2009 January | violet folklore

Archive for January, 2009

Tales of the City

Posted on January 30th, 2009 in behind the music- personal stuff with 4 comments

From Sasha

Goll darn it, I keep leaving my heart in San Francisco… has anyone seen it?

Me n' my Hunny went down to San Francisco last weekend to see one of my favorite bands, The Raveonettes, and have some Big City fun. Though we usually stay with friends when we're in SF, this time we treated ourselves to a night in a Downtown hotel… this one is dirt cheap, clean and cute, and right in the middle of Union Square! They always have cool desk clerks, too, which is really nice…

You can walk just up the street to Chinatown, where I saw this amazing old sign (I have a Big Thing for old signs… if I lived in a mansion I would fill my house with them):

It was New Years- the "real" New Years, not the big parade, but the actual New Moon Real Deal. It's the Year of the Ox! Some dragon heads waiting for their human bodies to get them dancing up on the stage:

I love these Dragon Boy butts, waiting for their turn to make the dragon come alive. The dance, which requires feats of great balance and strength, is accompanied by the loudest drumming and cymbal bashing you have ever heard!

Luck is important in life, and very important in Chinese culture. Luck can be truly adorable, too:

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Epicly Layered: The Art Work of Tahiti Pehrson

Posted on January 24th, 2009 in local artists, musicians, & other creative folk, the folk we frolic with with 9 comments

From Amber
Ah, Tahiti. While many Nevada City natives are well known for making notable works of art (in whatever medium) none but him are known as: creator of absolutely spectacular, originally conceived, completely one-of-a-kind artwork, initiator and front man of now-defunct bands with names such as Night Court (yes, they dressed in full costume on stage) and The Healing Curse, master barbeque-er, and father to Nevada City's favorite little girl, my daughter's best friend Esme (Mycelia is Grass Valley's favorite little girl ;-)
Behold the four-layered masterpiece, Neptune's Daughter:

(And I don't call it a masterpiece just because my husband Graham and I modeled as the mer-folk for the piece either).
Behold as well the cover to good friend and fellow inspired artist Devendra Banhart's 2006 album:

And also behold this! A towering, 3 dimensional paper cake with all manner of images and words meticulously cut out to produce one of the most stunning works of art I've ever laid eyes on. I was absolutely mesmerized by it one night as I lay in Tahiti's bed during his birthday party nursing Mycie asleep (as Carabeth lay in her bed one room over nursing Esme to sleep) with the cake a few feet away from my amazed eyes:

Not only has he rented this thing out to rich strangers for their extravagant birthday parties, but he also set it up in the backyard for Esme and Mycie's 2nd birthday party last August! (Yes, that is Tahiti himself, wearing his own handmade shirt, along with the tutu-clad birthday girls):

Speaking of Tahiti's handmade shirts- which have been sported by only the hippest kids in Nevada County for years now- he has recently set up an Etsy shop Hunting Memories through which he is making the shirts (or, as he puts it on the site, "hand cut silkscreens and astral travel gear, global warm up suits for nature's gangsters) available to only the hippest kids in every county (or country! for that matter). He is also selling pins there now and will be adding wall hanging art pieces (such as those featured here) as well as other marvelousness of a random nature in the future. The man gladly accepts commissions too.
But back to the beholding:

I love this one! Tahiti is a goddamned genius. You can make out the texture of the clothing, and the girls all look so beautiful and vibrant. Need I remind you that this is a paper stencil?
And now my friends, behold the tiniest piece to be featured here today. This is Tahiti's portrait of Nevada City music master Marc Snegg, founder of Grass Roots Record Company. This one is just too good to be true:

Now hold on there tiger, there's one more "epicly layered" piece to behold:

Tahiti's in the midst of figuring out a dope website sitch for himself, so in the meantime, to see more of his artwork, befriend him on Myspace.

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Beauty and the Bay

Posted on January 20th, 2009 in behind the music- personal stuff, favorite pieces, the folk we frolic with with 3 comments

From Sasha

This weekend I took the train down to Oakland to visit my good friend Tomi– remember my New Year's Resolution to make time for hanging with my girlfriends? Well, we did it full-on, meaning that ALL we did was eat, talk, shop, and watch chick flicks! Here is a mini photo-documentary of my super relaxing adventure to the Bay Area…

I love train stations… this is the one in Sacramento!

They just don't make benches like they used to…

Tomi lives in a gorgeous Edwardian building with beautiful wooden floors… I miss having these amazing floors; they make sunshine look so good!

Cutest kitchen ever!

Gotta give it up for Corner Shelves…

Tomi picking out greens at the Temescal Farmer's market:

California produce is SO not a bummer!

Crazy junk/antique store on Telegraph:

At Sharks on Telegraph, my Weak Spot. I put this 100% silk house robe from the 1930s on, sighing with delight… Tomi, being a good friend, calmly said: "let me just take a PICTURE of you in that". Once I saw the picture, I realized it was Destiny!

Happy friends!

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Violet Folklore is ~Your Bohemian Rhapsody~

Posted on January 17th, 2009 in 70s, bohemian, prairie with no comments

From now on we will be true to ourselves, our name, and the cultural and natural vibe of our surroundings by selling only the best boho, peasant, ethnic, Edwardian, folksy, gypsy, romantic, prairie, hippie, lacy, Victorian vintage garments in the West. Look for a new shop banner and other fun changes, such as this, our new avatar:

This means that (as stated in our last post) all clothes that fall into other categories- namely, mod, 80s, and 50s- are on SUPER SALE in the shop right now! Check it out!!! There are almost 100 pieces on sale!
And now, a preview of some of our new (and re-shot) boho goodies, which will be up soon: