throughout my life I have always had a girly nature and love for all things pink, frilly, and sweet, but I'm certainly not all sunshine and roses. Under the girly, fuchsia icing is an assertive woman that has no problem voicing her needs and wants, and, ultimately mixed with this sweetness and assertiveness is a mysterious darkness and appreciation for such things as—nearly every vampire story ever told! —palm readings, cemeteries, and Gypsy Powder. Gypsy Powder you ask?

Gypsy Powder, I suppose, is only really special to me, as it's from my childhood. It’s a memory really, one that has stuck with me forever. You know, one of those fleeting memories that pop-in your head for no real reason, it makes you happy for a second, and then poof it's gone before you really have a chance to remember it and figure out why you just thought of it again. Well, Gypsy Powder is one of those memories. It has, in essence, shaped my thoughts, dreams, and desires. It has a darkness supported by light behind it, something deep and motivating, but intense; something I didn't believe my peers could achieve or realize. I am speaking of the feeling the memory gave me (and still does,) rather than the actual memory. However while that feeling is all good and wonderful, the memory is also pretty nifty, at least to me.

Around the age of ten, during one hot Minnesota summer, I attended Campfire Girls day camp for two weeks. Every morning my mother would wake me at the crack of dawn—loud applause here for my mother's heroic accomplishments—and I would board a bus for an hour long journey to the middle of a Minnesota forest where I would do Campfire Girl things like sing songs, make jam, and learn to socialize outside of my suburban Campfire Girl circle. While I didn't absolutely hate it, it was not my idea of how to spend a summer vacation. For one thing, the hard wooden picnic benches, coupled with the large amounts of bugs, made it quite difficult for one to just sit back, read a good rag mag and enjoy a soy latte on a lazy summer day. Come to think of it, lazy summer days didn't exist at day camp, neither did soy lattes, but that’s not the point. The point is, instead of real fun, we were forced into educational tasks from 7:00am to 7:00pm, all quite exhausting.

Campfire Girls camp also lacked two major components of what I believe make good camp: sleeping over in a tent and proximity to a lake. Basically I was put in this awful setting that had me completely roughing it, but yet, I wasn't given the real chance to fully test my capacity for dealing with bugs and dirt because every night I returned to the luxury of my full size bed and comforting puffalumps. To me, this was cheating. On top of that, I didn't get to fish for my dinner or don that year's trendiest swimsuit, likely a pink shimmer one piece with ribbing and cheap white detailing. I was certainly disappointed in this idea of 'camp.'

Okay, so making friends was a good idea, but when would I really ever see these girls again? I lived in suburban Minnesota, you couldn’t really be friends with anyone beyond five miles of your home. And the thought of eating jam, much less making it with molten wax was horrifically upsetting to me. Day camp needed to be stopped.

So, of course, by the last day of camp I wasn't sad to have it end. I was excited and not for the obvious reasons, but rather the ending activities were starting to really get me jazzed! For one thing we were told to arrive in gypsy costume. For a girl that has donned get-ups every night of her life until the age of, well you don't need to know my current age, a gypsy costume was indeed something I could do and do happily! On top of this, we were told we would all meet with a gypsy fortune teller, and participate in a tribal gypsy dance. Oh yes, this was definitely well worth 13 days of Kumbaya.

The gypsy powder came in when I met with the fortune teller, who happened to also be my camp counselor. Upon realizing this, I immediately convinced myself that my counselor was actually a gypsy that had gone undercover as a camp counselor. Her assignment was to read our young minds and steal our youthful energy, except mine of course. The gypsy and I were equals.

Once I sat down, under the makeshift tent of pink bed sheets and blankets, I peered into the gypsy’s eyes and waited for her words of wisdom. What she actually said to me I cannot remember, it was after her words that I recall vividly. She doused me with gypsy powder. A white, very perfumey powder that was addressed to my forehead and wrists, designed to give me strength, beauty, and inner power to achieve whatever I wanted. It’s the actual smell and feel of the powder that is the heart of my Gypsy Powder memory. The smell was sweet, not overpowering or girly, almost as if it had a hint of Nag Champa incense. I wish I knew what Snyder drugstore she had picked it up from, because I would definitely purchase it for use today. The feeling of the powder was like softly spun silk coupled with the softest feather pillows ever invented. The mix of these two senses, just from a chintzy body powder, completely enlightened my entire being and when I left that gypsy tent I was completely ready for the tribal dance!

I was a 10-year-old little gypsy wearing an old beat up three-tired favorite multicolored skirt, a silly scarf wrapped around my head, and loads of my mom’s old gold costume jewelry. Inside I was the Queen of Sheba ready to conquer the world. I smelled of sweetness and felt as soft as that powder as I danced to the tribal drums. I was a very happy gypsy.

Stella, He-Man, and not much more...

Well I am officially back online on my terms! Stella arrived yesterday and she is fancy! Now I can Twitter and blog all I want, but more importantly I can get back to seeking more writing gigs!

While computerless, I have been spending my time reading, socializing, working, and walking around town and, as a result of the walking, I had the pleasure and shock of running into He-Man! A New York city celeb, He-Man is this giant alien-like individual with a 14" neck, biceps the size of boulders and thighs that could crush a small mammal in one minute flat. In Chicago I used to read about him on the blog Find He-Man and I longed for the day that I too would find He-Man. That day happily, and surprisingly, came one week ago!

While walking in a light drizzle on 9th Ave, just passing 38th Street I looked up from under my umbrella to see this gynormous slab of flesh headed my way, "what is that?' my first thought was and then it hit me, "OH MY GOD! It's HE-MAN!' I could barely contain my enthusiasm and astonishment! What do I do first!? Do I whip out my camera and snap pics, or my phone to text to the first person I know who'd care about He-Man? The camera came out first, text messaging could wait; I had to get my shot of the He-Man! I tried to get a full-frontal shot, as the shirt he was wearing proved to show all his HUGE chesty muskulls, but alas I was also quite petrified of getting caught. I feared if he saw me snapping photos he would take one giant step over to me (the equivalent of 10 feet) and crush my camera with one hand.

So I opted to stay a safe distance behind and nervously get any shot I could... I managed one good shot of him bumming a smoke off this, what appears to be a very tiny man... the man was of course a normal sized human probably around 5' 8", but next to He-Man, he was wee.

Until I get my Macbook...

I am living a little at the Apple Store on 5th Ave these days... my computer broke just before I moved, so blogging, twittering, facebooking, emailing, interneting, all that cool-kid stuff is a little slow for me these days... Basically this is my computer station for now:

Not too shabby, eh?! It's a little weird here. People just basically plant themselves on the computers and then others, either wanting to buy, or seeking free Internet time, come by and stare at what you are doing. They try and intimidate of course, but alas I just invite them to read my emails, no biggie!

In other news, today was Day 3 of 4 for training at the AG Cafe on 5th ave. The cafe is SO different than the Bistro in Minnie. I think I am SO going to love this! It's fancier and pinker, the money seems great, and we get to wear hot pink aprons! Yay!! My first official day is Monday and I hope to make some money! Sunday I have a free day and would like to do some errands and laundry and maybe a lazy afternoon in Central Park. Come join me!? 

I am currently studying a cool freelance idea as well as studying the man-purse, or rather 'Murse.' Some handsome man has asked me to investigate this 'trend' as he thinks it's quite unfair that women get to freely tote around purses and men either have to go for the backpack, laptop bag, or become the target of some sneering if any other type of bag is carried... I have to say I am a huge fan of the Murse! He is trying to find a cool one and showed me these below. I think he should most definitely find one that resembles the murse on the right.

I should cut this short and will promise to blog more from my cool new "office!" Oh My God, the guy next to me is watching a movie.

The Cloisters & Fort Tryton Park

Across from the Fox Hole, and on the tippy top of Manhattan, is Fort Tryton Park encompassing The Cloisters, Heather Garden, playgrounds, trails and trails of hiking, a dog park, amazing views of the Hudson River and the Washington Bridge, as well as views of the Fox Hole neighborhood. This park will be my summer playground and gym. The park is situated on a hill that just keeps going up and up, so after just a few jaunts up, the legs get a supreme work out!

Today I spent the afternoon there and got some great shots that I share here with you! Enjoy.

Sunae, Kanzashi, and GiGi

At this years National Stationery Show, held at Javits in NYC, I saw new artists, old friends, and many beautiful, artist-driven work that made my heart sing!
Here are just a few of my favs!

Red Cap Cards artist Carrie Gifford introduced new artists to its card company, including this fabulous Japanese artist Naoshi! Naoshi paints in shiny color sand, a process called "SUNAE" in Japanese. Her imagery is smart, quirky, and very funny!

Artist Amy Kwong for her stationery company Smitten Kitten showed pretty stationery as well as her line of beautiful handmade couture necklaces she crafts herself. Similar to Origami, the flowers are called Kanzashi and are made from vintage silk scarfs, and are accented with glass and acrylic beads.

As a HUGE fan of Dare Wright and The Lonely Doll, this company certainly tweaked my fancy! Gigglegraph offers up silly cards with the sneaky GiGi doll everywhere!

J's GWN Review of the NSS

My review of the National Stationery Show for Giftware News Web is up online; check it out yo!
CLICK HERE!

Bunny

Yesterday I was walking along 40th street, coming from the Javits Center, and I saw these cute horses and my heart sank. Are they happy? Do their handlers love them and take good care of them? I sure hope so. But it was quite random to see these big, beautiful beasts in the heart of the city, and not the pretty heart, like Central Park.
I wonder what Laura Ingalls and Bunny think?

New York New York

A view of the neighborhood

Sweet Score!

I found these cuties at my fav thrift store in Chicago and I couldn't be happier! Does anyone remember these? What were they for? I remember them from my childhood, having a bunch of them, but I don't really remember how I got them...

I do have one vague memory of these plastic animals: I was playing with my neighborhood friend Jenae on her lawn when we saw our parents drive away together. We knew they were headed to go shopping for prizes for the neighborhood cul-de-sac pig roast (Um hello suburbia!) and I remember Jenae telling me "Don't worry I asked my mom to keep two extra glass animals for us." These were the animals. I'm pretty sure I got an elephant. But I had so many more thereafter! I tried doing some searches on the Internet, but couldn't find anything.

Suffice it to say I just love them.... four little 2" chunks of plastic, they could have easily gone to a landfill, but thankfully were saved and found their way into my home!

Amy Does It Again!

Amy has added to "Amy and Marshall"!!! It's her latest photography from her and Marshall's recent trip to the west coast! The pics are so beautiful, just like Amy! Here, I share with you a few of my favorites! The last one looks like a giant lizard!

To see the rest visit "Amy and Marshall!"

Oh Damn You Economy

Okay so the economy BLOWS and many things in my personal life have been affected, i.e. family and numerous friends losing their jobs, no one eating at my restaurants, no one wanting to actually pay for writers...and now the final straw, my beloved Domino Magazine had folded.


The Premiere issue in 2005 with Ruthie Sommers on the cover; this cover had me immediately sending in my subscription card and I was a loyal fan ever since. To read more about Domino's folding, go to this good article in The New York Times: A Girl World Closes, and Fans Mourn.

I credit Domino with SO much; introducing me to the COOLEST, HIPPEST young interior designers; showing me how to have a FABU home that is SO all about my personality, well put-together, and still so affordable; having pages oozing with the color pink, teal, and purple; and being a resource that truly spoke to me about what design could be for me no matter what my bank account was or my style desires! I have never been one to follow rules, and Domino was the first shelter pub to recognize that people's homes can be as individualistic as their personalities.

Domino I will so miss you. R.I.P.

The Fabulous Stains

Not Boring

I am loving The Pierces, a set of Alabama singers that will make your heart swoon and feel all syrupy while listening to them... They themselves are a fairytale madness and are as poetic in their words on their MySpace page, as they are in their music. When asked what they wanted in the sound of their music they said, and I quote from their MySpace page, "...they wanted it to sound like a fever induced, gypsy dream that you have after drinking too much red wine while listening to a cabaret singer in a southern speakeasy that is run by witches…"

Check out their song Secret


I also love their song Boring, it has a very James Bond feel mixed with their Speakeasy drunken splendor...

Happy 2009

R.I.P. Bettie

In early December pinup icon, gorgeous woman, kind-hearted soul, and a true believer in 'just being your self,' Ms. Bettie Page, died at the age of 85 in Los Angeles. May she rest in peace.

Gucci by Gucci —by David Lynch

This morning I had breakfast with Andrea at my FAV breakfast spot, Bryant Lake Bowl, mainly because they offer vegan sausage instead of real sausage—I heart that! I was talking to her about her recent adventures in Houston and a Mr. Mystery Man which prompted me to bring up the movie Blue Velvet by David Lynch. Now a good 12 hours later and I am perusing some blogs when I made a discovery on the very cool blog Cat Party that brings my attention back to Mr. Lynch. It's a new Gucci perfume ad by David Lynch. I heart this too.

Take Note!

My dear friend Amy seems to be beginning a photo journal of her and her boyfriend Marshall’s travels and it’s lovely!


Amy and Marshall are avid travelers and Miss. Amy, AKA Mingo, is also a sweet-ass photog! I have added the Amy and Marshall Travel Journal to my section "Good Stuff On the Web" on the right, but you should check it out immediately and you can see more pics like the one from above from their most recent trip to Guatemala. To check out the rest go to Amy and Marshall.

The only sad thing about their travels is that, while they are away, someone else is taking care of my man Watson.

Oh Loyal Fan...s

Hello! I know it's been a while! I promise to write a lengthier post about my recent happenings in little minnie-sota soon! I do get myself involved in the oddest things and my most recent activities are no exception to the rule of "what the hell am I doing now!!??" But alas I am a wee bit busy with this adventure and I am doing some freelancing that I should focus on... I did want to share this though: my aunt Lisa, a very beautiful, funny, witty, and stylish woman, is a great artist, and in memory of my Miss Honey she made me a drawing of Honey.


It's sooo beautiful and looks just like Miss. H.; Lisa is also a cat-lover and was a big fan of Honey's so she completely understands the sadness of this loss... Enjoy the picture, it's very beautiful!!

Walmart Vs. Apache Plaza

The other day I had a traumatic experience at the Walmart. Walmart is HUGE here and this store scares me so... it’s huge, weirdly lit, and full of the oddest characters and oddest merchandise. And yet, I find myself in it often, deliciously enticed by its oddities. However there is so much more to my feelings about this store, than just the store itself. Let me explain:

When I was little, growing up in New Brighton Minnesota, a St. Paul suburb my parents still live in, there was this great little mall just off of Silver Lake Road in the adjacent neighborhood called St. Anthony. The mall was called Apache Plaza and it was fabulous! It was a small mall, not like those huge crazy ones today, there was nothing cookie cutter about this mall. It was all one level and you could literally walk the perimeter of it in say seven minutes, maybe five? That, of course, is without stopping to shop.


Stores that were housed here included my favorite, Marco Polo Imports, a tiny shop in the middle of the mall that had tons of crazy, weird jewelry and gifts; Jolly's Hobby Shop, my bro's fav place; The Beauty Center where Linda cut my Dad's hair; a tiny JC Penny with the Pixie Studio where my aunt worked and took all of our childhood photos; Two Plus Two; Minnesota Fabrics; Braun’s' Fashions; Woolworth’s; The Little Professor Book Store; the secretive Scarpellie’s Restaurant; and, the oh so seedy Apache Wells where those that took to the ‘Devil's Brew’ often could be found...if I wasn’t seven at the time I most frequented the Plaza, you would have found me at the Wells.

In the basement of the mall was Queen's Court dance studio, where I flubbed up taking ballet and tap and my bro successfully took break dancing; a tanning studio; and a weird Weight Watcher's Center. There was also a bowling alley where my parents played in a league every Wednesday night. While my parents competed on the lanes, my brother and I roamed around playing video games with the other kids, chomped on fries and candy at the refreshment counter, and often bought the oddities of the establishment's weirdest vending machine. This machine dispensed anything and everything from tweezers and a mini sewing kit to packs of Beemans and a single serving of Bazooka Joes, but my most favorite thing we ever bought from this machine was the miniature smoking monkey. This special little monkey came with miniature ‘cigarettes’ and real matches. So, there we were, about eight of us 7 to 10 year-old kids lighting the matches up to the monkey’s tiny cigarette resting in his mouth. Once lit we watched in absolute glory as the monkey puffed and puffed his little cigarette away.

Okay, I'm a little off track in reminiscing about this mall, and from the title of this post, I guess we all know that Apache Plaza will win the showdown of St. Anthony consumer stores hands down, and how could it not!!?? The place had smoking monkeys! And let's not forget the mall’s wonderful events and entertainment features. There was a fountain in the middle for penny wishing; an actual huge toy train that took the kiddies around the whole mall for fun, special dress-up days like Pajama day and, of course, Halloween, and on certain nights—usually a weekend—crazy Midnight Madness sales!


Over time though, like all good things, Apache was coming to a sad end… the mall deteriorated and faced challenges, such as being hit hard by a tornado in the late 80s. Soon the only stores left at the mall included a Hallmark shop and Anderson’s Furniture. However the space persevered and became a hot spot for craft fairs and Flea markets, and if only in small spurts, the mall came back to life again.

In 2004 it was the end of the end as the building was demolished to make way for a new, flashier consumer haven, the ever popular fancy suburban strip mall complete with a Cold Stone Creamery (sugary yuk); Caribou/Starbucks, whichever chain that drove a nearby mom & pop coffee shop out of business; of course Chipolte, some Noodle chain, etc. You get the point. And of course, there was the Walmart headlining the demolition. And that brings me full circle to that traumatic experience that just happened a few days ago at the Walmart.

I am perusing the ginormous aisles looking at the craft goods, frozen foods selections, and eyeing the limited edition of the Sex & The City Movie, all the while listening to the wails of a screaming child. In the back of my head I am thinking about Apache, as that ghostly mall haunts my thoughts every time I come home. The screams seem to be getting louder. As I turn the aisle I see the small child that is making these horrific noises, a little boy, about four-years-old and in absolute agony about something that happened upon him in his early life. Just above him I see his mother, standing where I can only guess is where I purchased my first pair of ‘dangly’ earrings—hot pink, lace entwined hearts—and she bends down, looks at her crying child and says, "shut the fuck up."

I left immediately. No one and I mean NO ONE, from the Apache Easter Bunny to the owner of the mall's local, crazy card shop Expressions, would have ever said the "F" word in Apache Plaza.

Hands down, Apache Plaza so wins the St. Anthony consumer hot spots showdown.

----------------

In remembering Apache Plaza Mall I came across this great site that I completely recommend for others wanting to relive the memories of this wonderful mall, the Apache Plaza Tribute Site; http://apacheplaza.com/apachepage1.html

Interestingly, and way off subject, but surely interesting to any fans of Lost, the logo for Apache Plaza so reminds me of the Dharma Initiative.


Namaste

Strangers

My sabbatical stop in MinnieSoooootha is so strange. I haven’t lived here in five years and wow already I see such a difference from Chicago—even though both are based in the Midwest.

In Chicago, if someone is angry or annoyed they are not afraid to let you know it, same goes if they are elated or interested in something—strangers don’t have a problem speaking up and just letting their obnoxious thoughts flow... I guess something should be said for the repressed Minnesotans. Thanks all for shutting up because I guess I don’t really want to hear it. Of course this doesn’t keep me from being quiet. I think I scare these Minnesotans. Like the other day in Target I hear a mother and daughter gabbing about something, literally having a loud blasé conversation one foot from my head and I couldn’t help but pipe in; and as soon as I did they both ran far from me with a look of horror. And I'm thinking 'hey you are the ones dishing your crap right in front of me, what did you expect!?'

I have had similar experiences here, such as on the first night of my new job at a local restaurant downtown. I was doing hosting duties and I was all friendly saying such stuff as “Hi! How can I help!? Thanks for coming in! Have a great night!” I know, scary! Okay, not like I’m all cool or that Chicago is cool, but it became very customary there that you develop a relationship with the workers of a restaurant. One just always said goodbye and thank you on your way out to the waitress, manager, etc, even if you were shouting it across the bar; it was just what happened. It was a courtesy. So when I was being all “byeeeee!!!!” to people leaving this place, I got strange reactions. The men looked at me like I was coming on to them and reciprocated my niceties with looks of horror and disgust; the women merely smiled politely, yet secretly as if not wanting to be caught communicating in anyway with a stranger, and then simply squeaked a quick, quiet ‘thanks.’

It was amusing to see these people run from me as if my saying thank you was the worse thing in the world....maybe it’s just me, but I swear I have noticed a clear difference!