I read in one of the Oregon guides that Powell's Books is the largest independent bookstore in the United States and the largest bookstore West of the Mississippi. We walk through a bad part of Portland to get there and I wait in the front of the store looking at sale books while Alex finds the bathroom. "Dude, this place is huge, come and look" he says when he gets back.
There is a map on the wall that has a list of all of the categories of books and which room you can find them in. It just so happens that metaphysical (my interest) and travel (Alex's interest) are both in the Red Room. We walk through the Green Room, and up two flights of stairs and find ourselves in the travel section. Alex explores there while I explore the metaphysical section.
After about 30 minutes we leave with a Powell's Books sticker for $1 and a book about past lives for $7.50. As we walked back to the car Alex tells me what he found out about American travel writing.
"So I asked the person at information where the American travel writing is and she said that it's just mixed in with general travel writing. I asked her if there was one she would recommend and she said that I'd just have to look." Apparently there VERY few books about traveling in the US, they're mostly just guides, not stories.
"Dude! That's awesome!! High five!"
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Aug 28, 2009
The Herbarium: Portland
We are in search of a "Witch Store". This is a store that sells herbs, rocks, essential oils, occult books, etc. The three stores that I have previously frequented are The Akashic Bookshop & Center in Thousand Oaks, Serpent's Kiss in Santa Cruz and the Scarlet Sage in San Francisco.
We have finally made it to The Herbarium, "This had better be worth it" I say to Alex after our crazy driving experience.
We walk up the stairs to the back of a building that also houses an Irish Dance School and a Tattoo parlor. We walk through the door marked Herbarium and enter the most awesome witch store I have ever seen. Every surface is covered in boxes, jars and bottles holding everything from crystals to chamomile to musk squeezed from beavers butts. And hanging from every shelf are all kinds of necklaces and incense.
After saying hello and asking about his day, I ask the owner of the store, a tie dye clad man with fading blonde hair, "where are your essential oils?"
"Well there is a book of the ones I have here."
I look through the book and chitchat with the store owner about business. I get 2 oz of Eucalyptus from him for $15.50 which is amazing!!!! While he's pouring the essential oil into a container for me I ask what people have been buying lately. "Kartoum" He says.
"What does it do?"
"Well", he leans forward on the table, "It's from a tree in Thailand and It induces euphoria." He adds, "In smaller doses it can also be used as a pain reliever."
"How much should you take for the euphoria?"
"About three grams each to start. I've worked my way up to five though."
I smile. "So how much would 6 grams be?"
"Oh, only $6."
I give Alex a do you want to try this face, and he gives me a yes I do face so I say "Why don't we get 6 grams of that also." I ask, "Is is legal?"
"Not in Thailand."
We leave the witch store unexpectedly laden with euphoric powder from Thailand.
We have finally made it to The Herbarium, "This had better be worth it" I say to Alex after our crazy driving experience.
We walk up the stairs to the back of a building that also houses an Irish Dance School and a Tattoo parlor. We walk through the door marked Herbarium and enter the most awesome witch store I have ever seen. Every surface is covered in boxes, jars and bottles holding everything from crystals to chamomile to musk squeezed from beavers butts. And hanging from every shelf are all kinds of necklaces and incense.
After saying hello and asking about his day, I ask the owner of the store, a tie dye clad man with fading blonde hair, "where are your essential oils?"
"Well there is a book of the ones I have here."
I look through the book and chitchat with the store owner about business. I get 2 oz of Eucalyptus from him for $15.50 which is amazing!!!! While he's pouring the essential oil into a container for me I ask what people have been buying lately. "Kartoum" He says.
"What does it do?"
"Well", he leans forward on the table, "It's from a tree in Thailand and It induces euphoria." He adds, "In smaller doses it can also be used as a pain reliever."
"How much should you take for the euphoria?"
"About three grams each to start. I've worked my way up to five though."
I smile. "So how much would 6 grams be?"
"Oh, only $6."
I give Alex a do you want to try this face, and he gives me a yes I do face so I say "Why don't we get 6 grams of that also." I ask, "Is is legal?"
"Not in Thailand."
We leave the witch store unexpectedly laden with euphoric powder from Thailand.
Lady Di's Tea Room and British Store: Portland
We are in search of an England sticker for the car. We go to The England Store in Portland. We walk in and find that it has a tea room and many many English treats. There are:
Cadbury's Hot Chocolate (it's like an orgasm in a can)
Lemon Biscuits (which are in fact cookies and taste like lemon Girl Scout cookies)
Penguins (a chocolate bar which you would think is shaped like a penguin but is in fact just a chocolate bar)
Frozen Pies (made with meat)
Teas that come in containers shaped like elephants
Heinz soups and beans (which are the best canned foods in the world)
and Yorkie bars which are really thick chocolate bars that taste awesome!
Having little money, we get the England sticker for $1.60, Lemon Biscuits for $3.50 and a can of Heinz Baked Beans for $3.50.
The woman who rings us up was originally from Ireland. She had lived in London, Vancouver (BC), and now in Portland. When we leave the store we put the sticker on the car and drive to our next location. . .
Cadbury's Hot Chocolate (it's like an orgasm in a can)
Lemon Biscuits (which are in fact cookies and taste like lemon Girl Scout cookies)
Penguins (a chocolate bar which you would think is shaped like a penguin but is in fact just a chocolate bar)
Frozen Pies (made with meat)
Teas that come in containers shaped like elephants
Heinz soups and beans (which are the best canned foods in the world)
and Yorkie bars which are really thick chocolate bars that taste awesome!
Having little money, we get the England sticker for $1.60, Lemon Biscuits for $3.50 and a can of Heinz Baked Beans for $3.50.
The woman who rings us up was originally from Ireland. She had lived in London, Vancouver (BC), and now in Portland. When we leave the store we put the sticker on the car and drive to our next location. . .
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
