Monday, April 27, 2009
A tiny, secret gift shop with magic spells, charms, and potions for every need. Lucky floor wash? Got it, in a dozen flavors. Magic soap and bath salts? Of course! Good fortune perfume? Totes. Candles for every saint, wish, or ailment? Ya. Incense in Frankincense, Patchouli, Amber, the Virgin Mary, or "Power of 7 Men?" Yes, plus about 30 others. Rosaries? In every color! Jewelry? You got it. My favorites are the amulets, which run the gamut between kitsch and seriously witchy. One standout is a "protection" amulet that includes, among other things, a plastic lollipop and a tiny human foot, with an explanatory illustration of two African children with glowy eyes frolicking in some sort of voodoo Candyland. 7 Potencias also carries a wide array of magic powders, for attraction, repulsion, envy, and court dates, just to name a few. Needless to say, this equals a bargain-priced, tongue-in-cheek goldmine for hipsters in search of gifts. But I defy you not to start believing, just a little, before you leave the store, not to wonder if there really is something behind it all when the sweet old lady at the counter hands you your change and wishes you "good luck."
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Photo:
Ilona Virostek
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