Yesterday afternoon I stopped by Succotash (a vintage/retro store) and while chatting learned of the Velveteria. I can’t believe I didn’t know of its existence! Plus it was OPEN when I was in Portland! I was in near proximity and had NO IDEA. Alas it has since shut down and the owners have returned to California with their amazing collection of black velvet oil paintings. And it doesn’t look as though they’ve reopened anywhere yet. Sad. Other bits and bobs that have caught my attention in the last 24 hours:
- Yesterday morning one of Clockwork’s owners told me that I’d been in his dreams the night before. Running around his neighborhood. Up and down his street. Wearing baby blue footie pajamas. Hmm.
- MN Original is a new project from my pal Chuck Olsen. Last night the pilot episode aired, but can be seen online, in its entirety, here. The inaugural episode features amazing Minneapolis photographer Alec Soth (who I just mentioned), as well as blacksmith/welder/metal sculptor Heather Doyle and two members of Trip Shakespeare now performing as The Twilight Hours.
- In other local arts news, I am tempted to see The Wrestler:
Quinton Skinner reviews Mixed Blood’s production of Kristoffer Diaz’s pro-wrestling fable, “The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity,” and finds that beyond the body slams, there’s a nuanced story about idealism and the American Dream.
- In music news, Devo will play at the MN Zoo but it’s too damned expensive! But the Am-Rep Records 25th Anniversary Show happening in Minneapolis in August is not to be missed. With Melvins, Boss Hog, Hammerhead, The Thrown Ups, Today Is The Day, Gay Witch Abortion, God bullies, Vaz, and White Drugs. And “Music Is Math,” a talk by David Cross lookalike Chris Weingarten on internet music writing.
- Airborne cats are WAY better than cute boys with cats.
- It’s always the ones you least suspect. From my unassuming looking friend who is a unicorn fetishist - yesterday’s word of the day: macroherpetophile. Someone “who wants to fuck Godzilla. Well… a herpetophile is sexually attracted to lizards. Macro, of course, indicates great size. There is a huge Macroherpetophile community on the web although they have seemed to go underground since the 90’s” but there is Godzilla Bukkake. Yep. Oh lord, and that led to something else. Achtung! The following is NSFW. In fact, it’s more NSFWTF. Dragons having sex with cars.
- Way more up my alley…stories of superstition vs. science, with beautiful art? That’s my favorite! Eldritch by Drew Rausch and Aaron Alexovich is pretty darned amazing. I look forward to reading more.
And we yet have another busy weekend ahead of us. Friends and music and BBQs and gardening projects and parks and libraries. No complaints here.
2 Comments
Christopher and I went to the Velveteria when we were in Portland last year! It was really awesome. Sad to hear it closed.
You are so lucky! I love Portland and can’t believe no one mentioned the Velveteria while we were there. I do hope they re-open in California but it just won’t be the same.
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