Travel Buggy: City Lights Bookstore

Not knowing my way around San Francisco, I had no idea how to get to this bookstore. On a return trip to our hotel via Chinatown, I spotted City Lights Booksellers, and was pleased that the bookshop was within walking distance of Union Square. I was hell-bent on visiting the store the following day,

Iconic is a appropriate description of City Lights. I found navigating San Francisco streets weren't the easiest streets to  navigate and within a short amount of time, I was lost. Keeping the mission in mind, I asked four people how to get to the store, and every one of those pleasant folks gave me directions to City Lights. The first man said, "I haven't been in that bookstore in 30 years!" The fourth man said, "I'm headed in that direction. I'll walk you there." This place must have been as famous as the Golden Gate Bridge! I thought how easy it was to fall in love with San Francisco -- from its ain't sweatin' it vibe to its mesmerizing terrain to its delicious food! And I had even found a wellness shop!

City Lights reminded me of the bookstores found in 60's and 70's -- crammed with books for those who want to know about the history of human beings that suffered under bullwhips swung by human traffickers, the US military's attempts to clear out indigenous populations, and whims of those who saw labor unions as forces that undercut profits. I saw popular titles, but time was limited. Had I more time to spare, I would have walked away with more books than Zora Neale Hurston's Baracoon, Thich Nhat Hahn's The Art of Communication, and Justice Malala's The Plot to Save South Africa. A tee shirt from this book shop made as good a souvenir as any. According to the bookmark that accompanied my purchase, City Lights celebrates its 70th anniversary this year, and they'll post what they have in store on social media.. 

 

Travel Buggy: San Francisco

 

(If you look closely at the photo and to the right from the passenger's point of view, you'll see the iconic Golden Gate Bridge semi-concealed by mist. This business trip for Hubby was a pleasure trip for this twitchy travel buggy)

Roughly twelve years ago, San Francisco's vibrancy and trappings of wealth bewitched me. The smell of money and self-indulgence perfumed Union Square's air. This district hosted retailers with names like Armani and Burberry. Feeling giddy in a carnival of splendor and glamour, oh how I wished I could afford to live in San Francisco. 

About a week ago, I wrinkled my nose at the stench in Union Square. The place smelled like a public urinal-- and I witnessed one denizen's treating a corner in a vacant storefront as such.  A noticeable amount of storefronts lay grey and vacant. Macy's retained its elegant wine bar on the 3rd level of its handsome building, but at street level of this community, the homeless had staked out litter-strewn territories. Some of the homeless population seemed to have minds wrecked by pathological racism, all-consuming madness, and the rage fueled by despair. Perhaps the rumors of the wealthy fleeing the city were true. But who could blame them? Who wanted to be stalked by a predator who had reckoned the easiest route to a fast buck was to hide among the homeless and get a bead on an unwary pedestrian with a fat purse? San Francisco possessed mesmerizing terrain and spellbinding architecture, but who would pay such a high price to live in a place inhabited by cut-throats and thieves? 

The city held on to some of its jewels, though. Along Chinatown's main strip for tourists, I stumbled across a wellness shop that sold kimonos, wellness books, and crystal bundles. I'm not sure if the palo santo was genuine, but the bundles consisted of a crystal bound to a palo santo stick. Dried flowers decorated the stick. The sales rep explained that the flowers were strictly for decoration, and only the stick was to be burned. Why not? I bought a bundle with a clear quartz crystal, an amethyst crystal, and a deck called "Calm the Chaos."  The deck provided tips and meaningful advice on de-stressing -- something a traveler might need after being considered a potential easy mark by a tattooed, ill-kept joker who seemed pissed that a traveler might have one more nickel than he the joker carried.  We stayed at the Grand Hyatt which possessed delicious food and excellent customer service. Fortunately, not every eatery found in the district demands such a rich price for its meals, and with a bit of planning and research, a visitor to San Francisco may squeeze in three meals a day. 

Mobile Book Stores

I spend too much time looking at YouTube clips, but usually I'm delighted to find ideas that inspire me to say "If I had the money, I would..." in this case, I would consider being a partner in a collective that owns a mobile book shop.  Yesterday I watched clips in which entrepreneurs had outfitted their vans into mobile book stores. Some of the book sellers designed their shops to target specific audiences -- such as parents of children or LGBW (the "W" stands for whomever I have missed) population. I couldn't find any clips that showed mobile book shops that catered to people of color -- and I'm going to put it out here right now. When I say "people of color," I'm including ALL people of color. I'm not sure who came up with the idea of separating Black people from people of color (as in BIPOC), but when I was a child, if someone said "people of color," then he or she was understood to mean Black or Biracial people, get it? Now that we cleared that up, allow me to continue.  I think such a book store would be warmly received, for I live in a small city in which there are no African-American bookstores of which I am aware. This is remarkable, for this city boasts a prestigious university, and the housing market is designed for those with a liveable salary. Such an investment would cost thousand of dollars, and taking a chance on any book endeavor would be unpredictable at best. BUT  imagine it's a snowy day, for Christmas approaches. There you stand, inviting parents and caregivers to come into your mobile book store while they shop for books for holiday gifts. The register is at the back of the van, while outside in the brrr temps, one of your partners-in literacy hands out candy canes and fliers to the book club or story teller's event you plan to sponsor. Your love of books and sheer stubbornness will pull you  through, though.  Optimism, my friend, optimism.

Neptune in Pisces, Wazzat?

 I'm a fan of astrology. Astrology is one of those arts on which you put your own spin -- which explains why some astrologer will declare it is an excellent time to try and get back with an ex  while others will shout, "Are you crazy? Why do you think you broke up with that fucker in the first place? This time will be worse than the last because s/he knows that you're willing to forgive her/him!"

Such is the case with Neptune in Pisces retrograde, a time in which we now find ourselves. According to some Internet astrologers, it's either clear away the crap time, or write fantasy poetry until the mermen carry you into deep waters.

Why not put my spin on it? Neptune in Pisces is a time to ponder the relationships in your life. After all,  Pisces is associated with romance, dreams, and intuition, and Neptune is associated with those periods when our thoughts creep along not quite clear, nebulous lines. It's time to imagine the friends you want to draw in your life, and be that type of friend. I am a firm believer that similar personalities tend to run into each other. Yeah, you'll have to break those fun habits like gossiping and backbiting, but think how many times those positive vibes will return to you.

If you want to prepare a trigger for this manifestation/affirmation, the new moon in Cancer (emotions, intuition) is coming up.You can use the period surrounding that moon day to arm yourself with candles or crystals (whatever you use to give a little push to your wish), recite your charmed words, and try not to undo your own work in the following period. 

No, There Really are Witches

 Ladies and Gentlemen and those I might have missed, I have discovered that someone has planted a witch catcher in the neighborhood. If you want to catch a witch, you should plant an herbal and flower garden. Everyone knows a witch can't resist looking over fresh herbs in the garden.

And the witch feels pretty good after reading the sign. Just when insane haters seem to be gaining a toehold in the United States, a sign of kindness and generosity pops up.  

Either children or fairies placed those painted rocks where the witches can sit and soak up those plant vibes.

Another look at those children's fairy rocks. Only children can fit under a Paw Paw tree. Of course, I have no idea of a paw paw's flavor. Resembling the flavor of a  papaya, maybe?

Exactly what do you do with these plants? Use the stalks in pies? Saute the leaves and sprinkle them over salads? Hit me up, culinary witches!  

So far, so good, but there are always dog walkers who would rather be a patient at the Dr. Mengele's School of Dentistry than clean up after their four legged animals.