Gas Masks, Songbirds, Tutus, and Skulls

I went to get my roots re-pinked yesterday down on Mississippi Avenue, one of my favorite Portland streets. After, doing a little quick recon of the shops nearby, I encountered my mannequin alter-ego, Pinky. I actually went into sensory overload in this store and asked if I could take pictures, prepared to plead if the owner said no, but she did NOT say no, so I love the store even more because it's not run by jerks! {Tinker, re: your email, I have gotten scolded for taking photos in stores before too, like I'm some industrial pirate out to steal their ideas!}

So, this store is Flutter, and it is a place where the mannequins have ibex horns and wear gas masks, where old tutus are displayed beside dishes of vertebrae, and iguanas guard the Christmas trees. There's an enormous palace of songbirds, and tons of old taffeta dresses, wooden hands, and ornaments and journals, and everywhere something strange and unexpected. See:



I'm in love. It's like a weird little shop of wonders where you expect there to be a portal to another dimension, or else a witch's coven meeting in the back, or at least to find an old book that teaches you the language of cats and leads you to an ancient talisman or something.





So, that's Flutter (for "found objects and clutter" -- exactly. Looking for a website just now I found an online customer review of the store: "Something like Miss Havisham's attic crossed with an aviary that ran into a Dia de los Muertos celebration.") Well, I couldn't find a website, but check out HERE for an overview of the fun shops on Mississippi.

Anyway, my roots are once again pink. For fun, here's a shot of the middle of the process: bleached but not yet dyed. I think this looks like sherbet:
And now, once again, I am shocking pink:
Love it. The salon is Belle Epoque. Love the ladies there, and the walls are fantastically chartreuse.

I had fun taking those pics in the shop, but the master of finding cool stores is Paris Parfait, who has the advantage of living in Paris. If you haven't seen her recent posts on the holiday store windows there, go HERE and HERE and HERE. Wow. Beautiful.

And, lastly, I want to say hi to Noa, an eleven-year-old reader who has sent me a couple of awesome emails. (Didn't I write a post a few months ago about how cool eleven-year-olds are?) Still true. I loved this part and had to share: "I was born in Israel and I have three gentlemen-barbarian brothers." LOVE that! Thanks, Noa! And hi to Lainey too. (Did I mention I love hearing from readers???)