Saturday, December 01, 2007

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???)

14 comments:

Debbie Barr said...

Well, I'll have to write you then once I get my hands on a copy... alas, being poor in college stinks... but thankfully I just found out I can get a card at the city library, and they have a copy of Blackbringer, unlike my college library...

Ranting again.

Really cool store, though, and your hair looks fabulous.

kelly rae said...

you are silly, and i love it.

Alex S said...

What great photos!!!! I wish you would next decide to dye your whole head of hair in polka dots. If you do decide to do a mohawk next, as you have been considering, maybe you can have the strip of hair left buzzed into polka dot shapes. And it looks like you are wearing the blue scarf!! yay! (sorry for flaking yesterday Fatty. Something much more important came up!)

Anonymous said...

Hey!
I have to admit, I pretty much started hyperventilating when I saw my name on that post. You are so amazing! I was just impressed that you replied... not to mention that it was longer than three lines! Thank you SOO much!

Luvs,
Lainey

Sustenance Scout said...

"Gentlemen-barbarian brothers." I grew up with six of them, lol! LOVE it! K.

Marianne said...

I love that street.

I love your city.

Right now I'm feeling homesick for a city I've never lived in and only visited twice. Is that possible?

I love Noa's description of her brothers as well - what a brilliantly evocative turn of phrase!

Amber said...

HAHA! I was JUST going to ask if you read Tara, because you should go see those windows! Great minds. Yep.

That kid is very cool.

:)

paris parfait said...

Laini, it's funny that you should post now on your re-pinked hair; I was just telling someone this week about your wonderful pink hair! It does look fabulous. And that shop Flutter - what fantastic imagination in their displays! It's like a Victorian cabinet of curiosities, with a modern edge. Thanks for the nod to my Paris vitrine photos. Lots more to come and also from London, where I'm headed tomorrow. P.S. I gave a copy of your book to a nine-year-old French girl, who is besotted with your writing. I think her English has improved dramatically, since she started reading your book. She told me she's "bewitched."

Tinker said...

Hurray for cool store people - what a great store. Cool stuffed iguana, but the monkey scares me a little. I think there might have been an old Night Gallery episode involving one...
Your hair looks like a fabulous sunset in that intermediate photo. Love the photo of you and Pinky together.
Gentleman-barbarians! What an awesome description.

Sustenance Scout said...

Tara, what an amazing compliment from that young reader! Congratulations, Laini! Sounds like you're bewitching young minds all over the globe. K.

fusenumber8 said...

Could I be missing Portland any more at this point? Laini, when we come to your town for the Kidlitosphere Conference, could you conduct a tour of cool places like Flutter? Puh-leeze? I need to convince my husband that we should move back.

~Molly~ said...

Laini, I bought your book for my daughter's Christmas. I plan to be sneaking to the garage to pre-read it before it is wrapped. Can't wait!!

Molly

rilla jaggia said...

OK, Laini, 'fess up..
That's actually your store and you're doing an undercover ad for it ;)
How's goblin fruit going?
Soo good to be back from Inja and into blog land again. I MISSED pink hair, for sure.
But... I took LOTS of pics... only, I didn't get to Jaipur. Sorreeeee ;(
Maybe next time we can all go together.

Maryam in Marrakesh said...

I absolutely love the sound of this store. And that mannequin with the horns is amazing. I actually have a stash of those horns - I am going to have to rethink their use. I am just back from Mali where I bought strands and strands of beautiful fish bones. I know that sounds a bit odd - but really they are so delicate and lovely.