Astral Boutique's blog

Bringing In The May

What better way to bring in the May than with beautiful friends, music, and food?

 

The sacred ritual of women- getting dressed

 

A Victorian ghost floats down the stairs

 

Leonna Sapphire prepares beautiful food in the kitchen

A Hungarian skirt, and roses for head wreaths

 

Girls grab instruments and walk to the May Pole site, preparing to call the men forth with the pole

The pole is placed firmly in the ground, and the dance that weaves the ribbons begins: 

 

Contests to choose the May Queen and May King- the ladies jump over a broom, while the men, with backs to us, play music. When they stop, the last person over the broom is out.

 

The ladies play music for the men in the same fashion, as they do an egg toss:

 

Our beautiful Queen and handsome King!

 

Hanging with sweet friends:

 

Me and the Sugatroll

 

Getting a head massage from the Queen herself:

At night we dance between the double bonfires, for protection

 

Many-armed goddess:

Happy May to everyone!

Good Craic

We do like to have a good time on St. Patty's Day, aka Irish Appreciation Day:

A drop may have been taken. Maybe two.

"Whiskey in the Jar" was definitely sung.

Fashion lovers: there happened to be three antique clothing experts at this particular party, and so I got an in-depth consulation about my green dress. It was decided after some debate that it is an Edwardian nightgown made of silk crepe. I knew I loved it, but I had no idea it was so old!

Catching Up...

Wow- okay, I have been busy. I did my last Catch Up post in March! A lot of fun stuff has been happening since then... lots and lots of band stuff (full steam ahead with a European tour this Fall!), seasonal celebrations (aka parties), friends, food, and the Yuba River... here's a review in pictures:

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Beltaine

Bluebird, Sunshine, and myself

Leonna makes floral head wreaths

Summer and Charles, creatures of the forest

our friends from San Francisco, going wild in the country

late night outdoor jam session, Dylan on horn

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Rock n' Roll All Night

photo by Laura Marie Anthony

my new favorite stage accessory, my sequined vest and matching belt- makes you wanna shake shake shake it!

me and my bandmate Cynthia

100% dedication to being silly

meeting in the Ladies Room!

 Arielle, in a fabulous vintage purple frock, was our guest tamborine player at this gig- photo by Laura Marie Anthony

Strike a pose! photo by Laura Marie Anthony

Backstage post-gig, sweaty and forming the Friend Pile... photo by Laura Marie Anthony

playing our local record store, Clocktower Records, for Record Store Day

with local band Devil's Train- our Toyota station wagon vs. their vintage hurse!

Our friend Laura Marie Anthony did an awesome photo shoot for the band at a mini golf course in Sacramento...

We've been playing shows, shooting videos, and making plans... sometimes it's overwhelming, like anything that is Full On, but it's so awesome to be involved in a collaborative effort that has such much energy and enthusiam behind it. I've never experienced anything like this. A band becomes your family pretty fast. 

Me and the Sugatroll, rocking out at the Yuba River:

I hope everyone is having an inspiring summer, and getting a chance to play in nature and do creative projects! 

Catching Up

So, I kind of vanished from the internet for the past three weeks. In the holiday hubbub you probably didn't notice, but for me that was a long break. I'd always wanted to have the full twelve days of Christmas off, and this year my wish came true... and I went ahead and started my vacation a little early, on the 19th of December, the Sugatroll's birthday! 

We went to the mall with our friends. We drank beer (they have beer at the mall now!). We bought light up hula hoops. Me and Candace got in the hurricane simulator. 

photos by Jesse Thatcher

It was well worth the two bucks.

A few days later was a Winter Soltice celebration with traditional Yuletide food and drink, carols around the piano, and dancing with deer horn headpieces:

Then there was Christmas, or shall we say, the First Day of Christmas. (Christmas lasts until the Wise Men reach Jesus in the manger and bring him the booty on the 6th of January, you know.) My mom (on the left) with my aunties and my uncle:

On the Fourth Day of Christmas, my band Mt. Whateverest played a CD release show. Here we are getting our photos taken beforehand:

photo (and hair!) by Therese Meyer

Rocking out at the show:

photo by Mike Meals

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, aka New Year's Eve, the band had a party to end all parties at our house.. it actually lasted until the Ninth Day of Christmas, when all was said and done. We even made an album of our jams (thanks to the technical prowness of the Sugatroll, who kept a steady head on a bateau ivre):

Note our new lasers, and our fiberoptic Christmas tree:

The party was not over yet, though- my cousin Erin has a tradition of throwing a massive Women's Christmas party every year, and this year I finally got to go. Women's Christmas is an Irish tradition, celebrated on the last day (Twelfth Day) of Christmas, when the hard-working gals get to let the fellas do all the work, and take over the pubs with their girlfriends. We had a crew of Man Slaves, neverending food and drink, a pub quiz, a Father Ted episode viewing, and a whole lotta love.

Me and my Cuz, big sillies:

So theoretically it's all over now... except, of course, that it's never over! But I am going to give my liver a break and return to a somewhat regular sleeping schedule and not drive all over the state... at least til February. 

Happy 2013!!!!!!