Osborn/Woods 02/19/10

The Osborn/Woods Poster Show is coming! After long last. Now let this be a reminder only. The all seeing eye you see here is no poster, just….

A Sentimental Card
Copyright ©1966 OSBORN/WOODS, Nevada City, California

The Poster Show will include 19 large format prints from the 1960s. We’re throwing an opening party for Charles Woods (and everyone else) on Friday, February 19th. Hope to see you then! And in the meantime, I’m going to give it my all to get lots of juicy O/W images up on this here website.

Dose of Dori

Dori assists Saewon with consulting the pendulum as to the direction of her potion.

Double, double toil and trouble….for the good, of course.

And Nile leads the way to the glitter stickers, glue pens, and magic markers so that we can design our very important labels.

My potion at home, post-dose and working magic. Thanks, Dori! And if this looks good to you, you might consider joining us for our next Potion Making workshop on Sunday, March 7th at 4:00. Yip! Yip!

Little City Gardens

Little City Gardens is a blossoming urban farming business located here in the Mission District. Farmers Brooke Budner and Caitlyn Galloway produce an artisinal salad mix, braising mix and culinary herbs, which they sell weekly to a restaurant and neighborhood subscribers. They’re both also involved with the shop—you may have noticed Brook’s Greenhorn sticker packs and Caitlyn’s handcarved wooden spoons and silkscreened moon calendars around the shop.

As these two very talented ladies work on their farm project, they are developing and analyzing the potential of urban micro-farms to be financially viable within the local market economy.  Little City Gardens seeks to serve a diverse population and to build a community dialogue about food systems, by involving and educating members in their processes and problem-solving.

Brook and Caitlyn are expanding this spring to a larger lot and need your help to raise the funds for start-up capital! Meet the farmers, learn more about their project, their plans, and get involved with their fundraising campaign by taking a look at their Kickstarter page. There you’ll also find a highly informative—and beautiful—video about Brook and Caitlyn and their farming plans. You’re sure to find that lending a hand to these lady-farmers is a very worthwhile investment indeed.

Full Up

I am delighted to let everyone know that Dori’s Potion Making workshop this Sunday has reached its full capacity. Thanks to everyone who signed up! And may your potions prove their potency, and thy will be done, this upcoming V-Day….

Due to all this popular demand, Dori has agreed to host a repeat Potion Making workshop on the first Sunday of next month, March 7th. Same place, same time—4 pm. We already have a few takers for the later date. Please let us know if you would like to add your name to the March 7th workshop by emailing us at dig@gravelandgold.com. And again, this is a family and fella-friendly happening, so come on down one and all.

Here, Screamin Jay Hawkins puts a spell on me.

Yuri Norstein Live

This Sunday night at Balboa Theater, in an evening custom tailored to satisfy Sara Bright’s soul, Gojogo will team with the legendary director and animator Yuri Norstein to perform live accompaniment to his most beloved films. Hedgehog in the Fog (1975), Tale of Tales (1979), and the San Francisco premiere of the first 20-minute fragment of Norstein’s current project—Nikolai Gogol’s Overcoat—will all be on the program. An exhibition of drawings and sketches by Franchesca Yarbusova, Norstein’s wife and life-long collaborator, who created the artwork for his animation masterpieces will also be on display. (And not to worry about overlap—Dori’s workshop should be long over by the 8 pm curtain rises).

The screening is a fundraiser to support Yuri Norstein’s animation studio in Moscow. The maestro will be on hand that evening and through the weekend at the Porto Franco Art Parlor, which as organized the festivities. It will surely be a special, special time.

Gojogo will be performing  a new original score Saturday night, so here’s your chance to enjoy Hedgehog in the Fog in the raw. Amazing, right!

Studio Choo FLWRS No2

Another unbeatable winter bouquet from the lovely Studio Choo ladies. They’ve been working double time these days to prepare their new shop space at 262 Divisadero Street. More information to come….I can’t wait to see it up and running!

Stay Away Shadowy Shadows!

Though it’s been reported that many groundhogs nationwide did not see their shadows this morning, the most critical groundhog of them all, Punxsutawney Phil, has been chased back into his den by his wintersome shadow. Perhaps this is an opportunity for us all to engage is some healthy disregard for central authority. Summer! Please come. The groundhog masses are ready to scamper in your sunshine.

Coincidence that Phil’s gentleman handler has taken to sprouting facial fur of a similar hue? Happy Groundhog Day to all.

An Elephant Never Forgets

In my work as a midwife I am privileged to be with women at their most vulnerable and most powerful moments. For women who haven’t given birth, the idea of pushing out a baby can be daunting at the very least, though millennia of evolution and intelligent design have perfected the process of birth so that it is good for a baby and good for a mother. When both mother and baby are healthy, the birth process is best served by doing nothing at all except letting the Mama follow her own instincts.  As large brained creatures we believe we can reason our way out of anything at all.  But in birth, the only way out is through—through the center of the pain, through the center of the doubt, through the center of the unknown.  Through the process, no matter how long or hard, fetuses are born into babies and women are born into mothers.

Despite our phenomenal architecture and beautiful poetry and elegant design, our bodies give birth just as our ancestors did—like animals. Fortunately, elephants have not forgotten how to give birth. Let us take a deep breath and then take a clue from our four-legged friends.

The following video clip has been widely circulated among the birth communities.  I, for one, have watched it at least a dozen times.  I will warn you that if you are not used to seeing birth, this clip is a bit graphic.  I’d like also to point out a few things about this Mama giving birth that really make me happy.

First of all, notice that the Mama is upright AND eating during her labor.  She is taking her time to shift her weight from leg to leg.  This helps the baby as she makes her way down into the pelvis.  I don’t know if you knew this but our pelvic bones are not fused together.  They are held together with cartilage and this cartilage loosens and softens during pregnancy and labor so that more space is available to the baby coming through.  Sway it out, Girl.  Also, this elephant Mama knows that she will need fuel for the work before her.  Snacking and drinking fluids during labor is almost always a good idea.

Then notice how the Mama is holding on to the fence.  See how her mouth is wide open.  Many wise women say “As above, so below”.  This is a dictum referring to the connection between our mouth and throat and our pelvis and cervix.  If your jaw is clenched and your throat closed in a high pitch wail your bottom will have a very difficult time opening up.  On the other hand, if your jaw is relaxed and your throat open enough to let out deep sighs and moans, your bottom is well on its way to being soft and open. I can’t hear any sound from this elephant Mama at the moment of her birth, but notice how wide her mouth is open.  Her whole throat and jaw is like an open door, allowing energy and air to flow in and out.

Throat open, pelvis swaying open, and on all fours. Human Mamas, get off your backs and get onto your hands and knees.  Not only is this inward-focusing and potentially empowering but also physiologically sound.  Being on our hands and knees makes even more space for our babies.  Remember our flexible pelvis?  This position allows the sacrum and tailbone to move up and out of the way of the baby descending in line with gravity.  Being flat on your back squishes your pelvis into oblong tube instead of a juicy circle.

Notice how she squats with her pushing efforts.  Her whole body moves energy in one long sensuous line from head to pelvis.  As her baby starts to emerge from the birth canal this Mama has eyes that looked glazed and distant.  Now, I don’t know much about elephants, but I imagine they are experiencing a similar hormonal cascade as we humans do as our babies make their way down the birth canal.  When in labor naturally without interrupting the natural flow of hormonal feedback that rewards our efforts and gets us high to compensate for the pain, our eyes will glaze over and we will seemingly float away to another dimension.   Welcome to Labor Land.  This is a place where Mama’s own endorphins work like opiates to coax her to keep going and to relax.

Labor and birth are much like good sex in that you want privacy and an intimate connection with those around you and at the moment of release you instinctively throw your head back, open your throat and say YES.  I suggest you treat your birth like something sacred and sexy.  You might be surprised to discover how similar the sounds and smells and sensations are between the two.

Finally, once this large bean is born, the Mama finds the focus and the courage to stimulate her baby to breathe.  I am an advocate for skilled practitioners present at labor and birth.  A woman shouldn’t have to be be knowledgeable about neonatal resuscitation but it is encouraging to know that you may just know what to do instinctively.  Somewhere deep down is the knowledge to keep your baby and yourself alive.  These moments before the baby elephant breaths are tense, I will admit it.  I think we all hold our breaths during this limbo as we root for life, and rightfully so.  After all, this elephant Mama grew her baby for twenty two months.  Once that baby has landed solidly in his little body and found his breath on this earth, the Mama elephant displays her immense pleasure.  High on life.

But the true work for this elephant family has only just begun.  Our human imaginations often focus on birth as the end goal of parenting. In reality, a mother’s experience giving birth is only preparation for becoming a parent.  And anyone will tell you that being a parent is infinitely harder than giving birth.  Birth is challenging because motherhood is challenging.  Birth can give us the strength and confidence and valor to nurse our children when they are sick and comfort them when their hearts are broken.

Let us not forget that we are animals first.  Open your throat, soften your bottom, and say YES.

Reason #1

That my brothers are AWESOME!!

Love.

4th Chakrafelt Thanks

Yosh treated us to a wonderful lesson in vibrational perfumery last night, followed by a marathon smell exploration and chakra cleansing. Among the invaluable pearls she passed on was the difference between top, middle, and base notes—think in terms of viscosity vis-a-vis the food chain: the fruits of a tree are are often top notes, waist growth such as flowers are middle notes, and the soil, grasses, and mushrooms are base notes.

She also revealed the astonishing scent confluence of the orange tree, whose bark renders the orange essence, leaves render a type of bergamot, and blossoms render neroli, and she turned us on to the Reverse Birthday Candle Sniffing Technique, whose glorious secrets may only be known by my fellow initiates.

Yosh brought along her kit of essential oils, which she introduced and passed around the table. We were then each able to gather our favorites and endeavor to compose our individual perfume blends.

Here’s our dearest Sunday+ shop assistant Abby with the beginnings of her blend…..We’re going to organize a follow up workshop with Yosh where we can refine our blends and formulate drams to take home. So if you were there last night—or now wish you could come late to our table—keep a lookout for another workshop soon!

Vibrational Perfumery Workshop This Friday

There is still space available for this Friday’s 4th chakra-centric Vibrational Perfumery Workshop with Yosh Han. Class will run from 6 to 7:30. Please drop us an email at dig@gravelandgold.com if you’d like to attend.Yosh concocts a range of exquisite trans-aromative perfumes that are available at a range of high-lady points of interest such as Barney’s, Colette in Paris, and my mom’s dressing table (she has declared White Flowers 1.41 the scent of her lifetime). To catch a whiff of her signature scents in the neighborhood, I suggest you hoof it over to Candystore Collective, longtime stockists and friends of The Perfumer.

For Gravel & Gold, Yosh has been experimenting with a new, lower priced, various mood-appropriate range of four scents. Jasmine Grace, Sol, Twinkle ($30 each), and Shukran ($47) come in twist top vials that are ready to take up residence in your purse or pocket and are intended to satisfy your day to day scent whims. So far, I have declared Jasmine Grace the scent of my wintertime 2010—it’s so feminine and friendly, it’s really been brightening up my wet, chilly days.

I’m really looking forward to the workshop Friday….hope to see you then!

Found on Haight

Came upon this 8 ft long animistic rolling wave shelving situation on the Haight Street sidewalk, right in front of Buena Vista Park. Gave Lisa a call, strapped the sucker to Maguerite, and brought him back to our shopkeeping lair (named him on the way Luis, I think). A fresh coat of leftover high gloss white, and we have ourselves a new shelving system, ladies and gentlemen, perfect for books, paper goods, records, and the odd DIY cardboard rhino kit.

Now, we could have spent countless hours coming up with a design and fabricating a system that never would have lived up to the looks and function of this beauty. Just goes to show that patience, the eagle eye, and a healthy dose of procrastination can sometimes deliver what you never knew you required, right to a nearby sidewalk.

S A L E

This is what shops do, right? SALE time y’all.

We’re offing 25% off on, oh about, 50% of the store. Vintage clothing, knit legwarmers, kitchenware, Mimi wallets, Makr wallets, driving caps from Al’s Attire, lovely ceramics, and lots in between. Come on down!

Cutie Visitors

Citrus and Otherwise.

Summer in Winter, Winter in Summer

This balmy January afternoon has me thinking of a most delightful new song.

From their recent album, Joesin’, loving duo Matt & Jenny Jones have it down with their tune “Bummer Summer”. Thanks be for something to rival the too oft’ used Twain-ism. I suggest vigorous jumping around the room to this sweet, addictive, track as it creeps into your happy recesses to stay.

Thanks to Producer Mark Dantona for bringing this lovely vinyl to the shop. Come get it.

“Bummer Summer”

Let’s hit the beach.
The fog’s rollin’ in.
Let’s get the pick-nick blanket.
My dear where have you been these past few weekends.

It’s cold and it’s gray.
Well let’s go outside.
It’s been freezing all day.
Maybe the clouds will clear, we’ll have a summer next year.

We’ve been waiting so long for the sun. This San Francisco drizzle ain’t no fun.
One of these days the sun is gonna burn right through.
Until then my friends what are we gonna do?
Until then my friends what are we gonna do?

How bout the dessert?
Na’h that’s too dry.
Well, how about L.A.?
Na’h that’s too far to drive when gas is $4.35.

The boardwalk is cool.
There’s too many bums.
How ’bout a hotel pool.
Let’s find a heated one, I’m calling everyone.

It’s been a total bummer summer in the bay, but its all good.
It always seems some year someone else’s could.
One of these days the sun’s gonna burn right through.
Until then my friend’s what are we gonna do?
Until then my friends what are we gonna do?

Survial Annex

The fine print:

Nothing is permanent except change. No cash value. Rain checks valid. Repeat when necessary. Coupon valid with other purchases, gift cards, licenses or events. Offer good on in-stock merchandise as well as other conceptual applications. Must present coupon at time of purchase for redemption. Vote with your life, vote yes. Can be combined with any other offer, coupon or Employee or Friends & Family discount. Coupon may be reproduced or scanned for internet distribution. One or more coupon per customer, per purchase. Search keyword “coupon” for details. Beware means be aware. Visit survivalannex.blogspot.com for additional information & offers. Beware of symmetry.

Aurora Crispin’s Shop within Shoppe (as in The Curiosity) opens tonight. Be sure to bring a coupon. With near about 50 artists contributing, it shall be a great annex to behold.

If you can’t make it tonight, not to worry. The Curiosity Shoppe will be hosting the Shop through February 8th.

Closed Til 01/02/10

Friends!
Hope everyone is relaxed by the fire or by the blaze of the sun, the warmth of friends + family, or however you do. I find myself, incredibly, in the City of Light.
Wanting to let you know that the shop will be closed through til the new year. We will open again at noon on January 2nd.

Thanks & Love.

Meet Your Makers Party

Tonight we’re throwing a Solstice Party in honor of our dear Makers. It’s a SALE PARTY y’all.

7 to 8 pm : 10% discount
8 to 9 pm : 20% sale
9 to 10 pm : 30% OFF

Cheap & Cheerful

Paperwhites and amaryllis always crowd around my mom’s kitchen sink this time of year, auguring a good year to come. The lovely Studio Choo ladies have potted these for the shop with a view of the roots and soil strata for the paperwhites, and birch wrap around the amaryllises. A very fine gift for your holiday host.

▲▲True Geomance▲▲▲

Tomorrow night, Friday December 11th, we’ll be crashing the Mission Holiday Block Party festivities with our very own opening for Brook Schneider’s installation at Gravel & Gold, TRUE GEOMANCE. Transcendent inspiration awaits all attendants.

Brook at Work