Those Sebastopol hippie crosswalks

I had several people with more "children stories" after the last blog entry:

"My five year-old nephew was holding a bottle of limeade at Whole Foods.  He said, 'I only want to get this if it's organic.'"

"My young daughter went to a daycare in Sebastopol for a while.  Now she says things like, 'I'd really rather have almond butter than peanut butter' and 'What kind of herbal teas am I allowed to have?"

"We had recently moved here from Santa Fe.  My daughter was in a play group and suddenly started talking about how she was born the year of the rat, and how different that is than other kids in her group who were born the year of the ox.  Apparently they discuss this quite a bit."

And my 2 1/2 year old niece always asks me if I'm going to get some Kombucha when we walk through Whole Foods.  (Interestingly enough, I don't even drink Kombucha.)


A friend had her cousin visiting from out of town.  I asked her how it was going.  Her reply:
"He thinks everything around here has to do with hippies.  'Is this because there are a lot of hippies around here?  Is that because of all the hippies?'  He even asked me about the flashing lights at the crosswalks.  I was like 'Dude, what in the world does that have to do with hippies?'"

Someone who has read this blog sent me the following email:
"I have enjoyed reading your blog.  I love living in this town although sometimes it can border a bit on the ridiculous.  But your blog endears me to this community.  I like Sebastopol with all its quirks.  There is a cast of characters here that makes it a fun place to live and people watch."
(It is for sure a community with a 'cast of characters.')

A computer on a small table at Starbucks with the note:  "Will be right back.  Do not take my laptop.  You are in the land of karma."

Favorite license plate:
BE STILL




www.facebook.com/sebastoblog

Beans, bubbles and bok choy

A visitor from up north told me, "I like Sebastopol.  It's a town in a bubble, but I like it.  My friend's think I am such a wild hippie to come down here every few months.  I come to get re-energized, but the funny thing is here I am considered very conservative."

A boy looking at the menu at Slice of Life.  "Look mom, carrot juice!  Organic black beans!  Yes!"
Very young girl at Community Market:  "How about some baby bok choy, mommy?"

Some shoppers at Community Market:
"Hold on a second, I like to read the fliers.  This is my entertainment."  After a moment:  "Look, here is a women's writing group."
Her friend:  "Is it a real one?  Or a writing group about birthstones and unicorns?"

Customer complaint: regarding a flier for Ecstatic Dance.  He has been to India, and the dancing event he went to here was not the ecstatic experience he had abroad.  According to him, Community Market should not be putting up such fliers.

Out of town visitor to me:  "I've noticed a lot of people here have superpowers."


Favorite license plate:
HAWK GAL

Favorite bumper sticker in a downtown store:
"I don't care if your child is an honor student, where you went to school or what you'd rather be doing."


On a local note, sad to see Box Office Video is closing.  It has been a constant between Whole Foods and Slice of Life for years.  I am sorry to see it go!




www.facebook.com/sebastoblog

What sixth chakras and iphones have in common

I was with some teenagers at a "teen lounge" recently and heard some choice comments.  (Some of the remarks, especially coming from teens, made what I overheard even more humorous.) 

"You know how there is spiritual fake and spiritual sincere?  She is very spiritual sincere."
"My yoga teacher's daughter is definitely spiritual fake."

"I do not like [animal] medicine cards.  My grandmother made me draw one to see what my spirit animal was and I got skunk.  Skunk!"
Her friend:  "You got skank?"
Third girl:  "No, she said skunk." 
First girl:  "Who wants their spirit animal to be a skunk?" 
Her friend (continuing to text on her phone):  "Well, maybe it's better than being a skank."

Adolescent boy:  "It would be really nice if I could open up my third eye, but I don't know how."
His friend:  "I don't think you open it.  I think you activate it."
After a moment.  "Kind of like a cell phone?"


Gentleman, standing outside Copperfield's on July fourth:  "For being a fairly anti-establishment town, Sebastopol sure does go all out with the flags every holiday it can."
(this is true)

I was walking toward Ragle Park close to dusk and heard some drumming coming from a backyard a few houses down.  A man, walking toward me, commented when he passed by:  "You gotta love Sebastopol.  You go for an evening stroll and get some nice sunset drumming."




www.facebook.com/sebastoblog